By Rita Lewis

I recently went on vacation for a month in the French Alps. (Tough, I know, but someone has to do it!) When I set off, I had optimistic plans for lots of productive, sunshine-y writing sessions on some mountainside. I took laptop, notes, paper and pens and pencils. I was ready.

Well, guess how that went.

I hiked. I ate tasty bread with ten different kinds of cheese. I read good books and learned to sleep again. I spent quality time with cousins, made friends with sheep and cows, took dozens of photos of the wildflowers rioting on every hillside.

But I did not write. I couldn’t. I discovered that I really, really needed the time off to think, to let my mind wander among the ideas I’d intended to work with. To just BE.

So I turned to what I call “shadow writing.”

Shadow writing is…

A way to sidle up to actual writing. It’s giving yourself mental and emotional space before you write, and using writing-allied techniques to get you going.

I’ve always just… written. I do some mind-mapping, some outlining, and get to it. My prep is minimal. A few (or dozens of) drafts later, and voilà: finished product.

I tried my usual process for about ten minutes on my sunny mountainside, and it didn’t work. My brain hung out a “nobody home” sign. So I decided to not-write. Like negative space in a painting, the blankness of not-writing gave meaning and shape to my subject—my “picture.”

I allowed myself a generous grace period before touching pen to paper, and when I felt I could eke out a few words, I tried some techniques that felt nothing like “real” writing. It was shadow writing, and it was good.

Shadow writing is not…

Avoidance or procrastination. Lest you think, Oh goody, I’m off the hook—you’re not. You’re preparing to be productive during a time when you aren’t. Shadow writing is not about using your regular writing tricks and hacks. It’s not butt-in-chair, chained-to-a-desk-with-no-food until you get something on the page. And my form of shadow writing is not traveling to the dark side of your psyche (one definition that popped up during a Google search).

Shadow writing is letting go, with purpose.

Shadow writing can help when…

You need to fill the well

My vacation was the first one I’d had in years—nearly fifteen years. I’d been a caregiver for a dozen of those, surviving the death of two close relatives and settling two estates while meeting the obligations of work and daily life. I was bone-tired, and the well was completely, utterly dry. I needed to see wonderful sights. Eat actual food, sitting down. Listen to new music and watch the sunrise unfurl.

Your ideas need to percolate

If you find yourself in an exhausting wrestling match with your subject, it may help to do some processing before you write. Maybe your subject is huge and unwieldy. Maybe it’s too slippery or nebulous to nail down. Maybe it’s so near and dear to your heart that you just can’t get at it. Let your subconscious—which is pretty intelligent—do some of the work. (See “Plant your idea” below.)

You need to heal

In the aftermath of a challenging or traumatic experience, you need time to heal. It’s intensely frustrating to not be able to write, to feel like your brain and fingers are behind a wall of thick cotton. But you might need to let your soul knit itself back together before you try to write and risk ripping the stitches open.

Techniques for shadow writing

Just let yourself be

Take walks. Lie on your back and stare at the clouds. Nature, art, time alone, travel, human connection… all great ways to fill the creative well. Grant yourself the space and grace to think, feel, and process before you rush pell-mell into writing. Thinking of absolutely nothing for a while can help things settle down enough to think for real.

Plant and nurture your idea

Read about your subject, read books in your genre, consume inspirational material. Water your idea faithfully. As it sprouts, turn your seedling so it gets equal sun exposure all around and grows straight: Talk with trusted friends about your idea. Write the title for your future book on a whiteboard you pass often during your day, and edit as your idea takes shape. Write the elevator speech for your book. That’s it—just plant your idea and watch it grow.

Journal and take notes

Nibble around the edges of writing. Start by journaling. The process of journaling helps you process your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. (The internet abounds with how-to’s and examples of journaling, like Wild Wordsmith’s take on the practice.)

Keep your phone or a small notebook with you. As you get ideas about your ideas (which will happen if you make a regular practice of journaling and note-taking), jot them down, but don’t transcribe anything yet; that’s for later. Keep notes from conversations with friends, your therapist, texts with your confidantes. You’ll be surprised how much good stuff you can gather. At the end of every day or week, put it all into a document, in an outline, in comic strips with thought bubbles, or in whatever format makes sense and isn’t too much like formal writing.

Play with process

Let joy guide you. Do you want to write in a spiral? Do it. Do you want to play with structure? Take a blank wall and some colored sticky notes and go to town. Buy a physical thesaurus (the older, the better) at a used bookstore and try some word play with your elevator speech.

Get help

As you move toward actual writing, enlist the help of friends, fellow writers, and editors. Form or join a writing group. Hire a writing coach. Getting help will help you become accountable to yourself and gain momentum. And it’s a lot less scary to take a creative journey with others.

Shadow write your way back

Shadow writing is particularly helpful when you’re blocked, burned out, or confused. It requires time and patience, so it’s not meant for situations with tight deadlines, or really, any deadline. It’s fun, insightful, and liberating—a great way to chip away at the rock face of writing. Shadow writing will help you create toeholds for the tiny steps that eventually result in summiting a mountaintop with a breathtaking view.

Rita Lewis is a writer, editor, speaker, and grant-writing coach. In her spare time, she writes poetry and practices pareidolia. This article was first published on ClearSightBooks.com.

By Andrea Wenger, andreadavidauthor.com

As was announced earlier in July, the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers are now part of TAF! Formerly a chapter of the Romance Writers of America, HCRW is committed to supporting romance authors through education and networking. We offer quarterly face-to-face events as well as a monthly Book-in-a-Week writing competition. We also present periodic educational webinars through TAF. All TAF members are welcome to attend at no extra cost. Watch the forum to learn more about our events.

For those unfamiliar with romance writing, here’s a general explanation of this popular genre.

Beyond the Bodice Ripper: What Is the Romance Genre?

Romance is one of the best-selling genres in publishing — a billion-dollar industry featuring stories of tension and heart-stopping emotion. Yet it’s frequently dismissed as nothing more than a guilty pleasure.

In fact, the romance genre is a diverse, empowering, and deeply satisfying category of fiction that celebrates the journey of human connection.

While a love story can appear in almost any genre — from epic fantasy to gritty thrillers — romance novels follow two core rules. These aren’t suggestions — they’re the primary promise the author makes to the reader.

A central love story: The main plot is the development of a romantic relationship between two or more people. While subplots involving career, family, or even saving the world can and do exist, the romance must be the primary focus.

An emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending: A romance novel must end in a way that leaves the reader feeling hopeful about the central relationship’s future. This doesn’t mean every problem is magically solved. Rather, it guarantees that, at the end of the book (or sometimes, the series), the central couple is committed to facing life’s journey together.

Romance vs. Women’s Fiction: What Is the Difference?

If a book features a female protagonist navigating a romantic relationship, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s a romance. The key difference lies in the focus.

Women’s fiction (sometimes categorized as general fiction) centers on a woman’s journey of self-discovery. Her relationship with a partner might be part of that journey, but so are her career, friendships, family, and relationship with herself. The romance subplot serves the protagonist’s story. Crucially, a happy ending is not guaranteed.

In romance, the main characters’ journeys serve the relationship. The personal growth, career changes, external conflicts — they all exist to test and strengthen the bond between the central couple (or triad, or…).

What Are the Romance Subgenres?

The romance genre is vast and wonderfully diverse. To help readers find the specific stories they crave, the genre comprises numerous subgenres, including the following.

Setting-Based Subgenres

• Contemporary Romance: The largest and most popular subgenre features stories set in the 21st century. These novels reflect current societal norms and themes, with settings that can range from bustling big cities to quirky small towns.
• Retro Romance: Stories from 1950–2000 might fall into this category, or they might be classified as either contemporary or historical. As time marches on, the definitions are evolving.
• Historical Romance: These novels are generally set before 1950. This is a huge category with its own beloved sub-subgenres defined by specific eras, like Regency or Medieval.
• Western Romance: Set in the American West, these stories often feature cowboys, ranchers, and frontier life. They can be either historical or contemporary.
• Highlander: Set in the Highlands of Scotland, the kilted heroes and fierce heroines in these (mostly) historical romances project the independent spirit and family loyalties shaped by the rugged and sharply beautiful terrain.

Tone and Plot-Based Subgenres

• Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com): These light-hearted stories emphasize witty banter, humorous situations, and charming characters.
• Romantic Suspense: This subgenre seamlessly blends romance with a mystery or thriller subplot.
• Inspirational Romance: Faith or spirituality is integral to the characters’ journey, typically with high emotion but little or no physical intimacy.
• Erotic Romance: Explicit sensuality is key to the story and deeply intertwined with the emotional journey.
• Dark Romance: Exploring more intense and taboo themes, this subgenre often features morally ambiguous characters.

Speculative Fiction Subgenres

• Paranormal Romance: Set in a world superficially like our own, this subgenre features characters such as vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and other magical beings.
• Fantasy Romance (aka Romantasy): These stories are typically set in entirely fictional worlds with their own unique creatures, magic systems, and political landscapes.
• Science Fiction (Sci-Fi) Romance: This subgenre blends futuristic technology, space travel, and alien worlds with a central love story between humans, aliens, or even artificial intelligence.

Character-Demographic Subgenres

• Young Adult (YA) Romance: Teenage protagonists experience the emotional intensity of first love, high school, coming-of-age themes, and other adolescent challenges.
• New Adult (NA) Romance: This subgenre explores the transition into adulthood with protagonists in the 18-25 age range. These stories often focus on experiences like college, starting a career, and navigating mature relationships.
• LGBTQ+ Romance: This broad and vibrant subgenre features main characters and relationships from across the queer spectrum. These stories can be found within all other subgenres, from Western to romantasy.

The Joy of Tropes: The Building Blocks of Romance

Far from being clichés, tropes are beloved story setups that deliver specific emotional experiences, telling the reader what kind of journey to expect. Here are a few of the most popular tropes and their appeal:

• Enemies to Lovers: The characters start with genuine animosity — but that fiery passion slowly transforms into respect, understanding, and love.
• Friends to Lovers: The characters already share a deep bond of friendship, and the story explores the terrifying, wonderful moment they realize there could be something more. It’s full of pining and emotional depth.
• Fake Relationship: Two characters pretend to be a couple (for a wedding or work event, to make an ex jealous, etc.). Forced together, they see each other in a new light, blurring the lines between what’s fake and what’s breathtakingly real.
• Grumpy/Sunshine: One character is brooding, cynical, or reclusive, while the other is upbeat, gregarious, and optimistic. The magic lies in watching the sunshiny character chip away at the grumpy one’s walls.
• Forced Proximity: There’s only one bed! They’re stuck in an elevator! They’re snowed in at a remote cabin! This trope throws the main characters together in a confined space, leaving them no choice but to confront their feelings.

The next time you’re looking for a story that guarantees hope, connection, and a deeply satisfying emotional payoff, consider a romance novel. You might find your new favorite escape. If you’re a writer and haven’t tried writing romance, hopefully this primer has opened your eyes to the possibilities!

Andrea J. Wenger writes Regency romance under the pen names Andrea David and Andrea Duke. When she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys gardening, scuba diving, and hiking active volcanoes with her husband. To learn more about her books, visit her website listed at the top of this post.

From Pixabay by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke

By Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, ProlificPulse.com

Triangle Association of Freelancers presents WriteNow! 2025, a one-day, in-person conference on May 17th at the McKimmon Center at North Carolina State University. Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld will be presenting “Using Poetry to Elevate Journalistic Writing.” In this post, she gives us a preview of her talk.

At the heart of every good story is the pulse of poetry. T.S. Eliot

As a teacher of several poetry workshops, it has been my focus to help others find the poet within themselves. It is my belief that most writers have some form of poetic ability.

Think about the metaphor, a common term used to describe the essence of poetry. While some poems, such as Haiku, don’t employ the use of metaphor, many do. What is most important is metaphors can also be used in any form of expression.

Some of the most valuable prose I have enjoyed has woven the use of metaphor throughout. It’s not always strikingly obvious, but when it comes through, it stops the reader to take a pause and to reflect. When I find these, I sometimes highlight them, they become a place to go back and ponder the meaning of the stories.

This also holds true for alliteration, assonance, rhythm, and other characteristics commonly seen in poetry. What possible essence is exuded when these tools are employed? Is it any wonder that poetry employed in other forms of writing can only improve the messages conveyed?

Journalistic articles must cover the commonly known “5 W’s and H” which are about the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of a story. Some people reading this may be familiar with Dragnet, a fictional police show from the 1960s which reemerged in the 1980s as a film. When the detectives showed up at a crime scene and interviewed witnesses, one of the officers would tell the witnesses, “Only the facts, Ma’am or Sir.” This is often how journalists operate.

The question arises about how journalism can employ poetry elements and remain as journalistic writing. Poetry refines language, causing a more vivid expression to engage readers. Both poetry and journalism require precision, rhythm, and emotion to connect with the audience. Poetry and journalism both share the economy of words, strong imagery, and flow.

Even when the news is the hardest to read, poetry can add depth without sacrificing objectivity.

I invite you to participate in my session at Write Now! 2025 where we will discuss more on this topic. We’re going to have a lot of fun. Join us!

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, a former educator, is a widely published poet and writer. She is an editor for Fine Lines Literary Journal, and the Poet Laureate Emeritus of Garden of Neuro Institute. Lisa is the founder and manager of Prolific Pulse Press LLC, a micro press that publishes poetry, novellas, small books, and experimental manuscripts.

by Domanie Spencer, www.KerningEditorial.com

“I wouldn’t worry about it – just use a pen name. Get your writing out there!”

Couched within this exuberant advice from a well-published writer, the too-easy flippancy of it all escaped me. Of course! I thought naively. A pen name for every way to tell a story will solve all my problems. Fiction will know me as A, nonfiction will know me as B, and I shall submit poetry under C. There was indeed a way to be more than one thing. I was overjoyed. Marvelous plan.

But, no. Not really.

“Pen names are used widely, but each one needs to have a life of its own on social media,” the presenter said. This news deterred most folks within the Zoom squares on my screen, but I warmed to the opportunity of being three distinctly separate people. A delicious idea, I thought, my imagination bursting with soon-to-be personas… “But,” the presenter continued, absurdly not stopping at the good news, “agents won’t like it. It will be a tough road to establish credibility.” Hmm, this sounded serious. They should have led with that…

And then came the genre-boxes (not an official term). At any writerly forum – in the name of reader clarity, book sales, and industry roadmaps – discussions regarding the boxes writers must fit themselves into erupt and gaily continue, unhindered and unresolved. General debate still exists on the definition of creative nonfiction vs. nonfiction. Another exists on how long a successful personal essay should be before it’s considered “flash.” Then there’s migraine-inducing genre-bending: speculative/flash, narrative/spiritual, atmospheric/magic, etc. If you attempt fiction while your real estate is currently located within the neighborhood of nonfiction, what are you? If you sprinkle a little magic in telling the story of your walk in the woods, is it blasphemy? While reeling within this dust-devil of abundance a writer must choose from, I wondered: Could neighborhoods simply co-mingle? Frowned upon, apparently.

“Pick a lane – don’t confuse the reader,” say some. “Don’t forget the tropes! You can’t possibly engage all the tropes if not fully immersed and committed to the one thing;” say others. “You’ll lose your reader and, worse, never find an agent,” say the most helpful.

The more I learn about writing for publication, the murkier it becomes. The quest to be a writer of more than just one thing has grown spikes and become less of a quest and more of a startling obstacle course. 

With gratitude, I appreciate the existence of step-by-step guides, charts, graphs, webinars, TED talks, craft books and magazines, clubs, coaches, critique groups, and conferences that attempt to clear up the murk. The remote access at my fingertips to all of this is a gift to any writer, as are writer-friends. I’m certain I have grown several new brains to help with the sheer enormity of information available on publishing. Thankfully, within the past few years of self-education in my quest-turned-obstacle course, I have landed on a few simple truths: hold on to the basics, make them your own, and keep writing. The thing I have learned I must be in all the different ways no matter which genre-boxes beckon or push me away – is resilient.

I keep writing and continue in my determined quest to write more than one thing. I have successfully co-mingled my neighborhoods because they are mine to do so. Whether this approach will be successful in the world of publication, with or without pen names, remains to be seen. Most importantly, I no longer allow it to stop me in my tracks and beckon me down the rabbit hole of doubt. Rather, I give it a polite wave and note its location.

I protect the spark that appeared in my childhood when I wrote like no one was watching. I have found a home for the spark and surrounded it with barbed wire so no one, not even I, can sabotage it. I have a secret password (one that makes me laugh). It lets me enter when I need to be reminded why I write.

I’m in the throes of arranging decades’ worth of personal essays that will make up a collection squarely within a world of creative nonfiction. I happily share poetry under a pen name. Simultaneously, I’m writing a fictional story that keeps feeding my creativity – which is ravenous after 20 years of shooting off pointed emails in “corporate speak.” I have become more than one thing.

In fleeting flashes, I miss my past world of bottom-line-driven corporate laypeople who went to bars after work and not once spoke of genre, subgenre, cross-genre, genre-bending, or multi-genre.

“What do you do when you’re not working?” they would ask.

“I write,” I would say. Their wholehearted surface-interest response?

“Wonderful! Cheers!”

That was it. It was a simpler time.

Domanie Spencer writes with a grateful heart. She finds humor in life’s quirks as she runs an editorial business while learning to grow things from seed and make things from scratch in a gentle North Carolina town. More information on her blog and business can be found at: https://KerningEditorial.com  

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

by Lee O’Connell

“When I am in my room alone and I write

Thoughts come easily, words come fluently then”

~ Sheldon Harnick

If you’re not familiar with 1960s back-catalog Broadway musicals (Really? Just me?), that quote is from the song “Will He Like Me?” from the musical She Loves Me. I consider it the introvert’s manifesto.

If you have seen the movies You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, or The Shop Around the Corner with Jimmy Stewart, you know the plot of this show. Real-life foes fall in love through anonymous written correspondence and live happily ever after. In this song, Amalia, the female lead, agonizes over the prospect of meeting her pen-pal love interest in person. Everything is so perfect in the letters she writes, and so much could go wrong when the words have to come out of her mouth instead.

I encountered this song as a soprano musical theatre student building her repertoire. But I instantly connected with it. I’m also an introvert who can clearly lay out her thoughts when she writes, but struggles to get the thoughts swirling around in her brain to come out in coherent and comprehensive sentences.

Why is it so simple for me to think elaborately laid out thoughts, yet so challenging to translate them into speech? I can imagine entire conversations in my head (I used to do this in Spanish, too, when I was studying it). But when I have those conversations in real life, I am nowhere near as eloquent as I planned to be.

With so many of my inner thoughts trapped inside me, I often don’t realize how little of my interior reasoning or experience I communicate to the people in my life.

When I write, though, just as Amalia sings, thoughts come easily, and words come fluently. I can articulate topics, complex or simple, with passion and clarity. I feel like a much more functional human being than the awkward mess I seem to be when I speak, especially if I’m–gulp–put on the spot.

Whenever my husband and I have had a critical topic to discuss, I have written him a letter. I need to lay out my thoughts fully and clearly. Writing is the only way to be sure I do. The last time I did this was when we were debating whether to have a third child. My multi-page missive wasn’t the deciding factor, but it helped my husband better understand my yearning for one more baby.

Our third son is almost two now, and he is a delight.

Writing has served me well throughout my life. The heartfelt letter I wrote to our home’s previous owner convinced him to pick our bid. My carefully scripted speech at my sister’s wedding delighted so many guests that I missed the cake-cutting. I was swarmed by friends and family who wanted to compliment me on it.

My preference for the written word flows both ways. I would rather read an article than watch a video to learn about a topic. And I will pick a scripted show over reality TV every time. There’s something about the written word that clicks better with the neurons in my brain, even when it’s an input rather than an output. Maybe it’s the relative quietness. Or just a more organized presentation of thoughts and feelings that seems easier to process.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am a functioning human in social situations. I can get through interviews or answer the phone or whatever else and be, at most, mildly awkward. My social anxiety is entirely surmountable. I even used to be an actor. Multiple people told me that I never seemed more alive than when I was onstage. I think it’s partly because I was unburdened of having to find the words — someone had already written them for me.

I take some comfort in knowing that I’m not a complete freak. Many introverts prefer writing, says science. And throughout my new journey as a freelancer, I have found connection through writing in different corners of the internet. Will those people like me if we meet? I don’t know. But, unlike Amalia, I’m tempted to keep trying.

Lee is a freelance content and copywriter specializing in causes/nonprofits, parenting, and B2B. Committed to using words to make the world a bit better and parenting a bit easier. You can read some of her other posts at leeoconnell.com/blog.

Image from Pixabay by Ray Shrewsberry

By Don Vaughan

For much of my career, I stridently opposed writing for less than a professional rate. Pennies per word, I felt, was an insult. Writers deserve dollars. 

A few months ago, however, I had an epiphany: Sometimes the purpose of writing is about more than just the money.

My change of heart came with the release of a new magazine titled Cryptology, which is devoted to horror comics, television, films, and related media. In other words, MY kind of magazine. The editor was interested in republishing an article I had written decades earlier, and asked if I had additional article ideas. Boy, did I! For three days I submitted idea after idea, and when the dust settled, I came away with nine assignments ranging from an article on the making of I Was a Teenage Werewolf to an overview of The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror episodes.

Here’s the thing: Cryptology pays only $10 per published page. At the most, I will make $70 per article, likely less. I knew this going in, and didn’t care. Cryptology gave me the opportunity to write about topics of great interest to me, and in the process interview some very interesting people, including scream queen Brinke Stevens, Spider Baby actress Beverly Washburn, and Vanessa Harryhausen, the daughter of legendary stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen. I pitched these ideas knowing the money would be little, but that the fun factor would be through the roof. And that’s a very good reason for doing anything.

Around the same time that I started writing for Cryptology, I was also approached by a British-based publication called Illustrators, which publishes gorgeous profiles of artists in a variety of genres and forms. The editor was planning a special issue devoted to a long-defunct comic book publisher, and was interested in an interview I had conducted related to a specific artist. In this case, there would be no financial compensation at all—I would be paid in comps.

I didn’t hesitate. I immediately said yes, because Illustrators is a stunning publication and I very much wanted to be a part of it. When the editor sent the galleys featuring my contribution, I was staggered. The pages looked amazing, and my interview fit perfectly. My byline was misspelled, but that was quickly corrected.

Comp copies will also be my sole compensation for an essay I wrote for an upcoming book about The Monster Times, a tabloid publication that ran a total of 47 issues in the early to mid-1970s, and which had a huge fan base. My essay is about my introduction to The Monster Times and how it sparked my interest in EC Comics, a publisher best known today for creating MAD Magazine. The essay didn’t take me long to write, and I was happy to contribute because The Monster Times was an important and memorable part of my youth.

Understandably, these kinds of assignments bring me much more joy than those I accept only for the paycheck, though my effort toward both is equal. That right there is a wonderful reason to write for less than a professional rate; anything that brings you joy should be pursued.

But there are other very good reasons as well. For example, less affluent publications are more likely to work with beginning writers, and accept their proposals. Smaller publications are also a great place to hone your craft, and add bylines to your professional portfolio. The pay may be low, but the benefits to your career can be many.

Most importantly, writing for smaller, lesser paying publications often allows you the opportunity to write on topics close to your heart—especially if they are outside the mainstream. I doubt that Esquire would be interested in a feature about the making of I Was a Teenage Werewolf, but Cryptology jumped at the idea. And I know I’ll have a great time writing it.

Don Vaughan has been a full-time freelance writer since 1991. During that time he has published more than 2,500 articles and columns in an eclectic array of publications, including Writer’s Digest, Encyclopedia Britannica and MAD Magazine. Don is the founder of Triangle Association of Freelancers.

Image from JDK from Pixabay

by Maya Spikes
Executive Director, Triangle Association of Freelancers

It’s time to look back on 2024 and the many special moments for TAF and its members. Here are some of the highlights:

April marked the return of Write Now!, our popular spring writing conference. Our keynote speakers were award-winning science fiction/horror author Nicole Givens Kurtz and Writer’s Digest editor-in-chief Amy Jones.

Conference sessions included: “The Treasurers in Your Own Back Yard: Mining Your Life for Articles” by Don Vaughan, “Share Your Story: Memoir Writing” by Kyle Marie McMahon, “Enhance Your Story with Compelling Secondary Characters” by Reese Ryan, “The Art of the Interview: How to Talk to Anyone About Anything” by Sean Flynn, “A Guide to Self-Publishing: Everything You Need to Know Before Jumping In” by Karin Wiberg, and “A Writer’s Best Friend: Style Manuals and How to Use Them” by Laura Poole.

The Write Now! planning committee is currently finalizing arrangements for next year’s conference, which will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at The McKimmon Center in Raleigh. Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about guest speakers, session topics, and other conference details!

In September, TAF continued its growing series of anthologies with the publication of The TAF Omnibus Vol. III (Stories, Essays & Poems) edited by Arlene Bice. Twenty-one TAF members contributed a total of 33 great poems and stories to our latest anthology.

We also continued our monthly meetings and hosted three TAF Talks, all via Zoom. Featured meeting guests included indie film director Justin Ferguson, Triangle Family editor Janice Lewine, The Assembly’s John Drescher, cybersecurity expert Laura Rodgers, and a special poetry panel hosted by poet Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld.

TAF’s monthly meetings also featured writing coach Christy Murphy, publicist Joe Marich, romance author Rhonda McKnight, North Carolina Writer’s Network executive director Ed Southern, and horror writer and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction editor Sheree Renee Thomas.

Our TAF Talk guests for 2024 were science fiction/horror author Nicole Givens Kurtz, Newbery Medal winning children’s author Meg Medina, and science fiction novelist and short story-writer Tobias Buckell.

We’ve had much success with our virtual meetings, but we also like to meet in person. In August, several local TAF members enjoyed delicious meals and great conversation at Saints & Scholars Pub in Raleigh.

And finally, I would like to thank everyone in TAF for making 2024 another wonderful year. I’m so grateful for our inspirational and educational discussions, both in person and virtual, which have created a thriving community of writers.

I wish you much writing success in 2025 and beyond.

Happy Holidays!

Photo by Mike Rumble

By Mike Rumble, www.rumblesrumblings.wordpress.com

Shortly after I joined TAF and became very interested in doing more writing, I had a sit down with Don and asked him, “Where is the best place to do writing?” Don’s answer was very simple, he told me, “Find a place, even just a small corner of your house, and when you find that space, decorate it in such a way that when you are in it, it will inspire you to write and create.”

Not too long ago, after my roommate and I moved into a larger house, and in exchange for giving her the primary bedroom, I got two smaller rooms: one for my bedroom, and the other for my office. That’s when the creation of my creative space started. I’m a confirmed Batman freak. Everyone needs a superhero. Mine just happens to be a guy whose life is as complicated as mine, so it was a perfect match. Over the next few months, I bought Batman posters, statues, books, and even Batman Lego and decorated my office with them. The result was exactly what Don said would happen. When I am in my “Batcave,” I write and create almost without thinking about it. The ideas flow because I am in a place where I can create. So, if you’re writing or doing your creating in a place that doesn’t inspire you, change it! Even if it’s the corner of your favorite coffee shop, find that special place that gets your writing hand moving and creating something beautiful! And if you have a space in your house that you can make your creative space, use it! And yes, decorate it to the max so that when you walk into it, you’ll feel inspired and motivated to take what is in your thoughts and get it written out!

Mike has been a member of TAF since 2008. He has had stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul as well in two TAF Anthologies. Mike is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer(CPRW). You can follow Mike’s writings at his blog: www.rumblesrumblings.wordpress.com.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

By Chanah Wizenberg

October is the month of International Dyslexia Awareness. I discovered this when doing my research in preparation for my interview with Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, prolific co-authors of the Hank Zipzer children’s book series.

 Many of you will remember Henry’s infamous role, Fonzie, in the 1970’s hit comedy show, Happy Days. For those who may not know who Henry Winkler is, he’s an actor, producer, and director of many films and televisions shows. To see his many accomplishments click here. In addition to his rich career in film, theater, and television he’s an author. Something he thought he’d never become.

Why? Because Henry Winkler has severe dyslexia. That’s something I can relate to as I have dyslexia also. I didn’t think I’d ever become a writer either. This and the way our fathers treated us was also quite similar. That connection is what drew me to do the interview.

            Enter Lin Oliver. Lin Oliver is a gifted author, producer of children’s books and television shows. To see her impressive history click here. Henry and Lin met through a mutual friend. It was at a time when Winkler’s career had stalled. He couldn’t get work. No one would hire him because of his role as Fonzie. The whole world knew him as “The Fonz”.

Typecasting is every actor’s worst nightmare. When an actor becomes known for a particular role, audiences have a hard time seeing that actor as anything other than the infamous character they portrayed. As a result, no director or producer wants to risk hiring that actor. Henry was left high and dry with no prospects in sight. That was his lowest point.

            Enter Alan Berger. Having nowhere else to turn, Winkler called his old manager, Alan, seeking his advice. That advice was to write a book about his experience with dyslexia. Berger understood Henry would need support and help. He gave Henry Lin Oliver’s number and encouraged him to call. Which he did and their first book series, Hank Zipzer was born.

            Lin and Henry worked out the perfect system. Henry walked around Lin’s apartment and talked while Lin typed. They scrutinized every word to get it just right. They were more successful than they realized. The series was a hit. Its subject, was about a boy, Hank, with dyslexia who struggled at school and at home. With the help of his friends and special principal, the protagonist, begins to find success.

            What also sets this children’s book apart from others is that it’s written in a font that is easier for those with dyslexia to read. The font is called Dyslexie; created by Christopher Boer, a graphic designer who has dyslexia. He wanted to create a font that would make reading easier for children with dyslexia. One of the first book series to use it in was the Hank Zipzer books. To learn more about this font click here.

            In celebration of International Dyslexia Awareness month, I encourage you to go to your local library or favorite bookstore and take out or purchase a copy of the Hank Zipzer children’s book series for young readers.

            If you would like to read a more in-depth article about Mr. Winkler’s struggles with dyslexia and how he overcame those struggles to become a co-author of forty children’s books, see the November/December issue of Writer’s Digest magazine that comes out at the end of this month.

Chanah Wizenberg writes poetry and short stories and has published in a number of anthologies and has been a member of TAF for many years. She shares her domicile with her dog and cat.

Photos from Pixabay by jhenning and rperucho

By Sarah Merritt Ryan

If there is power in disclosing something that bears personal risk, the chance is that it is a story that needs to be told. 

With each passing year in our country, the discourse on mental health deepens. People want to understand serious mental illness better and more research is being devoted to finding the root causes of it. Editors are becoming more receptive to articles about all aspects of mental health. With this discourse comes awareness and acceptance of long stigmatized issues. 

Writing about mental health is one thing, but making yourself vulnerable and disclosing your own illness, especially a serious one, is another. First-hand accounts, though, are essential in making this national discourse authentic and true to life.

            Take me for example: I had three psychotic breaks in two years during my early thirties, after going off the antipsychotics I had taken for ten years. Homeless after my second hospitalization, I was soon readmitted and then discharged to my parents. A social worker gave me disability papers to sign, and some months later I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It was shocking. Suddenly, I felt like I had so much to hide, and the emotional toll was staggering.

            However, I have been in full remission of symptoms for twelve years while consistently taking an antipsychotic. Several years ago, after much reflection, I decided I was finally ready to own my past and open up about it. I was moved to share what I have been through to help others through writing. I decided to start blogging in order to articulate what emotional healing from psychosis looks like and how to deal with a stigmatized diagnosis. Here are five benefits I have realized from disclosing my mental health challenges publicly.

Writing as an Energy Channel

It takes a great deal of energy to withhold and filter your past from the people you meet. The act of writing reverses that energy flow outward in a positive way that creates more energy and passion in your words, leading to authenticity and power. Writing can be a vital channel — for some a sole means of personal expression — on a sensitive topic that is difficult to verbalize. Learning to articulate your deepest inner thoughts while recounting your personal experience can help you to improve as a writer. It can be scary to dredge up painful memories, but I have found it cathartic for myself and beneficial to others.

All this energy I used to withhold from people details of my past is now channeled into much needed self-expression. This one huge secret that no one could know about has transitioned into an entire body of thoughts, ideas, and insight into the recovery process. I had no idea how much I had to say until I started blogging about it. The feedback from my editors and readers that my writing is powerful surprised me at first. I believe that the power in my writing must come from the strong, deep-seated emotions I am redirecting from fear and shame into pride and activism.

Making Beauty from Ashes

Writing to explain your experience to someone else can help you understand it better as well, leading to additional closure. Writing fosters personal sensemaking, especially when you learn how to reframe your experience more positively. Exploring meaning in your traumatic experience through writing can mark a turning point in your recovery. Your increased awareness and articulation of feelings and thoughts can be beneficial to others who may be going through a similar experience. 

Writing details about my psychotic experiences seemed unimaginable to me even five years ago, but it has paid off. I now blog on the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and Psychology Today websites. Writing blogs that are geared towards sending hope, a positive message, and understanding to people in a similar situation helps me reclaim my life and accept my past struggles. I can turn my negative experiences around and make them positive influences in the lives of others.

Using Writing to Make a Difference

When you are going through something especially painful in your life, you’re surely not the only person going through the same isolating experience, even though it may feel like it. When you write about something not often written about, you can become a pioneer and thought leader on your topic. Being motivated to make a difference can take you a long way toward more effective, impactful, and authentic writing.

Students, resident psychiatrists, and professors in the psychiatry program where I am treated follow my blog. My psychiatrist says they appreciate the insight I articulate about the emotional healing process of patients like me. (There are not many people writing first-hand accounts about emotional recovery from psychosis.) I am guided in what I write by what I see as missing and what I wish I could have read in the early years of my recovery. It is gratifying that my words are being shared by people of influence in the mental healthcare community. Such an honor as this brings my story of illness and recovery full circle.

Joining a Global Movement

With the tide turning, and mental health disclosures becoming a bit more common, it is less stigmatized to have serious mental illness. With increased understanding, even serious symptoms are starting to be viewed as part of a “normal,” treatable mental condition. Now is the time to participate in a public discussion that removes the misunderstanding about mental illness. You can use your own story and writing skills to help end the shame and secrecy. 

When I first started publishing blogs on my illness, using my real first and last name was a big decision for me, but I felt that I needed to demonstrate to others they shouldn’t be ashamed about their diagnosis. The next step was sharing my picture, bio, and full name on Psychology Today. That was a huge decision, but I believe revealing my full identity online makes me part of a social movement where we reevaluate stereotypes and eradicate shame. Writers are known for pushing social boundaries and opening discourse on difficult topics, and this is the kind of writer I want to be. 

Your Legacy

Years from now, when you look back at your life, would you appreciate more that you played it safe, and hid your true battle that has shaped you as a person? Or would you feel proud that by being brave, making yourself vulnerable and sharing your experience, you encouraged others to communicate what they have been through as well? For so long, I was afraid that having schizophrenia would be my legacy, but now that I have become a successful writer on the topic, I feel proud that sharing my journey may be paving the way for others to do the same. 

Schizophrenia does not define me, but I have chosen to write about this part of my life and identify publicly with this diagnosis so those years of my life do not go to waste. Patients with psychosis, clinicians, and family members will be able to view my blog posts about emotional recovery, accessible and available for years to come, and that’s how I want to leave my mark. My memoir is in progress.

First published in Writer’s Digest online in April 2024.

Writing background: Sarah Merritt Ryan is a blogger, poet, and memoirist. She writes an ongoing Personal Perspectives blog for Psychology Today called Healing Mind: My Journey to Cognitive and Emotional Recovery. She has also published a number of blog posts on Nami.org about stigma, cognitive and emotional recovery, and hope. She has published over a dozen poems in anthologies and journals that focus on surviving emotional trauma.