The opinion of some writing instructors is to only write what you know. Is this good advice or bad? Is it wise or limiting? Actually, these are trick questions. Let me explain by turning this one phrase into two pieces of advice: This covers everything. Of course, as soon as we learn something we don’t […]
Category: Writing and Publishing
Writing and publishing articles by author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
A friend recently asked how to find a writing mentor. Yeah, I’d like one, too! One of my graduate classes was on mentoring, albeit focused on Millennials and spirituality. The principles I learned, however, apply to any type of mentoring, for almost any age. The reality is those good mentors are hard to find. The […]
Although I do not make New Year’s resolutions, I do set annual goals. (The two are different, but I won’t go into that here.) I set personal goals, spiritual goals, financial goals, and writing goals. Not only do I form new goals, but I also review last year’s goals. Last year, I made four writing […]
In past posts, I’ve encouraged writers to write every day and write with intention. So if we should write with intention every day, does this mean we can’t take breaks? Although we shouldn’t stray from our planned writing schedule too often, it’s equally unwise to stick to our plan with unwavering commitment. Just as most […]
This week at our writer’s group, one of our newer members wondered if she was really a writer. “I read my piece one day and thought it was good, and the next day it seemed rotten.” We all nodded. Not that we thought her piece wasn’t any good but because we knew those feelings all […]
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Long Live the Printed Word
For all the hype about e-books and e-readers, along with news coverage about brick-and-mortar bookstores closing, it may come as a surprise that more printed books are still being consumed than e-books. Though a tipping point may soon come, the printed word still reigns. Despite this trend towards digital, there will always be a place […]
I recently spoke at a writers conference, and one question during my Q&A surprised me: What’s the proper way to format a submission? Having read thousands of submissions, I can firmly state that while poor writing is the quickest way to have your work dismissed. Poor formatting is the second quickest way and also the […]
I once read that people have more respect for someone who has published a book than someone with a Ph.D. I don’t understand why, but I agree that’s what many folks think. In fact, I’ll go one step further and state that publishing aside, people have more respect for someone who has written a book […]
I once attended a lecture by a writer I admired and followed. He said he’d hang out afterward, during the break. I bought his latest book and returned to have him sign it; I hoped we might talk a bit. He was gone. I waited. Nothing. Then I roamed the building but couldn’t find him. […]
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Are You Introverted?
I understand a slight majority of all people are introverted. And based on my interaction with other writers, I’d say, as a group, we’re decidedly introverted. If you’re introverted, read on. This post is for you. And if you’re not introverted, read on anyway to better understand us. Introversion Isn’t Bad: In a world that […]