Tools and Tactics for Writers

Lynette Benton

Family Secret Uncovered: A Revelation in (Property) Deeds

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When I was growing up, my family was working class. But my mother, whose parents had been owners of small businesses, had ambitions for us. My parents, both African Americans from the South, had talked about the past, but my father had always been reserved about his. His parents had died within … [Read more...] about Family Secret Uncovered: A Revelation in (Property) Deeds

Writing “Trove,” a Memoir

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My friend Sandra Miller spent years writing and revising her forthcoming memoir, Trove. Below she explains what prompted her to write this story, and how the memoir developed. - Lynette Sandra (above) writes: The idea of finding treasure has been with me since I was little and would search … [Read more...] about Writing “Trove,” a Memoir

Non-Writing Writers

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I’ve been trying to figure out where the notion of the writer’s life as glamorous got its start. I know as a kid, I thought being a writer was something special, probably because then as now, I read a great deal. What I read astonished me. I was impressed and enraptured by writers' ability to … [Read more...] about Non-Writing Writers

How to Reduce Your Writing Anxiety

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The last post published on this Tools and Tactics for Writers blog was about writing and anxiety. I’m guessing most of us go through times when we’re nervous or downright fearful about writing; sometimes it can be paralyzing. So I’m going to share some tactics for relieving that anxiety that work … [Read more...] about How to Reduce Your Writing Anxiety

Are You An Anxious Writer?

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Meredith Arthur runs Beautiful Voyager, one of the top 10 anxiety sites with personal stories, guides, and a community for overthinkers. She is also the editor of Invisible Illness, a group blog appearing on Medium.com. I asked Meredith to share her views on the connection between writing and … [Read more...] about Are You An Anxious Writer?

Use These Resources to Submit Your Writing To Contests

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Writing contest opportunities are listed below, followed by some ways to protect yourself against contest scams. Please note: I have no affiliation with any of these web sites or contests. Poets & Writers The Poets and Writers link, Writing Contests, Grants & Awards,  is recognized … [Read more...] about Use These Resources to Submit Your Writing To Contests

Discovering Secrets When You Write Family History

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I’ve taught dozens of life story writing and family history writing courses and workshops, and in every one, someone has announced that in doing the research, even superficial research, into their background, they’ve stumbled on at least one family secret. Can you guess the most frequently … [Read more...] about Discovering Secrets When You Write Family History