“A person who chases two rabbits catches neither.” ~ Confucious I DON’T KNOW if my brain has become more scattered over time, or if it’s a result of too much digital communication and attempted multitasking, but it sure seems more challenging than ever to get focused when I sit […]
HERE WE ARE AGAIN. It’s the start of a new year and it’s time to establish your new year’s writing goals. Everyone knows that writing is an addictive habit that, once firmly established, takes over your life. It’s also the gateway to even darker habits, like self-publishing and buying pay-per-click […]
ON THE FIRST of each year, I set aside several hours for reflection before setting my goals for the year. This time of reflection is a grounding ritual I’ve come to love and rely on, as it allows me to perform a “reset.” By reset, I mean that I evaluate […]
This is Part 3 of an exploration of Atomic Habits, by James Clear, and how habits change the way we think and perceive ourselves to be. How they can make or break our ability to succeed. And, in particular, how we can apply these principles to our writing life. If […]
This is Part 2 of an exploration of the new book, Atomic Habits, by James Clear and how habits change the way you think and who you perceive yourself to be. In Part 1, I provided an introduction to Atomic Habits and the reasons that our habits, desirable or undesirable, […]
A MONTH OR SO AGO, I discovered a book that has forever changed how I think about goals and the way I attain them. Two years ago, I wrote a 15-part series titled “Your Best Writing Year Yet!” in which I detailed the methods and tips I have found useful […]
I’VE BEEN THINKING BACK (a sometimes dangerous thing to do) — journaling and reflecting on the activities, achievements, and failures of this past year — in fact, this past decade. After all, what better time to look back with perfect hindsight than year 2020 — a number that doubles as […]
“We build our character from the bricks of habit we pile up day by day.” Zig Ziglar When people ask me about my writing habits and hear that I write every day, they sometimes say, “Oh, I could NEVER do that.” As if it were a choice. But the truth […]
DO YOU STRUGGLE with getting started or maintaining a regular writing practice? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Clients, students, and readers often reach out to me because they’re having difficulty sustaining a regular writing schedule. And, just like maintaining an exercise program, once they’ve fallen out of practice, getting […]
LIFE IS FULL of endings and beginnings, each both exciting and bittersweet in its own way. This is why we so widely celebrate the turning of a calendar year — the date itself might be arbitrary, but the beginning of a new year is important to us because of what it […]
“Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak.” ~Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati WHEN YOU SIT DOWN TO WRITE, do you struggle with lack of focus and creativity? Are you easily distracted by external stimuli? Have trouble clearly envisioning that scene you are trying to write? If so, you’re not alone. […]
SO YOU STARTED THE YEAR OUT STRONG. You created your big rock goals, developed an action plan for accomplishing those goals and scheduled time on your calendar. You review your plan frequently to keep yourself motivated. Sure, you’re not perfect, but you’re making progress, and that’s what counts. In fact, […]
