So you went to a writers’ conference where instructors told you how to write. They gave tips about what to do and what not to do. But what they didn’t tell you is what to write about. For some people, the answer is simple. There’s a story that’s been burning in your heart a [...]
Writing can be stressful. But it can also be fun. Sometimes, you just need to laugh. People have been trying to communicate since life began on this planet. Snoopy understood the life of a writer. When do the ideas come? And then there's editing. And there's wishing it wasn't so hard. The necessary ingredient: coffee [...]
One of the pitfalls of writing is the risk of being rejected. No one wants to be rejected, and no matter how much you try to separate yourself from the writing, you take it personally. Reject my writing, reject me. History abounds with stories of famous authors who were rejected multiple times before their work [...]
Success and failure. In today’s world, we are often defined as one or the other in whatever we do. Success can lift our spirits, motivate, and energize us, but failure can demoralize, depress, or stifle further efforts. So what determines whether a writer is successful or not? The answer depends on your point of view, [...]
Ernest Hemingway1 Ernest Hemingway was not my favorite author, in fact, I haven’t read most of what he’s written, but despite my own knowledge of his work, he was a successful author. And he was a serious writer. Hemingway had several interests – fishing, hunting, boxing, cats and perhaps you could add [...]
What’s Good about being a Ghost? (ghostwriter) There are times in my writing career when I’m asked to ghostwrite a story, that is, write someone else’s story, where they get the byline and I don’t. As a writer who likes to take advantage of any opportunity I can, I usually accept the assignment. Some of [...]
People often ask me where I get the ideas for my books. Their question implies I'm creative and that I come up with these ideas all by myself. Not true. You see, I’m a historical writer, so I like to explore history and find interesting facts about different periods in various places. Not that [...]
You might not realize that writers have doubts and insecurities, that no matter whether they're published or not, they question their ability to produce something worthy of a reader's attention. Are you familiar with the story about the man whose home was flooded and He prayed to God to save him? First, someone [...]
Last weekend I watched a professional tennis tournament. As a social tennis player, I was amazed at the difference between how the professionals play and how I play. I’m sure that most of the spectators who were also tennis players shared the same thought I had, “I wish I could play like that.” But [...]
Recently, a friend said to me, “I don’t know how you do so many things!” I smiled and shrugged, afraid to take any credit, because I knew how much I didn’t get done. For example, today I was supposed to write 1000 words on my current novel, edit a previously written book, compile corrections from [...]