Are you struggling to maintain a regular writing practice lately? It could be because of something you haven’t considered: a lack of space. Space is important for anything in life. You can’t find a new job, for example, if you’re still expending all your energy and focus on the oneContinue Reading
There’s a lot of noise in our world today. Also called “noise pollution,” excessive noise has been linked to stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity. Writers may want to add “trouble concentrating” and “difficulty accessing the imagination” to that list. Silence, on the otherContinue Reading
by Angela Ackerman My co-author Becca Puglisi and I both struggled with how to show our characters’ emotions in a compelling way. We found our characters were always frowning or shrugging and it pulled down the effectiveness of our scenes. So, to force ourselves to think beyond the first descriptionsContinue Reading
I’ve talked about the benefits of writing retreats in other posts. Check them out: “Serious Writers Permit Themselves to Go On Writers’ Retreats” “How to Get the Best Creativity-Boosting Results from Your Writing Retreat. Because they help reduce stress, nourish creativity, promote reflection, and sustain motivation, retreats are essential toContinue Reading
If you’re a writer who works from home, you may love the flexible hours, cozy office space, and lax wardrobe requirements, but you may also have one very concerning problem: keeping your creative juices flowing. Without the proper precautions, a work-from-home routine can sap your brain of its creative energiesContinue Reading
by Leah Roper In the world of creativity, nothing is worse than hitting that dreaded wall. You know the one I mean…bloc de l’auteur. Though that’s only one way of saying it. You may be more familiar with other descriptions for writer’s block—burnout, work paralysis, brain strike, or creative constipation.Continue Reading
Do writers need hobbies? In 2009, researchers reported that engaging in enjoyable hobbies was associated with mental and physical health and well-being. Specifically, the more participants reported being involved in their hobbies, the lower their blood pressure, total cortisol (stress) levels, waist circumference, and body mass index, and the lowerContinue Reading
by Marc Graham I’ve studied a number of different philosophical and esoteric systems over the years, including Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, and Druidry. After my 23-and-Me revealed that I’m more Norse than Celtic, I turned my attention to the Old Norse Runes. During a roughly six-month period of meditating on the Runes,Continue Reading
by Jackie Johansen At its core, astrology is the study of nature. We are nature. As within so without. As above so below. Just as we know the moon affects the tides (and that we are also mostly water), our moods and physiology can be affected by the moon. TheContinue Reading
by Charlie Fletcher Many highly-revered writers throughout literary history suffered from depression. Classics like Mark Twain and more recent celebrated authors like J.K. Rowling have been known for their struggles with mental illness, and they are far from the only ones. The reason for this correlation isn’t clear, but thereContinue Reading
If you love Halloween, you may be looking for ways to celebrate. In addition to dressing up, checking out the corn mazes and haunted houses, and taking the kids trick or treating, you may also want to consider treating yourself. After all, we writers work hard, right? So just forContinue Reading
Writers rely on their creativity all the time. Usually, our imaginations are like good friends who are always there for us, but then there are those times when we need a new idea or want to get into that “flow” and we run up against a wall. We can’t writeContinue Reading