What fears and insecurities hamper for you as a writer? What makes you wonder if your words are good enough, the character arcs compelling enough, the scene enticing enough to be a page turner? Do these worries paralyze your creativity, leaving the pen dry and the paper empty? Or do they keep you from hitting... Continue Reading →
Writing Believable Drug Scenes
Looking to write a scene involving drugs, but not sure how to come across as believable? Important details, like the historical time period of your scene, the kind of drug, how to create pager turners from symptoms, and the actual (non-Hollywood) emergency treatment facts are important to consider. Here are some links to my guest... Continue Reading →
2 Days in Hell or How We Almost Missed Racing Ironman Cozumel 2020
Wednesday before the race, we arrived in Playa del Carmen (PDC), with Ironman (IM) race check-in on Cozumel island scheduled for Thursday- plenty of time to take the ferry to Cozumel, get to our resort, get to race check-in, and relax a few days before the big race. BUT we arrived with baggage, lugging our... Continue Reading →
Ironman Cozumel 2020-Race Recap and Tips
Did you race IM Cozumel 2020? Please share your experience in the COMMENTS below! In a year where life has been anything but normal, Ironman Cozumel 2020 offered a sense of normalcy for triathletes. The long training hours and sacrifices to get to an Ironman starting line are mentally and physically draining enough. The emotional... Continue Reading →
Finding the Write Carrot
Normally, I have to convince myself to go on a long training run or bike ride with some sort of carrot I promise myself, if I complete my goal. And by 'carrot', I mean chocolate. Or frozen yogurt with toppings. Or some other positive reinforcement that I can focus on for a few hours, while... Continue Reading →
Getting to the Finish Line of Your Manuscript in the Face of Uncertainty
When my bike's odometer hit 30 miles last weekend, at the same time as the only cloud in the August Phoenix sky relinquished it's position in front of the sun, I realized the next 30 miles was going to be brutal. Moisture hung in the air, making the 100 degrees feel more like a hot... Continue Reading →
The Best Instructional On Being A Writer…Isn’t About Writing
One of the best books I’ve ever read on writing... wasn’t a book on writing.Sure, I’ve studied most of the required tomes, such as Save the Cat Writes a Novel, Story Genius, and Take Off Your Pants! I learned the requisite information to write a novel: the importance of plot points, character arcs, internal/ external... Continue Reading →
Is Imposter Syndrome Leading to Writer’s Block?
So many writers end up staring at blank pages or finding themselves stuck, unable to get the ideas to flow from brain to paper. It gets diagnosed as Writer’s Block. The prescription is time away to regenerate the muse. Once back home, newly tanned from a beach, sleeves rolled up, some frustratingly find the... Continue Reading →
Is Fear Sabotaging Your Writing Progress?
Fear. What a powerful force. It drives us and holds us back. In life. In writing. I’ve seen so many posts from writers, worried about a litany of issues keeping them from finishing their WIP and taking the next step. Fears of failure, imposter’s syndrome, fear of rejection. These worries drive some writers to long... Continue Reading →
Plotting Drug Scenes: Lethal Writing Traps to Avoid
So...you want to kill off a character and write a scene where he grabs his neck and dies instantly after a sip from drug-laced drink! Not so fast. If you write that scene, you risk losing credibility with your readers. Some drugs are rapidly lethal in small quantities, but none are instantaneous killers. Even the... Continue Reading →
Pontevedra, Spain- A Hidden Diamond
Last month, I got the opportunity to watch the World ITU Multipart Championships. When I heard they were in Spain, I was so excited. When I heard they were in Pontevedra, Spain, my heart sunk just a little. I had never heard of Pontevedra. It looked isolated on the map. It would take us 4... Continue Reading →
Never Give Up On Writing- You Are Good Enough!
I just got back from cheering folks on at the ITU World Multisport Championships in Spain. I continue to be amazed at my misconceptions of the triathlete world. When I train, I struggle against injury, motivational challenges, and work-athlete-life balance. And I always feel alone, exposed in my false pretense of belonging to the world... Continue Reading →
Writers’ Overuse Syndrome-How to Avoid Burnout
After my long bike ride or run, I stretch out and head for my Normatec compression boots, kick back with a beverage (yeah, sometimes a Kiltlifter), a plate of nachos, and let the boots massage out the aches and pains from pounding the pavement or cranking the pedals. It's a planned, forced rest. Strapped into... Continue Reading →
When a FB Group Is Not a Good Fit
As writers, we need connections on social media to find critique partners and places to share writing knowledge. But sometimes those connections are not helping advance creative needs. I think we've all been there- finding a closed FB group, whose focus is an genre or writing focus of interest. But the posts content is for... Continue Reading →
What is Your Next Writing Race?
Somewhere between mile 5 and 6 on my run this week, when my headphones switched from the flute trills of McCarney and Wing's Live and Let Die to the raucous sound of Immigrant Song (Zeppelin), I was hit with both a rush of endorphins and a revelation about writing. Or maybe it was the beginnings... Continue Reading →
Oh, Shift! The Crash at the Intersection of Writing and Triathlon
A little over a week ago, I found myself smack in the middle of a long distance triathlon, winding my way up steep hills in California, begging my bike to find just one...more...lower gear that would make the hill climb so much easier on my tired legs. When cyclists passed by, I made a mental... Continue Reading →
Triathlon Quick Tip: Chapstick- Don’t Cycle Without It
It seems so simple. Chapstick. But it is a lifesaver at about mile 60-75, when your chamois cream has worn away and you discover new seams in your riding shorts or cycling shoes that never before wreaked havoc with your skin. I have my favorite chamois cream- I make my own, actually. There are also... Continue Reading →
Car-Proofing Your Run- What?!
In the last week, I have nearly been hit by a car twice on my runs. YES- I did say runs. Or in my case my preferred walk/jog (Wog- see here for more). Until recently, I thought cycling was the most dangerous leg of triathlon, based on the number of near car collisions I had... Continue Reading →
