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 4 minutes Writing a book seems like such a demanding job. Why would you want to blog before writing your book? Here are seven reasons…. I blogged for two entire years before I wrote my first book, 8½ Steps to Writing Faster, Better. At the time, I was highly self-critical of my lack […]
Why you should blog BEFORE writing your book Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes If you want to boost your writing creativity, consider reducing your writing time…. Do you dread writing? Feel uncomfortable and daunted by it? Want only to delay, postpone or procrastinate? Some psychologists have studied the relationship between our mental state and our creative output. And here’s the interesting point: they
Of time, happiness, creativity and writing accomplishments…. Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes I know it might seem unreasonable that you should be spending less time writing (particularly if you’re a procrastinator) but read on to learn why I offer this counterintuitive advice… I meet with clients every week who confess they don’t spend nearly enough time writing. They’re usually embarrassed and ashamed
Why you should spend LESS time writing Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Being called a copycat is generally an insult. Instead, I think it’s a valuable tool for writers to try… If you were ever able to sneak into my home office around 6 am on a weekday morning, you just might find me hunched over my computer, copying words written by another
Why you should be a copycat Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes How does your writing life intersect with your sleeping one? In fact, how much sleep do writers need, anyway? How often do you hear that it’s just about mandatory to start writing earlier in the day? About 30 seconds of research showed me that a great many people offer this advice
How much sleep do writers need? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Has a piece of writing ever left you stymied? My guess is that you may have overthought it. Here’s why overthinking is bad for writers… When I teach people about mindmapping, I try to be explicit about one thing. My use of the phrases “left side of the brain” and
Why overthinking is bad for writers Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes This may sound crazy but if you want to reach your goals you may have to reduce them. Here are the benefits of beginning to reduce your writing goals… If you speak the ‘language’ of goals, you’ll understand there are all sorts of rules to follow. SMART goals are
When you should reduce your writing goals Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Our society is obsessed with accomplishment. But doing nothing can make you more creative. Why not try that this summer? Would you feel better about your holidays if I told you that doing nothing would increase your writing creativity? I’m not making this comment just to help you feel
What I did on my summer vacation… —Nothing! Read More »
Reading time: Less than 5 minutes The dreaded phrase ‘lit review’ strikes terror in the heart of many grad students. Here’s how to remove the fear and write a better lit review…. Imagine there’s a subject about which you know a great deal. Let’s say it’s soccer. As you try to convey your knowledge about soccer
How to write a better, less stressed lit review Read More »
Reading time: Just over 3 minutes Do you understand how many of the blogs you read and the podcasts you hear earn their money through advertising and sponsorships? In the world of the internet, it’s a case of buyer beware… How do you feel about advertising on the internet? And what about ethics? I ask
Why you get what you pay for Read More »
