Opinions

What Motivates You to Write? The Craft or Glory?

In this article, author Shelly Sanders talks about the takeaways gleaned through her publishing journey. I'll start by offering a heartfelt Kudos to Sanders. We all know it's not easy, and she put in the...

Is It OK for a First Draft to Be Crappy?

It's OK if your first draft sucks. But in this video, I stress the importance of striving for the best you can do in the moment every time you sit down to write. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMbPOsIkBJg Why...

Why Every Writer Needs the Cloud

Two weeks ago, I succeeded in doing something I'd never done as a writer: I bricked my laptop. The technology angel choir sang a lament of death. The cloud, however, saved me. The laptop I...
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A Writer’s Just a Unicorn. Here’s Why

Above my desk, I have a poster of a unicorn. But it's not just any unicorn. It's a unicorn on a therapist's couch. The therapist, seated in a chair to the side, gives one line...

The Number of Books You Read Is Not a Badge of Honor

In her piece for The Atlantic, Emma Sarappo dives into the practice of keeping track of the books we read. Can someone explain why people do this? Just because you read doesn't mean you remember...

Want to Be a Great Writer? Go Over the Top

OMG, lol... A little over the top, yes? But if you think about it, over the top means standing out. I can get behind that. It's kind of a serious point, though. As writers, we...

The Need for Creative Space

Struggling to put words on the page lately? Having enough creative space -- both figurative and literal -- might be the issue, as discussed in this post from Writing and Wellness. I'm not saying getting...

Dear Editors, Please Ditch Genre Word Counts

If you've read any of my content before, you know I'm not a fan of writers using daily word counts. I feel they put pressure on writers that's not especially great for the creative process....

The Key to Writing an Amazing Hero’s Journey Story

If you've read any good fiction -- or even watched some awesome movies -- you've likely encountered the traditional hero's journey as outlined by Joseph Campbell. In this journey, a protagonist moves through three key...

Post a Lot of Content? It Might Not Matter

Practically forever, there have been writers who strongly advocate for posting something new online every day, whether the content is on social media, their author site, or a platform like Medium. You can find a...