I often hear from authors who are all in a lather because they have to get their book to literary agents and on sale in bookstores like… right now. Preferably yesterday. Two weeks ago if possible. This often comes to a head around the holidays, when people are trying to rush to get ahead of […]
The Writing Life
Your writing matters
Nearly every author I work with asks me a variation of the same question. “Is this any good?” “Should I keep going?” “Am I wasting my time?” “Do I have any chance of getting published?” I always want to be helpful, but these aren’t questions I can really answer. Will my book become a bestseller? […]
Miscalculating your fears
I’ve been thinking a lot about fear lately. And specifically about fearing the wrong things. In order to be your best self it helps to be fearless, calm, and to see reality as it actually exists, not filtered through an adrenaline-soaked haze. When you are thinking clearly and have access to accurate information it’s easier […]
Time to make fresh tracks
In these unprecedented, largely awful times, it’s tempting to look toward the distant future as a time when things will return to normal. When there’s a vaccine or the virus mutates into something less deadly or there’s a miracle cure. It’s hard to avoid looking at this time we’re in as a nightmare that will […]
Writing, marathons, and sprints
There are few spectacles in sports that are more thrilling than the 100-meter dash. Silence. Bang. A mad dash and it’s over in less than ten seconds. But when it comes to the things that are most meaningful in life, they tend to be more like marathons. They’re grinds. They require mental and physical endurance. […]
Harness your fears
One of the things I’ve noticed lately is that amidst the pandemic I’ve started worrying a ton about very small things. Tiny intricacies of my business. Whether I should have used this or that word in an email. Whether I took too long to respond to a text. I have plenty of big things to […]
