Do you need to change your work situation? Almost every day, I read something about a writer struggling to find time to write because of a difficult day job. Writers want to write, but after a full day at a demanding job, they face all sorts of barriers, from mentalContinue Reading
Do writers need hobbies? In 2009, researchers reported that engaging in enjoyable hobbies was associated with mental and physical health and well-being. Specifically, the more participants reported being involved in their hobbies, the lower their blood pressure, total cortisol (stress) levels, waist circumference, and body mass index, and the lowerContinue Reading
by Marc Graham I’ve studied a number of different philosophical and esoteric systems over the years, including Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, and Druidry. After my 23-and-Me revealed that I’m more Norse than Celtic, I turned my attention to the Old Norse Runes. During a roughly six-month period of meditating on the Runes,Continue Reading
Spend too much time away from writing, and it can be tough to get back into it. When you’re writing every day or at least every other day, you’re regularly working your creative muscles. Your brain learns how to deliver new ideas and gradually becomes more reliable at providing thoseContinue Reading
I had a dream to be the next Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the Wind), Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird), or J.D. Salinger (Catcher in the Rye). What do these three writers have in common? They wrote one spectacular novel and were able to live off the royalties for theContinue Reading
Are the time wasters in your life keeping you from reaching your writing goals? Don’t despair. No matter how efficient you may think you are, you probably have some time wasters lingering around your schedule. Find these and eliminate them, and you can free up 15, 30, or even 60Continue Reading
My biggest emotional challenge as a writer has always been balancing writing with the need to pay the bills. I grew up in a working-class family. My parents had little extra money. I knew from an early age that I’d have to work at a job that paid. And sinceContinue Reading
Have you made the “one decision” as a writer? For years, I worked on writing while in a state of indecision. I was committed. I stuck to a regular writing routine; read books, magazines, and online posts about craft; tore apart my stories to figure out structure; and hired aContinue Reading
Are you struggling to shed winter weight gain? The weather is finally warming up in my neck of the woods, and I’m feeling the urge to get up and do more things outside. With that urge comes the awareness that I’m a little more sluggish than I want to be.Continue Reading
by Jackie Johansen At its core, astrology is the study of nature. We are nature. As within so without. As above so below. Just as we know the moon affects the tides (and that we are also mostly water), our moods and physiology can be affected by the moon. TheContinue Reading
During tough times, it can be hard to stay motivated to write. All the bad news can drag you down, and if your routine’s been upended, it can be difficult to find or maintain any sort of writing rhythm. You don’t feel like writing, even when you have the time.Continue Reading
Laying out the book on Amazon was my biggest challenge. I used one of their templates and thought it would be easy just to flow the text through. Nope. The template had many quirks, such as the top margin changing unexpectedly on me. I spent hours on the phone withContinue Reading