This past weekend at WriteCamp 3 Milwaukee, a writer asked me what I thought was the most important trait for professional writers. I did not even need to think about my answer: persistence. Today on Online College, I read a post about famous, much-rejected authors. I already knew that... Read More
I frequently write about ways to combat writer’s block. One of my favorites: engage a different part of your brain. Though I am not an artist, I like doing art. When I shut down the computer and begin messing with beads, then the ideas begin to flow. Before I can... Read More
Before the advent of blogs, everyone wanted to write a book. Now writers blog in hopes that their online musings will lead to the big book contract. Many have. Julie Powell’s blog led to her book Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously and the movie Julie and Julia.... Read More
Writers, guess what? A new study suggests that the sedentary work life leads to obesity. Yup. A new study reports that 80 percent of today’s jobs require little or no physical activity, up from 50 percent in 1960. Because we sit at work, we are not burning 120-140 calories a... Read More
Are you thinking about starting a freelance writing business? Do you write and submit regularly but barely make enough money to buy toothpaste for your family? You need Kelly James-Enger’s book Six Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money. In the book, James-Enger offers solid advice to help writers... Read More
Earlier this month, I traveled to Texas to meet with coaching clients. As travel days go, I expected a fairly easy one. I’d hop on the plane just after 11 AM and arrive in Texas at 2:00 PM. Shortly after getting on the plane, the captain told us that there... Read More
As a reader, I often get bored by long descriptions of place. After pages of flowery language about the shape of the topography or the decorative style of a house, I will scream at my book: enough already! Still, in the best novels, the setting supports the story in an... Read More
Since I moved to Milwaukee in 1995, I’ve seen dozens of authors speak at local bookstores about their work. When people ask me how to learn more about writing and publishing without having to spend a lot of money, I encourage them to do two things: read and attend author... Read More