In my last post, I talked about balancing a writing career with a day job. While the dream might be to live off your writing one day, that’s not always realistic—and for some, it’s not even the goal. Personally, I’ve always had this romantic notion of hopping from writing residency to residency, discovering new places…

A few years ago, I sent a chapter of my romance novel to a close friend. Someone I trusted. Someone who loved books and always gave me honest, thoughtful feedback.  Her response?  “I had to force myself to get through it.”  Oof. Gut punch.  She wasn’t trying to be harsh. She was trying to help.…