When I hit a slump, or my mind is ruminating on a problem, or maybe I just don’t feel like writing anymore, I pause. I breathe. Then I peruse the colored Post-It notes scattered around my desk. Truth in a Nutshell Some are quotes from books I’ve read. Others are catchy sayings from a podcast […]
Kristi Holl
Mind the Gap!
I love the ringing sound of “Mind the Gap!” when British train doors slide open at a station platform. “Mind the Gap!” is an audible (or visual) warning. It’s issued to rail passengers to take caution while crossing the space between the train door and the station platform. “Mind the Gap!” The phrase was first […]
Your Unique Writing Gift
If you lack confidence in your writing ability… If you doubt that you have anything unique to say to a reader… If you think it doesn’t matter if you share your writing with the world, you’ll want to read this. Your Writing is Unique Last week when in Waco, TX, I visited the beautiful Homestead […]
Mastering Mood-Dependent Writing Stages
Several days this week I was tired and headache-y, yet I needed to get some writing done. I don’t know about you, but I find writing a grueling challenge on the rare days I feel rotten. That’s why I found one particular chapter in The Write Type by Karen E. Peterson very encouraging. The author […]
Getting Unstuck after 2020
After losing two family members in the pandemic, I had a month-long severe reaction this spring to my second Covid shot. When I resurfaced, feeling practically comatose, I was behind on one Christmas mystery book deadline and a novel (set in 1850s England.) None of my decades-old “get started” techniques worked, which induced a near […]
Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results from Atomic Habits
A new book was released officially today that I hope every one of you will buy. A couple of weeks ago, I received and listened to an early audio recording of Atomic Habits by James Clear. And I’m eager to read it when my hard copy arrives today. James Clear’s work has been covered by dozens […]
Focus Shift: Photoshop Your Moods!
In addition to a Covid family death, I lost two friends in December, plus my last (and favorite) uncle. The focus was on grieving, plus a severe autoimmune flare-up it caused. With Christmas around the corner, I found it difficult to feel the joy of the season. And writing? That felt out of the question, […]
Procrastination is a Symptom, Not the Problem
A procrastination cure: all writers want one! I’ve read many books over the years on this subject, but none better than The Now Habit by Neil Fiore. I’ve worn out a paperback, I listen to my Audible copy of it as a refresher, and recently I bought a set of Now Habit Motivation Cards. Why? […]
Writing in the Yoke: Become an Easy Writer
We are invited to get into the yoke with Jesus to do the writing God has called us to do. (Matthew 11:28-30) This way of working promises ease and rest for our souls. However, writing with ease and a light burden was not my writing experience for 35 years (not since writing changed from hobby-writing […]
Find Your Focus: Stick to the ONE Thing
“Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.” ~Josh Billings This quote comes from a book I love called The ONE Thing: the Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller. As I mentioned last week, after a number of back-to-back setbacks, I needed to relaunch my writing habits. […]