Archive for December 2024
The Value of Taking a Break From Writing
Writers are under more pressure than ever to produce, produce, produce, not only because of the way book sales drop off a few months after an initial release, but also because social media has created an atmosphere where people see consistent sharing as necessary for good visibility in the midst of growing content noise. The…
Read MoreThe Balance Between Serving Yourself and Serving the Reader
As a business writer, I’m buried by articles and social media posts from others that promote the idea of serving the customer. For wordsmiths, the customer is, of course, the reader. If you subscribe to this concept, virtually the only path forward is to write only within topics and genres that are are trending (or…
Read MoreThe One Thing You Need to Do to Improve Your Writing
I don’t know a single writer on the face of the planet who doesn’t want to make their content better — you’re likely reading this because you have that desire. But I like to recognize the beautiful individuality writers have. And in that context, all of us will thrive with different techniques, setups, and so…
Read More6 Reasons to Pants Your Book
In an earlier video, I noted the benefits of #outlining a book. But in full transparency, I’m prone to #pantsing, myself. And I want you to understand that even though outlining can be great, you’re not “wrong” if your way of writing is to wing it. So, to balance the earlier video, these are the…
Read MoreWhy Silent Cartoon Zig and Sharko Offers the Perfect Writing Exercise
From time to time, I like to indulge in bad TV like Mechagodzilla or Xena: Warrior Princess. Those kinds of shows let me zone out for a while, and their absurdity serves as a counterweight to the seriousness that most of the rest of my life has. Yet, as a writer, I can’t turn off…
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