4 questions every perfectionist writer should ask themselves to get unstuck
You want to feel proud of your writing - of course you do. High standards are admirable. Attention to detail is necessary. But as Voltaire said, "the perfect is the enemy of the good". When diligence tips over into perfectionist nit picking, guilt and regret can...
Writing systems: finding yours, why it matters
Everybody writes differently but one thing’s the same. The writers who have a more balanced, easier and less wrung-out relationship with writing have all developed some kind of personal system to keep them going and to stop them from stalling. Before lockdown I used...
5 ways to find your writing focus in testing times
If you're safe and well, lockdown might seem like the perfect opportunity to write - all that time you never had - but in reality, keeping your focus can be tough. There are new interruptions and we get distracted by anxious thoughts. If you want to write there are...
7 step training plan for running a personal writing sprint
The idea behind a writing sprint is to move your project forwards quickly over a short, intense burst of time. A sprint's not so very different from a writing splurge or binge, but it's more focussed and less migraine-inducing. It follows a direction and has some...
Beat distraction: writing productivity tactics to try when you can’t concentrate
Distraction is a problem at the best of times. Writers can struggle to focus when there's so much competing for our attention. Now, in an uncertain environment, when people are anxious, juggling new responsibilities and ever-changing priorities it's harder than ever...
Rescue your writing relationship when you’ve fallen out of love
Remember when you loved your writing project? When your writing relationship was fresh and exciting. You’d bounce out of bed longing to spend time with it. Now you can’t bear to be in the same room. It’s become a slog. You’re not even sure it’s a project worth saving...
How small steps lead to great progress
Your writing dreams are big, but the way to achieve them is to think small. If you want to build a new routine or change your behavior, the research says you need to start tiny. Here’s how to use small steps to build great progress. You’ve got a great idea for a book,...
Prioritize your writing – make writing matter and make it happen
You’re busy. You’ve got a job, family commitments, a life that fills your calendar from dawn until dusk. But you’ve also got dreams - a creative idea, a book you want to write - or you’ve got plans for an article you need to write, a blog to update. If your writing...
10 characteristics of highly productive writers
In our workshops we’re often asked what we mean by ‘productive writers’. I’m not surprised. ‘Productivity’ has some iffy connotations. It conjures up mental images of factory production lines or some dead-eyed corporate efficiency drives. No wonder writers baulk at...
A guide to tracking your writing – why noticing how you write will transform your practice
Tracking can be a powerful tool for behaviour change. It can help you build writing habits and routines, improve your productivity and make you feel more positive about writing - which means you'll be more likely to write. Get started with this complete guide to...
Why ‘enjoyment’ is the only New Year’s writing resolution you need (and the 3 steps to achieving it)
Some people think pleasure is peripheral to the writing process, something nice to have but not essential. We profoundly disagree. In our work with writers of all kinds - from professors and business gurus to novelists and creatives - we've found that it’s the people...
The complete guide to writing accountability – hold yourself to account and use others to help you achieve your writing goals
Writing accountability comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether you like to keep your projects secret or enlist others to support you, we’ve got you covered in this complete guide to writing accountability. Find out why it matters, get inspired by the ingenious methods...
