How to Ensure Your Writing Sessions Aren’t Derailed by “Research”
Regardless of whether you’re writing a novel, a how-to book, or a helpful blog post, you’ll almost certainly need to do some research before you start writing. In his fantastic book on writing, Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, Robert McKee refers to research as “feeding your talent” and suggests “research not…
13 Novels Every Writer Absolutely Must Read — The Writing Coach 060
Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work. A client of mine recently asked me what novels I would recommend for the purpose of demonstrating different aspects of writer’s craft. This episode answers…
Should You Write While on Vacation?
Writing is about making choices. Thousands and thousands of choices. Is your protagonist going to be blonde or brunette? Is her husband going to live through the third act or die a gruesome death at the hands of your maniacal antagonist? Of course, as a writer, you don’t just have to make story decisions. If…
How to Avoid Burning Out Beta Readers
Beta readers are an integral part of the revision process for most books in both the fiction and non-fiction fields. A beta reader is “a non-professional reader who reads a written work with the intent of looking over the material to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as suggestions to…
Celebrating 1 Year of Writer’s Craft Academy — The Writing Coach 059
Welcome to The Writing Coach. On this podcast, I speak with the instructors, editors, coaches, and mentors who help writers and authors create their art, build their audience, and sell their work. One year ago, I launched Writer’s Craft Academy, my private membership site and group coaching program. In episode 59 of The Writing Coach, I celebrate the…
The S-Word, or How to Meet Self-Imposed Deadlines
In my last article, I discussed one of the most common reasons aspiring authors have trouble meeting their deadlines. Far too often, they create unrealistic deadline they can’t possibly meet. The realism of deadlines, however, isn’t the only cause for missed deadlines. Sometimes the usual suspects of focus and discipline come in to play. Even…
Is This Why You Keep Missing Your Writing Deadlines?
Meeting self-imposed deadlines is challenging for most aspiring authors. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, especially given established and hugely successful authors are well-known to struggle with the same challenge. Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy, famously wrote, “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”…
Writing is NOT like Riding a Bike
I haven’t ridden a bicycle in years. All the same, I’m pretty sure if you handed me a shiny red 12-speed it wouldn’t take more then a couple seconds for me to get back into the riding groove. Some things are like that. I could pick up a guitar right now and play you Green Day’s “When I…
This One Simple Hack Will Double the Pace of Your Online Learning
I took my first online course almost a decade ago. I had decided I wanted to learn how to cook. In the process, I swiftly become obsessed with all things gastronomy. I read books about food, nutrition, and cooking. I subscribed to Food and Wine magazine, and I religiously watched the Food Network. It was my love…
Only One Way to Find Out — An Alternative to Annual Goal Setting
It’s the first week of 2018. When I opened my email inbox this morning, there were half-a-dozen emails promoting goal-setting programs for the coming year. I’m sure it was the same with you. I mean, it makes sense, right? The end of the year and the start of a new one is the perfect time…
