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.
Word count: 868 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Does the idea of writing a book seem impossibly delicious and ridiculously improbable? I’m here to tell you, you can do it! You can learn how to write a book, if you do it with me. When I first dreamed of writing a book, I had […]
How to write a book Read More »
Word count: 703 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes We all need friends. Writers, perhaps, need them more than most. Read on to learn how you can join my writing community, at no charge… I’m lucky enough to have a group of bright and vigorous writing companions who are as interested in writing and
Please join my writing community…by commenting Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes It’s always hard to find enough time for all the things we want to do. But somehow it’s extra-difficult to find writing time. What, then, is the best time to write? I was born a night owl. I used to think 2 am was the perfect bedtime and I resented
When is the best time to write? Read More »
Word count: 645 words Reading time: About 2.5 minutes Have you ever been asked to give a speech at a wedding? This post on how to write a wedding speech will give you a better idea about how to approach the task… My husband belongs to a family that has the best weddings. Although we
How to write a wedding speech Read More »
Word count: 728 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Succeeding at something is not just because of what you do — it also stems from what you DON’T do. Here are nine ideas you need to give up to become a better writer… This is a short list of ideas you should give up
9 ideas you need to give up to become a better writer Read More »
Word count: 720 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes A bag of hammers typically refers to something that’s dumb or stupid. But I prefer Michael J. Fox’s definition — he takes it to mean anything that makes our lives more difficult…. I’m not generally a star-struck kind of person but I’ve admired Michael J.
How to carry your bag of hammers Read More »
Word count: 766 words Reading time: About 3 minutes If you don’t know how to handle quotes from your sources, your life as a corporate writer will likely be miserable. Check out my quick guide here…. My training as a writer came from newspapers. I started at a community weekly and then advanced to a
9 ways to lift your quotes Read More »
Word count: 722 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Are you one of those people who thinks that change is bad? Read on to learn about the benefits of fluctuations… My husband and I went for a walk in Capilano Canyon last week. We skipped the famous suspension bridge and instead hiked up to
3 simple reasons to accept fluctuations Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Most people don’t deliberately do things wrong. But if you really thought about it, what would you try to do differently? I admit it. I borrowed this column idea (and headline) from someone else. Her name is Penelope Trunk. I read her blog weekly and I appreciate her brash style,
Writers: are you making bad decisions (like me)? Read More »
Word count: 748 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes If you’re looking for the secret formula to making writing easier, it’s time to give mindmapping another try… I was speaking at a conference several years ago and talking about mindmapping. (If you don’t know what mindmapping is, check out one of my previous columns
Why you should try this magic bullet for writers Read More »
