Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

A few weeks ago, when I introduced the idea of how we can decide what to write next, I proposed several ways a writer can approach that decision. One was to write whatever’s next in sequence. Write What’s Next in Sequence If you’re writing a novel, tackle the next chapter. Your short story will need the next scene. A poem grows with the next line leading to the next stanza. An article will expand with another paragraph or section. If you write DIY tutorials, you write in sequence to show the viewer or reader what to do next in order, one step after another. The sequential approach can be a logical way to decide within an existing project what to write next. In those cases, the answer is often right in front of us. What’s the Next Action? A simple way to keep those projects moving along is to ask the question “What's the next action?” Answer that, and you often realize right away you must simply write the next line, the next stanza, and so on. This question is an essential element in David Allen's Gettin

Last week I presented you with a long list of ways you can decide what to write next and then I promised to expand on some of them. One suggestion was to decide to write something you can finish and ship fast. Projects Big and Small Big goals and big projects hold potential for big payoffs. If you finish that book, for example, it may propel you closer to your highest, most important life or career goals. I encourage you to see it through, because your big ol' work in progress is going to require focused effort for the next several months or years, and you’ll feel so amazing when it’s done. But if you’re in the middle of that long-term project, you may realize you’re not going to get any real feedback on it for a long stretch of time. You’re not going to enjoy a sense of completion until it’s done. As you keep plugging away at it, day after day, you must be persistent and patient and take the long-range view to maintain motivation. Do that work. Don’t stop. However…consider giving your spirits and brain a

Every day, a writer wakes up and asks, “What do I write next?” And the answer varies from writer to writer—even your own answer may change from week to week. Sometimes it’ll be obvious what to write next. When you’re approaching a looming deadline and that article or chapter must be completed, the decision is made for you. You sit down and work on that. But other days you have flexibility. You can write anything you want. How do you choose? Can we be sure the next thing we write is the right thing to write, or the best thing? Do we need to be sure? I don’t think there’s an absolute right or wrong answer. You choose. But you usually choose based on something, whether consciously or subconsciously. And if you make the choice based on something that rings true with your values and supports where you’re at in your journey, you can feel good about your decision. Ways to Decide The next few weeks, we’ll go through various ways you can decide, so you’ll feel a little more confident moving forward on whatever you

This fall, I traveled to New York City for the first time. I’d been concerned about how to navigate the city; I'd never before been there. I didn’t know what to expect, and wasn't sure how things work. Should we take taxis? The subway? Uber? I was nervous. A little scared, honestly, because everything was so unknown and unfamiliar. But I went. I said “yes” to the trip, did a little reading and research, and finally, I decided to trust that my traveling companion and I were smart enough to figure it out. Once we were there, we found our way using Google Maps in "walking" mode. We turned the wrong way a few times—actually, every time—but we'd revise our path, turn down a different street, and you know what? We arrived at our destinations—even if it meant we took the long way a few times. And we laughed a lot at how our first few steps were almost always in the wrong direction, but we eventually figured it out. We even hopped on the subway to visit some sights with no problem. Once I familiarized myself w

Not long ago, I presented to you the concept of a writing pipeline. The stages are: Research Ideas Drafts Final Edits Shipped Archive (or Portfolio) A project enters the pipeline when it’s an idea, germinating and growing in the idea folder. It’s a more formal project when it hits the draft stage. Each stage of development takes time, and you’ll see your writing life take off when you identify and schedule each stage. Use an editorial calendar, and you'll line up your projects—and each stage of each project—churning out content more reliably, meeting deadlines and reaching goals. How Long Will It Take? When you first begin using an editorial calendar, however, it can be hard to know when to work on the various stages of a given project. It’s difficult to map it out when you don’t know how long things take and you’re not sure what you need to do in each stage. To figure it out, reverse engineer the process. Start with the end and work your way back. Case Study: Blog Post Let’s say I want to p

You’re writing. Everything’s moving along just fine, and then. Huh. You hit a section that won’t flow. You write a line or two and it feels convoluted. Or you’re not sure how to best express the idea. Or something’s missing and you’re not sure what. Or you just stop, blocked. Try this. On the page—or on the screen, depending on where you’re writing—actually write this phrase: "What I’m trying to say is…” Then finish that phrase. Write, without stopping. Discover What You’re Trying to Say Finishing the phrase often: clarifies the complexity supplies the best words fills in the gaps clears away blockage Finish the phrase and ideas flow freely. By writing and finishing that thought, you discover what you intend to say, the message you plan to share, the idea you want to develop. If you’re plagued by a formal, stilted tone in your written communication, this phrase invites more natural expression—your writing voice emerges as you say what you’re trying to say in a st

Writing takes time, and life is short. When experts recommend we post content on Facebook and on blogs and in newsletters and YouTube and all these places while we’re trying to write essays or articles or books, we can feel deflated and defeated. How on earth are we supposed to produce that much content? It’s easy to just say, “Forget it. I can only write one thing at a time." Repurpose Your Writing to Connect with More People I’m not super strategic, and I tend to write just one thing at at time, but I’m discovering ways to repurpose content in order to connect with more people in places like Facebook and on my blog and in newsletters. What I’ve been doing most often is writing one solid piece—usually an article that’s available as a podcast episode, like this one. Then, if it seems workable, I repurpose it—that is, I repackage it in some way, or cut it down, or, if its short, I expand on it. The various versions head out to appropriate destinations often with slightly different audiences and purposes. F

And so it begins. The holidays. Here in the U.S., Thanksgiving kind of kicks things off with gatherings and feasts and shopping and decorating. Over the weekend, lights blink on in neighborhood yards and Bing Crosby will croon Christmas tunes from the stereo most nights. It’s hard to know how much writing we can actually produce in the middle of the holidays. Do we write, or take a break? If we write, how much and how often? If we take a break, for how long? Writing and Not Writing on Breaks During Christmas break, my husband usually arranges for time off work between Christmas and New Year’s Day so he can coordinate with the kids’ break from school. When the children were little, I’d keep work hours to a minimum or put my writing and editing on pause during that time, to rest and focus on family. We avoided ambitious plans and stayed low key. We’d sleep in, work on a big puzzle, and watch movies. But in more recent years, I’ve been known to keep work hours during the holidays, finishing up a long projec

My husband is fluent in both French and English. During the first years of our marriage, I worked hard to learn some French on my own. I wanted to be functional in the language when we visited his family overseas. Afraid to Speak I established basic grammar from used textbooks I picked up at bookstores, and my husband coached me on pronunciation. I bought a set of cassette tapes—yes, they were still around—and CDs, and eventually a video series, which I worked with nearly every day. Over the course of five or six years, I built up a fairly strong base. But the times I actually visited Belgium, I relied entirely on my husband to translate for me. I knew my grammar would be off if I spoke, and I hated the thought of sounding like a child. As a language person, I wanted to express myself perfectly. My career as a writer focused on my drive to find the best phrasing possible and make the fewest mistakes. I was too proud or vain or nervous or shy to try express myself in baby talk in another language. In this a

In October, I had the honor of accompanying a client to New York City, where she met with her editor and publisher. In person. Face to face. Digital Connections: Intimate or Distant? In the digital age, face-to-face interaction is becoming more and more rare. Apps and programs make it possible for us to sit in our houses and reach out to the world with the click of a button. This is amazing and makes me happy to be a working writer in the 21st century. However, those same apps and programs can lead us to a false sense of connection—they convince some of us we no longer need to bother with meeting people in person. I'm guilty of thinking that way. My life is full, so I prefer to run meetings from home. It's easier, cheaper, and I can wear pajamas if I want. Why Bother with Face-to-Face? As a teacher, my client knows the importance of face to face. That's why she made it happen, at great expense of personal resources. In fact, she landed her contract as a result of "in real life" interactions. She attended a

Last time we talked about how lack of time is a universal frustration for people who want to write. And I offered a solution that could kickstart your writing and prove to yourself it can be done—you can write even when you think you have no time at all. In this episode, you’re going to see how a simple practice will help you enjoy some quick wins. This, too, will prove to yourself that you can write even when it seems you have no time to spare. Daily Paragraph Every day, write a paragraph. That’s it. Write one paragraph for your work-in-progress every night. You might argue that word count works better. If it does, great. Write that many words. And make sure they add up to at least one paragraph. If you can't reach your target word count, won't it be great if you have one complete paragraph done? You can always write more. You might argue that you need to sit at your computer for a set amount of time. Great. Sit there. But while you’re sitting there for that set amount of time, write one paragraph. Yes,

I hear it all the time. It doesn't seem to matter what stage of life we're in or what part of the world we're from. Regardless of age or gender or personality type, everyone says it: "I want to write, but I don’t have the time." Time Management Systems Only Part of the Solution You might think the only solution is to quit your job or hire a nanny. More likely, you’ve given up. Well, I guess that’s where you’re finding yourself if you’re someone who wants to write but doesn’t because of time…or lack of it. I don’t think you have to quit your job or hire a nanny. I also don’t think you have to give up. I could offer project management and time management solutions to help you eliminate some things from your schedule, plan your days efficiently, streamline your processes, and make the most of your time. And we could discuss distraction and motivation and nemesis and Resistance and procrastination. Because chances are, more than one thing is keeping you from writing, not just lack of time. It Can Be Done: You

A lot of my clients are preparing nonfiction book proposals to send out to agents and publishers. One of the sections they have to think through is their primary audience or target reader. We have to identify who this book is intended to impact. It’s a must for any writing project, big or small. We must know our audience to use the best language to connect with them. To understand what they already know about our topic—and what they need to know. To build a relationship with them and continue to connect with them over time. If we don’t know precisely who are primary audience is, we’re capable of generalizing and writing in a distant, unfriendly, unnatural voice. Identifying Your Ideal Reader But who is this unseen reader? Who's clicking on the article you publish at your website? Who reads your tweets? Who subscribes to your newsletter? Who will read your future book? It’s enough to make your head spin, trying to identify your ideal customer, your target audience, your target reader, your avatar. People

In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, we follow the saga of King Arthur and his knights when, at one point, they encounter the Keeper of the Bridge of Death. Arthur explains that the Keeper of the Bridge of Death asks each traveler three questions. He who answers the three questions may cross in safety. Sir Robin asks, "What if you get a question wrong?” Arthur answers, "Then you are cast into the Gorge of Eternal Peril,” which appears to be a fiery, hellish pit shooting up flames now and then for effect. Sir Lancelot courageously agrees to go first. “Ask me the questions, Bridgekeeper. I'm not afraid.” The questions turn out to be: What...is your name? What...is your quest? And what...is your favorite color. Lancelot answers each question easily and crosses directly. “Right, off you go," says the Bridgekeeper. The next knight, excited that the questions are so easy, rushes up to take his turn. The Keeper of the Bridge of Death asks, "What...is your name?" "Sir Robin of Camelot." "What...is your quest?

Writers have to churn out content of all kinds, from blog articles and guest posts to magazine pitches and book proposals. You never want the well to run dry, yet you may have faced days when you opened your laptop and stared at the screen without a single idea. It’s kind of scary. You think, “That’s it. My career is over. I’ve used up the creativity I was allotted in life. Now I need to go flip burgers at Mickey D’s." No, no, no. Let me assure you that’s not how it works. The well never needs to run dry. Thankfully, whether you need ideas for blogging, essays, creative nonfiction, poems, short stories or novels, ideas abound. You can find things to write about all around you, just waiting to be explored, developed, and written into existence. With a little experimentation, you’re sure to find least a few things to write about next time you open that laptop. Evening Reflection One of my favorite methods for churning out ideas is "Evening Reflection.” I first heard about this a couple of years ago via Mike

In fiction writing, we refer to plotters and pantsers: those who like to outline their plot and write in an organized manner, the “plotters"; and those who write-by-the-seat-of-their-pants, the "pantsers.” Each approach reflects when and how you do your thinking. I know every writer has specifics to his or her approach, but here’s the general idea. Plotter, Pantser The plotter is imagining his characters and thinking through their struggles up front, before he writes a single word, planning out the story’s plot. The pantser has a basic idea and a main character or two, tosses them into a setting, gives them a problem, and starts writing—because he’s thinking as he writes and the story unfolds before him. Nonfiction Plotters and Pantsers While nonfiction writers and poets don’t technically have to plot out anything, I suspect writers in all genres can identify with one or the other of those general approaches. Maybe you’re a plotter-type who outlines essays and articles or works from a template for blog po

In Rumors of Water, L.L. Barkat recommends a book to her daughter. Barkat is out in the garden with her girls, who are pulling weeds, and one of the girls, Sara, has decided she hates Bishop’s Weed. Barkat tells Sara, “It’s your nemesis…Every gardener has a nemesis.” She continues with her own reflection on the impact of having a nemesis—a garden nemesis or otherwise: It’s not going to cause psychological distress and end up in her memoirs. But it’s not going to go away either. She’s going to need to work around it, dig it out, ignore it, accept it, if she wants to grow lettuce and peas in this garden bed. (41) She recommends to Sara a book by Michael Pollan that has a nemesis—maybe a gopher. I, being rather lowbrow, thought of Caddyshack instead of Michael Pollan, and then of Seinfeld and Newman: Jerry... Newman. The Writer’s Nemesis You probably don’t have a Newman in your life. In fact, I hope you don’t have any actual nemesis—that is, a flesh-and-blood writer who steals your ideas or steals your thunde

Young people graduate high school or college, apply for positions, and get stuck: no one will hire them because they have no experience, but they can’t get experience because no one will hire them. So they get a job at Starbucks to pay bills, gaining experience with cleaning espresso machines, still unable to land the job they really want and still unable to gain relevant experience because no one hired them in their preferred field. If only they could gain experience, they would be marketable, successful, confident... If only we could gain experience… People often want to write—to become writers—but they lack experience. Regardless of their age, they feel like that young graduate stepping out into the world eager to work but lacking what they need to do the work. As a result, those writers end up stuck, sometimes paralyzed. Without experience, can they even enter the ring? They hold back, doubting themselves or fearing the door’s going to shut in her face. "Is there room in the market for the newbie, the

Last time we talked about taking a cue from Dani Shapiro and attempting to tell the story as we’re inside of it—potentially before the story has become a story. This requires us to write about life as it’s unfolding, trying to find the story in the actions and interactions that take place. We begin “capturing the living moments,” to borrow a phrase from Anais Nin. What if the events we want to write about took place long ago, before we thought about writing anything down? What if we must rely entirely on memory for material? It's in Us After all, most formative experiences smack us, scar us, and sink into our core in the early years. As Flannery O’Connor said, “Anybody who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days" (84, Mystery and Manners) And Willa Cather said in an interview, "I think that most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen. That's the important period: when one's not writing. Those years deter

In her recently released memoir, Hourglass, Dani Shapiro says she used to teach her students that writers need distance from the event or events they intend to explore in memoir. I was quite certain that we could not write directly from our feelings, but only the memory of our feelings. How else to find the necessary ironic distance, the cool remove? How else to shape a narrative but from the insight and wisdom of retrospect? (93) Distance Leads to Fading I've heard this same advice from many sources but struggled with it in practice. Certain experiences in my life have seemed like perfect fodder for memoir, but I waited to write. Time has passed. Years. At this point, critical details and insights have faded—and, yes, even the feelings. That "cool remove” she speaks of seems more like evaporation. Shapiro says her thoughts on the timing are shifting, though. She now sees that "[e]ven retrospect is mutable. Perspective, a momentary figment of consciousness." To me, her new approach feels like a much better