As a writing instructor and coach I work with writers every day who are not reaching their full potential. What holds them back?
When you talk with struggling writers they generally mention one of three problems:
~ Lack of writing skills
~ Lack of writing opportunities
~ Lack of knowledge
As a writing professional with more than two decades of [...]

Before you should decide whether or not taking part in a writing workshop is right for you and your writing you should first understand just what a writing workshop is.
A workshop is an educational format where an expert shares information on a focused topic over a short period of time. Some workshops are intended to [...]

Developing an individual writing process is a key part of becoming a real writer. If you want to learn and grow as a writer then you must work to develop a unique writing process. If you want to be a more productive writer and for your work to improve then you must develop a unique [...]

Last night in the dark following midnight I killed my muse (suffocating her quietly with a pillow) and buried her in my back garden. Today I will plant a roses to hide the grave. No one will ever know and I will be free at last of her insidious hold and I will be able [...]

I recently made an important discovery that I just couldn’t wait to share. You can make money by giving your writing away. Yes, it really is true.
This isn’t some “get rich overnight” scheme or some trick to get you to lay out a bunch of money for a “turn key business”. You have to do [...]

I have been writing professionally for more than two decades and teaching writing nearly that long. Every conference, every writing staff, and every class has always included some writer who asks: “How Can I Become A Better Writer?”
They don’t usually like my answer. “Practice writing every day and read to study the writing of others [...]

Every writer needs some help with their writing. Every writer can improve their writing. One simple technique you can use to improve your writing and better develop your writing process is to spend less time writing and more time thinking about your writing.
Many writers struggle with their early drafts simply because they have not allowed [...]

I hear it all the time from my students and at the seminars and workshops I lead. The writers that I work with are excited to work with a “real” writer. Most people define a “real” writer as one who is published. Therefore I, with three published novels and innumerable newspaper and magazine articles under [...]

One common element whenever human beings gather is the need to talk and share experiences. Often that need turns into something a little more fun, a little more dangerous — gossip. Gossip is often fun but it can also be dangerous because it spreads quickly (because it is fun) and often distorts or even completely [...]

I just quit my last paying writing gig…and you should too!
I just quit my last paying writing gig. Why? Because I make more money giving my writing away. Yes, that’s right. I make more money giving my writing away than I did selling my articles and columns. In fact I’m making more money writing [...]