Writing excuses are easy to come up with. Easy to justify. But to publish, you’ll need to learn how to avoid using at least six of them—maybe more. My goal is to help you avoid using these six writing excuses by showing you how I overcame them to publish my first novel shortly after my […]
May 25, 2020 by 44 Comments Editing Your NovelEditing Your Novel Q&A
Editing your novel can bring a host of its own challenges, concerns, and questions. Many of those questions are ultimately the same questions you ask when writing: How to properly structure a story? How to create a strong character arc? How to write a sentence that makes sense? But some of those questions are unique […]
January 29, 2015 by 16 Comments Writing LifeGet Rid of Writing Distractions and Master Motivation!
The dreaded word is uttered: Procrastination. How can writers defeat such a loathsome monster? Want to hear a little secret? Procrastination is the scapegoat of much larger problems. You can break down procrastination into a couple key problem areas. The two major ones are writing distractions and lack of motivation. That’s right. Most of your procrastination problems come down to […]
November 21, 2014 by 78 Comments Writing LifeThe #1 Habit Killing Your Writing
Let’s face it, writing is hard work. Sometimes, it feels like a battle to pen a single word onto the page. Writers face so many creative monsters in order to produce: self-doubt, criticism, rejection, procrastination, jealousy, and over-preparation. However, there’s one characteristic even more dangerous than all of the above since it’s so widespread and recognized. I’m talking […]
September 15, 2013 by 91 Comments Writing Life15 Bad Habits That Hold Writers Back
Many aspiring writers unknowingly develop habits that stifle their progress rather than foster it. These tendencies often arise from misunderstandings about what it truly means to be a writer, from focusing too much on external success to avoiding the challenges of the craft. The journey of writing is far more nuanced and personal than simply […]
September 9, 2012 by 85 Comments Writing Life10 Excuses for Not Writing – and How to Smash Them
Writers are masters of excuses. We come up with all sorts of awesome reasons we should do be doing everything but writing. If most of us were half as good at writing as we are at excusing ourselves, the world be blessed with landslides of great literature. So today, let’s consider ten excuses for not writing, […]
February 28, 2010 by 59 Comments Writing InspirationHow Writers Can Stop Procrastinating With One Simple Habit
“How writers can stop procrastinating” isn’t just a question of the writing life. Sometimes it’s the question. After all, if you’re not writing, then all the other good writing habits and knowledge you’ve collected are just going to sit in the back of your brain collecting dust. Fortunately, there’s a simple fix. Tell me if this sounds […]
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, […]
