Writing and publishing articles by author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
While a college degree in writing has value, it is not a requirement for a rewarding career Last week I talked about the appropriateness of hiring others to help us with our writing journeys. This has been a reoccurring theme in my career as a writer and my vocation as a publisher. When it comes […]
When you want to advance as an author, the cost-effective solution is to hire outside help Tip #7 in my post “10 Tips to Improve as a Writer” is to not be afraid to pay for help. As a financially frugal person, this was a hard lesson for me to learn. When I entered the […]
To progress as an author requires hard work and diligent focus I’ve been writing my entire adult life. In the early years, my primary goal was to write faster, but for the past decade or so, my focus was on writing better. As I attended to learning the craft of writing, my writing has steadily […]
Knowledge about writing has value only when we put it into action At the risk of offending all writers who are pursuing or want to pursue an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree in writing, let me share some concerns. Yes, I look at writers with MFA degrees with admiration, even though the eyes of […]
Writing is about focus and balance and obeying our muse For the first time (that I recall) I don’t want to write a post for this blog today. It’s not that I don’t want to write at all; it’s that I yearn to work on something else. This something else is a short story that […]
Trying to follow every bit of writing advice can push writers into a no-win situation I listen to many podcasts, follow blogs, read magazines, attend webinars, and study books so that I can become a better writer. But somedays I wonder if it helps. Somedays my head spins with confusion, and I want to give […]
Tap into your subconscious to spur creativity and inspire great stories Last week I asked the question, “Do you dream of writing?” I talked about five fatal perspectives common to aspiring authors and ended with the admonition to stop dreaming about writing and just start doing it. However, today I’m going to encourage you to […]
Young people are more apt to read books than older folks To listen to mainstream media about the state of book publishing leaves most people with an incorrect understanding of the industry. The press gives the impression that fewer people are reading and those who do are mostly older. The industry is dying, so why […]
People who say they will one day write seldom get around to it When I tell people I am a writer I get various responses. Aside from a blank look of incomprehension or the dreaded question of “Have you written anything I’ve heard of?” they usually tell me about their own writing aspirations. Here are […]
Having a firm due date provides authors with three essential benefits Few people enjoy being confronted by a deadline. And due dates apply to writers perhaps more than most others. Deadlines harass us; they make us write when we’d rather do something else, something fun, important, or beneficial. Due dates force us to make sacrifices, […]