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 4 minutes Do you get frustrated by what you can’t seem to achieve? Here are 13 ways to develop writing goals that work for you… Whenever my husband and I play a board game — like Rummikub or Bananagram — Eric always rolls his eyes at me. “You’re so competitive,” he says […]
13 ways to create writing goals that work Read More »
Reading time: Just over 4 minutes Is writing perfectionism something that troubles you? Here’s a list of practical tips to help you vanquish that unruly beast! Many clients tell me they don’t write because they’re perfectionists. They can’t start their writing, they say, because they know it won’t be good enough. As a result, they
11 ways to give writing perfectionism the heave-ho Read More »
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 book time at a pool
PubCoach top 10: July 2020 Read More »
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. In fact, we human beings
How to calm your wandering mind 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, at least, five days each
How to beat procrastination for good Read More »
Reading time: About 6 minutes (but very scannable) Looking for some recommended books in time for summer reading? Here’s my semi-annual roundup of books I’ve read this year. I aim to read 52 books every 12 months, and my habit is to post a complete list of the names of them for you, in early summer and
Recommended books: Summer 2020 Read More »
Reading time: Less than 6 minutes (and very scannable) Here are my 10 favourite articles or posts from last month, focusing on the most useful, helpful and healthful pieces for writers. As summer starts to settle in, I’m feeling sun on my face and arms, going for socially distanced picnics and making tentative plans to
PubCoach Top 10: June 2020 Read More »
Reading time: About 5 minutes If you’ve ever considered going back to school, you may have asked yourself whether you should get an MFA. Today’s post looks at that idea in some detail. When I was in my 30s, I briefly considered going back to school and getting an MBA — Masters of Business Administration.
Should you get an MFA? Read More »
Reading time: About 5 minutes Are you tired of being interrupted? A host of people — from needy children to noisy neighbours — can derail you if you don’t protect your writing from interruptions… As I write this column, a contractor sits in our front yard using a skill-saw. He’s rebuilding the railings and balusters
Protect your writing from interruptions — here’s how Read More »
Reading time: Less than 5 minutes Do you want to learn how to get better organized? I’m an imperfect person in so many different ways, but I do know a few helpful things about organization… I am the best organized person I know. I say this not to brag — more to confess a flaw.
How to get better organized for writing Read More »
