Posts Tagged ‘writing tips’
What Does Good “Trauma-Informed Writing” Look Like?
Over recent years, the term trauma-informed has become en vogue in the mental health arena. But what does trauma-informed mean for a practitioner’s content? What conditions or guidelines does it imply should be present in the writing and supporting content (e.g., videos)? Hand drawing heart, congerdesign from Pixabay What does trauma informed even mean? To first understand…
Read MoreHow to Enter a Writing Contest
Writing contests are designed to recognize outstanding authors. They’re a good way to add some credibility to what you’ve written. Here’s what to consider and how to enter without getting overwhelmed. Fountain pen by günter from Pixabay; Trophy cup outline by Crazy Monday Studio; compiled by Wanda Thibodeaux via Canva Pro Verify validity Plenty of legitimate contests…
Read MoreWill Publishers Reject Long Books?
Back in middle and high school, I had no problem picking up books like Les Miserables and Anna Karenina. I wasn’t scared by length, and in fact, I found it a little comforting — I knew I’d have something to do, and the characters would be my friends longer. Book, ?♡?♡? Julita ?♡?♡? from Pixabay But today,…
Read MoreWrite When You Mean It
These days, writers are advised to have a social media presence — tools like Instagram or Threads don’t have to be the only place we are, but the mantra is that writers need to be posting content consistently to engage with readers, show their expertise, and improve their overall platform size. That’s made a lot…
Read MoreWhy You Need to Schedule Time to Do Nothing on Your Book
You can’t dilly-dally these days as an author. Time to market matters more than ever if you want your writing to bring in an income that’s viable enough to cover your bills. But if you look at your production schedule, is there time to… …do nothing? Relaxing, Penny from Pixabay It feels counterintuitive to digitally or physically…
Read MoreWhy I Can’t Support (Most) Writing NDAs Anymore
Over my 20 years as a writer, I’ve dealt with my fair share of contracts, most of which are garden variety fare laying out the scope of the project and the terms for compensation. But increasingly, I’ve encountered contracts that also include nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). There are legitimate instances where NDAs make sense. If there’s…
Read MoreIf 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 that I consistently post many messages per week across my accounts. But I don’t post superfluously. Each post either 1)…
Read MoreWriting, 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. It’s simply logistical — starting between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. is the only time my house is quiet and I…
Read MoreLean 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 span readers have. It’s true that, as you try to tighten a document, you have to think critically about what’s…
Read MoreHow 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 my relationships to others. But does psychology have a use in writing? Sure does. The four primary attachments More specifically,…
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