[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Authors who hold down full-time jobs outside of our writing activities often have a love-hate relationship with our “first” careers. On one hand, we love what we do — hopefully, or why do it, right? — and we also enjoy the relative security that a regular…
Tag: writing productivity
Successful NBA Coach Delivers Great Writing Advice in 2 Sentences
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] Inspiration comes in an amazing diversity of forms and from an array of sometimes unexpected sources, but you have to open your mind and heart to it or you may miss out on some gems. As a case in point, I recently came across this…
Treat Your Writing Sessions Like Business Meetings — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Look, I get it — you’re a creative person. You’re a writer, for Pete’s sake! You want to tell stories and birth characters and create entire worlds. Maybe you outright begrudge the other things that modern writers “have to” do: building a website, engaging in social media, making book covers,…
30-Day Writing Challenge Can Change Your Life — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] I don’t often proclaim my affections in public, but … I love NaNoWriMo! (“National Novel Writing Month,” if we’re being formal.) There. I’ve said it. In case you’re not familiar with this beauty, NaNoWriMo invites you to spend the month of November writing the first draft of your novel. In…
How to Use Marinara Timer to Boost Your Word Count Every Day
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] One of the best ways to move your writing forward when you feel stuck is to set a timer and just write your butt off for 15-30 minutes at a time. Don’t check your email, don’t stop to edit, and don’t even pause to think….
Build a ‘Cone of Silence’ to Boost Writing Productivity — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] Writer’s have faced a myriad of distractions for centuries, but the modern breed is arguably more besieged by distractions than any of our predecessors. From televisions to screaming children to cell phones to the lure of the Internet on our laptops, the next writing roadblock is never more than a…
Nuke Writing Obstacles to Reach Your Dreams — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] No matter what your goals are in life, you’re going to encounter obstacles. If you want to become a doctor, for instance, your list of hurdles might include: Pulling good grades in high school Nailing the SAT Getting into a good college Financing college Getting good grades in college Nailing…
How Much Should You Write Every Day?
When the word gods bestowed upon a young Enheduanna the gift of cuneiform, they said unto her, “Thou shalt write for a minimum of three hours and produce at least 1253 words every day.” That’s why aspiring authors everywhere still use those numbers as a benchmark and strive to boost their word counts and butt-in-chair time…
Trust Your Intuition to Avoid Paralysis by Analysis — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] A lot of what passes for writing advice, and much of what I’ve written in this series, falls squarely into the category of planning. And that’s for good reason. You won’t get very far in life or in your writing career without a plan of some sort. And, unless your…
Optimize to Make the Best Techniques Better — Quick Writing Tip
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] There is probably at least one area in life where you would consider yourself an expert. For example, hopefully, you see yourself as an expert in some aspect of your chosen career field. Maybe you’re really good at computer programming or project management or driving a truck. Or maybe it’s…
