June 03, 2019

Productivity Tips for Writers

June 03, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

I just released my fifth Skillshare class and it’s all about increasing your focus and productivity using a simple business tool called a SWOT analysis. The class isn’t specifically for writers, so I thought it would be fun to focus (pardon the pun) on productivity tips for writers here on my blog this month.

This week, I’m sharing a few things that have helped me a lot in my writing journey. I will say that it took some experimenting to really find a groove, so if you’re currently feeling frustrated, don’t stop experimenting. The tip that’s going to strike a chord for you could be right around the corner.

May 27, 2019

How to Write a Novel Using Your Intuition

May 27, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

I just finished reading The INFJ Writer: Cracking the Creative Genius of the World’s Rarest Type by Lauren Sapala, and not only was I blown away by how much it felt like she was writing about me, but the book really got me thinking about how my intuition comes into play when I’m writing.

You’ve probably heard that there are two types of writers: plotters and pantsers. If you just thought, yeah, I’ve heard this before, I’m out of here—wait! This isn’t going to be your typical plotters versus pantsers post. I believe things aren’t that black and white when it comes to writing a novel and the writer’s intuition plays a big role in the creation of their novel.

May 16, 2019

Create a Checklist for Self-Editing You Can Complete Using the Search Function

May 16, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

So many little things came up when I was running through the final copy of my first novel that I decided to create a checklist, so I remember to check for these things in my next book. Although they were all little things, there were so many of them that they would have made my novel look very unprofessional if I hadn’t fixed them before publishing.

These kinds of little errors are a great reason to check your manuscript even after it’s been edited. You may even want to consider hiring more than one editor. I consider these little things to be part of the proofreading process.

May 09, 2019

How to Create a Nonfiction Book Outline

May 09, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

This might sound a little crazy, but when I was in high school and university, I loved to make outlines. It was the stuff that came after the outline that I always had trouble with. But, because I had a detailed outline I could refer to, the writing was a lot easier than it would have been without an outline.

I've created countless outlines whether they were for essays, short answer questions, or a formal presentation. I’ve even created mini-outlines when I wrote exams to help me stay on topic.

I still enjoy creating outlines today and use them for many of my daily tasks. If it wasn't for a detailed outline, I wouldn't have been able to write my book Keep More Money in just two months. Let’s dig into why outlines are so great.

May 04, 2019

Writing Advice from Author and Writing Coach Kevin T. Johns

May 04, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

Today I’m excited to chat with my writing coach Kevin T. Johns about all things writing craft. I first “met” Kevin when I signed up to receive emails about writing from him a few years ago. At that point, I knew I wanted to write a book but had done absolutely nothing to achieve that goal. So, I watched one of Kevin’s free webinars and signed up for a course he was offering called The Novel Writer’s Blueprint.

Through Kevin’s class, I learned there are many elements to writing a novel. Today, we touch on some of those elements as well as the secret to being a productive writer.

April 29, 2019

Self-Care Tips for Writers

April 29, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

I feel like I’ve been hearing a lot about self-care lately, and feeling a bit of pressure to have a daily self-care routine. When I thought about it, I realized I already have a great self-care routine, but I hadn’t made it formal by calling it that.

Self-care can be anything you do for your well being, whether it’s mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual. I like to think of it as anything that’s just for me, that makes me feel good. We spend so much time doing things for other people, it’s nice take some time to focus on ourselves.

April 22, 2019

How Does Supporting Your Local Library Support Your Favourite Authors?

April 12, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

Since April is Drop Everything and Read month, it got me thinking about how supporting my local library supports my favourite authors. I love using the library it saves me a ton of money every year, but I also want to support my favourite authors so they keep creating amazing stories.

Best I can tell, there are two main ways supporting your local library helps support my favourite authors: royalties and exposure. When authors sell books they receive royalties. This goes for both traditionally published authors and self-published authors. Libraries buy books through publishers, therefore traditionally published authors receive royalties from those sales to libraries.

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