If you identify as a writer, people will ask you for feedback on their writing. These requests come in many forms: A friend’s son asks if you can look at a college essay A work colleague emails you a project report to review A relative shows you a memoir they’re writing Your spouse asks you […]
Writing
Enlisting Your Future Self as Your Writing Partner
Writing can be a tough and lonely road – and sticking to long-term writing plans bedevils many aspiring writers. So writers look for external support for their processes, and accountability for their goals. These external supports may include: In-person writing or critique groups Social media groups (Facebook groups are a popular option) Writing coaches But […]
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. […]
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 […]