Power Writing began as a weekly newsletter in April 2006. Its purpose? To give tips and advice about writing, to tell interesting stories and to help writers everywhere work faster, better. I distribute the newsletter by email to thousands of readers around the world every week and, since March 2012, it has become the Tuesday entry of my blog.
You can read many Power Writing entries here – I back-entered all columns until the beginning of 2009, and a handful of ones that were earlier than that. But I hope you’ll consider subscribing, too. Just enter your name and email in the box next to my photo on the home page of my website. If you do that, you’ll not only receive Power Writing by email each week, you’ll also automatically get access to a 10-minute video on how to unblock your writing.
Reading time: About 3 minutes In the match-up of writing vs editing, most people know pretty quickly which fighter they prefer to back… Please, answer me honestly. Which do you find harder — writing or editing? Of course, there’s no “right” response. It’s equally correct to answer either way. This is really a matter of […]
Writing vs editing: Which is harder? Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Looking for some recommended books in time for Christmas reading or gift-giving? Here’s my semi-annual roundup of books I’ve read this year. I aim to read at least 52 books every 12 months, and my habit is to post a complete list of the titles for you in June and
Recommended books: winter 2023 Read More »
Reading time: About 5 mins. Many people tell me they want to read more. But I know it’s not always easy. So, here’s my advice on how to be a better reader… I received a provocative question from one of my clients this week. He asked, “Do you really read for pleasure or is it
How to be a better reader Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Don’t use artificial intelligence to write for you. Instead, get it to help you write more easily. There really are better ways to use ChatGPT…. I’m a longtime fan of the writer and psychologist Angela Duckworth — ever since the publication of her 2016 book Grit. But even the smartest
Better ways to use ChatGPT Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Halloween may bring out the creepy crawlies, but perhaps you’re already dealing with a monster: fear of editing It’s not often that my newsletter goes out on Halloween, so I want to mark the occasion with a post on fear. Not fear of writing, which I’ve written about before. Not
Bats, blood, skeletons and fear of editing Read More »
Reading time: About 2 minutes Sometimes, your desire to be a good editor can be the biggest problem standing in your way…. I know the subject line of this post might seem a little odd — counterintuitive, even. Why shouldn’t you want to be a good editor? Wouldn’t every writer on the planet want to
Why you shouldn’t want to be a good editor Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes When you sit down to write, do you find yourself lured away into the world of daydreams? Here’s how to stop your mind from wandering… When I was doing my undergrad degree — decades ago — my mind used to wander all over the place. I’d be sitting in the library,
How to stop your mind from wandering Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Clients often ask me if their writing is “professional enough.” Here’s how to know if your writing is good enough to make the grade… I used to read a blog written by someone who had serious writing challenges. I was interested in her content, so I usually forced myself to ignore her writing lapses, even
How to know if your writing is good Read More »
Reading time: About 5 minutes The inner editor — that voice inside your own head — may seem like your best, most concerned friend but, in fact, he or she is your worst enemy. Let me help you save yourself from your inner editor… I have written two books, and each time I worked on
7 surprising ways to silence your inner editor Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes Can you ignore your phone, your email and your boss while settling down to write? Or have you never learned how to stop getting distracted while working? Do you get distracted too easily? You’re trying to work and — ZING — a squirrel runs in front of you? I use
How to stop getting distracted while working Read More »
