I was on a writing retreat for four days with three other writers.
After a while, I began to notice some communal traits.
Following the model of redneck comedian Jeff Foxworthy, I thought I’d share my observations.

You might be a writer if…

You might be a writer if…multi-tasking includes eating, drinking, typing, talking, bopping to music in your headphones, reading, taking notes, and theorizing plot points.

You might be a writer if…you lose track of your chapters when you’re writing and put “Next Chapter” at each break.

You might be a writer if…you have fading letters on your keyboard and are thankful for finger memory or else you couldn’t spell. See ‘E’ key.

You might be a writer if…you laugh out loud at your own work.
You might be a writer if…your own words bring a tear to your eye.

You might be a…

“Is there some festival or special event taking place here today?” I whisper to the Buddhist monk seated next to me.

I am confused, and overwhelmed.

The entire Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya, in the Indian State of Bihar, is draped with marigolds, lotuses, and roses. Hundreds of ochre and red-robed shaven-headed Buddhist monks and nuns prostrate in prayer in the grounds, and around the main temple. A handful of tourists quietly join the circumambulations around the main temple. I see pilgrims from Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Tibet, and Sri Lanka in deep prayer. Most are dressed in their traditional attires. I see a few pilgrims from the West as well, no less in the purity of their faith. Groups chant with micro precision around me, not one voice out of sync, their mantras punctuated with the crescendo beats of rattle drums.

“No. Nothing special. It…

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

As writers, we all struggle with finding enough time to write. There are a number of ways we can “make time” to write. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Redefine Writing Time

I used to think I needed a whole day to get some good writing done, but over the years, my time window has shrunk. For example, I started the first draft of this post while waiting for my son in the car pool line at school. I had 10 minutes and I used them!

1. Make Routines for Everything You Can

I’m the cook in my family and, last fall, I started creating weekly meal plans, usually on Sunday. It takes me half an hour to plan my meals for the week, and it turns out to be a huge time-saver. The hard part about cooking, for me, is figuring out what we’re…

MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR FABIOLA FRANCISCO

What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

Hi, my name is Fabiola Francisco. I write contemporary romance and women’s fiction.

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

My most recent book is All My Truths & One Lie. It’s a more personal story, one I wrote for myself, that shows a path of healing, self-love and self-acceptance, as well as the power of unconditional love.

A story about breaking through the masks used to hide behind and shine truth. More than a love story, All My Truths & One Lie shows the courage it takes to live authentically, beginning with accepting your own truth and healing from it.

I wrote this story pulling a lot of myself and my experiences, blending them with a love story that is deep. Through…

1 – Look to your wife for help. Because apparently she is going to laugh first and then 59 minutes later ask if you are ok.

2 – Hope it isn’t going to hurt this time. It will. Shit always hurts…

3 – Pray to the God of Snow to make it stop. You have time to pray during falling, I’ve done it. The problem is that the God of Snow doesn’t give a fuck about you and is on vacation. He leaves his minions to do his dirty work.

4 – I ran out of reason. My wrist still hurts.

Apparently my New Year’s resolution was to fall a lot.

-OM

@smokendust

For once, the Pond is not quiet. It is loud.

When you investigate the source of the noise, you find Xiaolong trying to soothe Bao, the corgi that she adopted last year. But no matter how many pets and treats that Xiaolong tries to give him, Bao will not stop barking!

Before you can ask Xiaolong what’s wrong, Bao cranes his head to look at you and jumps out of Xiaolong’s arms and runs up to you. He’s stopped barking. Xiaolong looks a little perplexed.

“He came back from visiting some friends and he kept barking! I think he wants us to read something. It must be important.”

At this, Bao nudges the fat envelope tied to his collar. You crouch down, remove the envelope from Bao, and tear the flap open. Inside is a bundle of handwritten letters!

“What’s inside, friend?” asks Xiaolong. She is petting Bao…