Terrible Writing Advice from a Caveman Author Reedsy

Terrible Writing Advice from a Caveman Author Reedsy Paleo Publishing: Terrible Writing Advice from a Caveman Author Last year, the team at Reedsy spoke with an author from the Paleolithic era who had recently been discovered and unfrozen. He was kind enough to share his top tips for book marketing which, while wholly inapplicable to modern authors, did provide an insight into how cavemen used to publish books.As part of a blog tour to promote his latest novel, Blood Cave, the Caveman Author kindly sat down with us to share some frankly terrible writing advice that should have gone the way of the dinosaur. Terrible writing advice from @caveman_author, the paleolithic Stephen King Reedsy: Caveman Author, thanks for agreeing to share your top writing tips with the authors here at Reedsy. Caveman Author: VERY HAPPY TO SHARE ALL CAVEMAN AUTHOR KNOWLEDGE. ALSO, CAVEMAN AUTHOR PUBLICIST MAKE HIM TO DO THIS. SO NO CHOICE HERE, REALLY.Fair enough. You recently tweeted that authors should â€Å"write what they know,† which is why a lot of your protagonists are also cavemen. But how would you respond to accusations that your main characters are â€Å"Mary Sue† figures?WHAT THAT?It’s when a character is seemingly too perfect and capable, often suggesting that the author is indulging in wish-fulfillment. LRH. Caveman Author's favorite new writer.AS SOON AS YOU WRITE â€Å"THE END†, SEND BOOK OFF TO AGENT. IF AGENT WRITE BACK AND ASK WHY BOOK HAVE SO MANY â€Å"ISSUES† LIKE SPELING AND PLOT, THEN BREAK INTO AGENT CAVE WHEN HE SLEEP FOR â€Å"EDITORIAL DISCUSSION† LOLLIKE CAVEMAN AUTHOR, TAKE ELROND ADVICE: FIRST DRAFT, LAST DRAFT, GET IT OUT THE CAVE.Sounds like terrible writing advice. Thanks again for your time, Caveman Author.BYEEEEEEEDo you have any questions for the Caveman Author? Or perhaps you have some terrible writing advice of your own to share? Leave a message in the comments below.

5 Strategies for Faking It ‘Til You Make It at Work

5 Strategies for Faking It ‘Til You Make It at Work In an ideal world, we all know what we’re doing all the time. People come to us for our calm guru-ness, grateful as we solve problems with a self-assured answer or bit of advice. In reality, we don’t know it all. But with a bit of bravado and a lot of confidence, shhh†¦no one else needs to know that. Here are six things to work on to increase your workplace confidence, which can help you get that raise or lead a team to professional glory.1. Stop fearing failureFailing at something is not the end of the world. When I think about failing at work, it inevitably starts an imagined spiral of doom which ends with me on the unemployment line, wailing and gnashing my teeth over how things went so very wrong. But you know what? Things move forward when something (or someone) fails. It may be a stressful time, but you learn a lot about your problem-solving skills and your ability to rebound.Once you realize that your professional life is not over if you make a mistake or do n’t accomplish a particular goal, you can use that to build your confidence and see lousy outcomes as a chance to rebound into better things. (Note: I do not recommend using this method of confidence-building if you’re a heart surgeon.)2. Realize you’re not a fraudAre you familiar with imposter syndrome? It’s where you feel like you’re a sham and that everyone will somehow find out that you’re secretly winging it, or that you’re really a helpless kid wearing a tie and sitting in a cubicle. But you’re not winging it- the person sitting at your desk is you, with all of your experience and knowledge, whether you realize you have that arsenal or not. Own it! Your successes and your decisions belong to you, even if you feel unsure about them.3. Don’t always wear rose-colored glassesOptimism can be great†¦no one likes a Debbie Downer. However, overly optimistic thinking can actually undermine your confidence. It may give you a false sense that things will turn out well, and let you kinda go on autopilot to let things play out. The more confident approach is to be realistic about outcomes and understand what is within your power to make that happen.4. Figure out your valueOne of the best ways to be confident in your role is to recognize the strengths you bring to the table. Once you understand what you do well, you can strategize how to apply that to areas where you might be struggling a little or looking to build up experience or competence.You don’t have to go it alone- it’s fine to ask your boss or a colleague what they think your strengths are. In fact, it shows your boss that you’re taking a proactive approach to your role and really trying to bring your best self. What you learn about yourself (or what you take from your self-evaluation) can make you feel more competent in how you approach challenges.5. Make confidence a habitYou may roll your eyes at the idea of doing dail y affirmations in your mirror every morning, but honestly- it can’t hurt to make some positive thinking part of your daily routine. When you’re walking the dog, doing yoga, or waiting in line at the smoothie place, take a minute to reflect on any challenge you’re facing and think about how you are going to overcome it. Don’t stress about the how (not yet, anyway). Think about how you have the skills to take it on, and assure yourself that you will get it done.The confidence is there for the taking- you just need to be bold and grab it.