All writers need to know stuff—lots of stuff. Fiction and non-fiction writers alike need information about craft, business, marketing, and motivation. If you have a blog—and most writers should—you want specifics on setting it up, creating an email list, and writing for your audience. Freelance writers need tips on pricing, clients, queries, and time management … Read more
Do you set goals for your writing? How’s that working out for you? Here’s what I’ve learned: If my goals are vague, results are vague (or I never reach them). Clear goals = clear results. Simple as that. Maybe you know a little about setting objectives and goals. You might have heard of SMART. Goals … Read more
Everything you write is your opinion. That includes “facts” that most people consider “truths”: birds fly, day turns to night, the earth is round. On the opposite end of the spectrum are viewpoints not usually regarded as truth or that aren’t provable: aliens are watching us, vampires are real, just think of money and you’ll … Read more
Have you ever had a writer or a professor tell you to “keep on writing” if you want to become a better writer? “Write a lot” or “write more” is another way to say it. Well-known, successful writers like Stephen King are often quoted as saying exactly that. And it’s frustrating. How can you become … Read more
“If I just had a little excitement in my life—if you know what I mean—I’d get some inspiration,” said Anna. I stared at my wine and swirled it around the bottom of my glass. I played dumb. “No, I don’t know what you mean. What exactly do you mean by excitement? Jumping off skyscrapers with … Read more
I’m on a big David Bowie kick right now. My previous Bowie kick was in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, but it was a different kind of kick. I was learning to play guitar, and I bought a big David Bowie songbook. I learned to play almost every song. The old stuff, anyway. Not … Read more
Update: Check out 10 Tips to Prepare for National Novel Writing Month for 2015! You’ll get far more than 10 tips and loads of details and links. Once again, it’s that time of year. Thirty days and nights of literary abandon. Thirty days and nights of writing our little fingers off. Thirty days and nights … Read more
Where else could writer’s block be? Of course it’s in your head. It’s not in your foot. It’s not a disease. It’s not an evil force that snatches up words and pithy phrases just as they start flowing. And it’s definitely not about your Muse refusing to tap you with her magic wand. But you … Read more
A reader sent me an email just a few days ago: Hi, I’m always very busy with job/family and I always neglect my blog. Did you write anything about it? Will you? I don’t know him, and this is the first time I’ve had an email from him. I’m not sure where his blog is, … Read more
Once upon a time, I was an assistant chef. I worked at a small but busy restaurant with the head chef, a few helpers, dishwashers, and about a dozen servers. For breaks and meals, everyone kicked back in a little storage room just off the kitchen. A big table and folding chairs made it our … Read more