It only seems appropriate on this voting day: the participants have decided! The four-week memoir writing workshop I lead will continue for another four weeks. (I guess that technically makes it an eight-week memoir writing workshop, but, hey, we’re not here to do math.) We’d love to have you join in on the fun! Email … [Read more…]
I was so excited to receive the news this week that two of my poems will be published in Hotel Vermont’s Quarterly. Both Resolution and Off the Coast of Avanzamento were accepted and will appear on nightstands throughout the hotel. (Sleep inducers or inspiration while gazing out over Lake Champlain… you decide. 🙂 ) I was honored by … [Read more…]
Odd things happen when you google yourself. Like something on this list just doesn’t fit: Can you find it? Well, either it doesn’t belong or I’ve secretly been transformed into a hippo. You decide. If you missed the video clip from my television writing and producing days, click the link above, and sit back … [Read more…]
I met this book by happening into it at the library, but soon realized I needed to purchase my own personal copy to have on hand at all times, as it’s an invaluable resource and one I will go back to again and again. (Not to mention my need to underline and make margin notes– … [Read more…]
By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com For just shy of a decade, I reported for the city of South Burlington’s The Other Paper as their principal reporter. Here is one of my first articles, written about the founders of educational job site School Spring. Happy #TBT!
By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com The four-week writing workshop started last night. We look to have a great group; it’s the biggest I’ve run yet. I am really excited to meet all of these writers and to hear their stories as the workshop unfolds. We may run a second session depending on demand, so stay tuned … [Read more…]
In a recent post I mused on why writers are never alone. It’s important to get out and talk to other writers, and the Burlington Writers’ Workshop gathering at Bluebird Barbecue this week did exactly that. It was so great to sit across the table from writers working on exciting projects, and talk to them … [Read more…]
This is a great article on writing by fellow writer Diane MacKinnon. It’s well worth the read and has certainly inspired me today. Are You Taking Massive Action or Passive Action? My friend and mentor, Brooke Castillo, has often spoken about taking “massive action.” Her definition of massive action is taking action until you get the results you … [Read more…]
By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com Every summer I have the honor and pleasure of teaching a six-session English writing intensive workshop at one of the local universities. This year I focused all of the activities around Dickens’ little-known short story “The Signal Man.” If you’ve not yet read it, it’s worth checking out, and best of all, … [Read more…]
What To Do When the Power Goes Out OR How I organized my writing life By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com I was in the middle of revising the first three chapters of my first novel for the agent pitch session this weekend –scratch that: tomorrow!– when my computer died. Just shut off! Mid-sentence. Panic! Fortunately I am … [Read more…]
By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com Congratulations to one of the best writing mentors I’ve had the honor of working with, Julia Alvarez on receiving the National Medal of Arts this week.
I am proud today to have been accepted as a member of the League of Vermont Writers. I look forward to attending their upcoming conference and meeting others as passionate about the craft as I.
By Annalisa Parent www.annalisaparent.com Writers’ conferences are wonderful opportunities to remember that, as writers, though we write alone, we are not alone. Last evening I was treated, without hyperbole, to the most beautiful author talk I have ever had the honor to experience. Terry Tempest Williams is one of the most genuine and present people I … [Read more…]
I wrote and produced sketches as the Copy Producer for Late Night Saturday. This is from a series I co-wrote called “The ODd Couple.” The Odd Couple was always doing something stupid. After they got their cat Mr. Pitters, which was an adventure unto itself, here’s what happens when they move across town with him. … [Read more…]
The article I wrote for Thread Magazine on the Burlington Writers’ Workshop 2014 Anthology Book Launch has been published. Here’s a preview: words & photography // Annalisa Parent With the launch party for the second annual “Best of Burlington Workshop” anthology, the Burlington Writers Workshop served up a serious appreciation of literature — while not … [Read more…]
I am so excited to have teamed up with Zach Despart at Thread Magazine. I will be covering the Burlington Writers’ Workshop “The Best of the Burlington Writers Workshop 2014” Book Launch Party this Friday for publication next week.
Unslumping yourself by just daring to write something Some days I feel inspirationless—or worse, I feel discouraged—that my writing isn’t good enough, or I haven’t got anything to say, or that no one wants to read what I write. And, well, that feels awful. But I’ve found that the way through it is writing. It’s … [Read more…]
Writers hate a lot of –tion words–particularly procrastination and distraction. Procrastination isn’t my worst enemy; well, at least not as formidable a foe as distraction. Distraction is a shape-shifter: it takes many forms. Mostly, it takes the form of something that ends with .com, and is accompanied by its favorite –tion travel pal: justification. Chapter … [Read more…]
My goal for this year has been to finish all of the half-finished books on my nightstand before I start any new ones. It’s not that they’re horrible books and I’ve entirely lost interest (though I do feel guilty, for unexplained reasons, for not finishing a book—it feels like a failure or an unfinished project). … [Read more…]
While I was a book reviewer and morning DJ on WFAD, Francois Clemmons (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) featured me on his program Studio 104.