3 steps I took to reduce writing struggles and help create quality content more efficiently
Time never seems to be on a writer’s side. Let’s change that.
If you write, you’re probably well acquainted with carefully defining writing time in your schedule. Writers often go to great lengths to find time to work on their craft. But many writers are also familiar with the feeling of finally sitting down to write, only to waste hours not knowing what to write about or where to start.
Maybe you wake up early. Or stay up late. But instead of churning out words, you stare at the blank page.
If you’re like me, you start getting frustrated trying…
The literacy research and practical tactics you can use to build a foundation for a life-long love of reading
My daughter can often be found with piles of books around her. There’s always one within reach.
At just over a year old, she explores more than a dozen books per day, sometimes alone and sometimes with us, her parents.
So how did we do it? It wasn’t as difficult as you might think.
“The nurturing and one-on-one attention from parents during reading aloud encourages children to form a positive association with books and reading later in life.” — Reach Out and Read, Archives of Disease in Childhood, Reading Aloud to Children: The Evidence.
When I was growing up, people…
My first (and only) email subscriber and why I’m freaking out
Tim Denning Made Me Do It.
“Listen to Tim,” they said. “That guy gets it.”
So I did. I read one of his articles where he talks about why every writer should have a website.
What I learned by taking a miserable walk
Introduction
Okay, hang with me here. I’m going to start out with some self-pity. But I promise it swings up pretty quickly.
And stick around because I’m going to issue a challenge that could make a difference in your life as it has in mine.
Miserable
On Sunday, I took a much-needed walk with my daughter and our dog. It didn’t go as planned.
…regular walking was linked to a 7 percent reduced risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. — Consumer Reports
It was colder than I thought it was going to be. Windier, too.
Oh, and there was this…
Neil Gaiman is the bestselling author of novels, comics, short stories, plays, television episodes, movies, non-fiction, and just about anything else people can write.
Introduction
Even if you don’t know Neil Gaiman, you know his stories. He’s everywhere. He’s permeated much of the science fiction/fantasy world.
I’ll give you an example: You’ve probably heard of the Fox television show Lucifer (5 seasons. 75 episodes). Yeah, it’s based on Neil Gaiman’s character in his Sandman series.
Stardust? Him. Coraline? Yep. Good Omens? You bet.
He’s written episodes for Doctor Who and voiced himself on The Simpsons.
He even had a cameo on Big Bang Theory (more than once). For fiction writers, especially those in the fantasy genre, Gaiman is a full-fledged celebrity.
The list of his…
Chris, I'm glad some of it stuck with you! Glad I get to read your work. Keep putting great content out there!
What to know about Medium’s trending articles
Introduction
So you want to see your articles trending on the Medium home page.
Or maybe you just want to know what most people are looking for when they log in to Medium. Either way, the data explored here can help you understand how to increase your readership.
With a better understanding of the article lengths readers gravitate to, you can ensure your work stands out.
Writerly Income explored some of the data behind the trending articles. Their research might surprise you!
Trending Articles
Wouldn’t it be great to see your article promoted on the front page of Medium?
Imagine how many readers…
You can build your patience by practicing these quick tips
Introduction
“Herding cats” is the phrase most people use when I tell them I teach middle school. Cats would be easier.
When it comes to practicing patience, spending a year or two in a middle school could do wonders for most of us. While some people think patience is a trait, you’re born with or not, patience is a constant practice.
Incoming sports analogy: We don’t learn how to make a free throw in basketball. We might learn some tactics, tips, and tricks to become a better free-throw shooter. …
Pitbulls (and a few other breeds) weren't allowed by the lease!
The Death of “Write What You Know”
As writers, we’re told to stay in our lane. If you write prose, stick to prose. If you write for young adults, don’t venture off and write poetry.
Stay exclusively in your genre.
This niche-level career advice can be useful. It will help build a loyal audience. It retains a level of consistency for readers. Most beneficial of all, you’ll probably improve greatly as a writer in that particular niche.
However, what if you want to break out? Maybe something shiny is calling your name. Inspiration has struck. We should avoid branching out, right?
Maybe not.
In this article, Jen…
David R Gwyn
Writer and blogger — Founder of WriterlyLifestyle.com — Helping writers reach their income goals by teaching them how to monetize their craft
