Creative inertia is real. Whether you’ve stepped away from your novel for five minutes or five months, restarting always feels harder than continuing. It’s not a personal failing—it’s physics. Here’s how to beat the resistance and get back into flow, one “Just Start” at a time.
Why Writing Feels So Damn Hard (Sometimes): It’s Not You, It’s Physics Read More »
Most writers think they’re breaking down their tasks—but if you’re still staring at “Revise novel” on your to-do list and feeling stuck, you’ve got a project, not a task. Here’s how to break your work down into do-able chunks that actually get done.
If Your To-Do List Stresses You Out, You’re Doing It Wrong Read More »
What if, instead of waiting for those rare marathon writing sessions, you fit your writing into the cracks of your day—one or two hours at a time? Puzzle-Piece Scheduling is about breaking your writing into smaller chunks that still add up to real progress. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being consistent. Even short sprints can keep your story warm and moving forward.
Puzzle-Piece Scheduling: A Writing Model for the Non-Marathoner Read More »
Mark Manson recently released a 4.5-hour video on how to stop procrastinating—which sounds like a great way to procrastinate for 4.5 hours. At The Productive Indie Fiction Writer, we’ve tackled this beast from every angle. This post pulls together some greatest hits, a few uncomfortably true quotes, and a flexible mindset to help you find your way around the monster.
How to Stop Procrastinating (Without Spending 4.5 Hours To Do It) Read More »
There’s a question that haunts a lot of indie fiction writers, particularly after the third burned-out book in a series they don’t even want to read anymore:
Your Genre is Killing You — Here’s How to Break Up With It Read More »
I haven’t posted here in a couple of weeks, and there’s a good reason for that. Actually, there are several.
Why Resets Are a Necessary Part of Your Writing Schedule Read More »
We talk a lot around here about optimizing your writing life, especially when things aren’t ideal. Whether you’re juggling kids, caregiving, a full-time job, or just sheer burnout, sometimes the biggest enemy of progress is the myth that “real writing” only happens under perfect conditions.
Ah yes, that question. “Why do you write?”
It’s one of those that gets asked a lot—especially in writing forums, interviews, and on the back covers of literary memoirs, usually printed in italics for some reason. It can feel a bit… woo-woo. As if the answer should be sacred and profound. (“Because the Muse demands it, obviously.”)
But the truth? Your “why” is probably a lot more practical, changeable, and occasionally downright grubby than the question makes it sound.
Recently, I was forced to replace my laptop. Not because of a catastrophic hardware failure, or because it fell into a vat of coffee (although, give it time). No—because the space bar stopped working. Yes, the space bar. That humble, workhorse of a key. Turns out, if you can’t make spaces, you can’t make anything
Turn Off Editing and Spelling While You Type. And Why. Read More »
Ever feel like a fraud? Like you’re just pretending to be a writer until someone finds out you’re not legit? Or maybe you keep calling yourself lazy, undisciplined, or “just not that good.” Yeah. You’re not alone. Here’s a truth bomb pulled straight from a scribbled note in a notebook (and probably from half a
Change Your Narrative, Change Your Writing Life Read More »
