Today, strangers are walking through my house. They are peering into closets, glancing at the scuff marks on the stairs, maybe silently judging my taste in rugs or the fact that I’ve never fixed that one crooked cabinet door. I’m not there to see it—I’ve been banished to a local café by my realtor, likeContinueContinue reading “Open House: On Strangers, Judgment, and the Writer’s Unease”
Category Archives: mindset
Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)
One of the biggest dangers for a writer isn’t failure—it’s silence. Life has a way of crowding out creativity. Maybe it’s a high-pressure job, a move, a tough parenting stretch, or the illusion that you’ll “get back to it when things calm down.” But here’s the truth: if you stop writing, the skills begin toContinueContinue reading “Keep the Habit: Why Writers Must Keep Writing (Even in the Gaps)”
How Themes in Your Writing Can Help You the Author
Some famous author, and of course, I cannot remember who, and Google has failed me, once said they were tired of people asking him/her what the theme of their novel was as “Themes are for critics and academics to figure out, not for authors.” Given I can’t remember who said it, I’ll go with whatContinueContinue reading “How Themes in Your Writing Can Help You the Author”
Aspirational Bios
I often write about meeting writing goals: setting SMART goals, psychological tricks to make writing habits stick, and circumnavigating writer’s block. But one thing essential in reaching your goals is knowing clearly what they are. Do you know clearly what you should be working on right now? One trick from the life-skills and coaching literatureContinueContinue reading “Aspirational Bios”
Should you Finish Your Stories?
Well, you definitely should finish some of them. If you don’t you’ll never have anything published. I also do think you should finish most things. In part because endings are critical to a solid story, and if you only finish the really good stories, you won’t get in the practice on making the endings stick.ContinueContinue reading “Should you Finish Your Stories?”
View From the Other Side of the Slush Pile
So I slush read for two spec fiction magazines and have done so prior for one other. Without divulging anything sensitive or non-public, I thought it might be interesting to people to hear at least a little about what being a slush reader is like. Slush piles are different. Editors are different. Processes are different.ContinueContinue reading “View From the Other Side of the Slush Pile”
Writing with COVID
So don’t worry, this post isn’t really about COVID. Or not exactly anyway. It’s about adapting our writing and goals when life gets in the way. The reason for the title is just that COVID is the latest one of ‘lifes mishaps’ that has impacted my writing life. Coming back from vacation I had grandContinueContinue reading “Writing with COVID”
Video Game Psychology for Writers: Achieving Writing Goals through Gamification
I have been fortunate to write guest blog posts before for SFWA on science, and my latest one is on using the psychological science utilized in video games to help you meet your writing goals. The link to it is below. I hope you enjoy, and as always, please do reach out to me directlyContinueContinue reading “Video Game Psychology for Writers: Achieving Writing Goals through Gamification”
Reading Like a Writer: Unveiling the Secrets of Craft
For writers especially, reading isn’t just about enjoyment; it’s a powerful tool for us to refine our craft. But how do you do this? When you read like a writer, you should delve deeper into the mechanics of storytelling, character development, and language use. Here’s some tips people have shared with me, on how toContinueContinue reading “Reading Like a Writer: Unveiling the Secrets of Craft”
Navigating Writing Conferences as an Introvert
As I prepare to go to Readercon next week, this topic is heavily on my mind. Speaking personally, as an introvert, attending writing conferences can be both exhilarating and exhausting. They offer invaluable opportunities for learning, networking, and gaining insights into the publishing world. Here are strategies to make the most of a writing conferenceContinueContinue reading “Navigating Writing Conferences as an Introvert”
Gideon P. Smith 