By Lenora Livingston In my lifetime, I have spent a lot of time, money, and effort trying to improve my writing skills. I have taken long courses and short courses, attended writing seminars, and joined writing groups. But the best advice ever given to me came absolutely free from Mark Weston. Who is Mark Weston? The younger generations probably wouldn’t …
Procrastination Explanation
By Patti Shene Gonzales I’m a procrastinator. The one thing in my life I procrastinate most? My writing. When I was pursuing my Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at what was then University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo, we were assigned a “term paper.” I assume a student was expected to work on the project for the majority of …
Meet Deadlines with Simple Math
by Tamela Hancock Murray During your publishing journey you may have the delightful problem of too many deadlines. You may have to ask yourself if you can accept another contract because you’re so busy. I’ve advised many clients about this over the years, taking them from panic to peace. Simple math can help. Determine time Look at all your contracts …
An Unexpected Opportunity
By Mary Lou Cheatham Do you ever find a review of your novel that you wish would go away…simply disappear from Amazon…and not be there when you visit your product page next time? As writers seeking to improve our skills of communication, we thrive on helpful criticism from critique partners, critique groups, and even negative reviewers. But you have a …
Moment to Moment
By Tanara McCauley I recently joined the ranks of writers who pen speculative fiction. While I’ve read it for years and tend to favor a well-written epic fantasy over any other genre, it wasn’t until I felt God’s leading in that direction that I decided to step out in obedience and try to write my own. I initially found myself …
Sherwood Forest Intervention and Other Tools to Keep Writing
By Susan A.J. Lyttek “Curses,” Robin Hood muttered, obviously not intending I hear. But I have great ears. “I had pleaded with her to cease this interference.” He bowed to me again. “My apologies, milady. We appear to be at the mercy of the author.” “Author? As in the writer of a story?” He nodded. “Do not fret. When I …
Making Wise Investments
By John W. Tucker Balance in each day’s activities is something we all strive for. Full-time or part-time writers, we must plan ahead and stay focused when we write. Think of the potential activities a writer may be involved in: writing into an article or book daily, writing a blog weekly or biweekly, setting aside money toward a writer’s conference …
When You Feel Talentless
By Rondi Bauer Olson A few months ago I had a difficult time leaving behind the world of a book I’d read. I thought about the characters and plot for weeks, reread the book a couple of times, and journaled my favorite passages. At first, I just enjoyed the experience. I gained a better understanding of people from a certain …
Why Writers Need Poetry
by Susan A.J. Lyttek When I teach high school creative writing, we devote the entire first semester to poetry. Just typing that line, I can hear people reading this (at least some of you) groaning in agony. Why on earth would I do that? Do I love torturing youth with thees and thous? Do I want to see them bang …
Does Writing Give You a Pain in the Neck?
By Patricia Bradley Did you know that writers as a group have more shoulder and neck pain than the average person? Is it any wonder why? We spend hours and hours sitting at a computer, staring at a blinking cursor. And not only do all those hours affect our neck and shoulder muscles, they add extra padding where we don’t …