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: orrery… When my children were young, a dad in our social circle decided to acquaint all our young kids with the concept […]
Reading time: Just over 6 minutes (but highly scannable) Here are my 10 favourite articles or posts from last month, focusing on the most useful, helpful and healthful pieces for writers. Summer seems strangely surreal this year. I just heard from a friend in Colorado, for example, that she must
PubCoach top 10: July 2020 Read More »
Some clients tell me they just don’t have enough time to write. If you feel this way, here are four suggestions for you: 1-Choose to make the time for writing We all have 168 hours in a week. If we sleep eight hours per night and work eight-hour days five days a week, that leaves
What to do when you don’t have enough time for writing Read More »
Desperate for a break from work, I’ve gone a brief socially-distanced holiday. We’re heading to the B.C. Okanagan for some sunshine (we hope), some swimming (dependent on the former) and lots of reading. We’ll be doing our own cooking, buying some cherries and wine and celebrating a significant birthday for
Reading time: Just over 5 minutes If you spend too much time daydreaming — whether happily or unhappily — you’ll lose time to write. Here’s how to calm your wandering mind. When we sit down to write, our minds often pick precisely that moment to go for a little wander.
How to calm your wandering mind Read More »
I know that personal journaling can improve your mental health. Reduce anxiety and depression. And increase your creativity. But it is not going to help you with your writing. I make this statement with some caution because I don’t want to stop anyone from journaling if they find the practice to be helpful and productive.
Why journaling isn’t enough Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of images from Deb Olin Unferth…. I had never heard of Deb Olin Unferth — an an American short story writer, novelist, and memoirist —
The figurative language of Deb Olin Unferth 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: demersal… When I read Casey Cep’s marvellous non-fiction book — Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee —
What does ‘demersal’ mean? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 4 minutes Is procrastination the thief of YOUR time? Here’s a clever and easy idea for how to beat procrastination…. Are you looking for a sure-fire way to stop procrastinating about writing? My tip may surprise you. I suggest that you write every day — or,
How to beat procrastination for good Read More »
Many writers mismanage their email. (In fact, many people mismanage their email. But the issue is more important for writers because email takes place at the computer — where we need to write.) When I meet with new members of the Get It Done group, I often ask about email. Many writers confess to opening
Do you manage your email — or does it manage you? Read More »
