Blog

My latest blog posts

4 Surprising Writing Lessons From a Boy Band

What a New Kids on the Block concert taught me about writing for an audience. As a writer, you probably won’t have to deal with being chased by a group of screaming girls and women who adore you. And that’s probably a good thing. But, you might gain a large audience....

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4 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Writer’s Block

Some writers say they never get writer’s block. Sure, you might get to a point where you’re rarely at a loss for words. But almost all writers need to find ways to get rid of writer’s block. The struggle is real. It’s like the common cold for writers. Some people...

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How to Change from Dreamer to Writer

“If you just imagine yourself as a successful writer, you will be a successful writer!” No. You must do more. That’s why the Nike slogan “Just do it” is more powerful than “Just dream it.” I’ve always been a little skeptical of just visualizing what you want to be....

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3 Big Reasons Why Your Writing Changes the World

How are you making history today? Did you wake up today and think “Today’s the day that I’m going to make history”? Probably not. Your words and actions are already making a major impact on the people and the world around you, whether you know it or not. But, it’s...

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Four Important Lessons From My Creative Dad

  Is it okay to have a talent and simply enjoy sharing it with others, and not make a lot of money from it? If my dad was in his 20s or 30s today, he probably would have already read countless blogs about turning his creative hobbies into a profitable business....

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A Letter To My First Editor

My mother, Judith “Judy” Spikes was my first editor. It’s no surprise. If you (partially) name your kid after your favorite writer, you will probably be more than okay with her showing an interest in writing. Judy was a great woman. She died of cancer in 1995, at the...

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How to Start a Writing Career? Visit Your Mechanic

The quirky way I learned about a writers conference and became a writer — again. Image via Flickr Your next step in building your writing career may start in an unlikely place. That’s what happened to me. I’m sharing my story now because it relates to an annual...

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What Do Editors Want? Find Out at Writers Conference

  Sometimes, it’s hard out here for a writer. You’re pitching ideas for a book or a magazine article to different publications and publishing companies and … crickets. No one is responding to your letters, emails or calls. A great way to break out of this rut is...

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Practicing What I Preach

Image Source   How focused are you? We’re now more than two months into 2017. Maybe everything’s moving smoothly and you’re well on your way to meeting your writing goals and any other New Year’s resolutions. Or, maybe not. As for me, I’m using March and April to...

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