(Last week we started talking about the seven specific stages you go through from beginning to end with a writing project, and the potential for both growth and failure at each stage. First read about the preparation stage, then the germination stage.) The Work-Out Next we have the working stage, the one we’re probably most […]
strategy
Germination Phase
[Read about the first phase here: preparing to write.] The second stage, called the germination stage by Louise De Salvo Ph.D. in Writing as a Way of Healing, is a time “during which we gather and work on fragments of ideas, images, phrases, scenes, moments, lines, possibilities for plots, characters, settings. Sometimes we don’t quite […]
For Writers Needing Some Fun, Try the Unschedule
I have a tight deadline, and I’m tired of working. I could also use some fun in my life. Can I have both? Yes! Back to What Works! Last year I tried the “Unschedule,” a technique for breaking through procrastination found in The Now Habit, a book by Neil Fiore. According to my notes in […]
Shorter Focus = Successful Writing
I read a very surprising study recently on the differences between marathon runners who finished the race and those who didn’t. All the runners were equally fit and trained and healthy. So what was the deciding factor in whether they were hardy enough to finish the 26-mile run? It depended on where they placed their […]
A Writer's Flexibility
Persistence: the first quality a writer must have to make it in this business. What ranks a close second? It’s being able to give up control and go with life’s flow. That quality is flexibility. Persistent Flexibility I’ve been writing seriously for 35 years, and there are many things I’ve loved about writing. I’ve been […]
When Deadlines Meet the Holidays
I love having deadlines. I really do. It means money will be coming in for my daily writing, as long as I meet those deadlines. But when overlapping deadlines meet Thanksgiving and Christmas (and all the dinners, shopping, cards and company that go with it), I feel my internal panic button set to go off. […]
Writing Strategy: Acting AS IF
(First re-read the last post: New Twist on the Thought-Feeling-Behavior Writing Cycle.) After three very busy weeks (two new grandbabies, lots of travel, a conference, two work-for-hire deadlines), I was finally able to sit down for a lengthy time yesterday and write on my novel. Or so I thought. I sat down all right, but once […]
New Twist on the Thought-Feeling-Behavior Writing Cycle
“Enthusiasm, motivation, and dedication are necessary for your success as a writer,” says Kelly L. Stone, author of Living Write: the secret to inviting your craft into your daily life. But…what if you don’t have all those emotional tools (the enthusiasm, motivation and dedication) at your disposal? “Don’t worry,” says Kelly. “They can be learned […]
Strong Writers Do This
During the past year I’ve done more novel critiques than usual. Some have been so-so, some were very good, and a few have already sold. What was the difference between the “very good” and the “sold” manuscripts? In my opinion, it was the overall strength of the novels. Often the “very good” book manuscript was […]
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 […]