I decided exactly four days ago, to do a 30 challenge to get my health back on track.

When you spend a ridiculous number of hours sitting on your bottom writing, guess what happens to that bottom. It’s not pretty.

And when you inhale chocolate and bread and mochas all day long, it’s heaven, but those calories do not just burn off no mater how fast you type.

I belong to many reader groups and websites that offer free and discounted books, for example, Book Cave is one of them. …

I love writing fiction. Through stories, my mind gets to explore possibilities, human emotions, new places. Through fiction. I come to understand character motivations and psychology. When I write novels, I exercise my creative spirit which makes me feel happy and alive.

I also love to write about writing. I imagine that I’m having a conversation (a bit one sided, I know) with other writers or those who are interested in writing. I get to spend some time with others who also share my interest in writing. …

It’s important for all writers to keep their audience in mind when writing. The reason we write is to reach readers and give them material that interests them, entertains them, or informs them. Writers want readers to consume their stories and come back asking for more.

But even though writing for readers is important, we need to make sure we’re not chasing after them by writing what the market is apparently demanding. This is because the market can be misleading.

For years, I belonged to Romance Writers of America and received their monthly magazine. The magazine often had articles about…

Today I returned my rental van. In some of my previous posts, I shared that I took a road trip with my family and dogs. We rented a van because my car is too small for all of us to ride comfortably.

I’m always super careful when I use a rental, whether it’s a car or Airbnb. It’s someone else’s property and I would want others to care for my property, so I treat theirs as my own. So, I had towels and blankets and dog beds all over the inside of the van. I protected the seats and the…

I read James Patterson’s latest book — at least I think it’s his latest, since he has a new book practically each week. It’s The Russian. Patterson’s novels are fast paced. They have super short chapters; typically, they are two or three pages long. They are no more than one scene.

Something to pay special attention to in Patterson novels is how he does his openings and closings. He opens with a hook and closes the chapter with a hook. The hook does not necessarily have to be earth shattering, but it has to be a hook.

For example:

“I’d…

If you’re like me, you might be asking, what social life? The biggest drawback to being a writer is that you don’t have the time off that most people with regular jobs have. This is especially true if you have a “regular” job and you’re a writer because after you get home from work, you still need to write.

Also, if you are like many writers, the lack of a social life might not bother you much. You enjoy spending time alone with your characters and they sometimes seem more real than people.

But even the most introverted person wants…

I’m reading an interesting book titled, Start With Why by Simon Sinek and one of the chapters discusses how businesses influence customers. They basically either manipulate customers into purchasing products or they build loyalty by having great products and a strong relationship with the customer.

Manipulated buyers become one-time customers. They buy something either because the item is hugely discounted, or a rebate is offered, or the business creates a fear tactic such as the product is the last one. There are various types of manipulations. And it’s not that the customer minds the manipulation. The author argues that the…

You have an image of who you are and where you’re sure you want to be in your life, specifically as a writer. This image is probably your highest potential. It’s based on your desires. It’s based on your known skills and talent. It’s also based on what you know you’re capable of achieving, what you feel deep in your heart that you can accomplish.

It’s difficult to know that you have this amazing potential and yet you haven’t reached it yet. Worse, you might not know how to reach it or even why you haven’t already. …