Over the years, I’ve read a lot of books about the craft and process of writing. Almost invariably, when discussing the all-consuming writing routine, the author will say something like this: “You must keep your writing time sacred. That means you’ll have to say no to things to which you might otherwise say yes. If… Read more »
I’ve been a perfectionist almost as long as I’ve been a writer. I strove for good grades in school, agonized over homework for hours, and practiced the heck out of dance routines. The work ethic I developed as a result was driven by my determination to do well, a desire to please my family, and… Read more »
Imagine you’ve been invited to read your writing out loud for an audience. Maybe it’s for an open mic night at a local café or indie bookstore. Or, maybe it’s an awards banquet or literary conference event where the recognized writers can bring flash fiction, poetry, or an essay. Regardless, you think, “Sure, why not?”… Read more »
Maybe you’re sold on the independent publishing model. Maybe you’ve even written a book and published it on Amazon, but nobody’s bought a copy except your mom. Where is the publishing glory you were promised? You can’t leave it all up to Amazon. If you want to make a success of independent publishing, be prepared… Read more »
Finding a useful author tool can make all the difference to a writer’s life. After all, the best tools help us to do things in a more efficient and effective way. They allow us to focus on our writing, rather than being slowed down and distracted by carrying out tasks in a suboptimal fashion. To… Read more »
I recently picked up Save the Cat by Blake Snyder to learn it’s infamous plotting method. I’d heard the book talked about one too many times. It was time for me to read it, finally. Imagine my surprise when the first three chapters were not about plotting your work, but about pitching your story. Save… Read more »
In platforming conversations with authors, I often get asked: how many social media networks should I be on? The short answer is that it depends. There is no magic number. How busy are you? Is social media fun for you, or a stressful chore? How are you keeping up with what you’re already doing for… Read more »
Writing is hard. Not just in craft, but in practice. As writers, we must take great care of ourselves to produce our best work. While at first, the connection between our self-care and writing might not seem obvious, consider trying to show up to the page tired, hungry or aggravated with life. While conditions cannot… Read more »
“Aim high” is probably advice you’ve heard before. I sure have: my elementary school’s motto was aim high, be respectful, care for others, all admirable things to do. But not everyone will tell you to do so when it comes to your writing. There are the skeptics, those writers who want you to think that… Read more »
In the last Be Well, Write Well post, I wrote about the perspective of having abundant time. Today, I’m going to show you that time is not only abundant in the macro sense, it can also feel abundant on the micro level—in the weeks, days and hours that make up the building blocks of our… Read more »
