Category Archives for Writing

How to Make Time to Write

If you’re anything like me, then you’re constantly running around with a long list of things to do.

Right smack dab in the middle of that list is:

“Write that thing you’ve been meaning to write.”

Whether it’s a novel, blog post, script, or poem, we all have that one project that’s collecting dust. But the fact of the matter is, we simply don’t have the time.Continue reading

Get Rid of “Is It Possible” and Other Unnecessary Permission Asks

I was writing an email the other day and having difficulty putting into words exactly what I wanted to say. Does that ever happen to you?

I wanted to make a strong, clear point, but I also didn’t want to offend the receiver. So I found myself typing out phrases like “I just feel like…” and “don’t be offended, but…” in every paragraph.

When I completed my email I gave it a final readthrough, and needless to say, it was not my best literary work of art.Continue reading

Be Nice to Your Reader

As writers, we should always be careful when making assumptions about the comprehension of our readers.

One of the first lessons any composition student learns is the importance of considering his or her audience. Who are they? What level of knowledge and comprehension are they bringing to their reading of your work?

When we ask ourselves to identify this hypothetical reader, we start by making our own, sometimes faulty, assumptions. Broadly speaking, these assumptions pertain to our readers’ abilities, which are typically assessed in terms of their level of education and their specialization in skills and knowledge.Continue reading

5 Ways To Maintain Your Motivation With Writing

You’re at the point where you really want to do this. You’re going to write as much as you can. You’re going to be an author whose genius is revealed through what you produce.

For about six months you dive voraciously into your work.

Then something happens. Where did all your motivation go? Sapped. The grand idea you once had now seems absurd or insurmountable. It’s not just writer’s block. It’s a lack of motivation to sit down and do work.Continue reading