Strategies for using indirect language patterns with intention When writing to communicate expertise and authority, you want to avoid language that makes you seem uncertain. My previous post here described indirect speech patterns that make you seem less confident or knowledgeable when they creep into your written words. However, indirect speech isn’t all bad. Indirect […]
writing
Three Reasons It’s Hard to Write for Your Audience
I’ve spent a couple weeks ranting about the importance of writing for an audience. (See One Question to Ask Before You Write.) But here’s the thing that I’ve neglected to mention: Writing for a specific audience can be really tough. Even when you’ve chosen an ideal audience, you may struggle to write stories or content that resonates […]
Sticking to the Writing Habit on the Road
I intended to have this blog post drafted before leaving town for a short family visit, but didn’t manage it. Then I planned to write it during the visit. Again, didn’t happen. So here I sit on the plane home, composing a post about the virtues of writing while traveling. The irony is of the […]
Writing in the Zone: Say Hello to Flow
You know when it happens – but only after the fact. You’re absorbed in the writing, the words are pouring out, and suddenly you realize that an hour or two has passed. It’s as if you wake up from the work. Instead of feeling drained, you are energized. Performers and athletes talk about being “in […]
Anyone Can Write, But …
“If you can write, you can write a book! Anyone can write a book!” The world of self-publishing has unleashed a torrent of advice like this, which has in turn spawned a flood of frustrated writers and unsold books. This sales pitch is the perfect expression of the Universal Writer Myth. It’s particularly dangerous and compelling because at […]
Writing Challenges: Focusing on One Project
What’s the hardest part of writing a novel in a month? April is Camp NaNoWriMo – a variation on November’s “write a novel in a month” challenge. The month-long deadline presents many challenges: How will you make the time? Can you generate enough steam to do the work each day? Can you stick to the plan for a […]
