Leanne Phillips

Seven years ago I made the ridiculous decision to go back to school full-time while continuing to work full-time. “It’s just two years,” I told myself. “You can power through anything for just two years.” Only during those first two years, I became motivated. Professors encouraged me. Literature inspired me. […]

Friday morning, I learned my fiction manuscript, California Is an Earthquake, was selected as the Book Winner in Launch Pad’s 6th Annual Prose Writing Competition. I couldn’t believe it—I kept scrolling up and down on the announcement page, looking for the real announcement, because I was sure I was reading […]

My manuscript advanced to the Top 10! (Launch Pad 6th Annual Prose Writing Competition Top 10.) It may not be very professional, but I’ll admit: I cried when I read the news. I am super excited. (Yes, Launch Pad, I was the one refreshing your website every thirty minutes all […]

I did it! I uploaded my completed manuscript to the Launch Pad’s 6th Annual Prose Writing Competition on Friday, October 28th, at 11:59 p.m. I am not kidding. And today I got the news that my manuscript advanced to the Top 50! (6th Annual Launch Pad Prose Writing Competition Top […]

I’m still working on my debut fiction manuscript, a collection of linked stories set in California. But way back in May, I entered it in Launch Pad’s 6th Annual Prose Writing Competition. I was enticed by these lines in the rules: “Manuscript not completed, no problem. … There’s no need […]

I finished UC San Diego’s copyediting program last month, and my copyediting certificate has arrived! This has been on my wish list to do for over a decade. It’s surreal that I’ve actually done it! I’ve been studying copyediting in UC San Diego’s highly respected program for the past year. […]