My biggest challenge has always been that I’m not patient enough. I used to write fast and put it out fast. And the feedback every time was very clear—‘I rushed my work’, ‘I didn’t develop my characters as much as I could have’, and I knew they were right. IContinue Reading
by Gail Marlene Schwartz As a six-year-old, my parents forced me to see a therapist, Dr. Solky. I hated it and I hated him. When Dr. Solky would peek his head into the waiting room to call my name, my mother would literally drag me into his office kicking andContinue Reading
I recently discovered that ProWritingAid can save you money when editing your book. As a hybrid writer, I was thrilled with this discovery. In the past, I’ve paid for a human to complete both the copy edit and a final proofread. (Usually two different people.) That’s a significant investment, butContinue Reading
by Michael Eon The idea for my debut novel, These Things Happen, began years ago when I was in early recovery from active alcoholism. I had become a member of Alcoholics Anonymous and had stopped drinking, but had yet to do anything more for my recovery outside of not drinkingContinue Reading
Welcome to the Writing and Wellness annual “writing quotes” round-up! Below you’ll find the best quotes from the authors featured on the site this year. This is the ninth year I’ve put these together. They’ve all been popular posts and I love how they capture certain overarching themes in theContinue Reading
I feel so excited while I’m writing, but when it comes time to share my work, I freeze. I’ve had to get over that, but rejection is difficult for me, as it is for a lot of writers. What Helps Me Deal with Rejection Rejection hasn’t stopped me, but I’veContinue Reading
Natalie Hanemann, a long-time editor, helps writers identify common editing mistakes. by Natalie Hanemann When a professional author or editor reviews a piece with wordy sentences, poor grammar usage, or typos, it sends a message: you’re a sloppy writer. With so many writers in the world, competition is stiff. Don’tContinue Reading
I’ve been a freelance writer now for over 25 years, and I’ve discovered a couple things: this life is definitely not for everyone, but it’s a great life if you’re the right kind of person. I’ve talked to some writers who went freelance for a while and then went backContinue Reading
You know you’re supposed to be working on it—your author platform. If you’re like most writers, the word “platform” brings up visions of soul-draining promotional activities that most of us wish we could pawn off on a full-time publicity department. But the reality is that we’re usually “stuck” tackling thisContinue Reading
Do you regularly experience writing fears? You know, like fear of failure, rejection, writer’s block, not being good enough, etc. If so, congratulations! You’re perfectly normal. But during this Halloween season, let me warn you—your writing fears will prevent you from reaching your goals if you let them. They’ll distractContinue Reading
If you’re interested in food writing, check out freelance writer Elizabeth’s story. by Elizabeth Ann Quirino I have always worked as a writer. As soon as I graduated from college with a degree in BA Communication Arts from St. Paul University (Manila, Philippines), I worked as a copywriter for anContinue Reading
The biggest emotional challenge for me has been self-doubt. It took me SO LONG to give myself permission to write the book of my heart. I have been in love with words and the effects of words all my life. Every book I’ve ever loved made me want to createContinue Reading