Peggy Bechko’s World: What are writers most afraid of?

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by Peggy Bechko

What’s anyone afraid of? Everyone is afraid of something whether they want to talk about it or not. It might be the dark, spiders and snakes, heights, guns, crowds…something! There is something that sets your nerves to jangling and teeth on edge, not to mention raises a cold sweat.

Just thinking about whatever that is can make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, your heart pound and the breath hitch in your lungs if you get into the zone closely enough.

Reason. We all try to use it at such moments, but reason can be at war with that fight or flight we’ve all got so deeply embedded within us. The urge to run or do battle is something hard to deny. So what’s all this about? read article

Peggy Bechko’s World: The Gut Knows – Trust It

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by Peggy Bechko

I’m talking about writing, but the big plus in today’s discussion is that it applies to life in general as well.

The simple fact, boys and girls, is pretty much all of us have a ‘gut reaction’, a ‘gut feeling’ a ‘trust your gut moment’ at any time and in most any circumstance. Dating? Have an uneasy feeling with that person? Trust your gut.

You’ve written a novel. You’ve found an agent, but you’re not comfortable with that agent? Trust your gut. read article

Peggy Bechko’s World: The Truth about Writing Tips

by Peggy Bechko

COVER - ERUPTIONWriters seem inclined to want to learn. That’s why writers, both newbies and old hands, are always on the lookout for tips to help improve the writing, speed the writing, promote the writing, create compelling characters – pretty much any aspect of writing.

But here’s the problem. There are tons of tips and instruction out there. Some of it is really good, other, not so much. In any event it’s tough to tell which can be chucked and quickly deleted from the brain bank and which is worth keeping. It’s so overwhelming the studious writer can end up simply wasting time…lots and lots of time. And time is where the true value lies for the writer for the amount of time to write for most is limited. Sometimes tucked into neat segments at designated times.

But some things learned are so valuable they’re not to be missed. You’ve learned to fine tune your adjectives. You’ve reduced your adverbs. You’ve brought more emotion to your writing. read article

Peggy Bechko’s World: So Finish It Already! 4 Tips for Finishing Your Story

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by Peggy Bechko

Writers can be a very strange lot. Mostly we love writing, but we hate writing. Really, we do. It can be called a love/hate relationship but really it’s more of a hate/hate one.

Now I’m not talking about story. Story is great. It’s the damn writing.

Seriously, how many times have writers sat down in front of a blank page or screen, brimming with a new, fantastic idea, aching to get it out, and then sitting there, staring at the blank page and swearing softly to themselves? The driving urge to write is there, but the whole thing is more than a little daunting. Who doesn’t hate starting new projects, beginning from scratch? read article

Peggy Bechko’s World: Smarten Up, Write in Longhand

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by Peggy Bechko

Writing By Hand Can Make You Smarter.

True?

Not true? read article