The 6 Creativity Killers lurk around every corner. They steal your time, drain your energy, and stop your writing cold. What follows is a reconnaissance report on these enemies. Read with caution, write with bravery, and arm yourself with these little-known defenses against the 6 Creativity Killers. Killer #1: Self-Criticism Defense: Conquer your inner critic… Read more »
We all have those days when our best intentions and dedication to our writing get derailed. We oversleep, feel sick, have to get the trash out, and the cat throws up in the middle of everything, and the dog gets out and barks at a deer and our writing time gets spent corralling him back… Read more »
It seems like burnout is the new black. Everywhere you turn, people are talking about their experiences with burnout or exhibiting some pretty obvious symptoms. Writers aren’t impervious to the affliction. You can definitely deal with burnout in the traditional ways of alcohol and a good venting session with your friends. But there are other… Read more »
This month I surprised myself. I was originally planning on rereading a book for this column, then switched to rereading a different book, then finally settled on buying and reading Orwell’s 1984 in graphic novel format. I would say I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t read 1984 before now, but I was a bit… Read more »
Once you have a clear goal in mind, the next moment can be perilous. You might hear a small voice telling you to start with a small step, but often our enthusiasm overwhelms us. All of the ways that you can make your goal happen crowd into your brain like partygoers stuffed into a small… Read more »
[Part of this post was originally published in January 2014 here and another part of it was originally published in April 2017 here.] The new year always makes me want to reevaluate my creative process and push myself to become a more productive writer. This year is no different. As I’ve been thinking about creativity,… Read more »
Have you gone to bed wishing the world was a better place, if not for you than for your loved ones? Maybe someone cut you off when you’re already late, maybe you saw a stressed mom yelling at her kids in the grocery store. You wished you could do something, anything, to make life a… Read more »
Greetings, Speculators! Last time, I made my public autism disclosure. That article was written in the middle of August and since that time, I’ve been struggling creatively. Autistic burnout has made my go-to place of joy largely inaccessible. It’s ironic that the very thing that’s pulled me out of depression and anxiety in the past… Read more »
Do you rebel against yourself? Me too. Sometimes I have to trick myself. I’ll decide to do something that seems so good for me. I’ll purchase books and watch webinars and do the research and decide, That’s it! That’s the thing that will change my life for the better! Then, as I embark upon the… Read more »
Life is better when the creative juices flow. No matter what we do for work or fun, creativity makes life easier, more exciting, and helps to achieve what we imagine. For artists, writers, and musicians, creativity is a must-have skill to survive and thrive. Many remarkable leaders, business people, scientists, and strategists (George Washington, Albert… Read more »
