I Wrote a Book. Now What? 3 Unexpected Ways to Practice Writing After You Publish

I Wrote a Book. Now What? 3 Unexpected Ways to Practice Writing After You Publish

Congrats, you wrote a book and launched it! It’s on to the next book. But maybe you’re feeling tired. As for writing a whole book, you need a break. Maybe you’re thinking, “I wrote a book. Now what?”

But can you take a break and still practice writing, if you’re not writing? 

Yes, you can! By taking a different, brief and temporary, writing approach. 

In this post, I’ll share how focusing on 3 R’s—Reviews, Reading Panels and Residencies—can  help you develop your writing platform in new and unexpected ways. 

How to Accomplish Twice the Writing in Half the Time

How to Accomplish Twice the Writing in Half the Time

Many writers struggle with time management, but I’ve taken this dilemma to a whole, new level. In this post I want to talk about how I’ve learned to accomplish twice the writing in half the time.

Some writers have a set schedule. They work the same time every day.

Lucky them.

Others, do not. They sneak in their pages through tiny chunks of time — five minutes here, another 15 minutes there.

Nothing wrong with that, either. Just try to be consistent.

Here’s an interesting fact I’ve recently discovered about myself. In talking to others, they’ve admitted they do this, too…

Creative Resistance: 4 Actionable Tips That Combat Your Struggle to Write

Creative Resistance: 4 Actionable Tips That Combat Your Struggle to Write

How do you overcome creative resistance? How do you handle that big, blank screen staring at you from your computer? The cursor just blink-blink-blinking its mockery.

When it comes to your writing time, do you avoid it? Choose to read celebrity gossip online, or maybe wander over to your empty refrigerator multiple times? Have you ever written one paragraph but think it sucks, so you delete it? And instead of writing more, stew in self-loathing.

Whatever your creative challenges are on and off the page, you’re not lame or a loser. There’s actually a scientific reason behind your creative resistance.

The even better news is you can change your writing progress so it is progress.

Let’s talk.

Why We Stop Writing: 3 Lies Writers Need to Stop Believing

Why We Stop Writing: 3 Lies Writers Need to Stop Believing

How many articles, blogs, or books have you failed to write? Or have you ever started one of these projects and then hit a hard halt? Are you stumped at why you stopped writing?

Eighty percent of the time writers stop writing is because of three lies they tell themselves.

Knowing what these lies are will help you notice them creeping into your writing process, which is the first step to preventing them from convincing you to quit writing.

How to Finish Your Novel Faster: 4 Lessons From (Almost) Missing My Writing Deadlines

How to Finish Your Novel Faster: 4 Lessons From (Almost) Missing My Writing Deadlines

When you started your novel, how long did you think it would take to finish? Have those initial estimated writing deadlines come and gone? More importantly, did you finish your novel in that time frame?

If the answer is no, don’t fret. You’re not alone. Like me, you might fear you’ll never complete your story in a timely manner.

Maybe one day you lack inspiration. The next you don’t know where your story needs to go. Perhaps you procrastinate or feel low energy.

You know, the struggles all writers go through.

I suffered those afflictions and more during the 100 Day Book program at The Write Practice. And for a time, I thought I wouldn’t finish my novel by the deadline.

Let’s skip to the ending: I completed the second draft of my book on time.

Barely.

But I learned four valuable lessons in the struggle. Lessons that will help you in meeting deadlines and enduring the writing process.

I’d like to share them with you now, so you can write your completed novel far faster than you believe possible.