Creativity and depression seem to go together. In a 2017 review involving 36 studies and thousands of participants, researchers found a clear relationship between being creative and having a diagnosis of a mood disorder, like depression. They did not find, however, that people diagnosed with a mood disorder were moreContinue Reading
If there’s one characteristic writers share, it’s “hard-working.” Most of us have day jobs and use our leisure time to work on our writing projects. Many of us have families we’re taking care of too—kids and sometimes aging parents—and it can seem like we have hardly a spare minute toContinue Reading
In a writer’s life, a series of difficult little things can easily add up to one big feeling of discouragement. Then we can find ourselves smack dab in the middle of a crisis that can threaten our careers. If you’ve noticed this happening in your writing world lately, this postContinue Reading
by Anita Kushwaha Ernest Hemingway famously said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed.” While this quote might seem a tad hyperbolic, it nevertheless speaks to the costs of leading an artist’s life. The deeply personal investment it takes to share partContinue Reading
Fear is blocking your writing…if you’ve made any of these statements recently: Oh man, I’m just sooooo busy, I haven’t had time to get that story done. Those stupid editors! They don’t know what’s good anyway, so I’m not going to try submitting. Why do I feel so tired lately?Continue Reading
“We have met the enemy, and he is us,” the saying goes.* In this case, I’m speaking of what I’ve come to believe may be the creative artist’s worst enemy: perfectionism. I’ve written about perfectionism before, but it showed it’s ugly face to me again recently in such a wayContinue Reading
Are you stuck overthinking something? Bill got a rejection last month, and it’s still bugging him. I thought for sure that was the one, he thinks. What could have gone wrong? I just can’t figure it out. Melanie has an idea for a new guest post, but she’s not sureContinue Reading
by Lorna Faith I cried tears of frustration to my husband. “I have a detailed outline. Why can’t I finish this book?” “I’m not sure,” he said, “but I do know this: you need to keep at it.” Murray’s gaze zeroed in on my own, his hands on my shoulders.Continue Reading
Do you get easily discouraged as a writer? Most writers do, some more often than others. The more important question, then, is: Are you easily discouraged? And if so, what can you do about it? How to Tell If You’re Easily Discouraged I have to admit that I’ve been guiltyContinue Reading
by J. P. McLean As writers, we’re used to getting feedback. We ask beta readers to take our books for test drives. We ask developmental editors to critique our plots and characters. We ask copy editors to tease out our poor grammar and awkward word choices. We even ask readersContinue Reading
Do you find that you hate your writing lately? You look back over those pages full of the words you’ve written and become overwhelmed with the urge to light a huge bonfire. “Twenty thousand words and a good handful of chapters in,” says author J. M. Frey, “and I hatedContinue Reading
Do you sometimes feel invisible—like you’ve worked your tail off at writing for years and still no one is paying any attention? Have you tried a variety of ways to get your work out there, only to find that you’re still basically in the same place—with a handful of fansContinue Reading