Nonfiction author Mary Beth Sammons explores the questions that cause us to learn more about our ancestries and what we learn about ourselves and each other when we do so.

Follow these 9 simple steps for writing what you already know, and you could get your big break—and a paycheck to match—faster than you might think.

Personal writing might sometimes feel too private to publish—but documenting your low points can rocket your byline to the top.