It’s been less than 24 hours since yesterday’s post and already you’ve strayed…
How to hop back on? Elizabeth Grace Saunders offers these four guidelines.
image courtesy of gratisography.com
Monthly Archives: September 2017
Writers Horoscope September 20: Revamp your start to the day.
More and more research is pointing out the drawbacks of diving into email, the Internet, and directionless apps first thing in the morning. You might consider leading off with any combination of reading, writing, a little mindfulness, and some exercise. [Okay, coffee fits in there somewhere.]
But don’t take my word for it.
Srini Rao homes in on the topic with this article in Medium.
Here also is a quote from his Why Only is Better Than Best: “Once you become aware of how you’re spending your time, you’ll be amazed at how much of it you actually have at your disposal to develop better habits.”
image courtesy of gratisography.com
Writers Horoscope September 19: There’s room for more than one mentor in your life.
Getting a second, or third, opinion on your work may be just what you need.
Yes, too many cooks can spoil the…well, you know.
But, just in case, keep your eyes open for another writing sage in your life.
Writing mentors need to look, well, writerly.
And will listen. Without too much judgment.
And won’t heap huge expectations on you.
A daily ride in the car? Sure. A bowl of kibble? You can handle that.
But remember: they need the writerly look.
Jeff Goins offers some serious tips on finding a writing mentor.
image courtesy of gratisography.com
Writers Horoscope September 18: Find a new outlet for your pent-up energy.
All that time in front of a computer screen.
All that roiling frustration over that damnable dangling participle…
You’re turning into a churning hunk of burning funk. (Thank you, James Taylor)
Time to let loose.
And it just might lead to a little cash on the side.
Bonus! For sticking with this post—other ways to de-stress in front of the screen…
image courtesy of gratisography.com
Free Prewriting Course Update
Hello writers.
I’ve added two new components to the prewriting mini-course.
- Using Images to Add a Visual Element to Your Prewriting
- Conversing with Your Characters
Here’s the link…https://wordinventions.blog/prewriting-course/
In the next week, all components will be assembled in a Teachable course.
If you’re interested in joining that version of the still-free course, just fill out the form below or email me at the address below.
Yes, I want to take the prewriting course!
Any questions, suggestions, or requests? th@inventwithwords.com
Writers Horoscope September 17: Today, listen to yourself.
Oh, sure, through the years, you’ve heard voices. Lots of them.
And some actually came from people who exist.
Now it’s time to hear yourself.
Yep, you.
You not only have a lot to say, but you need to hear yourself say it.
Record your written words and play them back.
You will probably wince at the sound of your voice, but, shrug it off and soak in the sound of your words.
You may well ask yourself, “Who was that genius?”
And if there were a virtual ‘Like’ button** floating around, you might even click it.
** Someone, somewhere should be making a few bucks cranking out and selling ‘Like’ buttons for people to wear. Would be fun to watch the reactions of passers-by…
image courtesy of gratisography.com
Writers Horoscope September 16: It’s time to refuel.
Do you need to be convinced? Deadlines and ill-temperament have taken their toll, after all.
Paul Jun’s guest post on ProBlogger offers three reasonable suggestions to consider.
- Don’t write, exercise. Get the endorphins pumping.
- Admit it: there are days you should just wave the white flag.
- Unearth those touches of genius you’ve squirreled away on sticky notes, sauce-smeared napkins, or steamy shower walls. That will give you a boost when you’re ready to get back in the game.
Writers Horoscope September 15: The publishing world is against you. It seems.
Ever had that submission spur an immediate rejection?
We’re talkin’, ‘Click ‘send’ and within minutes, boom! your inbox has a ‘Thanks, but…’ message. It’s almost as if that evil editor, assistant or, in 2017, maybe an automated script, has been just waiting for your query letter or sample chapter.
Time to give up, right?
Uhhh, no.
Jordan Rosenfeld, author of A Writer’s Guide to Persistence: How to Create a Lasting and Productive Writing Practice, offers these tips.
No, I have not yet bought her book, but for almost a year, I’ve followed her Twitter feed, which abounds with inspiration and advice for writers.
So hang in there and move on to the next potential client.
Prewriting Course Components
Greetings.
I’ve been sharing components of my prewriting mini-course and will continue to add to this page. So far, I have posted the ‘using a concept list’ video, with two samples, and a 23-point ‘James Patterson on outlining’ PDF.
I will be combining them all with additional resources in my Teachable course, but for now, if you’re interested…
https://wordinventions.blog/prewriting-course/
This page can also be found by clicking ‘Menu’ in the upper right corner of this page.
Let me know if you have questions: th@inventwithwords.com .
For now, it’s time for:
and 
Writers Horoscope September 14: You’ve given in to distraction. And now…
it’s crunch time.
You lost out in the eternal tug of war between what you’re supposed to do and what you prefer to do.
It’s now crunch time and you need to focus.
Seriously–focus. And focus some more. [I know, I know, I do see the irony of launching you further away from your work, but these tips should prove helpful in the end. And now…back to the cat videos. ;->]
images courtesy of gratisography.com
Word Inventions 