by AnnSheybani | Jun 16, 2025 | Reading, Writing
Eleven years ago, I published How to Eat the Elephant: Build Your Book in Bite-Sized Steps. It was solid advice that helped hundreds of writers complete their manuscripts. But here’s the thing about the writing and publishing world: it doesn’t stand still... by AnnSheybani | Jun 7, 2025 | Reading, Writing
Back in the day, I ran a local writers’ workshop with a couple of fabulous partners. We started this business on something of a lark. The three of us had spoken to a friend’s college classroom about the benefits of starting or joining a writing group after... by AnnSheybani | May 5, 2025 | Life, Reading, Writing
Several years back, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Denise Brown for a column she writes in the North Star Monthly, a New Hampshire publication. I thought I might share an excerpt of it with you here. It’ll give you some of my philosophy and background,... by AnnSheybani | Mar 3, 2025 | Life, Reading, Writing
I was 26 the first time I realized that what people thought about me had more to do with them than with who I was/am as a person. Such an epiphany should have freed me; unfortunately, it didn’t. When I’d first moved to Iran, I wanted two things more than... by AnnSheybani | Jan 13, 2025 | Reading, Writing
When I was in grad school, I took an essay writing course. We were assigned an anthology called The Best American Essays, which still sits, all marked up with black ink, on my bookshelf. (If I could find a link, I’d put it here, but I can’t.) In it, I... by AnnSheybani | Jan 6, 2025 | Reading, Writing, writing lessons
Walt and I were finally cleaning out the basements (yes, that’s a plural); and the over-stuffed three-car garage; and the attics (again, the plural); and all of the closets; and each of the seven, count them, seven bedrooms. This in preparation for our move to...