Category Archives: Writing Craft

One of the more difficult aspects of writing is carving out a regular time to write. It’s not enough to “free up time” or “squeeze…

Do you have a place where you write consistently? If not, this guide will help you create a focused environment so you can be at…

Those of us just starting out on our writing journeys can sometimes get bogged down by inner doubts. The worst critic is the one living…

Think you can’t write today? Have you got 5 minutes? Read more to learn how to make the 5 Minute Write work for you.

Having a writing plan will maximize your writing time and make you a better writer. Follow these four simple steps to become more effective and ensure you stay on target to accomplish your writing goals.

Now that you’re getting used to writing on a regular basis, you may start to see your own writing style develop. The second in our series of tips for beginning writers, we’ll take a look at your writing style and how to manage your work when it’s in progress.

You’re writing your first draft; we’ve all been there. You’re nervous, anxious, excited – maybe you have an outline, maybe you’re just winging it. Things are going well… but then, you find yourself starting to pause. Your momentum slows, your word count drops. You find yourself picking over details, spending agonizing moments bent over a Thesaurus. Maybe you find yourself researching the precise patterns available from the time period in your book. You heard a lecture about the importance of your opening scene and you’ve rewritten chapter 1 before you’ve found your ending.

This, my friend, is getting caught up in the lure of perfection. Here’s how you get out.

You’re excited to write. You talk about doing it. You make plans to do it. Trouble is, you’re not writing.

You’re not alone. Developing the discipline to write consistently can be tough, particularly when you are first starting out. Everything else seems to get in the way. Here’s how to get yourself on track when you find yourself procrastinating.

Where are you at 10:00am sharp on Saturday mornings? Sleeping in? Waking up? Waiting for brunch? I’m usually grabbing a seat at Mo Joe’s Cafe for a Shut Up & Write! marathon. Why you might ask? That first check-in.

I wrote this series a long time ago to share what I’ve learned. Since I’ve been writing regularly for quite a few years, I thought this would be fun to update. None of this advice is cut in stone and what works for me may not work for you. These are the three classic pieces of writing advice you may ever hear – here’s why they are probably the most important.