Pessimism is not the answer either — If you don’t want to become negative, moderate your optimism with a reality check. Optimism is highly desirable — all the self-help books tell us that — and it sure makes the day more enjoyable. …

The number of followers is a helpful metric but should not be your only goal. — Focusing on gaining 100 followers will not help you. You’ve got it all wrong. Some new writers on this platform are in a tizzy because suddenly, you need 100 followers to monetize your writing. Many are rushing about asking for followers, doing follow-for-follow, and sometimes even criticizing the system for…

He thinks it’s a weapon, but it’s a noose. — The Sussexes claimed they didn’t want media attention. That’s what started all of this. They were running from all the bad press. They want media attention, but only if they can write it themselves. I have no sympathy. Harry says he wants reconciliation with his brother and father. How will…

It’s vulgar — I know the aim of the game here is to get people to read your stories, but you’ve got to do better than this. It’s the height of rudeness to read someone’s story, make a comment, and drop a link to your own story. Do you think writers are so…

Public speaking: a lesson in shame and pride He was jiggling from foot to foot in glee and excitement, and he could barely keep his words from tumbling out — that was clear. This was not going to be good for me. My heart hardened against what was to come…

How a post-work shutdown helps you sleep Does your sleep suffer because you lie awake worrying you have forgotten something? Restorative sleep is critical for your health. I do. Sometimes my fretting brain won’t let me rest. Here is a solution I have found effective. It’s from Cal Newport‘s Deep Work. He recommends you run a nightly shut down ritual. Before finishing work, go through your daily to-do list and tick off everything. If you can’t because you haven’t completed it, move it forward and schedule a time so you won’t forget it. If there is a crucial task worrying you, get it done now before finishing work for the day.

The unexpected outcome of negative visualisations — I have noticed that I scroll right past stories with negative titles. I don’t even hesitate — I don’t stop — they’re gone. They elicit a strong reaction in me, and maybe in others too. It occurred to me that perhaps I should not use negatives when I write titles…

Six tests you might be missing out — Everybody wants to be a good friend. We all try hard to do the things that friends are supposed to do. Sometimes we put the needs of our friends ahead of our own needs. Cherishing friends is a good thing. Friendship helps the world survive, helps us get through life’s…

How T-shaped writing can help — We’ve all heard the story about having to niche down in our writing to be successful. But does that formula work these days? In the age of information, there is value in writers being T-shaped. This concept comes from the business world and is commonly used to describe people —…