I'm pleased to share with you my latest guest post for my friend and writing coach, Lauren Sapala. http://laurensapala.com/writing-progress-not-always-equal-word-count/ Happy Monday to you! AMO

My whole life, I've tried to adapt myself to what was expected of me, and to be honest, like many people who deal with perfectionism, I struggled for many years with my own expectations of myself. Holding on to these patterns kept me stuck for many years - stuck not writing my story, stuck in … Continue reading Spirals, Not Lines or Circles

When I started writing my rock n' roll memoir, I searched for answers as to why I was having such a hard time with it. I had the story neatly laid out in my mind, but when it came time to write, it was a jumbled mess. I've been an intuitive, sensitive person my whole … Continue reading Memoir & Magic

December. I love this time of year, when darkness lingers a bit longer, and cooling clouds visit our blue Arizona skies more often. It's perfect writing weather. I'm going to hold off on starting a big new writing project, though. I didn't do NaNoWriMo this year, but I did reach a milestone with my writing, … Continue reading Gap Work

I've had the idea for writing this memoir for a long damn time - it's been germinating since 1992. 11 years later, after hearing part of my story, a professor of mine expressed interest in the material. I was just starting my career as a librarian - writing a book seemed insurmountable. But it kept … Continue reading How to Write a Good First Draft in Five Short Years

I don't even know where to begin. The last time I posted to this blog was June. JUNE! It's easy to beat myself up for it, because according to every writing rule I've read, I should be doing a bunch of stuff to further my writing career. Blogging, Twittering, Facebooking, e-mail lists, etc. That's all … Continue reading Updates & Progress

It's June 1st. I'm supposed to start rewriting, today. I gave myself a couple of weeks to read through my draft and make notes and edits and sit with the work, convinced that I'd have a clear map and a new understanding of where this book was going. I've had moments and flashes of terrific … Continue reading Juggling