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KEEP GRINDING, WRITERS

August 14, 2023 by

“Keep grinding’ is the message all writers tell themselves, but not out loud. Instead, what they say is their word count for the day. Maybe it’s a thousand, maybe more. The message they send is keep grinding.

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TAKE ‘THE PAUSE’ TO SHOW RESPECT

June 20, 2023 by

‘The Pause’ in this post is the moment a medical team takes after a patient dies. Whoever is in the bed deserves a moment of quiet for the life they led. I’m a fan of people understanding the idea of respect and how it’s shown. But why wait until the last moment?

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PEOPLE UNITED BY GIVING WRITERS

June 8, 2023 by

Needy people? You see them all over the place? So do I. I’m one of them. Oh, and so are you. We need things we don’t have. Writers give some of those things, or at least the feeling of giving. So what?

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WRITER ENCOURAGEMENT: WHY IT MATTERS

May 23, 2023 by

Writer encouragement works like this: “I just read a book so good I will stop writing forever.” That’s encouragement if you read between the lines. Read a book that moves you to feel something. My favorite book?

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PRACTICE TIME FOR UNCONSCIOUS COMPETENCY

May 5, 2023 by

Practice time doesn’t have to bore you half to death, but it should. If you have the notion to do something hard, and do it consistently, it takes practice. Do it with no practice and what do you get? Surprised if it works out, but not surprised if it doesn’t.

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WRITERS WRITE IT DOWN IN KOLOA TIME

March 22, 2023 by

Writers write no matter where they are. From Paris to London to Koloa, Kauai, I write it down. From North Bend to Portland to Tigard, I write it down. Is it a good idea? Or a waste of time?

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WRITE SOMETHING WORTH READING, DO SOMETHING WORTH WRITING ABOUT

March 12, 2023 by

‘Write something’ is the alarm clock for every writer, Daylight Savings Time or not. What that ‘something’ might be? That’s the challenge. Everyone who has taken an English class, had an English segment, or passed a love note, has done it. But not you? Here’s my favorite writing lash:

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WRITE NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE

December 28, 2022 by

‘Write now’ is what I hear every morning at 5, or sometimes 6:30. Keeping a schedule is good; having something to say is good. Why is joining them together so hard? Some answers make sense, some don’t. Mine are . . .

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WORKING HARD IS HARD WORK. WHO KNEW?

December 10, 2022 by

Working hard used to be a rite of passage. “Start sooner than later and enjoy the rewards longer,” was the message. So hit the grind and go until there’s nothing left to grind, like this cartoon from the New Yorker? Then what?

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HOBBY BLOGGER EXPLAINS: WHY BOTHER WRITING?

November 6, 2022 by

Hobby blogger here, busy counting vanity metrics. Google analytics reports traffic from Seattle, not so much from Portland. West Coast readers show up more than any other region in the country. Call me a West Coast hobby blogger? I’ll take it, but . . .

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