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
Do you ever wonder how other writers write? How they create a blog post or any other kind of writing? What their writing steps are? If you feel frustrated and lost sometimes—especially if you’re tormented by writers block—take a look at my system in the screencast below. I intentionally saved the steps (in separate documents) … Read more
Blogging was supposed to be easy, right? But there you sit, staring at an empty page feeling frustrated. You know what you want to say. You’re an expert in your field, after all. And so many bloggers say it should only take an hour or two. So what’s the problem? You don’t have a plan. … Read more
How’s your writing going? Are you reaching your goals? Rolling around in the guilt and regret much? My answers: mediocre, no, and no. What? Not regretting that you didn’t do this and didn’t complete that? Nope, I’m not regretting anything. Here’s why: Regretting the past steals time from the present and future. Plus, I had … Read more
What kinds of personal stories should you share in a blog post? It’s a tough call. You want to be honest and real—authentic. And in some niches, like personal development, readers want you to get personal. They want to know how you lost 100 pounds, how you’re paying off debt, or how you finally found … Read more
Writers need websites, end of story. No matter what kind of writer you are—a novelist, a non-fiction book writer, a freelance writer, or even a brand-new writer without a clue—you need a website. Why? Before I get into the why, let me discuss the what. Websites generally fall into two categories A static website is … Read more
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
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
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