Writers always produce more than they share with readers. Even bestseller authors have abandoned manuscripts. This article will give you some ideas on what to do with them.
Writers Write
Loved these Writers Write tips for those who write and have manuscripts that just can’t get done. Suzzanne Bennett shares 7 Ideas of what to do with abandoned writings. Here I share my favorite 3.
Create a space. Call it ‘graveyard,’ ‘slush pile,’ or ‘bits n bobs
Salvage the Wreck. The ‘To Salvage’ file contains revamped manuscripts that you still consider terrible, but where you hope to find a few nuggets of gold.
Revisit your Graveyard in times of need. Whenever you need inspiration, go to your pile of manuscripts, and start reading. You might just find a darling that once was ‘killed’
These were my favorites. Do you have abandoned writers? What can you do with them? Do share. We would love to hear.
Reflecting on its application to life, can we do everything and be everywhere all at once?
I was in San Francisco with my girls celebrating my sister’s birthday when the movie everything everywhere all at once came out. We went to see it. The theater was filled mainly with college students and those in their late teens or early twenties. My own young adult college student loved it. The movie had a few walking out early. With it’s multiverse focus, it was long and seemed to end about three times with the theater dwindling as the movie progressed. We stayed to the very end. It’s emotional theme was filled with laughter, some crazies, and a few tears especially at the end. To this day my youngest still adored that movie.
Life’s Application
But as I reflect on its application to life, can we do everything and be everywhere all at once? Really hard, even tiring and strenuous. Sure grounds for emotional imbalance and high stress.
Business coaches will tell you to focus on one thing at a time. Being everywhere all at once depicts lack of focus and going nowhere. Apply this concept to your goals. Sometimes you may have to reflect on all your life experiences to get to where you want to go. If it’s studies, you have to choose a major. If it’s career, you have to choose one or one will choose you (if you’re to survive) and chances are you may end up miserable. Not to mention relationships. You have to choose. You have to decide who your friends will be. Who will you be with long term to start a family and build a life?
Our society today seems all over the place. Values have gone awol. Anything goes. You can do anything provided it makes you happy. But at the end of the day, are you really happy?
Goodreads asked the question in a public forum “what books should everyone read this year?” As authors and readers chimed in, here’s a list of 41 extracted. They include classics to recently released books in different genres.
Don’t worry if you can’t get through them all. Just keep the list as a yearly reference
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
Billy Graham
I was a sprinter. I ran the 100 meter dash; 200 meter and 4 x 100 meter races. This was my thing. When I was called upon, I was ready. It was a desire to achieve not for me but for the wider team’s goal. That’s one of the memories held dear throughout my childhood into adulthood where I participated in events well into my late 20’s.
As I reflect, I am taken aback by the same habits that I used which has stuck with me even today. Here I share.
7 Habits Of A Highly Effective Athlete
1.Discipline
Here it is not about being forced to do something. It is about maintaining daily habits to achieve good or satisfactory outcomes. My dad was a boxing champion who fought for the land of my birth. He was a winner. I would rise early mornings and go running with him before daybreak. Then in the evenings after school I would go practice with fellow athletes. This daily mantra improved my abilities. It was not for personal gratification but for helping the team to win; whether it was school, church camps, or organizational competitive games to come out on top.
Determination means the ability to do something even when the odds are against you. My natural prowess slowed in recent years because I became latent. I sit at the computer all day working without hardly ever getting up to stretch. So after discussion with a personal coach, I decided to start working out. On my second class, I had to drive a 4-hour return trip. I was 5 minutes late for the class due to traffic and was turned away. I had missed the warm-up and didn’t know much. I was disappointed. But through my determination, I decided to make sure it never happened again. I have been attending and haven’t been late again. In this case, my health goals are too important to miss.
3.Drive To Succeed
This trait has driven me to go after my goals, dreams and aspirations. My studies and organizational leadership prowess has helped me to manage business operations with a desire to see others succeed. My published books on Success, leadership, career development and motivation are solid proof.
4.Never Give Up
In the first course I did after I left high school, a teacher lost the end of term paperwork I submitted. She searched and couldn’t find it. This was not submitted online but in person. Talk about being disappointed. I was devastated but I was determined to graduate. So I took a deep breath, asked to redo the major assignment and turned it in again. Yes, I graduated and found that my early training to never give up has stayed with me throughout life’s ups and downs. That experience helped build my strength of character.
5.Commitment
This quality is one that many organizations desire in people. It is a pledge or an agreement to do something. The problem is, we have to strike that balance. Overcommitment, especially for workaholics, can lead to restricted work/life balance or self-care.
The more committed you are, the more work you get….yikes! Certainly the goal you planned (smile)
6.Planning
One thing an athlete must do is plan. No plan easily translates into failure with missed deadlines, priorities and more. A friend shared the woes of a politician who was busy working in the community trying to attract votes. He was successful at that but later discovered that he had missed the application deadline. After all he had done, he was left off the ballot.
7.Teamwork & Care For Others
Teamwork means working together with a group of people to achieve a common goal. Running a relay is never easy. Sometimes teammates become injured, tired, fall behind, or become overworked and the rest of the team must collaborate to build and eliminate the gap. This is not an easy feat but the effort is always well worth it and provides the reward. That’s what I did all those years. Collaborate.
Today, caring for others is my mantra. It goes deep within my inner being and provides that lasting satisfaction when as a professional leadership coach, I help individuals achieve their goals.
I look back and reflect on these traits and with renewed fervor and realize that they made me who I am today. What about you? Did any of the characteristics resonate? Any you would add? Do share, we would love to hear.
The ball dropped and suddenly we went from the old to the new. it’s new year’s day at universal and islands of adventure. Beehives of Chattering voices everywhere. I sit quietly People watching cultures far, near, and everywhere. Fun. Rides. Food. Smiles. Tired feet clad in running shoes, t-shirts, jeans, tights; it’s family time you can’t miss.
Lots of gleeful noise amidst the screams of the world famous hulk ride. Twists, turns, ups, downs. It’s like you’re just gonna explode. Why would people do that to themselves?! Omgeee!
There’s Spider-Man. Tired legs allowed the young ones to go do their thing. After men in black, fast n furious, I was missing nothing.
But who am I to complain after enjoying my own knee jerking skydive that only few dared to hit
It’s Started With a Bang
Yep it’s New Year’s Day and it started off with a bang with plans for a year filled with lots of fun, excitement, and thrill. All wrapped in fear of the twists and turns among the unknown. But hey, doing it anyway. You won’t know until you try, right?
Armed with goals to finish my long outstanding book series titled RedLight, I’ll getaway for a solo retreat to think, to plan, to write in a faraway land. A time of peace and quiet. It’s become personal January tradition.
Only it seems to me that once in your life before you die you ought to see a country where they don’t talk in English and don’t even want to. ~Thornton Wilder
I ordered a coffee and a little something to eat and savored the warmth and dryness. Somewhere in the background Nat King Cole sang a perky tune. I watched the rain beat down on the road outside and told myself that one day this would be twenty years ago. ~Bill Bryson
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! . The air has changed. The hustle and bustle brings smiles and Plans are up in full swing. If you are thinking of what to do this year, here’s Trending Trenz top 10 list of holiday towns in America. For sure a writer’s dream getaway. I like seven and share them here. You can view the details of the full top 10 Christmas towns.
Leavenworth Washington
Ail, Colorado
Franklin Tennessee
St. Augustine, Florida
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Grapevine Texas
North Pole, Alaska
Any of your favorite missing? Do share. We would love to hear.
October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book
Fall Festival! 🍁📚. Great day for Family Fun at Keiser University, PSL Great people, good reads and tons of excitement that kicked off Fall season galore. Photos share a few memories
CNN headline news shared the news of Karly – a 27 year old who ordered a cake with her resume printed on it and sent it to the company of her dreams. Guess where? Nike!
This feat was done from her location in North Carolina to their headquarters in Oregon. Talk about innovation! All with the help of an equally ferocious delivery driver. Karly then shared the picture of the cake on LinkedIn …that’s the place for top jobs, right? Sure enough it sparked lots of interest. Some ‘meanies’ chimed in too. They thought it was a bad idea and voiced how they would never hire her.
The Creativity of the Creative
Personally I’m a lover of anything different. Of thinking outside the box. Same result but with a twist. It brings in the new; makes one stand out against the competition (whether or not there is competition) and shows initiative, The open-minded for sure will snatch up the innovative.
Step out today. Try something new, something different. Heck, you may even surprise yourself! And oh by the way, don’t limit this to jobs only. Travel, relationships, entrepreneurship ventures and more are all included.
What’s the most creative step have you taken? Do share. We would love to hear.
Excited to participate in the 51st Annual Legislative Conference and Amazon Book Signing event at #ALC51 featuring my books Success Strategies of CAribbean American Leaders, Your Career: Ditch It, GreenLight and more
In the Washington DC area? Come see me in the Conference Exhibit Hall September 29-30, 2022 and grab a copy of your favorite book. Can’t wait to see you!
But wait, there’s more! Lots of empowerment and talks from leaders.
Tough Nickel 
Photo by Craig Dennis on 
Success Strategies 