“Matlock has a gift for telling what she calls ‘the secret lives of ordinary people.’”
~Detroit Free Press
Latest Posts
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Gleanings: Time, Dirt, and Money, and Writing
Time, Dirt, and Money was the working title of the book writer Olive Ann Burns was working on when she died. The title came from a sentiment her mother often put forth that life came down to a struggle with three things: time, dirt, and money. I have over the years come to see the clear…
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Gleanings: One Small Act of Self-discipline, armament for the writer
“In order to be a good writer, you’ve got to be a bad boss. Self-discipline and stamina are the two major arms in a writer’s arsenal.” ~ Leon Uris I went looking for self-discipline quotes to boost me. I am boosted just to see I want to read about self-discipline. I used to avoid the…
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Gleanings: Writing Indulgence–go for it.
“It strikes me as interesting that if someone loved banking, he wouldn’t chastise or castigate himself for choosing that life. If someone loved history and wanted a life as a history professor, that would be a socially acceptable choice, although it is, in fact, ever bit as self-indulgent as doing anything else you love–writing, for…
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Gleanings: You Become What You Read, Techniques of the Selling Writer
“Read all sorts of things, especially in your preferred genre…Read everything that’s good. Start with Pulitzer Prize winners and National Book Award winners, the Booker Prize and Whitbread winners…” ~ Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Pen on Fire. The above advice is good, with exceptions. I once read a Pulitzer Prize winning novel in which men had sex…
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Gleanings: No Negative Criticism Allowed, and Writing is Medicine
“I hammer it into all my students: You must shut out all the negative voices that say you’ll never write as well as you hope, that you are just no good and why bother.” ~ Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Pen on Fire. Boy, these voices are loud, and so authoritative sounding. Many come from outside ourselves in…
“Matlock writes about generous people striving to live and love well. She does it beautifully.
~ Contra Costa Times
Curtiss Ann Matlock 