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: Just over 3 minutes Are you familiar with the phrase urgency bias? It’s governing your life and you need to stop it in its tracks if you want to write. When you hear that something is “urgent” how does that make you feel? Worried? Anxious? Sweaty? Panicked? According to researchers from Johns Hopkins, […]
How I deal with “urgency bias” so it doesn’t wreck my writing plans Read More »
Reading time: About 4 minutes If you’ve ever thought of pursuing a freelance writing career, learn the steps you need to take to make yourself a more successful freelancer. I was 25 years old when I sold my first article to a national magazine. It took me about three years to make that sale but,
10 ways to make yourself a more successful freelancer Read More »
Reading time: About 6 minutes (but easily scannable) Here are my 10 favourite articles or posts from last month, focusing on the most useful, helpful and healthful pieces for writers. It’s pumpkin season here in North America, with shortening days, cooler temperatures and more rain. As my husband and I plan how to safely deliver
PubCoach top 10: October 2020 Read More »
Reading time: Less than 4 minutes Has it ever crossed your mind that you might need a literary executor? Here is some advice all writers should consider… I had a grandmother I never knew. She died before I was born — before my mother had even married — but she was a force. A talented
Do you need a literary executor? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Are you doing enough stuff that is purposeless, fun and pleasurable? If not, perhaps you need to add more play to your life… I’ve always disliked playing cards and most games. Monopoly? Boring and it takes too long. Candyland? I played way too many rounds of that when my triplets
Why we all need to add more play to our lives Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes In view of last week’s death of American Supreme Court associate justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I am re-running a column I wrote in 2017 focusing on some of her writing advice…. I have long admired the feistiness, clear writing style and commitment to hard work displayed by Ruth Bader
Writing advice from the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg Read More »
Reading time: About 5 minutes Here are my 10 favourite articles or posts from last month, focusing on the most useful, helpful and healthful pieces for writers. Covid, fires, floods, police violence, demonstrations, elections… What’s next? Swarming locusts? If you want a break from all the horror, check out 10 blog posts I’ve custom-picked for
PubCoach top 10: September 2020 Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes A simple strategy like time-blocking can make a huge difference to your writing productivity — and to your ongoing happiness… Did my headline get your attention? If so, you may be wondering about the connection between better writing and better living. I’m also sure you’ve already guessed that my
How time-blocking can improve your writing — and your life Read More »
Reading time: Less than 4 minutes If every day is a bad day, you may be facing trouble. Here are nine ways to prevent and recover from burnout…. Burnout is a stealth operator. I experienced it when I was in my mid-20s, working in stress-laden environment — my parents’ business, a struggling weekly newspaper. Our
How to prevent and recover from burnout Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes You’ve certainly heard of standing desks, but have you ever heard of walking ones? Here are some treadmill desk benefits… I am an eccentric. Here are some of my credentials: I have a computer file with all my recipes and I make a menu plan once a week (before the pandemic,
Why I’m writing this on a treadmill Read More »
