Reading time: Just over 3 minutes I’m sure you’ve read elsewhere that good writers are always good readers. Here are the reasons why…. A grade 2 teacher reported to my parents more than 50 years ago that I wasn’t reading enough. The reaction? It was like an alarm going off in a nuclear
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Reading time: Just over 3 minutes Social media gets a lot of attention these days, but you also need to know how to promote your writing without Facebook or Twitter. Here are some suggestions…. I watch my time like a mama bear guarding her cubs. I recently quit Facebook, and
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Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you ever ponder the writing rituals of famous authors? Pondering is okay, but don’t use their habits as a model for your own behaviour…. Did you know that Sylvia Plath (pictured above) and Benjamin Franklin started their writing days at 4 am and 5
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Reading time: Just over 3 minutes 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. Today I discuss a New York Times article about imposter syndrome….. I was 27-years old when I became the features
Do you suffer from imposter syndrome? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes Does the mere thought of a test make your stomach clench? Here are some basic writing assessment test tips… I once failed a personality test. OK, to be honest, it’s not technically possible to fail such a test because we all have personalities. But I
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Reading time: About 3 minutes Join me this week as I take an important detour into the concept of protecting your health while you write. Contractors and nurses may need to take certain steps to prevent injury, but so do writers. And one of the biggest secrets is remembering to
Do you suffer from writing apnea? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Should you self-publish your own book? This is a tricky question and one you can answer only for yourself. Here are some ways to help you figure out what you need to know… If you asked me whether I thought you should self-publish a book, my
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Reading time: Just over 4 minutes Are you a writer who’s addicted to social media? Consider joining me in quitting Facebook for at least 99 days…. I have long mocked my brother-in-law for never having had a Facebook account. He’s a structural engineer, so you might be inclined to brand
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Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Have you ever heard of back-and-forth writing? This is a system that I use to make myself a more efficient and productive writer. There is something wonderfully concrete about writing. If your boss or client asks you for 500 words, you can make a
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Reading time: Just over 3 minutes Some writers try to figure out what they want to say by writing. Here’s why you should think first, write later…. Here are the mistakes I see some (not all!) academic writers make: They use the passive voice too much, hiding the ‘actor’ of
Think first. Write later. Read More »
