I think that sometimes when we’re working hard to get through a draft, it can be easy to lose focus of why you want to be a writer in the first place. This is by no means a conclusive list of all the best reasons to be a writer, but here’s a quick reminder of … Continue reading »
Improve Your Writing in 5 Minutes a Day
Yes, I can help you write better, and all it will cost you is five minutes of your day. That’s a pretty lofty claim isn’t it? I’m not talking about some sort of online lesson or scam. I’m talking about meta-writing. That’s right, writing about writing. But what does that mean? Probably the best thing … Continue reading »
5 Ways to Treat Yourself After a Great Writing Day
I am a strong believer in the power of celebrating little milestones on the way to a larger goal. These little wins can really help you keep your focus and motivation. Here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate those little moments: 1.Tell Someone Celebrating with someone is way more fun than celebrating alone. … Continue reading »
4 Things Not to Do When You’ve Taken a Writing Break
As much as we hate to admit it, we writers are a fickle bunch. We work hard on a project and make tons of progress, and then we do nothing. We have a bad writing day, or something gets in the way, and we end up taking a longer break from our writing than we … Continue reading »
5 Tips for Writing When Life is Kicking Your Butt
You’re trying to finish that first draft, and a loved one gets very sick, you get very sick, work stresses you out, or you have papers due for class. We’ve all been there. Sometimes when life gets tough, it’s hard to find time for your passion. The great thing about being a writer is that … Continue reading »
Learn From Your Reading: The Shadow of the Wind
I’m starting a series called “Learn From Your Reading,” in which I will talk about what writers can learn from reading the works of other authors. I firmly believe that all writers should be readers, and more importantly, should be able to critically assess the work of other writers to figure out what works well … Continue reading »
5 Things the Hospital Can Teach You About Writing
Sorry I’ve disappeared! I’ve had a family member in the hospital, so I haven’t been posting regularly. Spending my days at the hospital has given me some ideas about writing, though. 1. Act with urgency When you’re at the hospital, everything has to be quick because lives and health are at stake. I know writing … Continue reading »
5 Tips for Writing More Productively
It’s easy to get bogged down and distracted when you write, so today I want to share five easy tips for how to write more productively. 1. Set time limits When you sit down to write, sometimes you can get overwhelmed thinking of how much you have to do. If you set clearly defined stopping … Continue reading »
5 Tips for Getting Organized
I’m an organization nut. I can’t deal with clutter, especially in my writing space. I feel like I can’t create if I’m sitting in a mess. While I use Scrivener for a lot of organization, I have a lot of notes and items that help me through the planning project, and I feel like I waste … Continue reading »
Your Goals May Be Holding You Back
I love goals. I love having something to work toward, and the feeling of accomplishment after is even better. The problem is that I love goals so much, that I sometimes take on too many, and I can’t leave tasks unfinished. I tend to obsess over the smallest things if they aren’t done, so for … Continue reading »
