Carrie Anne Noble, Author

Hello, reader friends! It's been about a month since the release of Gretchen and the Bear , and I'm so pleased that people are enjoying the tale of Gretchen and Arthur!  Here's something I never really knew before I was published: the making of a book is a journey down an uncharted road. You start alone, but like a Hobbit on the way to Mordor, you pick up companions along the way--people without whom you'd never make it to the Land of Published Book (which is not anything like Mordor, fortunately, because all that fire wouldn't be good for the paper or the e-reader).  You are joined and encouraged by critique partners first, if you're blessed to have them. Next, your trusty first readers come along to offer help, guidance, and suggestions. The next part of the trip can be thorny and long, as you seek a publisher, but if you succeed in the quest, a skillful editor or two will saddle up alongside you for the next leg of the journey. You'll have to endure prick...

Why You Want to Write 50,000 Words in 30 Days To prove to yourself that you can do it. Yes, it's a lot of words in a short time, but thousands of people succeed every year. Why not you? I know you can do it. Being creative is good for you! Birds sing, trees make fruit, elephants paint (I saw it in the Weekly Reader!)...and they all seem quite content. Seriously, I am sure there is some fancy happy brain chemical involved. There is nothing like spending time with your imaginary friends, making them fall in love, turn into hedgehogs, die of consumption, etc. If no one else in your life cheers you on in your writing endeavors, the folks at nanowrimo will! There are plenty of forums to find like-minded writers of any genre. You can even sign up to be mentored by an experienced wrimo. Or find out where to meet local wrimos & make some new friends in person (if you like that sort of thing!). Bragging rights. I never met anyone who was not impressed when I said that I'...