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: 743 words Reading time: 3 minutes Have you ever struggled with the passive voice? Here is a tip for avoiding that problem. Readers ask me about grammar, a lot. I don’t quite know why. I’m not the Grammar Girl or anything. I make more than my share of […]
Why you should look for a spell of bad weather Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you see yourself as a bad writer? Read on for advice on why and how you can reframe this problem. My 18-year-old daughter, Claire, last week announced she wanted to make a nosegay of Ferrero Roche chocolates as a gift for a friend
What a bad writer can learn from chocolate flowers Read More »
Reading time: About 2.5 minutes Do you leave everything until the last minute? That’s a mistake! Instead, you should always plan your writing time… Until about 10 years ago, I lived my life perpetually behind the eight-ball. In school, I delayed writing essays until the day before they were due.
Why you should get out from behind the writing 8-ball Read More »
Word count: 682 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you have the self-control to motivate yourself to write regularly? If not, consider this book one of the best possible tips for writing. I really, really, really, really didn’t want to write today’s column. I’ve been covered in hives
How to increase your writing willpower Read More »
Word count: 709 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you let email interrupt your writing? Here are seven ways to manage your email overload. My husband likes to call me the Queen of Email. I think this arises out of my commitment to communication and my breath-taking efficiency
7 ways to manage your email overload Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Karl Marx wasn’t the only person with a manifesto! We all have principles or writing tips that keep us grounded, organized and enthused. Here is my writing manifesto. I used to loathe writing. I found it both daunting and painful – kind of like going
My writing manifesto Read More »
Word count: 637 words Reading time: About 2.5 minutes How are you doing in the praise department? Are you getting enough? It’s something all writers need… I’m shopping for a Toastmaster’s group right now. This isn’t because I’m scared of public speaking and I’m not particularly bad at it. I
A writing lesson from Toastmasters Read More »
Word count: 641 words Reading time: About 2.5 minutes You probably know the Aesop tale about the tortoise and the hare. I think it offers an important tip about why you shouldn’t write too much at once…. Do you ever set aside an entire afternoon for writing? Or, better yet,
Why you shouldn’t write too much at once Read More »
Word count: 733 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Do you know how to stop procrastinating about your writing? Let me give you five suggestions that should help… A friend of mine emailed me last week, despairing over her very bright teenager’s inability to finish an essay. The essay
How to stop procrastinating about writing Read More »
Reading time: 2.5 minutes If you’re an “awfulizer” who procrastinates until deadlines are near (or passed!) here are five writing tips to help you become eager and optimistic about writing…. Awfulizers are people who expect the worst. They are the Alexanders of this world, constantly experiencing one terrible, horrible, no
Are you a writer who’s an awfulizer? Read More »
