I’m currently training for a 5k race. It will be only my second official race at this distance, although I’ve obviously covered this distance many times, and it will also be my most ambitious attempt: I want to do it in 19:59 or less. And while I’m not really sure yet whether or not this…
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Embrace Your Reality: Making a Writing Schedule
Our summer days are getting shorter, but they’re still hot and busy, and during the week, I wake up at five AM. I have to run my miles, ride my horse, and sometimes get some writing done before I have to be at work, and often a five AM wakeup call is the only way…
Self-Talk for a Confidence Boost: Writing Without Motivation
One of my weight-lifting instructors routinely discusses the importance of self-talk. How do you talk to yourself when you’re having a tough time? How do you motivate yourself when you’re lacking drive? Do you beat yourself down for mistakes? Are you (like so many of us are!) your own harshest critic? I mentioned in my…
For the Hot Days: Writing Without Motivation
Late August in Tennessee. We’re in the pinnacle of summer. The humidity percentage is in the nineties. The temperature is in the nineties. The real feel is in the hundreds. Not only does it make outdoor activities and tasks absolutely hellish, but it kind of sucks all of your motivation for indoor tasks, too. But…
The Power of ‘I Don’t Know’ and Why You Should Try it Anyway
Think of all the new things you’ve tried in your life. Never mind when you were a kid, and everything was new. Think of all the new things you tried as a teenager or young adult. I started working with horses when I was seventeen. Holy cow was everything hard. I’d been obsessed with and…
Using Isolation to Improve Your Writing
Have you ever done a squat? A correct one, with perfect form? It’s probably not terribly hard; not one, anyway. Now, try squatting with one leg. (Honestly, you probably shouldn’t. Please don’t fall down.) It’s a whole different story, isn’t it? When you isolate something, you’ll quickly find out how strong it is or isn’t….
Run the Middle Miles: Writing the Middle of Your Book
I ran a 10k this week! It was a virtual 10k, which in no way detracts from my excitement about it, and I was just thirty seconds over the time I wanted to make. It was my first time running this distance, and it brings me one step closer to being the marathon runner that I…
For the Cold Days: Writing Without Motivation
I’m a “horse girl.” I’m fortunate enough to be living out the dream of so many people by spending my days working with horses in the great outdoors. Unfortunately, sometimes I hate the outdoors, particularly in the winter, when it’s cold and gray and – like today – lightly spewing snow out of the sky. I…
Bulking Season: Make Overwriting Work for You
My brothers and I often say ‘hey, it’s bulking season,’ as we devour ridiculous amounts of food. It’s something of a joke; most of us are actively trying to put weight on. But we aren’t going to get into all of that. Because guess what else is in bulking season? Your novel. Your book. Your…
Stop Rushing and Write Faster
I am always in a hurry. It’s like I can’t make my “rush job” function turn off. When I go for runs, I want to run faster and finish faster, even when the whole point is to run for a specific period of time. Sometimes I literally don’t chew my food enough when I eat…