I finished my 2014 list of goals and exchanged them with a writing friend. We have been doing this for several years. This year, though, making my list (and reading hers) left me exhausted and depressed. Not the “happy new year” feeling I was going for! What was wrong? Both lists included so many good […]
Month: December 2013
In Your "Write" Mind
Do you think about what you’re thinking about? You should! Controlling Toxic Thoughts I’ve been reading a lot lately about current brain research and the huge impact our thoughts have on our creativity, our health, and how we use our gifts. I highly recommend a couple of fascinating books by Dr. Caroline Leaf called Who […]
Course Corrections
I recently read that the trajectory of the successful Apollo moon rocket was “off course” 90 percent of its flight–and yet… It still reached the moon! How did that happen? Scientists acknowledged the deviations from the expected path. They repeatedly made the necessary course corrections. They achieved an adequate (though not perfect) trajectory to the […]
What Type of Writer Are You?
Do you ever wonder if you’re a REAL writer? If you have doubts, it might be because you have a bad case of the “shoulds.” Symptoms of the “shoulds” include: You should write first thing in the morning. You should write daily. You should keep a journal. You should write down your dreams every morning. […]
Wise Words: Persistence in Writing
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Nothing. So today I’m bringing you three recent posts on the topic of persistence in writing. Each article approaches the subject in a slightly different way. All are though-provoking and encouraging. So if you’re thinking of quitting, read these articles first. You just might change […]
Talent, Passion, and Discipline
As a writer, don’t ever under-estimate the power of self-discipline. Talent, passion, and discipline are needed–but the greatest of these is discipline. Best-selling author Elizabeth George speaks to this point on the first day she faces her students in her creative writing classes. Study this quote from her book, Write Away–and read through to the zinger […]
The Writer's Holiday Household
Because so many of us on the Holiday Writing Challenge are dealing with juggling our writing and multiple holiday events and jobs and families, I decided to run an older article today on “Household Have-To’s.” I think during the holidays it is especially appropriate. ************** Families: what would we do without them? Writers want to […]
Writing During the Holidays
Writing is a challenge in the best of times. During the holidays, the challenge is monumental. Monumental–not impossible! About forty of us are writing through December doing a Holiday Challenge. Even so, we can use all the help we can get. Help is Here! With that in mind, enjoy these articles, all about helping you […]
Unlocking Your Potential
Winston Churchill once said, “Continuous effort–not strength or intelligence–is the key to unlocking our potential.” I believe he’s right. Over the years, the writers I’ve seen succeed weren’t the most talented. They were the ones who refused to give up. Plugging Away I pondered that principle last month during NaNoWriMo when I was sick or gone […]