What is an author voice? How do you develop one? How will you know when you have one? I can hear the panic in your voice already. You’re thinking about how you have to learn how to write well and edit well and find a publisher and promote your book once it’s published and promote […]
How to Define Your Author Voice Read More »
Writer’s block is a common occurrence. Every writer has experienced it at one point in their career, usually several times. But, not all writer’s block is the same. Sometimes you get stuck on facts, and sometimes you have just been working on the same thing too long. Sometimes you don’t know how to start, and
Beat Writer’s Block By Writing Letters Read More »
Let me guess, you are brilliant at remembering things. Right? When an idea strikes you, or the wording of a conversation inspires you, or the perfect ending to that chapter comes to you in a dream you remember it. Did I hit the nail on the head? No? That’s because you are a normal, busy
How to Remember What Inspires You As a Writer Read More »
This may sound completely absurd, but criticism is actually a good thing. And I don’t just mean the good criticism that you get from critique partners, although that is very important as well. I am talking about the kind of criticism that comes from critics. The kind of criticism that can sting, or more accurately
Why Criticism is a Good Thing Read More »
You know the panic you feel as you put words to page? That unstoppable, chest burning, paralyzing fear that turns you into a seeming wax figure, fingers poised above the keyboard but never typing a single stroke? Of course you do, you’re a writer. I just want to assure you that this feeling is normal.
Trust Your Instincts Read More »
What do you do when you’ve written an entire book, years worth of labor, and it doesn’t work? What happens when you hand in your manuscript and your editor tells you that it isn’t ready, and doesn’t even make sense as it is? What do you do then? I wish that I could tell you
How to Re-Work Your Manuscript Read More »
Who should read your writing before publication? Should it just be you, your editor, and your publisher? Can your words go from months, maybe years, in your brain to your computer screen in a crappy first draft to your re-write and a decent second draft to your editor’s eyes and a good third draft? Can
Who Should Read Your Writing Before Publication? Read More »
Perfectionism has no place in your life as a writer. As we discussed earlier this week everyone writes crappy first drafts. If you are a perfectionist, then you will never allow yourself to write that crappy first draft, which means that you won’t write anything, ever. Perfectionism has repercussions that go well beyond your writing as
Perfectionism is Killing Your Writing Career Read More »
When you imagine a writer, your favorite writer even, sitting down at their writing apparatus to compose their next piece, what do you see? Do you see a fully formed, fully confident, well paid, mentally stable human being whose supernatural connection with the universe allows beautiful, perfect words to flow right out of them with
Everyone Writes Crappy First Drafts Read More »
Ok, so you’ve decided to just get started writing. You sit down every day to write. And then you become distracted. Someone is mowing outside and you remember you still haven’t gotten cash out to pay your lawn maintenance company. Or your throat feels scratchy so you start looking up symptoms on the internet. 30
3 Easy Tips to Stop Writing Distractions Read More »
