Reading time: Less than 4 minutes Travel can be relaxing but it’s also invigorating. And, against all odds, it might even teach you some writing lessons…. One way I amuse myself is by finding writing lessons in unusual places or situations. My husband and I recently spent four weeks in […]
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Many of the writers I work with often try to write too soon — before their brains are ready to do the job. I think this situation occurs most often with academics who are perhaps freaked out by a deadline and figure that the sooner they start getting words on the page, the faster they’ll
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Do you sit down at your desk intending to write and then find yourself struggling to start? There’s an easy solution to that problem…. At the end of each day’s writing session, take a couple of minutes to give yourself an assignment for what to write about the next day. For example, non-fiction writers might
Why you should give yourself instructions for the next day…. Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Arthur Quiller-Couch developed his famous maxim — murder your darlings — while working as a professor of English at Cambridge University near the turn of the last century. Here’s why his advice still applies to writers today…. I have a close friend, whose work
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A member of the Get It Done group recently asked me for advice on how to juggle different writing projects. I wrote her a detailed response before it occurred to me that other people in the group would benefit from this information, too. So, for anyone who’s ever struggled with multiple writing projects — or
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Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you tend to set big fat writing goals for yourself? Today’s column describes what the Japanese can teach you about writing…. When my family and I moved out of our house for a major renovation 10 years ago, we wore our paper shredder to
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As a a member of the Get It Done program you’ve probably already heard my lecture about NOT editing while you write. I wouldn’t belabour the point except that postponing your editing is going to make you a much better writer. Why? Because if you try to edit WHILE you’re writing, you’re doing three major disservices
Are you still editing WHILE you write? Read More »
Reading time: less than 3 minutes Many people use PowerPoint as the default tool for writing their speeches and presentations. That’s not always a wise decision…. Whenever I’ve written about the software PowerPoint, I’ve usually received a flood of email. A few readers may disagree with my basic premise that
If not PowerPoint, then what? Read More »
Before you start a long-form writing project – whether it’s a book or a dissertation (or something else) be sure you have a piece of software for recording and saving your research. If you are an academic, consider software that will both manage your research AND automatically create citations for you. You can see a
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Reading time: Just over 2 minutes The pomodoro technique is a time-management tool used by millions of people around the world. It’s particularly useful for writers and students…. I’m a big believer in the magic of three. You know — the three little pigs, the three Musketeers, the three Stooges. There’s something
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