Ask for What You Want, Writers.

And if you don’t get it, be creative. April 2nd, 2024 Dear Writers, Thank you for signing up for Writing with Hart: News and Opportunities for Writers. I’m so glad you’re here! Shout out to my former Writer Magazine colleague Yi Shun Lai for the publication of her debut young adult novel A Suffragist’s Guide to the

50,000 Words in 30 Days?

Here’s Why NaNoWriMo Works for Me. November 1,2023 Dear Writers, First, a shout-out to my colleague and former personal essay-writing student Diane Gottlieb, editor of the brand-new anthology Awakenings: Stories of Bodies & Consciousness in which numerous storytellers weigh in on their relationships with their bodies and minds. I’m particularly interested in Diane’s new anthology

August 3,2023 Dear Writers, First, a shout-out to my former student and amazing poet/essayist Cricket Matthews for this newly-published poem (scroll down to read it; it’s titled “Hypothesis”) Notes | Pearl Press (pearl-press.com) And are you following author Jan M. Flynn’s blog? I certainly hope so. She was my student in a personal essay class,

Are You Busy Writing Your Heart Out?

If not, maybe you need role models. May 2,2023 Dear Writers, Thank you for signing up for Writing with Hart: News and Opportunities for Writers. I’m so glad you’re here! First, a shout-out to my colleague Diane Gottlieb and her vibrant and inspiring WomanPause blog. I’m particularly fond of this interview with Seattle-based writer Priscilla Long who

Here’s how to afford a writing retreat.

Get humble, get creative, and ask for what you need . . .

Generate Story Ideas Wherever You Go!

It’s simply a matter of training your brain to spot them. August 1, 2022 Dear Writers, Thank you for signing up for Writing with Hart: News and Opportunities for Writers. I’m so glad you’re here! In mid-July, I emailed a bit of bonus content about how I challenge myself to come up with a story idea wherever I go

My Free Webinar on How to Write Personal Essays for Magazines & Newspapers

Dear Writers, I wanted to let you know about a free one-hour webinar I’m teaching on Wednesday, June 22nd, 10 AM PST/1 PM EST. The subject: how to write personal essays for magazines and newspapers. My essays have appeared in The Washington Post, CNN, Real Simple, Orion, The Los Angeles Times, Parents, The Advocate, the We Need

How to Begin Your Book-Length Memoir, Part Two!

Battle of the Books!

Plus, how kids can start publishing their creative writing Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of helping to moderate a regional Oregon Battle of the Books battle. OBOB occurs across the state; teams of kid-readers study 16 teacher- and librarian-selected novels and nonfiction books for months, then answer questions about them in events that are