January 17, 2020
Behind the Pen: Meet Book of the Year Award Winner Tammy Letherer
Interview by Meryl D'Sa
Winner of the Award for Indie Nonfiction
Tammy Letherer, the 9th Annual CWA Book of the Year winner for Indie Nonfiction, discusses the struggle and trials that come with writing and publishing a memoir. Her belief is that to be a writer, one must just write and not wait for the right time or circumstances. Writing and journaling and having constant practice makes you a writer.
Q: What is your writing process? Would you…
January 14, 2020
Behind the Pen: Meet NY Times Bestselling Author Jacquelyn Mitchard
by Samantha Hoffman
We're so excited that Jacquelyn Mitchard will be joining us this year at Let's Just Write! An Uncommon Writers Conference. She'll be the keynote conversation (with Ann Garvin) at the Saturday dinner, she will be on the fiction panel, and she has agreed to meet with…
January 7, 2020
I’m Exhausted Just Reading Kristin Oakley’s New Years Resolutions!
by Samantha Hoffman
I live in a new-years-resolution-free zone. I have, upon occasion, made resolutions but they never lasted more than a few weeks. At some point I made a resolution to make no more resolutions.
That worked!
And then I got Kristin Oakley's newsletter and she LOVES New Years resolutions!…
December 24, 2019
Favorite books of 2019 - Let’s Just Read!
Polling our conference presenters
by Samantha Hoffman
I love getting book recommendations from people I know, so I polled the presenters for Let's Just Write! An Uncommon Writers Conference, coming up on March 21-22, 2020.
Early-bird pricing ends on December 31st.The question was: What is the favorite book you read in 2019, and why…
December 17, 2019
You Know What I Love About Writers?
by Samantha Hoffman
What I love about writers:
- Writers see things from many points of view; they're excellent at stepping into someone else's shoes.
- Writers are clever and creative; they're great problem solvers.
- Writers are attentive listeners. Beware, though...your words may appear in their next novel.
- Writers are great observers of…
December 10, 2019
Behind the Pen: Meet Board Member Christina Rodriguez
Interview by Samantha Hoffman
Christina Rodriguez gets things done. The originator of this popular Behind the Pen series, Christina is that rare mix of technical and creative. She is a poet and graphic artist, and her work is seen on all of CWA’s social media platforms, through which she has increased our visibility dramatically.…
December 3, 2019
Behind the Pen: Meet Board Member Sandra Colbert
Interview by Jessica Mack
Sandra Colbert is all about community, believing in the power of where you come from and the communities you build as you pursue your passion. She is the author of Chicago Bound, a collection of short stories about the Back of the Yards area in Chicago, and the Kate…
November 29, 2019
No Mind-Reading Required
By Guest Blogger Maggie Smith
It’s that time of the year when my husband says to me, “What would you like for Christmas?” and I reply, “Surprise me.”
What I really mean is, "Read my mind and get me the perfect gift, one that shows you recognize how important writing is to me, how…
November 26, 2019
Behind the Pen: Meet Board Member Kristin Oakley
Interview by Meryl D'Sa
Kristin Oakley, co-founder of In Print and board member of the Chicago Writers Association, has authored two books, worked on various publications, conducts writing workshops, and is currently working on a series of young adult fiction and a creative nonfiction collaboration. She also runs a newsletter on her website detailing…
November 19, 2019
Behind the Pen: Meet Board Member Marcie Hill
Interview by Jessica Mack
Marcie Hill is all about risks, leaving a career and full-time job in human resources to pursue her dreams of being a writer. With over 3,500 blog posts and eight self-published books under her belt, she is living her dream with no regrets, going full speed ahead with her soon-to-be…
