by Jennifer Ward “Freckles: On Finding the Beauty of My Natural Skin” is a personal essay about finding confidence and self-acceptance. I decided to write about my freckles since they were an insecurity of mine for many years. Even if you don’t have freckles, you might have something else you feel unsure of. Most…
Category: The Writing Life
The Dollhouse (Excerpt from a Short Story)
THE DOLLHOUSE (with an introduction) by Jennifer Ward “The Dollhouse” begins with a single universal moment—a woman coming to terms with her mother’s death. The story unfolds with the task of her sorting through her mother’s things which we know is a difficult thing to do. The feeling of nostalgia finds her when she discovers…
Three Educational Platforms Where You Can Learn From the Best
By Jennifer Ward I love learning. Anyone who knows me will tell you, “Jenn will always be a student.” But I also juggle a lot. I teach two subjects full-time. I’m a part-time graduate student. I write. I volunteer. I am always looking for freelance writing and editing gigs. Believe it or not, I can…
Changing Careers: To Leave or Not to Leave
By Jennifer Ward “One day, or day one. You decide.” – Paulo Coelho Life is full of exciting moments, and changing careers is definitely one of them. But somewhere between that decisive moment and the first day of a new job, awareness starts to settle in – this major shift is also scary. Eventually, there’s…
Three Incredible Grants & Opportunities for Women Writers
By Jennifer Ward March 1st marked the beginning of Women’s History Month in the United States. In recognition of women’s contributions to our society, I thought this would be the perfect time to share a list of alternative funds for women writers. If you are an unknown writer and just starting out, money doesn’t come…
The Pros and Cons of the Hemingway Editor App
by Jennifer Ward “The first draft of anything is shit.” – Ernest Hemingway In a recent discussion in my Editing and Coaching class, my classmates and I talked about editing approaches. I mentioned the Hemingway app, and I was surprised to find that most of my classmates had yet to hear of it. About a…
In the Style of William Faulkner
by Jennifer Ward Back when I was in high school and college, I read a few of William Faulkner’s books and short stories. Most of us have at some point read or heard of “A Rose for Emily” or come across some of his other frequently anthologized stories. I still remember his novel, As I…
My New Year’s Resolutions
by Jennifer Ward New Year’s resolutions have been around for ages. According to history.com, about 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first group of people to make New Year’s resolutions. I’m sure, though, back then, it didn’t look the way it does today. The ancient Babylonians weren’t promising themselves…
Dreams, Stories, and Publication
by Jennifer Ward I have some exciting news to share! About a month ago, I received the message that my essay, “The Courage to Rekindle a Dream,” would be published in The Penman Review. And, sure enough, on December 23rd, it was on their front page! I cannot begin to describe how I feel…
Three Essential Steps to Starting a Freelancing Business
by Jennifer Ward If you want to get your freelance writing business off the ground but aren’t sure where to start, you aren’t alone. Starting a business can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There’s a lot of flexibility that comes with working for yourself, but with that freedom comes many strange twists…