writing tips

The Magic Cookie Method of Writing Motivation

/ Discipline & Motivation, Inspiration / 7 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

When writing starts to drag, the problem often isn’t laziness or lack of discipline — it’s that you’ve lost sight of what you’re writing toward. In this post, I explore the “magic cookie” method: finding the one scene, moment, or beat in your story that excites you enough to pull you through the difficult middle. Because sometimes the best cure for procrastination is knowing there’s something wonderful waiting a few chapters ahead.

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Can’t Reach Flow State? This Might Be Why

/ Creativity, Planning, Project & Task Management, Publishing & Production, Scheduling & Tracking, Work Processes / 7 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment

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.

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Retconning Is Not a Free Pass: Why Indie Authors Can’t Afford to Rewrite the Past

/ Plotting & Outlining, Story Concept / 4 minutes of reading / 2 Comments

Hollywood franchises might be able to reset their storylines and expect fans to go along with it—but indie authors don’t get that luxury. Readers trust books to remember what came before. When we break that trust, we lose more than just continuity—we lose our audience. Here’s why honoring your story’s past isn’t a limitation—it’s your greatest creative tool.

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The Mid-Holiday Writing Retreat: Claim Your Time, Writer

/ Indie Health, Longevity & Wellness, Planning / 4 minutes of reading

Feeling like your writing time keeps getting chipped away by the holiday chaos? This post explores how to reclaim your creative space with a personalized mid-holiday writing retreat. Between Christmas and New Year is the perfect window to refocus, recharge, and write your heart out—without leaving home.

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From the Mailbag:  How do you organize yourself?

/ Planning, Project & Task Management, Publishing & Production, Scheduling & Tracking, Work Processes / 7 minutes of reading

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.

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How to Stop Procrastinating (Without Spending 4.5 Hours To Do It)

/ Discipline & Motivation, PRODUCTIVITY & ORGANIZATION / 2 minutes of reading

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.

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