ESSAYS BY LYNNE
Lynne Golodner spent the first 15 years of her career as a journalist, writing articles for magazines and newspapers across America. Essays by Lynne is an archive of her work. Lynne was a staff writer at American Metal Market, the Washington Jewish Week and the Detroit Jewish News before going freelance in 1998.
During the next 10 years, she was a columnist for the Detroit News and contributed regularly to such publications as Saveur, Better Homes and Gardens, Midwest Living, the Chicago Tribune, the Detroit Free Press, Parenting, Parents, AARP: The Magazine, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, HOME, Teacher Magazine, Hockey Digest, Poets & Writers, Tennis Magazine, Crain’s Detroit Business and many more.
Lynne now focuses most of her time writing books and narrative nonfiction essays. Check out the most recent ones below!
Filter by Year
2025
Dishes
October 10, 2025
“You’ll have to wash those by hand,” my mother cautioned as we gazed at the fine Pickard Venetian china I wanted, creamy ivory plates with a matte…
Best Practices Designing Email Signatures
August 25, 2025
As a marketing expert and entrepreneur, learning to promote myself hasn’t been as easy as you’d think. I advise clients and fellow authors all the time….
The Many Ways She Weaves Faith and Fiction
May 25, 2025
When, about five years ago, I shrank my marketing business to focus on writing novels, I pledged to write a book a year for the rest of my life. With…
Two Worlds
March 10, 2025
Winter waves thunder against a quiet landscape. Clash and combine, an angry swirl of blues lifting up and crashing down, and I watch it all from the…
Wonder and Grief
March 5, 2025
When my father was dying of leukemia, I held his soft hand and whispered, “I’m going to miss you so much.”…
Building Confidence: Writing Is About More Than Words on the Page
February 12, 2025
I’ve been teaching writing since the 1990s, and while I teach craft, structure, and the business side of book publishing and marketing, I’ve realized that...
A Walk in Budapest
January 22, 2025
American historians say Hungary’s political system is dangerous, but conservatives find inspiration in its Christian government. I expected dark…
2024
Before I Leave You
October 3, 2024
Paddling into the lifting waves, a constant current rolling in and sucking out, I hefted across two-and-a-half miles of lively ocean with my daughter, though…
Forest Walk on a Friday
May 6, 2024
New grass, wet from the night, under a sky the blue of a baby blanket. The sun is hot and white, glittering the dewy grasses. An airplane thunders…
Five Days in Israel During a War
March 28, 2024
Israel is beautiful at this time of year. The rolling hills are green and yellow and white, with wild mustard growing at the roadside and daisies opening…
Coming Back to the Fruit
March 12, 2024
In June, I pick strawberries, crouching close to the ground, ankles burning as I pull soft berries from the vines. The reddest ones stain my fingers. The sun…
A Local Photographer Spotlights a Generation of Jews
March 6, 2024
He’s photographed 10 Meer residents thus far and has bookings through April, all of which he does at no cost. When Ira Goldberg’s retirement from…
A Walk In Budapest
February 1, 2024
American historians say Hungary’s system is dangerous, but conservatives look to its Christian government for inspiration. I expected to find dark…
2023
Learning Who My Real Friends Are Post October 7th
November 17, 2023
The envelope slid through the mail slot, big swooping handwritten letters to make the words, “I simply want you to know you are seen, your voice is…
Does The World Need Another Story About Leaving Religion? Yes — Mine
August 19, 2023
I started writing Woman of Valor in 2011, giving it the title of Unorthodox, before I knew there was already a book by that name soon to become a…
Still the Dandelions Come
June 1, 2023
They grew up and out, gripping the soil, fanning in circles of soft jagged leaves like neck ruffles on Victorian royalty. Perfectly symmetrical, actually…
Only Living Bodies Bleed
May 22, 2023
“I went into their bedroom and saw two beds,” my niece said after babysitting for an Orthodox rabbi’s children. “What’s that about?” I nodded as it all…
Whats in a Name?
March 6, 2023
“You’ll feel different when you start using your Hebrew name,” Bayla said. We sat on the carpet as her children played, leaning against a sagging couch…
Fleeting, Like the Dragonfly
February 23, 2023
The first moments in the kayak: I can’t believe I get to part these waters, spend my day floating down a river. Trees lean into the eddies; shimmering fish…
Luxury or Necessity
January 4, 2023
Every Christmas Day, I clean out the basement—pulling out plastic totes and rifling through them to see what we can toss. Most of the totes contain items…
2022
It feels lonely to be Jewish
December 21, 2022
With rapidly rising reports of blatant antisemitism, I am realizing how, for the majority of my 51 years, I haven’t dared admit how lonely it is to be Jewish. I…
Going to India
December 3, 2022
Between the tropical forest and the Dehradun airport, men watched planes land and leave. Arms overhanging the fence, chins on hands, they stared…
Prom Dress
October 3, 2022
“Butterfly dresses are the thing, Mom,” Eliana whispered. “Can you imagine if I went to prom in a butterfly dress?” It was long and beaded, the blue of a…
Voice
September 12, 2022
I try to speak, and my voice catches, an acorn lodged in my throat. Well-meaning friends say: Maybe it’s not something to power through. Study the…
The Roads We Travel
July 5, 2022
To be a religious Jew, one must pretend the outside world does not exist: burrow into a home infused with the scent of baking bread, meat and…
Climbing Dog Mountain
June 18, 2022
Salmon swim upstream, so their offspring will survive. Born in freshwater, they migrate to the ocean and return to seed a new generation. No small thing…
At Passover Remembering My Grandma & Her Chicken Soup
March 28, 2022
Buy a whole chicken. Cut it into eighths. Rinse and pat dry. Place the pieces in a deep pot and fill with water. Add a tablespoon of salt, a teaspoon of…
How I stay close to my son while arguing over Israel and Palestine
February 15, 2022
As a progressive and pro-Israel mother of four teens, I’ve tried hard to instill in my children a balanced perspective on championing the challenged…
Swimming: A Meditation
February 5, 2022
When I was little, I rode on my father’s back while he swam the length of our neighbor’s pool in one breath. My legs gripping his sides, my arms waving…
2021
Waiting For My Father To Die
December 23, 2021
I’m going to miss you so much. I choked out the words as I stroked his hand, my thumb grazing the smooth outline of his fingers, the soft pad of his palm…
Oysters
September 25, 2021
The oysters arrived on a paper plate, craggy half-shells pooling ocean brine. A server slung a basket of napkins, vinegar and cocktail sauce on the table…
How To Find A Mentor And Maximize The Relationship
March 19, 2021
After a lecture ended, I walked up to the stage and asked Barbara Jones if I could pay her to edit my essays. It was noon on a summer weekday in Iowa…
The Meaning Behind Mission
February 11, 2021
People talk a lot about purpose these days, espousing the purpose-driven path, career or project. Many companies and organizations craft a mission…
Business is increasingly political; here’s how to embrace it
January 23, 2021
In the wake of the Capitol insurrection on January 6th, I’ve worked with several organizations to issue statements about the events. As a communications…
Building A Solid Business Foundation Begins With Story — What’s Yours?
January 22, 2021
To succeed in marketing and public relations, an organization must know its story and the best words to share it. My tried-and-true formula for marketing…
2020
The Message Matters
December 23, 2020
What is your message? Do you even know? This is a question I pose to new clients early on in our relationship, and more often than not, I find that they…
Higher ed marketing needs a revolution
November 20, 2020
Colleges and universities need to be daring enough to present themselves in ways that connect with actual students, according to a higher ed marketing….
Successful Marketing Requires Strategy
September 16, 2020
My son wanted to run a half-marathon for a while. As a high school cross-country runner, he longed to pass the 5K mark and run clear to 13.1 miles…
The Meaning Of Money: Multiplying Your Impact
June 30, 2020
In my experience, there are two reasons potential clients give for why they cannot move forward with an agency contract: 1. They can’t afford it. 2. They….
Handling PR In A Crisis Situation: 12 Expert Tips
June 5, 2020
When a company makes a misstep, it’s up to the PR team to do damage control. With constant news coverage and the penchant for modern society to…
14 Tips For Personalizing Marketing Campaigns On A Budget
May 26, 2020
One of the downsides of being so interactive with customers is that they tend to expect personalized advertising. Gone are the days when a broad-blanket…
14 Social Media Faux Pas To Avoid At All Costs
May 14, 2020
Social media is an important part of any company’s marketing strategy. While social media savvy helps promote brand recognition and overall success…
Need To Break Up With A Client? 14 Ways To Do It Respectfully
May 13, 2020
Whether you have conflicting schedules, an expertise mismatch or different visions, sometimes a client and agency just aren’t a good match. Rather…
When Social Media Is Done Right, It Really Works
April 3, 2020
In my early days in public relations and marketing, a potential client would come to me and say, “If you’d just get me on Facebook, I know my business…
Virus reminds me what life should be about
March 20, 2020
During this pandemic, it’s easy to be fearful. While we should all take the necessary precautions to protect the most vulnerable among us, we can also…
How To Decide If A Podcast Is The Right Marketing Tool For You
March 3, 2020
It seems like everyone is podcasting these days, with low barriers to entry and easy distribution. At last count, there were more than 850,000 podcasts in…
Making Meaning: Which comes first, work or life?
February 14, 2020
What if we determined which school to attend and which career to build on the basis of the person we know lives deep inside us? Instead, today, we…
Why It Matters To Add Meaning To Your Marketing
February 11, 2020
A few years ago, I worked with a local Habitat for Humanity chapter, supporting their public relations and marketing. The team was energetic…
2019
What Would You Do If You Had No Fear?
September 20, 2019
A cool summer breeze fluttered the leaves on all the trees surrounding Gunsolly Mills, the public park where my son was driving his R.C. car on…
2018
Banishing Winter Blues
December 16, 2018
Massages with hot Petoskey stones. A towel cocoon. Hydrating oils. Products infused with local spirits and syrups. Whether you’re a winter lover or…
The Role of Being a Parent in the Sandwich Generation
December 3, 2018
Three weeks after college graduation, I packed up my Ford Probe and my dad accompanied me as I drove to New York City to start my new adult life…
Purpose Makes a Great College Application
November 8, 2018
When I was a high school senior applying to college, I wanted a higher learning experience where the opportunities were so vast, the campus so…
Finding a Path to Peace
November 1, 2018
When I was single in my 20s, I often slept with a hammer under my bed. It was irrational, I knew, but I had dreams sometimes of soldiers banging at…
Flavorful lane
July 7, 2018
As you plan your summer travels, you might want to check your appetite before booking accommodations. That is, if your destination this year is…
Samaritas Senior Living of Bloomfield Hills celebrates ‘International Day of Happiness’
March 20, 2018
This month, inspired by the International Day of Happiness on March 20, Samaritas Senior Living of Bloomfield Hills hosted several “happiness…
Festival of Fresh Water
March 7, 2018
Great Lakes surf culture is “tribal,” people embracing the cold, fresh waters of this region, riding swells and waiting for perfect conditions. The…
2017
Foster children hope to meet forever families at Bloomfield Hills event
October 4, 2017
On Oct. 14, 15 kids who want a family hope that some of the people attending the Forever Home Run will be interested in bringing them home…
Surf’s up on shorelines all over Michigan
September 26, 2017
If the journey is the destination, then surfing the Great Lakes is the consummate excursion. Once considered an East and West Coast pastime…
Inspired by Water
July 7, 2017
Whether writing about the water outside our homes, singing lyrics inspired by the meandering Detroit Riv- W er or the tumultuous East Bay in a late…
When Nuts Drive You Nutty
June 15, 2017
As with any health question, opinions vary, but there has been some consensus among dietitians and pediatricians in recent years. It seems…
Oakland County dancers place in statewide competition
April 17, 2017
Last week, 24 students from Fred Astaire Dance Studio competed in the Michigan Dance Challenge in Dearborn for the first time and danced away…
Yoga & Water: Restoring Balance
March 7, 2017
Waves on a glistening lake ripple under the morning sun, as silent yoga practitioners balance on mats laid flat on the grass, arms reaching for an…
2016
Friends Cook
November 17, 2016
Everyone has a favorite family recipe that reminds them of holidays, celebrations and special memories. It’s that flavor that Jewish Senior Life…
Family Affairs
November 11, 2016
In the last census, southwest Detroit, including Corktown, Mexicantown, and the West Vernor Business District proceed to be the only section of the…
Samaritas Senior Living Communityin Bloomfield Hills makes pies forsweet Election Day
November 4, 2016
Every four years, Samaritas Senior Living makes the day on which we elect a new president fun and tasty with its Election Day Pie Contest. This year…
Rowing the Detroit River
September 27, 2016
Late-day sun painted the MacArthur Bridge from Detroit to Belle Isle in golden tones. The Detroit River was like glass as the setting sun reflected on small…
10 Reasons Love In Your 40s Is The BEST Kind Of Love
February 25, 2016
When you’ve had time to find yourself, it makes everything that much better. I married my soulmate two weeks before I turned 40, in part because I…
10 Ways To Be A More Aware, Mindful Parent Every. Single. Day
January 25, 2016
Half the battle is just showing up. Sometimes I sit quietly in another room while my children are talking, and I eavesdrop on their wise words. There…
2015
10 Lies We Need to STOP Telling Young Girls About Sex
October 7, 2015
Your daughters deserve to know the truth. My sexual awakening was defined by Brat Pack ’80s movies like St. Elmo’s Fire and Sixteen Candles, where the..
13 Reasons Divorcing My Husband Made Me A Better Parent
October 1, 2015
I became the mom I’d always hoped to be. “I know you can’t see it now, but you’ll end up appreciating the nights your children are away,” my mother…
25 Things To Remember About Your 9-Year-Old Son
August 27, 2015
He doesn’t like to lose. Young kids, little boys especially, are truly gifts from the heavens, with abundant energy, warm smiles, and a force beyond that…
2014
Telling Your Story: Tips For Effective PR
April 11, 2014
Everything depends on story—who we are, what we do, our goals and dreams, and how we get there. As a public relations professional, I know…
2012
Making a Difference
March 7, 2012
As Lynne Golodner’s 40th birthday was approaching last June, the PR professional, wife and mother of four felt compelled to do something…
2010
Personal Style
December 11, 2010
Years spent over poring fabric swatches and cabinet details left designer Kristie Gardner full ofideas for her own kitchen. So when it came time for…
The Martial-Arts Edge
November 11, 2010
Parents watch from behind a plate-glass window as a half-dozen children in an advanced tae kwon do class at Malota’s Martial Arts studio, in Birmingham….
Why Are Our Kids Fat?
November 11, 2010
Health coampaigns target bad eating habits amd a sedentary lifestyle, but there’s a missing piece to the puzzle of childhood obesity: emotional issues…
Guest-room Guidance
July 6, 2010
Whether the message—”Were coming in two weeks. Can hardly wait to see you. Planning to stay at your place”—comes by phone or e-mail, panic can…
2009
Steer Them Straight
July 11, 2009
Talk about real quality time: Research shows that the more teens get behind the wheel with Mom or Dad in the car, the safer they’ll be. “Parents have a…
2008
Pieces from the past
June 11, 2008
Searching salvage and building reclamation shops is a great way to find items, such as doors, mantels, or hardware, that will lend the charm of…
Country Reflections
June 6, 2008
Buttery sunlight and blue sky stream white-bright through walls of windows at Rita Knudsen’s Connecticut home. “It’s so open, and with all the glass, the…
29 Ways To Say I Love You
February 11, 2008
From romantics across the country, fresh, fur ways to share your feelings every day of this Leap Year month. 1. Put Your Heart On It…
2007
Business by Trade
February 19, 2007
Michael Frenkel was sitting in the midtown Manhattan office of a non-profit he hoped to snare as his second client when they dropped the bomb: His PR…
2005
Praying for a New Job
March 15, 2005
During the 16 years that Brad Brackmann was a Wall Street lawyer, the only place he went on Sunday mornings was the office. But the 1997 death of his…
Hear From Lynne
Subscribe to Lynne’s Substack