I was wrong–again. For twenty years, I’ve told students and wannabe writers that you have to put the writing first! Do it before other things take over your day. Fight the impulse to clean your kitchen first, or straighten your office, or clean up the mess the kids made before leaving for school. “But I […]
success
For Your Holiday Weekend
When you take a break on this hot Fourth of July weekend, try some of these articles. They’ll keep you in a writing frame of mind! What If You Think You Might Be a Mediocre Fiction Writer? Every novelist hits the point, sooner or later, where they think they just might not actually have any talent. What do […]
Stage Five: Bull's-Eye
You made it! This is the stage where you look around and can hardly believe it. You’re finally living your writing dream! You have dreamed of this day for months–or decades. If you started down the road to success right after college when you didn’t have a family to support or attend to, you could […]
Stage Four: Survival and Growth
Okay, you prepared (Stage One). You explored your options (Stage Two). You got started (Stage Three). Now you’re ready for Stage Four of “The Five Stages of Success”, where you survive and thrive. Start-Up Speeds You might have had a very fast start. That would be the writer who published the first thing he submitted, […]
Stage Two: Preparation
In the “Five Stages of Success,” once you know where you’re headed (“Stage One: Exploration”), then you’re ready for “Stage Two: Preparation.” Getting Ready for the Journey This stage comes with a warning. Many people try to either bypass this stage altogether or rush through it. It’s understandable. We’re excited about our goals, and we […]
Stage One: Exploration
If success is a journey, where are you along this continuum? As we go through the five stages of success–and learn to celebrate each stage–you’ll see each milestone for what it is: a huge victory. Getting Started As I mentioned in “The Five Stages of Success,” my first step along the way was taking the […]