Breadth of Hope

10/14/2026

You don't need to call yourself a writer. You just need something you want to write.
That could be an idea you haven't started, a manuscript you've set aside, or a project you're trying to finish.
I'm developing Make Space for Your Story, the Breadth of Hope Writers Retreat, for March 2027 near Reading, Pennsylvania.

It's designed as a small three-day weekend with protected writing time, practical guidance, and reflection on what comes next. If you'd like updates as the details come together, join the interest list: https://forms.gle/3DYPGkHMpBQtEZnZA

10/12/2026

I'll be joining Bless the Mic as a judge on Saturday, October 17, at Francis Hall, Alvernia University.

The Royalty Reigns Edition brings spoken-word poetry to the stage, and I'm looking forward to listening to the poets and being part of the evening.

October 17 · 5:30–9:30 p.m.
Francis Hall · 401 Zygmunt Lane, Reading, PA

Ticket details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bless-the-mic-poetry-competition-tickets-1994486661294

10/10/2026

When a manuscript feels unfinished everywhere, make a Finish List.

Three sections: done, missing, next.

What's already drafted? What still needs to be written? Which missing piece will you work on next? Keep revision notes separate for now. A sentence that needs polishing and a section that doesn't exist are different tasks. “Finish my book” is a goal. “Write the ending of this scene” is something you can sit down and do.

Save this for the next time you can't tell where to begin.

10/08/2026

At Story Lane, someone asked for my best advice for a person who wants to publish a book. My response, to keep writing because a little every day goes a long way.

To make that useful, give your next writing session one specific job. Write a paragraph, make notes for a scene, explain the idea you've been carrying around.
If you're stuck, you can work on another section or write imperfectly for ten minutes. You can always come back to fix the wording later.

I share more ways to get moving in my article on working through writer's block:

As a writer, there’s nothing worse than sitting in front of a blank page trying to find the words to keep progress moving on your book. ...

10/06/2026

One question we heard at Story Lane: “Do you need social media in order to get your book out?”

My answer focused on why an author’s presence matters, especially when pursuing an agent. There's a distinction worth making, though: expectations depend on your book, your genre, and the publishing route you're pursuing. For some nonfiction projects, your ability to reach an audience can be an important part of the conversation. Social media can help demonstrate that reach. It isn't the only way to build it, and a large following isn't a universal requirement for getting an agent.
For me, connecting with readers also happens at the book table, in community conversations, and through my writing.

What's your biggest question about reaching readers?

09/26/2026

I’ll see you at the Story Lane Book Fair & Night Market!

On Saturday, October 3, I’ll be at Reading Public Library with copies of "Our Voices" and "Nuestras Voces". I’ll also be participating in the event programming and introducing the keynote speaker.

If you love books, have something you want to write, or simply want to spend time in a space filled with stories and community, come see me.

What would bring you to Story Lane: the books, the writing conversations, or both?

📅 Saturday, October 3
⏰ 1-9 PM
📍 Reading Public Library
100 S. 5th Street, Reading, PA

09/24/2026

For National Punctuation Day, I am not going to ask you to celebrate the semicolon. I am going to ask you to listen to your own writing.

Read one page out loud. Not silently. Out loud.

Listen for the places where you naturally pause, rush, stumble, or run out of breath. Notice where the sentence on the page does not sound like the sentence in your head. Sometimes the comma is not the real problem. The sentence may be carrying too much. Sometimes a period will do more for the reader than another clause.

Your ear can catch what your eyes have been politely reading past. So try it with one page tonight, then share this with a writer who is revising.

09/22/2026

One reason a short writing window disappears so quickly is that we spend most of it getting ready to write.

We reread too much. We start editing. We try to remember what we were thinking the last time we opened the document. By the time we are ready, the window is nearly gone.

Try 2-15-3:

2 minutes to find your place
15 minutes to write forward
3 minutes to leave a specific starting point for next time

Not “Work on Chapter 4.”

Try something like, “Open with Marisol finding the returned letter.”

Save this for your next 20-minute writing session.

09/19/2026

There was a time when this book was just an idea.

Then it was pages. Drafts. Revisions. Questions. A lot of figuring things out as I went. Eventually, it became something I could hold in my hands, and sign for someone else. That doesn’t happen because you wait until you feel completely ready.

You start. You write what you can. You figure out the next part. You keep going.

Start before you feel ready. The finished thing comes later.

09/17/2026

When a scene isn't working, ask:

What changes because this scene exists?

Does it reveal information?
Change a relationship?
Create conflict?
Force a decision?
Show us something important about a character?
Move the story forward?

You don't need every scene to be dramatic, but you do need it to have a job.