Kent Sanders There is a good chance that you know someone who has a tattoo, or you have one yourself. What is the purpose of a tattoo? It’s a way to mark your identity. A tattoo can be a picture, a name, a date, or a symbol. Any of those images can be a reminder to yourself … Read more
It’s scary to start a writing project. But you know what’s even scarier? Finishing it. To finish means to publish, to put your work out there in the world for others to judge and critique. The thought of people judging your work is just too much for some writers to handle. They accumulate lots of … Read more
This one is for all the kids who were always picked last in middle school gym class. You remember what it was like. You’d stand there awkwardly with the group, each kid getting their name called by one of the team captains. One by one, they disappeared from the ranks and stood in line with … Read more
If you’ve heard any recent episodes of this podcast, you’ve probably heard me talking about my Daily Writer Retreat. By the time this episode goes live, the retreat will have happened the previous week. But I’ve learned that writing retreats can be a great way to serve your audience by bringing people together in a … Read more
For new writers, one of the most surprising elements of the craft is how much editing and revision it takes to produce good work. Until you get into writing as a serious hobby or a career, it may seem like writing should just come out clean and ready to publish. But experienced writers know this … Read more
Social media has made things both harder and easier for us as writers. On the one hand, it is much easier than it was years ago because we can connect with almost anyone. We can share content and be inspired by what other people are posting. On the other hand, social media has made it … Read more
When I was a kid back in the 1980s, I listened to a lot of Christian music. My favorite album during that period was The Big Picture by an artist named Michael W. Smith. One of the best songs on the album was titled “Pursuit of the Dream,” which contained one of my favorite lyrics … Read more
Even though we live in an age when anyone can self-publish and potentially reach millions of followers and readers through social media, most writers seem hesitant to really make a go of it. Why? Because they’re waiting for someone to give them permission to go ahead and reach for their dreams. Our society is based … Read more
One of the downsides of social media is that everyone can see what we do. Oftentimes, there is immediate judgment when someone goofs up or makes a mistake. Therefore, we’re all hyper-aware of doing something to make ourselves look foolish. We avoid risk and place a premium on appearances. We have to move past this … Read more
We’ve been doing a short series on writing habits. I hope this has been helpful and that you’ve enjoyed it. Today, we’re going to conclude this series with our final Writing Habit: Finish what you start. This might be the most important practice of all. It is easy to get distracted by other projects. I … Read more