I’m sitting here this morning pondering what to write in this week’s blog and my eyes drift to the book case near my writing table. There’s over 120 novels on the shelves, a fraction of what I’ve owned and read over the years. Ask my wife. My motto might well be: so many books, so little time. So many story worlds explored: from outer space to early America, from contemporary suspense and mystery to ancient Ireland, from murders in London to magical lands of fantasy and imagination, from heart-pounding thrillers to experiencing the first century church. I have sixteen of Elizabeth George’s...

Last week I wrote about the importance of setting clear and measurable goals to achieving our dreams. Goals have to be specific. If it’s not specific, it’s a wish without any foundation for achieving it. How do we achieve our goals? By breaking them down into small, measurable steps. Some call these objectives, others call them tasks. Whatever you call them, the idea is to take a goal and chop it up into small pieces. You can’t eat a whole pizza in one bite, but you can cut it into slices and finish it one slice at a time. Rabbit trail alert: A story attributed to the great American philosopher,...

It is possible to get the house painted, get the promotion, get the Hawaiian vacation. It is possible to get the first draft done (or the second, the third…even the eighteenth). It’s possible to get an agent, a book contract. All of these, and many others, are possible to achieve. But they are not easy. They take work. And we’ve all heard that before. But something has to happen before the work, before we put the thought, labor and effort into getting what we want. For me, achieving anything I want requires setting a goal. The goal provides the focus for my efforts. The goal gives me the target...

For all you aspiring writers out there, I have a tip. Are you ready? Here it is:  Put down your pen or pencil. Close your laptop. And RUN. Take up auto mechanics or brain surgery or lawn maintenance. Did I dissuade you from writing? No. All right, then dig in for the ride of your life. Get ready to put in long, lonely hours. Getting up earlier. Staying up later. Squeezing precious writing minutes out of daily activities. Get ready to stuff your brain with more information than you think it can handle. Information that will be contradictory. Information that will sound like Yoda channeling Yogi Berra....

I often share with groups and aspiring writers that writing is hard work. There are constant challenges that threaten to pull you away from the task. Sometimes you sit and stare at the screen, fingers poised, and nothing happens. Where are the profound words, the inspiring thoughts, the exciting insights? Don’t have a clue. Let’s go see a movie, watch television, shopping. Sometimes even pulling weeds or mowing the lawn seem like pleasant things to do. I set a goal for so many words per day. I’m at the keyboard, ready to go. And I glance out the window. The sun is shining; a gentle breeze is...

Here I am a born-again Christian, a published author, full-time writer, writing coach and group leader, speaker and teacher at writer’s conferences. I can look you in the eye and say, with all sincerity, I am living my dream. The dream God gave me. And yet, there are times—way too many times—when jealousy and envy clench my heart. I’m scheduled to teach one class at a writer’s conference and hear a fellow writer will be teaching two. Why her and not me? I’m published and she’s not. I’m working to get my second book published and I hear where someone has signed a three-year contract for...