Ever tried searching for inspiration at the bottom of a paper cup of skim cappuccino? I have! It's not there is it.
Feeling Behind on your Writing? 4 Steps to Sync Up for the New Year
Let me tell you about a dirty little habit that millions indulge but nobody talks about: It's epidemic among writers! We look up other writers' birthdays and compare them to the copyright date of their first book and add or subtract the number of years from our own age and proceed to drive ourselves crazy.…Read more Feeling Behind on your Writing? 4 Steps to Sync Up for the New Year
The Ultimate Antidote for Your Inner Critic
Sure, writers should have the ability to be objective and even critical, however when our clever editorial skills take on a life of their own, it makes the creative process miserable. We've all experienced flare ups of the inner critic. Symptoms include: Work slows down as you write and erase, write and erase. You feel…Read more The Ultimate Antidote for Your Inner Critic
6 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block, Even When You’re Not Writing
Just as those last few pounds are hard to drop, those last few chapters, and especially those last few paragraphs are hard to write. If you want to keep your passion project passionate you should have some trusted habits to loosen up and let yourself NOT work on it. That’s right, step away from your…Read more 6 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block, Even When You’re Not Writing
Can Meditation Increase Inspiration?
Recently I had the time and energy for a serious writing streak, and it got me thinking about inspiration. What does it feel like? How can we keep it going? What is it made of? Of course this topic has been written about at length, but when I started to reflect on the feeling, it…Read more Can Meditation Increase Inspiration?
Powerful Characters: A Look at Chimamanda Adichie’s “Birdsong”
In a recent blog I proposed that we identify with characters through bad luck. After that I was thinking, is that too doom and gloom? Why am I so focused on the hard stuff? I want test my theory on a real story. So I’m taking a step back to ask: Why are problems so…Read more Powerful Characters: A Look at Chimamanda Adichie’s “Birdsong”
3 Literary Game Changers that will Enhance Your Writing
If you want your story or essay to stand out in a crowded market, these are literary concepts that will transform your writing by maximizing depth and power. These are the real game changers. They captivated people in Ancient Greece, and they've been mastered by Hollywood, but they are also the mark of great literary…Read more 3 Literary Game Changers that will Enhance Your Writing
Characters Come Alive
Now that you've sparked your story it's time to catch fire. That's right, it's time to create characters and bring them to life. Most literary writers say that you must begin with character, character, character, because all stories revolve around compelling characters, so if you want to write great fiction start with great characters. But what does…Read more Characters Come Alive
Why Fiction will Save Your Life
Most writing exists to share information. Fiction exists to share emotion; to share what it feels like to be alive. In fiction the entire spectrum of human experience has meaning and value. As humans we can’t control what will happen to us, but if we love stories, no matter what happens, we will never be…Read more Why Fiction will Save Your Life