You are a writer. If you’re reading this blog because you’re jotting down a story, even if it’s just on a napkin right now, then you get to call yourself a writer. A writer. An author. A scribbler. A storyteller. Maybe that’s all you are. Maybe that’s all there is to be. But maybe not. Maybe […]
February 25, 2019 by 112 Comments Writer's Help7 Things to Try When Writing Is Hard
Some writers might look at that title and respond incredulously: “When isn’t writing hard?” But as I’m sure all writers everywhere can attest, there are times when writing is hard in the normal sense and times when it’s hard hard. Often, the difficulty lies simply in the unwieldy story—and the need for an ever-evolving understanding and ability […]
July 23, 2018 by 63 Comments Writing Inspiration4 Steps for How to Turn an Idea Into a Story That Rocks
Ah, ideas. To a writer, is there any sweeter word? But as we quickly learn whenever we try to trap those ideas on paper, the real magic trick is figuring out how to turn an idea into a story that first works and then rocks. Bar none, my favorite part of the writing process is […]
July 2, 2018 by 94 Comments How to Become a WriterJudge Yourself Less, Trust Yourself More, and Write Better Stories
When we think of creativity, we usually think of light and color, happiness and freedom. That’s the upside of living the creative life of a writer. But there’s a dark side too—one we don’t always like to talk about. And that dark side can be encapsulated in two words: judgment and perfectionism. There’s a controversial […]
June 25, 2018 by 53 Comments Writing InspirationWriting as the Art of Thinking Clearly: 6 Steps
As an infamously vivid dreamer, I often find myself waking up with this surging certainty that my subconscious just gave me the best story ever. One of my most memorable dreams featured an end-of-the-world plot. Aliens were coming! Asteroids were coming! Klaxons were blaring. People were running around madly. I think the theme from Armageddon might even […]
January 22, 2018 by 89 Comments Writing InspirationThe Words That Changed Your Life: Discovering What Made You a Writer
For me, it’s almost become a cliché answer: “I write because stories have always been my language. I write because my very first memory is telling myself a story.” “Why do you write?” and “What made you a writer?” are two questions I’m ubiquitously asked in interviews. I can respond to those questions in my […]
January 15, 2018 by 79 Comments Writing Inspiration4 (Possible) Reasons Why We Write
It is the nature of writers to wonder. We wonder about others and we wonder about ourselves. We even wonder why we write. For most of us the compulsion to write is so… ineffable. Why do we write? We just do. We desire the stories. We love the words. We are compelled to communicate our wonder with […]
June 2, 2017 by 58 Comments Outlining Your NovelBefore You Outline: How to Discover Your Story’s Big Moments
Too often, writers maintain a limiting viewpoint of outlines as “a list of scenes.” But outlining can (and should) be so much more. For starters, there’s all that good stuff in the outline before you outline. Before you ever get to the scene list, there are a gabillion important questions for you to ask about your […]
February 27, 2017 by 102 Comments Writing InspirationThe Lazy Author’s 6-Question Guide to Writing an Original Book
Never once have I worried that I might not be writing an original book. Even just saying that kinda sounds like a dirty secret—like maybe the only kind of author who could say such a thing is either one who lacks anxiety enough to care if her stories are original and/or one who lacks integrity enough to check if […]
July 18, 2016 by 66 Comments Writing Inspiration4 Ways to Verify Your Story Concept Is Strong Enough
All story concepts are not created equal. Even once you get past all the boring, been-there, and just plain blah ideas to the point where you’ve discovered something legitimately interesting and cool—that’s not enough either. Many a cool story concept has gone on to be a wasted story. But that’s not going to be you! Today, I’m going […]
