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Posts tagged ‘writing’

Sep 6

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Acquiring a Creative Mind

I’ve had a hectic couple of weeks and, as a consequence, have felt frustrated with the lack of progress on my current manuscript. Though I know what I need to do—set aside some quiet time, ditch the negative self-talk, and get more rest—sometimes it works better to hear it from somebody else.

In this 4-minute video, creativity expert Eric Maisel discusses a process for acquiring a creative mind. He explains how thinking small, unproductive thoughts can literally crowd our minds and prevent us from having those big brainstorming ideas.

Enjoy! Read more

Aug 31

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Creating support systems to succeed as an artist

At a writing conference once, a successful author thanked her husband for being her “patron of the arts” for years as she worked to build her writing craft and career.

Though I work hard in my “day job”–running our business with my husband–I am blessed that he understands and supports my obsession with writing. I can’t imagine how awful life would be if I had a partner that didn’t support and encourage me. I know many people aren’t as blessed.

When I lost my job 15 years ago, my hubby (then boyfriend) said, “Congratulations. Now your real life can begin.” I didn’t get it then, but I sure do now. Losing my job allowed me to change and grow and begin to do what I loved, not what somebody else told me to do. My husband was my greatest support as I learned new skills that would serve me to begin my own business.  Read more

Aug 21

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Wedding toast for my son and his bride

I love to write, to put words together and give meaning and order to my life. I’ve written poems, legal briefs, affidavits, articles, tributes for loved ones who’ve passed, among many other items.

As writers, we relish opportunities to create with our words. In my previous post, I wrote about the difficulty I was having writing a wedding toast for my son and his bride and how I eventually found my way. Below is the toast I read this weekend at their wedding. (Yes, that’s them in the photo!) Read more

Aug 3

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Best books of all time?

No matter what genre we write or like to read, there are certain books that, as writers, we can learn so much from.

I remember the first time I read Carson McCullers’s novel “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.” What struck me most was the way she used setting in her story – how it became a living, breathing presence.

What are the best books to read and learn from? Opinions vary but below are lists from two successful authors and one grand list from the Guardian. Browse their lists and then create your own.

From suspense and thriller writer Lee Childs: Top 40 Books of All Time

From Pulitzer-winning author Michael Chabon: Top Ten List

And from the Guardian: The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time

Do you have any favorites to add?

Jul 24

The magic in winning a writing contest

In my earlier post, “How to Use Writing Contests to Reach Your Goals,” I mentioned one of my main goals this year was to enter more writing contests. I haven’t been consistent in entering contests in the past but this year, with the prompting of my blog partner Carly, I wanted to create a new habit.

Each month, I have a goal to enter X number of competitions and/or submit my work to various places. This helps me celebrate the little successes, build my artist resume, and gain some much-needed inspiration and motivation along the way to my larger goals.

This February, I entered the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Conference Literary Contest and earlier this month found out I was a finalist in two categories:—memoir/nonfiction and poetry. I was thrilled. Jumping up and down. Ecstatic! Read more

Jun 11

Tap into the power of small wins to write your manuscript

You’ve probably heard how important it is to break down a humongous task into parts to get the job done. You may have heard the question: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time.

Turns out that this can be an effective way to write a book.

The thought of all the time and pieces and parts and elements of writing craft that go into writing a book can be overwhelming. In fact, writing a book can seem so unattainable that some people give up before they even start. To combat these feelings, consider how you can break down your book project into small tasks to gain valuable momentum to write a complete manuscript. Read more

May 25

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Improve your writing by resting

To use a cliche, I tend to burn the candles at both ends. I work hard and I play hard. This leads to an exciting, fast-paced life but, lately, I’ve been craving down time. So I’m taking some–in bits and pieces. Because it’s hard for me to take time off, I’ve decided to schedule some into my calendar in the hopes it will become a habit.

When I get enough rest I’m more productive and creative, ideas flow, and I look forward to writing each day. In a previous post, “Nap Your Way to Health & Creativity,” I discuss the benefits of a short daily nap to re-charge our batteries.

Here are two other blog posts that discuss the benefits of taking time off:

From Jeff Goins’ blog, an excellent article by Carol Tice, “How to Improve Your Writing in One Counter-Intuitive Way.”

From Jane Fritz’s blog a very informative article explaining how resting is really part of training, “Good News: How Resting is Really Training.” As artists, we can take this concept into our writing.

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