One piece of advice I’m sure everyone has heard at some point in their life is: “do what you love, and you won’t work another day in your life.” Phrases like this are part of the reason I decided to do my undergrad degree in creative writing. I have always loved to write. Over time, my notebook full of juvenile two-pagers developed into a laptop full of drafts, essays, and articles. While I am happy that I have the opportunity to pursue what I love as a career, I think statements like this are misleading. Doing what you love actually takes more work than you might think, especially when it comes to writing.

Lauren Carter’s Following Sea is one of those rare books of poetry can make a person lose sleep. In this case, that person was my husband. As I lie awake in bed reading Carter’s new book, I kept nudging my husband awake.

“You gotta hear this!” I’d say, quoting from one poem or another.

The Afrikanner by Arianna Dagnino is about as surprising as any contemporary post-colonial novel I could imagine. Though it's been many moons since I studied postcolonial literature during my undergraduate degree, I had an idea in my head about what this novel could be about: either a scathing condemnation of colonial power and abuses, or a narrative of apology for those abuses. The Akrikanner is neither.

Elizabeth Greene is the editor of The Dowager Empress, Poems by Adele Wiseman, and the writer of several books of poems, as well as the novel, A Season Among Psychics. In this Power Q & A, she tells us about the accessibility and beauty of Wiseman’s poetry. Keep reading!

Interested in learning how to become a freelance writer? River Street’s Hollay Ghadery gives you her top tips for making it in this paper-cut-throat industry.

Resident freelancer Lauren Carter gives other work-from-homers valuable tips on how to dress for the occasion. Work outfit ideas for real freelancers, for real life.

I won’t ever write the perfect book. Neither will you. You know that, right?

River Street's Lauren Carter dives into the myth of Writer's Block, dishing out some harsh realities and tips to ditch the excuses. Read on to find out how to actualize instead of avoid. 

Is translation an art or a science? Do translators feel pain when they see results generated by the Google translate function, or are they really just dictionary-thumbing automatons? Can anyone really find a suitable synonym for 'muggle'? These questions - and more - explored by our resident linguistic interloper, Lauren Lewthwaite. 

I've been on all sides of the granting process - an applicant, a juror, and a grants officer. My advice is, show the writing that most vividly illustrates the challenge of your project. This doesn't necessarily mean writing that is done. What I look for as a reader is something that's really crackling, that's alive with questions, experiments, potential - even if it's rough.

Writers whine about the left-brain practices, but realize we’re no different from any other businesspeople out there. I’m sure plumbers don’t love doing the paperwork that comes along with all of the above, but they do what they have to do. The advantage they have is that people don’t offer them the chance to sign their pipes rather than pay them. 

Dear Mr. X, I hope you can understand if I decline your offer. You see, I feel it is sort of like asking Meryl Streep to audition for a Sharknado sequel. I'm not saying she wouldn't agree to do the movie - I wouldn't dare to speak for Meryl - but asking an actor of her experience and caliber to audition for a film her repertoire shows she is clearly capable of handling is just poor form.

Bawdy houses, jury duty and witchcraft. National Magazine Award winner Dave Cameron offers advice to writers about bad habits, and how (i.e. if) to break them. 

Journey Prize nominee Shoilee Khan offers up some inspired and inspiring advice to writers with day jobs. 

Tanis Rideout, author of award winning novel, Above All Things, talks to us about how research shapes her writing. 

In The Devil You Know, I placed a very fictional character among very real events: my fictional news reporter, Evie Jones, finds herself covering the arrest of Paul Bernardo in February, 1993. That was fraught enough writing as it was, but Evie also has a back story.

A power Q&A about writer's block with Jeff Latosik, author of Tiny, Frantic, Stronger, and Safely Home Pacific Western. 

A quick Q & A wherein Steven Heighton speaks to the difference in process between writing fiction and writing poetry.