As I more seriously study the craft of writing, I’m dismayed to discover some of what I was taught in school during my formative years was wrong. Some of this misdirection was trivial, and some were likely correct at the time but have changed since then. However, my teachers’ misguided instructions formed habits that are […]
Malcolm Gladwell, in his 2008 book Outliers, advances the “10,000-Hour Rule.” He asserts that to be successful in any field, it is largely a result of putting in a requisite amount of time practicing a task and honing that skill. How much time? Ten thousand hours! I have no idea how much time I’ve logged […]
There is a writing conference that I’ve been hearing a lot about lately, the “Festival of Faith and Writing,” held at nearby Calvin College. It first came to my attention just after the last conference. My friend Gerald the Writer, a follower and frequent commenter of this blog, has been three times and speaks highly […]
Written by J. M. Barrie in 1911, the novel Peter Pan (aka: Peter and Wendy or Peter Pan and Wendy) is 100 years old. Whether or not you have read the book, you are no doubt familiar with the story, having likely seen an adaptation or two on video or stage. While much can be […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD “I need to find a good manager.” This statement is simple and its occurrence common. I’ve heard it many times over the years, including when I worked in call centers, when I consulted for call centers, and now that I write about call centers. Despite the straightforward nature of this […]
At the Breathe Writers Conference, I attempted to follow my self-imposed limit of one book per conference—a practical step given my proclivity to acquire books faster than I can read them. I bought the latest book by our keynote, Caryn Rivadeneira. Her book, Grumble Hallelujah, was just released in August. I classify it as a […]
Last weekend I attended the Breathe Christian Writers Conference in West Olive Michigan. It was my second year and the conferences’ fifth or sixth. Breathe is a value-packed conference that is priced right. Although most attendees were from southern Michigan, some came from out of state, as far away as Texas. Interestingly, Breathe was founded […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I remember reading a notable case study in my college marketing class. It was about cereal rivals Kellogg’s and Post. Prior to the Great Depression, their marketing efforts and corresponding market share was comparable. But when hard times hit, Post reacted by pulling their advertising, whereas Kellogg’s doubled their efforts. […]
Do you ever read a book and feel the author is your friend? This can be especially true if the book includes self-disclosure, as in a memoir styled account. After reading this type of book, I wish I could sit down and talk with the work’s creator: asking questions, sharing observations, and nurturing the budding […]
Last week, I recorded the headlines of press releases that I received—not the ones I used, but the ones I didn’t use (and many more were screened before they reached me). Many don’t even address the industry I cover, so make sure you only send your press releases to those who actually cover your industry, […]