Bryan Collins's Blog, page 79

Writing In Pain: 12 Top Tips That Really Work

Writing in pain isn't much fun, speaking from experience. I write during the day in an office, and during my free time, I sit at a desk at home and write again.

I spend over forty hours a week sitting down.

Here’s the problem:

Sitting is the new smoking.

A couple of months ago, my foot went numb for hours at a time, and I experienced enough knee pain to find sitting for more than an hour unpleasant.

I procrastinated for months before going to a physical therapist.

After a short examination, he ...

Writing a First Draft: The No-Nonsense Guide for Authors

Do you need help with writing a first draft?

I once wrote the first draft of a book chapter that smelt so bad, I had to open up the office window while reading it.

It's a good thing my first drafts are for me alone, and yours should be too.

“When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.” – Kurt Vonnegut

When you sit down to write the first draft, you may lack confidence or feel uninspired by what you're about to do.

Today, it's you alone wrestling with your id...

Leadpages Review: Why This Landing Page Software is Awesome

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This Leadpages review explores if it's worth it and how you can use this landing page builder in your small business.

I took a 30-day Leadpages free trial because I wanted a tool that would help me increase email sign-ups and create a landing page easily without hiring a developer. Since then, I've used it for several years on Become a Writer Today.

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Conquer Your Fear of Writing With These 5 Top Strategies

Let's talk about your fear of writing.

We've all been there.

When I was in my early twenties, I did too. I told people I wanted to write a book. There was just one problem. I wasn’t writing anything.

I believed I wasn’t ready to write, and I needed some anointed mentor to pull me aside and say, “Bryan, now is your time.”

I became jealous of the success of people around me and grew sick of my lack of progress.

So, I joined a fiction and non-fiction writing workshop in Dublin. On the second evenin...

37 Of The Best Writing Podcasts Available: Listen Now!

If you want to improve your writing skills, spend a little time learning from the other writers who host podcasts.

I regularly spend an hour or two a week listening to top shows like the Creative Penn so I can learn what's working in publishing and get craft advice.

I also share my insights on the Become a Writer Today podcast.

So what should you listen to?

Take a look at some of the best podcasts on writing and learn more about how they can help your creative work!

Of course...

How to Create a Proven Plan for Writing In 12 Steps

Having a plan for writing isn't that sexy, but it's still a good way to spend your time.

A solid writing plan will help you figure out what you're going to write and when. It will mitigate many of the mistakes new writers make, like creating something nobody wants to read, buy, or publish.

And your plan for writing will help you embrace the hard work of finishing a writing project and pressing publish.

This article explains how to create a writing plan, step-by-step.

Let's dive in.

1. Identify...

The 7 Writing Habits of Highly Successful Writers

So you love writing.

You’re committed to developing your writing voice, improving your skills, and working steadily on your craft.

But, sometimes after a day’s writing, you want to pull out your hair.

If only you could figure out what successful writers do every day and then use this insight to get better at your craft and learn how to become a writer.

Because a lot of successful writers are inaccessible (or they’ve passed on).

The good news is you can still learn from them if you put i...

How to Get Motivated To Write: 18 Tips That Work

So you want to get motivated to write.

You’ve got plenty of ideas.

But, you just can’t start.

(Or perhaps you can start writing, but then you quickly run out of steam and can’t get going again.)

I get it.

Several years ago, I decided to enter a flash fiction competition. I spent two months writing a three-hundred-word story.

(Yes, that’s an insane amount of time to devote to a small piece of writing.)

I had entered this competition several times during the past few years...

ProWritingAid Review: Is It Worth It?

Can a grammar checking service like ProWritingAid help you become a better writer?

In this ProWritingAid review, I’ll explain in detail how this  checker software  and style editor can help you, how well it improves your writing and whether ProWritingAid is worth it.

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The 11 Best Writing Apps for iPad

If you need help with your writing needs, then you should find the best writing apps for iPad.

The App Store is filled with numerous apps that can help you create and edit your documents.

However, choosing the best writing apps for the iPad can prove to be a real challenge.

And your time is invariably better spent writing rather than procrastinating about what app to buy or try.

That's why we have come up with the best writing apps available for iOS and iPad. Rely on thes...