You know how sometimes you find just the right book when you need it, as if someone dropped it into your hands for a reason? That happened to me recently with not one, but two books that turned out to be related to each other: Grit by Angela Duckworth, and Known by Mark Schaefer. These books […]
Writing
Writing a Book and Thought Leadership
You hear this advice everywhere: If you want to be a thought leader in a subject, write a book about it. It’s not bad advice, although writing a book is not the only option, nor is it right for everyone. It takes stamina to find success with this path. But it may not play out like […]
How Long Will It Take to Write This Thing?
A writer’s magazine published a roundup of profiles of authors with new books out. Each author answered that essential question: How long did it take you to write the book? Their answers ranged from two weeks to five years. Your mileage may vary. We’re fascinated with how long it takes other people to write things. The real question isn’t […]
Recording as Revision
Think you’ve mastered the art of writing in a conversational tone? Try recording yourself reading your words aloud. You may discover that you’re not quite as conversational as you had hoped. Reading your words out loud is a great way to edit the work, and one of the revision strategies recommended in The Writer’s Process. When […]
How We Learn: A Book Review
I thought I was reading a book about learning, but then I realized it was about writing, thinking, and creativity. We live in a culture and time that requires all of us to be life-long learners. Our jobs are changing. The world is changing. Not only do we have to stay informed, we must keep learning. As an […]
Writing and the Social Media Trap
“Build your author platform; be active on social media.” When you hear this advice as an aspiring author, you may head off to the online world to build that all-important platform. You spend time learning, reading posts, following others, posting, and joining online communities. Time passes, and you build a social media following and presence. You learn from […]
