It is all but impossible to avoid AI these days, even if you try really, really hard. I recently switched to using DuckDuckGo as my phone’s browser in order to avoid the instantaneous and automatic AI overview that pops up on Google Chrome. Yet, there are times when I find myself guiltily using Chrome when […]
When my children were young, summer was not a time for relaxation and reading. Rather, it was time for me to put on my cruise director hat and keep the kids occupied with swimming, library visits, museum exploration, and play dates. Now that my youngest is driving himself, summer is finally a time for me […]
Writing and reading go hand in hand, which means that in addition to our writing or editing projects, the staff of Literary Mama also has a long list of books that we’re reading and thinking about. We’d like to share some of those with you and hear what you’re reading as well! Creative nonfiction editor […]
Literary Mama staff have been keeping busy whittling down their TBR stacks and are sharing the details with you! Literary Reflections editor Blair Lipsitz has been reading The Correspondent by Virginia Evans when she can squeeze in a chapter or two between mom duties. It is an epistolary novel that she has found inspiring. “I […]
When we have free moments, it can be difficult to choose whether we want to spend that time writing or reading. Fortunately, the winter months are often a period when we can manage more of both because we don’t have the temptation of sun and warmth to lure us to outdoor activities. If you’re looking […]
Ten years ago (“the blink of an eye,” in Mama time) I wrote a post honoring this site’s 10th anniversary. I’m back for another milestone—20 years of Literary Mama! The editors asked for some thoughts on the Columns department, which is where it all began for me, having edited nine columns for LM. I really […]
Congratulations to our Literary Mama staff members! ~~~~~ Profiles Editor Brianna Avennia-Tapper spoke with poet Maggie Smith about choices—both on the page and in your home—for The Chicago Review of Books, and with climber/conservationist/writer/mother Majka Burhardt about flexibility in motherhood and on the mountain. Brianna also reviewed the singular novel/memoir Typical of the Times/What was […]
My creative practice, I must admit, felt stuck prior to attending AWP. In the last few seasons of my writing life, I’ve dedicated my energy to freelance opportunities and content writing, as well as teaching. It’s not a choice I regret, but saying yes to these opportunities means less attention to my creative work. I […]
Embracing the Possibilities When you walk into the AWP book fair, you’re greeted with several aisles and miles of books. There are journals selling a variety of work, everything from poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. I perused through work that explored hybrid and experimental forms, as well as more traditional narratives. Several university and indie presses […]
AWP usually garners several reactions from writers — It is so intense. I can’t handle the crowds. It is so overwhelming. I don’t know if I can deal with all the stimuli. This resistance has some truth. AWP usually attracts 9,000 to 12,000 people, and it can feel busy and chaotic navigating panels, walking the […]
Congratulations to these Literary Mama staff members! ~~~~~ Senior Editor Rudri Bhatt Patel published the piece, “Pros and Cons of Anchor Clients,” for The Freelance Creative. She also published the piece, ““Why Pickleball Is a Great Sport for Seniors,” for FAR.com. For Apartment Therapy, she published, “How I Used the Two-Minute Rule to Stop Feeling […]