Tag: bloggers

Writers’ Writing Space To Write…

Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts. 

~ Larry L. King

Where do I write? In a quiet place. A place where I can hear my thoughts, the stirrings of my heart, my soul. I write whenever it hits. I must stop, record, write. If I do not do so immediately…in a flash, it’s gone. So I have learnt to capture the words as they come. Anywhere, anytime, any how.

Writing Tools

The equipment I use for writing is anything (smile). When those inspiring writing moments come, I may grab my cellphone and write in notes. Sometimes, I write on paper if I can grab one quickly. So I keep notepads and notebooks all over. In my car, on my nightstand, the traditional desk, dining table, anywhere. I must capture those inspiring writing moments. Then when I am ready to publish my posts, I use my laptop. Sometimes I start in drafts in the App. But I usually prefer to post on my laptop since it offers the opportunity to edit, tag etc., which I find much easier. Yes, I know this can be done directly in the App but going the laptop route is my preference before publishing.

The Peace, Quiet, Serenity To Write

To write, all I need in a physical space is simply peace, quiet, and absolute serenity. That’s all. It could be in an airplane way up above the clouds, but for some reason it works. I sleep. I awake my mind is fresh, anew, and I write. I Know that serenity can even be found in a crowded space. A train, a plane, a park, an event that I’m allowed to people watch. To see and experience nature amidst the hustle and bustle of people everywhere. The only commonality is that no one can be speaking to me directly (or I won’t hear them or my thoughts (smile). Sounds poetic? Maybe it is. Writing is music to me.

At times we need community since we cannot exist alone. In other cases we simply cannot get the space to write in our own space and must getaway. If you feel that need, then join us in a weekend Getaway for 2 Days To Write Retreat with new and experienced authors. For sure you will find the space to write.

So write on writers!

Cheers!

Self-Care: The 4 Attributes…

Take care of you. A member of the writers group and a university administrator complained of a tummy ache, went to urgent care, then rushed to ER. She died of a heart attack by morning.

Take Care of You

Do your best. Breathe. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just take it easy at work, school, home. Here are four (4) key attributes to sustain you:

  1. Diet. Eat well
  2. Exercise. It is beneficial to your life
  3. Rest. It’s not for the lazy
  4. Think Pure Thoughts

Reflections

So reflect on these four (4) attributes and make an effort to focus on those areas that you need to. Then make it a habit to smile often for it goes deep into your soul. It releases positive vibes. Forget haters. Some people are there just to test you. Don’t give the enemy a foot into your being because life’s too short to dwell on the bad.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

7 Cities For Writers To Perfect Their Craft…

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The creative creed that exists among writers is electrifying. Writers eat, sleep, and dream writing. Often they seek the space to write to satisfy their longing. Here I share 7 cities for writers for those who wish to slip away to the ideal place to perfect their craft.

  1. San Diego, California 
  2. Portland, Oregan
  3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  4. Boston, Massachusetts
  5. Seattle, Washington
  6. Asheville, North Carolina
  7. Chicago Illinois

Thinking of a shift for a year or two? Consider these cities and well, there’s always New York. They would be ideal. Any missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear!

Cheers!

 

 

 

Be Your True Authentic Self…

 

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment. ~Waldo Emerson

Oprah Quits 60 Minutes hmm…why? The INC article captured my attention. Interest sparked because of the hundreds job hunting who consistently ask what aspect of their education and experiences they should omit from their resumes, or when completing job applications on websites. This question often comes from individuals who are looked at as ‘overqualified’.

Overqualified refers to having qualifications that exceed the requirements of a particular job

Job Search Caution

Do exercise caution when accepting jobs that fall below your experience level. So for example, if you are a Senior Marketing Manager in transition, be careful of accepting positions at a mid-junior level. The challenge… it can compromise your ability to get the right job that you are looking for. Similarly, if you have a degree that may not be applicable to a job that you are applying for, good resume writers will tell you to omit it (for now). However, how sad is that? You spent years studying as well as paid a vast amount of money to acquire your education, only for it to be shelved.

On the other hand, there may be circumstances that you cannot help which causes you to accept whatever opportunities come your way. But let it not be for long. Keep looking. Accept the opportunity and continue your search in order for you to get back to your appropriate level in good time.

Career Change?

If however, your plan is to change careers… due to your own personal situation such as being a new mom, furthering your education, or you just don’t want the responsibilities of a manager anymore, your choice may very well be that you want to work at a lower level. In such cases …it’s all good.  However, if you are trying to get back to your senior level, don’t wait too long. Hiring managers will be confused about the reason you are working at the lower level. It may compromise how you are perceived.

Conforming To Expectations

Naturally, some organizations wish to change you to conform to their expectations. You are expected to fit into a ‘box’ built by the organization. This was the case discussed in the article about Oprah. By any means, working with 60 Minutes would be a great opportunity… even for Oprah. But they were asking her to reduce herself from being who she was at heart. After many attempts to conform, she gave up. She walked away from the opportunity. Her decision? To stick to who she was.

The Moral Of This Quest

You too can do the same. The lucky organization that hires you will benefit from your critical thinking and other skills that you are sure to bring to the job if you work hard.

The Moral of this quest… when you are in need and can’t do any better, you may decide that you “gotta do what you’ve gotta do“. Oprah is a billionaire …and you are barely getting by. But the lesson here is to strive to be your one true authentic self.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

 

Writers Share 37 Funny Places To Do Book Signing….

After months, years or a decade of toil, you have finally finished your masterpiece! Yeaaa! Now onto  getting it out to the world. But where? How? Can you do it with a difference? In a writers forum the question was asked…

Where would be some funny places to do a book signing?

Here I share authors’ thoughts as they poured in their tales:

Funny Places For Book Launch

  1. Flea market
  2. The side of the road somewhere
  3. Ihop
  4. Outhouse line at the county fair
  5. Outside an Apple store
  6. 3D Theater
  7. Bluegrass Festival
  8. The Bathroom
  9. Carnival
  10. Chucky Cheese
  11. Beauty Salon
  12. Cemetery
  13. Hospital
  14. In the Bait shop at a local lake
  15. At a sign store
  16. At a winery
  17. Night club
  18. Funeral home
  19. Church
  20. County jail
  21. An organization for the blind
  22. High-end men’s clothing store
  23. McDonald’s
  24. Boxing gym
  25. Liquor store
  26. Laundromat
  27. Planned Parenthood
  28. An internet cafe
  29. A vet for a dog book
  30. At a book burning
  31. The stationary aisle at the local pharmacy
  32. In a kids backyard tree-house
  33. At the end of an obstacle course
  34. Under a mistletoe
  35. Bed, Bath & Beyond
  36. Aquarium
  37. Bowling alley

Yep, some of these are sure funny. But the thing is… it all depends on what your book is about. Your book’s theme can help your choice. For example if it’s about the story of dogs, then why not consider a veterinarian’s office. If it’s about building the perfect home, then Bed, Bath & Beyond will do.

So if you’re an author, go for it! Let your juices flow! Do the non-traditional. You and your guests will walk away with a smile. Any missing? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

 

Don’t Feel Bad If People Remember You Only When They Need You…

Don’t feel bad when people remember you only when they need you. Feel Privileged that you are like a candle that comes to their mind when they are in the dark.

How many can relate? Just keep being you.

Interested In Starting Your Writing Journey? 18 Tips For Beginners…

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Read a lot. Write a lot.

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath

Tips gleaned from experienced authors to those interested in venturing out on their own writing journey.

  1. Write. Keep writing.
  2. Read a lot so you understand how others do what they do
  3. Learn the craft …that is part of writing
  4. Proofread. Rewrite so it makes sense
  5. Learn the craft. Books, classes, YouTube
  6. Be yourself. Tell the story
  7. Brainstorm writing ideas
  8. It takes a lot of sacrifice
  9. Find online sites that accept free submissions. Publish 800-1200 word articles on a subject that interests you. Write and submit articles to many sites. Once accepted try longer pieces
  10. Don’t let “no thanks” deter you.
  11. Read, read, master the language you want to write in. Read, read and read a bit more
  12. Start writing. Just keep writing. Stand at a bus stop, look at a fence and …write. Sit in a pub, get yourself a drink and write about the next person who walks through the door – not his descript but his life story, his family, his job. Just write
  13. Read the classics and discover why they are rated so highly
  14. If you don’t know what to write or have writers block, use writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.
  15. Don’t shy away from criticism. Being critiqued doesn’t always feel amazing, but it always makes you a better writer. Every time someone tells you what they think of your manuscript, you get closer to an objective understand of your work, which is invaluable
  16. Don’t worry about perfection when you are writing your first draft. Good writing is re-writing
  17. Believe in yourself.
  18. Never give up.

Solid thoughts of inspiration for those new to the writing craft. Anything missing that you would like to add? Do share. We would love to hear!

Cheers!

Do What Is Uniquely You…

Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own. ~Bruce Lee

When The Pen Slows: Writers Share What To Do When You Don’t Feel Like Writing…

When the pen slows… writers share what to do when you don’t feel like writing.

  • Write more often
  • Do fun stuff and write for 30 minutes per day
  • Try a different genre
  • Draw a comic
  • Write about something you love without edit
  • Write something short. It’s like riding a bike
  • Prepare several projects and switch between them when you feel the need
  • Think of a reward that would motivate you to write more
  • Read. It will revive your writing appetite
  • Re-read books you found inspirational years ago to bring back lost inspiration
  • Don’t worry. Get some rest and exercise. You will be motivated again
  • Indulge other hobbies
  • Take a holiday
  • Freewrite
  • Read through your work like a reader not a writer
  • Voice record
  • Go with the Flow
  • Don’t beat yourself up

Personally, I suggest you write about what it feels like to not want to write. It will help others. Whatever you do, don’t give up.

Cheers!

Let Go Of The Old. Do Something New…

 

Take the leap.

 

Being stuck is a position few of us like. We want something new but cannot let go of the old – old ideas, beliefs, habits, even thoughts. We are out of contact with our own genius. Sometimes we know we are stuck; sometimes we don’t. In both cases we have to DO something.     

Rush Limbaugh

The Scariest Moment…

The scariest moment is just before you start. ~Stephen King

Is that you? Is that me? We suffer a loss and we are frozen. We lose a key contract and we are frozen. When writing we want the words to flow and we are frozen. Sickness, health, business crisis, job-loss, a wayward child, spousal disappointment. In all of these, if we are not strong, we become frozen. Scared. Stuck.

We reflect on the story of the eccentric Miss Havisham in Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. Her fiancé left her at the altar and she remained scared…frozen in time. She lived the rest of her life in her wedding gown never able to recoup.

Steven King was the opposite. He was turned down numerous times for his writings. Estée Lauder too. She was turned away many times for something she believed in. Her product. Her perfume.

Both of these individuals persisted and never gave up on something they believed in. Both remained steadfast. Unfrozen. And in that state, they were able to achieve their best. They achieved success and became known among society’s finest.

Have you suffered a setback? Have you become frozen? Take the step to break-free! Become an object of admiration. Hold your head up high. Ask, seek, knock, connect! You will then be able to move on despite the odds. Unfreeze.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

The Very Thing That I Spent Years To Build Has Turned Out To Be My Worst Nightmare…

Tis sad. As I reflect, I have come to realize that the very thing that I sought; the thing that I spent years to build; the very thing that I depleted my resources for…has turned out to be my worst nightmare.

Education

Yup it’s education. I invested my resources in education. Every last penny that I had, I invested in higher education. When that was done, I took out student loans. My thinking? I’d have a great job that will pay me more than enough to cover my loans and have more left over to live comfortably for the rest of my life.

Not So

Alarmed I now realize that it’s not so… for the very thing I sought, hides from me. They say I’m too qualified! It makes me weak to think of their mediocre thinking. Sad minds that don’t realize that the very thing they seek – qualified, experienced, good worker, committed, dedicated, forward-thinking, hardworking, results-driven, is the very thing they push away.

So what do I do?

The Future Is Bright

This rant was shared with me by a friend. Tis Sad. For her it’s education. For you it might be a relationship with your spouse, children, family or friends. It might be your house, car, assets that you have worked long and hard for.

But though my friend has a point and it’s hard when she’s going through this rough patch, the Future is Bright! Daily I encourage her to never give up. To fight the good fight. Things will get better. Through prayer, resilience, and continued fight for a better life, the revelation will come . As she seeks clarity in her path she will realize that one day soon things will get better.

Are you like my friend, frustrated with retarded career growth? Don’t go it alone. Let’s connect.

Cheers!

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