Plan a Writing Staycation
Writing staycation? I have a romantic daydream that I like to revisit. In it, I’ve rented/borrowed a small cabin on a high Appalachian ridge. The only traffic is the mail carrier, who comes at two o’clock each day, and … Continued
Life-Changing Habits for Writers
What are the most life-changing habits for writers? This week, I was looking through photos on my desktop, trying to find a certain one. I came across a photo I took of my new year’s resolutions for 2010. … Continued
Best of 2019
Year’s end is always a time for reflection at Cole Smith Writes creative headquarters. (That’s code for my spare bedroom a.k.a. my office and where we keep all the extra quilts…) What did you love to read on the blog … Continued
Social Media Storytelling for Authors
Would you rather spend your writing time on your work in progress, or crafting copy for Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter? Is it frustrating to squeeze your brain cells for meaningful post descriptions and captions, only to be met by … Continued
Free Download: NaNoWriMo Journal Pages
Want some free, printable NaNoWriMo journal pages? If you’re anything like me, you know that NaNoWriMo can be a mirror that reflects your habits back to you. For example, I know that in the days leading up to … Continued
Free Printable Download: NaNoWriMo Bingo Game!
You started out with pure motivation. You knew you were going to win. You knew this would be the year. Then, two weeks into November, you hit the wall. The car broke down, the kids have the stomach bug, there’s … Continued
Why I’m not Doing NaNoWriMo This Year (But Maybe You Should!)
Want to know why I’m not doing NaNoWriMo this year? Let’s back up and start at the beginning… The first time I ever heard of NaNoWriMo, I was browsing MySpace. (You didn’t think I was going to back … Continued
Preptober: How to Set Up Your NaNoWriMo Writer’s Notebook
It’s Preptober, and that means the gears of your NaNoWriMo story are turning so hard your brain feels the heat of the friction! (At least that’s the way it is in my case. Come November? Those gears slow waaaay down … Continued
Back-to-School: How to Improve Your Writing Skills
Whether you’re a professional or a motivated amateur, all serious writers should be committed to growing and honing their writing skills. Easier said than done, though, right? Between crammed schedules, working full-time, and other family and community commitments, it can … Continued
Why a Clean Writing Desk Matters
Does a clean writing desk actually matter? I humbly but strongly hypothesize that it does. It’s funny, this is one of those topics that elicits a strong response. There seems to be no middle ground. Many experts and … Continued