(Part 5 of 5) Writing instructors repeatedly encourage aspiring writers to read books in their genre and other books as well. That’s wonderful advice, because we’re sure to absorb some...

(Part 4 of 5) Bestselling authors have learned the value of persistence. They use time wherever they can, gathering ideas, making notes, and writing. Even with that effort, they will...

(Part 3 of 5) If success were easy, it wouldn’t be worth much. Talent is over-rated, an excuse for those who view themselves as something less than they could be....

(Part 2 of 5) Some have said, “Practice makes perfect.” Really? True, we’ll not get better without practice, but if we could practice perfectly, we wouldn’t need to practice, would...

(Part 1 of 5) We may not think much of practice, but isn’t that what everyone does until they get published? Therefore, if we want others to read our words,...

How often do you hear someone on television say “end result,” “brief moment,” or “first and foremost”? These are just three of the most common examples of ways we unnecessarily...

Language is constantly changing. Today, “silly” means “foolish,” but in the early 1400s, it meant “blessed,” from the German selig, meaning “blessed.” By the late 1400s, the word meant “innocent.”...

If we ask why we do what we do, we can recognize the benefit and cost for whatever consumes our time. It’s been said, “If we don’t track where our...

In classic literature, a single sentence could cover an entire page. Not today. Our modern audience loves short sentences, even paragraphs containing a single word. Really. While short sentences and...

If you’ve dined at a Chili’s restaurant, you might have noticed the sign above the space reserved for take-out parking—To Go Parking Only | 10 Minute Limit | All Others...