Display by: Title | Popularity

1). Fitness In Five Minutes A Day? An essay on "Greasing the Groove" possibly the most efficient exercise protocol in the world. 2). Five Things You Don't (And Should!) Know About Stress Whether it’s called stress management, relaxation training, or its newest incarnation, “Resiliancy,” it seems that the question of healthy response to the stress of daily life is on everyone’s mind. But it’s important to remember a few things about stress that are rarely discussed—if known at all! 1) Stress won’t hurt you. Hans Selye,... 3). Forget About "Talent"! Whatever "talent" is, it is less important than the qualities of focus and honesty in creating and maintaining a career. 4). Four Steps To Triple Your Energy The simple truth about increasing the "juice" of life. 5). Four Steps To Tripling Your Energy Tired? Tired of being tired? You aren’t alone. There are few human qualities more highly sought than energy. It determines our ability to enjoy life, to attract mates, to finish projects, to protect our families, to shape our bodies effectively, and so much more. While there are endless specific suggestions about herbs, exercises, med... 6). Four Useful Lies About Writing Story structures are both useful and limiting--unless you know more than one! 7). Going With The Flow How to access the deepest wells of creativity on demand. 8). Had A Good I.D.E.A. Lately? Actual life mastery is within your reach! The primary requisite is an uncommon commitment to honesty. 9). How to Survive A Good Review Reviews can be useful feedback...or devasting emotional bombs. Learn how to maintain a healthy balance regardless of public reaction to your work1 10). It Was Good Enough For Shakespeare! How does one balance the needs of art and commerce in building a career? 11). No Time For Exercise? Try This! “Fitness” is an elusive term covering a vast array of attributes: flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, power, balance, coordination, body-fat percentage and more. While its generally accepted that multiple 30-60 minute sessions per week are optimal for producing results, the truth is that it’s possible to do a great ... 12). No Time To Exercise? Try This... The abdominal muscles are the perfect target for a hyper-efficient exercise program 13). Refining The Golden Hour In one of the classic personal finance books, “The Richest Man In Babylon,” we are told that the way to wealth is to “pay yourself first.” That a portion of all you earn is yours to keep. Great words, and just as applicable to your life itself. In other words, out of every sixteen-hours of wakefulness in a day, one hour should be yours, and yours a... 14). Refinng the "Golden Hour" One hour of every day is yours to keep. Learn how to invest it wisely! 15). Seven Secrets Of Highly Creative Writers Ways to effortlessly generate ideas--and why this is vital to your career 16). Seven Ways To Connect Your Writing And Your Life An introduction to a unique fiction writing program, designed by a bestselling writer, that connects the inner world of the artist with the outer world of the novel or screenplay. Suitable for both amateur and professional writers. 17). The "Casablanca" Secret What we want and what we need are often two different things--and a key to success in both writing and life. 18). The Billionaire Writer's Secret During a career spanning twenty-five years of novel, film, and television work, I've two major tools most valuable: the yogic “chakras” for characterization, and Joseph Campbell’s model of the Hero’s Journey for plot structure. These are not random choices, nor were they selected because of the many intelligent and thoughtful essays on... 19). The Golden Hour Give yourself five minutes a day, and one hour a week--and you can change your life! 20). The Lazy Man's Guide To Great Characterization One subject arising whenever writers gather to discuss their craft is the mining of life itself for story material. While a vital and important technique, it is important to remember that real human beings are impossibly complex, far too complicated to serve as story characters without major modification. The most complex character in all of wester... 21). The Magic of Balance The quest for genuine balance in life can greatly increase our personal power. 22). The Three "Questions" Of Science Fiction S.F. is often thought of as spaceships and aliens. While true, this is merely the surface. Look a bit closer! 23). Top Secret! The One-Year Path To Publication There is a way to virtually guarantee your publication within a single year. No, it has nothing to do with self-publication. This path is not for dilettantes, and will push you to the limit, but it has worked for dozens of my students, and it will work for you. It is based on writing principles first proposed by two giants in the publi... 24). Tuning OUT For Success A wise man once gave me two simple rules for success. Here they are. 25). Tuning Out The "Radio Voice" It would be impossible to list all of the things people have considered crucial to success in life. Honesty, energy, bonding, modeling, control of fear…all are important. For my whole life, I’ve searched for the answers in this arena, and treasured the gems that have been revealed. In July of 2005, I went back to Longview, Washington, ... 26). Turn Writer's Blocks Into Stepping Stones! Years ago at a presentation at the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program, I promised an audience to teach them to conquer this beast once and for all. Later, another instructor approached me and said “why did you say that to those people? It’s not possible.” Poor woman. All she was saying is that SHE cannot break writer’s block, which told ... 27). Using Your Body To Strengthen Your Mind A simple explanation of the esoteric body-mind connection 28). Who Is The "Hero" In The "Hero's Journey"? During the past thirty years, much has been (rightfully) made of Joseph Campbell’s breakthrough research in cultural anthropology, most famously published in “The Hero With A Thousand Faces.” In this book, Campbell examines the many cultural expressions of the heroic role model, and in doing so helped to establish the universality of human hopes, d... 29). Woody Allen's "Match Point" (2005) The very first line I ever heard Woody Allen speak was a joke on the Tonight show concerning theological issues, about how, during a divinity test, he cheated by “looking into the soul of the girl sitting next to me.” I believe that he used a clip from such a stand up routine in one of his films, perhaps Annie Hall. I honestly don’t remember. For d... 30). Writing Twenty Novels (In Ten Easy Steps!) During a recent telephone conversation, I mentioned having sent off the last revisions for my twentieth novel, “Great Sky Woman.” There was a silence on the other side of the phone, followed by the question “How in the world do you do that? Twenty novels!” The truth is that I know many writers who have written far more than twenty nove... 31). Zen And The Heart Of Writing How shall we accept the challenges of life and stay centered creatively?