Here is one of the biggest ironies of the modern world. We have more facts and data than ever before, literally right at our fingertips. However, the truth seems more elusive than ever. Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” That’s not only true in a spiritual sense, but in a creative sense as … Read more
We’ve been talking about the importance of having one single core message as a writer. I know that goes against a lot of writers’ impulses because we all have many things we want to write about. After all, we’re writers… we’re driven by curiosity and exploration! While focusing on one core message or truth in … Read more
One of the biggest challenges for writers, especially at the beginning of your journey or career, is dealing with the feeling that you have to write about everything. After all, you have so many things you want to share! So many life experiences! So many things you’re learning now! So much happening in the world … Read more
Today’s episode is the first in a seven-part series on dealing with rejection. As writers, we deal with rejection in many forms. You can be rejected by a reader, a publisher, a literary agent, a podcaster, a beta reader, a book reviewer, a peer, and so much more. This rejection can be formal or informal, … Read more
If writing is a house, each of us lives on two levels. The ground floor is where we invite people in. We share things we think people want to hear. We say a lot of nice things, put some coffee on, and invite people to sit around the table. On the ground floor, we have … Read more
Every day, you are surrounded by news—news on the internet, news on television, news in the newspaper, news that other people deliver. Have you ever thought about how the “news” is actually created? What makes a “news” story, anyway? Let’s take the most ubiquitous form of news we all grew up with: the nightly news … Read more
One of the most interesting characters in literature is the unreliable narrator. This character might be delusional, a liar, or is simply prone to exaggeration. Or, they might not have a firm grasp on reality because of their personality or mental state. The unreliable narrator is so effective as a storytelling device because you don’t … Read more
There are lots of skills that are important for writers. Relationship building, networking, productivity, creative thinking, organization, and editing are a few that come to mind. However, there is one skill that trumps them all. It also happens to be the oldest communication skill in the world: storytelling. For thousands of years, humans have told … Read more