AS I WATCHED THE SUN SET over the Pacific Ocean on this 21st day of December, I thought about what the shortest day of the year means to me: renewal, turning of the seasons, change. Speaking of change, I had just finished reading yet another article on the new artificial […]
I RECENTLY RE-WATCHED Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman’s 2010 TED talk on “The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory,” which is about the difference between what he calls the “experiencing self” (that part of us that experiences life moment by moment) and the “memory self” (that part of us that remembers our […]
THIS POST is a bit of a departure from my usual, because I’d like to get your opinion about a future article series. As you know, since early 2015, in addition to articles on journaling, memoir writing, and general writing craft, I’ve been posting a series titled Word for Writers. I […]
My heart is filled with gratitude for you, my dear friends and readers — for your feedback and encouragement and the comments and insights you have shared with me over the last few years. May we continue our journey together in peace. Sincerely, Amber Lea Starfire _________________________________
As I prepare to gather with my family to celebrate the holidays, I feel immensely grateful for you, my readers and writing friends. Your comments and emails enrich my life in so many ways. And because you take the time to share your thoughts and experiences, I feel part of […]
All writers have heard the admonition, “Show, don’t tell.” And though I have argued that good nonfiction requires a “show AND tell” mentality, the idea that readers are more engaged when we offer concrete, sensory details on which to hang their imaginations holds true. To a point. And that is […]
If you’ve been wondering about which Digital Journaling Method will work best for you, I’ve spent quite a bit of time during the last couple of days exploring what cross-platform journaling software is available for the Mac, Windows PC, iPad, and iPhone. The results have been rather disappointing. As far […]
I’ve spent the last few days in Chicago at the AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference, an amazing extravaganza, where over 9,000 writers, publishers, editors, agents, and representatives from Universities all over the United States have gathered to share their ideas. Imagine—9,000 people converging on two luxury hotels […]
Advice for beginning writers abounds on the Internet—much of it quite good. Continuing the memoir writing theme roundup from last week, I’ve collected a few articles of encouragement and guidance for those of you who are endeavoring to write about your life. By way of encouragement, Telling HerStories blogger, Sheila […]
This week, for your reading and thinking pleasure, I’ve brought together some recent blog articles on the topics dear to this site (and my heart): journaling and memoir. About Journaling I’ve written in the past about the power of Journal Writing for catharsis and healing. And I’ve written about how […]
As we travel together through the holidays towards the next year, – May you have Walls for the wind And a roof for the rain, And drinks bedside the fire Laughter to cheer you And those you love near you, And all that your heart may desire ~ Celtic Blessing […]
I love Sharon Lippincott’s method for mapping the stages of her life: it’s so un-linear. Linearity is something I excel in, and I know I would benefit from the organic, round, mind-mapping quality of her approach. I’ve included a small thumbnail of her sketch here, but go read her blog […]
