Keeping It Real With Arthritis: A Review
Why do we write books about chronic illness? Books like this are written to educate, support and encourage people to live their best lives in the face of chronic illness. They are written to connect to community and to give a voice to patients and caregivers living with and treating these conditions. They raise awareness and show us just what it takes to live with a chronic condition that has no cure.
This is Writing
Writing doesn’t always look the way we think it should. Most writing takes place while engaging in other activities away from the desk.
On Writing Newsletters
I don’t have a book to promote (reader, I’m working on it) and while I have some publications, I wasn’t sure they were particularly newsworthy – in other words, I wasn’t celebrating my accomplishments as a writer.
Crime Wave 2: Women of a Certain Age – A Review
One of the many things I love about writing is reading the work of my peers and occasionally being asked to review it. It is a pleasure to review Crime Wave: Women of a Certain Age, the second anthology from the Canada West Chapter of Sisters in Crime. This anthology is a delight to read….
Writing is Hard: Celebrate the Small Victories
Celebrate that first draft of a novel. Celebrate finishing that short story. Celebrate that poem. Most of all, celebrate the time and the courage it took to sit down at the desk and do the work.
Event Magazine 51/1: The Curtain Rises
Event Magazine is produced from one of our local institutions, Douglas College. My poem, The Curtain Rises is about my great-grandmother and her life on the stage in the early 1900’s. I studied theatre at Douglas College after high school, so this poem in this magazine feels like the perfect match. You might even call it destiny.
Changing Your Point Of View
You don’t have to travel halfway around the world for a change of scene. Take your writing space to a local park, beach, or lake. Take time to absorb the space around you. The idea is to change your point of view by taking yourself out of a familiar space. Give yourself the time to just be in the moment and see what you can discover about yourself and your work.
Go On a Writing Retreat: Anytime You Want
A writing retreat isn’t about where I am. It’s about the time I give myself.
The Literary Life: !HASTINGS! Journal Launch
I was always afraid the call for submissions were rare beasts that would only cross my path when the sun, moon and stars had properly aligned, and if I didn’t jump on it in that moment, I would have forever lost my opportunity. This is far from true – in reality, the writing world is not so much a world as it is a huge universe teeming with opportunities for submissions. It really comes down to timing – having the right piece at the right time.
If You Like What You See
Some people have inquired if there’s a place to donate on my blog. This is for those who would like to offer extra support for my work and I thank you for this.
A bigger thank you to all my readers who offer ongoing support simply by stopping by for a visit. I enjoy writing and interacting with you.
About me
J.G. Chayko is a writer, actress, and international arthritis advocate who’s been involved in theatre for more than 30 years and has published poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction.