Self-Development & Self-Care for Writers

Self-care and self-development for writers. Photo of a teapot pouring hot water into a white cup with a lemon slice in it. Photo by Suhyeon on Unsplash.

Self-care and self-development are just as important for writers as they are for anyone else.

For MultiTalented Writers, having many projects on the go is very common. Sometimes, we take care of so many projects that we forget to take care of ourselves. When this happens, we need to remember the importance of self-care.

Self-care isn’t just about bubble baths and glasses of wine or cups of tea, though those things are all very nice. Self-care includes ensuring you take medications on time and as directed, that you manage your illnesses if you any, that you eat regular and nutritious meals, and that you move your body. It does also mean that you plan true breaks into your day, where you can sit and “just be.”

Self-development is interconnected with self-care on many levels. For example, part of being kind to yourself is allowing yourself to take new courses you’re intersted in, read books that will help you become even better at your work, and continuing to work on being the best person you can be.

In this section of the blog, we share posts about taking good care of yourself and taking care of your career.

Why Reading Makes You a Better Writer

June 9, 2022March 29, 2019 by marianamcdougall

Man smiling while reading a book. Photo by nappy from Pexels

I often see questions in Facebook writing groups about whether reading makes you a better writer. My answer would usually be a resounding yes, but when you think about it, the real answer is “it depends.” For example, if you’re an avid reader of nonficiton (read: me), you’re not going to necessarily be a better … Read more

Self-Care for Writers

June 9, 2022March 22, 2019 by marianamcdougall

Picture of hands putting paper through a green typewriter. To the left is a cup of tea and some pink flowers. Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Self-care is on a lot of lips (and a lot of memes) these days. Open up any social media or Pinterest “inspirational” account, and you’re bound to see “self-care is not selfish” and “take care of yourself” messages. But self-care means different things to different people, and it can look different depending on your lifestyle or line of work. Here’s a list of ideas for self-care for writers.

January is long gone. How are those resolutions coming?

June 9, 2022February 22, 2019 by marianamcdougall

Desk with block letters spelling "dream" on the left, a piece of checkered paper and pencil on the lower left corner, and half of a hand shown on top of a laptop keyboard.

January is a busy month for commitment-makers. Every year, people ponder what they’ll accomplish in the year to come, and many make new year’s resolutions, hoping this will be the year they finally accomplish some long-held dream. But as January fizzles out, so do most resolutions. By the time Valentine’s Day comes around, most people … Read more

Put Your Family First

June 9, 2022February 15, 2019 by marianamcdougall

Photo of a family in a field of tall grass and red flowers. Seen from the back. The father is holding two children, one on each hip, and an older boy is running in front of them. Photo by Juliane Liebermann on Unsplash

Family Day is coming up February 18th. Put your family ahead of your work, even if it feels like you’re giving up your dreams. The reality is, you’re not giving them up—you’re just putting them on hold for a little while. And this little while is so incredibly important.

How To Stay Creative as a Nonfiction Writer

June 9, 2022February 8, 2019 by marianamcdougall

Antique desk with a notebook, ink, and ink pens, a cup full of pencils, a satchel, and a clock over a notebook. A notebook that has been written in with a fountain pen sits open on the desk.

For years, I believed the lie that I wasn’t a creative person. Watching several people around me create handmade items, and sometimes being blatantly judged for not being handy, I felt that there wasn’t a creative bone in my body. But it turns out there’s more to art than working with your hands. Writing, whether … Read more

You’re a writer: own it!

June 9, 2022January 25, 2019 by marianamcdougall

Woman's hands typing on typewriter, Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

When someone asks you that antiquated, useless question, “so, what do you do?” How do you respond? Sometimes the answer to that question isn’t as straight-forward as people think it should be. I personally do a lot of things. I take care of three children, I currently travel full-time, I make friends everywhere I go, … Read more

7 New Year’s Resolutions for New Writers

June 9, 2022December 22, 2017 by Celia Abernethy

The end of the year is fast approaching, and many people will be making New Year’s resolutions. Are you making the right ones to grow your writing career? In today’s guest post, Celia Abernethy shares 7 New Year’s resolutions that will actually make a difference for new writers.

Social Media & Email Interactions: How to Stay Professional

June 9, 2022December 1, 2017 by marianamcdougall

You’ve all witnessed it: the troll. The person who makes comments on social media to get a rise out of people; the person who misinterprets what was said in a post and then attacks the original poster, the person who name-calls.

Not only do trolls upset people, they also soil their own reputation, and sometimes ruin their own lives.