Writer. Essayist. Memoirist.
Heather Sweeney is a Virginia-based writer whose essays and creative nonfiction work about divorce, life as a military spouse, parenting, relationships and women’s health have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, HuffPost, The TODAY Show, Newsweek, Business Insider, Good Housekeeping, Next Avenue, Healthline, Brevity Nonfiction Blog, MER - Mom Egg Review and elsewhere.
Her memoir CAMOUFLAGE: How I Emerged from the Shadows of a Military Marriage will be published in the fall of 2025.
HERE’S WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I WENT TO MY FIRST VISION BOARD WORKSHOP
THE 'GOLDEN BACHELOR' DIVORCE CAME AS A SHOCK — BUT THE SHOW DID OFFER A MESSAGE
HOW CHRONIC PAIN CHANGED MY WRITING PROCESS
Recent Publications
I WAS TRYING TO PROVE TO MY NEW BOYFRIEND HOW ADVENTUROUS I WAS ON A ZIP-LINING DATE NIGHT
CHRONIC PAIN MADE ME QUESTION MY ABILITY TO TRAVEL
More Published Work
I SUFFERED SINGLE MOM GUILT FOR YEARS, ONE DAY CHANGED IT ALL
DIVORCE IS HAVING A MOMENT. AND I WISH IT HAD HAPPENED 10 YEARS AGO
I WAS A COLLEGE ATHLETE, I’M RELIEVED MY TEENS CHOSE DIFFERENT SPORTS
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Dog — Role Model
MER — High School Graduation
Roi Fainéant Press — Muscle Memory
Maudlin House — This Is How the Marriage Ends
Five Minute Lit — Are You Okay?
YourTango — I Moved To Japan With My Husband — And It Was The Loneliest I Ever Felt In My Marriage
Healthline — No One Warned Me About the Grief That Comes With a Hysterectomy
Your Teen — My Daughter Wanted to Donate Her Quarantine Hair
The New York Times:
Tiny Love Stories: Thanks for Sheltering Me
Tiny Love Stories: Clarity in a Six-Week Recovery
Keeping Marriage From Becoming a Casualty of War
A Spouse Confronts the Military-Civilian Divide
The Washington Post:
When I got divorced, I didn’t want to be in transition forever. Here’s how I moved on.
I was a military wife for 13 years. I won’t do it again.
HuffPost:
I Binged ‘Ted Lasso’ To Deal With Burnout And The Lessons It Taught Me Were Priceless
The 'Golden Bachelor' Divorce Came As A Shock — But The Show Did Offer A Message
This Memoir Shows How To Find Beauty In The Aftermath Of Divorce
‘This Is 40’ Helped Me Choose Happiness And End My Marriage
Business Insider:
I had no idea how expensive senior year of high school is. I spent over $2,100 before it even ended.
Brevity Blog:
How Chronic Pain Changed My Writing Process
How Seeing a Therapist Helped Me Finish the First Draft of My Memoir
The Girlfriend from AARP:
Saying Goodbye To My Beloved Pet
The Annual Birthday Adventures That Remind Me Anything Is Possible
SheKnows:
How a Hysterectomy Helped Me Talk to My Tween Daughter About Her Body
10 ‘firsts’ after divorce that really had my head spinning
ESME:
Life After Divorce: Why I changed back to my maiden name
My First Vacation Alone After Divorce
The Five Love Languages of Children
Five Lessons I Learned as a Solo Mom Before Turning 40
My BFF Hijacked My Match.com Profile!
Epilogue on Medium:
Writing Through Stressful Times
Dealing with Coronavirus Anxiety? Now’s a Good Time to Meditate
7 Misconceptions About Being a Writer
The Best Advice I Was Given as a New Writer: Done Is Better Than Perfect
THANKS FOR SHELTERING ME