Published in In for a Penny·PinnedMember-onlyFeeling like You Haven’t Achieved Enough? Then Write Down All Your Successes with a Reverse Bucket ListRemind yourself of everything you’ve accomplished — A writer-friend of mine was recently laid off from her favorite writing job and was back on the hunt for writing work. She felt frustrated and as if she’d never get another job again. I reminded her of all the yeses she’d gotten over the years and that she had…Listicles With Commentary5 min readListicles With Commentary5 min read
Published in The Narrative Arc·PinnedMember-onlyIn High School, She Could Have Been Voted Most Likely to Have a Shitty LifeShe brought out the worst in everyone — Roni was a bad influence on everyone, especially herself. I don’t know if she ever made a healthy or wise decision in her life. She was my first bad-girl friend, but I don’t remember how we met. …Memoir6 min readMemoir6 min read
Published in In for a Penny·PinnedMember-onlySelf-Centered People Don’t Have Any Extra Energy for Anyone Else but ThemselvesEnough about me what do you think about me — What looks like a narcissist sounds like a narcissist but isn’t quite a narcissist? Answer: Someone obsessed with themselves. The difference between someone in love with themselves and a narcissist is that while they’re both self-centered, the self-obsessed person isn’t malicious or dangerous — they’re just completely oblivious to other…Listicles With Commentary6 min readListicles With Commentary6 min read
Published in The Narrative Arc·PinnedMember-onlyHer Borderline Rage Was Terrifying, Especially When It Was Aimed at MeBecause she was dying, I let it go — Cynthia was more than a mentor to me, she was like a surrogate mother to me — the Jewish mother I always wanted. She was a huge supporter of my writing and comedy, and she was a friend, but one I never felt completely comfortable around. I never entirely let…Nonfiction Writing5 min readNonfiction Writing5 min read
Published in In for a Penny·PinnedMember-onlyYou Don’t Need to Have Studied Improvisation to Use These Improv Rules to Elevate Your WritingWhy do you think so many writers studied improv? — Improv is more than make-’em-ups, finding the funny, and yes, anding. It’s being in the moment, trusting your gut, and being flexible enough to fully commit to something even when you don’t have a backup plan or any idea about what you’re doing. Sounds a lot like writing, doesn’t it? …Listicles With Commentary7 min readListicles With Commentary7 min read
Published in Seen on Screen·13 hours agoMember-onlyWhen Even Princess Leia’s Mom Can’t Save Your FriendshipWhat ends in Las Vegas stays finished — I was convinced I’d hate Las Vegas. Ugh, the gambling, the trashy entertainment, the sleazy atmosphere, but I loved it — all of it. My friends, Archer and Michael, convinced me to go with them and our friend Lily for the weekend. I thought, “Why not? We flew there from…Movies5 min readMovies5 min read
Published in In for a Penny·3 days agoMember-onlyWriters, Be Prepared to Sacrifice Your Brilliant TitleYou’ve sweated over it, now let it go — One of the most important aspects of a Medium article is the headline and here you have more control over how it’s used than with professional publications. There are many articles on how to write the perfect headline, how to make it compelling without being clickbait, and how a poor…Listicles With Commentary4 min readListicles With Commentary4 min read
Published in In for a Penny·Mar 16Member-onlyHow to Diversify Your WritingIt’s a mistake to put all your writing in one place — Writers sometimes get into publishing ruts, and instead of branching out and pitching to new publications, they submit their work to the same places. If you have a column or are a regular contributor, it makes sense to make those places your focus, but it’s a mistake to make them…Writing Tips5 min readWriting Tips5 min read
Published in In for a Penny·Mar 15Member-only12 Ways to Deal with a Know-It-All without Losing ControlKnow-it-alls can be frustrating as hell — When you’re in any kind of relationship, with a know-it-all, whether it’s romantic or business, it can be an aggravating experience. You may have to fight to get a word in and then feel as if your answers aren’t valid. And no matter what you do, you can’t stop them…Listicles7 min readListicles7 min read
Published in In for a Penny·Mar 8Member-onlyWhen Starting a Writing Project Isn’t the Challenge, Finishing It IsStaying engaged in the not-as-fun part — I get it when people get frustrated with themselves for being procrastinators. However, putting something off isn’t completely my issue — mine is trouble finishing what I start. I’m not a procrastinator, I’m an incompletist. When I was 13, I found an old, empty-of-glass, window frame on top of a…Listicles7 min readListicles7 min read
