I’ve spent the last couple of posts being pretty firm about the importance of doing the work. In Hauling the Bricks and The Indie Author’s Scam Survival Guide, we talked about how there’s no magic shortcut—just putting in the effort, day after day, is what gets you there. But let’s take a moment to step […]
Writing a Lot Isn’t Intimidating—It’s Just Math Read More »
This site is dedicated to productivity. Writing productivity, to be specific. There are hundreds of hints, tips, tricks, and hacks on PIFW to help you write more, write faster, and write better. Beyond this site there is trillions of posts, books and essays with golden nuggets of wisdom and experience that can help you get
Hauling the Bricks Read More »
Ah, keyboard shortcuts—the secret sauce that transforms a writer’s workflow from a clunky tricycle ride into a sleek, high-speed chase. If you’re still dragging your mouse around like it’s 1995, it’s time for an upgrade. Embracing keyboard shortcuts isn’t just about shaving seconds off tasks; it’s about reclaiming your creative flow and keeping those brilliant ideas from evaporating while you hunt for the “Paste” option.
The Tiny Time-Saving Trick That Adds Up to Hours of Extra Writing Read More »
Recently, Anne R. Allen published a post titled “Can Marathon Writing Sessions Lead to Depression?,” citing studies that suggest long, intense writing sessions might mimic symptoms of depression. If you’re an indie author pushing for a prolific writing habit, this kind of claim can be alarming. I get it. No one wants to wake up
The Joy of Writing Prolifically (No, It Won’t Make You Depressed) Read More »
Ah, the dreaded 3 a.m. wake-up. You know the drill. You’re drifting in and out of sleep, and suddenly, your brain decides now’s the perfect time to replay that awkward email you sent at work. Or it spins a delightful doomsday scenario about how your project will implode, your reputation will be ruined, and your
Harnessing the 3 A.M. Dread to Supercharge Your Writing (and More) Read More »
Writing is hard. Some days, it’s staring at a blank page until your soul starts to shrivel. Other days, it’s forcing words onto the page that feel as clunky as a toddler’s first steps. This difficulty, though, isn’t a bug in the system—it’s a feature. What you’re experiencing is disfluency, the grinding friction that comes when creativity refuses to flow like a perfect algorithm. But here’s the kicker: disfluency isn’t just a hurdle to clear; it’s the point of the creative process.
Writing Through Disfluency: How to Embrace the Grind and Keep Moving Forward Read More »
If you’ve been in indie publishing for a while, you’ve probably felt it: the slow, creeping decline in book sales. You’re writing as fast as you can, launching books regularly, marketing like mad… and yet, it feels like you’re running uphill in quicksand. Here’s some perspective: According to ALLi’s Dan Holloway, 2.6 million indie titles
Why Being “Prolific” in Indie Publishing Might Not Mean What You Think Read More »
As an indie author, you’re not just a writer. You’re a marketing department, an editor, a publisher, a social media manager, and possibly the person who has to remember to water the plants. All this juggling means burnout is more than a risk—it’s almost a guarantee if you’re not actively carving out downtime. And yet, downtime isn’t laziness or time wasted. It’s the fuel that keeps the creative engine running and prevents that ugly beast called burnout from knocking on your door.
Why Indie Authors Need Downtime (And How to Actually Get It) Read More »
When we say that, “discipline is destiny,” this is what we mean—that discipline is both predictive and deterministic. It predetermined that Marcus would not only be a great emperor, but a great man too. Just as it assured that the final chapters for the cautionary tales of history—Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, King George
Discipline: The Secret Sauce to Indie Author Success Read More »
