Sometimes, in order find freedom, you have to take the exit pointed out for you. Last week was one of those weeks. And at the end of this post, I’ll share with you a very easy path to the freedom to focus. Losing Focus I had reached the middle of a novel, one thoroughly plotted […]
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Shorter Focus = Successful Writing
I read a very surprising study recently on the differences between marathon runners who finished the race and those who didn’t. All the runners were equally fit and trained and healthy. So what was the deciding factor in whether they were hardy enough to finish the 26-mile run? It depended on where they placed their […]
Stage 4: Maintaining Long-Term Success
At last, success! If you’ve taken time to do each of the previous steps, congratulate yourself. It’s been time well spent. But if you’ve done the work, you want it to last. That brings us to Stage 4 for making changes in your writing life, where you learn techniques for maintaining long-term success. (First read […]
Stage 3: Taking Action
Ready for Stage 3? It’s about taking action. (First read The Dynamics of Change, Stage 1: Making Up Your Mind, and Stage 2: Committing to Change.) If you’ve done your homework in Stages 1 and 2, you’re probably more excited about this action phase than you would normally be. Why? You’re prepared. You’re motivated. You’ve taken […]
100% Is a Cinch!
“There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” (Ken Blanchard, author of the best seller The One Minute Manager) Without a 100% commitment to anything, you spend so much time (and […]
How NOT To Be Taken Seriously
If you take yourself seriously, you will be taken seriously. A common complaint among new writers is that friends and family members don’t take them–or their writing–seriously. I tell them–truthfully–that the main thing they need to do is convince themselves that they are serious about their writing. Others will pick up on that attitude and start giving […]
2015: Chapter One
Beginning the new year is much like writing a new book. We have an idea, and we’re working out the details. There’s excitement, high hopes, blank pages, and a sense that anything can happen. This could be our best year ever! This could be our breakout (or “break in”) year! This could well be our […]
Finding Writing Freedom
Within the last month, I’ve switched over from XP to a Windows 8 laptop with wireless Internet. It has been a wonderful, eye-opening change! YouTube videos and movies no longer stick, break up, or freeze. I can access the Internet in any room of the house—or even when away on trips. I can check frequently […]
Shifting Focus: a Critical Writer’s Skill
When driving a car, you need to focus on the distance so you don’t run a red light that is coming up or miss your exit sign. But you also have to focus up close, paying attention to your speedometer or the car in the next lane. You won’t successfully reach your destination if you […]
Writer Imaging (Part 3)
(First read “Writer Imaging” Part 1 and Part 2.) Here are the final attributes of a happy writing life… 4. Staying focused on the positive. View your writing life as a series of opportunities and growth experiences, even though some experiences (like rejection slips) may involve pain. Daily there are good things to focus on […]