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Kristie Smeltzer
Writer, writing coach, teacher
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Ready, Set, Go! Starting Your Stories
Nailing the beginning of our stories is key to hooking readers and keeping them turning the pages. But there's sooooo much we want...
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Sep 8, 20222 min read
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Happy News: When Our Work Surprises Us
The past couple months, I've been cheating on my main work in progress (a novel) by competing in a couple micro and flash fiction...
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Aug 15, 20223 min read
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The blog is back...
After a long loooooong hiatus, I'm kicking off this blog again. While there are several reasons behind it, probably the most important is...
smeltzmail
Aug 9, 20221 min read
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Authenticity: Perfecting the Recipe
My fiction students and I have spent a healthy amount of time talking about how to achieve authenticity in our work. The trick is not...
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Jun 16, 20161 min read
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Rejection Club: Join Your Favorite Writers
I had a great week in terms of writing life—three rejections rolled in. Two I completely expected. I'd aimed high in sending a new story...
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May 14, 20162 min read
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In Search of Your Voice: Conquering One Grain of Sand at a Time
My advanced fiction workshop class and I have been talking about voice a lot. Voice—that somewhat enigmatic characteristic of a work that...
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Apr 13, 20162 min read
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Writer's Block's Kryptonite: Knowing Your Process
In a recent "Getting to Know Our Instructors" interview for WriterHouse, one of the questions was about writer's block, and if I had any...
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Mar 24, 20162 min read
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"The Fine Art of Goldfish" Takes Flight
I'm super-psyched to report my short story, "The Fine Art of Goldfish" is out in Apeiron Review's Issue 10. Check it out on page 5 in the...
smeltzmail
Feb 27, 20161 min read
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Why Movies from Books Often Suck
While teaching this past week, my class engaged in an interesting conversation about description. Specifically, we discussed how the...
smeltzmail
Feb 6, 20162 min read
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When Trains Collide: Building a Compelling Plot
Upon reaching page 100 in my novel draft, I realize that I know one of my trains really well. By train, I mean my protagonist. The other...
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Sep 8, 20152 min read
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Keep Putting Words to Page
Writing a difficult scene last night, I almost made myself physically ill. It was like method acting (or like I imagine method acting I...
smeltzmail
Sep 3, 20152 min read
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Potatoes in Space: Publishing Evolution
The man made me really, really care about taters. Now I am already a lover of potatoes, but it's kind of a generalized love—to quote...
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Aug 24, 20152 min read
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Writerly Inspiration: Catching the Bubbles
Making the decision to return to my more writerly way of life has prompted the most wonderful discussions with my friends and family, as...
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Aug 11, 20152 min read
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Seeing All the Colorful Pieces
Today was my dear Aunt Ruth's funeral. After a very rough two weeks, feeling exhausted and emotionally raw, something kicked in...
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Aug 6, 20153 min read
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Read. Listen. Write. Repeat. Finding Inspiration in Others' Work
Whenever I'm in a really productive writing groove, I surround myself with inspirational creative outputs from others. I've been on a...
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Jul 22, 20151 min read
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Literary Pilgrimage: Lucy Maud Montgomery's inspiration for Anne's Green Gables
Today I visited the house that inspired L. M. Montgomery's Green Gables, home to the beloved character Anne Shirley. I'm in Canada for...
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Jul 11, 20152 min read
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Writers Before the Interwebs Were HARD CORE!
With as frequently as I find myself doing an internet search for information for my novel in progress, I realize writers years ago, as...
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Jul 10, 20151 min read
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A New(ish) Coinage I Hope to Spread Via My Novel (and Everywhere)
Be advised: adult language to ensue. Have you ever been stumped for just the apt word or phrase to describe a particularly bad situation?...
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Jul 8, 20151 min read
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This Little Writing Life of Mine
So this is my new blog, from Kristie Smeltzer, aspiring writer. Here I'll chronicle writing adventures, misadventures, and stuff I find...
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Jul 7, 20151 min read
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