My motivation is rock bottom right now — A rant It seems that Medium has shifted from assessing quality to counting claps and responses. Got lots of followers? Yay. You’ll be distributed — not that anyone will be able to tell since no one will be notified. Just a handful…

Listen to understand and discover what isn’t being said — I am not a good listener. I have never been one. Words go in one ear and out the other, which is why I don’t like audiobooks or podcasts and hated lectures in college. It’s almost impossible to focus on what I hear because my concentration flits from topic to…

How to calm down quickly without shoving something in your mouth — Most of us know what a pacifier is — that fake nipple that babies suck on to keep them quiet and content. It’s comforting. Aren’t there days when you wish you had a pacifier to suck on? Sure, you do. We all need comfort in our lives, especially when things…

They’re like flesh-eating cockroaches— everywhere and just as disgusting and dangerous — Everyone has been accosted by a troll on social media — and not the quirky trolls with fuzzy, red hair in animated films. I’m referring to trolls that crawl out from filthy caves and hovels and pollute everyone’s space with their nastiness. “A recent Pew Research Center study found that…

It’s important to look before you flush — People, animals, just about everything pees. Most of the time, we go when we have to and forget about it unless there’s no bathroom handy, and then the pressure in our bladders can start screaming in protest. (Happened to me on a bus ride with no bathroom on the bus.) …

Turn ho-hum titles into stellar ones — Titles matter. They’re the front door of an article, and the more attractive, the more interesting they are, the more likely our readers will peek inside to see what the article is about. But despite their importance, they may be the hardest part of an article to get right. Tinkering…

Go over, under, or around it — just get to the other side — You know the feeling. You want to write, but you can’t get the words out. Forcing just makes it worse. You stare at the blank screen, start, stop, delete, and try again. You got nothing. You’re suffering from creative constipation, and it feels like your brain has hemorrhoids. Finally, you…

And maybe you don’t either — I set a goal to read and respond to at least 20 articles a day. Granted, that’s not overwhelmingly difficult — unless you are immune compromised and have zero energy most days. So, for me, this means that something has to pique my interest immediately and entice me to read…

Being too eager can cost you money — Early in my writing career, a client approached me to write a pamphlet on the history of silk for the one of his products. It was the perfect assignment since I love doing research. As a new, hungry freelancer, I jumped at presenting a proposal. The client accepted it, and…