Lani Longshore will be one of the authors at the Lamorinda Arts Council’s Art Embraces
Words program on Saturday, October 28, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. This free event features readings, art, food, and a costume contest.
There are a lot of conventions in writing. An entire industry exists to train authors in these conventions, with the promise of creating the next best-seller. Another industry exists that teaches how to break the conventions for the same goal. Logically, both approaches can’t be right. So what is the poor, struggling wordsmith to do?
Independent Thought by Lani Longshore Read More »
Although I haven’t lived by the rhythms of a school year for ages, I still find myself frittering away the first days of summer vacation. Chalk it up to the power of suggestion. My neighbors with children are planning fun activities that are definitely a break from the school year routine, and I feel I
The Value of A Summer Reading List by Lani Longshore Read More »
I nearly got creamed by a carpenter bee today. I was heading out to the back yard through the garage and she was intent on reaching the honeysuckle. She and I both flinched—I probably flinched more—but that was the extent of our interaction. It was a wonderful reminder that I should be as focused on
Carpenter Bees and Writers by Lani Longshore Read More »
I was in a discussion with other writers about the idea of payoff for the reader. Our readers expect something in return for opening our books. I expect writers to spend some time thinking about what I might see in the promise of the first pages, in the back cover copy, and in the emotional
What Do You Owe Your Reader? By Lani Longshore Read More »
Wingless Dreamer will be publishing two of Linda Drattell’s poems: “The Sparrow and the Oak” and “When Your Heart No Longer Beats,” which she wrote during a TVW poetry writers’ retreat. Lani Longshore presented a lecture via Zoom to the Sacramento CWC branch on March 19 titled, “Taking a Journey Together: Story Arcs and Your Readers.”
Some days are best spent hiding from the world and making as few decisions as possible. You know the ones – the days when you wait for the stop sign to turn green, or you forget to look at the electronic pad at the grocery checkout so don’t see that it’s been asking you to
February is the month where I discover which of my plans for the new year are actually sustainable. I’m usually starting to eat healthier because I’ve finally reached the end of my stash of holiday treats. I’m able to exercise more because it is getting lighter in the mornings and I can force myself out
Keeping Your Writing Resolutions by Lani Longshore Read More »
I generally don’t have much success meditating my way out of a creative block. I don’t have much luck with reminder programs or multi-workbook systems that claim to ease a writing logjam, but I know why those don’t work. I can’t figure out why meditation doesn’t work for my writer’s block. “Self,” I said, “what
Meditation and List-Making by Lani Longshore Read More »
For writers, November is the season of Thanksgiving and NaNoWriMo. I usually think of these events separately, but this year I’m putting them together. Not that I’m doing NaNo, but I always use the month to consider my writing goals (and, by extension, my writing schedule). This year, what with the pandemic sorta kinda maybe
Writing With No Regrets by Lani Longshore Read More »
