Welcome to Crystal’s Tech Bytes. For years, I’ve wanted to create my own tech blog focusing on the topics I love. Most importantly, I wanted to write tech news, tips, and tutorials in layman’s terms versus all the jargon that only the tech in-crowd really understand and personally, I don’t think they understand half of what they say. After spending nearly two decades working in the field and writing about it, it’s time to claim my own little space online and hopefully help people out at the same time.

Ever glared at your computer screen or notebook, not wanting to spend another minute writing? Yeah, been there, done that. But, let’s take a technique many people use every day during meditation — affirmations. I like to call this my good morning writer pep talk. I get out of bed…

Welcome to the weird and fantastical place otherwise known as my imagination. A world where any random thought, song, show, conversation, or cat antics could easily become a quick or elaborate story. Hi, I’m Crystal and I’ll be your guide. This is just a fun place for me to share…

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what niche to specialize in here on Medium. I’ve also read more stories than I count from writers I’ve grown to respect about whether to niche up or not. To be honest, I’ve read that picking a niche and staying in your lane…

It might sound harsh, but to be a successful writer, you have to kill your inner editor. Editor and writer are two separate people and can’t function at the same time in your brain. It’s one of the biggest challenges writers face. I’m trying to get my inner editor to…

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with supporting your fellow writers and followers. But, to me, I don’t get the overall point outside of quickly reaching a bunch of followers. Eventually, I’m going to be more active on Medium. However, with a full-time writing job already, sometimes I just…

Sure, it may huff and puff and try to blow the house down for writers, but this little piggy didn’t build her house of straw. For writers who’ve been in this game a while, we all know there’s nothing to fear. In the end, high quality content rises to the…

Just write. Sound familiar and incredibly annoying? Been there, done that. Of course, my other favorite is — “writer’s block isn’t a thing.” Or, you might have been told, “stop procrastinating and just write.” Still, not effective statements to beat writer’s block. First of all, the block is real. It’s…

I’ll admit all the equipment at gyms looks like it could be fun, but I’m not a public exerciser. I’d prefer to sweat in private, not have random people judging me for how long I stay on a machine, and skip the drive when I’m already too tired to workout. …