Category Archives: Writing Help

A new category for putting my writing help blogs.

Prepping for Action

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Author Richard P. Nixon

Writers are constantly asking the same question, “How do I get published?” You read, you research, and you ask questions, and yet none of it really answers the question. Things change and what was news yesterday is yesterday’s news. The question itself … Continue reading →

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Dawn

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Author Richard P. Nixon

There’s only one way to know performance, and that is to measure it. Sound lame? Well, there are those who say what happens outside doesn’t matter, that what’s inside is what counts. Unfortunately that’s untrue – as a writer you … Continue reading →

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Ice In The Veins

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Author Richard P. Nixon

My friend Lynette Benton says to write memoir you need ice in your veins. She’s right. I’ve been writing my memoir for a long time now, about seventeen years. There are many reasons for it taking so long, but one … Continue reading →

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Anxiety

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Author Richard P. Nixon

“Anxiety is uncertainty multiplied by powerlessness.” Some people insist everything is easy. “Just do it,” they say, “and the world will smile and good things will magically happen.” My immediate thought is, “Don’t you think I would if I could?” … Continue reading →

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Adding Depth Through Detail

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Author Richard P. Nixon

One of the more interesting, albeit frustrating, aspects of revising is the discovery and opening of a treasure trove of long forgotten memories. I say frustrating but that’s not really correct because it implies a certain negativity that is undeserved. … Continue reading →

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What We Hang On To

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Author Richard P. Nixon

I’ve been working on revisions to a chapter, and while looking for additional details to add I went back to a letter my parents sent me from January, 1977,  just after I returned to Sligo from Christmas break. Actually it … Continue reading →

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Q&A With Author Lynette Benton

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Author Richard P. Nixon

I met Lynette on Twitter some time ago when looking to expand my writing universe. What immediately grabbed me was her direct approach in providing actually useful answers to such questions as “How do I grow my list of followers?”. … Continue reading →

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If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Author Richard P. Nixon

I’ve heard it said that suffering is good for the soul, though I think some people take this idea to the extreme, incorporating it into their belief system that they then unleash on others. They point to great people in … Continue reading →

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Small as a Mustard Seed – Review

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Author Richard P. Nixon

As an aspiring author I’ve been gorging on other authors’ work as a means to helping me write better. I generally get hold of whatever’s out there and figure out what I like and don’t like about it. Whether I … Continue reading →

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Silence Is NOT Golden

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Author Richard P. Nixon

You’ve probably heard the saying, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.” I couldn’t disagree more, but that’s probably why I sometimes have a hard time moving forward. I remember many years ago my friend’s wife … Continue reading →

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