Reading time: Just over 4 minutes My new book has generated lots of extra traffic for my blog and newsletter. I thought I’d take this chance to explain my own rules for blogging…. Although I didn’t start this iteration of my website until 2007, I’ve blogged since 2006. That’s almost 14 years. If you’ve read […]
My counterintuitive rules for blogging Read More »
I’m a very determined person. My husband suspects I have a smallest trace of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and the rest of the family knows not to tell me to “relax” or “give up” when I have my mind firmly set on something. My writing has been a rock-solid habit for more than 10 years
Know when it’s WISE to give up Read More »
Reading time: Less than one minute I’m too exhausted from the launch of my new book to be able to write a figurative language post as I do most Thursdays. Instead, I ask you to consider whether you might be a world-class procrastinator. Would you prefer scrubbing your toilet to writing? If so, read Your
Are you a world-class procrastinator? Read More »
Reading time: Just over 4 minutes If you’ve ever wanted to be a happier writer, my new book will give you encouraging, practical support…. At last, it’s sales day. My latest book Your Happy First Draft is available today. Finally! Even if you’re not interested in buying, I hope you’ll take 60 seconds to watch the book’s
Your Happy First Draft is here! Read More »
Two members of the Get It Done Group had a bad day recently and wrote to me about it in their daily reports. You know what our mothers said about bad days, right?: Everyone has them. Here are my suggestions for dealing with a bad day. Consider whether some outside source is affecting your judgment.
How to deal with a bad day Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes The real problem with writing is not spelling or grammar. It’s persuading yourself to put enough words on the page…. I’ve been spending a lot of time on the internet reading what others have to say about writing. Too many of them sound like Julie McGuire who wrote in
The REAL problem with writing Read More »
Beta readers are people who will review an early draft of your manuscript. I strongly encourage everyone in this program to identify beta readers who can help them. Here’s who you should ask to be a beta reader: Someone who is interested in reading and/or well informed in your subject area Someone who has some
How to find beta readers Read More »
Reading time: Less than 5 minutes What writing lessons do you need to learn? Here are five I picked up when writing my soon-to-be published book…. My second book, Your Happy First Draft, went to the printers in September 2019. That month also marked another important occasion: The 700th issue of Power Writing, this weekly newsletter/blog that
Five writing lessons I learned from ‘Your Happy First Draft’ Read More »
When you think of finding an author whose writing style you can emulate, it can be hard to put your finger on exactly what they do that works. Here’s how I suggest you approach the job of identifying such an author: First, understand there’s no such thing as an author who is going to be seen
How you can find a writer to emulate Read More »
Many clients or potential clients ask me to tell them if their writing is any good. Unfortunately, that is NOT a question I can answer. All I can tell them is whether *I* like their writing. This is because our views about the quality of writing are entirely subjective…. As subjective as: What types of
Is your writing any good? Read More »
