Writing habits can make or break your writing career. With NaNoWriMo starting tomorrow, I’ve been getting organized and ready. But I know from past experience that all the organizing in the world won’t do any good without the writing habits to back it up. Did you ever wish you could magically transfer some good habits […]
Month: October 2011
Focus: Are You Centered Or Are You Fragmented?
Any writing day can feel overwhelming if you’re trying to juggle several projects. Right now, I’m proofing a book due next week, finishing one not due for a while, and plotting a novel to get ready for NaNoWriMo. I blog and Twitter and do Facebook. I have a novel critique to do. EEEEEEEEEEEK! Bouncing Off the […]
Focus: Avoid Split-Brain Writing
Over the weekend I spoke with a writer dealing with some worries that are daily robbing her of her hours of creative time. It reminded me of an earlier post on Fighting to Focus. Where’s Your Focus? From studies I’ve read, when you’re going through a crisis (yours or someone else’s), there is a single-minded focus that will […]
Writing Habits: Routines–or Ruts?
I love routines! It streamlines the daily business of life and lets me get more done. I have some habits (like how I brush teeth or do dishes) that haven’t changed in years–maybe decades. They work efficiently. Writers have habits too, and I think that’s a good thing. It streamlines daily chores like email, website updating, reading […]
Writers: Curators of Contentment
Today I want to share something with you that I read about dreams. “Only dreams give birth to change,” the meditation for writers said. “Gradually, as you become curator of your own contentment, you will learn to embrace the gentle yearnings of your heart.” Guardian of Writing Dreams What longings about your writing life do […]
Marketing Help is Here!
The Frugal Book Promoter: Second Edition: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher. I very rarely read an e-book and then buy the hard copy–but I did in this case. I have to mark it up, add my colored flags and post-its, and turn down page corners. Why? […]
Writing Through Interruptions
In my book Writer’s First Aid, I talk a lot about dealing with interruptions and distractions because I began writing when I had a newborn (ten days old), a todder (two) and a preschooler. If I couldn’t write through interruptions, I couldn’t write at all most days. People protest all the time that they can’t write with […]