The Quiet Quotient

Don't Avoid Messy Writing Embrace It (One Minute to Better Writing)

Writers often feel the pressure to be organized, to plan, to color-code, to map out every beat before typing the first word. But the truth is, some of the most honest, surprising ideas surface in the moments of uncertainty. A thought jotted down on a crumpled receipt. A phrase typed quickly into a phone at 2 a.m.Connect with me:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com

How Do You Know You're Still a Writer?

A person doesn’t stop being a writer if their last blog post didn’t land.They don’t stop being a writer if nothing’s been submitted in months.They don’t stop being a writer if the words feel small or sit quietly in a folder no one sees.Connect with me:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com/

Birthday Blastback:1983 Edition (Celebrate Like It's 1983)

This year, instead of blowing out candles, I’m cueing up the boombox, slapping in a cartridge, and heading to a neon-lit arcade in my mind. Why? Because 1983 wasn’t just another year, it was a full-on pop culture mixtape.
For this birthday post, we’re taking it old-school. No filters, no hashtags. Just three icons from the year that defined cool....Connect with me:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com/

You Don’t Need More Time — You Need a Smaller Window (One Minute to Better Writing)

If you try to write for everyone,you’ll end up reaching no one.
The more you generalize,the more your voice fades.The piece becomes vague, forgettable—safe.Connect with me:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com

Confessions of a Desk Rearranger (How I Avoid Writing by Pretending to Prepare for Writing)

Every writer has a process. Mine just happens to involve rearranging my desk 47 times before I type a single word.Connect with me:jimhansenmedia.com

Good Structure. Boring Story. Here's Why.

Structure might make your story work, but it won’t make it stick. Not with readers. Not with you.Connect with me:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com

Your Character Is Too Polite. Mix It Up. (One Minute to Better Writing)

They make sensible decisions. They explain themselves clearly. They react calmly, even when things fall apart. And sure, they’re likable. But they don’t feel real.
Because real people — the ones we’re drawn to on the page — are rarely so tidy:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com

Your Voice Doesn't Need Permission ( Say What You Mean)

Voice has rhythm. It has sharp edges and softness. It stumbles and recovers. It knows when to ramble and when to hit the brakes. When it’s honest, it connects.Connect with me:jimhansenmedia.com

The Myth: Structure Kills Creativity

I get it. Some writers associate structure with stiff rules, “writing by numbers,” or being boxed in by someone else’s formula. That can feel creatively suffocating. But this is a misunderstanding.
Structure isn’t a straightjacket, it’s scaffolding. It supports your story as you build it, helping you see where you want to go without locking you into one fixed path.Connect with me:jimhansenmedia.com

It’s Not Always Good vs. Evil (Apply This Method To Grab Attention)

When we write stories, we’re often taught to define the protagonist and the antagonist—hero versus villain, light versus dark, right versus wrong.
But most of the time, it’s not that simple.Connect with me:https://www.jimhansenmedia.com