Category: Articles

Besides the obvious sex appeal of the Klingon character Worf, the show “Star Trek: The Next Generation” was well worth watching for its fascinating examination of the human condition in settings far from our time on planet Earth. Gene Rodenberry’s genius included addressing controversial topics such as drug addiction in the episode entitled “Symbiosis.” Another…

This column appeared in the January/February 2010 issue of “Word Weaver.” As a freelance writer, I’ve had to develop a thick skin over the years, which accounts for my weight problem. In reality, I’m thin – but my skin weighs heavy. OK, OK – it was worth a try. I weigh what I weigh because…

The following column appeared in the November/December 2009 issue of WCDR’s newsletter, Word Weaver. The Writing Fairy® Eat My Dust Column by Dorothea Helms Someone asked me the other day why I chose “The Writing Fairy” as my brand. He wondered whether people think it’s a business for kids, or whether they assign negative connotations…

The following column appeared in the September/October 2009 issue of WCDR’s newsletter, Word Weaver. The Writing Fairy® Eat My Dust Column by Dorothea Helms Winning writing contests is one of the most exciting things I’ve experienced during my career. In addition to validation for my writing from an objective source, the wins have brought money,…

The following appeared in the July/August issue of WCDR’s Word Weaver The Writing Fairy® Eat My Dust Column by Dorothea Helms I’ve started reading Life of Pi three times over the past year. Each time, I didn’t get past page 50. I did the same with Eat, Pray, Love. These are books that have earned acclaim…

This column appeared in the May/June 2009 issue of Word Weaver.   The Writing Fairy® Eat My Dust Column by Dorothea Helms When it comes to freelance writing, a little lateral thinking goes a long way. Open your mind to out-of-the-box ideas, and you can come up with out-of-the-ordinary ways to boost your bottom line….

Hey folks, I just got word from Perrett’s Comedy Services that the one-liner I entered into Gene Perrett’s “Words to Live By” contest took SECOND PLACE! I’m so pumped. I studied with Gene at a humour-writing contest in Broken Bow, Nebraska in the late 1990s. Learned a lot from him. This is one of the…

This appeared in WCDR’s “Word Weaver” newsletter in 2009: One of the most difficult things beginning freelance writers tackle is the concept of marketing. People think that in order to make a living writing, all they have to do is write. NOT! Like operating any business, freelancers have to think about a whole lot of…

I have decided to share some of my columns that have appeared in The Writers’ Community of Durham Region newsletter, “Word Weaver,” over the years. Here is the inaugural column from the January-February 2009 issue. Hope you find it interesting! The Writing Fairy® Eat My Dust Column I never went to my high school prom….

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a geek. To me, it’s  much more than watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and thinking that math is fun. Geekdom is a state of mind that places us in a world of intellectual pursuits from which we can escape to do occasional other things like watch The…