On Mindfulness

Learning to read like a writer can deepen our understanding of the writing process and help us improve our own work. Agent, editor, and USA TODAY bestselling author Paula Munier shows you how.

For me, the worst part is the first draft, which is always somewhat of a slog. I love it and dread it at the same time. It’s like running a marathon when you’ve forgotten how to run. But you haven’t really, you just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Bird by bird.

When I remember this, the writing is not quite so hard. And I am reminded that writing is not all angst and adverbs. Sometimes it’s actually—dare I say it—fun. There are undeniable pleasures, however fleeting or abstruse or just plain unfathomable to Other People (non-writers) they may be. Keeping them in mind can help us enjoy the writing process more, even on those days when we struggle to make our word count.

The next time you sit down to write, notice—and applaud!—when you…

Hindsight is 2020. I stole that great line from my son Greg Bergman, Editor-in-Chief for capitalwatch.com. This year was a nightmare, but we did learn a lot—the hard way—about our industry, ourselves, and each other.

This year, finding the silver lining in what often seems like an endless sky crowded with darkening clouds may be difficult, but as writers we are blessed in many ways. Just being a writer is in and of itself a blessing. Holding on to that understanding can be tough...

Yoga and writing are my practices, and each informs the other.