Calling all writers! Announcing Tell Your Story’s Fall 2022 creative nonfiction contest! Tell Your Story is already home to some of the best creative nonfiction on Medium, and I want to keep the momentum going. Our first three contests — started in 2021 — were incredibly successful, including print editions…

What to do after you write and before you publish. — You wrote something — congratulations! Now, let’s make it better. 1. Remove 10% of the words. No matter how succinct your writing, a 10% reduction in words is not only possible, but likely to improve what you wrote. Bonus points if you remove 20%. 2. Make the middle the beginning (or not). If you were forced to shift a few sentences from the middle…

It’s so simple I didn’t even realize I was doing it — It’s tough to write a great title. I get it. But the sad truth is the handful of words at the top of the page are probably the most important thing you’re going to write today. …

Writers wish their writing to be captivating and inspiring. No matter if it’s prose or poetry; novels, blog articles or personal essays — those who write strive to have a distinctive writing style. A unique voice. Texts without a voice are sterile, empty of meaning. So, how can we ask…

Who decided it’s a popularity contest? — “These women writers just write about parenting and writing.” The sentiment behind this writer’s comment: they’re not cool topics. I’d already learned from a certain “elite” writing community, only poets and literary novelists are cool. I tried to be a literary novelist. It wasn’t for me. Initially, I wrote the…

The encouraging truth about writing competitions — “Thought you might be interested in this contest.” My stepmom sent me the link to an Australasian writing competition — with a scarily close deadline. “No,” I told myself, firmly. “No. You have too much work on.” But a side window in my mind had already cracked open and a…

As Writers, we can do better — Joan Didion’s death has impacted me more than I expected and forced me to assess my own writing career. I’ve been a writer for over a decade, simply taking whatever opportunities presented themselves to me over that time without much of a plan. Mostly that’s been magazine work, like Joan…

When an editor gives you a solid kick, learn from it. — I’ve had my writing described by editors in a lot of ways over my career. But one description left me cringing. Sweet, lovely, moving, good— all totally okay with me. I don’t even mind “not quite the right fit for us.” I get that. Not every piece will be accepted. …

What’s carrying your story? — “That’s such a good container,” said my writing mentor. “Do you know what I mean by container?” I shook my head. Should I know? I’ve been writing for well over a decade, but writing is a career where you never stop learning — which is why I pay money for…

You don’t have to promote yourself on social media if you don’t want to — You have to market here and there, the writing gurus tell you. You do not market anywhere. And no, you don’t want green eggs and ham either, thanks. Like Dr. Seuss’s reluctant book character refusing to eat the green eggs on offer, when someone tells me what I have to…

Was it worth the money? — The majority of my work comes from publishing personal essays. So, when I was looking for a course to improve my writing this year, I hunted out a personal essay one. “But, wait. Don’t you teach personal essays?” I hear you ask. You’re right, I do. But I’m someone who…

3 of my top tips from 13 years of experience — Dear New Writer, I’m so glad you reached out. I remember what’s it like at the start. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong and I didn’t know who to ask. Thankfully, I had some great mentors along the way and I’ve been in this career for 13 years…

It isn’t about you — One of the first stories I had published was a personal essay, except I didn’t know it was one. I’d never heard the term “personal essay” so I pitched it as my personal story. Which is pretty much what a personal essay is, right? What I didn’t realize is a…

These pubs don’t require you to live in the U.S.! Here’s how to pitch them and how much money you can make. — As a writer, I’m very privileged to be living in the United States. I’ve heard how hard it can be to write for and get paid by some publications when you live in other countries, which is unfair and a shame. To help, I wanted to share some publications that…

Plus all the other info you need to know to succeed. — Finding paid writing opportunities isn’t super hard…once you know where to look. I share them weekly in a newsletter, Sonia Weiser has an incredible newsletter full of them, and Twitter is usually popping with editors seeking pitches. The hard part is this: knowing which publications are worth writing for. Are…

For tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy writers — Growing up my whole life as a member of Gen Z, I spent hours a day on the computer playing video games. It was a waste of time, but I also learned a lot about computers, and shortcuts navigating computers that have saved me a lot of time. Now, I’m…

About food, parenting, relationships, unforgettable experiences and more. — Previously I wrote an article about publications that pay you for personal stories and it resonated with a lot of readers. So I’m back with another list of more places looking for personal essays! You might not have ever considered the idea of getting paid to write about your life…

3 rules and 2 great resources — Pretend you’re a mommy, okay? Or a daddy, that’s fine. Your little darlin’ wakes up in the morning and your heart grows three sizes as you watch her rubbing sleep from her eyes. God, those eyelashes! She grins, or he does, and melts your heart with one smile. You do…

And you can too — There’s no such thing as a free lunch, they tell me, but technology means that some things, from fitness classes to education, really are free. Sure, there’s sometimes a catch. …