Last week I shared my foray into writing movie reviews. It wasn’t long before I began penning book reviews as well. However, unlike my short-lived tenure writing movie reviews, book reviewing is a practice that has continued. So far I’ve written 53 (it takes longer to read a book, so the numbers accumulate slower.) The […]
I’m a bit of a movie buff, enjoying most genres and all eras. Some might say that I watch too many movies (I’ve rated 2,336 of them on Netflix)—or perhaps that I watch too many movies that most would skip. For a time a long time, I resisted combining my love for movies with my […]
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Are You Changeable?
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, Ph.D. It’s been said that the only constant is change. Why, then, is change so hard? Call centers, especially those in the healthcare industry, go through frequent changes, perhaps more so now than ever before. These changes might include merging operations, moving locations, implementing revised procedures, adjusting to new regulations, or […]
My first writer’s critique group was a rewarding experience. There were ten in attendance, which included several first-timers. As a newbie, I was able to share my journey and participate in the discussion, but I could only be an observer in the critiquing process. Wisely, they want to make sure that newcomers are serious about […]
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How Big is Your Platform?
A few years ago literary agent Amanda Luedeke quantified what constitutes a “solid author platform.” Frankly, her numbers are overwhelming: This is daunting. Even more disconcerting is knowing that the number of blogs, websites, Twitter accounts, and Facebook pages is growing much faster than the number of people who visit, follow, and view them. This […]
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Why I Like to Mix It Up
In my writing journey, I recently submitted my completed dissertation for review and comment. This had been a concerted effort for several months and once achieved, I took a needed writing respite. This didn’t mean completely ceasing all writing activity, as I continued blogging and whatnot, but I intentionally took a break from big projects. […]
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My Writing Goals for 2012
Last April I shared my five writing goals in the post, What are Your Goals as a Writer? Goal setting is both recommended and wise, but alas, I did one thing wrong: I failed to specify the time for completion. This was a serious omission that stymies most goal-setters. Here is how I did: Though […]
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Going from Good to Better
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD As I gaze about my office, I am amused at its absurdity. It contains an eclectic array of form and function. Although my computer technology is first rate, the room’s remaining accouterments are a varied collection emanating from different decades, with diverging appearance and disparate degrees of utility. In short, […]
I recently blogged about the 10,000-hour rule, which postulates that it takes 10,000 hours to master any craft, including writing. In parallel fashion, I recently read a post by Kaye Dacus, who wrote, “I’ve heard it said that no one can consider himself a “real” writer until he has written at least one million words.” […]
I don’t recall who recommended Kristen Lamb’s book to me about blogging, Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer, but I am most appreciative. It’s packed full of practical information that is actually feasible for writers to implement. Through her advice, I picked up some useful blogging tips and learned what I’m doing right. In […]