Episodes

Show Notes Summary: This is a time to dream up some big goals for 2016 and think about how you can expand your reach and stretch yourself, and I definitely applaud and encourage that. But it can also be a time to go small—to use your words to connect with one or two people at a time. By "small," I mean brief, but also "intimate." You could: pull out a note card and write a letter craft an email to an old friend pen a poem and slip it under somebody's windshield wiper leave a love note under a pi...

Show Notes Summary: During the holiday season, while traveling and hosting or visiting others, you may not be able to keep up your writing at the same pace. We discussed in the last episode the benefit of having a rut to run in, and yet as we head into these next couple of months, we may not be able to maintain our writing routines at the same level. Today I want to encourage you that even if you are unable to keep up even a modified version of your writing routine, you can still do one thing: p...

Show Notes Summary: A writer needs a rut to run in. If you're troubled by the construction, let me also say it this way: a writer needs a rut in which to run. But about this rut...you might be thinking, "Hold on, now, how can a coach who encourages curiosity and creativity be promoting a rut?" After all, People get stuck in ruts and never change, never take risks, never explore new possibilities. Ruts are things to get out of not to fall into. Ruts feel like tedium. Monotony. Boredom. And there’...

Show Notes Summary: Hundreds of thousands of writers are in the middle of National Novel Writing Month, or what is affectionately known as NaNoWriMo—where writers have signed up with the goal of completing a novel draft of 50,000 words. If you are among the participants—or if you decided to tackle a nonfiction project during the same month, tapping into the resources and momentum of NaNoWriMo—you’re heading toward the middle of the month and, presumably, the middle of your project’s draft. The m...

Show Notes Summary: In the last episode, we discussed the urgency of acting on ideas. I quoted an editor my parents worked with who shouted, “Never, never, never sit on a story!” I warned you not to let somebody scoop you, because that idea was given to you. So take action, I said. And write. Today, I want to encourage you that if you waited a few beats too long and your idea was written up and sent out by someone else...you have some options. You can let it go, or let it grow. If you feel like ...

My parents were editors at a major metropolitan newspaper, and my dad often quoted his managing editor, who fulfilled all '50s and '60s movie newsroom stereotypes—puffing on a cigar, shouting across the newsroom. When this editor realized one of his reporters had been scooped by a competing newspaper, he shouted for all the newsroom to hear: “Never, never, never sit on a story!” Though I’ve not been in the newspaper business other than writing the occasional feature story, I’ve seen this in my w...

The last time we were together we talked about one thing writers need to succeed, and if you listened, you know that thing is grit. In this episode I'm posing several ways writers can increase grit, so if you feel like a low-grit writer, listen and try some of the ideas. I believe you can grow in grit to become a more productive and successful writer. In the words of Louis Zamperini: Be hardy! Key ideas from this episode: Grow in grit by looking for other areas where you exhibit grit and funnel ...

I help a lot of writing coach clients organize their writing lives or take a fresh look at their writing goals and projects. In the process, we often look at task management programs, time management systems, project management philosophies to find something they can implement that suits their personality. We experiment and almost always find some system that works for each person. This often helps the flow of their days and weeks so they make greater progress toward their goals. But there’s one...

In our last episode we talked about finding and following the energy. But what if you don’t feel the energy? What if your writing feels stale? What then? That's what Julie asked in her Facebook comment. Is it possible to find and almost generate energy? I think the answer is yes. Whether we change the environment around us or the environment of our minds, if you will, we can open up new channels for energy to affect us. Key ideas from this episode: Play, especially through Artist Dates. Learn, t...

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription. This episode is about seven minutes long.] It is so hard to write something when there's no energy for it. Now, I don't mean lack of energy because you didn't get enough sleep or because you haven’t had your second cup of coffee yet. I mean, it’s hard to write when there’s no enthusiasm for the project—when there's no excitement for it. It’s hard to write when you’re missing that feeling of eager anticipation for digging in, wh...

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription. Also, this episode is about six minutes long.] The last couple of podcast episodes have focused how to affirm the writer in your life who has asked for input—and how to err on the side of encouragement. As a continuation of this discussion, I’d like to share with you an idea for how you can ask for input from individuals or groups. First, decide what level of input you truly want. Then ask the person or group to bless your piec...

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription. Also, this episode is about 6 minutes long.] In the last episode, I encouraged anyone who is in a position read and respond to a writer’s work to affirm, affirm, affirm what’s working. I’m not talking about a formal reviewer online or at a newspaper who is reviewing a book. I’m thinking of someone in a writing group who's workshopping a short story or a someone giving a friend feedback about a poem. If you’re in that kind of si...

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription] As a coach, editor, workshop leader, and writing instructor, I’ve given a lot of feedback to writers at all levels. For several years I taught composition and creative writing to high school students. Working with students reminded me to deal tenderly with developing writers. Encourage them. Gently help them grow. Affirm in as many ways as possible. Because it’s so easy as a teacher to focus on correction and minimize affirmati...

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription] A heads up: At over 13 minutes, this episode is significantly longer than my usual 3-6 minute podcast episodes. You sit down to write only to realize you've got a long list of tasks necessary to the work of writing, but after you check them off your list, you haven’t the word count to show for it. Let’s call these: “Non-writing Writing Tasks.” If you’ve never really thought about this category of tasks or planned for them, you’...

[Please listen for the full message. The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription] It’s about progress, not perfection. A friend of mine said that to me and I thought, wow, what a great concept for the writing life. I found out it’s a phrase used in 12 step programs, Read More... The original version of this article can be found here: The Writing Life Podcast – Progress, Not Perfection

In this short podcast, I encourage writers to introduce at least three senses into their writing, whether they are working on fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Don't rely completely on the way things look. There's also the way things sound, smell, taste and feel. Pick three. Bring your writing to life. One, two, three ... and you're done. [If you received this as an email, please click over to the website to listen.] The workshop leader I mentioned referenced Flannery O'Connor, paraphrasing a sect...

In this 5:40 podcast, I talk about the paradox of rest leading to increased productivity. If you're reading this in an email, click through to the website to hear the podcast. Here's a glimpse of what we'll cover: It seems like a contradiction. A paradox. It seems impossible that more rest would result in greater productivity, but so we’re being told by study after study. Regular rest and renewal gives us the focus and energy we need to get our work done more efficiently and effectively. ... One...

In this 4:16 podcast, I talk about importance of learning the vocabulary—the lingo—of the writing world. The following is not exactly a transcript, but gives an idea of what's recorded. Every industry has its own lingo—insider words that leaves outsiders feeling ignorant when they simply haven’t learned the terms and acronyms and phrases associated with that particular business. The publishing world is like that, too. Whether we’re talking about traditional publishing or the online writing world...

A writer—well, just about anyone—needs a focused, alert mind operating at its highest cognitive potential. Writers need to tap into their memory to make connections as they work. Writers need maximum brainpower. Listen for more about brain food for writers.

It's been a while since my last Writing Life podcast. Day after day I kept looking at that item on my to-do list and finally resolved, even in the midst of life's complications, to start up again. Because I've learned that no matter how far you fall behind, you can get back in the game. Simply start where you are. * * * On Being a Writer “a must-have for career writers, whether seasoned or just starting out.” — from “10 Great Books for a Writer’s Wish List” on Huffington Post PURCHASE TODAY “A g...

In this week’s podcast (3:36) I explain the impact of my dad's health crisis on my writing life, and how I adjusted my work. It looked like I’d have to give up on my writing life. And I did have to step back from some responsibilities for a while until we figured out what this was going to look like. I stayed flexible and worked late and was able to continue with several commitments as we rode the roller coaster of my dad’s crisis. Eventually, it appeared I’d be able to continue with most of my ...

In this week’s podcast (3:25) I share insight from a speaker who encouraged me to eliminate filler words from formal talks I give as well as from everyday conversation. I'm encouraging writers to do the same with their written work: search and destroy the filler words that distract from the meat of the message. Examples of filler words that show up in our speaking: um and uh like you know so… Examples of filler words in our writing: but and so and so very really that In the podcast, I mention th...

(If you’re a subscriber reading this in email, please click to the website to use the audio player.) In this week’s four-ish minute podcast, you'll learn how I use one tip from the GTD productivity approach to break big writing projects into manageable chunks, prioritizing and ordering them as I go. Resources mentioned in the podcast: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (story told in the podcast found on pages 18-19 in the Anchor Books, Doubleday, edition) Getting...

(If you’re a subscriber reading this in email, please click to website to use the audio player.) In this week’s three-and-a-half minute podcast, you'll hear about the conditions and circumstances under which E. B. White wrote—and those under which Glynn Young and Ann Kroeker continue to write. I allude to a passage from Stephen King's memoir On Writing that I read years ago. It awoke in me a jealous and obsessive craving for an office door: The [writing] space can be humble (probably should be, ...