Welp, I had high hopes for starting out this year. I wanted to hit the ground running with The Radiant Tomb (The Circle and the Shadow Book 2) and really make great progress through the book In January. But when the very first workday arrived, I came down with some sort of Respiratory virus, which basically ate a week and a half of my productivity. But there’s the thing: This […]
I’m already on record, stating how 2025 was a banner year for me. I feel kind of weird stating that, since it sucked so bad for so many other people, but for me it went really well (effects of the national and international shitshow notwithstanding). I had four releases, wrote two entire novels, moved into graphic design professionally, and established a work and life schedule that was productive and, more
Slow Burn, Long Tail Read More »
I’ve recently stumbled upon a concept that directly relates to which creative processes work for which people. This certainly applies to me, and maybe other people will find it helpful. Here goes … I think we all can agree that everyone’s brain is on a spectrum between order and chaos. WE call this the left brain/right brain thing, but the left/right construct is a fallacy that is not actually how
Chaos, Order, and Creativity Read More »
For many years, I struggled to be consistent with my habits. I could do something for a couple of days, or even a couple of weeks, but then I would lose steam, and I would just kind of stop, sometimes without noticing. Part of the problem was that I was under so much stress and living a life under duress that didn’t satisfy me. My needs weren’t being met, which
The Importance of Rituals Read More »
There are all sorts of productivity routines out there. Most of them say something like, ‘Do your most important work first when you’ve just gotten up and are fresh for the day,’ or ‘Get up at 5am and knock out a couple of hours of work before everyone else has started their day.’ Now, there’s nothing wrong with these strategies. They work for a lot of people, but they’re sold
Maximizing My Schedule Read More »
Late last year, after the worst year of my life, I decided to throw another project on the pile (and on top of the wreckage): getting into shape. I had just been dumped. I was finishing up my graphic design degree. I’d been living with my parents for several months. Everything had fallen apart, but I thought, this is something I need to do to feel better about myself. So,
Do It Until It Doesn’t Suck! Read More »
Whenever you try to live a life where you are producing creative work, there is a trap you can fall into. At least I do, all the time. I look at my rate of productivity, do some math by determining the available hours I have, and make goals for myself. This is not, in itself, a bad thing. I am a planner, and nothing would get done otherwise. However, just
Personal Work/Life Balance Read More »
Everybody has the same advice if you want to accomplish any sort of major creative endeavor, whether it’s becoming a published author or creating award-winning macrame projects. The advice is Make it a part of your routine. I’m going to focus on establishing a writing routine here, but some of this advice is good for any kind of creative project. The first thing you need to do is take a
How to Establish a Regular Writing Routine Read More »
There’s a lot of advice out there about how to ‘Get Things Done.’ Some of it is very useful, some of it is very specific to people in certain situations, but everybody agrees if you want to accomplish a goal, you need to develop habits that help you reach that goal. Seems obvious, but I see a lot of people try to brute force their way into doing something,
How to do the Thing! Read More »
When the new year started, I had big plans. I would keep up with a 40,000 word a month writing schedule, go to the gym twice a week, and make a point of attending more local in-person events. I also decided that this was the year I got my finances under control. Well, here at the end of January, I’m finding that it has gone … ok? I’ve
In Which I Decide to Kick My Own Ass! Read More »