“Joys divided are increased.” – Josiah Gilbert Holland, Born Jul. 24, 1819. If you want to make any offer of anything seem more appealing to whoever it is you’re offering it to… Start slicing it up. Every distinct piece of it is a separate component with its own intrinsic and inherent value. If you were… Read More →
Creation Is Only Part One of the Process of Producing Quality Work
“A good story cannot be devised; it has to be distilled.” – Raymond Chandler, Born Jul. 23, 1888. How many people think writers know exactly what they are going to write before it starts coming out of their fingers? We don’t. It would be boring if we did. Sure, you research and plan loosely. But… Read More →
On Creating the Illusion of Two-Way Conversation, and Why It’s Valuable
“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.” – Karl A. Menninger, Born Jul. 22, 1893. Wouldn’t it be nice if we, as writers could listen to our… Read More →
“Too Much Information” Equals “Untapped Opportunity
“One of the effects of living with electric information is that we live habitually in a state of information overload. There’s always more than you can cope with.” – Marshall McLuhan, Born Jul. 21, 1911. If you’re not someone who can be a creator of new information, your best bet to survive in the future… Read More →
We Don’t Make “Mistakes” – We Have “Plot Developments”
“No matter what I do, it somehow comes out right – even if it was a mistake!” – Mario Montez, Born Jul. 20, 1935. Consider what you’re doing – your work, your career – as one long, unfolding story. It’s not a series of projects and goals, but an overall plot arc. … Read More →
Why Hand Copying Old Sales Material Is a Big Dumb Waste of Time
“It is all very well to copy what one sees, but it is far better to draw what one now only sees in one’s memory. That is a transformation in which imagination collaborates with memory.” – Edgar Degas, Born Jul. 19, 1834. “They” say you should take old winning sales letters by the greats,… Read More →
Don’t Waste Being Provocative Without Actually Provoking Action
“I don’t intentionally go: ‘Ooh, what is provocative,’ and try to do that. I just do stuff, and people go: ‘Ooh, that’s provocative.’” – M.I.A., Born Jul. 18, 1975. Good writing provokes. It isn’t comfortable and breezy. It causes discomfort and dissatisfaction. It gives hope and makes promises. It stirs ACTION. But lots of writers… Read More →
The Secret of Being Excellent Is Being Prolific First – So Get Started
“Black Sabbath was written on bass: I just walked into the studio and went, bah, bah, bah, and everybody joined in and we just did it.” – Terence Michael Joseph “Geezer” Butler, Born Jul. 17, 1949. Just start doing what you want to do. Don’t think about it too much. And I don’t mean warming… Read More →
Is Fear of Embarrassment Holding You Back? (Yes It Is!)
“I always just forced myself to do crazy things in public. In college I would push an overhead projector across campus with my pants just low enough to show my butt. Then my friend would incite the crowd to be like, ‘Look at that idiot!’ That’s how I got over being shy.” – Will Ferrell,… Read More →
Dreams Unhitched to Determination Will Remain Locked In Your Skull Forever, Of No Benefit to Anyone
“A film is made in somebody’s head – out of their determination to do it at all.” – D. A. Pennebaker, Born Jul. 15, 1925. This is where failure nestles in, curled up warm and safe, using your plans and goals as a cozy little blanket. Everyone’s got an idea. Most people have good ideas…. Read More →
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