Writer Ellen Morris Prewitt Blog

Romantasy or Trying New Things

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on December 5, 2025. Posted in General, Writing. No Comments on Romantasy or Trying New Things

This is going to be a ridiculously upbeat post where I report on trying new things. Last month, I facilitated a panel for the Louisiana Book Festival. Nothing new there. I’ve loved leading writing conversations forever. What was totally new for me was the genre of book I would be moderating. I had zero experience with romantasy. I...

Crystal Wilkinson

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on December 2, 2025. Posted in General, Writing. 4 Comments on Crystal Wilkinson

I don’t remember who introduced me to Crystal Wilkinson, but several years ago, I went to a writing conference because she was teaching the fiction session. The conference was in Asheville near my family. Also, the host, Image Journal, had nominated my work for a Pushcart Prize, where it received an Honorable Mention. But I wouldn’t...

Read the Bad Reviews

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on November 17, 2025. Posted in Featured, Writing. 2 Comments on Read the Bad Reviews

I do this thing. When I finish a book I really liked, I go to Goodreads and Amazon, and I read the bad reviews. I want to remind myself that it’s all simply a matter of taste, and we have different tastes, and that’s okay. But today after I finished an exquisitely written novel, something went awry. I got put out. In particular, I...

Not My Street

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on November 9, 2025. Posted in Featured, Writing. 4 Comments on Not My Street

I walk out the door of 100 Men Hall and birds sing, as if they’ve been doing that all along. Not one bird, two birds—an orchestra of birds, thrumming beneath the afternoon. I follow the sound and find the masses congregated on a cell tower. I don’t know what kind of birds they are. My sister Marcee goes downtown in Raleigh in the evenings...

Making Choices

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on November 7, 2025. Posted in General. 2 Comments on Making Choices

If you stare at me and tell me, “This is what happened,” you may not actually be telling me what happened. You may be telling me what I’m supposed to agree happened. I’ll kick back against that every time. I have a choice whether to accept your story, and I want to be making choices that are the best I can make. Patterns...

Reading Hibernation

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on November 5, 2025. Posted in Featured, Writing. No Comments on Reading Hibernation

Traditionally, the week between Christmas and New Years has been for me a time to hibernate and read. The last deep dive I did, my mother was still alive. She gave me a slew of books for Christmas, all by authors whose first language was Spanish (because I asked for them, y’all–Mother always gave you what you asked for.) I feel like...

Split the Baby

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on November 4, 2025. Posted in Featured, General, Writing. No Comments on Split the Baby

It takes great courage to return to childhood. Not just the exposure we risk or the chance we will reveal more than we intend. To write memoir well, you must fully return to that time period, immersing yourself. You must make it real again. Not just the bad parts but, sometimes more heartbreakingly, the good parts as well. Lauren Rhoades...

Peaceful Americans

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on October 19, 2025. Posted in Featured, General. 2 Comments on Peaceful Americans

After Trump was elected in 2016, I waited for him to pivot from being a candidate to being president. I didn’t like him, but he was now my president. Instead, Trump kept holding campaign rallies. And calling those who didn’t vote for him “them.” I realized he didn’t want to be the president of America. He wanted to...

MEMPHIS, y’all

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on October 3, 2025. Posted in General, LOVE, Racism to Reconciliation. 10 Comments on MEMPHIS, y’all

Hand-in-hand, we strolled down Front Street, the Memphis sky as blue as the air was crisp. At the new bakery, I ordered lox and bagel, cafe au lait, and, for Tom, a breakfast sandwich with drip coffee. The small bakery space was almost empty, quiet, until we stepped back to wait on our order, and the people poured in. At 9:30 on a Friday...

Wordle

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 23, 2025. Posted in General. 8 Comments on Wordle

Of all the things going on in the world right now, what I’m motivated to write to you about is Wordle. I’ve found an Unlimited Wordle site. I’m both obsessed and convinced this is really good for my brain. Why? I don’t think it’s primarily because of the challenge. If you’re as late to the game as I am...