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Kari Sperring – I’ve just been reading Hillary Rettig on writing (recommended to me by Stephanie Burgess and I am very grateful to her for that, for it is excellent). One of the things she writes about is how invested writers become in our work and its reception. It can sometimes become all tangled up […]
Well Paid New York Times Writers Have Interesting Theoretical Discussion on Whether Poverty is Good for (Other) Writers
March 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment
“Do Money Woes Spur Creativity or Stifle It?” This was the dingbat question editors of the New York Times Bookends column considered worth debating this week. I’ll share my full comment on the piece in a moment, but first: can you even imagine asking this about practitioners in any non-arts field? I can’t! Gives you […]
You Can Literally Do the World’s Toughest Rock Climb and People Will Still Find Something to Criticize
January 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment
So after seven years of planning and preparation, and nearly three weeks of grueling effort and inspiring teamwork, two guys succeed at literally the toughest rock climb in history and some people can still find something to criticize. When I first spotted the critical comments alongside the New York Times articles on Kevin Jorgeson and […]
How to Have a Beautiful Soul
January 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Some books that profoundly influenced me in 2014, and that I urge you to check out, are: Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature. A massive but highly readable book whose encouraging thesis is that humans are getting less violent over time. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals. About Lincoln and his cabinet. Spellbinding […]
7 Secrets of the Prolific Gets 150th 5-Star Amazon Review
January 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Read it here – and thanks everyone! (If you haven’t yet reviewed it please do so–that’s the single best way to support my work.)
It’s NaNoWriMo / AcWriMo Time!
October 27, 2014 By Leave a Comment
It’s that time of year again! Visit our NaNoWriMo Resource Center so that, come November 30, you’ll be partying like SuperWriter!
The 14 Rules of Prolific Writing
October 2, 2014 By Leave a Comment
The proper goal for all writing projects should be to “Get it done.” (Not fabulousness, comprehensiveness, to create a best seller, “revolutionize my field,” impress my advisor/family, make a fortune, etc. See Rule #13 on Quality, below.) Use a speedy, free-writing, free-revising technique. Aim for a large number of quick drafts where you make a […]
Summer 2014 Online Classes
May 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment
I’m teaching three great online classes this summer, two on writing productivity, and one on weight loss. Online classes are fun, convenient, inexpensive, and you do get loads of individualized attention from me. Check out my Events page for more information, and hope to see you in class.
What Being “Willing to Fail” Really Means
April 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment
These days, many people know it’s okay to fail.* They understand that failure is an essential part of any ambitious path, and also a fantastic learning opportunity. They also know that if you’re not failing at least some of the time, you’re probably not taking enough risks. This failure-is-okay viewpoint is reinforced by many inspiring […]
Why People Quit Big Projects (And How Not To!)
April 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment
The below fantastic article from ThesisWhisperer.com is aimed at graduate students, but really pertains to anyone who is struggling, or has struggled, with a big project. (Just substitute “boss” for “supervisor” if needed!) Thanks to the the Thesis Whisperer herself, Dr. Inger Mewburn, Director of Research Training at the Australian National University, for kind permission […]
Historians are Getting Less Blame-y and You Should, Too!
April 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment
So privileged, last night, to hear a lecture at Kalamazoo College by Christopher Clark, one of the world’s leading historians. His recent book on the causes of World War I is called The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914; and please note the interesting “How” in the subtitle. Clark says he used “how” […]
Why Tough-Guy Metaphors About Creativity Don’t Work
April 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Ta-Nehisi Coates is one of the best writers on the web right now, using his Atlantic.com blog and other venues to discuss race, culture, history, and a myriad of other topics. He writes long, thoughtful pieces, and even his commenters can be dauntingly erudite. He’s currently debating New York Magazine writer Jonathan Chait on whether […]
Do You Suffer From Marketer’s Block?
March 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Recently, I’ve noticed an interesting evolution in the writing productivity classes I teach. Up until a few years ago, writers almost always took one of my classes because they were procrastinating or blocked on a book or other work. These days, however, many who take my classes have finished their book: it’s their marketing they’re […]
Sorry, Kurt Vonnegut, You’re “Not Compelling Enough”
March 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Everyone gets rejected. Even Kurt Vonnegut, Madonna, Andy Warhol, and others who went on to be luminaries in their field. If you get rejected, don’t take it to heart. Learn from the experience and move on. Mostly, rejection is simply proof that you haven’t given up–which is a great thing.
Welcome! My goal is to help you recognize and overcome any disempowering forces in your work and life so you can reclaim your joyful productivity and achieve your personal and professional goals more quickly and easily than you ever imagined! Thanks for checking out my site, and I always welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions at 
