Michelle L. Smith

A few days ago I submitted a short story into a writing contest. This was my second attempt to enter a contest. The first time, my entry was lost after it arrived at the destination city’s post office. Yep—vanished into thin air, no longer traceable. So you can bet that when I (more…)

How many of you follow rules like “write every day” or “write about what you know”? If you’re like me, you’re already feeling guilty about questioning these age-old words of wisdom. But if you don’t mind bending them, what do you think about having rules like these in the first place?

(more…)

Is it me, or do you also have a hard time stomaching your first drafts? I'm writing a short story for a writing contest, and I'm less than enamored with what I've come up with so far. Actually, that first draft stunk big-time. But it's not the storyline that concerns me. It's the fact (more…)

You've heard the expression, "When it rains, it pours"? Well, last week I saw a notice for a writing contest that is being hosted by one of my writers groups. I decided to enter the contest in hopes of curing my writer's block (see my last two posts). Amazingly, I wrote a short story of about 2500 words within ninety minutes. Turns out, the writing contest was just what the doctor ordered. (more…)

Here it is, my second blog post, and already I find myself writing about the writer’s life. If you read my first blog, you know that I was hoping to occasionally come up with subjects other than what makes a writer tick. I also said I would probably write about whatever is moving me at the time.

Turns out, it’s what’s not moving me that is the subject of this week’s blog. (more…)

I've not been big on New Year's resolutions, but that's what it took to get this blog started.

While writer's block has not been much of an issue for me, I've struggled for some time now with what to post. I toyed with the idea of discussing the writing life, but this subject has been broached by many. (more…)