You’re in the middle of NaNoWriMo, and you’re not coming up with anything. None of the prompts from the site are helping. Nothing is inspiring you. You’re completely frustrated—and stuck. I know the feeling. It must be writer’s block, right? Or you’ve been deluding yourself. This just isn’t working for you. Maybe next year… Stop … Read more
If you’re a blogger, especially if you’re new, you might struggle to generate ideas for blog posts. Or you’re worried you don’t know enough about your subject. That you’re not expert enough. That people won’t believe you if you challenge popular beliefs. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence or that nagging negative voice. But sometimes … Read more
You’ve heard active verbs make your writing clear, more concise, and easier to read. Right? And passive verbs should be avoided because they’re clunky and imprecise. They can be confusing and difficult to read, too, because they require more words in a sentence than active verbs do. Knowing the difference between active verbs and passive … Read more
Update: If you’re in the middle of your novel and it’s going slow, these tips will help: Stuck With Your Novel? Get Unstuck! NaNoWriMo is almost here! On November 1, writers around the world will start tapping keyboards like crazy to complete a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month. Granted, you’ll need … Read more
We are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. Most things are not as impossible as we think. The only way to find out is to try. —Scott Dinsmore Someone I didn’t know died in a freak accident a few days ago. I got the news from someone else I don’t … Read more
Quizzes are a great way to learn. The best part is discovering what you know and what you don’t know. Plus, in this case, you’re testing your comma skills, which are super important for any writer. And with an informal quiz like this one, there’s no performance pressure—you’re not in school, people—so you can relax … Read more
You’re in shock. The blog post you thought was brilliant just…flopped. Sometimes it’s a busy time of year, and people don’t have time to read. And then it gets some fairly good search engine traffic later on, but it never becomes uber-popular. Or maybe—sometimes you’ll have to admit it—the post just plain old sucks rocks. … Read more
Need to kick-start a writing session or break through writer’s block? Photo prompts are a great way to go. If you’re a creative writer, you’ve probably heard of them and might have used them. If you’re a non-fiction writer or a blogger, especially if you’re just getting started, it might be a new thing. But … Read more
Have you ever driven somewhere and not remembered the drive? It’s common. Your mind is so busy you get lost in your thoughts. And as you replay past events and worry about tomorrow, the road whizzes by. You don’t pay attention because you’re on autopilot. You’re not present because you’re daydreaming. We’re all prone to … Read more
Many writers would rather communicate by email than phone if given a choice. It’s writing, after all, and email gives you a chance to think about what you’ll say and how you’ll say it. Plus, you can check email and respond when you’re ready. Who wants an interruption just when you’re getting in the flow? … Read more