Apr 19Managing the procrastination problemThe foremost expert on procrastination opens his seminal book of research on the subject by admitting he’s never delayed, deferred or put off writing himself. “I almost hesitate to tell you that I keep my desk clean and organized, that I rarely strain to meet deadlines, that I am almost…Procrastination3 min readProcrastination3 min read
Apr 19The ups and downs of writing confidenceLast week I delivered a workshop on how to build writing confidence to a packed room. I mean, who doesn’t want to be more confident in their writing? I opened it with a quote from designer, writer and podcaster Debbie Millman, who said: “Confidence is the successful repetition of any…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Apr 19What’s the one thing you’ve learned?When writers talk about their books, they often start with a story about their initial idea. I wrote about this time-honoured opener in last week’s newsletter. Now let’s move on to how they end. Unfortunately, this isn’t always in their control. Once the awkward introduction is out of the way…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Apr 19How a writing block led to a breakthroughWhen writers do promotional talks they often share the backstory of their book: where, when and how they were struck by a spark of inspiration. My lightbulb moment arrived at Lumb Bank, the Ted Hughes Arvon Centre for writing, the site of many creative inspirations. This week I returned to…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Jan 23The perfect routine doesn’t exist: imperfect advice from Oliver BurkemanOliver Burkeman believes current thinking about productivity is a trap. There is no such thing as the perfect time management approach or the ideal writing routine. Instead, he argues that accepting the limited time we have leads to liberation. …Oliver Burkeman6 min readOliver Burkeman6 min read
Jan 11Being a Writer — Getting it Written: A Conversation with Oliver BurkemanTo celebrate the launch of ‘Written: How to Keep Writing and Build a Habit That Lasts’ co-authors Bec Evans and Chris Smith explore what it means to be a writer with bestselling writer Oliver Burkeman, who wrote the foreword to the book. You can watch the video on YouTube. Welcome! Introducing Written: How to Keep Writing and Build a Habit That Lasts Bec…Oliver Burkeman39 min readOliver Burkeman39 min read
Nov 24, 2022The most productive (not) writing dayYesterday I had a writing day. I cleared my calendar, scheduled it in, met up with an author accountability buddy in the most perfect literary library, and I spent the whole day — not writing. It was the most productive writing day I’d had in months. The riddle of not writing As a coach specialising…Productivity3 min readProductivity3 min read
Sep 8, 2022The power of ‘if’: how imagining the future helps writersWhat-if thinking is a powerful tool for writers. It helps novelists create new worlds to shine a light on how we live now. Speculating about the future is not just the preserve of science fiction writers — it can be helpful for all writers as they plan their writing goals…Writing7 min readWriting7 min read
Apr 12, 2022The resilience to keep writingI thought I knew about resilience. For the last decade I’ve been studying writing habits and how writers keep going. After a bereavement, I started to see things differently. It turns out I was wrong about what it means to be resilient. …Resilience7 min readResilience7 min read
Mar 16, 2022The complete guide to working with beta readersEverything you need to know about working with beta readers — who they are, the benefits of using them and practical tips on how to recruit, brief and communicate with them. It’s publishing folklore — how JK Rowling was famously rejected by multiple publishers before Bloomsbury took on Harry Potter…Writing11 min readWriting11 min read