When Is a Writers Conference Worth It?
Over the past year or two, I've been looking into a range of writing conferences. As someone who works entirely from home without a team, these kinds of events are the primary way I stay...
If You Want Readers to Follow You, Stop Posting (So Much)
For a while now, I've maintained three different publication branches -- Takingdictation (my business), Faithful on the Clock (my faith-based podcast), and Unstealing Joy (my trauma recovery work). Having multiple irons in the fire means...
Writing, Mornings, and Your Email
Like a lot of other writers, I start work super early in the morning. This isn't because productivity gurus have gotten in my head about how the wee hours having some kind of magical secret....
Lean Writing Is Not the Point: Using the Goldilocks Approach for Drafting
More and more, I see an emphasis among both editors and writers alike on keeping drafts lean. The basic ideas are that leanness somehow proves control of skill, and that leanness accommodates the short attention...
How Attachment Theory Can Power Character Development in Fiction
For the past few years, I've been diving deep into psychology. I don't plan to ever be a licensed professional in that field, but I've been serious about in the context of understanding myself and...
Should You Have Multiple Brands as a Writer?
Over the past three years, I've done a lot of work to develop brands of my own -- I have my business brand (Takingdictation) and my faith brand (Faithful on the Clock). But these brands...
Nonfiction Can Feel Cold. Here’s How to Warm It Up and Connect With Readers
Whether you've picked a memoir, article, study, or other format, nonfiction can seem dry or cold -- and not in the "I'm chill" kind of way. That's because the emphasis typically is on data, analysis...
Want a Great First Draft? Think First, Write Later
For most writers, writing and thinking are the same event -- they conceptualize, organize, write, and revise at the same time. Even planners, who outline and create structure before beginning the draft, will let thoughts...
