Novelist Notions: Writing, Creativity, and Personal Growth

Stepping Back to Move Forward: Lessons from My Blogging Burnout The Slippery Slope of Writing for Profit The line between dedication to my craft and obsession is one I do my best not to cross. I am human, however, and as such am not perfect. My passion for writing and this blog often gets the better of me. When I started doing this, I did so with the misguided motivation of making a quick buck. I was desperate to escape my living situation, one I still haven’t escaped. Being the impulsive and desperate person I was, I dove headlong into every tip, trick, and trend that promised a profit or exposure. I downloaded keyword plugins, created an Amazon Associates account and plastered affiliate links all over my articles, and dove straight into applying for Google AdSense, something that I haven’t successfully attained as of this writing. In my haste, I was certain that if I honed my craft enough and optimized my posts based on whatever the trends were, success would eventually follow. I wri...

Embracing Freedom, Creativity, and Connection in the Digital Age Your career path is a choice that defines most people’s lives. Sure there are plenty of opportunities to change careers, and I’m a perfect example. I’ve spent almost 21 years at my current job, and while I love it and the people I work with, I watch the clock throughout the workday, longing for the end of my shift so I can retreat to my personal office and write. The process wasn’t without its challenges, some of which I’m still going through now. From losing money via other jobs because of my inability to drive because of my physical condition to lack of hours outside of a six-week window of time, I’ve dealt with some professional challenges But I think that’s what finally helped me decide that writing and blogging are my future, and it’s a future I can’t wait to dive into. In today’s article, I’ll share with you my reasons for diving into this industry headfirst and how it’s made me a better writer and a better man. The...

Priorities: How Learning from Lost Time and Money Reshaped My Focus How Learning from Lost Time and Money Reshaped My Focus—On the Page and Beyond In a world that constantly pulls you in many directions, it's challenging to make the right decision on where to focus your time and energy. I know this struggle firsthand. For much of my adult life, I struggled with this dilemma, and I believe it cost me years of personal and professional growth that came much later than it should have. These years of growth were sacrificed on the altar of fake temporary friendships and ill-fated relationships. It took me far longer than I feel it should have to realize where my priorities should have been. It also costed me money, not just up front but also in money I could be making now if I'd had the same mindset I do now. I was so caught up in what people thought of me I lost sight of how far I could go if I just focused on what I wanted instead...

  Harnessing the Power of Time to Create Your Best Work Time is money. There was a time when that phrase meant nothing to me. I once saw it as just a tawdry cliche overachievers used to make the rest of us feel small. Now, as a 36-year-old man who finally found the confidence and ambition to pursue what I love to do, there isn’t a phrase that resonates with me more than that. Writing is about more than creativity. Many people don’t understand this right away—I sure didn’t—but it also takes discipline to be successful, much like any other line of work. Taking those ideas rolling around in your head and turning them into things people want to read takes discipline and an ability to force yourself to sit down and transform those fleeting ideas into compelling narratives. As with any other venture, your most precious resource is not your computer, not your pens or notebooks, but time. The quality and efficiency of your work depend on good time management skills. In today’s article, I i...