Not all writing days are the same, except on your calendar. Some days are for maintaining momentum. Some are dependable workhorse days. And every once in a while, a unicorn shows up. Here’s why recognizing which kind of writing day you’re having can make you more productive—and considerably less inclined to beat yourself up over your word count.
Indie publishing has changed dramatically—and the strategies that once worked reliably are no longer enough. The Indie Author Survival Guide is out now, with a practical look at what changed, what authors can still control, and how to build a writing career sturdy enough to survive whatever the industry throws at us next.
The Indie Author Survival Guide Is Here Read More »
Your writing system probably won’t fail all at once—it’ll decay, one small glitch at a time, until the tool you rely on starts slowing you down instead of supporting you. When that happens, the real solution isn’t finding a replacement that works the same way—it’s rethinking how your system works entirely. Here’s what OneNote’s decline taught me about rebuilding a writing workflow that’s faster, more flexible, and far more resilient.
When Your Writing System Breaks: How to Rebuild It Better (Without Losing Your Mind) Read More »
Excerpt: Writers don’t usually suffer from a lack of ideas—we suffer from too many. Between errands, reminders, story ideas, and random questions, our brains can become so cluttered that writing feels impossible. Here’s how a simple five-minute “brain dump” can clear the mental noise, help you focus, and get you back into the flow of writing.
The 5-Minute Brain Dump That Can Instantly Get You Back to Writing Read More »
Excerpt: Fourteen exclusive books and one workshop, all packed with up-to-date advice for indie writers navigating 2026—from writing faster and smarter to marketing, Kickstarter, newsletters, and surviving the modern publishing landscape. Available for a limited time, the Write Stuff StoryBundle also supports World Central Kitchen, so you can help your writing career and do some good at the same time.
Write Stuff Story Bundle Release. Read More »
The voice that breaks your writing streak doesn’t show up on a bad day.
It shows up after a good one—and tells you to take tomorrow off.
The Boring Magic of Showing Up Tomorrow Read More »
Struggling to reach flow when you write? It might not be a discipline problem. Flow isn’t just about focus—it’s about whether your brain trusts that everything else is handled. If your mind is still tracking loose ends, unfinished tasks, or “don’t forget this” thoughts, it won’t let go. And without that mental quiet, true immersion in your story stays just out of reach.
Can’t Reach Flow State? This Might Be Why Read More »
Ever feel that tiny hit of relief when you decide to skip writing for the day? That little dopamine buzz isn’t your friend—it’s a trap. In this post, we unpack why your brain rewards you for avoiding your work, how that conditioning sabotages your writing habit, and how simple rituals can save the day (and your word count).
The Dirty Little High You Get from Skipping Writing (and How to Beat It) Read More »
Before you dump your draft on an editor—or on your future self—you should be doing a ruthless cleanup pass. That starts with your own personal Weasel Word List: those sneaky, repetitive words and phrases that dull your prose and clutter your scenes. You’ve got ‘em. Everyone does. The trick is to catch them before your editor does. Bonus: clean manuscripts make ebook compilers very, very happy (and don’t randomly explode on Kindle).
Your Personal Weasel Word List (and Why You Should Actually Use It) Read More »
Juggling multiple pen names, a production pipeline, and the occasional bout of procrastination takes more than just caffeine and stubbornness—though those help. In this post, I break down exactly how I manage my writing and publishing schedule, from rotating pen names to keeping six+ books in postproduction at once. I also explain why I never write more than one book at a time and how I use a 300-step checklist to keep my head (mostly) attached.
From the Mailbag: How do you organize yourself? Read More »
