You are the average of the 10 people with whom you spend the most time. That’s right. So do an accounting right now… What friends, family members, and co-workers do you hang out with every day or week? Do you want to be more like them…or less? And do they help you succeed as a nonfiction writer? Let’s say, for…
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Writing can be challenging at times, especially when feeling overwhelmed by the size of a project, afraid of rejection, or unsure of your abilities. That’s when finding a positive writing role model proves helpful. Whether it be a favorite author, prolific blogger, or committed writing buddy, having someone to look up to, learn from, imitate, and glean inspiration from can…
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Write for your readers. Aspiring and published authors hear this advice more often than any other publishing wisdom. But no one warns that following this advice can dampen your passion for writing projects or leave you feeling creatively off course. Worse, it stops you from listening to your wise inner voice. When you lose your writing mojo or feel frustrated, hopeless,…
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If writing feels difficult, unpleasant, or slow, it’s time to refocus. After all, slogging through a writing project means you aren’t excited or passionate about the subject. But if you change the subject to one you are obsessed with, writing will feel easy and joyous, and you’ll write quickly. I know this is true. When I sit down to work…
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Deadlines are my friends. While many people despise them, I’ve cozied up to deadlines since I began getting published in high school. They inspire and motivate me while keeping me focused and productive. If you want to succeed as a writer, you need all those things—inspiration, motivation, focus, and productivity. I know this because I’m a journalist, blogger, and author,…
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Have you found yourself in a writing funk? You don’t have writer’s block, but writing feels hard, unpleasant, and a “should” on your to-do list. What’s up with that? After all, you love writing and dream of publishing your work, right? Yet, you just can’t get motivated or inspired to write, and when you do sit down at the computer,…
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If you are like most writers, I bet you’ve seen more than one ad or email that said, “Write that book already!” Or perhaps it promised, “You can write a book in a weekend!” In response, perhaps you thought, “Maybe someone else can write a book, but not me.” Or maybe you said, “Yeah, right. It’s impossible to write a…
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