Author Archive

How Professional Writers Get Unstuck

“If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to ­music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don’t just stick there scowling at the problem. But don’t make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people’s words will pour in where your lost
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How a Writer Gets Free of the Struggle

“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves in your heart–your stories, visions, memories, songs: your truth, your version of things, in your voice. That is really all you have to offer us, and it’s why you were born.” – Anne Lamott   What terrifies you? It can seem
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Nope, Writing Is Still NOT About Creativity

“We are about contribution. That’s what our job is. It’s not about impressing people. It’s not about getting the next job. It’s about contributing something.” – Benjamin Zander   What’s different about a book is far less important than what’s the same. Conventional wisdom holds that all true artists abhor convention and delivering what’s expected. They’re just too creative for
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How Embracing Pain Can Prevent Jerkitude

I’m special. I know you’re wondering how I know. But I’ve always known, crazy as that sounds. In fact, I suspect most people who haven’t experienced big, deep pain probably agree with this. And anyone who has experienced a massive life event that brought them deep pain, they’ll probably confirm it: Not suffering pain makes you special. Since life inevitably
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Why Writers Never Have to Worry about Failure

They always say write what you know. And what I know best is not my few successes, but my endless failures. Oh, I’m a failer. I fail! Over and over. Stick around long enough and you’ll get to see it! Or just wait a few seconds. And I’ve been doing this editing thing for the better part of 20 years,
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