How Writing Groups Can Work for You

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Today’s article is written by regular contributor Susan Bearman. Writing can be a pretty lonely business. Butt in chair, eyes glued to computer screen or favorite notebook is not the most social activity, but it is the way most of our work gets done. Joining a writing group can keep you from turning into a

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6 Dos and Don’ts for Busy Parents Who Blog

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For parents—especially for full-time moms—blogging can be a a lifesaver. It’s a way of communicating with the adult world when we’re surrounded all day by children. For some, it may be the only form of intellectual stimulation we get during the course of a week. However, blogging can also be a big commitment if you

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Excerpt Critique: “Morning After,” Horror

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Please welcome today’s anonymous aspiring author, ready for a peer critique. Take a moment to read the excerpt, then please leave some thoughtful feedback in the comment section below. If you are a writer whose excerpt has appeared anonymously on Write It Sideways, and now you’d like your name to appear on your piece, please contact

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Why Setting Writing Goals for 2012 Isn’t Enough

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I know, I know. I’m always talking about setting goals as being essential to writing. It’s one of those topics that never gets stale because, as writers, we’re always setting goals, forgetting goals, giving up on old goals and creating new ones. And, of course, the start of a new year always brings with it the

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3 Ways to Get Out of a Writing Slump

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Today’s post is written by  Jessica Hill. Thanks, Jessica! Writing is similar to being on a never-ending roller coaster. We soar up to the highest highs and enjoy the view for a moment before plunging back down to the lows with our stomachs in our throats. There, we hang around while looking ahead for a

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How to Entertain Readers with Your Words

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Today’s post is written by Frederick Fuller. Thanks, Frederick! In Anatole France’s story The Juggler of Notre Dame, Barnabé, the juggler, performs before the altar of the Virgin Mary as his gift to the Holy Mother. He offers to the Holy Mother all he has, from what he is, a juggler. And the astonished Prior

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