We all like to be proven right. I'm no exception. So I was tickled when I read about V.A.Howard's and J.B. Barton's 1986 analysis of the scientific research related to writing. In Thinking on Paper, the authors concluded that we don't just record our thoughts when we...
If you're neglecting to arm yourself with two vital writing tools, then you're making your job harder than it needs to be. Ideas don't punch a time clock. They hit at all hours and often in the most inconvenient places. Making sure that you have a small notebook or...
So you're thinking of starting a blog. Here are the top seven reasons why you want to start a blog sooner rather than later. As in now. Reason #1: We all have opinions. Why not go big with yours and let the world know? My close friend Silvia Stephenson, the...
When I worked at the Ladies' Home Journal, my colleagues and I regularly had to come up with catchy headlines or leads that were plays on words. When the three of us wanted to gag, we knew we'd hit on the one that our bosses would love. Love it or hate it, wordplay is...
My writing coach clients have taught me one thing above all others. Those who block out time to write, actually work on their books, blogs or other writing projects. Those who don't practice time blocking usually don't. It boils down to knowing your priorities,...
Happy 2015 from Me & My Pups! Here's to a year that delivers on all your writing dreams and that's as fun as it is productive. Cheers, Linden
Go ahead and challenge yourself in the new year. Try that project you've back-burnered or that writing dream you've always wanted to tackle. What do you have to lose? Of course, I'll be here to help. So let's have some fun. Buckle up and let's try...
“Excruciating,” read one email. An even worse note hit shortly thereafter. “Seriously, my neighbor who has watched me come unraveled sprayed some kind of pot thing on my tongue to help anxiety.” After a few months of sloppy writing, my new client Sherri Hutcheson, a...
Writing a book requires unflagging focus and the willingness to push forward despite any obstacles. My pup Hoover evidences those qualities every time we get in the car. Although he has never been the alpha, he claimed the passenger seat as soon as he was large enough...
Here's the mathematical beauty about writing. The same stupidly simple formula that applies to books as a whole also applies to chapters, paragraphs and even sentences. Say what? It's true. Just as a chapter presents a single thesis or theme that contributes to the...
