This year, 2018, I taught beginning Creative Writing classes using The Halfway House for Writers by Valley Haggard. Valley and her books are inspirations to me. Even after publishing three novels with Random House and Simon and Schuster, I often feel like I'm not good enough, like I don't have what it takes. Her books, especially her Halfway House, is a joyous reminder that no words are wasted, that everything we put down on the page takes us where we need to be.

I probably write 1,000 words for every 100 I keep (it's probably worse than that), but I remind myself that without putting down all that backstory, I wouldn't understand my characters or the story that my subconscious needs to tell. I'm always preaching about "the faith of the writer," and that's what The Halfway House is all about. I'm going to continue to use the succinct text this year as I teach my fourth Creative Writing class in the Outer Banks, A Room on One's Own.

I'll be posting daily writing prompts here, so please make use of them. Nothing is wasted. Everything is meaningful. Much love and Happy 2019!

12/21 (Winter Solstice): When I was born...

12/22  The year I turned seven...

Write for ten to fifteen minutes. I will add a new prompt every day.

Feel free to share what you're writing under comments!