Do you have any margins left in your life? Or is your life marginless? For a long time, I’ve known that something was wrong. People everywhere, of all ages and walks of life, are frazzled. People are anxious and depressed. And why is that especially important to writers? Because tired, frazzled, anxious, depressed writers don’t […]
Month: May 2013
Strong Writers Do This
During the past year I’ve done more novel critiques than usual. Some have been so-so, some were very good, and a few have already sold. What was the difference between the “very good” and the “sold” manuscripts? In my opinion, it was the overall strength of the novels. Often the “very good” book manuscript was […]
A Walking Idea Factory
Lately I feel about as creative as a cement block. Most of us know, however, that we can’t wait to feel creative before we write. Where’s My Muse? Writers who wait for inspiration before they decide to write are generally known as hobbyists. Working writers—those actively writing and growing in their craft—must write whether the muse […]
Warning: Do You Know Where You Are?
When trying to get from where we are as writers to where we’d like to be, we will need to follow a path to that publishing destination. As mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve been re-reading Andy Stanley’s The Principle of the Path which states that it’s direction–not intention–that determines our destination. We are travelers, […]
Ya Gotta Have Heart
While taking a writing break today, I re-read a short chapter in James Scott Bell’s writing book called The Art of War for Writers. It was about writing with heart, with passion, with purpose. I don’t know about you, but I find it really difficult to write something that my heart just isn’t in. It […]
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Writers
“In writing, habit seems to be a much stronger force than either willpower or inspiration.” ~~John Steinbeck. For several years, I’ve had a list of “The Seven Essential Habits of a Working Writer” scribbled on a scrap of paper and pinned to my bulletin board. I had copied the list from a book by author […]
Boundaries and Energy Management
If you don’t manage your energy, it won’t matter how well you manage your time. That point was brought home to me again this weekend when I was re-reading a great book called The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.. Most of us realize that we have to balance our energy […]
Boundaries for Writers E-book Available
If you have identified some boundary issues in your life after reading the past five posts (links below), I’d like to encourage you to go further in my 70-page Boundaries for Writers e-book. The blog series could only touch lightly on a few of the topics listed in the e-book. You can […]