Ambient Noise for Work: Drop that Funky Soul & Get Productive

Using Music and Sounds for Better Focus Are you currently leveraging the power of ambient noise to work more efficiently? Your auditory environment plays a huge role in staying focused and productive while doing knowledge work. You’ve probably already noticed, for example, how sudden noises so easily distract you and take your attention off the […]
10 Need-to-Know Ways to Minimize Distractions While Writing

As a writer, you’ll already know how much you need to concentrate on getting into the flow of what you’re doing. You need focus, you need determination, and to a certain extent, you need to let go to let yourself fall into the process of scribing. However, with phones, technology, and other people all around […]
NaNoWriMo Progress Report Week #2

Another writing week has passed and our writing buddies Suzi and Patricia give us an update about their progress. Sue: Well it’s day 15. We’re halfway. How’s it going? My total wordcount is just under halfway at 24,545 words. Tricia: Hi Sue, my total wordcount is standing at 20318 so a little behind target but […]
Make your book stand out and captivate the reader with an impressive book intro

Writing a novel provides many amazing opportunities. You can express yourself, meet new like-minded people and, finally, you can publish your book and become famous all over the world! A great idea for your book is one of the pillars of crafting a strong literary work. In order to draw the audience in, however, you will […]
NaNoWriMo Progress Report Week #1

The first week of NaNoWriMo is almost over. Two participants give us insight in their word count progress, about what tools they are using and a glimpse about their novel. Read the chat below and let us know in the comments how YOU are doing: A chat between two Nano Writing Buddies Sue: ‘Are you […]
Successful Fiction Writing: Important Rules to Follow

There has long been a debate about whether fiction or non-fiction are more difficult to write. Fiction does require a lot of creativity while non-fiction will typically necessitate significant research. In both cases, a lot of preliminary work will be required. Building a convincing story and coming up with an interesting world, however, rank among […]
Writing Advice from Ernest Hemingway That Can Boost Your Career

One of the greatest writers of modern times, Ernest Hemingway knew what makes a great story and he also knew how to present this story to the reader. Hemingway relied on a number of powerful literary tools to make every single text outstanding, memorable and vibrant. Whether you’re a fiction writer or any other professional […]
Books every writer should read

As writers we’re addicted to books on ‘how to write’. It’s procrastination of course. If you’re reading a book about how to develop your craft, then you’re working on your writing, right? Yes, but there must be balance. If you spend too long reading and not getting words on the page, you’ll never finish that […]
Want to Keep That Resolution? Stop Relying on Willpower to Build Healthy Habits

Your New Year’s Resolutions are doomed… if your plan is to use willpower and white knuckles to create healthy habits. This works better. As the holidays wrap up, we tend to get a little discouraged. The bacchanalian excesses are over, leaving us morose about our growing waistlines and neglected task lists. We vow to build […]
How to Harness the Power of Minimalism to Become More Productive

Do less and accomplish more by applying minimalist principles to your life. For some, the term “minimalist lifestyle” brings to mind a scrawny monk wearing a tattered robe in a barren room with no WiFi. However, minimalism is not about living in squalor, eschewing material goods and technology, going vegan, or backpacking the world. Rather […]