Published in Coffee Times·PinnedHello, I’m PatriciaLet’s get to know each other (updated 10–13–2021) — I’m a full-time freelancer who gave up a high-octane corporate career to become my own boss. As an organizational communications consultant, business writer/editor, and writing instructor, my business has weathered the ups and downs of the economy and is still going strong. My tenure on Medium is a little over…Coffee Times Movement2 min read
Published in On Being a Writer·1 hour agoOne Quick Way to Find New IdeasFrom my free guide on Gumroad, Finding Ideas to Write About: A Guide for Writers* — Take a phrase like, “I get crazy when” and complete the sentence in three different ways. If something drives you to the edge, other people probably feel the same. For example, I get crazy when people whine about the same problem over and over. Article ideas: How to Easily Shift…Writing Tips1 min read
Published in In Fitness And In Health·23 hours agoLift Yourself Out of Harmful Thinking PatternsDon’t let your thoughts make you sick — Rumination is the incessant chewing on negative events and situations. We relive every gory, agonizing detail and reinforce it by feeding the thoughts that trigger it. We end up feeling like a helpless victim — a deer in the headlights, frozen and waiting for doom. Since Friday when the U.S…Mental Health4 min read
Published in The Shortform·6 days agoThe Hell with It AllIt’s tempting, isn’t it? — Life1 min readPhoto by Reinhart Julian on UnsplashThe Hell with It AllIt’s tempting, isn’t it?----1
Published in Coffee Times·6 days ago“Negative” Feelings Are Trying to Tell Us SomethingListening to what they say can be good for us — If you’re like most people, you think that “negative” emotions must be remedied as soon as possible. While dwelling in them for too long can lead to serious physical and psychological problems, what we label as “negative” may not be all bad. In fact, they might not be bad at…Personal Growth4 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jun 21The Cure for Writer’s Block May Be in Your HeadJust ask yourself these 3 questions and pay attention to your answers — Writer’s block — the scourge of the writing profession. Most of us have experienced sitting in front of our laptops, brain dead when it comes to writing. Early in my career, I was a communication officer for a major bank. …Writing5 min read
Published in Coffee Times·Jun 20Make Self-Editing Easier with These 5 TipsBecome a better self-editor — I have a confession: I don’t like writing; however, I do like editing, and I’m pretty good at it, especially since I teach it. While it’s easy for me, it’s not easy for a lot of people, and there’s a good reason why. It’s hard to edit your own writing…Self Editing Tips5 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jun 18Juggling Priorities, Projects, and PeopleHow to keep the right balls in the air — Does it ever feel as if you need 6 more hands just to stay on top of things? Demands are being thrown at you from everywhere, and everyone wants a piece of you right now. You’re swamped with tasks that all need to be done sooner rather than later. It…Personal Growth4 min read
Published in MIDFORM·Jun 16How to Write an Article ConclusionHow an article ends is as important as how it begins — maybe more — Think of your favorite movie or book. How does it end? The ones that end with a satisfying conclusion are often more memorable than ones that whimper to a close or end with a “What happened?” response from the audience. Some endings stay with us forever. …Writing3 min read
Published in Feedium·Jun 15Clickbait Titles Are Creeping into My Medium FeedPlease stop! — Clickbait titles come in many forms, and, generally, Medium does a good job of finding and weeding them out. But more subtle ones are arriving in my feed, and I’m getting annoyed — not at Medium, but at the writers. The following examples are illustrative only and not actual titles…Writing3 min read