How to write a character arc that readers will believe? Make sure your character resists change! Imagine Simba from The Lion King eating bugs in the jungle when suddenly he thinks, “You know what? My father’s death wasn’t my fault. Great. I guess I’ll go home.” It sounds silly, but IContinue Reading
The emotional writing life can feel like a very high rollercoaster. One week you get a great review and you feel on top of the world, like maybe this writing thing is finally working. The next week you get a one-star review, sales dip, and suddenly you’re questioning everything. HighContinue Reading
Writing seasons show up in every writer’s life, and the sooner you recognize them, the easier it gets to keep going without beating yourself up. I’ve been writing for over twenty-five years, and publishing books for more than a decade. Over and over, I see the same pattern: progress comesContinue Reading
As a writer, you probably want to do everything you can to market your book. So you post about it, run a few ads, and announce when it launches. But after that? Well, it can get confusing. You want to continue marketing, but you may also worry about turning yourContinue Reading
Have you gone through periods where writing feels exhausting? Maybe you wrote a deeply personal essay, tackled a brutal scene, or spent an hour second-guessing every word you typed. You were proud of what you accomplished, but walked away feeling wiped out. Writing is more than just putting words onContinue Reading
When you wake up in the middle of the night, do you have trouble going back to sleep? If this happens now and then, it’s no big deal. But if it starts happening frequently, your health may suffer. There’s an actual name for it: middle-of-the-night insomnia. Or middle insomnia. Cute,Continue Reading
As a writer, you may find that you have to prove yourself over and over again. For years. Probably for your entire career. This can be discouraging, particularly after you’ve been writing for a while. I know what I’m doing, you think. I’ve paid my dues. Shouldn’t it get easierContinue Reading
How do you stay healthy while writing? It’s not easy. I’m a full-time health and wellness writer and even I struggle with it. There’s no doubt that spending a lot of time at the computer—which most writers do—is horrible for your health. It leads to all sorts of problems, includingContinue Reading
As a writer, you may find it hard to give yourself permission to do some of the things that you need to do to maintain your writing progress and creativity. I’m not sure why this is. But I know I have to remind myself sometimes that it’s “okay” to followContinue Reading
Acting vs. reacting: What are you more likely to do in your writing career? If you’re like most writers, you’re spending far too much time reacting and not enough acting. Here’s the difference, and how you can start acting to create much more success for yourself. Acting Vs. Reacting forContinue Reading
With Father’s Day coming up soon, I was thinking about the many things I learned from my dad when I was growing up. One of thirteen kids, he quit school early to get a job and help support his family. Later, he enlisted in the Marines and served overseas inContinue Reading
Where were you as a writer 10 years ago? What was important to you then? And how does it compare to what’s important to you now? I got to thinking about this the other day after watching a TED talk by Dan Gilbert called “The Psychology of Your Future Self.”Continue Reading