Today, I’m honored to be hosted on the Conquering Writer’s Block & Summoning Inspiration blog tour by Elizabeth Craig. Be sure to stop by her blog to read the guest post “Tapping Subconscious Creativity.” Below is a sneak peek: Our work (and our lives) would be pretty useless without the logical sides of our brains. […]
September 18, 2010 by 57 Comments Writing LifeAre You Really a Writer?
For the average human, writing is one of the most powerful acts available to us. Some of our words hold the power to change the world. Some of our words will save a life. Some of our words will bring the sun into someone’s gray day. Some of our words will create a chain reaction […]
August 29, 2010 by 76 Comments Editing Your NovelShould You Edit As You Go?
Authors are passionately divided on the subject of editing as you go. Should you write your first draft as fast as possible, dumping your creativity on the page while it’s still smoking hot, never stopping to tweak so much as a misspelled word until you’ve got it all safely down on paper? Or should you […]
July 4, 2010 by 69 Comments Prose5 Pros and Cons of Using the Thesaurus
Writers are surprisingly divided over the value of using the thesaurus. Some consider it their secret weapon; others regard it as a crutch. So which is it? Stephen King’s opinion, from his 1988 essay “Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully—in Ten Minutes” is now well known: Any word you have to hunt for […]
May 9, 2010 by 39 Comments Writing InspirationImprove Yourself, Improve Your Writing
In a market as competitive as the writing world, we’re all striving to be the best writers we can be. But would you be surprised if I told you the only way to improve your writing is to be a better person? Remember all those admirable self-improvement goals that always end up on your resolution list? […]
January 10, 2010 by 79 Comments Writing InspirationWhy Word Count Goals Can Be Destructive
Word count goals are the trusted aids of many a writer. With the ever-present call of duties, relationships, and even just sweet inertia, it’s often comforting to have set word count goals every day. Write 1,000 words, write two pages, write one scene, one chapter—and you’re finished. You can abandon your writing for the day […]
January 6, 2010 by 47 Comments CharactersFree E-Book: Crafting Unforgettable Characters
Claim your copy of Crafting Unforgettable Characters: A Hands-On Introduction to Bringing Your Characters to Life. Featuring some of my most popular tips on character crafting, this e-book offers a firm foundation for understanding the basics of character building, as well as solid tips for troubleshooting. You’ll discover inspiring quotes from successful authors, writing prompts, and creativity […]
January 4, 2010 by 74 Comments Writing Life10 Habits of Successful Authors
Still haven’t made your New Year’s resolutions yet? The following list is an excellent place to start, whether you’re jumpstarting your writing career, or whether you’ve been writing for years and need to scrape off some rust. If, by the end of the year, you can cross the following habits of successful authors off your […]
December 11, 2009 by 87 Comments Writing InspirationHow to Hijack Mind-Blowing Inspiration: Music for Writers
Music is arguably the purest art form. It’s a breathing of the soul, a perfect embodiment of emotion, a story without words. For the most part, we lowly writers can barely hope to tell as complete a story in 300 pages as can be found in almost any collection of musical notes. If you’re a […]
November 29, 2009 by 87 Comments Writing Inspiration4 Reasons I Quit Writing Exercises
Creative writing exercises are a staple of workshops and a beloved tool of many authors, but are they really an effective use of time and energy? Writers are encouraged to keep writing journals where they spend at least fifteen minutes every day writing whatever pops to mind: story ideas, essays, stream-of-consciousness paragraphs, writing-prompt brain stretchers, […]
