Measuring Success

When I was in college and graduate school, one of my favorite times of the year was the end of the semester. I’d take my exams and hand in those last big papers, then a few short weeks later I’d get a transcript spelling out my success in ABC’s. Even after I graduated and started… Read more »

Write It! Wednesday #2: Do You NaNo?

Welcome back to Write It! Wednesday, where we ask a question and you answer either in the comments or on your own blog. Today I’m interested in hearing about your experiences with writing challenges like NaNoWriMo. For those of you who aren’t familiar with NaNo, it stands for National Novel Writing Month and it’s a… Read more »

Writer Under Deadline: Add Speed to Your Writing

For many of us, things would never get done without deadlines. Procrastination would forever delay the finished product. Deadlines tend to creep up quickly, though, and can add a huge amount of pressure to the writing process. As the cut-off date draws near, you might be looking for ways to speed up the writing process…. Read more »

Boost Your Creativity: Ideation Techniques for Writers

Welcome back to our two-part Q&A on creativity with Bryan Mattimore author of Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs. After hearing Bryan share his general insights on his approach to creativity I got really interested in finding out how writers might apply the techniques. So, mentioned a few different scenarios that writers… Read more »

Idea Stormers: Creativity Q&A with Bryan Mattimore

As many of you know, I’ve been on a major reading kick, consuming as many books about creativity and entrepreneurship as I can find. So, when a colleague sent me a copy of Idea Stormers: How to Lead and Inspire Creative Breakthroughs by Bryan Mattimore a few weeks ago, it didn’t take long to get… Read more »

You ARE Creative

Have you ever had this experience?  You come up with an idea for a book or story.  You write a few chapters, get some feedback, maybe write another chapter or two.  Then your entire world comes crashing down.  You discover that someone else has written a book that’s similar to what you have.  It’s not… Read more »

What’s Your Creative Process?

Every writer’s process is different. Some spend ages perfecting each word or sentence in their heads, then sit down and hammer out a draft in no time. Others slap their words down on the page, then reshape those words draft after draft until they look like art rather than a jumbled mess. Some write by… Read more »

Plotter or Pantser: Where Do You Stand?

Plotter: n. (1) A writer who plots out his or her story in the greatest of detail before starting the draft; (2) a writer obsessed with outlines, index cards and writing apps; (3) a writer who spends most of his or her time organizing the novel then writes it in about ten minutes. Pantser: n…. Read more »

5 Pockets of Time You Never Knew You Had

Not everyone can find long blocks of time for writing because real life often gets in the way.  If you are one of those writers who can set aside large chunks of time for your writing, that’s fantastic!  Even if you’ve got tons of time on your hands (…and don’t tell us if you are… Read more »