Branching out with my writing
It’s called comparisonitis.
Up to now, you’ve been immune.
Not so today.
Some fellow writers have recently bolstered their career, while you’ve continued the daily grind without much acclaim–from others or yourself.
A few questions to ask:
Reap the wisdom on comparisonitis
here: http://storybistro.com/comparisonitis/
and
here: http://www.abifox.com/suffering-with-comparisonitis-you-need-to-know/
You’re not just a writer of novels or blog posts or weekly columns.
You are a listener. You’re a storyteller. You condense thoughts. You cut through blather and deliver a message. You’re a narrator. You ask the right questions. You catch details most people glide right past.
There is a need for you and your talents.
Take a look here and here. As a great man once said, “Hey, ya never know!”
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
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
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
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.
image courtesy of gratisography.com
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
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.
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.
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