Although this podcast is called “The Daily Writer,” the reality is that many people don’t write every day. They may set aside time every couple of days or once a week to work on their writing.

I want you to know this is totally legitimate. You shouldn’t take the concept of the “daily writer” too literally. The main point is to write regularly, whatever that looks like for your schedule. The more regularly you do it, the better you will be.

There is some writing I do not do on a daily basis, but weekly. For example, I write material for this podcast once every week or two. I write a bunch of episodes’ worth of content at the same time because I’m in that mental mode, and it goes much quicker than if I were to try and set aside a few minutes every single day to write or record.

This is called “batching” your work and it’s a great productivity principle. Do similar kinds of work, or write similar kinds of content, at the same time because you’re in that mental space already.

You can do this with email, book content, podcasts, blogs, or anything else. Give this a try and see how it will improve your writing output.

All that said, however, I definitely want to encourage you to write something every day if you can… even if it’s just five minutes’ worth of writing.

Today’s Challenge: Take the concept of batching your work and apply it to some type of writing you are currently doing: it might be emails, blog posts, podcast material, copywriting, or something else.

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In fact, there is an entire industry devoted to teaching people how to write. Which is all good, except that it can be very confusing at times.

If you read, watch, or listen to enough writing teachers, you will end up feeling paralyzed because you don’t know what to do. This expert says to do it one way, another one says something different, and five other experts give completely different advice.

The truth is that there are a million ways to do just about anything in the writing world. If one of your heroes or mentors says there is only one way to accomplish your goal, proceed with caution.

The key is to figure out your next step, then take action. It’s always better to take imperfect action and make some progress than it is to have a perfect plan in your head but never do anything. That is a great way to stay stuck.

Carl Sandburg once said, “Beware of advice—even this.” So when you hear advice about writing, including what I’m sharing right now, don’t take it as gospel. But the one thing you DO need to take is the next step toward your writing goal, whatever that may be.

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My guest today is Shelby Leigh, a mental health poet and self-love advocate who has been sharing her work online for 7+ years, amassing a following of more than 450,000 readers. She is the author of the bestselling book of poetry, changing with the tides.

In addition to writing poetry, Shelby hosts an online poetry community with monthly workshops, and helps other writers confidently market their books. She is also the host of the “Small Steps to Self-Love” podcast. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @shelbyleighpoetry.

I first came across Shelby when a friend of mine posted a link to her “BookTok Blueprint” guide on Facebook. I purchased it, thought it was extremely helpful, and as a result, wanted to invite Shelby onto the show to share her expertise with you.

In this interview, you’ll learn why you should use TikTok, how to gain followers there, how to make videos, how to convert followers into readers who buy books, and lots, lots more.

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We writers have the well-earned reputation for not being the best at people skills, which is unfortunate because it’s certainly not always true. Writing is a people-centered business even though we spend a good amount of time sitting in front of a screen typing.

Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement. Even if you’re an outgoing people person, you can always use a reminder of the basics. Here are four key people skills every writer needs.

1. Look people in the eye when speaking to them. This communicates that you’re engaged. Even if you’re on a Zoom call, look at the camera instead of looking at the person on your screen. It makes a difference in the way the other person perceives your relatability and social skills.

2. Smile when you greet people. Those first few moments of an interaction make a huge difference in how the whole conversation will go. Even if you’re not feeling it, smile anyway and you will start to feel happier soon. This also works on Zoom calls. Those first few seconds of the calls will generally determine how the conversation will go.

3. Be a listener. In our world of short attention spans, it’s hard to listen carefully. But this is an area where we writers excel. It’s been said, “God gave us two ears and one mouth because we should listen twice as much as we speak.” That’s probably true. When you listen and ask good questions, you draw out the best in others.

4. Answer messages quickly. Whether it’s social media messages, text messages, or emails, make sure to get back to people quickly. The standard is 24-48 hours. You will immediately stand out from others when you do this, since many people take a long time to answer messages. It communicates that you are responsive and attentive.

Those are just a few important people skills for writers. When you practice them consistently, you will have better relationships and more success. These little things make a huge difference.

Daily Question: Which one of these is an area where you need the most work?

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Remember the 1980’s movie “Field of Dreams” with Kevin Costner? He plays a farmer who is roaming out in his field one day, and he hears a voice. “Build it and he will come.” He has no idea what the voice means until he starts taking action and listening to the subsequent messages the voice gives him.

The idea of “build it and they will come” makes for a compelling movie, but it’s not true in the real world. People don’t show up just because you build something. Rather, people show up when they are interested or when they will receive something helpful or entertaining.

Remember, marketing is all about people. Many writers think that marketing is a curse word. They just want to write. They just want to create. But people won’t show up and be interested just because you’ve written something. You need to promote. You need to get onto podcasts as a guest. You need to be active on social media. You need to get out and interact with real people at events, conferences, workshops, having coffee with friends, and more.

Marketing is not a dirty word at all. Marketing is simply telling people when you’re excited about something. If you believe what you’re writing is helping people, marketing is the most loving and helpful thing you can do for others.

Daily Question: What are three things you can do this week to market your work and get the word out about your writing?

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Whatever you’re working on right now, you’re bound to get stuck at some point. When you stumble upon our old friend, lovingly called “writer’s block,” here are ten tips to keep the words flowing.

1. Lower your standards. Many times, we get stuck because we’re trying to make it perfect. Be willing to write garbage just to get a draft done, then go back and revise it.
2. Brainstorm ideas on a white board, legal pad, or post-it note. Changing the size of the canvas will often help you get past your block, whether it’s a huge canvas like a white board, or a tiny one like a post-it note.
3. Take a nap. You might just be tired. History is replete with examples of famous creative people who took naps to be more productive.
4. Take a walk. When you walk, the blood circulates in your body more, and you’re more alert and attentive. It’s amazing how many problems get solved in your head just by walking for ten or twenty minutes.
5. Play with a toy. I keep a few “snake toys” beside my desk to play with. It consists of a bunch of triangles connected, and you can make it into an infinite number of shapes. This brain switching helps me solve writing problems quite frequently.
6. Get up and drink a glass of water. Most of us are dehydrated most of the time, and this activity plus water will refresh your body and your mind.
7. Free write for three minutes. Free writing is just letting your hand write whatever comes to mind without stopping or judging yourself. It clears your creative palate and lets your subconscious take over for a bit. It also helps break creative blocks.
8. Switch locations. Go to another desk or another part of the house. Or you can go somewhere else entirely, like the library or coffee shop. The change in scenery will spark your creativity.
9. Switch media. If you write on computer, switch to a legal or journal. Use a different writing tool like a marker or crayon. Again, you’re helping your brain to make a switch that will break the block.
10. Read something for ten minutes. Preferably, something in print. The change in media, and also holding something tactile, will give your brain a new input.

TWO BONUS TIPS

11. Do a mundane task. Take a twenty-minute break for a mundane chore like dishes, yard work, or folding laundry. This is similar to walking in that it will give you something physical to do. The new energy and change of pace will give you new ideas and solutions to your writing block.
12. Write your content as an email. If I’m feeling stuck, sometimes I’ll open my email app on my computer and write in that. That way, it feels like I’m writing an informal message to a friend rather than something with higher stakes like a blog post or book chapter. It sounds crazy, but it really does work.

If you’re feeling blocked or a little stuck, pick one of these tips and use it today!

Daily Question: Which tip are you going to use to help you defeat writer’s block?

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