Reading time: Just over 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss a New York Times article by Stephen King… I’ve never been a fan of horror. But even though the genre doesn’t appeal […]
Stephen King questions the productivity of novelists Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes Side projects are things we do that aren’t our main jobs. Does that thought invigorate you or make your heart sink? I’m firmly in the former camp… This blog/newsletter started as a side project. Back in 2006, I had a writing/editing contract with a big corporation that paid the bills. But I
How side projects can help keep you sane Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help writers. Today I discuss a New York Times article by Marie Myung-Ok Lee. Marie Myung-Ok Lee teaches writing at Columbia University in New York and is also the
There are a zillion data points of light out there Read More »
Word count: 670 words Reading time: About 2.5 minutes Dorothy Parker hated writing. But she “loved having written.” How do you feel about the process? Do you want to become a happy writer? When I walked home from a client meeting yesterday, I strolled in the dark along the shimmering streets of Broadway. Coloured lights
How to become a happy writer Read More »
Word count: About 288 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help writers. If you have ever complained about not having enough time to write, I urge you to read the book 168
You have more time than you think 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, what about a whole weekend?
Why you shouldn’t write too much at once Read More »
Word count: 390 words Reading time: About 1.5 minutes You may remember me having written about using the pomodoro. This fantastic time management technique, which requires you to focus your attention on a task for 25 minutes, calls for having a noisy timer ticking in the background. When I started doing pomodoros, I disdained the
How I use time management to enforce my actions Read More »
Word count: 758 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Do you think being a multi-tasker is a good thing? I’m not sure it’s even a possible thing… Back when my husband was young enough to wear short pants, his mother used to do the family ironing while talking to her mother-in-law, Phoebe, on the phone. I
Do you think you’re a multi-tasker? Read More »
Reading time: About 2.5 minutes How can you write if you’re easily distracted by email? Even more challenging, how can you write in a coffee shop if you don’t have a laptop? My suggestion? Try the Neo Alphasmart…. I’m embarrassed to admit that my handwriting is so bad (and so physically discomforting for me) that
How the Neo Alphasmart helps you write for 700 hours on three AA batteries Read More »
Word count: 723 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Do you manage your writing time — or does it manage you? Here are five techniques I use to ensure that I get more writing done…. When my triplets — now strapping 17 year olds — were babies, I designed feeding charts for them using an Excel
How to get more writing done Read More »
