It’s Thanksgiving in the states. I think about things I’m thankful for quite a bit (because I’m a big sap like that), but I don’t think I’ve ever made a list off the top of my head of the things I’m thankful for when it comes to writing. So here goes: I’m thankful for my […]
Archives for November 2009
The Patience of an Oyster
A good friend used to manage a music store. A regular customer was looking for a second job and applied for a position at the store. On the application, where one could list various skills and traits, this person wrote this and nothing more: “I have the patience of an oyster.” I’ve been told that […]
Speak Up! (4 Ways to Improve Your Public Speaking)
Novelists have a reputation of being reclusive. Non-fiction writers have a reputation of being salesmen. There’s nothing wrong with being reclusive (although it may take longer to make it—if you make it), and there’s nothing wrong with working hard to sell books. The average book (fiction or non-fiction) doesn’t receive the publicity most authors would […]
My Muse
Wednesday, I wrote about killing the Muse. If I have a Muse, this is what he looks like: He’s a short, gruff guy with a big heart. He wears a yellow hardhat and chews on a cigar. He has a pop eye and says stuff like, “Come on, kid—get your ass in gear! This building […]
Killing the Muse
People who wait for inspiration typically stagnate more than they produce. It’s a nice thought that some unseen entity — a Muse — watches over you as you do the things that keep you from writing, just waiting for the right moment to whisper “write,” in your ear. When the sweet word dances in your […]
The Sunday Night Ache
Sunday nights get to me. I love having a weekend to see the people I love, and I love having a weekend to write! Sunday night signals a return to the 5/7ths of the week I have to work. When it comes to jobs, I have a good one. I’ve turned down offers making almost […]
Looking Back
There are times I look back on my writing progress in recent years and feel like I haven’t done enough. I can come up with excuses; some of them are even valid: I spent a couple years caring for my big sister before she died from cancer in 2003. I’ve spent most of my recent […]
The Big Writing Lesson I Learned from Juggling
I know it goes without saying, but to get good at something, you have to practice. A lot! I’ve been juggling since 1981 (and I have the picture to prove it!). I used to devote all my free time to juggling. Later, I devoted most of my free time to writing. (At times, I wrote […]
Odd Jobs Help Writing
You probably spend the day working someplace where you wouldn’t be if you made a living writing full time. I’ve worked at my current job (editing and formatting airplane manuals) for almost five years. I like my job as much as I can like a day job. It’s the longest job I’ve ever held, but […]