For the past three years, I've been substitute teaching one day a week in my local public school system. I teach kindergarten through 6th grade. It's very fulfilling, but I tell you, I've developed incredible respect for teachers. They have one hard, exhausting job. They help fuel sales of Tylenol.

And, I've begun guest lecturing in journalism at the college level. The professors bring me into their intro to journalism classes so the students can hear from someone who's out there writing for a living every day. They ask me to "reinforce" such notions as 1) learn proper grammar before writing a novel 2) check your work and your research before filing your story with the editor and 3) learn and use the conventions, like AP style, that the rest of the world uses. Write well, then get out of the editor's way. The professors bring me in to give the future scribes a reality check. It's great fun.