If you write on the job, then you know that you’re not really done with a project until it makes it through reviews and approvals. A lingering review process can add weeks or months to a project, frustrating everyone involved. Many writers think of the review/approval process as the last hurdle that their work has […]
What’s Your Mountain?
“A mountain is just a series of hills.” My father gave me that advice as I hesitated atop a particularly lengthy, mogul-filled ski run. Dad was a wonderful skier and my first ski instructor. He understood that standing atop that slope, I needed perspective and courage, not instruction. A mountain is just a series of […]
Balancing Frequency, Length, and Substance in Writing
Why I’m Changing My Blogging/Email Frequency When I started out writing blog posts, the standard advice for building an online presence was to publish frequently, to encourage audience engagement. Experts advocated blogging daily, or at least three times a week. Heck, I figured once a week would be a stretch. And at first, it was. […]
The Gift of Subscriptions: A Mixed Bag (or Box)
Every year, around this time, I struggle with that age-old problem: shopping. What should I get family members who are distributed around the country? (My own needs are quite simple: books, chocolate, and tea, in case anyone asks…) I spend a fair amount of time thinking and talking about subscription businesses – I even wrote […]
Books for the Writers in Your Life
One of the greatest gifts you can offer someone is a book that changes their life or shifts their perspective in a meaningful way. The challenge, of course, is matching the book to the recipient. Of the millions of volumes to choose from, which ones will speak directly to the people that you care about? […]
Mind Your Tone of Voice
When you start reading a book or a blog post, you face an immediate choice: Do you continue reading, or put it aside? As writers, we dance a tango with the reader’s attention and interest. A couple weeks ago I wrote about connecting with the reader’s curiosity (What makes you curious?) But once you have […]