A Book Review Short Version If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? by Alan Alda is a terrific addition to your writer’s bookshelf. Although the book focuses on scientific communication, it holds valuable lessons for all nonfiction writers about effective communication. Oh, and it’s fun to read as well. Long Version […]
Writing
How to Write Stuff People Want to Read
Finding the Sweet Spot for your Next Nonfiction Writing Project As a thought exercise, take a current writing project you have in front of you – whether that’s a blog post, an article, a book, a memo. It could be nearly anything. Make a list of all the things you want to get across in […]
Better than the Last One
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 […]
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: […]
