Tag: creative writing
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Spending Time with Creative Block: Reflections on The Joy of a Field
I dread “the block.” It comes in all shapes and sizes for all kinds of creative projects. It frustrates the heck out of people whose well-meaning efforts it stalls. Ever been there? It’s not fun. Unfortunately, my most recent novel, The Joy of a Field, left me spending more time with creative block than either of…
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Autumn Memories and “The Fodder Shock Maze: A Short Story”
“This was the fun part. I reminded myself of that. At least, it used to be the fun part. Mazes gave me all the chances I needed to get where I was going.” – from “The Fodder Shock Maze” Do you have a favorite part of autumn? I have trouble narrowing it down to one thing, myself. I’m a…
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On Baking Bread and Not Knowing What I’m Doing
Sometimes I don’t really know what I’m doing. It’s not always a bad thing. For instance, I’ve had a hankering to bake rye bread lately – real rye bread that smells like yeast and rises on the kitchen counter. I knew nothing about any of it, but I decided a few months ago that a…
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Intentional Places: On Where We Spend Time
I’ve begun volunteering at a local library. Up the steep stairs of an old Greek Revival-style house, artist studios share space with this small, independent lending library focused on women’s history. It drew my attention the very first evening I climbed those stairs and looked around. I’d gone out exploring on one of our city’s…
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In Praise of Small Projects
I recently enjoyed a small project way more than I’d expected to. The kick of energy and enjoyment it brought has left me reflecting on the relative sizes of my efforts. I believe I already do value small things. I’ve also long understood the importance of pausing frequently to celebrate accomplishments of all sizes. I’ve known that…
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Wholeness: a Good Word and a New Year
Wholeness – it’s my word for the new year. Some years a word has served me better than a resolution. A word’s given guidance when I didn’t know where I was going, let alone what steps to take to get there. When the world keeps changing, or when I’m considering what’s important in a new…
About the author
Callie J. Smith writes about women who, like her, are finding themselves. Her essays and cozy fiction (contemporary and fantasy) explore everyday things like hope, creativity, and grief.
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Callie J. Smith 