Find the time to write, even when time is scarce.

If you are an adult human, chances are good that you are busy.

The fact for most of us is that in our technologically-enhanced, comparison-fraught, accomplishment-driven culture, we simply do not have enough time. What time we DO have we use like currency, doling it out to things we deem deserving, snatching it out of the grasp of things we don’t.

When we look at time through the lens of scarcity — i.e. there isn’t enough to go around — we quickly prioritize the things that we think are essential…

We all know that it’s important for writers to also be avid readers. But today I want to talk about what it means to study a book for certain structural elements or devices that the author used effectively.

There are three types of reading that a writer should do. One is reading for pleasure, which I strongly encourage you to do on a regular basis. The second is reading how-to books, or instructional books on the ins and outs of craft or publishing or the writing life. …

Writing can be hard. It can be lonely. It can feel unachievable. Here is a list of reasons why you should keep writing anyway.

Your story matters.

It matters because it is a snapshot of the human experience (yes, even sci-fi/fantasy/horror-monster stories!) These snapshots build a network of experiences through which readers and listeners are able to gain new awareness of the world. These new understandings lend themselves to empathy, to openness, to acceptance. And that will change the world.

Your story will affect someone.

Right now, there is one person out there who really, really needs your story to feel seen or less alone. …

What if I told you there was a strategy that would both keep you focused and save time as you write your story? Well, my friend, there is.

I wanted to title this article “begin with the end in mind,” one of Steven Covey’s trademarked 7 habits of Highly Effective People. But alas, that phrase was already taken. It’s all about setting goals, about deciding ahead of time who you want to be and what you want to do. It’s about being outcome-oriented.

Within the context of writing a single story, this phrase reminds me of the value of knowing…

Hopefully, if you are a writer, you are also a voracious reader. This is the most effective way to understand story and craft.

It’s also worth it for writers to consider why readers read, because then we can make decisions about who our ideal readers might be and what might draw them to our story. Are they looking to be entertained? Thrilled? Scared? Inspired? Are they looking to be informed, to learn to see things from another perspective?

Of course, there is no single answer…every reader is unique. And, unfortunately, there is no magic wand that will ensure every reader…

I think that most writers, especially those in the early stages of developing a writing life and/or career, probably think that the support comes once the work is mostly done, whether it’s in the form of an agent, editor, or publisher.

So, in other words, we have to have proven our worth as writers by getting to that point, before accepting help. This doesn’t make any sense to me and honestly, I think it’s damaging to writers. Despite the fact that we know it takes a village to bring a book to life, we continue to perpetuate the idea that…

My middle-grade novel was a mess.

I’d been writing in circles, creating a first draft that was decidedly not working. The problem was that I had two main characters who were alternating as narrators, and I couldn’t keep track of where their narratives intersected.

Well, okay, that was ONE problem. One of many.

I also hadn’t started out with any kind of plan. A scene had arrived in my mind, and I’d written it. Then I’d tried to flesh out the story around it. Who were these two kids? How did they get to this pivotal scene?

It was like…

You know how some books stick with you for years? Perhaps it was the shocking twist at the end, or the content resonated with something you were going through at the time. Books stay with us for all kinds of reasons. But no matter the reason, it was likely that you were hooked from the first page.

About ten years ago I read the novel The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint, by Brady Udall. While I don’t remember all of the details of the story, what has never left me is how the first paragraph grabbed me by the neck.

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