1. Use subheads. Subheads tell your reader what to expect, and they can help you stay on point, too, by functioning as content containers. Think of the content that falls under any given subhead as a substance going into a bucket. Maybe you have water, cornmeal, flour, etc., and goal is not to mix or have your substance spill out or flow over. These ingredients are your content. If you’re writing about dating, for instance, you might have a chapter about getting back into the scene after … [Read more...]
The Difference between Dusty Projects and “Emotion Pits”
February 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Many writers have a dream to finish a project that is in desperate need of oxygen, dying a slow death on some shelf or computer file. I’ve worked with lots of writers who don’t just have writing a book on their bucket list, but writing a particular book. People who fall into this category often either have experienced divine inspiration (they KNOW they have a good idea, and it’s just a matter of acting on it: FINISHING), or they’ve had a life–shaping or –altering experience that they feel called … [Read more...]
Write Your Book | Beginnings and Freewriting
February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Writers often tell me: “My book has been whispering in my ear for a long time. I finally decided to listen to it.” That’s what our stories do—they invite us in and invite us to listen. As we listen to that small voice, a yearning comes over us to write down our memories. After all, they are special to us, they have formed who we are. We ARE stories, we contain within us worlds of amazing adventures and soul stirring moments along with moments of heartbreak and soaring happiness. We have … [Read more...]
Unplug, disconnect, and disengage
February 16, 2012 By 1 Comment
I’ve written some about the creative payoff of disconnecting from Internet, email, and phone. We all know doing so creates space for creativity and productivity, but mostly we think of unplugging as something that would be nice, that we should do. We might even consider it a luxury. In fact, if you can make disconnecting part of your writing practice, you will find that it’s much more than a luxury. It’s an invaluable component of staying on track with your writing goals. One of the best … [Read more...]
