There’s only one day each year marked on the calendar for giving thanks. How about we spend a few hours appreciating the wonderful opportunities writing brings to our lives? All who take pen in hand, or set fingers to keyboard, have something to celebrate. Not everyone has been blessed with the itch of inspiration that […]
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Motivation Part 3: How do You Want to Feel?
This is the final installment in my “motivation” series. Here’s part one. And part two. Now that you’ve defined your life motivation, and discovered how that shaped the motivation for your career as a writer, how do you want to feel about that career? I mean, do you wish to bask in the accolades […]
Motivation Part 2: The “Why” That Shapes Your Life
Last week I wrote about finding your core motivation for getting out of bed every morning. Now I want build upon that and find the motivation that drives you to write. That’s right. Why do you write? There are as many reasons to write as there are writers. Some write for fame and fortune. Some, […]
Motivation: What Drives You From Your Bed
I was talking to a friend about procrastination when she asked, “What motivates you?” Wow. I had to stop for a moment as I processed that question. In my mind, a dozen paths unfurled, mapping the motivations that drive different parts of my life. Even as I contemplate what motivates me to write, I realize […]
Putting Writers on Notice: What’s Going On?
Have you noticed what’s going on around you lately? It’s fall. What are your characters doing that shows your reader the change in season? Are you still sheltering your hero within the walls of his office and home so the reader has no idea where he lives, or what’s going on in his life? Or […]
Writers Have Superpowers
I truly celebrate the superpowers of writers. Specifically, writers have the power to shape words into tools to create change in the world, to influence attitudes, and to encourage specific behavior. I’ve always believed that the power of words can transform lives. Let’s talk about the writer’s superpower to promote women’s health through self-breast exams […]
Where in the World Are Your Characters? Setting the Scene
I’ve read and edited at least a dozen stories lately in which the author fails to reveal where the story takes place. Each of the stories could have been happening anywhere, given the lack of specific detail. It sounds unimportant. However, knowing where a story takes place creates a deeper understanding of the character’s actions, […]
Remembering For Those Who Will Never Know You
One of my local writer friends has been working on a series of articles about finding your ancestors through the ever-growing list genealogy tools available online. Another writer friend is reliving her life as a missionary as she writes her memoir. She’s depending on her memory and on notes made during her years overseas. For […]
Good News and Fascinating Tribute
Good news first, right? And good news last, today. Madavor Media has acquired The Writer magazine. Just a couple of weeks ago I wrote about Kalmbach Publishing looking for a buyer for the 125 year-old magazine. In a surprisingly short time, the deal was struck, and the print magazine will carry on. Madavor intends to […]
Writing in Your Perfect Time
There are innumerable opinions on the perfect time to write. Some say it’s best to rise early in the morning and crank out a few pages before the world and your family wakes. There are those who write in the middle of the day, sneaking moments during their lunch break, or the baby’s nap to add […]