Reading time: Less than 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: spraddling…. Something about the pandemic is causing me to read more murder mysteries than usual. I’m not sure why except perhaps that I find reading such books […]
What does ‘spraddling’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 6 minutes Here are my 10 favourite articles or posts from last month, focusing on the most useful, helpful and healthful pieces for writers. We live in the time of coronavirus, worried about the world’s health, scared about our financial security and bored from being stuck in our homes or apartments.
PubCoach Top 10: Covid-19 edition Read More »
Is worry about Covid 19 making it difficult for you to write? (Or has there been any other disruption to your regular schedule?) Here are eight tips that will help you maintain your writing habit even during these extraordinarily difficult times: Keep a regular routine: If you normally get up at 7 am every day
How to cope with Covid 19 or any other disaster Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Have you ever struggled with a Committee of A**holes? This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers…. My longtime friend Eve Johnson is a writer, a yoga-instructor and a posture coach. I
Do you need to disband your committee of A**holes? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: scarpered… I don’t read many murder mysteries but when a book is recommended by the New York Times, I’ll consider spending some time with it. Ruth Ware’s
What does ‘scarpered’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes Some people (like me) love working from home. Others find it frightening or daunting. Here’s how to work from home in a workable way… Is the threat of coronavirus forcing you to work from home for the next few weeks or months? I started working from home some 24 years
How to work from home — even if you really don’t want to Read More »
Reading time: About 5 minutes Need to work with difficult editors, whether they’re annoying, angry or thoroughly inept? Here’s a primer on how to accomplish that challenging task…. I once worked for a difficult editor at the daily newspaper where I cut my teeth. He started screaming at me in my first job interview, and
How to work with difficult editors Read More »
I like to joke with many of my friends about the annoying way in which my mornings are way too short. Why do they seem so short? Well, if I for sure want to get something done, I know I need to schedule it for first thing in the morning. The trouble is, I always
How to avoid burning out Read More »
I’m off for the week, escaping the city scene of Vancouver and enjoying walking and cooking on Salt Spring Island. Best of all, I have a big bag of books to take with me! Will be back to my blog next Tuesday, March 17/20.
Reading time: About 5 minutes If writing is making you miserable, don’t be loyal to your suffering! Here’s what to do instead…. Are you one of those writers who expects writing to be difficult, challenging, boring and — most alarmingly — unsuccessful? I’ve worked with people like that and I’ll never forget the client, a
How do you stop being loyal to your suffering? Read More »
