Hello, friends! How's 2017 treating you so far? It's been good to Chez Ellison, giving us a quiet week, and even a lovely snowfall. You know what? I'll take both.

I'm all inspired and energized to tackle the new year (in fact, I just completed my Annual Review), so many of the links this week will be focused on doing good work and good living. And without further ado...

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

Y'all have heard me wax rhapsodic about DEEP WORK by Cal Newport. That book has revolutionized the way I approach my craft, and I can't recommend it enough. So needless to say when Cal speaks, I listen. And I really enjoyed his blog post about deep scheduling. If you find yourself struggling with keeping commitments while doing quality work, you need to read this article.

My bestie is brilliant. This article will show you why.

This is for anyone taking a risk: "Failure Must Be an Option."

Nerd Alert: Svenja Gosen 2017 word tracker sheets are LIVE! For all you writers out there, these are gold.

Simply profound, brought to you by The Economist—"The Power and Meaning of Silence."

There's hardly anything greater than a master craftsman working away. I loved this profile on the last bookbinder on the Lower East Side.

And closer to home:

If you got the newsletter this week, you'll have noticed a special contest exclusive to newsletter subscribers. Aren't signed up for my newsletter? You can remedy that here.

I really enjoyed chatting with James Rains of the Dog Eared Reads radio show out of KMXT in Kodiak, Alaska! We talked about my start in the writing business, co-writing with Catherine Coulter... and my embarrassing Anne Rice story. 🙈

I've started my newest standalone novel (my 19th book!), and it's a little rough going so far. Usually it's because I start in the wrong place, but this time I think the culprit is POV. You'll see what I mean.

Oh! I've just updated my favorite books list. If you're curious, check out my recommendations.

That's it for this week, y'all! Go to bed on time, shovel your neighbor's sidewalk, and we'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.