1. Kyra got an agent! He’s shopping her book even as we speak!
2. Cheryl Van Eck:
Do you remember back when you were the greatest writer in the world? Back when you didn’t know a single thing about writing?
All you had to do was sit down and “let the words flow.” And whenever it sounded bad, it was only because you’d hit writer’s block. So you just had to sit back, let it pass, and then you’d write brilliantly again.
Ah, those good old days.
However, now you’ve actually studied writing. And so you have a constant editor on your shoulder, screaming at you after every sentence. Shoulder Editor can quote Stephen King verbatim and never fails to remind you that everything you’re writing reeks of the first draft stench. And if you ever claim “writer’s block,” Shoulder Editor smacks you upside the head.
Shoulder Editor is your best friend on the second (and third and fourth) draft. He polishes your manuscript, banishes your adverbs, and murders your darlings without an ounce of remorse.
But during the first draft, you’ve got to kick him out. Self-doubt is the worst form of writer’s block. Be the confident writer you were before you knew what poor writing was. It’s hard to be proud of the quality of a first draft, but you should at least be able to revel in the freedom of it.
3.Brenda Bensch:
Here’s just a quick question to ask yourself — and, hopefully, to write briefly about (the questions are always “quick” — it’s the answers that take a while):
What do I hope to achieve by making a commitment to engage regularly in the writing process?
A soul-searching few moments may point the way for you: good luck!
Throwing Up Words 