Work-Life

If You’re Successful, Lots of People Ask for Your Help. Who Deserves It?
A "clueless ask" is when a well-meaning stranger asks for an investment of a successful person's time and energy. What are such people owed, if anything?

How I Recovered From 3 Years of Chronic Back Pain
As some of you may recall, I’ve been seeking solutions to my chronic back pain, which I assume is partly

Chronic Back Pain and The Writing Life: A Few Remedies
Update (9/15/14): I've written a new post explaining what eventually resolved all of my back pain problems. Like most writers,

Audience Development for Writers: Your Life-Long Career Investment
In this talk from the 2013 Midwest Writers Workshop, I explain the process of growing my readership since 2008, then share a few key principles I follow to make it an enjoyable and sustainable process.

The State of Online Journalism Today: Controversial
On Tuesday, March 5, I found (via Twitter) the following piece by freelance journalist Nate Thayer: A Day in the

A Little Bit About My Work at VQR
Yesterday, over at Neal Abbott's blog, I answered a few questions about my new job at the Virginia Quarterly Review,

My New Job at the Virginia Quarterly Review
It's hard to a remember a happier day than when I was offered a position at the University of Cincinnati

Placing Too Much Importance on Passion
Passion has become a cheap word. I'm starting to roll my eyes when I hear it. But it hasn't always

My Secret for Battling Procrastination
To some, I may appear productive. But like many, I'm a horrible procrastinator. I try to think about my weakness

Look for People Who Believe What You Believe
[Update: The discussion in the comments—on this site and on some of my other profiles—has made me realize that my

The End of an Era: Goodbye to There Are No Rules
On the last day of April 2008, I launched my first professional blog, There Are No Rules. Every day since

3 Boring Elements of Success
I don't think my age is a secret, but just to be clear: I'm 34. Sometimes when I speak at

Study Slow Culture, Not Just Fast
When I attended TEDxCincy in October 2010, there was one session where I was furiously taking notes: the session by

Reading Notebook #24: Our Life at the Office Is (In Fact) Important
From Solitude by Anthony Storr: Human beings need a sense of being part of a larger community than that constituted

The Pure Heart and Pure Superficiality of Social Media
One of the classes I'm teaching at CCM requires me to study up on the history and practice of public

Reading Notebook #16: Life Interferes With Work & Vice Versa
From Bill Murray interview in Entertainment Weekly (via TerryStarbucker.com): “I just really want to work when I want to work.

Have the Courage to Follow Your Heart & Intuition
A wonderful commencement address from Steve Jobs. I love that he mentions life can only be lived forward, and understood

Can Excellent Advice Make You Unhappy?
There are a few people I read religiously for insight and perspective on work/business life. Probably on the top of

Reading Notebook #12: Existential Angst at Work
From Kenny Moore's blog post, "Losing Your Job? Psychological, Spiritual & Practical Advice." This is the most meaningful discussion I

You Are Bad at Making Yourself Happy
My job as Writer's Digest publisher often leads people to remark what a great life I have. So young, so

Reading Notebook #8: Another Secret to Success Is Confidence
From "Beyond the Elevator Speech" by Michael Carroll, Shambhala Sun (March 2010) My survey indicates that most of us think we want

Reading Notebook #7: The Secret of Successful People (at Work)
From "We Can Measure the Power of Charisma", Q&A with Alex Pentland, Harvard Business Review (Jan-Feb 2010); read full article at

Why People Stay at (or Leave) Their Jobs
No talented person stays at a company for a paycheck or a sense of security. Talented people stay because they

What Does a Brand Manager (or Community Leader) Do?
I'm often asked what my job at Writer's Digest encompasses, or what my typical day is like. My official title