Straight talk from the sisters about blood, sweat and ink
A little over a year ago I wrote a post called How To Stay Motivated Without Deadlines or Money. In it are seven productivity tips (which I still follow today), but of course not one of them is “set my own deadlines.” Why? I explained: …this is my first time writing a novel and I …
Continue reading “Writers & Productivity: The 7 Deadly Do’s & Don’ts of Deadlines”
If we were having coffee, we wouldn’t be at my house. I don’t have a coffee machine or a French press or even instant coffee. My caffeine of choice is tea, and I have dozens of tasty varieties to choose from in my cupboard, but if you want coffee we’ll meet at one of the …
Continue reading “If We Were Having Coffee… (Writer Confessions)”
This is another installment in our “financial tips for writers” series. You can read our last post on crowdfunding here. This post features practical tips for winning grants and writer-in-residency scholarships. There are few revenue streams open to unpublished writers. Grants and fee wavers should be one of the first lines of inquiry for struggling …
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Like many writers, my new year’s resolutions revolve around being more productive during my writing time. And for some people, just setting their minds to this seems to make it happen. Not me! A few days into 2015, nothing had changed. I was still spending too much time daydreaming (a problem I blogged about here) …
Continue reading “Writers & Productivity: Do you need an Internet Blocker?”
If we were having coffee, I’d invite you into my garden. You’d pause, considering the wisdom of my offer, but I’d assure you that even though it’s January, I’m still (sadly) snow-free. Towering evergreen trees surround us and scent the air. I cut some camellia buds to decorate the patio table. Being a good host, …
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As we head into Week three of 2015, I’ve seen many writers talking about their yearly goals and most have included a publishing benchmark on the list. Some are looking to become the next big Indie success story and chasing that publishing dream may require more money than these writers initially expected. Believe it or …
Continue reading “6 Tips for Author Crowdfunding”
This year my family will take part in our first potlatch inspired celebration. The organizers intend the ceremony to teach everyone about the joys of giving back to the community. They also want us to remember it’s important to keep gently used items out of the landfills. Our donation will be a number of books …
Continue reading “5 Gifts Writers Should Give Away”
There are all kinds of cute ideas for what to get writers this holiday season. Writers Helping Writers has a whole Pinterest page full of them! Though I like slogan mugs and book cover necklaces, I don’t really need those things. Instead, in lieu of the usual knick-knacks and novelty presents, here are some practical, …
Continue reading “Writer Wish List: 7 Practical Gifts for the Starving Artist”
Persistence can be defined as the firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. It seems that whether you’re an aspiring writer, or one who’s well established, there is always self-doubt. Times when you feel that no one will love your story as much as you and your …
Continue reading “No Pain No Gain: Persistence in Selling Your Manuscript”
Ah, Black Friday. While all those around you are going shoulder to shoulder, standing in line, credit cards at the ready, or watching football, or cleaning up what was left of yesterday’s festivities, take a moment away from the maddening crowd to focus on how in the world you are going to keep that writing …
Continue reading “Where Do I Find Time To Write?”