Don’t bulldoze your writing distractions – win one of mine!

I’m not a natural motivator. I will never do an impersonation of an army drill instructor and yell at you to sit your butt in front of your computer or drop and give me twenty. Why not? Because that’s not me. I’m not interested in having people yell at me, even if it’s online where… Continue reading Don’t bulldoze your writing distractions – win one of mine!

How do you know if you’re a good writer?

I remember very clearly the first time someone told me I was a good writer. I was nine or ten and had to write a biography about a person I admired. I chose my grandpa, a remarkable man in so many ways that would never earn him recognition outside his family. Loyal, kind, hard-working –… Continue reading How do you know if you’re a good writer?

4 tips to make the most of your research trip

This is the last post in a series I’ve done on visiting the real-life locations your story is set in. Last week I asked how well you thought you could write about a place you’ve never seen, and I gave nine reasons you should visit your setting if at all possible. Today I’m giving you… Continue reading 4 tips to make the most of your research trip

9 reasons to visit your real-life setting

Earlier this week, I asked how well you can describe a place you’ve never been to. In the comments, most people believed writers can describe real-life locations pretty well as long as their research is good enough. In general, I think that’s probably right. But it doesn’t all come down to research. It’s also a… Continue reading 9 reasons to visit your real-life setting