Creativity's Workshop

Extraordinary things happen in ordinary minds

Tag Archives: writing


by 4 Comments

The Advantages of Writing Fewer Words

A pile of sticky notes in interesting colours.

Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Today I’m guest posting over at Victoria Grefer’s blog, Creative Writing with the Crimson League. The post is about Sustaining Your Creativity During Fiction Withdrawals. Pop over and take a look.

Writing thousands of words a day is a great feeling. I love NaNoWriMo and I admire writers who can pump out multiple novels a year.

However, there are times when we cannot write thousands of words a day. Perhaps because we’re working on other projects or life has got in the way for some reason. If you’re facing one of these problems, don’t make the mistake of believing you can’t get your writing done. You do both yourself and your Creativity a disservice.

In my guest post today, I mentioned spending 500 words or 1/2 hour on your manuscript each day. This may sound insignificant compared to the thousands of words you may have written in the past, but writing fewer words can have some interesting benefits.

Here are four advantages to this writing habit.

It Keeps Your Creativity in Shape

This is the most obvious benefit. When you write regularly, your words flow much more easily and your Creativity remains active.

By turning up to the page at the same time with the same expectations every day, you’re training your Creativity to expect routine. Once you’re in that routine, your Creativity will turn up consistently and promptly ready to participate. (Trust me. This does work! For more information, see Creativity on Demand.)

It Changes the Dynamic of the Process

Most of us are used to pouring words onto the page and coming back later to make sense of them. First drafts are fantastically freeing in that way. When we are aiming for over a thousand words, we fill our pages up with all sorts of interesting sentences.

While there is definitely a place for large word counts, by limiting the number of words you have to produce your attention turns from the volume of words to the craft of writing. It’s an intriguing shift which you can use to your advantage.

It Forces You to Make Words Count

You have 500 words to play with today. What interesting things will you pack into those words? What will you describe? What will your characters say? Approach your page with excitement to see where those 500 words will take you.

Instead of trying to form a whole scene in one sitting, look for layers of meaning and hidden details that will make these 500 words matter to the story. Read back over what you’ve written before to get the flow and then craft the next little section of your story.

It Encourages You to do it Daily

Writing thousands of words takes time, and therefore when we’re having a busy day our writing time can often be the first thing to go. But if your goal is much smaller, you’re more likely to fit it into your day.

Knowing you’ll only be spending 1/2 an hour (or less) on your writing means you’re more likely to find time to do it every day, because you know you’ll have time to do other things afterwards.

Having said all this, it’s worth remembering that everyone’s process and Creativity are different. For some people, writing has to be an all or nothing affair. It should also be said that different writing projects require different methods. Some of your stories need to be written in large chunks. Writing them little bit by little bit won’t work.

But if you’re in the middle of Fiction Withdrawals, and you’re not able to write as many words as you would like, don’t give up on your writing. Continue trying different things to keep both you and your Creativity active.

What’s your writing routine like? How many words do you average a day?


by 2 Comments

How the Act of Writing Changes Your Ideas

A man writing while sitting atop a rock. I hope he doesn't drop his pen.

Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Outlining is great. I love it.

I have a noticeboard above my desk with three different storyboards in varying stages of completion. I map out story arcs. I put a lot of thought into something before I write it.

However, last week something happened during my writing that really shook me up.

How do Words Get on the Page?

First of all, let me take a slight detour past an excellent post you have to read. It’s by Charlotte Rains Dixon entitled How Words Get on the Page. I was going to save this link up for my recap at the end of the month, but it was just too good to wait. Go read it now!

Her main point is:

…magic happens when we engage with the words. That writing gets done when we write…So next time you’re stuck, try writing instead of staring out the window. Trust me, it actually does work.

It’s true. Words get on the page through the act of writing. That’s the only way.

We can have the most incredible ideas floating around in our head, but it’s only once we get them onto the page that we see them in all their glory.

Sometimes an idea that seemed pretty ho-hum in your head comes into its own when it finally appears on the page. At times like that, you can be shocked by the strength of the end result.

I Didn’t See It Coming Until the Last Word

Last week I started a new writing project.

Yes, I’m editing my short story collection of self-pubbing later on this year (in fact I’m looking for beta readers this month so if you’re interested then let me know). However, I’m finding that during the editing process I need to have another first draft on the go to keep my words flowing.

Anyway, the concept of this new writing project had been on my mind for some time. It was a quaint idea but I wasn’t sure if it would actually work on the page. The only way to find out was to write it down.

So I started writing. The first day I only wrote 100 words or so of very ordinary stuff. My inner editor jumped in and reminded me this concept was a long shot.

The second day was a whole different experience. I wrote just over 500 words. In that time a brand new character sprung into life with all the elements I’d been thinking about and one notable addition.

She had a deeper motivation than I had ever realised. That motivation suddenly made the whole premise of the book fall into place and gave me a stunning character arc.

And I mean ‘stunning’ in a very literal sense. I was stunned, short of breath and on the verge of tears. Not the happy, excited type of tears either. They were tears of empathy for this sudden creation. I had, in a very short space of page, uncovered a deep emotional centre to my new character.

The concept I’d been carrying around in my head was okay, but when the words came onto the page the idea became a whole different thing – a much richer and more touching story. I would never have seen this aspect to it if I’d spent that time outlining instead.

So, while I’m still a great believer in outlines, the truth is words get on the page through writing. I can discover so much about characters and plot on the page as I write.

Taking Creative Action

Do you have an idea floating around in your head – an idea you’re not sure will actually work on the page?

Have you tried writing it down?

Spend some time this week putting that idea into words on the page. Not just conceptial words, but actual narrative. Give your Creativity some space to experiment and watch what happens in front of you.

It may not happen right away, but I guarantee it will eventually give you some kind of insight you wouldn’t have got any other way.

What about you? Have you had a similar experience when putting words on the page?


by 3 Comments

4 Ways House Sitting Improved My Writing

A couch that's actually a swing. My kind of place! (Although this is just clip art so I didn't get one of my own to try out while house sitting.)

Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Today I’m guest posting over at K.M. Weiland’s blog Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors. My post is called What House Sitting Teaches You About Writing and covers how to use a character’s belongings to reveal their personality. Head over there and take a look!

For the past four weeks my husband and I have been house sitting. A change is indeed as good as a holiday and we had a great time.

You may remember an earlier post mentioned some of the goals I had in mind for the month. The good news is I managed most of them.

Let me give you a brief recap of the things I learned or was reminded about during our ‘house sitting adventure.’

Change Sparks Creativity

I was overwhelmed by how creative I suddenly felt in new surroundings. Possibilities seemed endless and new discoveries were everywhere. As Creativity pointed out in her post there was plenty to distract, but the distractions were all part of the wonder of being exposed to new things.

The intial spark of excitement only lasts a week or two and then the house felt like home, but it reminded me to soak up everything that excites my Creativity and run with it while the joy is there.

‘Change sparks Creativity’ is a great thing to remember when you’re feeling blocked or stale in your writing. Change, even in small ways, does boost your Creativity and often you’re in control of when and how you bring that change about.

Sunshine is a Great Start to the Day

One of my goals for the month was to start the morning by having breakfast outside. Of course, the weather didn’t make that possible every day, but I definitely noticed a difference on the days I managed to drink in the rays (I stress I did this in the early morning before the UV index climbed too high).

I saw a great quote yesterday from Rasheed Ogunlaru which sums this up. He said:

Take a walk outside — it will serve you far more than pacing around in your mind.

As writers, we probably spend far too much time indoors and at our desks pacing around in our minds. When you’re feeling lethargic and uninspired, invest in some fresh air, movement and sunshine.

Remember, change sparks Creativity – even small changes. Stepping outside may be just the level of change your Creativity needs to start firing again.

Objects Can Tell You So Much About a Person

This is probably the biggest thing I learned during the month but you’ll have to go over to Wordplay to read my guest post about it.

Creativity Needs to be Integrated Into Your Life

The sparks of my Creativity didn’t just help my writing , they also entered other areas of my life – like cooking.

My goal was to have four successful new recipes. I had several ‘interesting’ recipe attempts that, while still edible, shall not be repeated. I did end up with one very good recipe that I’m happy to pass on to friends and family. One out of four is not bad.

But the point is that to be creative in one area of your life means you have to be open to your Creativity having opinions and input on other areas of your life. In fact, you want your Creativity to be present in as many different parts of your day as possible. (I’m not the only writer who feels this way. Charlotte Rains Dixon wrote about the topic this week too.)

Creativity is not something you can switch on and off. It’s a part of yourself that you can nuture, encourage and listen to. You can build trust and understanding in your Creativity and grow together to become more and more creative.

There are plenty more things I learned during house sitting (like cats are evil, washing machines are destructive and deciduous trees are only beautiful when they’re not dropping leaves in your garden…although I already knew that last one) but I’ll spare you the details.

Have you experienced some kind of change during this past month? Have you noticed an impact on your Creativity?

____

If you’d like to find out more about how to be creative whenever and where ever you want, download my free e-book Creativity on Demand.


by 3 Comments

Should You Brainstorm With Other Writers?

A pile of light bulbs with one bulb lit up, causing the viewer to wonder if light is contagious.

Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Most of us prefer to keep our writing ideas close to our chest until we’ve spent a lot of quality time putting our thoughts on paper.

Even then, we may be hesitant to let other people see our work in case they say something we don’t feel comfortable with. Often we don’t show others our work until it’s nearing completion.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that approach. If you feel you need to keep your ideas to yourself so they can grow in protected shelter, then that’s fine.

But each project is different. Sometimes there are ideas that dangle in front of us saying ‘write me one day’ but don’t grow any further. No matter how many different ways we look at the idea, we just can’t get a handle on the next step.

If you’ve got one of those ideas hidden away, why not try brainstorming with other writers or creatives?

Does It Actually Work?

I am writing this post minutes after witnessing brainstorming in action. My brother is a talented writer who has been focusing on crafting engaging loglines. Today, while my father and I were standing in the kitchen, he read out a logline he’d had tucked away for a while.

I’d heard the logline before and thought it was brilliant, but it was the first time my father had been exposed to the pitch. He latched on to the idea and started throwing out extra elements to weave into the concept.

It wasn’t long before all three of us were creating a complicated world in which this story could exist. Within half an hour we’d gone from logline to a basic outline complete with a surprise twist for the ending. The energy in the room was electric, as if ideas were drawn from the air to our creative static. We were three very excited people with three very happy Creativities.

My brother is now in the next room scribbling down all the stuff we talked about, finally able to do something with a logline he’s had for months.

Pros and Cons

As with any decision to do with you Creativity and your writing, you need to decide what works best for you. Weigh up the following pros and cons to see if you and your Creativity would be comfortable in a brainstorming situation.

The pros are:

  • Brainstorming can reveal potential in your ideas and take you in directions you would never have thought of by yourself.
  • During the process you may find plot holes that you wouldn’t have noticed until much further down the track.
  • A brainstorming session could lead to writing collaborations if your fellow brainstormer is excited about the project.

The cons are:

  • You may feel overwhelmed by all the ideas being discussed and start to worry about the scope of what you’re committing to.
  • You may feel like your fellow brainstormers are running away with the discussion and leaving you behind. You may eventually feel like the story no longer belongs to you.
  • Your fellow brainstormers may feel a sense of ownership over the story once the session has finished.

Brainstorming Reminders

If you want to try brainstorming ideas with others, then keep the following pointers in mind.

Choose the right people

If you want someone to brainstorm a story with you, then that person needs to be:

  • Experienced in writing, story and character building. They need to have at least some of the skills of a writer/storyteller, otherwise their suggestions may not be strong enough to build on (and trust me, in a good brainstorming session the story builds very fast).
  • Flexible and respectful. Brainstorming sessions can become a little heated at times when people have conflicting ideas on where the story should be headed. You want to be working with a person who respects your right as a writer to have the final say over where your story goes.
  • Willing to participate. If they don’t feel comfortable giving out ideas that you might use and publish, then it’s better not to start brainstorming at all. You don’t want to end up in legal problems sometime down the track.

Speak up for yourself

Remember, this is your story and you’re the one who will be working on it (unless your brainstorming session leads to a writing collaboration). So speak up when you feel the story is going off track or you don’t agree to an element that’s been suggested.

Remain engaged in the process and don’t let the other brainstormers run off with your story and leave you behind.

Keep an open mind

At times the discussion will go into areas you hadn’t envisioned for this story. Don’t discount these detours right away. They may help you find a whole new story or a story element which is stronger and more exciting than your original concept.

Writing is a journey of discovery and brainstorming is a wonderful chance to branch out into the unknown. After all, you’re only spending an hour or two on this journey, so what’s the harm in seeing where it takes you?

Keep notes

Either keep notes during the brainstorming session or write everything down as soon as possible after the session. Ideas flitter away quicker than you expect, so make sure you’re capturing them (perhaps even create an audio recording so you can go back and check points).

After the session, you’ll still have residual pep from the experience and you may find extra ideas appearing as you write. Don’t miss this opportunity to go further with your story. You can always cull your notes later when the calmness of reason returns.

You don’t have to use everything you discussed

Just because you and your friend talked about something, doesn’t mean you have to stick with it. Once you get back to the page, it’s just you and the story. Remain true to where that story needs to go, even if it diverges from what you decided during your brainstorming session.

What you come up with in the frenzy of brainstorming might not work in the coolness of hindsight. That’s okay. The session got you the fire you needed and gave you extra ideas to play with. But the journey doesn’t stop there. It continues onto the page and throughout your writing process.

Is It Worth It?

Whether brainstorming works for you and your Creativity is a matter for you to decide. Hopefully this post has given you an opportunity to think about the subject.

If you’re not sure whether it would suit you, perhaps try brainstorming a small idea with a trusted writing friend and see how it goes. If you feel comfortable, you could try something bigger next time.

What are your thoughts on the subject? Have you ever tried brainstorming ideas with others? Are there any points I didn’t cover? I can’t wait to hear what you have to say on the subject.


by Leave a comment

My 5 Favourite Posts of April

A stressed woman facing her computer. She needs this month's favourite posts.

Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

Usually my pick of posts are a random collection of inspiration and fun, but this month there seems to be a bit of a theme coming together.

The first three posts deal with the anxiety behind being creative and the danger of burnout. These are subjects which aren’t often discussed on writing blogs but are very important points to bear in mind. Please take a couple of moments to have a read. You owe it to yourself as an artist.

So, here are my picks of the month:

  • Should Being Creative Feel Good? by Branden Barnett – This post discusses how to use mindful acceptance and action to help you overcome the anxiety of creating art.
  • Let’s Talk About Anxiety & The Creative Process by Dan Blank – Dan Blank works with writers and so understands the anxiety they can face every day. He lists some practical tips which you can try out right away.
  • Boundaries and Burnout by Barbara O’Neal - As our lives become busier, our work load and the pressure we face becomes more intense. This post contains some questions writers should be asking themselves on a regular basis.
  • Little Darlings & Why They Must Die … For REAL by Kristen Lamb – Okay, the self-love theme is broken with this one and we’re back to more usual writing advice. This post reminds us why our little ‘writing darlings’ are so dangerous.
  • And to end, here’s a link to a quote from Jasper Fforde on the Office of Letter’s and Light Blog. It’s an excerpt from a longer pep talk which you can click through to, but the quote itself is a wonderful description of how a first draft works.

And that’s my pick for the month. Now, what about you? What were the posts that especially resonated with you during April?

****

If you’re facing stress and pressure in your writing life, then you need to take some time out for yourself. I cover some helpful tips on how to do that in my free e-book Tips for Those Contemplating Insanity. You can now view it instantly by clicking here.


by 8 Comments

Have You Watched Parkinson: Masterclass?

An image from the television show Parkinson: Masterclass

Michael Parkinson and Jamie Cullum

I don’t usually talk about television programs on Creativity’s Workshop, but I couldn’t help myself with this one.

Parkinson: Masterclass has just started airing on Australian TV and I’ve really enjoyed the two episodes I’ve seen so far.

If you haven’t heard of the show, the basic premise is Michael Parkinson interviewing a number of artists who each specialise in a different creative field. During the interview they’re asked to explain their creative process.

It’s a wonderful change from the usual TV interviews because the setup provides artists opportunities to demonstrate how they create, rather than just spouting the usual cookie-cutter answers to questions like ’Where do you get your ideas?’ There are also questions from the audience which can lead to interesting comments from the interviewees.

So far I’ve seen two interviews: one with Michael Morpurgo (a writer most famous for his novel War Horse) and Jamie Cullum (a singer/songwriter whose speciality is jazz piano).

Here are a few points I found especially interesting.

Interview with Michael Morpurgo

My family enjoyed this interview so much we actually clapped at the end as if we were somehow part of the studio audience. It was an insightful interview with interesting nuggets for both writers and readers alike.

Here are some points I especially liked:

  • As soon as Morpurgo started interacting with the members of the audience you could tell that he understood his readers and connected well with young children. He used to be a school teacher and tell his stories directly to the children. That experience definitely shows through his work and when watching him in person.
  • He didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer. The success of telling stories to children that captured their attention eventually lead him into the writing profession. He did, however, fall in love with reading at an early age. It is his love of reading and storytelling that keeps him writing.
  • Being around children (his reading audience) helped him to know what worked and what didn’t.
  • Just because something has been done before, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it again if you feel it serves the story. Because Black Beauty had been written from a horse’s POV, he was hesitant to do the same thing with War Horse. The event that changed his mind (watching a small child interacting with a horse) is so touching I can’t do it justice in this post.
  • He has a wonderful eye for detail and is always open to learning something new. The story of the child talking to the horse impacted him because he was paying attention to his surroundings, even on a dark and rainy evening. You never know when inspiration will hit or where you’ll learn something new. Being open to what’s going on around you can lead to all sorts of amazing experiences.

Interview with Jamie Cullum

I didn’t expect to get as much out of this interview because they focused on musical composition, but I was pleasantly surprised by what Cullum had to say about the creative process.

My favourite points are as follows:

  • Cullum sits at his piano for 45 minutes at a time, playing with chords and lyrics that take his interest. He records the session and then plays it back later. He may only use 10 seconds of what he came up with, but it’s worth the 45 minutes to find that 10 seconds.
  • You have to trust the process. Some days nothing happens, but he still sits at the piano anyway. He says you never know when you’ll get that idea. You have to turn up and play.
  • His enthusiasm for music comes across immediately. He loves jazz especially, but he enjoys music in general – whether it’s old or new. Some of his musical ideas come when he’s listening to recent pop songs while others come from the likes of Cole Porter.
  • When he plays the piano, you can tell he’s spent hours experimenting with the tune and the instrument. During one song he drummed on the wood of the piano and reached into the body of the piano to strum the strings. He’s not shy about experimenting and playing around with his art.

The two interviewees are quite different to each other in age, art and character, but there were some interesting similarities between them.

  • Both have a passion for their art. They enjoy creating and are always looking for ways to make their work better.
  • Both immerse themselves in their chosen field. Morpurgo loves reading and Cullum loves listening to music. They’re not afraid that this exposure will taint their unique voice. In fact, they use the inspiration to create new ideas and drive themselves forward.
  • Both are aware of their environment. Morpurgo was inspired by talking to a man at his local pub and watching a child speaking to a horse. These things turned into the novel War Horse. Cullum was inspired by a new song he heard at a nightclub that lead to his own rendition of it (during which he drummed on the piano as mentioned above).

I’m sure there are other similarities. Have you spotted some? Share them in the comments below.

I’m looking forward to watching the next interview!

What about you? Have you been inspired by a television show recently? Let us know which one.


by Leave a comment

Creative Actions: Research Something a Bit Crazy for Your Novel

Recently I was working on a short story (it’s not going to make it into my up-coming collection, but perhaps the one after that), when I hit a snag.

My character’s mother had been through chemotherapy and lost her hair. She was wearing a wig, which was all well and good until it came to bed time. As she reached up to take her wig off, I realised I had no idea how wigs stayed on a person’s head or the correct method for removing them.

I needed to do some research.

I will quickly point out that I did not immediately open my web browser and start searching (although I was naturally tempted). I finished my writing session, skipping over the part where I didn’t yet have concrete details. I knew I’d become distracted when I started researching, so I put my writing first.

Once I was free to research, I went to YouTube and searched for videos on wigs. What I found was this gem of a woman.

Now, my purpose was to find out how to remove a wig, which I did within five minutes. But once I got started I couldn’t stop watching her videos.

Why?

Not procrastination. Not because I’m addicted to the internet or to YouTube (although I may be slightly addicted).

I watched because I was fascinated by this woman’s positivity. I loved her confidence in being able to just whip her wig off in front of the camera without any embarrassment. I loved the details of the wigs and the craftsmanship that goes into their design.

Before that day I had very little interest in wigs. In the space of an hour I had a whole new appreciation for them and I had been exposed to a truly inspirational person.

As with all research, I ended up with more information than I needed. But as a writer I’m like a bower bird, collecting all these experiences, facts and personalities for use somewhere down the road.

Was it a waste of time? Not at all. Confident that my writing had been done for the day, I was able to allow my Creativity the room to explore a fascinating subject thereby exposing her to a fresh supply of creative fodder. Who knows where this will lead.

So what about you? What piece of information do you need to research this week? Comment below and tell us.

Try to pick something slightly crazy – a subject with intriguing possibilities and follow it to see where it leads. When you’re done, come back and let us know how it went.


by 1 Comment

Boosting Creativity With a Change of Scene

A girl considering what she's going to try cooking next. Yum, the possibilities.

This is how I’m feeling right about now… (Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Art)

Hi, I’m Jessica’s Creativity (that’s me in the blog header) and today I’m writing about our creative plans for the next four weeks.

To be honest, we’ve been feeling a bit creatively stale for the past few months. Dealing with illness and being cooped up indoors tends to stifle creative expression while also spoiling the beginnings of a promising tan. So, it is with great enthusiasm that I make this announcement:

For the next four weeks Jessica shall be taking in a change of scene. Not on holiday (that comes later in the year), but through the adventure of house sitting.

Four weeks in a completely different environment is a heady opportunity for a Creativity. The possibilities for creative shenanigans are endless.

I must stress that I do not mean we will be playing practical jokes on the owners of the house (we don’t know them that well yet) but there shall be plenty of playing with words, ideas and anything else I decide to turn my creative attention to (including a garden, what fun!).

This creative boost has been set off by the plethora of new stimuli. There are new books to browse, new rooms to write in, new kitchen appliances to experiment with, new decor to admire and a new pet to interact with (or should that read ‘a new pet to beat in a dastardly battle of wits’?). Everywhere I look there’s something I haven’t noticed before and house sitting gives one plenty of time to savour the experience.

But, although all this playful curiosity is bubbling along happily, Jessica has set some goals in order to get the most of out of our month of creative mayhem.

They are as follows.

Have breakfast in the sunshine every morning while journal writing.

Have you ever experienced the sensation of being drawn to a place or an object with a creative fascination? That’s what happens when your Creativity falls in love. Me? I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful little nook in the back garden.

There is a paved area surrounded by lattice work, creating a snug space which is still speckled with sunshine. The autumn weather is behaving itself at the moment so I’m looking forward to starting the morning in the great outdoors.

Well, I’m looking forward to it now that Jessica has sprayed the chair, table and general vicinity with bug spray to kill all the creepy crawlies. Poisonous spiders do tend to inhibit my creative flair.

The journal writing gets a lot of the writing bilge out of the way before we sit down to the serious work of playing around with blank pages, which leads to the next goal.

Write for a couple of hours each day.

Well, this isn’t a new goal, but new environments provide fresh incentive to recommit to previous plans. Going from a household of six to just two means there should be more time and room for writing.

Let me just add here that while Jessica believes there are far less distractions here (by that she obviously means people) she has not taken into consideration all the fascinating knick knacks and books which are catching my attention every time she looks away from the computer screen. There’s a book called Tilt on the history of the Leaning Tower of Pisa that I’m finding particularly interesting, if only for it’s clever title.

Jessica’s already realising that concentrating here may be harder than she thought. Still, I’m enjoying myself intensely!

Create at least four successful new recipes.

Remember those kitchen appliances I mentioned earlier? Well, they’re giving me so many ideas for meals that we’ve had to make a list!

Already we’ve invented ‘Green Cashew Paste’ which works well as a topping to both chicken and lamb with further variations to come. Who knows what we’ll end up with next!

Being loosed on a kitchen does wonders for my confidence and my creative spirit, which then translates onto the page later on. It’s like doing creative push ups with tasty treats to end your exercise.

It’s freeing and enjoyable and yummy!

So, that’s the plan for the next four weeks. Let’s see what we can get done!

What about you? What are your creative plans for the next four weeks? Do you have any goals you’re working towards?  


by Leave a comment

Sharing My 4 Favourite Posts of March

Four tulips

Image Credit: Microsoft Clip Ark

Last month was so full of exciting stuff that I ran out of time to post this in March. So I’m sneaking it in now because I really want to share these links with you.

Here are my four favourite posts of March:

  • Releasing the Deadwood by Dan James. If you only read one of these posts, read this one. It’s a short but powerful reminder to clear out our ‘deadwood’ from time to time and make space for new creative moments.
  • Start Here: Being Your Own Muse from DIY MFA. Emily Wenstrom makes the list again this month with these five suggestions on how to ‘get your creative juices flowing on your own.’ I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of her suggestions as they’re the same practices I use.
  • Why You Need to Be Excited About Every Single Thing You Write by K.M. Weiland. This is a great reminder that sometimes it’s not good to force yourself to write. There is indeed a line between just plain laziness and an idea that should not be written down yet. Can you tell the difference?
  • NaNoWriMo Survival Guide Day One: Why You Can Do This from The Office of Letters and Light. Okay, this is a cheat because I read this post on April 1st, but I couldn’t wait to share it. A great post to read when you’re starting something new.

Now it’s your turn. What was your favourite post in March? Add a link in the comments.


by 1 Comment

A Thank You Video for My Lovely Readers

Here’s something special for you all this week. I’ve recorded a video with a short message for my readers.

If you’ve ever wondered what I look and sound like, here’s your chance to find out.

If you’d like to see my other video, head over to the home page and take a look.