How to Speak to a Crowd
You’ve booked a public appearance to promote your work! Fabulous!! But, wait–that means you have to speak. Erm, like, in front of people. Maybe lots of people. Yikes. If the dread has you fantasizing of calling off the whole thing, … Continued
3 Creativity-Boosting Exercises
People carry a lot of baggage about creativity. They either think, “Oh, I’m just not creative,” or, “I’m creative as heck so I can’t be bothered by things like ‘routines’.” Well, you know what, I’m not “a math person” (<–not … Continued
Get More Done with Time Blocking
I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of trouble getting things done when there are a *lot* of things! I’m usually writing a book, marketing a book, and working on the blog every week. This summer, I … Continued
3 Resources for Writing Contests and Grants
Do you have a finished piece of work that you’re ready to share, but not ready to send out for publication? The answer might be a writing contest! Competitions and grants can be great ways to get your work … Continued
How to Build Confidence as a Writer
Is it possible to build confidence as a writer? I don’t know about you, but I find it incredibly difficult to talk about my work. I can talk for hours on writing in general, but to speak about my … Continued
To Blog or Not to Blog?
In certain writing circles, there’s a debate about blogging. “To blog or not to blog?” Some argue for its merits, others say blogging robs time and resources from writing projects. Could I write more novels if I stopped dividing my … Continued
Back-to-School: Refocus Your Writing Routine!
Ah, back-to-school time. I greet it with mixed emotions, as do probably all school staff members. I love my school life, but I love my summer life, too! And I have different writing routines for both parts of the year. … Continued
Plan a Personal Retreat: Pay Attention to Details
You can take a personal retreat! What’s stopping you? We already brainstormed how to find the time and choose the right location. Now let’s pay attention to details! If this sounds totally contradictory to the spirit of a retreat, stay … Continued
Plan a Personal Retreat: Find the Place
Last week, we talked about how to plan a personal retreat. The first step is to find the time. This week, we’re throwing around ideas about location! Use your creativity to find the place that takes your breath away. No … Continued
Free Printable Self-Publishing Checklist!
I’d wanted to publish a novel for so long. And the year I finally did it, I had tunnel vision. I kept my eyes on my goal and paid little attention to whether anyone else thought it was possible. When … Continued