writer psychology Archives

Writing retreats offer a chance to work in peace and restore creativity Sometimes we need to escape our everyday lives and become a hermit for a time to meet that pesky deadline or work out a plot point. Or maybe visit with like-minded souls to remind ourselves why we write and to recharge our creativity. That’s where writers’ retreats come in, hence the name. Writing retreats run the gamut. Th…

The life of a modern author is filled with decisions. What story do I write next? Do I stick with this genre I love or transition to something more profitable? Should I dive into direct sales? More options and control over our careers can be freeing and exciting, but that level of freedom can also be overwhelming. How many times have you come away from a conference feeling energized and ready t…

Poet. Journal writer. Image-maker. These are just a few of the creative guises I slipped into as I embarked on an inward journey in search of my newest set of fictional characters. What I hungered to discover was what is truthful and powerful in my own world view. Once I unearthed that profound truth, I wanted to know how best I could weave it into a story through memorable characters. With thi…

Welcome to 2024, a year that whispers promises of new beginnings and unexplored horizons for authors. For a moment, I want you to imagine this year as a blank canvas, awaiting your vibrant stories and bold dreams. This isn’t just another spin around the sun—it’s a call to adventure, a summons to leave behind your lack mentality and step into a realm of abundance and boundless potential. The nar…

With a title like Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, how could I not be intrigued? This book by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang explores how counterproductive overwork is, how we think about rest and how we should think about it. What is rest? When you hear the word “rest,” what comes to mind? A nap? Eight hours of sleep a night? A nice vacation? All of those are indeed rest, but according t…

Writing faster seems to be something that is dominating the conversation around writing lately. Like many of you I’ve been a working writer for 25 years and have had more than 100 books published. I’ve always been a “quick” writer compared to others. When I first started writing I heard comments about how I was “churning out books,” which made me try for one book to slow down my writing process…