TakingDictation

Why the Math on Social Media Doesn’t Add Up for Writers

I've been at this social media game for *cough* a while now, trying to use different platforms to share my writing and market myself. It can be beneficial if you're strategic about it. But if you're wondering why it...

How to Use Credit Card Rewards to Support Your Writing

About a year back, I did something spectacular for a writer to do -- I bricked my less-than-a-year-old laptop. It was an odd accident that shouldn't have made the machine completely unusable. Nevertheless, I had...

How NOT Writing Can Cure Writer’s Block

I've had writer's block so many times. For a long time, I let my fear of not producing and reaching goals drive. I tried to force words to the page, even when my mind was...

Should You Pay for Classes as a Writer?

Have I paid for writing classes, webinars, etc.? Sure. But in this video, I explain why beginning writers -- who typically have zero money anyway -- might benefit from waiting until later to fork out cash. Watch/Subscribe...

The National Archives Needs Cursive Readers, and Now I’m Depressed

Can you read cursive handwriting? Many people can't now -- teaching this form of penmanship has been dropped in many areas of the country, with only 24 out of the 50 states requiring schools to...
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Lead Magnet 101 for Writers

As an author, one of my biggest goals is to use a lead magnet more regularly. What? You thought lead magnets were just for big companies and brands? Jason Leung on Unsplash Lead magnets can help you...

The AI Debate: Quantity Isn’t the Only Way for Creatives to Find Success

Yes, AI can help creatives crank out more work, faster. But you can find success by putting out fewer high-quality works, too. Exceptionality might be a harder path, but it's still a valid one. That's...

3 Ways to Keep Your Writing Research Organized and Under Control

The original version of this post appeared June 13, 2021 in The Writing Cooperative on Medium. I’m a writer by trade. But sometimes when people ask what I do, I jokingly tell them I Google for...

How to Find a Literary Agent

You don't HAVE to use a traditional publisher for your book. But if you want to, getting a literary agent is a must. Vitor Dutra Kaosnoff from Pixabay In this video, I break down my 10 years of querying...

Got Multiple Writing Projects? Take the Time to Do This 1 Thing

There's tons of advice out there about how to overcome writer's block. But what if you have so many ideas you're overwhelmed? This video explains why making a simple list of all the projects I've...