I went to a special last night for Marketing ideas, what works and what doesn't and it was really good. A lot of good came out of it and though we all would like to do well with our books, we know that can't always be possible. I know I never will and I'm happy with that. I'm happy for those who do my books and that I have a small fan base in Utica, Illinois. I'm happy!
What I'd like to discuss with you is writing. Just write for the love of writing if nothing else. "There's no question that only through persistent writing will you generate a lot of good idas. But joy and fun are important, too. We must find a balance." (Writer's Digest)
I'll be quoting tons of stuff that I read from Writer's Digest Magazine, because the article was very informative. "Unfortunately, there is no magic elixir we writers can brew to conjure ideas from the air, and though we've been told many times we're so creative, we often don't feel that way at all." I know I have felt that way many times and then I go back and read some of my earlier stuff and I'm like, "Whoa, that was really good and I wrote that."
Now, a long with writing we have our issues. Ideas don't come, our muse is on a vacation . . . FOREVER! Oh, oh...we are blocked! But there are ways to write more creatively, ways to keep your mind fresh and your imagination fertile. You possess the resources to come up with many good ideas- it's simply a matter of tapping into them, trusting them and understanding how your creative self works.
1. SHOW UP. You will find you have no end of ideas if you can make writing a regular habit by getting to your desk (or other creative space) regularly. Woody Allen famously observed that 80 percent of being successful in life is just showing up.
2. ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIFFICULTY. People (like me) say, "Just show up," as if were the easiest thing in the world to do. It's not, because writing creatively can be hard. So if you fall of your schedule, don't beat yourself up. Give yourself positive messages.
3. CULTIVATE THE HABIT. Like all things, writing becomes a habit. Get in the habit of NOT not writing. It's like anything in life that we try to reach, losing weight, eating better, exercise, etc., the same can happen with writing. Start small. Start cultivating the habit of NOT not writing.
4. FIND JOY AND GRATITUDE. There's no question that only through persistent writing will you generate a lot of good ideas. But joy and fun are important, too. We must find a balance. Cultivate gratitude even for the obstacles that stand in the way of your writing.. Recent psychological studies show that these obstacles aid creativity. Yeah, they do! Hard to see that am I right? Let me ask you this; have you ever suffered from TOO much time to write? We all wish we had more time to write, but when that happens...the well is dry. We don't feel creative. When we are bogged down with chores, meetings, getting the kids off to wherever they need to be or at work, when there is a lull, that's when were snatching an hour or a few minutes there, that's when the ideas seem to flow. Am I right? We find a way to make it happen, and that fuels our imaginations. So instead of cursing your obstacles, be grateful for them.
In the end, postponing your writing life is like postponing a new diet...it can be an excuse for never starting. Start now, if only in a limited way. You're not going to be a writer SOMEDAY; you're a writer today.
(a lot of what was said was taken from a great magazine I subscribe to, Writer's Digest, with some of my own thoughts...I am a writer you know. )
What I'd like to discuss with you is writing. Just write for the love of writing if nothing else. "There's no question that only through persistent writing will you generate a lot of good idas. But joy and fun are important, too. We must find a balance." (Writer's Digest)
I'll be quoting tons of stuff that I read from Writer's Digest Magazine, because the article was very informative. "Unfortunately, there is no magic elixir we writers can brew to conjure ideas from the air, and though we've been told many times we're so creative, we often don't feel that way at all." I know I have felt that way many times and then I go back and read some of my earlier stuff and I'm like, "Whoa, that was really good and I wrote that."
Now, a long with writing we have our issues. Ideas don't come, our muse is on a vacation . . . FOREVER! Oh, oh...we are blocked! But there are ways to write more creatively, ways to keep your mind fresh and your imagination fertile. You possess the resources to come up with many good ideas- it's simply a matter of tapping into them, trusting them and understanding how your creative self works.
1. SHOW UP. You will find you have no end of ideas if you can make writing a regular habit by getting to your desk (or other creative space) regularly. Woody Allen famously observed that 80 percent of being successful in life is just showing up.
2. ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIFFICULTY. People (like me) say, "Just show up," as if were the easiest thing in the world to do. It's not, because writing creatively can be hard. So if you fall of your schedule, don't beat yourself up. Give yourself positive messages.
3. CULTIVATE THE HABIT. Like all things, writing becomes a habit. Get in the habit of NOT not writing. It's like anything in life that we try to reach, losing weight, eating better, exercise, etc., the same can happen with writing. Start small. Start cultivating the habit of NOT not writing.
4. FIND JOY AND GRATITUDE. There's no question that only through persistent writing will you generate a lot of good ideas. But joy and fun are important, too. We must find a balance. Cultivate gratitude even for the obstacles that stand in the way of your writing.. Recent psychological studies show that these obstacles aid creativity. Yeah, they do! Hard to see that am I right? Let me ask you this; have you ever suffered from TOO much time to write? We all wish we had more time to write, but when that happens...the well is dry. We don't feel creative. When we are bogged down with chores, meetings, getting the kids off to wherever they need to be or at work, when there is a lull, that's when were snatching an hour or a few minutes there, that's when the ideas seem to flow. Am I right? We find a way to make it happen, and that fuels our imaginations. So instead of cursing your obstacles, be grateful for them.
In the end, postponing your writing life is like postponing a new diet...it can be an excuse for never starting. Start now, if only in a limited way. You're not going to be a writer SOMEDAY; you're a writer today.
(a lot of what was said was taken from a great magazine I subscribe to, Writer's Digest, with some of my own thoughts...I am a writer you know. )
LOVE No. 4, need to remind myself more often. Thank you! <3
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