If you don’t know where to start or where to go next in your writing, congratulations! That means anything is possible. Any old random thing can be your launching pad. Of course, a part of you will think “I can’t throw just anything into my writing. It wouldn’t make sense. It would be stupid.” That’s … More Random Cures for Writer’s Block
A sustainable writing habit is more important than luck or talent, more powerful than discipline or will power. Your writing habit begins with commitments and the will power to honor your commitments — not hopes, good intentions or vague promises of “Someday when I have time.” Eventually, you create a habit, which is the neurological … More From Commitment to Writing Habit
To an editor, a trustworthy writer is one who delivers what s/he promised by the due date, has confirmed the accuracy of the content and skillfully crafted it. To readers, a trustworthy writer is one who delivers what they expect. But what does it mean to trust yourself as a writer? You need confidence in … More Are You a Trustworthy Writer?
What’s your vision for your writing in 2015? Not a boring, corporate-like planning and strategy session—a real vision. Sure you need to ask those logical, linear, pragmatic questions that the left hemisphere knows are important. But you also need to invite the right hemisphere to play too, if you want a truly creative vision. Questions … More Beyond New Year’s Resolutions to New Year’s Vision
Question: What’s the difference between a New Year’s resolution and a broken promise? Answer: About three to six weeks. Research shows that 78% to 88% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Resolutions are destined to fail in part because they rely on will power, which cannot last. Applying will power is repeatedly making a decision to … More Resolved: No More Writing Resolutions!
If you’ve ever agonized over deleting a sentence, paragraph or whole chapter, but know it’s what you need to, there may be relief. Not always, not even often, but every once in a while, you can reincarnate the darling you had to kill. In a previous post, I described how identifying the fixed points in … More New Book Update: Reincarnate Your Darlings
Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, Yule, New Year all celebrate the return of light out of a time of darkness. Even though winter starts today in the northern hemisphere, from this day forward, every day will be a little longer. The sun will rise a few minutes earlier and set a few minutes later each day. The … More Celebrate Light and Dark
“Write one page without looking back.” That was the challenge I offered a new coaching client. Gloria’s writing was crippled by perfectionism. She edited too soon. She couldn’t get past the first paragraph without having to go back and start over again. And again. And again. Gloria accepted that challenge. She wrote without looking back, … More Drafting + Editing = Writer’s Block
Brace yourself: the holidays are upon us. We have decorations to put up, presents to buy, cards to send, special dinners to cook and treats to bake, parties with co-workers, get-togethers with family and friends, and plays and concerts to attend. It’s a fact that most of us have more opportunities and obligations around the … More Don’t Let the Holidays Block Your Writing
Writers ask me, “How can I tell when I’m resisting my writing?” “You make your best guess,” I tell them. Before they can realize how much of an answer that isn’t, I describe typical examples of resistance, many of which sound familiar enough to assure them that resistance is part of their writing life and … More Ask Not for Whom Resistance Tolls
Bane of Your Resistance 