Category: motivation

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    Why do you write? I just want to publish novels and entertain people. I know that sounds pretentious, but it’s true. I have not subscribed to making money by writing books. It happens to some writers, but I don’t have time to waste on pipedreams. The danger of chasing the “blockbuster novel” dream is not…

  • A Three Hour Writing Course That’s Worth Your Time

    A Three Hour Writing Course That’s Worth Your Time

    Beware: the following sounds like like a commercial, but it’s only because I liked the “product” so much. Now that I’m wrapping up the second draft of my WIP, I wanted to share my thoughts about an online course I took called Write a Bestselling Novel in 15 Steps, which I’ll refer to as WABNI15S…

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    A couple weeks ago, I shared some tips on how I trick myself into writing. One of those tips was to print out your manuscript and put it in a binder. Having tangible evidence of your hard work can be motivational. But what format should you print it out in? The first link in today’s…

  • Don’t Be Afraid. Don’t Be Very Afraid.

    Don’t Be Afraid. Don’t Be Very Afraid.

    Ever since Jeff Goldblum’s character uttered those words in the 1986 film The Fly, he has inspired people to use them in a humorous but sincere way to express anxiety about a current situation. That includes many aspiring writers I see on social media who are afraid “their WIP will not be well received. I…

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    I’ve been the victim of a writing group troll. I didn’t even want to read my rough draft. Then he proceeded to tear it apart. I understood why there was another writing group that had broken off from his and why they didn’t include him. I wish I hadn’t let it discourage me. But that…

  • How I Trick Myself into Writing

    How I Trick Myself into Writing

    Even though I love my Work In Progress (WIP), sometimes I need a little motivation. Recently, just for fun, I printed out the full manuscript of the second draft of my WIP. I couldn’t believe how tall the stack of pages turned out to be. I had only worked on my WIP digitally. I had…

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    Some articles on fiction writing: How to Stop Procrastinating and Keep Writing 5 Essential Hero’s Journey Themes and Symbolic Archetypes That Will Thrill Your Readers Write On: 27 of the Best Books on Writing Pace Your Prose — Three Thoughts on Timing World Building in Epic Fantasy

  • Friday’s Findings

    Friday’s Findings

    Writers helping others is a great way to improve your fiction writing skills. Here are five articles by writers on the writing craft: Five Self-Publishing Mistakes You Need To Avoid Nobody Is Going to Teach You How to Write 5 Ways to Develop Character Voices 26 Things to Remember About Being a Writer Your writing…

  • It’s Never Too Late

    It’s Never Too Late