Life Had Other Plans May 19, 2021 5 Comments So, I was going to write yet another pithy little piece on productivity, but life had other plans. Read More »
Productivity! Part 4 May 5, 2021 No Comments So, another little lesson I've learned ... start right away. Read More »
Productivity! Part 3 April 21, 2021 1 Comment "Complaining about not achieving success despite working hard is like ..." Read More »
Three Hours of Unproductive Time April 8, 2021 4 Comments Eventually I discovered why so much of my writing time is unproductive. Read More »
Writer, Know Thyself March 17, 2021 2 Comments Aspiring writers often ask about an author's process ... as if there is some magic clue that will help them write. Read More »
Wounded Feelings March 3, 2021 2 Comments They're a fact of life, especially for an author. Read More »
The Joy of Bad Reviews February 4, 2021 2 Comments Ah, the joy of bad reviews! Yes, they're fun. But they take a little getting used to. Read More »
Disruption. Alarm. Distress. January 20, 2021 2 Comments Riot and destruction at our nation's capitol. Riot and destruction in our nation's cities. Read More »
Something Lovely Came in the Mail January 6, 2021 4 Comments I love working with new writers and watching them grow in their craft. Read More »
Focusing December 23, 2020 2 Comments Christmas is a glorious holiday ... but it's a little funky this year. And I'm having a certain amount of trouble focusing. Read More »
Research & Development December 2, 2020 No Comments Is it possible to write while on vacation? Read More »
So … COVID. September 2, 2020 No Comments So, COVID. Yeah, I don't really want to talk about it, either. Read More »
Cold. Hard. Facts. May 28, 2020 No Comments Having received my agent's letter after reading my work-in-progress, it's time to assess some cold. hard. facts. Read More »
Something My Agent Said May 20, 2020 No Comments So if my agent had said something irrelevant, I would have known it. Read More »
Two Questions May 6, 2020 No Comments So I send the partial to my agent. Bless him, he reads it right away. No waiting and waiting ... Read More »
What Now? April 15, 2020 No Comments I've written 25,000 words of the new novel--and couldn't be happier!! Read More »
How’s the Writing Going? March 18, 2020 No Comments Working on the new middle-grade novel and it's going ... Read More »
Sketches March 4, 2020 No Comments Sketches are coming in. They are lovely. But I also have some comments. Read More »
Inspiration February 19, 2020 2 Comments Inspiration! It's so wonderful when it shows up at my door. And it usually brings its friends ... Read More »
Creativity Flourishes February 5, 2020 2 Comments My creativity tends to flourish when I have a physical challenge. Read More »
A Broken Wrist Isn’t All Bad January 15, 2020 No Comments Some good things have come from having a broken wrist. Read More »
Ultimate Power! December 18, 2019 2 Comments See, I always thought editors had ULTIMATE POWER! Read More »
Grumpy December 4, 2019 No Comments Yeah, so I'm a little grumpy. It took me years to tame my (admittedly monumental) author's ego ... Read More »
Too Much October 14, 2019 No Comments So something's happened. I've talked about the new book too much. Read More »
Waiting for My Editor, part 4 April 18, 2019 No Comments I'm not just being WHINY here (well, maybe a little). But I have a FIRM DEADLINE for the finished book. Read More »
Waiting for My Editor, part 3 April 3, 2019 No Comments Waiting for my editor: hours turn into days, days into weeks, weeks into months ... Read More »
Waiting for My Editor March 6, 2019 No Comments Good things about waiting for my editor to respond ... Read More »
Glory Be! January 23, 2019 No Comments Glory be! I've sent off the revised book! I really, really like it. But will my editor? Read More »
Writer’s Retreat December 26, 2018 No Comments After a period of long, hard slogging ... it's a delight to sink into the peace and quiet of a week away from it all. Read More »
A Tough Season for Writing November 28, 2018 No Comments I haven't made a ton of progress on the book. Read More »
A Long-Term Slog November 14, 2018 No Comments There is nothing, nothing, NOTHING so crucial for success as a writer as being able to sustain a long-term SLOG. Read More »
Being Your Own Boss October 17, 2018 No Comments When you're a writer, you have the career bonus of being your own boss ... except ... Read More »
Revisions Part IV December 20, 2017 No Comments My editor suggests that I cut one character out completely. Read More »
Big Surprise! December 6, 2017 No Comments Early in my career, once I got the revision letter, it would take me 3 MONTHS to move from fury to confusion to hope (and, finally, to revision). Read More »
Revision Letter November 8, 2017 No Comments At long last, the revision letter arrives! Lynne Jonell reflects on this part of the publication process. Read More »
Roadblocks October 25, 2017 No Comments After a summer hiatus, author and illustrator Lynne Jonell is back with Page Break and she's contemplating roadblocks. Read More »
A Paralyzing Lethargy April 26, 2017 No Comments When Lynne Jonell finishes a book, her reaction takes her by surprise .... every time. Read More »
Convincing Details! March 29, 2017 No Comments In a fantasy, the writer builds a world. It has new rules ... Read More »
What’s Best for the Story? March 15, 2017 No Comments Editing the first draft ... there are some inconsistencies, for sure. Read More »
Miles to Go March 1, 2017 No Comments Yep, I've completed the FIRST DRAFT, but the book isn't done YET; there are miles to go before I sleep. Read More »
Magical February 1, 2017 No Comments The book is chugging along. Something happens when I get close to the end ... Read More »
Momentum January 18, 2017 2 Comments Writing a story is a little like starting up a train ... Read More »
Coffee Will Be My Downfall January 4, 2017 No Comments Have you found yourself in one of these life-altering moments? Lynne Jonell shares her anguish. Read More »
I Have Some Bad News December 21, 2016 No Comments In which the author must call her editor to let her know she can't meet the deadline. Read More »
The Contract, It Arrives!! December 7, 2016 No Comments In which the author Lynne Jonell contemplates the real meaning of a contract to write and complete a book. Read More »
My Greatest Responsibility November 23, 2016 No Comments Lynne Jonell is feeling responsible. "The story comes timidly, like an orphan clad in rags, half seen in the shadows." Read More »
Not One But Four! October 26, 2016 No Comments I'm writing a time travel novel, but, oh, the research! Read More »
Big and Blank October 12, 2016 No Comments Beginning a new chapter. The page is BIG and BLANK. I know where my characters are but I don't have the faintest idea what is going to happen next. Read More »