Most of us understand that great writing happens through revision. We realize that revision is important, but we’re in a hurry. As long as we think of revision as an ‘extra’ process outside of writing, we’re tempted to skip it. So we send out our work with imperfections, excess words, remnants of messy thought processes—small […]
Writing
Finding Your Ideal Creative Environment
Want to spend time procrastinating from writing, yet still feel like a “writer?” Do a Google Image or Pinterest search for writing space. You’ll find a mouth-watering assortment of home offices, libraries, cozy nooks overlooking forests, you name it. We all dream of having the perfect space for crafting our works, but maybe that’s […]
What’s In Your Writing Baggage?
Every time you sit down to write, you bring extra baggage with you. And, just as with the airlines, that extra baggage can cost you dearly. Your writing baggage might be filled with past experiences in the educational system: college, high school, or before. Perhaps you struggled with language mechanics or diagramming sentences, and now […]
How to Boost Your Writing Motivation, Scientifically
The following guest post comes from Chandler Bolt, a tireless supporter of new authors. Through his books and courses, Chandler has inspired countless writers to fulfill their dreams of writing and publishing a book. Have you ever struggled with a serious loss of motivation as a writer? I’m not talking about that slight resistance we […]
Should You Really Get Up Early to Write?
I’m a little tired of reading about successful people who rise and write for hours before daybreak. How about you? I’m filled with admiration for their work ethic and discipline. But it’s not my process, nor is it necessarily yours. And for reasons grounded in neuroscience, waking early to write might work against you. Writing first […]
Writing with Confidence About Uncertainty
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 […]