by Jenna | Apr 4, 2012 | Writing Articles
I waited for a long time before I began writing seriously.
I thought I need to make more money first, get caught up on my other commitments, have more childcare, or somehow find big blocks of time in my busy schedule.
I had a few other “stories” too, like thinking I needed to have a genius idea hit me like a stroke of lightning before I could get started.
With a few nudges from some good friends reinforcing what my soul had been pestering me about for many, many years, I decided the time to start writing was right away, not later.
I took a class to get myself going, which was lovely, but it wasn’t enough to help me make the shift to being a serious writer.
So I did some major life design work to reorganize my business and my life around my writing.
It required some choices that were uncomfortable, like changing my sleeping pattern, developing new disciplines, and making new commitments.
I also started my online writing community.
Getting from point A to point B
From the outside looking in, it can feel overwhelming (especially for sensitive types) to contemplate making a major life change like this, which is why we put it off.
It’s not that hard when you break it down into steps.
- I made the internal decision to write and to think of myself as a writer (I also did some NLP work to ease that transition).
- I implemented the external changes: Adjusting my schedule, my sleeping pattern, my habits, and my commitments to myself and to others.
- I started taking classes and immersing myself in the writing world.
- I shifted my attention in terms of my reading and my community as part of that immersion.
At the outset it felt impossible to get here.
Now there is no question is my mind about being a writer and having writing as an integral part of my life.
Start small, but start now
Barbara Sher says, “Start small and start now.”
The lesson here is that if you have a dream — whether it is to write, dance, sing, act, share your wisdom, start a business, or whatever you feel called to — begin it now.
As W. H. Murray loosely paraphrased from Goethe, “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!”
My writing community has taught me the power of regular, consistent, small action.
In the first session of the writing community, I added 21 pages to my screenplay in 23 days, averaging only 25 minutes of writing per day.
I’m happy to say, that by continuing with that pattern of consistent, regular action (though I did gradually increase the amount of time I put into it), I completed my first feature-length screenplay Monday.
It was truly amazing to see what one can accomplish with small steps.
No matter where you go, there you are
What fascinates me most are the internal shifts we make as we go through a journey like this —ƒ from thinking of ourselves one way (“I’m a coach.”) to a new way (“I’m a writer and a coach.”).
I’ve been through this before, as I made my shift from urban design work to life coaching (apparently I’m one of those serial careerists — check back with me in 10 years and we’ll see where I am!).
I still feel like me, the fundamental essence of who I am hasn’t changed, but the way I think about who I am has changed.
Ah, life!
A tip to go
My favorite trick for getting things into motion is this: Decide what you’re going to work on — something you’ve been dreaming about but putting off — then set a timer for 15 minutes and do it.
Then stop and celebrate.
If you’re feeling really reluctant, set that timer for an even shorter length of time, like 5 minutes. (I’m not kidding about this.)
Then do it again tomorrow.
by Jenna | Mar 15, 2012 | Writing Articles
This post was inspired by a livejournal.com post I read by Jim Butcher, author of “The Dresden Files,” called “The Most Important Thing an Aspiring Author Needs To Know.” When I read it the other day, it brought tears to my eyes.
Don’t kill your own dream.
In his post, Butcher reminds us that any dream worth achieving requires the hard work of showing up regularly and making it happen. And it IS hard work.
When it comes to writing, he says:
“There probably aren’t going to be very many people who are actively supporting your efforts. You’ll probably have more than one person say or do something that crushes your heart like an empty Coke can. You’ll probably, at some point, want to quit rather than keep facing that uncertainty. In fact, the vast majority of aspiring authors (somewhere over 99 percent) self-terminate their dream. They quit. Think about this for a minute, because it’s important: THEY KILL THEIR OWN DREAM.”
In the face of all that adversity, it’s pretty easy to lose faith, give up hope, and want to quit before you ever really get started.
Don’t.
You signed up for this dream for a reason.
You want to write.
You are called to write.
Don’t kill your dream.
Being a writer means showing up regularly, putting your butt in your seat, and writing consistently. And seeing it through to completion, one word at a time.
I love Julia Cameron’s line, “Suit up, shut up, and show up.”
Being a writer means having the courage to face the fears that stop you cold.
Butcher says,”When it’s all done and you’re holding your first novel in your hand, you’re going to look back at your breaking-in period and wonder what all the drama was about. All the things that wrenched you inside out during the torment will suddenly seem small and unimportant.”
Don’t stop now.
Remember:
- Don’t give up. Keep writing. You’re the only one that can make this happen.
- Show up regularly. Write frequently and consistently. It’s much easier to dive back in when you write regularly.
- Build a solid pattern of writing into your life. Organize your life around your writing vision.
- Deal with your inner doubts.
- Protect your dream like the precious seedling it is — plant it in fertile soil and tend it like your life depends upon it.
by Jenna | Mar 14, 2012 | Writing Articles
Writing, creating, making changes.
All of them require a leap of faith.
I’ve been making a series of leaps over time.
I left my “great” job as an urban designer to become a coach. I put myself out there as a coach for sensitive souls. I’ve grown a business out of nothing.
I’ve claimed my dream of being a writer, and I’m making it happen. One word at a time.
Each of these mega leaps has required many mini leaps.
And I’ve realized that every day when I sit down to write, or put myself out there to be seen in some way, I am taking a leap of faith again.
With every single word I put on the page or on the web, I’m taking a risk that I’ll be seen as wrong, foolish, or stupid. I’m also taking the risk that my work will be valued and well-received. Often when I push the publish button, I DON’T KNOW which of those it will be.
It’s scary.
It requires a leap of faith to see it through.
I believe that all creating is like this. It is terrifying to make ourselves vulnerable in this way. To be seen, heard, and read by people we don’t know who may judge us or not like what we have to say.
In fact, I know there are people out there who do not like what I have to say. And there are probably people who won’t like what you have to say either.
Is that a good reason not to say it?
What about all the other people who want to hear it?
What if?
What if there isn’t anyone who is interested? What if you offend everyone?
First, I doubt that there isn’t anyone who is interested.
But secondly, if it were true that you did offend everyone, what if it was a good thing? What if you pissed us all off enough to wake us up out of the stupor we walk around in? What if it made us fight back against things we don’t like?
Art is a powerful catalyst and it deserves to be treated with reverence.
Treat your art with the fierce and reverent commitment required to bring it to the world. It’s a powerful antidote to the doubt and fear you’re likely to experience along the way.
by Jenna | Mar 12, 2012 | Writing Articles
I recently read a wonderful article on ScriptMag.com by John Buchanan called, "Work Habits of the Pros," that inspired this post.
1. Write consistently.
A serious writer knows that writing regularly and consistently is key to their future success.
Buchanan's article cites screenwriter Craig Mazin (The Hangover II, Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4) as saying, “Work habits are as important as talent. You can’t really make it with just half of the equation. The basis for a long career is to be able to have some modicum of talent, but to have a good work ethic.”
From the same article, Pamela Gray (A Walk on the Moon, Music of the Heart, Conviction), says, “It’s more important for me to write for 15 minutes a day, six days a week, than to write for five hours on Monday and not work again until the following Monday.”
Surprisingly, it's much, much easier to write in short "sprints" on a day basis than it is to find big massive chunks of time to write. The principle here is consistent, regular writing in small bite-sized pieces.
Many writers believe that they require a lot of time to "gear up" into writing mode, but interestingly enough, when your work stays fresh in your mind with daily writing, it only takes moments to get back into it.
2. Know how to navigate the sticky waters of the inner side of writing.
Writing is a tricky business.
Also from Buchanan's article, Craig Mazin says, “...writing is a hard thing to do. It seems as simple as tapping on a keyboard, but it’s not. It’s difficult, both emotionally and physically,” and “[There’s] a whole other level of coping mechanisms you have to have, or quickly attain, just to keep yourself sane and writing.”
I recommend that writers objectively consider the negative messages they're telling themselves about their writing on a daily basis, and then positively reframe those messages.
Although it might seem a little daunting to confront those inner demons head on, there's a great deal of power in taking a clear look at what you're telling yourself. We don't often do so, and it's usually a bunch of malarkey. Pausing to truly pay attention takes the power away from those harsh thoughts that are ultimately getting you nowhere.
3. Realize you're in it for the long haul.
Not only is a serious writing project like a book, novel or screenplay a lengthy undertaking, it’s worth thinking of it as a marathon, as Erik Bork does (From the Earth to the Moon, Band of Brothers).
As such, pacing yourself is key. Don’t press yourself so hard or set such high and unrealistic goals that you burn yourself out.
And not only do you have your current big project on the hook, a serious writer usually has a library of projects she's working on. So it's not just NOW; it's about building a habit that works in the long term.
Look to find your natural stride and stick with it -- you might even get a second wind.
by Jenna | Mar 9, 2012 | Writing Articles
We write because we have stories to tell.
We write to entertain.
To explore.
To connect.
To teach.
We write because if we don’t, we can’t sleep.
We write to be paid.
We write for the joy of it.
We write because we said we would.
We write to document, explain, journal, create.
We write because we love it.
We write to expunge the terrible questions that captivate us.
To travel the neural pathways and find out where they go.
To see what happens.
Joss Whedon has said, “You either have to be writing or you shouldn’t be writing. That’s all.”
