You’re likely aware of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.” The poem ends with the famous line “I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.” Nice idea. The problem is that the narrator of the poem knows full well the path he took was “worn really about […]
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 […]
Reading the right books can help you become a better, more successful writer, but where to start!? I’ve been an avid reader of books for writers a long time now, and it’s a topic I’ve written about in the past. But as I keep reading more books in this genre, I expand and refine my […]
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 […]
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 […]
I’ve been writing down and pursuing goals for about five years and have seen some wonderful results, including: Running my first triathlon Losing 50 pounds Starting my own business and transitioning to fulltime self-employment Becoming someone who prays and meditates regularly The list goes on. But my list of goals achieved is, of course, not […]
I could simply give you a list of my favorite books on writing, but where’s the fun in that?! I thought it would be more fun to guide you to the one that is most likely to help you based on what you’re looking for. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to what is likely the first […]
