This is the time of year for the winter blues. You’re dragging yourself through your workday. You’re dreading your exercise routines. You’re sleeping in on weekends until noon. And you’ve got a deadly craving for frosted brownies. Worst of all, you’re writing has slowed down. Maybe you’re struggling more thanContinue Reading
Interviewer: You’ve acknowledged that as writers, we all have moments when we think what we’re working on is crap. Author Harlan Coben (Caught, Long Lost, and Hold Tight): Always. Every writer has that, if they’re worth anything. I don’t think it matters if you’re a writer, musician, new mom, orContinue Reading
What does a writer feel when tackling a new project? Excitement? Yep. Challenge? Definitely. Enjoyment? Absolutely. But there’s something else that’s a little harder to admit to. I think most writers with at least one novel under their belts will know what I’m talking about. What are we feeling here?Continue Reading
In my own struggle to do the work I’m compelled to do, I’m often reminded of the idea that we must “battle our own demons.” American novelist and screenwriter William Goldman once said, “…the haunting Demon never leaves you, that Demon being the knowledge of your own terrible limitations, yourContinue Reading
In looking over the many author features here on Writing and Wellness, I’ve noticed one thing that keeps coming up again and again. Have you seen it? On Friday, May 2, 2014, I read Steven Pressfield’s latest blog. There it was again. Even this former Marine and hugely successful authorContinue Reading
Writing vs. having written—which do you prefer? I’ve heard colleagues say writing is difficult and painful, while “having written” brings achievement, elation, pride. “I asked a Hamline workshop once how many of them actually liked to write and most of them preferred having written: the pride in finishing, the appearanceContinue Reading
If Peyton Manning can fail and fail BIG in front of an estimated 108-plus million people and still come out confident and self-assured, what do you and I have to fear?
Anything worthwhile presents obstacles—how will you overcome them?
What Tom Petty said was true—waiting is hard. And sometimes life can seem like one big long line. Waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Right. Waiting for your ship to come in, your dreams to come true, or your luck to turn around. If you’ve started down a new road, youContinue Reading
I really admire the writing of Bill Kenower, Editor-in-Chief of “Author” online magazine, a product of the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association. He posts a daily blog and I’m always amazed at his ability to write so profoundly on such a demanding schedule. In one of his recent blogs entitled “BornContinue Reading
I heard a disturbing news story a few days ago. It told about how people who have been without a job for six months to a year are coming up against a new kind of employee discrimination—against the unemployed. Employer thinking apparently goes something like this: “What? It’s been thatContinue Reading
Let’s face it—following your inner voice doesn’t always translate immediately into joy and bliss. A lot of times it can make you feel downright uncomfortable. Taking action to pursue your calling will help you find meaning in life and bring you a deep sense of satisfaction, but it’s also likelyContinue Reading