Taking Ownership of an Idea – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
As the lead judge for one of the world’s largest writing contests, I read a lot of stories. Very seldom do I see a completely unique concept for a tale. For example, I see a lot of stories that have vampires or werewolves or superheroes in them. I see tales about interstellar races, cloning, haunted […]
Beating Writer’s Block – NaNoWroMo Daily Writing Tips
Many writers never have a problem with writer’s block, and so we sometimes say, “There’s no such thing.” But that’s not quite right. The truth is, there are various reasons why people feel “blocked,” which makes it hard sometimes to figure out why a writer is having problems. Here are the most common reasons for […]
Keeping it Fresh – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
When you’re writing a long novel, sometimes as a writer you feel that you are getting stuck in a rut, that your prose has become repetitious, so it is important to find little ways to vary your work. Most often, writing teachers will suggest that authors write sentences or paragraphs (or even chapters) of varying […]
Installing a New Habit – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
Humans are creatures of habit. We learn how to do a thing—such as drive a car—and then put ourselves on autopilot. We don’t have to consciously think about “How do I start this thing? How do I use a turn signal? Am I giving it enough gas?” We just hop in and go. As a […]
Taking It Slow – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
Several years ago, I read that over a quarter of a million people participate in NaNoWriMo each year, yet it seems to me that the program has a questionable record. How many good novels come out of it? The answer I think is, “Far fewer than there should be.” Don’t get me wrong. I’m a […]
Provide Your Own Inspiration – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
Several years ago I visited the Salt Lake Comic Con. In one panel, I was asked, “Who inspired you to become a writer.” I’ve been asked that question many times before, so I knew the answer, but before I could speak up, I had a realization: More than anyone else, I inspired myself. Let me […]
Motivation Vs. Habit – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
On the door at my gym, someone hung a sign that says, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit keeps you going.” I began working out regularly about 20 years ago. Since then, I’ve dropped about 75 pounds, and I’ve run or walked something in neighborhood of 22,000 miles. I can’t even imagine how much […]
Silk Road Takedown is Officially Released, plus Writing Openings with Promise
Silk Road Takedown has been a project of Curtis Green, myself, and Diann Thornley Read for the past several months, researching and editing Curtis Green’s personal story of Silk Road and what it took to bring it down. Here’s the book blurb: In 2011, the Silk Road website was set up on the Dark Web in […]
Take Courage – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
As a writer, are you willing to take the steps that you need to, in order to succeed? During a visit with my nephew, who works as a very successful physical therapist, he said, “You know, I often have people ask me how to become a physical therapist, and so I tell them, but no […]
Finding Courage to Dream Big – NaNoWriMo Daily Writing Tips
“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf You may not realize it, but as writers we are all on the same journey. We all start as “wannabes,” hoping to amaze audiences with our eloquence and powerful tales, and so we set out on a quest to […]