Tweet It’s the end of National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for those in the know. And I have to tip my hat to you all. Writing a novel in a month scares me more than public speaking. Just the thought of it brings back an old episode of Golden Girls. You remember the one where Blanche was up all night writing the greatest novel ever? After she got sleep, she realized all that hard work was for naught. Her words written on black and white marble journals didn’t make any sense. That’d be me if I did it. Instead, I…
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Tweet Ever feel blogged out? Or that your world is filled with headlines and blog ideas? I sometimes get so zoomed into social media that when I zoom out to real life, my head spins. (Not the exorcist kind, the vertigo kind) So to take us all beyond this blog, I’m doing a short post to a few things outside the box: 1. Bit o’ holiday inspiration. You probably know that I write an online column for The Writer called, “Inspiration Zone.” Well this month I was fortunate enough to interview author and writing coach Rochelle Melander. She’s got great…
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Tweet When I first started blogging, I wrote about my love life, my schoolwork, my little mini dramas that would make for some interesting “Dear Diary” reads. A pint of ice-cream, a flashlight and it almost felt like you were sneaking a peek where you shouldn’t be. Then, I wrote about weddings and baby showers for an online stationery company. Now, I write mostly for me. It’s interesting how from a simple seed of passion, a career can bloom. It took nurturing, hard work, and a sprinkle of faith. And it’s a system that needs to go on forever. Unless…
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Tweet Ever write with a surge of energy like a torrential downpour bringing sustenance to a dry desert? Tip tap tip tap. A never-ending stream of consciousness. It’s flow at its best. Have you ever experienced the opposite? You write so tentatively so self-consciously almost like a new nurse with a needle afraid of the potential pain you might cause. When it comes to writing how do you make the letter P stand for more productive work and less paralyzing ones? It all comes down to another P word – perception (not perfection folks!). I’ve found that in an effort…
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Tweet Sometimes when I’m creating, I feel a heaviness upon me. There’s a gorilla of a being sitting on my shoulders weighing me and my creativity down. Know him? He’s the guy that: says your writing isn’t good enough takes a kernel of negativity and rolls into a wave of self-defeating thoughts tells you you’ll never make it as a writer snickers when you finally get the courage to share your work whispers that you’re a fake and they’ll figure it out soon enough compares you excessively with other better writers Classy guy isn’t he? That kind of sinister attitude…
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Tweet {by guest blogger Cathy Miller} I cherished my sister’s Nancy Drew books. Like so many things in a family of seven children, the books I loved were hand-me-downs. Okay, to be honest, they were never mine. But, I read them from cover to cover and back again. I think it was then I realized I wanted to write. To say there were a few twists in my journey is putting it mildly. Doomed From the Womb I am the middle child of those seven, and the first born under insurance. Little did I know that sealed my fate. I…
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Tweet It’s almost Halloween, but I’m not talking literal here. {Though I must admit the visual of a glow-in-the-dark pen, a notebook and a flashlight sound pretty cool to me.} What I’m talking about is what happens when you write with your mind half-conscious, semi-aware. Even as a full-time writer and someone who writes every day, I still catch myself doing it too. And it’s not a pretty picture. I think somewhere a long, long time ago, I got the impression that I wasn’t that creative. And more importantly, that I was a terrible, terrible writer. So instead of fessing…
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Tweet One moment we’re filled with ideas. The next we’re digging for dirt under rocks all in a desperate attempt to discover that next big idea. If you’re feeling stuck about what to do for your next novel scene or big article idea, check out my latest article for The Writer magazine. I brainstormed 4 fresh brainstorming ideas to help you get back on track. Hope you find it inspiring!
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Tweet When I wrote this list of easy ways I increased my chance to freelance writing success, I neglected something BIG. In fact, it was the number one thing that helped launch my career. And the fastest. Just this past March, I wrote about how I was on the fence about this one. Looking back, I’m patting myself on the back and singing my “hallelujahs” because had I not done so, I might be singing a whole different tune today. How I Became the Lone Wolf When I started freelancing about four years ago, I was way behind the pack.…
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Tweet Instead of an A for excellent, they probably should have given you a P-for perfectionist. You know who you are. You spend an inordinate amount of time perfecting your craft. You have been known to make basketballs out of your shoddy pieces of work. If anyone asked your friends of your family, what they admire about you and what annoys them most about you, the answer would be the same = your perfectionism. You’re probably working the perfect on the outside with a bit neurotic on the inside (a.k.a. you’re also a control freak). You end up charging less…