Today I want to talk about LinkedIn as a networking platform for writers. Think it’s just for corporate types? Think again! Bit of a confession: I find networking the most nerve-wracking thing in the world. I HATE talking about my writing and trying to big myself up. It’s excruciating! But I’ve learnt to do it over…
Tips
4 Strategies to Help you Write the Messy Middle in a Calm but Creative Way
Have you heard the phrase the ‘messy middle’? Well, I had a great question from a reader recently. Jess got in touch to say: – I’ve written a strong beginning and ending to my play but I’m struggling with the middle! Do others have this problem too and if so, what should I do? Firstly,…
Hold Yourself Accountable with a Box of Crayons!
I was chatting with some writers recently about our biggest struggles. A few issues came up over and over including ‘lack of accountability’. It’s hardly surprising that this is a biggie for many of us. We often don’t have bosses, so it’s entirely up to us to find the self-discipline, drive and determination to sit down…
4 Simple Strategies to Help You Handle the Pain of Rejection
How do you handle the pain of rejection? I find it very uncomfortable. My thoughts start to race. I get angry – I want to strike back. Then I start swimming with self-doubt – I feel like a total loser. It’s horrible. So, I was fascinated to learn that there’s a scientific reason for this. It…
Having trouble sitting down to write? Use ‘The Four Tendencies’ Framework
Today I’m going to tell you about ‘The Four Tendencies’ – a fab personality framework that can help us meet our writing goals (and any other goals or habits, for that matter). (Hey, if you need help with your own writing goal or block, sign up for one of my coaching programmes: I LOVE helping…
Fun Round-up of Helpful Writing Resources
This is a fun round-up of helpful writing resources and tips that were shared at a recent London Writers’ Meetup. Books If you’re writing a novel, Save the Cat writes the Novel by Jessica Brody was recommended by a couple of novelists, who both said they found it invaluable for developing and structuring their novels. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert was…
The Surprising Benefits of Writing Just For Fun!
I often talk about writing with a specific goal in mind – whether it’s getting your draft finished or selling your work. I think it’s good to be clear and focused. But what about writing without a goal in mind? In other words, writing just for fun? Does that sound like a waste of time?…
How Many Pages Should I Write Every Day?
A great question was raised at a recent session of the London Writers’ Meetup from an experienced performance poet, but a new screenwriter, which was basically this: How many pages of screenplay should I write every day? We had such a great discussion about it, I thought it would be worth sharing some of the…
Little Trick To Help You Meet a Big Writing Goal
I had a call with one of my writing coaching clients, recently. We were talking over a big, impending writing goal, working on a plan to make sure she succeeded. But we soon realised she was behind with her work. Uh oh! This wouldn’t normally have been a problem, after all, schedules ebb and flow. But the…
How to keep up momentum in the editing stage
An interesting question came up at a recent London Writers’ Meetup about keeping up your momentum during the editing stage, so I thought I’d share my answer with you today. Tim’s QuestionHow do I keep up momentum when I get to the editing stage? When I’m writing my draft, I can set myself a daily target…