I wasn’t going to do NaNoWriMo this year … but alas, I can’t seem to stay away! There’s something addicting about the frenzied dash for 50,000 words that has me getting up early and pounding through pages. How is everyone else’s NaNoWriMo novels coming along? We’ve made it to that second week stretch … but…
Two articles really hit a nerve with me this week. They’re completely different, and yet they both tango with the subject of failure and feeling alone in this big noisy world. They’re worth your time. I’m Broken. Do you ever feel like you’re alone? So. Damn. Alone. We’re surrounded by people, and yet the broken pieces of…
By Helen Calder Many people believe that when you work for yourself as a freelance writer you get a wealth of benefits from being your own boss. Picking your own working hours and effectively choosing your workload are undoubtedly perks of the job, but there are also major inconveniences when it comes to working for…
There’s a famous quote by Ray Bradbury about facing your writing fears. It goes like this: “You’ve got to jump off a cliff and build your wings on the way down.” – Ray Bradbury I first heard this quote from author Libba Bray in a wonderful lecture she gave at an SCBWI conference about bravery and the…
I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half of the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me, and I will be able to do them quickly…
Two weeks ago I mentioned the online Self-Publishing Success Summit that was being broadcast for free through Chandler Bolt’s Self-Publishing School. I hunkered down and listened to as many of these interviews as I could while they were free, and I found myself extremely inspired! Not only was it interesting to learn about how self-publishing works, but there were…
One of the number one complaints I hear from writers is that there’s never enough time to write. We all want to write, but somehow we never manage to get our butts in our chairs, or our fingers on the keyboard. Why not? What’s stopping us? We have bad habits. Well, it’s time to get back on…
Have you ever thought about self-publishing? Is publishing your own books an idea that’s been lingering in the back of your mind? Are you curious how people actually make money self-publishing? If self-publishing intrigues you at all, there’s a super cool event happening right now that you’ll want to check out! It’s the Self-Publishing Success Summit. The…
When you see an author with a new book out you probably think: “Damn, that person has made it! They have a published book!” Of course getting a book published is a huge accomplishment. And in many ways the author is a success story, having accomplished a life-long dream. But that’s not the whole picture….
by Helen Calder Writing is primarily a lone and sedentary profession and so it is very important to work in a space from which you can feel comfortable, productive, relaxed and inspired. Many writers find themselves stealing moments at the kitchen table or (with the rise of technology) on the move. But having a grounded and…