Archive for November 2023
5 Best Christmas Gifts for Writers
Just because writers typically don’t make lots of money doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy nice things. But if you’re not a writer who understands what wordsmiths find lovely, or if the writer in your life already has a ton of what they need (e.g., a brand new laptop), what Christmas gifts do you buy? Based…
Read MoreThe Problem of Memory in Memoir Writing
Over the past few months, I’ve been writing a religious nonfiction book centered around recovering from trauma. A huge part of the beginning of the book is telling my story so readers can understand where I’m coming from. So, although it’s not a memoir, per se, it’s quite memoir-esque, and I quickly discovered a problem.…
Read MoreWhy Writers Should Ignore (Most) Social Media Best Practices
Although social media is here to stay, there’s little question that the face of social media is changing. Centralized, independent platforms (e.g., Facebook, X, Pinterest) long have been the standard. But now, some experts are arguing that, with the emergence of options like Mastodon, we’re moving toward a more federated, connected approach. Federated social media…
Read More23 Ways to Define Success as a Writer That Aren’t Being on a Bestseller List
In a recent post on LinkedIn, Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, Managing Director, Editorial at Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., highlighted the recent decision by The Wall Street Journal to do away with their bestseller list. Sivasubramaniam explained why he didn’t like bestseller lists in general, with one reason being that authors can buy their way onto the lists. So…
Read MoreThe Value of Writing to Be, Not Do
As a business writer, most of the articles I produce have one rule: Give the reader one or more action points. The idea is to let them feel as though your advice is both accessible and immediately applicable. It’s all about giving a roadmap that can lead others to success. If there’s nothing for the…
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