School Visit: Just returned from a school visit to Perez Elementary, Austin, Texas. This was a Project WISE (Writers in Schools for Enrichment) visit sponsored by the Writers’ League of Texas. My presentation was in English and Spanish and the students were really enthused, especially when I encouraged them to write their own stories and, yes, illustrate them as well. My thanks to the librarian for her gracious hospitality.  Looking forward to FESTIBA in the Rio Grande Valley next month.

A couple of days ago, some in our critique group brought up the topic of writer’s block or as someone else said, “The muse just wasn’t there.” I hear you, I said. Happens more often than not. If you sometimes struggle with what some call writer’s block, you might want to view the following Writer’s Digest blog, The Writer’s Dig, hosted by Brian Klems. The guest post, “5 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block,” by author Molly Cochran goes into some detail about some of the causes. For example, her list includes:  Indecision, Lack of Inspiration, Perfectionism, Opinion of Others, and Not Knowing What Type of Book Will Sell. If you’ve been struggling with writer’s block, you might want to find out why.

Tip: No matter what your writing life brings, believe in yourself and keep moving forward. Most writers cycle between periods of self-doubt and periods of confidence. – Writer’s Digest Weekly Planner