Hauling the Bricks
This site is dedicated to productivity. Writing productivity, to be specific. There are hundreds of hints, tips, tricks, and hacks on PIFW to help you write more, write faster, and write better.
Productive Indie Fiction Writer
The Joy of Writing Prolifically (No, It Won’t Make You Depressed)
Recently, Anne R. Allen published a post titled “Can Marathon Writing Sessions Lead to Depression?,” citing studies that suggest long, intense writing sessions might mimic symptoms of depression. If you’re an indie author pushing for a prolific writing habit, this kind of claim can be alarming.
Is Microsoft Using Your Words to Train AI? Here’s What Writers Need to Know (and Do)
From The Productive Indie Fiction Writer: Let’s talk about a topic that’s been making the rounds lately: the idea that
Harnessing the 3 A.M. Dread to Supercharge Your Writing (and More)
Ah, the dreaded 3 a.m. wake-up. You know the drill. You’re drifting in and out of sleep, and suddenly, your brain decides now’s the perfect time to replay that awkward email you sent at work. Or it spins a delightful doomsday scenario about how your project will implode, your reputation will be ruined, and your cat will somehow suffer terrible consequences.
Dash It All! A Writer’s Guide to Em-Dashes, En-Dashes, and Manuscript Dashes
Not all dashes are created equal, and if you’re preparing a manuscript for publication, it’s important to know your en-dashes from your em-dashes, and why the dash you use in your manuscript may not be the one that shows up in your final book.
Inspiration for Indie Writers: 20 Quotes to Keep You Writing (Even When It’s Hard)
20 inspiring writing quotes.
Writing Through Disfluency
Writing is hard. Some days, it’s staring at a blank page until your soul starts to shrivel. Other days, it’s forcing words onto the page that feel as clunky as a toddler’s first steps. This difficulty, though, isn’t a bug in the system—it’s a feature. What you’re experiencing is disfluency, the grinding friction that comes when creativity refuses to flow like a perfect algorithm. But here’s the kicker: disfluency isn’t just a hurdle to clear; it’s the point of the creative process.
Writers’ Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers
For over two decades, Writers’ Digest has celebrated the best resources available to writers with its 101 Best Websites for Writers award. This annual list highlights exceptional websites that support writers on their creative journey, whether they’re looking to improve their craft, market their work, or navigate the complexities of indie publishing.
Why Indie Authors Need Downtime (And How to Actually Get It)
As an indie author, you’re not just a writer. You’re a marketing department, an editor, a publisher, a social media manager, and possibly the person who has to remember to water the plants. All this juggling means burnout is more than a risk—it’s almost a guarantee if you’re not actively carving out downtime. And yet, downtime isn’t laziness or time wasted. It’s the fuel that keeps the creative engine running and prevents that ugly beast called burnout from knocking on your door.
How Indie Authors Can Create Their Own Luck
From The Productive Indie Fiction Writer: We’ve all heard that success in writing is partly a matter of luck. And