Shake up your writing and try something novel to attract a new audience. We all go through times when we’re in the writing doldrums, when we approach writing more with dread than excitement. Those of us who have made a business of writing know we can’t rely on inspiration. Sometimes we just have to slog through. Then we have to promote our work while thinking of new ways to attract an audience. When the going gets tough it’s important to find something that shakes us out of our writing lethargy and engages new readers. I was encouraged by friends to…

When you’ve been writing for a while, it can be difficult to come up with new ideas to keep your work fresh. This is important not only to maintain your readers’ attention, but also to keep your own interest high.

If it gets to the point that writing feels like dragging through the mud to get something, anything, out, this will be reflected in what you publish. Your readers will feel the difference, your numbers will start dropping and this will put more obstacles in your way as you try to write each day.

The key to staying…

Thinking outside the box. Today I heard a fabulous story which is a great example of thinking outside the box, a skill we sorely need in these strange times. We can’t approach our lives and the world the same way we once did. My friends daughter in law wanted to get the vaccine but wasn’t in an eligible group. She called everywhere nearby for days but couldn’t secure an appointment. Then she realized there was a possible opportunity if her hypothesis was true. She called a nearby county and had no problem getting an appointment the same day. The reason…

I have an admission to make. I’ve been cheating on Medium.

Okay, maybe that’s not a realistic assessment, but it’s how I feel since I’ve been writing on News Break. Sometimes I hear the voice of Medium in my ear saying,

“Oh right. We were good enough for you when you didn’t know how much more you could earn on News Break. But the second something newer and shinier comes along you jump ship!”

To be fair, I haven’t jumped ship, nor has Medium lost its place in my heart. But it is true that I’ve been spending the majority…

They say hindsight is 20/20, meaning that after we’ve learned about something we think it was obvious all along. Many believe that psychology is just common sense, that the basics of the field are logical and therefore we all know about them. Yet many psychological studies have reported findings that are absolutely counter intuitive and which seem illogical. Listed below are several particularly counter intuitive findings from the field of psychology.

Gender Identity Is More Nature Than Nurture

It has long been believed by the medical and scientific community that the gender identity of a child was determined by “nurture” or the child’s upbringing, environment, and how…

Kids love picking berries and they love eating them even more. There are many farms with berry and other picking activities that are just a quick drive or daytrip from Chicago where your family can pick some of the most delicious berries and other produce anywhere due to the cold spring season. With the different growing seasons, you can take family trips to pick all kinds of fruits and vegetables through spring, summer and fall in Chicago. Many farms also have other activities for children and families.

Stade’s Farm

Stade’s Farm in McHenry is a family favorite. In addition to picking strawberries…

With so many Medium writers already hired as creators by New Break or hoping to be, I have collected all my articles about the platform here in one place to make it easier to find them. Being one of the early hires in starting in the first month, these articles reflect my experiences since the beginning of the program.

Some of the articles are about the platform under the first contract which was for what they termed “early adopters” which has been changed. The rest are about the new model with both pros and cons reflected. …

The CDC has issued new recommendation for individuals who are considered “fully vaccinated” against the COVID-19 virus. Fully vaccinated means the person is at least two weeks post-receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or at least two weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine.

These newly released guidelines have been released following three months of research after the vaccine’s release. Most people in the Chicago, Illinois area are extremely happy since the CDC’s statement enables those who have been vaccinated to take advantage of many opportunities that they couldn’t before receiving the injection/s.

Learn…