No matter what or why you write, there is a common element that ties all writers together. We are all on a journey of discovery. We don’t just write to express what we think. We write in order to discover what we think. For many writers, it goes even deeper than that. It’s an itch … Read more
Today, we’re continuing our “Clear the Clutter” series. I’m going to share a tip that might be emotionally painful for you as a writer… but it’s essential if you want to clear items from your life you don’t need anymore. I’m talking about getting rid of books that no longer serve you. In the course … Read more
Today, I’m introducing a short week-long series on becoming a more productive writer. Let’s talk about the biggest perceived productivity killer: writer’s block. Whatever you’re working on right now, you’re bound to get stuck at some point. When you stumble upon “writer’s block,” here are ten tips to keep the words flowing. Lower your standards. … Read more
Once you make the decision to start writing, and you do it on a regular basis (hopefully every day), over time you will build up quite a collection of half-baked ideas and unused pieces of material. It might be blog posts, book chapters, social media posts, podcast material, or in the case of myself, I’m … Read more
As we talked about yesterday, you need to have a system where you can plant or store all the thoughts, information, and ideas you will use as raw material for writing. And while that is an important start, you need to water these tiny seeds so they can grow into something useful. We have a … Read more
We have been talking about the importance of a growth mindset. If we look at growth as a natural byproduct of good habits we practice on a regular basis, the first habit is preparing the soil of your mind. The second one is planting. We writers deal with thousands of seeds. Those seeds are ideas. … Read more
Everyone who has ever planted anything knows that you can’t just throw seeds on the ground. You must prepare the soil. Otherwise, the soil won’t be ready to receive the seeds. The seeds will die and all the effort and future potential will have been wasted. Your creative mind works the same way. It can’t … Read more
We’re doing a short series on perspectives that go against conventional wisdom. If you’re just now joining us, I encourage you to go back and catch the last few entries in this series. Today I want to remind you of an obvious truth, but it’s a truth we like to avoid: You’re going to die … Read more
In the musical “Hamilton,” Aaron Burr sings a number called “The Room Where It Happens.” He is upset that his rival, Hamilton, has been invited into the inner circle of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson to help make decisions that will impact the future of the country. All the while, Burr is left out in … Read more
Once you make the decision to start writing, and you do it on a regular basis (hopefully every day), over time you will build up quite a collection of half-baked ideas and unused pieces of material. It might be blog posts, book chapters, social media posts, podcast material, or in the case of myself, I’m … Read more