Category Archives: The Rabid Pen: Writing Advice

Your Biggest Goal for the New Year Should Be Don’t Share Your Goals


Studies show that sharing your goals hurts your chances to acheive them.

Four Biggest Lessons Culled from the Writer’s Digest Conference


This past weekend I traveled to New York to the Writer’s Digest Conference. I returned home well after midnight due to a delayed departure. Having gotten 5 or fewer hours of sleep for nearly a week, it took some time to recuperate. The conference was equally invigorating and exhausting. You arrive home, eager to goContinue reading “Four Biggest Lessons Culled from the Writer’s Digest Conference”

Literary Music Lessons: Stakes and The Talking Heads


Stakes: If your writing doesn’t have them, no one will care. You’ve witnessed writing without stakes. It happens when you verbally yell at your television screen or paperback, “Nothing is happening!” Then there’s the opposite experience. When you are so invested in the characters and their success that no disruption is acceptable. You have to stayContinue reading “Literary Music Lessons: Stakes and The Talking Heads”

Simplifying the Ascent


Several weeks ago, I wrote about treating your writing like a mortgage. You owe yourself a daily word count and effort to contribute to your success. Well, I spent five weeks doing great with it. At one point I even exceeded my set pace. With 2541 words ahead, I had given myself two days worthContinue reading “Simplifying the Ascent”

One month left to get your stories & poems submitted!


If you missed the post back in June, Nerdy Things Publishing is accepting short stories and poetry for a charity benefitting a great not-for-profit organization. Shatter Your Image, the first anthology from Nerdy Things Publishing, will focus on the positivity that comes from embracing your true self. If you want to add your voice, this willContinue reading “One month left to get your stories & poems submitted!”

Literary Music Lessons: Dialogue and Tenacious D


Many songs emulate an emotional feeling. There may be a story. However, not all songs incorporate actual dialogue, i.e. words exchanged by characters. Comedic rock duo Tenacious D created one of the most quotable songs of all time. And they did it while including hilarious dialogue. Is it the greatest song of all time? No, butContinue reading “Literary Music Lessons: Dialogue and Tenacious D”

MUSICAL LITERARY LESSONS: SETTING AND METALLICA


Setting: It’s a central element to a narrative. Without it, readers get confused. They don’t understand the mood of the book. Worst case scenarios the reader can’t even tell where or when they are in the narrative. That’s why today’s musical literary lesson comes from one of Metallica’s iconic pieces. This lesson on setting isContinue reading “MUSICAL LITERARY LESSONS: SETTING AND METALLICA”

This is when you quit.


All too often people put up a veil. I include myself in that category. You can pretend certain things are going as planned, even if the plan has gone to hell. You reach a threshold where honesty pays off and the veil should be removed. Today, I do that. I’m not where I want toContinue reading “This is when you quit.”