The 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...
Why 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...
23 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...
The 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...
Editorial Requests: When to Say Yes and When to Push Back
Every writer knows the drill: You write your draft, polish it the best you can, and send it off to your editor. If all goes well, you might not have to do any extra work...
How to Punch Your Inner Critic in the Face When You Write
“You call yourself a writer? You just spent 20 minutes writing a trash heap!” “Like anybody’s going to read this.” “You need to stop imagining you’re J.K. Rowling and admit that your writing career doesn’t...
4 Myths That Deserve to Die About Writers
Some elements of the writing profession never change. The books or other pieces of content we write are always our babies. Tears are shed over lost files. Rejection letters hurt even when they're nice. These...
Rewriting: When Should You Stop?
Over the past few months, I've worked with a number of clients who, for one reason or another, needed the work I did for them rewritten. This often had nothing to do with the quality...
