8 writing tips from powerlifters

1. Stay focused

Powerlifting includes three events: squat, bench, and deadlift. The goal is to lift a lot of weight, not to have variety. Unlike body builders, who have multiple forms of exercise for each muscle, powerlifters generally train these three exercises, using others as necessary but not at the expense of these. In this way, they work the entire body and show results without wasted effort.

As a writer, what are your goals? Write 1-3 of them. To be well-rounded, have one about progress on your current book, one about networking, and one about steps to publication or post-publication marketing. Focus on other areas as needed, but never at the expense of these goals.

But what about your daily flash fiction, your blog, revisions, and sending to agents; Facebook, Twitter, and Instamatic; surfing for answers online, reading similar books, and going to conferences? Each of these can be helpful, but only do them if they help with your three goals. Aim for variety in your writing, not your writing habits.

Stop reading — write those goals now.

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Small goals—underchallenge yourself

Under exaggerate.

Sometimes I feel like I cannot be a real author since real authors have huge goals like 1,000 words every day. I’ve done this before, even developing the habit at times.
I feel envious when I hear of some writers, who top this lofty goal by writing several thousand words in a single day. I did that. Once.
But what about when life steps in?

What to do while waiting — Part 1

So, you’re a writer now. Congratulations!

But you’re waiting to get published.

What do you do, besides starting the process over by writing another book? What can help you get published? What can lead to sales when the publication finally happens?

Part 1: Create a website, but don’t…

You’re on Fire—Three Keys to Writing Success

Fire needs three things—fuel, heat, and oxygen. Without any of these, there is no fire.

 

Success is similar. It needs these three—time, motivation, and a plan.

 

Time

Did you know that you could save over $8,000 for your child’s college by saving $1 each day starting at birth? Wow! Or if you invest $5,000/year for 10 years beginning at age 25, you could have over $600,000 by age 65. (Compare this to the $400,000 earned by investing $5,000 from age 35 to 60.)

Bill Gates said, “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.”

How can you write with the kids around? Part 4

(photo by Amanda M. Bowman http://mtaphotographer.wordpress.com/)

1. Avoid time wasters.

No, children are not time wasters. And your spouse definitely is not.

How can you write with the kids around? Part 3

How do you write when you have a family, job, and possibly even a life?
   Make sure you check out parts 1 and 2 first.
   https://danielfbowman.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/how-can-you-write-with-the-kids-around/
   https://danielfbowman.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/how-can-you-write-with-the-kids-around-part-2/

1. Communicate
In a good novel, you need dialogue.
Same in relationships.

Accessibility is everything: Victory over apathy

You want to cook a meal, but you have to thaw the meat. So you don’t.

You want to get in shape, but you have to drive to the gym. So you don’t.

You want to write a novel, but you have to find where to start. So you don’t.

You want to send a letter, but you have to get a stamp. So you don’t.

You want to email a friend, but you have to turn on the computer. So you don’t.

So many pathetic excuses!

How do you expect to get anything done when you have to set it up first? Isn’t it strange how even 1 minute of set up can keep you from doing what needs to be done?

How to know your novel is ready

 

Which option is better?

 

–Andrew lets people know he is an author. But whenever asked to show what he wrote, he claims it is a secret. He fears letting others see the story, lest they steal the ideas and make millions on his hard work. He is more suspicious than the private eye in his whodunit.

 

–Benjamin avoids telling others that he is an author, though many people realize it because he is too busy writing to have a life. Friends and even professors enjoy reading what he writes for class, but he refuses to share his novel with them, always saying it is not yet good enough.

 

–Christopher regularly brags about his writing and readily shows it to others. He blogs multiple times a week and has self published several books in the year since he began his writing career. Unfortunately, you can guess the quality of it because of so much in so little time.

 

So, this brings back the question: When should you show your book to others?

I recommend reading it four times first.

Number one tip to overcome weariness

Keep it simple

                     

Try it with your daily goals

Some people try to write 1,000 words each day or exercise 30 minutes three times a week. These are helpful, but sometimes they seem like too much.

So keep it simpler.

How simple? Try this:

Freedom to quit–3 reasons to take it easy on yourself

Freedom to quit–3 reasons to take it easy on yourself (part 1)

“I wake up, I get up, and I never ever give up,” said one of my graduating students in his motivating speech. He spent about nine months trying to pass through the levels of our English program, failing several times and desperately wishing to return home to see his daughters in Saudi Arabia. I had encouraged him to stay that last month, knowing he could make it. Then, he would actually finish instead of looking back at this time in his life and always wondering, “What if I had tried one more time?”

The goal of this article is not motivation for determination, however.

Rather, this article asks the question, “When is it best to give up?”