Productivity & Simplicity

Read more about the article [Podcast] Kobo Writing Life Podcast: #344 – Committing to Your Writing Practice with Jessie Kwak

[Podcast] Kobo Writing Life Podcast: #344 – Committing to Your Writing Practice with Jessie Kwak

I recently had the pleasure of joining the Kobo Writing Life Podcast to chat about all things writing and publishing! As an author of over fifteen books, including series like The Nanshe Chronicles and The Bulari Saga, as well as standalone thrillers such as From Earth and Bone, my expansive career has touched on many aspects of the publishing world, and I had lots of amazing advice and insights to share. During our conversation, we covered a wide range of topics, including ghostwriting, writing sci-fi and paranormal thrillers, and time management as an author. I also shared what inspired me…

Read more about the article [Video Training] Make a Living as a Freelance Writer for Apex Authors

[Video Training] Make a Living as a Freelance Writer for Apex Authors

Are you curious about what it takes to get into freelance writing? I recently did a training for Apex Author members where we cover: The wide world of freelance niches How to choose a profitable niche How to land those first gigs And more The video replay is available for members, but you can access it with the free trail — and while you're at it, check out all the billions* of other amazing trainings Apex Authors has available! * Maybe I am exaggerating, but not by much.

Read more about the article [Interview] Famous Writing Routines

[Interview] Famous Writing Routines

I had such a good time on this interview for Famous Writing Routines! We talked about the inspiration behind Artemis City Shuffle, why I love writing different genres, and how writers can stay productive. Plus, I shared some photos of my office — complete with alllll my plants and my standing desk setup. Check it out!

Read more about the article [Infographic] Get Unstuck! How to deal with writer’s block.

[Infographic] Get Unstuck! How to deal with writer’s block.

A quick note: I wrote this infographic to go with my presentation at the Willamette Writers Conference this weekend. If you're attending, I'll be talking about Joyful Productivity for Writers at 9am on Saturday (in person) and 8am Sunday (virtually). I can't wait to see you there! A lot of professional writers say they don't believe in writer's block — but I totally do. I've been there, staring at the computer screen, knowing I should be writing but feeling totally, completely stuck. However, as a professional writer, I've also had to learn tricks for pushing past that writer's block in order…

Read more about the article [Video] Productivity and Self-Compassion During Quarantine

[Video] Productivity and Self-Compassion During Quarantine

Happy ... Friday? I'm told Monday is a ... holiday? Potentially we're still in May, I haven't really checked lately. Anyway, how are you doing? Still in quarantine like the rest of us, wondering what days are and how many ice cream sandwiches you need to eat to make a Complete Meal™? Before this all went down, in the halcyon days of 2019, I published a book on productivity for creative people titled From Chaos to Creativity. But these days instead of feeling like a productivity expert, I mostly feel like I'm hanging in there. Which is why when my…

Read more about the article 7 Tips for Getting Your Head Back on Straight During These Here Trying Times

7 Tips for Getting Your Head Back on Straight During These Here Trying Times

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash Hey, are you calmly being productive in your work and personal life in these apocalyptic-feeling days? Hats off to you. I am not. The general aura of anxiety that imbues my every day life bloomed into a full on meltdown near the end of last week, where all I could do was scroll the news and share wide-eyed looks of shock with friends. (Now we are sharing those looks of shock over video conferencing software.) As Oregon heads towards what seems like an inevitable lockdown, though, I'm starting to realize that the world is not going to…

Read more about the article From Chaos to Creativity Powell’s Books Reading [Video]

From Chaos to Creativity Powell’s Books Reading [Video]

Last Monday, I did something that terrified me: I held a creative productivity workshop in front of about 50 people at Powell's Books. I've read from my fiction before, which is its own version of terrifying. But I'd never stood up as an expert in front of a crowd of mostly strangers and tried to impart my wisdom. And you know what? It was pretty fun. Plus, people seemed to find it inspiring and asked a lot of insightful questions. Honestly, the discussion with everyone afterwards was my favorite part. If you were there, thank you for coming! And a…

Read more about the article Creative productivity workshop! Come with your chaos, leave with a plan

Creative productivity workshop! Come with your chaos, leave with a plan

You know how sometimes every waking moment feels like chaos incarnate? Like it's a quiet Saturday morning and you're dying to work on your art, but first you really need to make yourself some breakfast. And before that you need to find the kitchen underneath all the dishes. Which reminds you that you never returned your neighbor's tupperware, and — oh right — you're out of paper towels and so you might as well pick up potting soil for your jade plant because you promised you'd make a cutting for that friend. And as you're emailing your friend you see a note…