I've become a pro-doodling zealot after reading the book The Doodle Revolution by Sunni Brown. If you're a writer or a student or a business executive or a... well, anyone, really... you should doodle.  Continue reading...

If I were the Queen of the World, I'd give every would-be writer the determination to produce a few hundred words first thing in the morning. Yet many writers can't possibly write in the morning for a variety of good reasons, and if you're one of them, this column is for you.  Continue reading...

There are some people we might describe as "Natural Writers." They write facilely and prolifically. They don't suffer from writer's block. But they also have some problems.  Continue reading...

I work with dozens of people every year who are trying to build the writing habit. Some succeed quickly. Others take much longer. When would-be-writers flail and flop, I can usually trace the problem back to one of these five mistaken beliefs.  Continue reading...

While it's true that Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Mark Twain all had messy workplaces, it's also certain that clean, organized desks keep most people efficient and more productive. I know that I'm always more prolific, more creative and happier when my desk is tidy. Which isn't to say that I'm always able to keep it that way. Some days I fear I must be suffering from Irritable Desk Syndrome.  Continue reading...

Whether you're an acrobat or a writer, you can do only one thing at a time. And, like the acrobats who watch their eating and drinking habits before performances, writers who spend some time thinking about what they want to write — before writing — are going to be better prepared for the demands of the job.  Continue reading...

Whenever I talk about the benefits of the crappy first draft some people always object. Why? For some, it's a habit and — as anyone who's tried to quit smoking can tell you — habits are hard to break. But for others the problem is fear.  Continue reading...