One of the most important activities I do to increase my writing productivity which doesn’t initially appear to have anything to do with writing is to take a morning walk. Before I turn on the computer, sit down to write, or do any other writing activity, I go outside to walk. While it may not …
For all those who are planning to participate in the National Novel Writing Month challenge in November, you may want to try a warm-up word count challenge with me in October. For anyone who isn’t, but who wants to increase the amount of writing they’re producing, there’s no better time to begin than at this …
I once had a writer friend whose entire writing routine was comprised of “rules” he’d learned from successful authors. He got up early to write because that’s what the successful authors did. He outlined on index cards because he’d read somewhere that certain successful authors did it that way. He used a certain kind of …
It’s funny that a profession that often prides itself on telling the truth offers so many opportunities to lie. Journalists often claim to pursue the truth at all costs. Fiction writers spout off about finding “the truth” in their stories. Almost every kind of writer espouses some sort of devotion to the truth. Yet every …
This is a question we get from time to time. There are instances when you’re given an assignment, not by word count, but assigned by the number of pages. For example, “Write a paper four pages long.” If you get an assignment to write four pages, one of the first questions that will likely come to mind …
A writer’s retreat can be a rewarding experience. It gives you a chance to get away from your everyday distractions and really get some work done. It can also give you a chance to experience a new location and meet new people. (Note the difference between a retreat and a conference: A conference will have …
When people find out that I’m a freelance writer, one of the first things they want to know is, “How did you get into that?” Sometimes it’s just passing curiosity. Other times they want to know because they aspire to quit working for “the man” and go out on their own and writing seems like …
Writing doesn’t suffer from quite the same age bias as other media occupations, but there is sometimes a tendency to favor younger writers over older writers. Why? Because younger writers are viewed as having a longer career ahead of them (which means more money for the publisher). Also, the sad truth is that younger writers …
Many freelance writers work or have worked for a content mill at some point. Many have regretted the experience. Content mills are websites devoted to posting tons of articles on almost every subject imaginable (and some that aren’t, see number six, below). Quality standards vary and most pay very little for the work required. While …
Ever notice how you tend to deal with things that have a due date or an expiration date (and a punishment for missing that date) first while you let other things slide? You read your library books before the books from your own collection because they’re due on a certain date. If you don’t return …
