I’m learning to challenge my body by trying new exercises. So instead of just running every day, I am changing it up—cycling, taking yoga, and lifting weights. I’ve discovered that it also helps to challenge my writing muscles. Instead of writing the same thing day after day, I’ve been playing with new formats and...Read More

I’m thrilled to welcome one of my favorite Boswell Book Company‘s booksellers, Hannah Johnson-Breimeier, to the blog. She’s writing about one of my all-time favorite book categories: young adult fantasy with strong protagonists! Enjoy! Writers Read: Female Protagonists who Rock Fantasy Novels by Hannah Johnson-Breimeier I have always had a soft spot for fantasy written...Read More

A few weeks ago, certified professional speaker and author Mandi Stanley spoke to the Write Now! Mastermind class on how we can use enhance our writing careers by speaking. Today, I’m delighted to welcome to the blog Emmy-winning commentator Rick Horowitz on how to craft words that we need to speak! Enjoy!  “Say What?” Writing...Read More

When my friend, the brilliant writer and performer Elaine Blanchard, invited me to participate in “The Next Big Thing” blog roll project, I was delighted. I met Elaine at a writing conference back in the mid 2000s. We share a background of being clergy who have experienced challenge in the church. We also share a...Read More

I hope you were able to spring forward this past weekend without losing your writing momentum! If you’re struggling to organize yourself and your writing life, today’s tip talks about how to put together all of the tools we’ve been talking about over the past few weeks. It’s the sixth and final article in our...Read More

My 9th grade English teacher taught me to listen to and love the sound of words. She loved the way these words rolled off her tongue: “garage” and “gasoline.” Her favorite words conjured up memories of Saturday mornings at the gas station with my grandfather. I loved the free Sugar Daddy caramel pops they gave to...Read More

Today’s tip talks about how learning how to shift tasks is essential for writing. It’s the fifth article in our series on writing productivity based on the book Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life: Train Your Brain to Get More Done in Less Time by Paul Hammerness, M.D., Margaret Moore, and John Hane. The first...Read More

My children like to verbalize our dogs’ thoughts. As we ride in the car, they each give voice to one of the dogs, carrying on long conversations. Try it: Imagine what the animals in your novel have to say to each other. If your novel has no animals, imagine what your own animals are saying...Read More

Today’s tip talks about how improving your working memory is essential for writing. It’s the fourth article in our series on writing productivity based on the book Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life: Train Your Brain to Get More Done in Less Time by Paul Hammerness, M.D., Margaret Moore, and John Hane. The first three...Read More

I met Mandi Stanley this summer at the Mississippi Writer’s Guild Conference. She gave a brilliant talk on how to wow an audience. Immediately, I knew that my blog readers needed to hear her tips. Read on to learn her strategy for staying booked and join us on February 27, 2013 at 12:00 PM CT...Read More