Ah, critiques. Don't you love them? Exposing your book baby to someone else and watching them tear it apart piece by piece... Well, hopefully your critiques aren't actually like that (and if they are, come talk to me so I can give you a more constructive critique). But they are scary! It's hard to separate … Continue reading Looking at the Positives: Negative Feedback Isn’t All There Is
writing
How to Create Your Unique Writing Schedule
One of the biggest mistakes I see new writers make is trying to copy a famous author's writing schedule. They think that there's a surefire recipe to success - "just follow this formula and you'll become an overnight bestseller!" Sadly, there is no magical solution. Each writer must find their own path. For example, while … Continue reading How to Create Your Unique Writing Schedule
Reblog: Become a Better Speaker; Talk to Yourself by Tracy Meler
Ah meeting facilitation. It is an art form, it is. It is so much so that one of my goals this quarter is to publish an online course on meeting facilitation. There is plenty of advice out there on how to become a more confident speaker and presenter. The easiest and most accessible one to […] … Continue reading Reblog: Become a Better Speaker; Talk to Yourself by Tracy Meler
Roses
No. 36/100 flash fiction stories My office smells like roses. The moment you open the door, the smell hits you. It's as if the crimson flowers are scattered all throughout the room. But no - a single vase sits on my desk, a dozen red roses intermingled with baby's breath. Right now they're all opening up … Continue reading Roses
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book?
Books are scary things. Sure, they can be exciting, but they are a massive undertaking. Sometimes, they even have teeth (or at least it feels like they do). I don't know if you've ever been afraid of the book you're writing, but I know I have. In fact, it's the most common form of writer's … Continue reading Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book?
Talking It Out: It’s Okay to Need Help
Writing a book is a long, personal, fulfilling, and vulnerable project, to name just a few adjectives. It's such a big undertaking that it feels incredibly good to be able to claim, "I wrote a book all on my own." But even such a personal project was never meant to be tackled alone. It's easy … Continue reading Talking It Out: It’s Okay to Need Help
Reblog: Procrastination Binging, Anyone? How Learning to SWAT Helped Me by Pedagogical Thoughts
The second question* I ask my clients is “How often do you fight procrastination and it wins?” Many come to me, they say, for APA-editing, but often our discussions end up with them confessing that they are a “bad writer” because they procrastinate too much. After hearing my question, nearly every one pauses, then either […] … Continue reading Reblog: Procrastination Binging, Anyone? How Learning to SWAT Helped Me by Pedagogical Thoughts
Why Wicked Works: Behind the Musical that Captivates the World
If you've never heard of Wicked the musical, I'm sorry to tell you that you've been living under a rock. Though you probably won't hear your average Joe belting "Defying Gravity" out of nowhere anymore like you could a decade ago, Wicked is far from being forgotten. Just take my recent experience as an example. … Continue reading Why Wicked Works: Behind the Musical that Captivates the World
Renewed Energy: Putting Yourself in a Writing Mood
Habits are formed by doing things day after day, even if we don't necessarily feel like doing them. This includes writing. Making writing a daily (or almost daily - rest is important!) habit sometimes requires pounding out words even if they all feel like garbage. But sometimes, it's okay to put yourself in a "writing … Continue reading Renewed Energy: Putting Yourself in a Writing Mood
2 MORE Cheats That Instantly Fix a Scene
I wasn't lying to you the other week, I promise. Those "cheats" I talked about in my Friday post a couple of weeks ago really are the first ones I go to when I get stuck with a scene. But soon after writing that post, I realised that there are two more fixes I look … Continue reading 2 MORE Cheats That Instantly Fix a Scene
The Story Canvas 