I know how scary it can be to think about what your writing should be. Fortunately, I also know how to get past fear to the writing. And I can show you how. My Latest Struggle I just got back to Minneapolis after helping my mom move to assisted living: two weeks of sorting, packing, … More Don’t Be Scared!
When we accept that writing is hard and stop expecting it to be easy, it gets easier. … More The Great Truth Every Writer Needs to Know
It may seem a bit paradoxical that one of the best ways to sustain your writing habits during the holidays is to reduce your commitments to them. Commit to less, accomplish more. Years ago, before I understood the nature of writer’s resistance, I thought I should be able to log hours and hours of writing … More Reduce Writing Commitments to Keep Your Holidays Resistance-free
As you develop a perspective like Thomas Edison’s that there is no failure, that you’re just discovering ways that don’t work on the way to finding what does work, you’ll probably feel relief. Thank God, I don’t have to worry about failing any more. You might try to talk yourself into false cheer. Alright! Good … More Writing Failure Lesson #2: Feel it Fully
Edison Refused to Fail – You Can Too Thomas Edison’s observation that he had not failed, he’d found 10,0000 ways that didn’t work (or 1,000 or 700 depending on the source) is remembered because it is unexpected. Edison’s lesson from failure was to refuse to see it. Most of us couldn’t endure finding even 100 … More Writing Failure Lesson #1: Don’t!
Do you think writers must write every day? We don’t. Daily writing is a must for some writers; freedom to not write every day is a must for others. Do you think writers must read every day? Reading is essential for writers, but it is not a daily requirement. The same is true with daily … More The One Thing Writers Must Do Every Day — It’s Not What You Think
One of the more common sources of writing resistance and block is the lament “I don’t know what to write!” As if “real” writers wake up every day with a clearly defined writing plan that details exactly where to start and how to progress at every moment. Western education sets us up for the belief … More Forget Answers – Writers Need Questions!
Dr. Kathy Hopewell, writer, performer, teacher and blogger at The Freewriter’s Companion, candidly describes the disappointment of discovering that writing cannot be a command performance. Thanks to Kathy’s willingness to share her insights, you can follow Kathy’s suggestions for partnering with, instead of trying to dictate to, your writer-self and thus avoid that particular frustration. … More Writing Is Not Your Servant: Guest Post by Kathy Hopewell
If you’re like me, and I have a strong feeling you are, some days, the words and images appear in our mind and flow effortlessly and joyfully out of our hands onto the screen. Some days, we’re afraid they won’t. But it’s certain that if we don’t show up for our writing practice, the words … More Praying for Writing Miracles
Are you feeling guilty because you’re not writing for hours or jotting thousands of words a day? There’s no need. Instead of sweating the details, try 15 Magic Minutes. Note: Originally published on The Huffington Post. Reprinted with new graphics. You can do anything that advances your writing in those 15 Magic Minutes. I’ve had … More Ten Reasons to Invest in 15 Magic Minutes
Bane of Your Resistance 