The writer Matthew Kelly said, “It is important to understand that you are not writing a story or a book, or a sentence or a paragraph. You are writing a body of work. Whatever you are writing today is just one small part of that body of work.” This helps take the pressure off because … Read more
There are certain qualities we prize in the writing world. One of them is knowledge. It seems like we should know what we are getting ourselves into, right? Who respects a writer who seems aloof and doesn’t know what’s going on? Another quality we prize is humility. Surely we don’t want to become one of … Read more
The writer Matthew Kelly said, “It is important to understand that you are not writing a story or a book, or a sentence or a paragraph. You are writing a body of work. Whatever you are writing today is just one small part of that body of work.” This helps take the pressure off because … Read more
Are you wondering what to write about? Look no further than your own skills and talents. Another way of saying this is, “What comes easy to you?” What seems obvious? What could you do in your sleep and still be better than 99% of people? Those are the things you should be writing about. When … Read more
There is a fascinating scene in the original 1984 Ghostbuster movie that has an interesting application for writers. The three ghostbusters, played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis are trying to capture a ghost flying around a hotel ballroom. Their proton packs emit a powerful stream of energy that trap the ghost and … 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. There are all … Read more
William Goldman was one of the most successful Hollywood screenwriters of all time. He was the creative genius behind scripts for The Princess Bride and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, among many others. In total, he had nearly three dozen scripts produced, which is remarkable by anyone’s standards. In his funny and insightful book … Read more
We have talked many times on this podcast about the need to learn from others. Whether it’s being part of a mastermind, reading books, attending a conference, or something else, it’s vital that we all put ourselves in a learning posture. It is important that you learn from other writers who can share their knowledge. … Read more
There is a part of each one of us that wants to be admired. We want to be respected. We want other people to think of us highly. And why not? That is completely in line with human nature. From the dawn of time, men and women have struggled to gain power over one another … Read more