Ash Howell

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A photo of someone in a Spiderman costume, wedged in a brick archway, reading a book.

Challenge Mode

Or, Planning To Discover Or, A Brief Guide to Vibes-Based Plotting A member of my critique group is starting work on her sophomore novel. She's a self-professed "vibes-based" writer, but she wants to add plot earlier in her process this time, and she asked the group

Lots of colorful sticky notes

New things are never simple + preorders and an interview

School is starting. Every parent you know just got a headache and/or ran off to add something to a list and/or preemptively purchase cold and flu medicine. There are a lot of moving parts involved with parenting. But the start of the school year has extra gears, which

A man sits, head bowed, near a large neon sign that reads "20 CRAFT BEERS ON TAP + BURGERS WINGS & ANARCHY"

Thief of Joy, Kicker of Pants

I despair of ever writing something this good.

A salmon-colored mug is tipped over, spilling out thick pink liquid. In the pool of spilled, viscous pink stuff, chocolate

Briefly, I bemoan

Ambition is a hell of a drug, kids. It's been much longer than I anticipated since I wrote anything here (slash any non-fiction) and there are reasons for that. Some of those reasons are the result of my own hubris, and some are the result of Life Happening.

The coastline and a lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard

Viable Paradise

A week of writing and intense human kindness.

Legos, colored pencils, and other mess reminiscent of a toddler's creative genius.

New-vember, New Year

This isn’t an advice blog. I have no idea what I’m doing.