A couple weeks ago I encouraged you to get ready for NaNoWriMo–the writing group that produces a book in November. I hope you have an idea for it now. I also encouraged you to spend October getting organized so that you have the best chance of succeeding. To me, success includes having a really good rough […]
Kristi Holl
Drains in Disguise
I was wrong–again. For twenty years, I’ve told students and wannabe writers that you have to put the writing first! Do it before other things take over your day. Fight the impulse to clean your kitchen first, or straighten your office, or clean up the mess the kids made before leaving for school. “But I […]
Embracing Changes as a Writer
I admit it. I don’t enjoy changes outside my control. I can change, and I seem to be adapting to some kind of personal or professional change on a weekly basis. [I’m going to ask you for a favor at the end of this post concerning one such change.] As Jack Canfield says in The […]
Gradual Exposure
For many reasons, we set writing goals–and then promptly get stuck. The reasons vary: The goal is overwhelming, and we don’t know where to start. We don’t have an hour or two each day to devote to reaching our goal. We don’t really believe you can reach goals “a little bit at a time.” […]
Calming the Writer's Soul
I sat down to write four times this morning, but my mind simply wouldn’t stop jumping the tracks. One second I’d be thinking, “This backstory paragraph slows down the opening and should be moved.” The next minute, with a catch in my throat, I was thinking about Laurie again. Get a Grip! My daughter is on her […]
What Makes a Good Book?
We writers all want to know what editors REALLY think about our submissions. Especially with rejections, we wish we could know what is wrong with the story. If you want some terrific insights into this question, I’d recommend Second Sight by Cheryl B. Klein. (The full title tells it all: Second Sight: an Editor’s Talks […]
Dismount!
My good writing friend, Sherryl, and I were Skyping about a seriously time-consuming writing project we’d like to take on together. Since we both spend our lives constantly trying to squeeze out five more spare minutes, we realized that something in our schedules would have to give. “Where’s the dead wood in your life?” we asked […]
Authors with Learning Disabilities
Did you know that many famous authors–including such popular children’s writers as Avi–have learning disabilities like dyslexia, ADD, and ADHD? Many of these authors had trouble in school–including failing or dropping out. Many of them were distracted and often in trouble for it. Lots of them couldn’t spell. Inspirational Overcomers If you’ve ever struggled with […]
Calling All Introverts!
I laughed out loud when I read the quote below–mostly because it describes me so well. How about you? “You have your day scheduled out, given over to the expectations of others. You brace yourself for what’s ahead. Then you get a call. The day is cancelled; everyone who needed you is down with a […]
Anchors for the Writer's Life
“Habits are the little anchors that keep us from straying very far from the lifestyle to which we’ve become accustomed, whether that lifestyle makes us happy or miserable,” says Karen Scalf Linamen in her book Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight. Help or Hindrance? We all have habits that either support or hinder our writing lives. […]