Have you ever gone on a date with your writing? After you’ve been writing for a while, you can begin to look at it differently. You may start to see it as an obligation, and show up for sessions with an attitude of, “Hopefully things will go well today.” YouContinue Reading
Need some inspiration for a new year of writing? It’s become a yearly tradition on Writing and Wellness to gather some of the most inspirational, thought-provoking, and encouraging quotes from this years’ author features into one grand end-of-the-year post. If any of the quotes grab you and you want toContinue Reading
Whatever your experience as a writer, there are certain things you learn along the way. Perhaps the most famous lesson is to “develop a thick skin.” We’re told early on that we need to embrace criticism so we can learn to be better writers, no matter how difficult it isContinue Reading
Jokes about writers. Have you heard any? Laughter is the best medicine, they say. Studies have proven it to be true. When we laugh, we ease stress and anxiety, boost the immune system, improve mood, support heart health, burn calories, and even relieve pain. Laughing at ourselves might be evenContinue Reading
by Sienna Tristen It took me five years to write my debut novel, The Heretic’s Guide to Homecoming, and I credit it with both the total loss and the safeguarding of my sanity. It would be a different kind of writing, I knew from the start—slower, more introspective, more SocraticContinue Reading
How can you improve your writing life? After over 20 years as a full-time professional writer, I’ve learned some things about that. Whether you’re writing part- or full-time; fiction, nonfiction, or freelance; it doesn’t matter—the bottom line is you’re spending a lot of time using your creative brain, as wellContinue Reading
Note: Helen and Lorri are a mother/daughter writing team. How unique is that? I had to ask them how they make this unique writing relationship work. Below are their answers to my questions. —Colleen How did you both come to be writers? In other words, what were your individual journeysContinue Reading
Could your character traits really determine how well you succeed as a writer? According to recent research, they could. After following thousands of people over a period of decades, economist and researcher James Heckman and colleagues found that perseverance, good study habits, and the ability to collaborate were more importantContinue Reading
Need some inspiration for a new year of writing? It’s become a yearly tradition here on Writing and Wellness to gather some of the most inspirational, thought-provoking, and encouraging quotes from this years’ author features into one grand end-of-the-year post. If any of the quotes grab you and you wantContinue Reading
We like things to be clear. Unfortunately, they seldom are. In writing and in life, there are always gray areas. How should you market your book? It depends on the type of book, your audience, and the marketing tasks you enjoy. How should you structure your writing day? It dependsContinue Reading
~Writing Well Wednesday Tip~ If you spend a lot of your time writing, you may have experienced a sense of loneliness at times. It can be a frightening feeling. You think something is wrong. You should get out more. You should spend more time with friends. It’s true that isolationContinue Reading
I typically publish my regular weekly blogs on Tuesdays. This week, that Tuesday just happens to land on my birthday, so I thought it might be fun to reflect on what I’ve learned over the last (ahem) few years. Not enough, probably, but I do have some things I’d likeContinue Reading