When you’re not sure your story will work, it’s easy to assume that uncertainty means something is wrong with the story. There’s a moment in almost every book where the writer gets scared for a very good reason. They’re not sure it’s going to work. And that’s a moment whenContinue Reading
Your dream book may be the very thing keeping you from writing the real one. The most dangerous version of your book may be the beautiful one in your head. The book in your head is like a snow globe. You can hold it up and see the whole worldContinue Reading
When writing becomes a lifeline, it starts to mean something deeper than sales, recognition, or whatever rung you thought you were supposed to be climbing next. I was listening to a Tom Jones interview the other day, and it really stayed with me. My mom used to play his recordsContinue Reading
Third person self-talk may sound a little ridiculous at first, but I’m going to tell you why I use it and why I think it could help you, too. When I was working on my novel, The Beached Ones, I soon figured out that my main character was a motorcycleContinue Reading
Is your inner critic holding you back? Picture this. There’s a baby in the living room. She’s a little unsteady, but she does that brave baby thing. She pulls herself up, takes two wobbly steps, and then — boom — falls right back down. Now, imagine this. Instead of everybodyContinue Reading
Self-doubt can feel like just another miserable part of writing, but in my experience, it often becomes far more dangerous than that. That’s because it tends to show up at the exact moments that matter most in your writing life. And if you don’t recognize it for what it is,Continue Reading
Most of us have this fantasy around famous author confidence. We think, One day I’ll sign that contract, I’ll see my book in bookstores, and then I’ll finally feel like a real writer. We think success creates the confidence. But brain science suggests it often works the other way around.Continue Reading
Do you ever have that sinking fear that you’re going to pour years of your life into your writing only to get absolutely nothing in return? No sales. No awards. No readers. Just wasted time. Maybe you worry that the publishing industry is just too saturated right now, or thatContinue Reading
If you’ve ever secretly believed that writing should be easy, that could be the reason you’re struggling. Somewhere along the way, you were probably told that writing should feel effortless, that if you were really a writer, the words would come easily. But that belief is a lie, and it’sContinue Reading
“Believe in yourself” sounds like writing advice that should help, and yet for a lot of writers, it lands like a shrug. How many times have you heard this: You just have to believe in yourself. As if writing success is that simple. So you try. You tell yourself youContinue Reading
Are you experiencing joy in your writing life? What if the way you feel about your writing life right now—whether it feels like an uphill battle or a deep source of joy—wasn’t just the result of your schedule, your discipline, or your latest Amazon ranking? What if it all cameContinue Reading
Are you struggling with a writing identity crisis? Sit with a group of writers long enough and you’ll start to hear certain phrases over and over again. “I wish I were more disciplined.” “I keep getting in my own way.” “I want to write—I really do—but I just can’t seemContinue Reading