When is something truly finished? You’ve written a blog post, or an article. How good does it have to be before you hit the publish or send button? Do you get stuck in revision, polishing the words or rethinking your approach? Doubting yourself? Putting your words out into the world can be frightening. Perfectionism makes […]
Writing
The (Not Really) Shrinking Reader Attention Span
“We are moving from a world where computer power was scarce to a place where it now is almost limitless and where the true scarce commodity is increasingly human attention.” Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft It’s almost a truism that our attention spans are dwindling. What does that mean for writers? First, let’s get our […]
Catching a Flood of Writing Ideas
How do you cope when writing ideas rain down faster than you can catch them? How do handle a creative Muse that delivers batches of writing ideas at inopportune times, like packages that pile up on your doorstep while you’re on vacation? Like summer fruit, inspiration can spoil if left unattended too long. The Creative […]
Finding Your Revision Groove (and Staying Sane)
Revision – people love it, people hate it. They forget to leave time for it, or get stuck in it forever. Revising and self-editing can bring out a writer’s worst qualities: Perfectionism: It’s never quite good enough to show people. The imposter syndrome: Who am I to write about this topic? What was I thinking? Impatience: […]
Boredom and Creativity: A Review of Bored and Brilliant
The Short Version If you’re a writer, you probably realize that your best ideas pop up during unstructured time, when your mind wanders. In Bored and Brilliant, Manoush Zomorodi offers a seven-day challenge to detach yourself from your devices, so that you can experience boredom and its companion, creativity. Read the book and take the […]
Tips for a Writing Style Makeover
The revision process is like a beauty makeover for your writing – it turns awkward, ungainly words into elegant prose. If you’re not happy with your writing, you can repair it in revision. Like a good make-up artist, you need to understand what you’re starting with and where you want to go. Do you want […]