Staying on the theme of one’s later years – During the last year of journalist and author Francine Russo’s diabetic mother’s life, her aging husband and youngest daughter took care of her. Francine’s sister never asked her to do anything,...
In this Huffington Post piece, “Who Will Care for Us – the Aging, Childless and Single Population?” aging advocate Carol Marak writes, “Since adult children are the lifeblood of elder care, and I don’t have a child, it’s a concern for me.” Her comment...
Last weekend on August 1st marked the third year of celebrating International Childfree Day and awarding the Childfree Man and Woman of the Year. How did it start? While running my blog, La Vie Childfree (which now lives here) , learning of an organization called the...
I recently had the pleasure of asking essayist Meghan Daum about the art of essay writing. Meghan is the author of four books, most recently the original essay collection, The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion. She is also the editor of a collection of...
You have finished your draft manuscript, worked with an editor on developmental and line edits, and hired a proofreader who has done one round of proof. You’re feeling great about your book, and thinking you’re done, right? If you’re smart about...
What do fiction and nonfiction have in common that make both work? Eric Nelson, an editor turned agent, has some good wisdom. In a word: It’s all about choice. For fiction, Nelson says when it comes to what makes for plot, it’s all about the choices the...
World Population Day is coming up; it’s an annual event observed on July 11, and seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was inspired by the...
Brian Tracy International claims 82 percent of adults dream of writing a book. I believe it! Last year it conducted a survey of 1100 people on their main reasons for wanting to write a book. What did the survey find? Check it out: To the question, “What is your...
As I am sure you have seen in the media, the Pope’s “papal encyclical” is due out tomorrow. As CNN explains, “Derived from the Greek word for ‘circle,’ a papal encyclical is a letter from the pope to Catholic clergy and laypeople...
What is the biggest challenge you think many of my new and aspiring writer clients say they face? Hint: They are often people who earn their living in another way than writing, are raising families, and describe their lives as having a lot on their plate. You likely...
