Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing? I grew up in Northern Ireland, a place that has seen more than its fair share of bloody violence over the years. Yet the people have always still maintained a strong sense of humor, albeit an often dark and morbid one. My books…
One of the biggest lessons I have learned since I first started to take writing seriously about five years ago is that to do good work—to do any work at all—you need the ability to get out of your own way. Every single day of a writer’s life brings fresh doubt and uncertainty. Some days…
When most people think about success and the process of achieving things, most often they think in terms of goals. To achieve things, you have to set goals that will help you do that–targets to aim for, destinations to get to in specific time frames. The culture of self-help and business development that has been…
Most of the work in being a writer does not come from the writing itself. It comes from actually getting started in the first place. The act of writing itself is usually pretty painless once you get going. Sure, there are days when it feels like writing is the hardest thing in the world and…
It occurred to me that I might just be addicted to writing, and probably have been since my early teens. Writing has always been something that I feel like I have to do, however bad I was at for years. Like most writers, I sucked when I started. If I re-read now some of the…
We all need a little inspiration from time to time (in between working our asses off, of course). Inspiration is like the protein that feeds the muscles of creativity and our continued dedication to the craft of writing. One of the best ways I know to get inspired is to read the books of other…
If someone asked me what I thought the key to success was in any endeavor, I would reply: “Two things. Firstly, know exactly why you are doing what you are doing. Secondly, develop a thick skin.” Over the years, I have learned the vital importance of having those two key things in place. All else…
You are your own worst ememy and you know it. Admit it. You are a complete bastard towards yourself most of the time. If you treated other people the way you treat yourself, everyone would hate you. So why do you insist on treating yourself in this way? Because you are human, that’s why. It…
Life’s a drag, no two ways about it. Maybe not 24/7, but often enough, life feels like trying to inhale the world’s most unappetizing lollipop—donkey-flavored, extra large, and hairier than a werewolf’s armpit. You won’t hear that kind of candor much in this era of self-help and “good vibes only” mentalities. For the relentless positivity-pushers…