Need to kick-start a writing session or break through writer’s block? Photo prompts are a great way to go. If you’re a creative writer, you’ve probably heard of them and might have used them. If you’re a non-fiction writer or a blogger, especially if you’re just getting started, it might be a new thing. But … Read more
Have you ever driven somewhere and not remembered the drive? It’s common. Your mind is so busy you get lost in your thoughts. And as you replay past events and worry about tomorrow, the road whizzes by. You don’t pay attention because you’re on autopilot. You’re not present because you’re daydreaming. We’re all prone to … Read more
Many writers would rather communicate by email than phone if given a choice. It’s writing, after all, and email gives you a chance to think about what you’ll say and how you’ll say it. Plus, you can check email and respond when you’re ready. Who wants an interruption just when you’re getting in the flow? … Read more
You know you shouldn’t use clichés, right? They’re the enemy of all writers, according to some experts, and using even one cliché will make you look lazy and unimaginative. And you’ve sucked it in like water in a sponge. You know you should avoid clichés like . . . well, no, not like the plague. … Read more
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.—President Franklin D. Roosevelt Overcoming fear requires effort no matter what you’re afraid of. It could be anything from a full-fledged phobia—of spiders, for example—to feeling nervous around someone like your boss or a celebrity. Fear can be healthy. If you’re afraid of a shadowy figure … Read more
Did you take the Simple Writing comma quiz? If not, you might want to give it a whirl before reading on. As of today (November 22, 2019), the average score for 9,554 readers who tried their luck—or exercised their knowledge—is 60%. Since the quiz has 20 questions, a score of 60% means 12 correct and … Read more
The blank page stares back at you. Suddenly, smacking your head against a wall sounds like a good idea. You rock back and forth. You rub your chin and start picking at cuticles. Maybe you crack your knuckles. And the minutes tick by as you ponder the meaning of writer’s block. How do I start … Read more
Avoiding gender bias in your writing might be the last thing you’re worried about. You’re not biased about anything, right? Well, we’re all biased about something, and sometimes we’re not even aware of it. “Bias” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. It can simply mean having a preference for one thing over another—a leaning, an outlook, … Read more
Either you have a goal—or you don’t. Either you have a priority—or you don’t. Either writing matters to you—or it doesn’t. It’s that simple. Let’s get real here. I know all about the excuses. I know all about how life just somehow happens—yeah, right—and you get caught up in all sorts of stuff. You think … Read more
What’s that? You don’t know where to put a comma in that sentence? Say it ain’t so! You’re worried your grammar isn’t good enough? Say it ain’t so! You don’t know how to quote someone, set up dialogue, or format a manuscript? Oh, heartbreaker, say it ain’t so! You might have wondered, at one point … Read more