The Daily Writer

We spend so much of our lives consumed by moment other than the one we’re living right now. You can spend all your time worrying about yesterday and all the things you did wrong that you’d like to correct. But the problem is that you can’t go back and change yesterday. It’s done and in the books. You can spend all your time planning for an amazing today, yet completely miss the actions you need to...

It’s a simple but important question: Why do you write? There are a lot of reasons people write. Some people want to build a brand. Some people want money. Some people want a creative outlet. Some people want to leave a legacy. Some people just want to prove the naysayers wrong. On today's episode, Kent reminds us why we must look at our writing as a gift. *** Are you looking for a community...

If you have ever studied story structure or screenwriting, you’re probably familiar with the Hero’s Journey. The Hero’s Journey is a framework used to tell all kinds of stories. It shows the progression of the hero, or protagonist, through obstacles and struggles all the way to their final victory. Think about any story you love, whether it’s from history or fiction, novels, movies, or television....

What if you took a poll of a hundred people who started writing a book but didn't finish it? How many of them would say that a lack of time was a major factor in them not finishing? My guess is that at least ninety of them would say that's the case. It seems almost everyone we talk to these days is busy all the time. You probably feel the same way also. We all have a limited amount of ti...

One of the themes that I hear consistently from authors is that they don't like to market themselves.   Of course, this isn't true for every writer, but it seems to describe an impulse that most creative types have: we love to create, but we have a hard time telling others about our work. I'm thrilled to have a guest today who can help us with this eternal dilemma of writers. Her na...

One of the themes that I hear consistently from authors is that they don't like to market themselves.   Of course, this isn't true for every writer, but it seems to describe an impulse that most creative types have: we love to create, but we have a hard time telling others about our work. I'm thrilled to have a guest today who can help us with this eternal dilemma of writers. Her na...

As you begin to make progress toward your writing goals this year, you will run into some roadblocks. Life will get messy, you will feel tired, and even here in the first couple weeks of the year, you will probably feel like giving up. But why do you feel like giving up? It all comes down to unrealistic expectations. We get discouraged when the picture we have in our head doesn’t match the reality...

If you were to make a list of the most creative people from the last hundred years, Steve Jobs would be close to the top of the list.   As the co-founder of Apple, he was in large part responsible for many of the devices and apps we use today, such as the Mac, iTunes, the iPhone, the iPad, and lots of others.  Especially in his later years, he was adored and admired for his visionary approach and...

Citizen Kane is universally recognized as one of the greatest films of all time. Orson Welles and his collaborators created a masterpiece that was well ahead of its time in storytelling, cinematography, and special effects.   Yet for all its achievements, it's one of the saddest movies ever made. On this episode, you'll learn a powerful lesson from this amazing movie. *** Are you looking...

If you’re of “a certain age,” you probably remember watching Bob Ross on his TV show “The Joy of Painting,” which he hosted on PBS from 1983-1994.   If you’re a little younger, you’ve probably discovered him on the internet, where he has developed an even bigger following. Each week on his show, Bob painted a mesmerizing landscape in just a half an hour. He was known for his soft-spoken style, his...

1994’s The Lion King is one of the most beloved animated movies of all time. In case you haven’t seen it in a while, the story focused on Simba, a young cub in the pridelands of Africa. He is first in line to inherit the throne from his father Mufasa, a good and generous ruler. But there is one thing that stands in the way: Mufasa’s evil brother, Scar, who crafts a plan to have both Mufasa and Sim...

Being a writer takes courage. And lots of it. Why does it take courage? Because when you write, you put your words out there for people to judge and evaluate. You release your ideas into the world.   Sometimes those ideas will not be received too kindly by people. Sometimes they won't be received at all. Being a writer is basically an exercise in courage. I'm excited to feature a convers...

On this special bonus episode, Jeffrey Shaw shares his thoughts on “hug marketing” and why it’s such an effective strategy. Jeffrey Shaw is a leading voice for self-employed business owners, and his top-rated podcast, The Self-Employed Life, is heard in 200 countries by 30,000 or so listeners a month. Jeffrey is the author of the bestselling book, LINGO and the much anticipated book, The Self-Empl...

One of the themes of this podcast is "courage." I want you to consistently do things that scare you.   Why? Because when you do things that feel intimidating, you accomplish greater things and you increase your capacity to impact others.   That's why I'm excited to feature this interview with my friend Jeffrey Shaw. He is a leading voice for self-employed business owners, and h...

One of the themes of this podcast is "courage." I want you to consistently do things that scare you.   Why? Because when you do things that feel intimidating, you accomplish greater things and you increase your capacity to impact others.   That's why I'm excited to feature this interview with my friend Jeffrey Shaw. He is a leading voice for self-employed business owners, and h...

What does it take to achieve a dream? This is the question everybody asks whenever they see someone who accomplished something great.  On this episode, you'll learn why dreams come alive when you nourish them with the sweat of hard work. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Wri...

If you have ever been hiking on a trail in the woods, you have seen the markers that show your distance and keep you headed in the right direction.   The purpose of those signs is to keep you from getting lost and give you guidance along the way. There are similar signs in the writer’s life. These markers indicate our direction, but they’re not always so obvious as trail markers. On this episode,...

How far away is your best work? Ask most writers, and they’ll say it is way off in the distance, perhaps even years or decades. We always perceive that the work we’re doing now is not very good and that our best work is hiding somewhere over the horizon. But what if your best work was much closer than you realize? On this episode, you'll learn why walking is a great tool for unleashing your c...

If you have ever seen a potter at work, you know that a beautiful vase begins as an ugly lump of clay. The potter dumps the clay onto the wheel and slowly begins to shape it the form it is destined to become. This is the way almost all art begins: as a messy, ugly lump of nothingness sitting there until the artist shapes it into something beautiful. On today's episode, you'll learn why i...

For some unexplained reason, the majority of curse words in the English language are four letters long. This is why we sometimes refer to them as four-letter words. Obviously we’re not going to repeat them here. But if we did, there is another four-letter word that can feel like a curse word, especially to writers. It is spelled Y-E-A-R. On today's episode, Kent shares why you must get starte...

We talk a lot about writing habits at the Daily Writer. Why? Because a writing habit ensures that you get the writing done. Without a habit, you will only write when you happen to have time available or the mood strikes you. That's not the way professionals approach their work. You may agree with the importance of a writing habit, but how do you put it into practice? What is the method for ac...

Most of us become interested in writing because we want to impact people's lives with our words. Which is possible! But there are other ways writing can also benefit your life. One of those ways is by making income with your writing. And not just selling books, but by developing multiple streams of income related to your writing.   I've asked my good friend John Stange to come on the sho...

The modern world is both a blessing and a curse for writers.  On the one hand, we have amazing opportunities to write, publish, connect, share, and create. The possibilities are almost limitless. But on the other hand, those limitless possibilities represent so many options that we can get paralyzed. Instead of taking action, we waste months or even years trying to decide what to do. We make zero...

If you watch the behind-the-scenes features for Hollywood movies, you’ve seen it a million times: the actors are in place, the camera crew is ready to go, and all manner of other assistants and technical people are standing at attention. Then the director yells, “Action!” and the scene comes to life. On this episode, you'll learn why you must use this key principle in your writing. *** Are yo...

One of the most inspiring stories from the music world during the last few decades comes from the rock band the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl was the drummer for the mega-successful band Nirvana. He was already an established musician in his own right.   But when the lead singer of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide in 1994, nobody expected Dave Grohl to form his own band and take on the role of a...