How to Reload Your Book
Been away from your manuscript long enough that the story feels flat and writing has become a grind? You may not have lost your enthusiasm. You may simply need to reload the book.
How to Reload Your Book Read More »
writing process
Unicorn Days
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.
When Your Writing System Breaks: How to Rebuild It Better (Without Losing Your Mind)
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 »
Safe Writing Is Dangerous Now. Here’s What to Write Instead.
Safe writing used to feel like the smart choice. Study the market. Follow the trends. Give readers more of what they already liked.
But in a world where AI can produce endless same-but-different stories, safe writing is becoming the riskiest strategy of all.
Readers do not know what they want until they see it. They cannot ask for the strange combination, the odd obsession, or the idea that should not work but somehow does. That is your advantage. The books that stand out now will not be the safest ones. They will be the ones only you could have written.
Safe Writing Is Dangerous Now. Here’s What to Write Instead. Read More »
Can’t Reach Flow State? This Might Be Why
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 »
From the Mailbag: How do you organize yourself?
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 »
Dictation vs. Typing: The Pros, the Cons, and Why I’m Sticking With My Keyboard (For Now)
After my fourth serious trial, I’m calling it: for me, dictation is dead—at least for now. The modest bump in words per hour just doesn’t outweigh the tech friction, location lock-in, and editing overhead. If dictation plus clean-up time gets you more net words than typing, go for it. But if you’re already a clean, fast typist, the numbers might tell you to stick with your keyboard.
Mastering Your To-Do List (Or: Why Half-Assing It Will Sink Your Writing Career)
A half-used task manager is worse than none at all. It lulls you into thinking you’re organized while your real workload smolders quietly in the background. As indie authors, we can’t afford that. There are just too many moving parts. The right system—used properly—turns chaos into calm, lets you stop reacting to fires, and helps you finally make space for the deep, strategic work that actually grows your career. Like, you know…writing.
Mastering Your To-Do List (Or: Why Half-Assing It Will Sink Your Writing Career) Read More »
This Book #%#*$!! Sucks!
Ever reached a point of writing your book and think “This book sucks like there’s no tomorrow”? Do you do that with a lot of your books? Do you have a pile of uncompleted manuscripts, because they all stink up the room? I’ve got some good news for you, and some bad news. The
This Book #%#*$!! Sucks! Read More »