Actually, before we get started, let’s jump to the end: PocketMFA will be so encouraging and productive that you’ll mourn when it’s over. Twelve weeks may seem like a long time commitment, but trust me, you’ll blink and realize it’s not. By the end of the program,...

Getting started is easy. For me, ideas are as abundant as clowns at a parade. I get them everywhere and in every form—a scrap of dialogue, an image of a character, an intriguing situation. Sometimes, an idea yields a paragraph or a full page before the thrill of it...

When I was very young, I told my father I wanted to be a writer. He replied with a practical mindset, suggesting I consider pursuing a career that would earn me a consistent living so that I would not struggle to pay the bills. The translation in my brain was there’s...

Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Deciding to Write for Another Audience or in Another Genre I was antsy in the spring of 2024. I’d been writing for young readers for nearly 25 years, starting out by penning articles on history topics for magazines, augmented by...

In today’s world, the one thing we have plenty of is options. Whether you are buying a new car, a mop to clean your kitchen floor, or an electric toothbrush, there are an overwhelming number of brands, models, styles, and price points to choose from.  So, how do you...

“Just be open.”  These three words turned out to be magical advice for me from the PocketMFA program.   I had heard them repeatedly during the first week, Training Week, when we were awaiting feedback from the workshops our cohort was holding for the most recent...

From virtual to local, workshop to MFA: there’s a creative writing program for everyone. You’re reading this because you are a poet. It’s important to acknowledge this up front, since poets are often experts in imposter syndrome. Maybe you were waiting for someone...

A Peek Into My Writing Background In graduate school, I wrote erotic fiction on the side, drawing on my gay club experiences. This project distracted me from my dissertation, which examined journalistic, scientific, and legal texts about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Even...

Four Tips for the Working Writer I joined AT&T after earning my MBA in marketing in 1983. I climbed the corporate ladder of marketing communications, while falling more in love with words and writing throughout the mid 1990s. By then, catalyzed by a bout of...