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McKenzie Lynn Tozan

"Creative minds are rarely tidy." – John William Gardner
Blog, Craft, Trends, Writing and Publishing Tips

Writer Tip Thursday: Say “Goodbye” to Impostor Syndrome. You Want to Write for a Reason.

Happy Thursday, friends! Coming at you late is our Writer Tip “Wednesday”: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome! You can do this, and you should do this, because you want to write for a reason. Keep going.

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Poem of the Day: Justin Phillip Reed

Happy Tuesday, friends! Coming to you late, but here is today’s Poem of the Day: “What’s Left Behind After a Hawk Has Seized a Smaller Bird Midair” by Justin Phillip Reed. Enjoy!

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Blog, Entertainment, Literary Scene, Trends

I’m Getting All the Jewel-Vibes from This News that Halsey’s First Poetry Collection Is Coming This September.

I’m getting ALL the Jewel vibes from this news that Grammy-nominated musician Halsey has a poetry collection coming out this September.

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Blog, Publishing, Writing and Publishing Tips

Writer Tip Wednesday: What Should We Share with Our Readership?

Happy Wednesday! For this week’s Writer Tip, I’ll be talking about our readerships and how we can nurture them through our content. Enjoy!

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Poem of the Day: Frank Stanford

Happy Tuesday, friends! Here is today’s Poem of the Day: “The Light the Dead See” by Frank Stanford. Enjoy!

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Poem of the Day: Brigit Pegeen Kelly

Happy Tuesday, friends! After a bit of a break, here’s the new Poem of the Day: Brigit Pegeen Kelly’s “Doing Laundry on Sunday.” Enjoy!

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Blog, My Poems

New Poem: A Seagull Makes A Lone Call, Off-Course (after Sylvia Plath)

Happy Friday, friends! Here’s a new poem of mine, based on Sylvia Plath’s “Little Fugue.” Enjoy!

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Poem of the Day: Sylvia Plath

Happy Friday, everyone! For our Poem of the Day, here is another poem by Sylvia Plath, “Winter Landscape, with Rooks.” Enjoy!

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Blog, My Poems

New Poem: In The Morning, Where I Walk (after Sylvia Plath)

Happy late Wednesday night, all! Close to midnight, here is a new poem of mine, influenced by Sylvia Plath’s “Blackberrying” and the act of social distancing. Enjoy!

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Happy National Poetry Month! Poem of the Day: Angela Voras-Hills

Happy Wednesday, and Happy National Poetry Month! For today’s poem, we have Angela Voras-Hills’ “On My Way Home,” from her collection, LOUDER BIRDS. Enjoy!

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Poem of the Day: Sylvia Plath

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. To start our week, here is a poem by Sylvia Plath, “Blackberrying,” which seems particularly fitting right now. Enjoy!

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Poem of the Day Series, Reading

Poems of the Day: Allan Peterson

Happy Friday, friends! To carry us into the weekend, here are several short poems by Allan Peterson, from his latest collection, THIS LUMINOUS. Enjoy!

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mckenzielynntozan

Wife • Mama • Cat-mom • Poet • Freelance Writer • Avid Reader • Progressive Christian •
Health, books, prayer, travel: living my best freelance life!
Hi friends! I'm so happy to share with you that I' Hi friends! I'm so happy to share with you that I'll be celebrating my 10th anniversary with my wonderful husband tomorrow. ❤ 10 years, 6 moves, 5 years of school, almost 3 children, countless books read, and SO many memories later, we're happily going strong. ❤ All my love to my husband today, our big day tomorrow, our anniversary adventure this weekend with our kiddos, and forever. ❤ Happy 10th Anniversary, my love! *cheers*clink*živjeli* #wedding #anniversary #10yearanniversary #love #memories
"The circle grows larger as the onlookers in the s "The circle grows larger as the onlookers in the stands shift out of their seats and the cheerleaders assemble and the girls from tryouts finally take a hint. As they slip Eric onto a gurney and keep him there on the ground to check his vitals, some realize the show is over. Emily appears and brushes my hair out of my face, her bright green eyes blazing with the love and concern I know so well, and she takes my hand and pulls me away." . "As more of us move out of the crowd and drift out into the galaxy of a field, now mulling with sounds of confusion and distress, there is a visible break in the circle, and I see him:" . "Sam is kneeling at Eric’s side, touching his knee, and he stares at me with a cold intensity as if he knows something. As if he were blaming me for a secret I’d never known." GIRL LOST: 8100 words #amwriting #GirltoMoonSeries #GirlLost #YA #Supernatural #Fiction #WIP #novel #bookseries #writersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #bookstagram
I *love* accountability posts. . Especially in the I *love* accountability posts. . Especially in the writing community, where it's so easy to let our own deadlines slip. . We keep the doctor's appointments and work deadlines straight... . But when we tell ourselves it's time to finish our novel, often that internal agreement is as much of a story as the story itself! . Which is why I always challenge my writing clients and writing friends to share with their loved ones when they WILL complete their draft. . Setting the date with someone else makes for a firmer deadline. . So today, I'm sharing MINE with YOU. . I've been so focused on Book Strategy and Organic Marketing and promoting others' books lately, I've had very little time to put into my own. . But it's time. . I'm in the process of writing GIRL TO MOON, a four-book YA supernatural series. . The first book in the series is called GIRL LOST. . Landon is expected to be born on August 17th. . I plan to finish writing the book by August 10th. . I'll give myself 6 days to revise. . On the 17th, if you'd like to check-in (or even read it?!), we can celebrate together. . Thanks, all, for your support all these years in my various writing endeavors. I look forward to having something to share with you. 🧡 #amwriting #YA #Supernatural #Fiction #GirltoMoonSeries #GirlLost #writersofinstagram #bookstagram #bookloversofinstagram #novel #bookseries #WIP
"I can’t handle their fighting, the sharp and ho "I can’t handle their fighting, the sharp and hollow sound of pots falling, and their lack of regard for what we can hear. Through the din, I find myself listening for crying through the wall. If I don’t hear it, I know my two youngest siblings are safe. I know that my oldest of little sisters, Emily, is taking care of the twins, and as long as Emily is with them, I know I can go. I know I can slip through the window, drop down into the woods, and escape it all. I can pretend it’s not happening. I can ignore the several long hours between now and the morning. And I hate that about myself, how I can turn it off." ... GIRL LOST: 8100 words #amwriting #GirltoMoonSeries #GirlLost #YA #Supernatural #Fiction #WIP #novel #bookseries #writersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #bookstagram
A few weeks ago, I asked around to see if there wo A few weeks ago, I asked around to see if there would be any interest in having an online writing workshop once per week. Basically, I would offer a writing or publishing tip, read from the submissions sent to me that week, and offer a critique---all while live... And the feedback was PHENOMENAL. So many people were into it, they wanted to be involved, and they definitely wanted more eyes on their work. SOOOOOOO... On Wednesday, July 1st, we will have our VERY FIRST Workshop Wednesday together! . 🧡 Here are the details so far: 🧡 🧡 Submissions are due by the Friday before (June 26th in this case). I say we keep it easy, and you can send submissions via FB Messenger or to my email. 🧡 Each submission will be line- and developmentally-edited, and I will include a 1-2-page critique, as well as my comments stated in the live video. 🧡 It's first come, first served in poetry, fiction, plays, and memoir. If I receive more submissions than I can go through live, I can either a.) hold onto it for the next week or b.) send you written feedback privately (your choice!). 🧡 It will take place on Wednesday mornings, which I know inevitably will not work for everyone, but it's a live video that you can come back and watch anytime, and as many times as you want. 🧡 The video each week will be on my profile and set to "Public," so it's easy to find and ready to share with your fellow writing friends. 🧡 This is also something I'm doing for free, just to connect with more writers and to give something back to the writing community. If it takes off and more people are submitting than little ole me can handle, I may start asking for a small, though affordable, fee (I don't want to break the bank for any writer, because I know how expensive this industry can be). In the meantime, if you feel so moved, I will gratefully accept donations for the work I'll be doing, and I warmly appreciate those who have already offered. 🧡 Thank you, everyone! I am so, so, SO excited to finally be doing this! It makes my teacher and editor hearts very happy. #amwriting #amrevising #workshop #writingworkshop #writingcritique #feedback #workshopwednesday #mckenzielynntozan
Y'all, this makes me so happy. . Charlotte had th Y'all, this makes me so happy. . Charlotte had the most wholesome reaction to seeing her book, IT'S HOW YOU CATCH THE LIGHT, for the first time. ❤ . I can't wait for you to see it. It's such a lovely collection. #CharlotteJohnston #ItsHowYouCatchTheLight #poetry #photography #prose #newbook #publication #BookStrategy #BookStrategist #books #bookloversofinstagram #bookreview #poetsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #amreading
Happy Tuesday, everyone! And Crazy-Happy Mail TO M Happy Tuesday, everyone! And Crazy-Happy Mail TO ME!! . Not only is Charlotte Johnston's IT'S HOW YOU CATCH THE LIGHT now available for purchase, but my paperback copies for reviewers have arrived!! . More to come! I can't wait to sit down and read a copy that's ACTUALLY in my hands. ❤ #CharlotteJohnston #ItsHowYouCatchTheLight #poetry #photography #prose #newbook #publication #BookStrategy #BookStrategist #books #bookloversofinstagram #bookreview #reviewcopies #poetsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #amreading
Hi friends! I have one more share for tonight, fro Hi friends! I have one more share for tonight, from a publication I love very much: Whale Road Review. . . Issue 19 is officially here, and it is everything I could have asked for. . Katie Manning described her experience in revisiting the issue (and I totally agree): "Reading this issue again after the latest violence against black people in the U.S. and after 2.5 months of sheltering in place feels like traveling through time and space with the ghost of summer past. Here are the good times and dark undercurrents, the brothers and flawed parents, the nursery rhymes and arcade games, the tanning beds and cancer cells, the pools and lakes and beaches, and so much more." . You can find Issue 19 below at the link in the comments. . A poem of mine was featured with them clear back in their FIRST issue, and I've been watching WRR evolve into this glorious project (and continued to write dinosaur / false memory poems) ever since. . For a little #throwbackThursday, I've included a snapshot of my poem here, "Shopping for T-Rex." . It's still one of my favorites. Thanks to Katie Manning and Whale Road Review for featuring it, and for doing such important work, then and since. #whaleroadreview #issue19 #literarymagazine #poetry #prose #writersofinstagram #poetsofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #amwriting #ShoppingforTRex
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