If you’re looking for a way to gain momentum and maybe even finish a draft, let me offer one small, surprisingly effective idea: Write 500-word chapters. Yes, just 500 words […]
Writing
Revising as a Tender Act: Writing with Self-Compassion
There is a certain kind of heartbreak that comes with deleting a scene you once loved. Or realizing that a beautifully written passage you spent hours crafting no longer belongs. […]
What to Do When You Can’t See the Whole Picture
Every writer I know has experienced that moment when their draft feels like a pile of puzzle pieces. You have scenes, characters, maybe even whole chapters, but the larger picture […]
Choosing Between Past and Present Tense in Fiction
Have you ever paused mid scene and wondered whether your characters walked across the room or are walking? You are not alone. Many writers wrestle with tense. If you’ve ever […]
Hooking the Reader: The Psychology of a Page-Turner
What neuroscience can teach us about writing unforgettable first pages. Writers talk a lot about “hooking the reader,” especially on that all-important first page. But what does that actually mean? […]
Do You Really Need a High Concept Idea?
There’s a moment in nearly every writer’s journey where we ask ourselves: is my story “big” enough? Maybe you’ve heard the term “high concept” thrown around in writing groups or […]
Mindfulness and the Writing Life: How Meditation Supports Creativity
“Meditation is not about becoming a different person. It’s about being the person you already are, with a little more clarity, a little more space, and a lot more presence.”—Dan […]