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Most of us spend our lives avoiding rejection. We write in the dark, polish in secret, dream small so we don’t risk losing big. For a long time, I believed that a “no” meant something was wrong with me, or wrong with my work. Rejection felt like proof that I should stay quiet. Stay safe. Stay unseen. But then I learned something that changed the way I approach writing: there are writers who aim for 100 rejections a year . Not one. Not ten. One hundred. The idea isn’t about f

Revision is where writing tells the truth. Drafting gets all the credit because it looks like creation, but revision is where meaning actually forms. It’s where a piece stops performing and starts listening. I rarely know what I’m writing when I begin. I start with a feeling, an image, sometimes just a question. Clarity doesn’t arrive fully formed. It shows up slowly, through rereading, adjustment, and attention. For me, revision isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about a

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles over Libby, Montana once winter arrives. The kind of quiet that doesn’t simply mute the world, but redefines it. The Kootenai National Forest becomes a cathedral of white and pine, and stepping into it feels like crossing an invisible threshold where time behaves differently. Writers often talk about “going somewhere to find inspiration,” but in Libby’s winter woods, inspiration doesn’t need to be hunted. It finds you. The morni

I used to think prolific writers were gifted—touched by some celestial spark that the rest of us weren’t born with. But the longer I write, the more I realize that prolific isn’t a talent. It’s an agreement. A small, daily promise to sit down with myself and create something—not everything, not perfection, not brilliance, just something. For me, that “something” is often guided by a single word or a simple topic. A seed. Some mornings it’s hunger, other days it’s threshold, o

Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series 2025 Writing may feel like a solitary act, but thriving as a writer is anything but solitary. Staying immersed in the writing community—through workshops, readings, critique groups, literary events, or even the casual conversations that happen between sessions—keeps the creative energy alive. Community reminds us that we’re not creating in a vacuum. It pushes us to grow, challenges our blind spots, and gives us fresh lenses to see our work th

For those who make life and dreams made of the same thing...

Savannah Cottingham’s novels have captured the hearts of many readers with their rich storytelling and deeply relatable characters. Beyond the engaging plots, her books offer moments of reflection and wisdom through memorable quotes. These lines inspire readers to think differently about life, love, and personal growth. This post explores some of the most powerful and uplifting quotes from her works, showing how they can motivate and encourage us in everyday life. A close-up