Writing is emotional work in that people can respond to what you write in a way that actually hurts. This is worth pondering for a minute. Other kinds of work like, say, washing dishes or taking out the trash, are not the same. Sure, someone might point out a bit you missed on a plate, […]
Running is a great metaphor for a lot of things, especially writing. As a writing coach who’s training for my first marathon (Chicago Marathon 2022, baby!), I see parallels all over the place. Often it can be helpful to get a fresh perspective on our writing lives, and I think running offers some really helpful […]
We think a lot about beginnings and endings. Beginnings often come with a rush of excitement that tends to overwhelm the also attendant anxiety. Endings are when we look back. We celebrate the wins, course-correct for losses, and look to a new beginning. Endings come with a sense of closure and finality. But what about […]
Blogging is a great way for writers to build an audience, but how do you get people to pay attention to your posts? There’s nothing more demoralizing than working for hours on a post only to hear crickets after hitting “publish.” Having blogged professionally for five years now, I’d like to offer my top seven […]
I rarely get eater’s block. If I want something to eat, it doesn’t take long to satisfy the urge. That’s because my family keeps a grocery list. Whenever or just before we run out of an item, we write it on the list. Then once or twice a week, one of us goes out to […]
A couple weeks ago I took my son downhill skiing for the first time. Everything went really well, and after five hours of skiing, the perfect way to cap off our adventure, I thought, would be two piping hot cups of hot chocolate. After returning our equipment, I asked one of the rental staff employees, […]
Recently I heard from a writer who said, “I feel like I get so bogged down with building a platform, I don’t have time to write!” That’s the cry of so many writers I’ve worked with. Here’s another one: “I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels. I forget why I got into this in […]
Blog reader Ryan Atkins from Flat on My Back recently emailed this question about platform: “In a recent post of yours, you mentioned having at least 1,000 email subscribers before moving forward with publishing. This was surprising to me as I had assumed differently after hearing much higher numbers from query rejections last year. After […]
Writing a book proposal and landing a book deal is hard work, but it can be done. I recently sat down for a video call with writer, spiritual director, and speaker Brian Plachta about his journey from a small platform to a landing a book deal. We talked about: how Brian pushed through his fear […]
I won’t lie to you or sugarcoat things. Working for yourself can be a bear at times. Now that I’m a full-time blogger and coach, I have the pressure of generating enough revenue for my family to live on. That can be tough, especially considering how much my soon-to-be 13-year-old son eats! ? In all […]
