The Path to Success, or This is a Lie
People often ask me how I got to be so successful. I’m the author of seven books and I run a profitable coaching business, so folks are naturally curious to know my path to success. Here’s the answer… I’m successful because I was born into a wealthy and highly regarded family. I was raised by a…
Why Writers Need to Count Words, NOT Pages
Early on in my relationship with a new coaching client – often as early as our initial consultation call – I’ll ask about the targeted total word count for their manuscript. Often the response I get is something along the lines of, “Oh, I don’t think in terms of word count. I just want the…
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…
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…
Goodbye, Catherine Brunelle — The Writing Coach 058
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. In episode #58 of The Writing Coach podcast, I say goodbye to my friend and collaborator, Catherine Brunelle. The Writing Coach is brought to you by: Click…
