So I spent the last year working for a truly amazing company. Not only did it give me a chance to develop some new writing skills, it gave me the opportunity to work with some of the best co-workers I’ve ever had. The clients I got to work for were incredible. The perks of the job were unbelievable. However, now that the gig is done and I’m moving on to bigger things, I can see that I let a few things fall to the wayside. So for any writer that just landed a incredible dream job or long-term gig, I’d…

It’s March 5th, which means we only have 10 days left until the Stephen King Writing Challenge starts! This writing challenge is a particularly tough one, and I want to make sure you’re prepared before we get started. So I’ve created a checklist to help you get ready. It’s grouped by categories because, yes, I am that much of a dork. Personal Life Figure out what times you’re going to block out for writing. You’re going to need at least an hour a day, unless you’re a world champion speed typist.Practice being unavailable during those times. It’s one thing to…

I knew February 24th was going to be a tough day. Not only was I working on various projects back to back, I also had an important meeting scheduled and I was determined to impress. So when I got home, with a bag of fast food, I was grateful that things were finally over for the day. Then I realized that water was dripping out of one of my light fixtures. Ugly water. Not that pretty water would make this any less terrifying or dangerous. I’ll spare you the details of all the things I screamed at my electrical system….

Not that you would ever cheat. Of course not. You got into this challenge for honor, glory, and a more substantial writing portfolio. You can’t trick or cheat your way into that! But one day, usually half way through the challenge, it’s going to hit you. It’s going to hit you when you come home to a cold keyboard, personal obligations to fulfill, and your desire to go for a brisk walk at an all-time low. And when that day comes, come back to this page. Because this is the official list of substitutions that are going to save your…