Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

Are you getting ready to attend a writers’ conference? Guess what? So am I! And I want to make the most of my time there, so let’s think through what will help with that. You’re likely going for at least two reasons: to learn and to connect. You might also be going to pitch your project. Let’s prep, plan, and pack to get the most out of this upcoming event, so you’re even better prepared to learn, connect, and pitch. And given that I work with a lot of published authors and speakers, it’s possible you’re one of the presenters. One day I might share detailed speaker recommendations, but for now I did weave in a few suggestions to make your faculty conference experience a little easier, too. Event Binder First, I should mention the Event Binder. This idea originated with Kathi Lipp on an episode of Writing at the Red House. Years ago I heard her describe what she includes in her “dossier,” as she calls it, and I’ve adopted and adapted the list to make it my own. I load it up with all travel in

Attending my first writers’ conference proved to be life-changing—or at least career-changing. In the years since, I’ve attended a wide range of writing events, and each one has in some way substantially contributed to my career. Some deepened my knowledge, others expanded my professional network—most did both. I can’t imagine where I’d be without them. Could a writers’ conference be a life-changing/knowledge-deepening/network-expanding opportunity in your future, even this year? If yes, how do you determine the right conference for you? This post is the first of a short series on how to get the most out of your next (or first!) writers’ conference, starting with how to choose your next (or first!) writers’ conference.  The Gifts of a Writers' Conference In the early days of my writing career, I explored freelance writing. Thanks to a mentor, I learned how to pitch myself as a writer for companies looking to outsource things like company newsletters and I gained a few core clients. That l

I stared at a blank screen. Why did I ever think I could pull this off? Until that moment, I’d only written short projects. Articles, essays, poems.  As I sat staring at the screen, questioning myself in about every way possible, I was supposed to be writing my first book—a manuscript of over 50,000 words. Overwhelmed, I sat at the keyboard, frozen. Sound familiar? Have you felt inspired to write a book you believe will truly help people—even transform them—but you’re not sure you have what it takes?  Well, once upon a time, this multi-published writing coach was in the exact same place. I was staring at the screen, inspired to write a book, but doubting myself: Do I have what it takes to write a book? Could I Write Something as Big as a Book? How does an essayist-poet-freelancer embark on the massive task of completing a 55,000-word manuscript? That question felt unanswerable and I felt inadequate. This prose-freezing self-doubt was a huge problem, however, because I’d signed a

"Never go to bed until you have a story to tell," says Kevin Lynch, Creative Director at Oatly. I heard him interviewed on a podcast and stopped jogging to write down what he said about that daily story: It could be a deep thing that you learned, it could be a movie that you saw, it could be a way you took home, it could be a conversation that you had…it could be anything.”1 Indeed, we can live a “storied life” without a celebrity-level lifestyle full of famous people and fabulous soirees. We’re living “story-worthy” moments each day—we simply need to notice them…and capture them. Every day we have understated interactions and flashes of insight that create meaning. In fact, simpler, subtler, more relatable stories can captivate readers far better than wild escapades that don’t show any change. These daily stories serve as fodder for our work, weaving into what we write as anecdotes, illustrations. Sometimes they serve as the narrative spine of a full-length project. Thus, the more st

When I was in college, practicing in public meant sitting under an oak tree on campus, flipping open my spiral-bound notebook, and scratching out a poem as students walked the path beside me.  Creative writing classes gave me another way to practice in public, when my poems were workshopped by my peers. As a young adult building a freelance writing career, I submitted my work to literary journals and magazines—that was about the only way I could practice in public. Those low-tech days limited how and where we could share our words.  Today, the world has exploded with numerous ways to practice in public—I can share my work with you using tools I couldn’t have dreamed of when I sat under that oak tree on campus. Some of my content goes out through my coaching newsletter, my Substack newsletter called Story Hatchery, social media, and my website.  Tools to Practice in Public At the click of a button, from the palms of our hands, we can instantly share our work with the world using: websites

Dear Writer, It’s easy to freeze up when we’re writing for the faceless masses or the random reader who happens upon our words. What do we say to all those people? How can we speak with heart to a total stranger? Next thing you know, we second-guess our ideas, our prose, our very selves. We fade to beige without saying what we really think, without being specific, without our signature wit and whimsy.  What would that random person who doesn’t even know me think if I crack a joke? We lose our creativity, our passion, our joy. We freeze. We get stuck.  We’re afraid to stand out, so we play it safe. We write dull, ordinary prose that could be penned by anyone at all, even ChatGPT. Unlock Your Creative Voice: Write a Letter to Your Reader One way to unlock creativity is to write a letter—a letter to your reader. And not just any nameless, faceless reader but a specific person you actually know. Dear Anthony… Dear Paula… Dear Lissa… When you think of the kind of person yo

Let’s look at the pros and cons of using writing prompts to decide if we’re fostering creativity or frittering away time. I remember the pleasure of writing about ladybugs for my high school freshman English class based on the prompt written on the board.1 And then there was the book I found a year or so at the library: Write to Discover Yourself. The author suggested we “portrait” the important people in our lives.2 I wrote pages and pages about my dad based on that prompt. Prompts continued to play a big role in my creative writing journey when college professors supplied our class with poetry prompts. Those prompts did exactly what they were designed for: they sparked creativity, teased out long-buried memories, and helped me spin creative storylines I would never have imagined on my own. Prompts have so effectively opened me up, I decided to gather a collection for others to use called 52 Creative Writing Prompts, to help get pens moving and ideas flowing.  Do Prompts Distract or De

Children gaze at a vast blank wall and see opportunity—inspired, they grab a permanent marker and scrawl across the surface in loopy circles and jaggedy lines without hesitation.  Why, then, do we adults stare at the blank page—not unlike a blank wall—and freeze up? Instead of scribbling out ideas that fill the white screen, we writers often come up empty, the blank page producing a blank mind. We get too far ahead of ourselves, thinking about readers before we’ve written a single word, afraid of what they’ll think. Or we second-guess our ideas or skills. We worry about that and more, and next thing you know…we stop writing and stare at that blinding white abyss, paralyzed. The blank page need not intimidate or cripple us. Why? Because with the ideas below, you can fill that great expanse with words so that it’s never really blank when you open it. Try one of them the next time you open a document and feel fear trickling down to your fingertips. I hope they’ll free you up long before you freeze an

When I was visiting my grandmother one summer afternoon, she pulled out a letter I sent her. "This is good," she said. "Really?" She pointed at the paragraphs and said the ideas were well organized, my writing flowed well, and I included lots of details. "It was interesting to read," she said. Then she looked up at me and smiled. "Maybe we have another writer in the family?” Did I gasp? Her words certainly sent a jolt through me. Did she know how badly I wanted to write? Could she have known how much I yearned to be a writer? Surely the thought of me as a writer seemed far-fetched to her. After all, my mother was a seasoned editor and columnist, endowed with innate writing talents—Grandma saw her earn accolades in college and as a career journalist. My father was an editor at a prominent metropolitan newspaper, shaping stories, crafting headlines, and curating front-page content. Even my brother, a skilled wordsmith, showed promise as a creative writer, event

Just as musicians credit their musical influences, writers, too, have literary inspirations who help them discover and shape their unique voice. At a White House event for poets in 2011, Billy Collins said to students about finding your voice: You’re searching for the poets who make you jealous...you're looking to get influenced by people who make you furiously jealous…And then copy them.1 Billy himself was influenced by the work of Wallace Stevens—I suppose he would say he was furiously jealous of him. Anne Lamott's Seemingly Effortless Prose Author Shauna Niequist openly mentions the influence of Anne Lamott on her work. The first time I read Anne Lamott, I thought, “Is this allowed? People can write like this and it gets published?” I laughed at her sometimes-crass and often sarcastic style. She opened the door to a whole new way of writing, with honesty and sass. While hers was not exactly my style, I admired the conversational tone—the seemingly stream-of-consciousness flow of idea

On a sunny spring day, I sat with seven homeschoolers on a stretch of grass for a creative writing session. The older kids started to fidget before we even started. "What are we doing out here?" "We’re going to see what’s around us." A fifth grader pointed with his pen. "I see sky, clouds, cars, building. Done." The others laughed. "We’re going to be quiet and listen, too," I added. "I hear birds. Done." More chuckles. "Before we write," I began, "Let’s look at the sky. What color is it?" Someone said blue. "What kind of blue? There are so many blues. Is it dark blue like these navy pants? Or is it blue like turquoise? Or is it the kind of blue you want to swim in? Or the color of your mom’s eyes?" They looked up. "Write down phrases that describe this particular blue at this particular moment of this particular day. Compare it to other things that are blue." They studied the sky, and one by one, each started writing. "What else do you see—you mentioned clouds. What kind of

Jennifer Dukes Lee ​invites you to transform into a better writer​ through “beautifully ruthless self-discovery.” It starts in the pages of your journal. In a recent interview, she delves into the therapeutic benefits of daily gratitude journaling and its potential to rewire our brains. By writing down things we’re grateful for, our minds seek out the positive. Jennifer recommends guided journals when we're stymied by writer's block. The blank page of a traditional journal can overwhelm us. What should we say? Where should we start? Guided journals aren't blank pages—they provide prompts and structure when you’re stuck or unsure of what to write. She stresses that journaling serves as a valuable tool for self-discovery and creative expression. When you use journaling to explore your experiences, memories, and struggles, you can weave your discoveries into your writing. This deep dive into the human condition adds depth and authenticity to all our writing: poetry, creative nonfiction, online wri

During the early years of parenthood, I wasted a lot of time feeling sorry for myself. Why can't I have my own dedicated writing space? Why can't I have blocks of uninterrupted time? The overwhelming demands of being a stay-at-home mom almost shut down my creativity. In time, thank heavens, I stopped griping and started looking for solutions. My idea? Instead of waiting for the perfect conditions, I snatched time. No Time to Write? Snatch Every Opportunity I wrote when the kids were napping. I wrote late at night. I wrote when they were engrossed in a movie. I squeezed writing into the tiny openings in my days. Sometimes I only had five minutes, but I wrote. By making the most of a few free moments here and there, I kept my writing identity alive. Contain the Creativity This spontaneous approach made for a messy writing life, however. I left a trail of pens throughout the house. I scratched fleeting phrases onto the backs of envelopes. I scribbled a line of poetry onto a

Nearly everyone who writes personal stories in any form has agonized over how much to share. Will writing about an issue from childhood break Mom's heart? Should I change the name of a high school teacher? The next-door neighbor? The dog? The children? Are the hyacinths blooming by the mailbox worth mentioning? We write. We worry. Is this naval gazing or vulnerability? Will people feel I'm airing the dirty laundry or sharing my own struggles so others might find healing? https://youtu.be/bzd7a8J4UXc Stories Bring YOU into Your Writing But...stories! Goodness, stories set your projects apart from all other essays, articles, and books, because only you had that encounter, that experience, that struggle, that transformation. When you make a claim and support it with your own life story, no one else could have written that piece. Stories create connection between reader and writer. Stories convey universal truths through specific situations. You don't have to share y

As writers, we spend countless hours crafting and refining our work to perfection. We labor over word choices, sentence structure, and the perfect flow. Despite our best efforts—even after a pass through Grammarly—typos slip through. As writers, we tend to spot them in other people's projects, even if we miss them in our own. How do you react when you spot a typo in someone else's writing? Do you assume they're unprofessional and lose faith in them? Or do you extend grace and understand that mistakes happen? Automatic Unsubscribe One time I spoke with a professional in the creative space who said if she sees a typo, it’s an automatic unsubscribe. "Seriously?” I exclaimed. “You don't even give them three strikes?" "No, that's it. I unsubscribe on the spot." I strive toward excellence and aim for perfect prose, but if I'm in a hurry or make a last-minute change, I miss details. I'm sure you've noticed them in blog posts and emails. "Well,” I told her, “I suppose you aren't on my list,

Years ago, one of my clients updated me on her publishing journey. She turned in her manuscript on deadline, so that was a huge relief. Then her editor asked for one last piece she'd put off. "Ann, it took me two full weeks to track down everything for my endnotes. Two weeks!" This first-time author knew the editor would ask for endnotes, but she had not kept track of them as she wrote. Putting Off the Inevitable When words were flowing—forming chapters, shaping ideas—she didn't want to lose momentum fiddling around with citations. So she decided to focus solely on the writing, trusting those endnotes would be easy to put together later. After all, most of the books she mentioned in her text were stacked next to her, ready to access after submitting her manuscript. She could find the direct quotes online again in a few clicks, right? "Please, Ann," she said, "I'm begging you to tell all your clients to document their sources along the way. Waiting until the end was a nightmare." Save T

Consider a lowly stick, memorialized by my friend: Little Y StickFragile, knobby crossroads in my fingersBring me eyes to see how God is in my midst.1 ​Jennifer Dukes Lee penned that poem after we chatted about a prompt found in poemcrazy, by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge. Poemcrazy's Prompt In Chapter 31, Susan instructs us to find something in nature that attracts our attention. Maybe the object has a quality that we're attracted to, or maybe it's just speaking to us in some way.2 Jennifer pondered the little Y stick and used Susan's prompt to craft that small poem. I decided to try Susan's prompt myself. Following Susan's instructions, I found objects in the yard that attracted my attention. One was a pinecone. 1. Name it First, we name it. Name it by its actual name, like a pine cone, or make up a name, like "tree cigar." Susan says you could call a mushroom "white sticky," for example, or "plump cloud." Or you could use its actual name, "mushroom."3 2. Describe it N

Gain inspiration from the journey of a first-time author who transformed her dream of writing into a reality by taking bold action. Merideth Hite Estevez's success story involved launching a captivating podcast and partnering with a coach (yep, that's me!) to develop a winning strategy. Her talent and tenacity helped her build a robust platform, create a winning book proposal, secure an agent, and land a publishing deal in just a few years. Although she felt like it took an eternity, that's fast. Follow her story and be inspired to pursue your own writing dreams with confidence! Resources Here's the program Merideth mentions in the video (we worked together to complete her proposal and set her up for success): https://annkroeker.com/yourcompellingbookproposal/ Merideth's website: artistsforjoy.org Merideth on Instagram: @artistsforjoy Merideth's free resource, 3 Ways to Love Your Inner Artist Merideth's Creative Clusters using The Artist's Way https://youtu.be/-pe0ds60Ecc

Today we're exploring a topic that every writer is going to want to tune in and learn about: a trauma-informed approach to writing. To speak to that, I've invited Michelle Stiffler on the show to help us see how trauma-informed writing can transform both us and our words. This is one of the longest interviews I've published, but I believe it's one of the most important. Let's get right to it. Michelle Stiffler Michelle Stiffler is a certified trauma specialist, trauma-informed trainer, and co-host of Arizona’s Trauma-Informed Faith Community podcast. Eight years of nonprofit work shaped her trauma understanding, and during this time she created the trauma-informed culture and processes for Arizona's first trauma-informed faith-based organization. Michelle is a married mother of four, plus two sons in law and a proud Mimi. She's on the board of the Redbud Writers Guild, and her work has been published with Fathom, (in)courage, Guideposts and others, as well as the Women's Devotional Bibl

I hosted a virtual Christmas party in my membership program, Your Platform Matters (YPM). At the party I encouraged a writing exercise: Christmas Reflections. I asked these writers to close their eyes and go back in time to a warm and wonderful Christmas memory from their childhood. Rather than trying to capture a big, sprawling scene, I asked them to zero in on a detail. Using the one-inch frame Anne Lamont talks about in Bird by Bird, they narrowed their focus to a detail that they could see, smell, taste, touch, or hear. We captured those multi-sensory, concrete, specific details in words and phrases, dropping them in the Zoom chat. What a quiet, creative gift it was to share those memories with each other, to go back in time, to reflect...to write. After the party sendoff, I assembled the snapshot memories (with their permission) to create a free verse poem: Christmas Reflections Popcorn captured on strings strung on the tree,Mom, sis, and I around kitchen table, molding memories