Writers Get Organized

May 22, 2013 by 7 Comments

Today’s article is on the subject of organizing and simplifying for writers, in a Q&A format with me and with my colleague Miriam Ortiz y Pino. Miriam helped me reorganize my office and design my schedule to help streamline my workflow and it’s made a big difference in what I’ve been able to accomplish.

We pulled together this list of questions from our Writer’s Circle members and from other frequently asked questions writers often pose to me.

If YOU have a question about organizing and simplifying your writing life that’s not covered here, not to worry. Miriam and I will be hanging out today and answering questions posted in the comments section on the blog. So if you have a question, be sure to post it promptly and we’ll do our best to answer it for you.

 

Q: What’s the best way to find extra time in my day?

Miriam: Creating routines, so that you become more masterful over the actions in the routine, allow you to get it done more quickly. You also will be able to do most repeatable things with a lower brain function because you develop muscle memory. That saves effort. Those little bits add up over the course of a day, a week, a month, and by the end of the year can save up to 6 weeks.

Jenna: I learned a ton from Miriam about making sure that I was using my time as effectively as possible, and routines have definitely become a mainstay solution for me. The Four in me (from the Enneagram) rebels against routine and structure (more on this below), but I’ve found that it makes writing (and other things) possible for me in a way that I hadn’t quite seen before. And, at the end of the day, if you’re having trouble finding time to write, put it at the beginning of the day. It’s an incredible boon to carve out time for you and your writing in the priority spot of your life.

 

Q: I hate structure. How can I make a regular routine for writing or creating when I rebel against it?

Miriam: If you don’t want to create structure or routine for your writing or creating, try making routines out of the other repetitive tasks in your life. Things like grocery shopping, processing the mail, and invoicing clients become easier with repetition, so they take both less time and less effort. That is how you save up to 2 hours a day – a little bit at a time. Just think of all the fun stuff you could do!

Jenna: Even though so many creatives (me included) rebel against structure, I’m amused to find that it’s something that truly makes a difference when it comes to writing productively and consistently for me. My take is to try out creating a structure for your creative work. You may actually be surprised to find you like it. And once you are in the habit of creating regularly, then start introducing variations. I’ve gained a tremendous amount of freedom in most of my life by creating a small amount of structure in part of my life, while in the past, when I had little or no structure at all, my life was much more stressful and chaotic.

 

Q: I hate systems and I want to rebel against them. How can I find super simple solutions that work without feeling rebellious?

Miriam: You can’t deny feelings. So, I suggest calling your system something else. How about method, or scheme? That way you can feel rebellious and still accomplish something. Then start with the end result you are seeking and reverse engineer the project. That usually provides the simplest solution.

Jenna: I love the idea of calling it something else, especially a scheme! Structure, systems, discipline, focus, goals — we creative types have learned to think of these as bad things that interfere with our creativity. But do they? Or are they simply useful containers that help us channel our efforts into finished results?

 

Q: What do I do when I want to write but my office is filled with clutter?

Miriam: Begin removing the clutter. It’s actually better to work on a little at a time so you get the benefit of practicing making decisions. It’s just an editing process with things instead of with words. Once you decide you don’t need something, remove it from the space.

Your creative space needs to be a sacred space where you honor your muse. I recommend starting with your desk. Take everything off of it, and dust it. Then return only the things you need to write with. Perhaps a pen and a pad and a computer is all you really need. You can put the pen in a pen cup. You can add a cup of coffee. Keep enough space to lay out the file with the stuff about the idea you are working on. Everything else needs to live elsewhere.

Jenna: As much as my office can get cluttered, I do feel better and in a higher vibration space for writing when I clear the decks first. Working with Miriam to take everything out and then only bring back what actually belonged was tremendously freeing for me. 

 

Q: What suggestions do you have for tracking, organizing, and saving writing ideas, and writing projects?

Miriam: Keep your ideas in one place – a notebook, a computer file, a box, a bowl – it doesn’t matter what form – it matters that you are consistent in storing your initial ideas there.

Then mine the idea place for your projects. When you begin work on a particular idea, start a file or other place for it to live for the duration of the work. Don’t forget to cross it off, take it out, or delete it from the idea place.

 Jenna: I have most of my current project ideas in Evernote, so I can take them with me (and add to them) on the go. I do also have some paper files. Like Miriam says, consistency is the key; there’s no one right answer. The beauty of all this consistency, structure, and systematic methodology is that once you decide what your method is, you don’t have to keep deciding every time you come up with a new project idea.

 

Q: What do I do with my project – and the associated mess – once I’m done?

Miriam: The last step of any project is to put away your toys. In other words, file the finished product with flair. Recycle any drafts, they are things you decided against so they need to go. Research gets tossed or returned to a file depending on if you had to footnote it. Clear the desk of any lingering notes about the project.

Now you can pull a new idea from your idea place and start a fresh project.

Jenna: Cleaning up at the end of a project is a lovely way of completing the energy associated with it. It’s harder for me to let go of interim drafts but I like the notion of it. :) I tend to keep an “archive” copy of my last draft with my notes in it, and the final one on my computer (with a redundant copy in Dropbox* so it’s stored off site).

 

Q: I’d love to know any tricks for organizing the massive amount of hard-copy printouts of my drafts (when I print them out to read through and edit). They end up in stacks or spread out in various places on my office floor. Seems there has to be a better way than having stacks with bunches of sticky notes attached to them.

Miriam: You have actually described an excellent system for editing. What may be a problem is not sticking to your decisions. Once you print out and mark up a copy, input the changes and toss each page as you do. If you have to leave a pile between writing sessions, use a giant binder clip to keep each version neat.

If you have the space to stack, by project, in a bin, basket, or behind a cabinet door, it can help with the cluttered feeling between sessions.

Jenna: It’s tricky to deal with the visual clutter between writing sessions, especially for more sensitive types. I like the idea I learned from a old boss, to have a “staging” area where I can keep works in progress “neatly” stacked (I do have to remind myself to do this!).

 

Q: What should I do with early drafts?

Miriam: Recycle them, they represent things you decided against.

Jenna: Ditching old drafts is a tougher one for me, but I like the principle behind it, and that’s why we’ve invited Miriam to consult with us! As writers, we do have to keep making choices along the way about our work, and I like the idea of getting in the habit of trusting ourselves and knowing we can revise later if we need to.

 

Q: How do I quickly refocus if I get interrupted?

Miriam: It is much easier to refocus when there isn’t a lot of clutter, and when you are in the habit of working at a certain time. However, you can quickly refocus by closing your eyes, taking a deep breath and then actually asking yourself “ok, now where was I?”

Jenna: And I do a lot to make sure I don’t get interrupted in the first place — see below.

 

Q: How do I keep from getting interrupted in the first place?

Miriam: Good communication with potential interrupters is essential. Turn off the ringer, alarms, and close the door. Tell people you expect not to be disturbed – put up a sign if you have to.

Establish good boundaries around your creative and work time. Then enforce them. Boundaries work because they anticipate and accommodate other people’s problems with them. “In half an hour, I’m all yours.”

Don’t think of it as being unavailable for an hour, think of it as being with a client – your muse – right now and that you will be MORE available in an hour for others.

Jenna: We do have to think of our writing as being JUST AS IMPORTANT as most other things (excluding true emergencies of course). Setting great boundaries around our writing time is truly a critical and important part of the process. We have to be willing to tell the people in our lives that we have other priorities too.

 

Q: How do I decide what to work on?

Miriam: Well, it doesn’t really matter. You can use your intuition, ask the Magic 8 Ball, follow a matrixed schedule, or throw darts at your to do list. None of these will work if you don’t only pick from things that get you to your goals and are in alignment with your values.

A good rule of thumb is to have your routines in place so the stuff that must get done gets done. Then pick 1-3 other things to achieve each day.

Don’t start new projects until you are done with the one you are working on. It is faster in the long run to work on just 3-4 at a time in various stages (outline, draft, final edit) and add in one as each one completes.

Jenna: I have a bunch of those kinds of tricks to help people hone in on picking a project, which is often quite difficult for many creatives. One thing to recognize is that having too many ideas may actually be a commitment issue. In other words, you’re afraid to commit, pick the wrong project, fail, etc. So if you don’t actually pick a project, you’ll never fail, never face the blank page, not have to “give up” on a particular project. But it also keeps everything locked in idea stage. So get some help tuning into the project you want to do first. (More on the subject of “Overcoming Indecision” coming soon, stay tuned.)

On the subject of routines, I agree with Miriam with the clarification that I recommend doing the writing first and making sure the routines don’t swallow up potential writing time (or expand to fill it). Be careful. Resistance is sneaky.

 

Q: What can I do when my excuses are really procrastination?

Miriam: Begin anyway. Play games with your procrastination. Set fake deadlines, use ridiculous associations, throw a tantrum and then do it anyway.

Jenna: Yeah, it’s procrastination. I’ve never met an excuse that isn’t truly fear, doubt, anxiety, resistance, etc in disguise. Figure out how to you-proof your writing and then just do it. The Writer’s Circle is a great help with this.

 

Your turn

What are your questions about getting organized or simplifying your writing, your writing process, life, or schedule? Post your questions in the comments on the blog and Miriam and I will answer them for you.

 

miriamMiriam Ortiz y Pino is a Certified Professional Organizer, Simplicity Expert and Coach, Entrepreneur, Writer, Blogger, and Creator of The Streamlined System. She works with entrepreneurs and other busy and creative people to eliminate the distractions, simplify systems and create routines so they can get it all done practically effortlessly. You can find Miriam at http://www.morethanorganized.net.

 

 

Thanks Miriam!

Warmly,

 Jenna

Image by © Helen King/CORBIS 

Thanks for reading.

 

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The biggest summer writing stumbling block

May 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

This week I taught a class called “Get Ready For Summer Writing” with an eye toward looking ahead to the summer and getting a writing plan in place to deal with the various obstacles and opportunities that arise around the summer time, like the kids being home, schedules changing, more traveling and vacations coming, and dealing with weather changes like it being unbearably hot (or suffering through the summer fog here in the Bay Area!).

(If you missed the live class, you can check out the recording by signing up here.)

We walked through a planning exercise to give some thought to where we want to be at the end of the summer and how we’re going to get there in terms of words or pages per day over the specific duration of the summer.

I also shared some tips, tricks, and strategies to keep writing during the summer, deal with the challenges, AND have the summer fun we’re all longing for.

The biggest stumbling block

One of the biggest mistakes I see people making when it comes to summer writing (or writing at any time, for that matter) is taking an all-or-nothing approach. Many people think that if they want to travel or be outside or take care of kids or even deal with major life transitions, that means they can’t write.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The key is being willing to adjust your writing goals to match to your circumstances, not give up writing altogether.

Binge versus balance

While I know that some writers have a tendency to binge-write (and some people even advocate for it!), I remain highly skeptical of its sustainability in the long term, particularly for more sensitive types. I put in an extra effort a few weeks ago to get my script to my mentor in anticipation of submitting to a contest today (gulp) and even that extra effort set me back a bit.

It’s all a system of checks and balances, and while there are people who will tell you that balance is a myth, to that I say, are they highly sensitive or introverted types who need careful energy management? And are they finding themselves settling into long term burnout? I’ve talked with more than a few writers who feel burned by their own efforts, have started to feel like they hate writing, and even question why they’re doing it in the first place. Why wouldn’t they, when they’ve committed (consciously or unconsciously) to a program of writing aversion therapy?

Try small doses of daily writing instead

Instead, I like to see people writing in a long term sustainable pattern, including taking regular days off (I’m not a fan of “don’t break the chain“). It’s easier to maintain in the long haul, and helps keep your momentum and ideas flowing.

So if you’re looking ahead to the summer and asking yourself how you’ll get your writing done AND do the other things you’ve got your eye on, give some thought to a highly achievable small increment of writing you can commit to on a small scale. Even five to fifteen minutes a day will keep you in touch with your project and keep you moving forward. I’ve seen more than a few writers in my Writer’s Circle move to completion with projects again and again, using just small increments of time and showing up regularly to do the work.

You can do it too.

Your turn

What’s your biggest summer writing stumbling block? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

If you want more on this subject, make sure you check out my free teleclass recording, “Get Ready For Summer Writing“.

You may also be interested in my article on “Thinking ahead to summer writing“.

Join the Writer’s Circle

Join the Writer's CircleIf you’d like to experiment with writing in small increments of time, get a solid writing habit in place, and stay on track with your writing this summer, join the Writer’s Circle. The next session starts soon! Go here to register and find out more: http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

Warmly,

 Jenna

 

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Thinking ahead to summer writing

May 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

While technically it’s still spring until the solstice, I’m anticipating the changes summer will bring to my writing habits and my life.

My husband will be home more (he works at the University), and my son will have time off from school. We have our two annual camping trips already planned to savor the beauty of the outdoors. The outdoor light shimmering in my garden is calling to me.

It’s an expansive time.

And perhaps because of our cultural pattern of having summers “off” from our school years, I often find myself wanting to ease up on whatever I’m doing, work a little less, and play a little more.

At the same time, I think those of us who write also have this idea that we’ll get so much writing done because we have more time off (whether we literally do have more time or not). In fact, it’s a common pitfall for many writers and creatives. We set high expectations around “getting so much done” but simultaneously are pulled by a very real desire (and need) to take time off and play.

And of course we want do to both really — and that’s what I recommend, of course.

But all too often it ends up being neither one. Most people, when faced with “lots of time to write” end up doing nothing. And then they feel guilty and don’t enjoy their downtime either. Sad face.

What’s a thoughtful writer to do?

Here are three very simple steps to get you started thinking about how you want to see your summer writing play out:

Step 1. Check in with your writing goals for 2013 so far.

As summer approaches, it’s a great idea to think a bit about where you wanted to be right now. Are you on track with your goals? Ahead? Behind? Do they need recalibrating? Where are you right now and where do you want to be by the end of the year?

Step 2. Think about where you want to be in the fall.

At the same time, you’ll also want to think about where you want to be when fall rolls around and summer is over, so you can actually meet that end of year goal.

Are you hoping to be finished with your novel draft by the end of summer so you can move on to revisions? Have a new script polished up and ready to go? Be sending your self-help book off with query letters? Have your blog posting schedule humming like a well-oiled machine so you can start promoting something new?

Check in and see where you are now, and what you’ll want to do to meet that goal.

Step 3. Now, adjust for reality.

Keeping in mind that you may well feel pulled to play outside this summer, adjust your summer writing goals to realistically match the other things that will be going on in your life, like the kids being home, or going on the vacations you have planned, or the time off you desperately need.

Then, design in a reasonable, well-paced daily writing schedule you can actually accomplish. Put it early in the day, get it done, and then go out to play, guilt-free!

Your turn

What do you see as your challenges and opportunities when it comes to summer writing? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

And if you want more on this subject, make sure you sign up for my free teleclass recording “Get Ready For Summer Writing.”

Join the Writer’s Circle

Join the Writer's CircleIf you’d like to experiment with writing in small increments of time, get a solid writing habit in place, and stay on track with your writing this summer, join the Writer’s Circle. The next session starts on Monday, and registration closes TOMORROW, Thursday, May 16th. And when you register for this session only, you can save $25 using the coupon code SUMMERWRITING at checkout. Go here to register and find out more: http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

Warmly,

 Jenna

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Boundary setting for sensitives and writers

May 1, 2013 by 14 Comments

For sensitive people, setting boundaries is one of the trickiest skills for us to master.

We’ve learned to have feelers out around us constantly, aware of everything and everyone, as a strategy to not be blindsided by challenging people in our lives. We’re porous, and open, and affected by other people’s energy, emotions, and even thoughts and feelings. Many of us have tendencies to be “fixers” — quickly responding to other people’s needs, wants, and problems — in part to relieve our own distress at having them being “needy” in our physical and energetic space. And we don’t miss much, because we’re constantly aware of what’s happening around us.

We also happen to be excellent at helping people process painful experiences. We can be deeply empathic and highly supportive during difficult times. We can put ourselves in other people’s shoes fairly easily (and our audience’s and characters’ shoes, if we are also creatives and writers). 

Setting boundaries, for people who are so accustomed to being open, can feel like a slap in someone else’s face — to us. Typically WE don’t like having boundaries set, because it feels like being pushed away, and many of us long for deep closeness, so we don’t like to set them for other people. At the beginning of setting boundaries, it CAN come off as harsh, because we’re not innately accustomed to it, so we often err on the side of overkill. It takes practice to even it out.

And the hard reality, though, is that until we learn to set proper boundaries, we are uncomfortably and inappropriately affected by other people, and often overly involved in their “business” too.

As sensitives with other things to do in the world besides just dealing with being highly sensitive (*grin*), like writing, or creating, or pursuing your own life dreams, you’ll want to set boundaries on multiple levels, so you can stay on track with your own path, and not get pulled off course by other people’s agendas, needs, wants, visions.

1. Set physical and practical boundaries.

If you’re working or living in a shared space (or even if others have access to your physical space), you’ll find yourself being affected by other people’s energy, intentions, and assumptions, unless you clearly establish the ground rules or boundaries for what’s okay and what’s not.

Usually this looks like establishing parameters around when and how you want to work or focus in an uninterrupted way, when and how you’re willing to be interrupted (or not), when and how you want alone time, how and when people are allowed to drop by, and more.

So, for example, in my house, my family knows that writing time is sacred. With some trial and error, we’ve established that when I’m writing, no one talks to me, no one interrupts me, no one asks me questions, and no one comes into the room (though as I type that I’m pretty sure my 5 year old son sneaked into my writing room yesterday to get something but since he didn’t bother me, I didn’t mind).

I do make an effort to keep my other work time corralled to daytime hours when my son and husband are away from the house (I work in a home office) but if they ARE home, we have rules there too. I close my doors and lock them. I come out at expected intervals — I let them know when I’ll be taking a break and when they can ask me questions. OF COURSE if there was an emergency they would interrupt me and I would be totally fine with that. But otherwise? No.

And yeah, it’s sometimes hard with a 5-year-old, but he’s learning. I also don’t expect him to stay away without help. If there’s not someone else home, I do my best not to schedule things during that time.

Similarly, on a practical level, I know when I’ll answer the phone and when I won’t. When I’ll check my email and when I won’t. Et cetera.

A lot of this has to do with communication, and a willingness to keep fine-tuning it over time. And yeah, it sometimes goes off the rails. But the point is to get it back on track as smoothly and seamlessly as possible.

2. Set mental and emotional boundaries.

But what happens when you find people invading your mental and emotional space? What happens when you can’t stop thinking about what your boss said, or your friend Tammy’s “emergency”?

I find this issue shows up in two primary ways: being overly involved with other people’s needs and being overly involved with other people’s opinions.

Other people’s needs

When it comes to other people’s needs, we have to remember not to allow ourselves to get “hooked” by other people, and to respond to them appropriately, in our own right time and space.

Part of this is learning to trust and respect that at the end of the day, other adults are responsible for their own needs, just like we are responsible for our own needs. We can lovingly and supportively say, “Yes, I’d be happy to help you. I’ll be available at X time to do that.”

We can also say, “No, I’m sorry, I wish I could help you, but I’m not available.”

And by the way, in case you’re wondering, it’s totally okay to not answer the phone or respond to messages or emails until it works for you. Sure, some things need a timely reply. But that doesn’t have to mean instantaneously.

Children of course are a different matter, because as adults we are responsible for meeting many of their needs. And we are also responsible for helping them learn to take care of themselves and respect other people’s needs and boundaries too.

I’m not going to pretend that I never get hooked by other people’s dramas. I sure do. But I do my best to disentangle myself as quickly as I possibly can.

I will also add here that family is always the trickiest when it comes to setting boundaries. Always. We have such deep-seated patterns when it comes to our family members, and it’s not easy to have distance and perspective on them, which by the way, is part of what boundary-setting both requires and creates.

Other people’s opinions

Another way issues show up with mental and emotional boundaries is when we are overly invested in other people’s opinions, wisdom, and advice. This is a tough one for me. It’s far too easy for me to turn to other people for input and not remember to turn inward to my own inner guidance for the answers I need.

Why on earth would we do this?

There’s actually a good reason.

Most sensitive people, from an early age, are told NOT to be the way we are. We learned to distrust ourselves, because even though we usually saw the truth of what was going on around us, when we spoke up about it, we were told not to. Not to say it, and not to even notice it. And since we were kids when that happened, and we equated our own survival and being loved with disowning a core part of ourselves, we learn to try not to be who we are.

So that incredibly valuable, deeply wise part of ourselves gets repressed, in order for us to survive.

The work here is about learning to look within for answers and developing our intuitive muscles to hone our sense of inner guidance.

At the same time, we will also want to consult with experts and authorities from time to time, but we absolutely have to remember that on the human level we are still equals. Even if the other person has more advanced information than we do, we can set a mental boundary that says, “And what do I think? What feels right to me?” Being self-referencing in that way and remembering not to give our power away to other people is extremely empowering for sensitive people.

And yeah, sometimes someone will say something that just nags at you and it’ll take a little while to process and release it. That’s okay, just don’t let it derail you. Use your energetic tools (see below) to disconnect and move on as efficiently as you can.

3. Set energetic boundaries.

At a third level, sensitives also benefit from learning to set energetic boundaries. Sometimes that’s the easiest place to start, because when we can shift other people’s energy away from us, we’re less affected by the actual “on the ground” things that are happening.

Energy skills are a way of working with the energy field around your body to clear out the crud you pick up from other people (ever feel like “PigPen” walking around out there in the world?) and filter what comes into your space. It’s a practice that centers around some simple visualization skills to get you into your body and shielded. Again, once you put those into place, you’ll find that the other inter-personal work gets a lot easier to accomplish because you won’t get hooked as easily other people.

One of my favorites is a trick I call the “Grocery Store Cure” (described in my Protection & Boundaries self-study class) to block the energy of the people standing overly close in line at the grocery store. It’s a subtle thing, but it makes a lovely difference in creating a sense of space and place for myself.

Where’s your focus area?

The bottom line is that boundary setting isn’t a skill that comes naturally to most sensitive types, and it takes deliberate attention and communication around what’s working and what’s not working so you can make some adjustments. It’s worth it in the long run because you’ll feel better and be more on track with your own life.

So take a quick inventory of these key areas: physical and practical, mental and emotional, and energetic, to see where you might need to focus your own fine-tuning. Let me know what you discover in the comments.

Warmly,

 Jenna

 

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It’s the vibration, sweetie!

April 24, 2013 by 6 Comments

A long while ago, one of my lovely private clients asked me to write a post about food again. It’s been an even longer time since I’ve written anything about food, but the last time I did everyone ended up contributing all kinds of fabulous food ideas in the comments on the article. It was called “Eat your veggies, raise your vibration.”

Here are a few excerpts from that article:

“As sensitive souls, we are deeply affected by what we take in. This includes information, sensory input, the energy and emotions of other people, what we drink, and what we eat. How we might be affected negatively by what we eat is obvious when it comes to foods we have allergies too, foods that include chemicals (like MSG), or things like alcohol, sugar, highly processed foods, and caffeine, but we can be affected by food positively as well. In fact, what we eat makes a huge difference in our ability to function masterfully. This is because there is a vibration to everything we eat, and it affects our own personal vibration in turn.

“High-vibration foods carry a natural, positive, uplifting energy. You can feel it when you eat them. They are fresh, whole, natural, organic, “sunlight” foods, grown with sustainable, clean farming practices. Vegetables and fruits in particular are naturally high-vibration foods.”

Eating high-vibration foods

Here are my tricks for HOW I check the vibration of what I’m eating.

#1 Color

When we make our son’s lunch or prepare our family’s dinner plates, I look at the array of colors.

If I see a full spectrum of colors — and always something green — I know I’m on the right track. I feel nervous when I see a “brown dinner” on my plate, because I’ve learned that afterward I’ll feel flat and ugh-y.

So even if my plate is filled with yummy broiled organic chicken, roasted organic cauliflower, and organic gluten-free pasta, I’m not comfortable until I’ve added sliced red bell peppers, a green salad, some broccoli, green peas, or even some fresh strawberries. Mostly likely at least three of those.

Other colorful items I love to see on my plate: dark greens like kale and chard (especially when they’re “dressed up” with a special dressing or nuts) and broccoli; vibrant orange sweet potatoes, carrots, persimmons, and oranges; lighter greens like peas, zucchini, asparagus, lettuces, Brussels sprouts; and reds like red bells, strawberries, and beets.

Ideally I like to see at least two to three other colors besides brown on my plate.

#2 Freshness

On top of that, I like to make sure I have something very fresh — like barely steamed broccoli or snap peas that are still deliciously crunchy, fresh strawberries, red bell peppers, etc. served with whatever we’re eating. It doesn’t always happen (we’re busy people with a small child), but we do our best. We shop weekly and really put the focus on the vegetables when we do, so that there’s always something quick to steam, chop, or pan cook.

#3 Origin, Quality, & Care

Where our food comes from and the quality and care that’s put into the farming of it makes a difference too.

We’ve started getting a produce box from a nearby farm, and I love the adventure of it — figuring out what to do with all the odd vegetables that arrive (which is often roasted a chicken in a pan strewn with a veggie medley).

The deliciousness of the carrots from that box far surpasses anything I can buy in the store. And that is hugely motivating when it comes to eating well.

#4 Heaviness

I also like to look at the weight or heaviness of what I’m eating. If I eat a bunch of carbs (pasta, potatoes, breads, etc), I’m tired, sluggish, and less effective afterward.

I’ve given up gluten except rarely, and I generally just try to avoid grains and breads as a result. But I do find that if I really want something more substantial, I’m better off with lentils or beans than other “whiter” carbs. Then I have some substance without being dragged down by it afterward.

#5 Protein

I also make a point to prioritize protein. As a sensitive person easily affected by blood sugar swings, I’m much more stable and focused when I regularly consume protein. I lean toward organic when I can get it, plus free range or “pastured” poultry and meats if I can. (If you’re a vegetarian, this can be trickier, but I do like organic non-GMO tofu on occasion).

Again, I believe the quality of the source does affect us, but consuming protein for me also has a direct effect on MY vibration. If I junk food or lots of carb-focused foods, I just feel weighted down and heavy. If I focus on protein and veggies, I feel lighter and clearer headed.

Why this matters for sensitives and writers — and sensitive writers

Part of being able to write and create on a regular basis is functioning well. If we’re not taking good care of ourselves, our “creative well” gets depleted. Paying attention to our own energy as well as the energy of the food we eat makes a huge difference in our physical well-being, which in turn affects our ability to create and be our best selves in the world. What we eat matters.

Your turn

How are you eating these days? What tricks and tips do you have for eating well? Share them in the comments below.

Warmly,

 Jenna

p.s. If you are on the sensitive side of the spectrum, you may also be interested in my Energy Skills classes for sensitive souls. You can check them out here: https://calledtowrite.com/shop, but don’t buy them now, because they’ll be on sale next week!

 

Coming Attractions

~> Next week. Special Spring Sale on my energy skills classes. Stay tuned for details coming soon.

~> Thursday, May 16th. Register by May 16th for the next session of my Writer’s Circle (starts May 20th). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Writing. Progeny, my sci-fi action script with a spiritual twist, is done! At least for this round. :) I’ve just submitted it to my mentor and once he sends me notes back, I’ll be submitting it to a contest. I’m just thrilled to have reached this major milestone and I’m planning a day off to play hooky from everything in the very near future to celebrate.

~> Unplugging. Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. Join me!

~> Reading. Reading A Boy and His Bot* by Daniel H. Wilson with my son. Still read The Empath and the Archetypal Drama Triangle* by Elaine La Joie (also a good friend and colleague). I’ll get back to Adventures in the Screen Trade* by William Goldman eventually. :) I’m all caught up on Game Of Thrones now, it’s just terrific.

 

Thanks for reading.

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Filed Under: Sensitivity, Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Finish your novel at any age

April 17, 2013 by 11 Comments

It’s always thrilling for me to see someone finish a writing project, particularly when I’ve been on the journey with them, from within the trenches of the Writer’s Circle. We cheer each other on, during the hard days and the easier days, so it feels like a success for all of us when we see someone finish a project and reach their goal.

Of course, there are various milestones for “finishing” too — finishing the outline, finishing the first draft, revising the first draft, working on the second draft, submitting it for publication, etc. etc. In the Writer’s Circle, we make a point to celebrate all the milestones we can. It’s a must on a long-haul project like a book or screenplay.

In this case, we’re celebrating the success of one of our writers who has finished the first draft of her novel at age 74!

Fredrica Parlett

I was particularly excited when Fredrica Parlett joined the Writer’s Circle. I know and have worked with her talented daughter, Isabel, and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Fredrica on occasion here in Berkeley as a result. What excited me about Fredrica’s project was her passion and commitment to her novel — even when the self-doubts would creep in, Fredrica kept up a steady stream of writing with the support of the Writer’s Circle.

It’s been thrilling to see her return to and build on the first chapter she wrote of her novel four years ago in a class and had then set aside, first writing 20,000 words in her first three sessions in the Circle, and climbing steadily over time, bit by bit, day by day, to the milestone of completing her first draft this March after 18 months of work.

A self-described “writer, searcher, and hyperactive senior,” Fredrica has dreamed of writing a novel for a long time, and with the support of the Writer’s Circle, has made it a reality. We’ve applauded her and encourged her to keep going, even as she’s said in her dry, witty tone, “I just hope I can finish it before I die.” As someone with long-lived relatives (the women in her family tend to live into their hundreds), we never doubted she would manage it, but we’ve been so happy to see her get there nonetheless.

I thought you might enjoy reading a little bit more about her project and her journey up to this point — as well as what comes next — in her own words:

Fredrica, thanks for being here. Would you first tell us about your writing project — what’s it about?

I am writing a “literary” novel, which follows the lives of two protagonists in 1950’s America: a 16-year-old dyslexic boy, who is misdiagnosed as mentally retarded and psychotic, and the 36-year-old psychoanalyst who tries to save him from a lobotomy.

Tell us about yourself and your dream of writing — how long has this been a dream for you?

As a child I used to lie in bed and make up stories, mainly to do with the Lone Ranger as my father, who misunderstood me, but then I would vindicate myself by rescuing him from horrible bandits or some other dire situation. I wrote short stories from about the age of 9, mostly about talking animals, such as duckbill platypuses. I also wrote poems, also about animals. I’ve always been interested in language and writing clearly. Only after my second child left home for college, did I start thinking about writing a novel. I had one underway, which wasn’t going well, when my house and all its contents burned down in the Oakland Hills Fire in 1991. After the fire I abandoned hopes of writing a novel and devoted myself to studying classical piano.

In 2009, I saw an advertisement for an online writing course given through Stanford University (my alma mater) entitled “Beginning a Novel.” I took the course, the aim of which was to write the first chapter of a novel. That was the beginning of this story, but it lay fallow until I joined the Writers’ Circle at the suggestion of my daughter, who works with Jenna. I have always been drawn to novels rather than short stories.

How does it feel to have completed the first draft of your novel at age 74?

It feels wonderful. I have had to deal with all kinds of self-doubt and to learn to really prioritize my time, because I am easily pulled into duties and obligations. I had several medical issues last year also — amongst which were foot surgery and an appendicitis, as well as deaths in the family. It seems incredible that I actually wrote 170,000 words telling this story.

What have you learned about your writing process from participating in the Writer’s Circle?

I was surprised to find that the support of the Writer’s Circle made all the difference between writing and not writing. Reporting in to the site every evening has been, I think, the most important influence. If a day is slipping away with no writing, I get more determined to do some in order to be able to report progress.

But the other tools of the Circle have helped me as well — reading about others’ difficulties and successes, commenting on them (which is recognizing I have the same difficulties), attending the coaching calls where we have in-depth discussions about all our questions, and certainly participating in the group writing sprints — knowing the others are devoting that same hour to writing is a great boost. Sharing information about books and websites addressing the craft of writing and publishing is invaluable. The fact that the other members are much younger doesn’t seem to be a problem, even if I roll my eyes occasionally at their new age jargon. They are a serious and dedicated group. All these contacts keep me motivated and focused.

What were the biggest challenges you faced before joining the Circle?

I was always subject to the tyranny of the “urgent.” A large house, family, friends — and piano lessons — all of which were rewarding but did not fulfill the dream to write a novel.

You left the Circle for a time and came back to join us again. What did you notice about your writing habit while you were away and what have you noticed since you’ve come back? What difference has participating in the Circle made for you?

When I was not in the Circle, I noticed that the habit of putting everything else first began creeping back in. I missed the pressure of being accountable — stating my writing goal for the next day and trying to honor that. And I’m very prone to discouragement or negative self-statements such as, “I’m much too old to be undertaking this huge endeavor.”

Coming back, I immediately felt the power of the support. My total writing time increased dramatically, almost without my noticing it. (I have always set doable goals and then been surprised when I exceeded them — another trick learned in the Writer’s Circle.)

What would you say to others who dream of writing a novel in their later years, and what advice do you have for other writers?

If you dream of writing a novel, don’t put it off any longer. The quality of my life has greatly improved from this undertaking, so I have profited, whether it ever is published or not. How has it improved? I look around and within myself for inspiration. I channel my tendency to worry about the world and the scratches on my hardwood floor into worrying about the fate of my dear protagonists, about whom I could talk to you for hours, without you realizing they aren’t alive right now. We all know how hard it is to establish a new habit, especially one that supports our inherent creativity. That is what the Writer’s Circle can do.

What’s next for the novel and for your writing?

I am now in the revision process, which demands an entirely new set of skills. Fortunately, many of the Circle’s writers are in the revision process also. One of them recommended a book, which is helping me raise the stakes, increase the tension, and make ruthless cuts. I do Julia Cameron’s morning pages every day so that the words keep flowing. I am attempting to rewrite certain scenes in a much more dramatic, intuitive tone. Very exciting. I have the “soft” goal of having the novel ready to send to a publisher or to self-publish on Amazon by the end of this year. I am planning a road trip to Southern California in the Fall to experience directly the places in my novel, even Highland Mental Hospital in San Bernadino, which is still operating. Beyond that, who knows?

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

I want to stress that setting a realistic daily goal, even 15 minutes a day, and reporting in every day, so that one really begins to believe one is a writer, is really invaluable.

Thank you, Fredrica!

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Your turn

If you’d like to celebrate with Fredrica, please leave a note for her in the comments on the blog. And if YOU’RE dreaming of writing a novel (or book or screenplay or ??), tell us about it too and we’ll cheer you on!

Warmly,

 Jenna

 

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Creating amid chaos

April 10, 2013 by 4 Comments

One of the things writers mention often in the Writer’s Circle is their physical environments. Particularly clutter — how to deal with all the paper and more. I’ve promised to have a guest post soon from one of my favorite clutter experts, so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime though, I wanted to bring up this question of clutter from a couple of different meta angles: sensitivity, energy, and life purpose.

Craving the relief from chaos

For a sensitive person, clutter is an energy drain because it’s overstimulating (one of the biggest challenges for a sensitive person). It affects your energy to work in a messy room because there’s so much more to pay attention to.

Mind you, that doesn’t stop me from doing it when push comes to shove, and in fact, my office is messier than I’d like it to be right now. At least on the surface. Underneath though, it’s fairly well-organized, so it’ll be a quick trick to whip it into shape.

Avila Beach Master Plan

One of my “huge” drawings from back in the day. :)

When I create in chaos, I’m reminded of my old urban design days, where I used shuffle piles of huge drawings late into the night, struggling to meet whatever deadline I was targeting. My office mate used to say she loved to watch me “clean up” when I finished a project, because no matter what was coming down the pike (even if there was another deadline looming), I had to stop and put everything away before I could continue.

And I do find that I can work in a cluttered space for a time, but then I crave a certain kind of relief for it, a spaciousness that leaves room for my brain and my creativity to operate more optimally.

The energy of clutter

On an energetic level, sensitive people are more tuned into the stuff around them. I’ve always felt that we “carry” the stuff that’s around us, and as it stacks up, we begin to feel more and more burdened by it. And why wouldn’t we, if we’re carrying such a heavy load?

The cool thing about dealing with clutter is that we can work with it on a couple of different levels — both the practical mundane level and the energetic level. For instance, on the practical level, you can sweep it into a box and hide it temporarily (you’re only allowed to do this if you schedule time on your calendar to deal with it :) ) or you can stop what you’re doing and take the time to put it away.

Or you can approach your clutter on an energetic level and use energy clearing techniques to get the stuck energy broken up around the stuff so that it becomes easier to put it away. Someday I may teach my “space clearing energy skills” class again, but for now, try clapping your hands over the piles of clutter and see if you can dissipate the stuck energy that way.

Are you writing or speaking enough?

Many of the clients I work with have a “Lines of Genius” gift marking, which means they are called to be a “gifted author and speaker with a special message for a large audience,” or they have a “Messenger” life purpose. Very often, people with this gift marking or purpose will be cursed with piles of paper and endlessly shuffling them around, feeling like they’re spinning in circles.

The solution? Write and speak.

Put the clutter away, clear the decks, and start writing. Schedule the time on your calendar to deal with the clutter incrementally, but don’t let it stop you from writing, or it’ll just get worse. :)

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writerscirclepostOne of the things we love about the Writer’s Circle is that it really helps you put the focus on your writing, first. If you need a little nudge in that regard, the next session starts soon, and we’d love to have you join us. You can find out more and register at http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

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Your turn

We’d love to hear from you in the comments. Is clutter holding you back? How does it feel to you energetically? Is there anything it’s getting in the way of you doing?

Warmly,

 Jenna

 

Filed Under: Creativity, Life Purpose, Sensitivity, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

If this was your wake up call, what would it be?

April 3, 2013 by 17 Comments

Seems like every time I turn around, someone I know is going through something big:

… Friends with cancer.

… My father facing health challenges.

… A neighbor’s house catching on fire.

… My cousin’s husband dying.

… Even my own roll-over car accident a few years back now.

The circle of those affected feels like it’s getting closer to me, like a tightening loop.

And it’s got me to thinking…

 

…Is there anything I’m not paying attention to that I want to be?

Am I going to wait for my next wake-up call, or what if I just paid attention now?

 

Change the rules that keep you in the dark.

Last night, we saw The Croods. I loved the message at the end: “We changed the rules that kept us in the dark.” (I love that they really spelled it out; it’s a kid’s movie after all.)

And that got me to thinking even more.

How am I keeping myself in the dark, operating out of fear rather than reaching out for tomorrow? Or living for today for that matter?

As writers and creatives, one of the biggest challenges we face every day is our fear. No wonder we act like we’re confronting our own mortality. On some level we are.

But I don’t like this question.

I’ve never liked how people say, “If you knew were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?”

Maybe there’s something too cynical about me to fully appreciate that question, but there are things I commit to doing on a regular basis that I’m darn sure I wouldn’t do if I knew I’d be dying tomorrow, but I can’t live like that on an ongoing basis. Things like exercising and flossing and making sure my kid’s lunch is made, that yeah, I don’t think I’d pay attention to if the world was going to end.

On the other hand, I’m okay with it in the big picture.

But what about the big picture of our lives? I’m down with looking at that and making sure that what we’re doing matches with where we want to be now and where we want to end up.

Writing.

It wasn’t too long ago that I got the message, “Write like your life depends on it.”

And I’m writing every day now, which is a heck of a lot more than I was doing at the time. Which was rarely, if at all.

But am I writing like my life depends on it?

Not yet.

So am I going to wait for the next cosmic two-by-four, or am I going to do something about it?

Well, you already know the answer, right?

Do something.

Saturday I got out a pad of paper and started redesigning my schedule to put the focus on more writing. It’s not quite where I want it to be, so I’m going to do some more work on it today. And then I’m going to begin the process of shifting my schedule more and more in that direction. It’s okay with me if it takes a little while to shift; it’s a kind of gradual herding things into the right corrals. But it works.

Having fun.

The other persistent message that I simply have to do something about is FUN.

I’m good at working hard, you probably know that about me by now.

And I’m fairly good at really luxuriating when I give myself the chance. (I just love taking days off and putting my feet up and watching movies and eating great food and treats.)

But I just don’t give myself the chance very often.

I come from a long line of self-sacrificers and workaholics and the buck is going to have to stop here, now.

The funny thing is, I’m still not sure what I truly want it to look like, this fun thing. Writing is fun, but it’s also work.

I think it’s more about lightness of spirit and regular adventures. I hesitate to schedule time for fun. But I also used to hesitate to schedule time for writing, and look where that got me!

What if fun was worth making time for?

That sounds like a ridiculous question even as I write it.

But sometimes my brain needs an excuse to think of things in a new way.

Being appreciative and being present.

And last, I think my perhaps my biggest one, is about appreciation and presence. I’m so good at appreciating things in other people, but not so good at appreciating them in my own life. This is huge, and hard to admit. I’ve got more work to do here.

My recent tech shabbats have shown me about the power of being present and not checked out into my own little world. So I’m getting there. And there’s more. There always is.

What about you?

If this was your wake-up call, what would it be?

What is the voice of your spirit asking you to pay attention to right now?

What have you been neglecting but you know, deep down, you want to attend to?

If the Universe was going to give you a whack upside the head with a cosmic two-by-four, what would it be trying to tell you?

Your turn

We’d love to hear from you in the comments. Anything you’re tolerating? Ignoring? Things you know you want to do but aren’t? What if you chose to tackle them head-on? I’m sure I’ve got a few more of them. Seems like it’s time for an inventory.

Warmly,

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> Monday, April 8th. Through April 8th, my OnDemand webinar, “10 Practical Tips for More Consistent Productive Writing“* with the Writer’s Store is on sale. Use the code ONDEMAND413 at checkout to save 50%.

~> Thursday, April 18th. Register by April 18th for the next session of my Writer’s Circle (starts April 22nd). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Writing. I’ve finished my read-through of Progeny and now I’m starting in on the editing and polishing in earnest. I’m also beginning to outline my next project, tentatively called Do Over, which will be a sweet little time travel romance. Can’t you just see it already?

~> Unplugging. Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. Join me!

~> Reading. Finished How to Train Your Dragon: How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse* with my son. Now we’ve started in on A Boy and His Bot* by Daniel H. Wilson. I also finished Crucible of Gold* by Naomi Novik (loved it!) and then plowed through a re-read of Do The Work* by Steven Pressfield in one afternoon. Next up is finishing Adventures in the Screen Trade* by William Goldman and then tackling Making a Literary Life* by Carolyn See. Or maybe the other way around. I never do like rules. :)

 

Thanks for reading.

 

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Filed Under: Creativity, Intuition, Life Purpose, Vision, Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

The trap we all fall into

March 6, 2013 by 3 Comments

I spoke with a sister writer yesterday and we talked about the many, many challenges we face when it comes to completing projects, let alone getting them out there into the world.

As moms and working women, we said, there’s always so much that has to be done, so many dishes to wash, noses to wipe, and deadlines to meet. Then if you start factoring in other people’s needs and wants (especially when you put them first) it’s all too easy to let your precious soul’s work slip to the bottom of the pile.

I’ll get to it later

If you’re like most people, you’re probably going through the day thinking that you’ll get to it later — whatever your “it” is, that creative work you’re endlessly postponing for another day, whether it’s writing or painting or drawing or finally getting the word out about your work — but that later never comes.

Or maybe you’ve promised yourself that you’ll work at the end of the day, but quite frankly, you’re exhausted.

The trap

The trap is that you’re aiming to clear the decks first, thinking your brain will finally have the space it needs for the creative work.

You figure you’ve got to get to Inbox Zero or handle all those administrative tasks or answer so-and-so’s Very Important Message first. Then you’ll be able to focus.

But.

Those things are like tribbles from Star Trek. They multiply at an exponential rate of growth, and if you persist in putting them first? They will literally devour your time.

And right now, you are letting them do that.

It’s time to stop.

How?

Let’s face it. Life happens. Life can be busy. It doesn’t have to be, but it often is, in this culture, in this era.

There will always be more email.

There will always be more to do. More information. “Opportunities.”

And we get to choose how we respond to that stuff, or not.

Do you want to organize your life around it?

Or do you want to organize your life around what is most sacred to you?

Your deepest, soul-level priorities.

What does that even look like?

For me, that is my writing and my family, period.

So guess how I spend my mornings?

I wake up, and I snuggle with my son. When we feel ready, he goes to play with his dad and have breakfast while I write for 30 minutes. It’s not a huge amount of time, true, but I do it 6 days a week.

I’ve also corralled my business, for the most part, into regular, day time hours. Rarely does it spill over into the night or onto the weekends. Why? So I can be with my family in the evenings and focus on my son.

Doesn’t mean my life isn’t hectic. Doesn’t mean there aren’t still things I want to change. But I’m working on them incrementally, moving them to the place I want them to be. Just like a writing project, bit by bit.

The key

The key to all this comes from a few simple notions.

1. Your creative work is what you were put here to do and is therefore of the utmost importance to you, your life, and your soul’s fulfillment (and even as a role model for your kids).

2. In order to fulfill that work, you must design your life around it and make sure its priority level is reflected in the day-to-day choices you are making.  (I can help you with this in my mentoring programs.)

3. Then you must protect that sacred work time — I call mine my sacred writing time — like your life depends on it. It does.

Your turn

I’d love to hear from you. How do you protect your creative or writing time?

Warmly,

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> THIS FRIDAY: March 8th at 11 a.m. Pacific — Your Creative Next Steps. If you enjoyed my Creative Productivity TeleClass Series and you’re wondering about the next steps to put what you learned into practice, you’ll want to join me for this free information call next week. I’ll walk you through identifying your next steps and fill you in about details about how I can support you along the way through my 1:1 mentoring programs. Sign up here: https://calledtowrite.com/nextsteps

~> March 21st: Register for the next Writer’s Circle session. Register by March 21st for the next session of my Writer’s Circle (starts March 25th). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com. We’re running four groups of fantastic writers right now and it’s a ton of fun. Come join us!

 

What I'm Up To

~> Daily writing. DONE! I’m done with the rough draft of my rewrite of Progeny!! (And now the real work begins.)

~> Reading How to Speak Dragonese* with my son. Reading Crucible of Gold* by Naomi Novik and Adventures in the Screen Trade* by William Goldman.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

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Filed Under: Creativity, Writing Tagged With: , , , ,

Learning from endings

February 27, 2013 by 9 Comments

I’ve finished the rewrite of my script.

And I’ve learned so much about endings as I’ve approached this one. It’s a different scenario from the usual drill of having a forced, external deadline. This one has been entirely internally motivated. There’s no due date, there’s no have-to.

Look at the pony show

And the fancy tricks I started to pull at the end were very creative. Hilarious, in point of fact.

As soon as I could “see” the end — when I had it in my sights and knew it was only a matter of about 10 to 15 pages to get there, my insides got all squirrely. I decided I wanted to finish it right then, even if it took me the rest of the day.

When reality struck and I realized I had other work that had to come first (I am running a business here), I found myself wanting to postpone working on it again until I had a Long Block of Time to write (the precise opposite of what I recommend). What a joke! I got myself back onto my regular, moderate, well-paced schedule of 30 minutes a day pretty quickly once I caught on to the dog-and-pony show my inner critic was putting on.

I also found that my inner critic fired up a whole new level of criticism — she’s been pulling out all the stops, laying it on fast and thick, “It’s not as good as the last draft. You’ve wasted your time, it’s still no better. This still isn’t marketable.”

Good thing I know better than to listen to all that.

Creative expression is deeply vulnerable

Here’s what I also know to be true — part of me IS scared, and that’s okay. I just can’t — and won’t — let it stop me. I only need to acknowledge it and move on. It’s a big deal, after all, bringing something into being. It’s bound to stir up fear and vulnerability.

Shame researcher Brené Brown says that there’s nothing more vulnerable than creating something that has never existed before.

She’s right.

I’ve also heard it described as being like taking down your pants, in public, very… very… slowly.

It’s no wonder so many of us hesitate when it comes to completing our work.

It’s all about the fear — and the old wounds

So many of us have been so wounded around our creative expression, it’s no wonder we hold back when it comes to “shipping.”

Shipping, in case you’re wondering, means completing and delivering our work, whether it’s a website, book, ebook, script, painting, or widget.

I can’t tell you how many people I see never shipping their work, full of excuses, not realizing it’s really fear that’s stopping them. (If you want help keeping your fear and doubt from stopping you, my new mentoring programs will help. More on that next week.)

It happens with so many different kinds of projects — getting almost to the completion point and then deciding we’re “stuck” or “bored.” Websites that never go live. Ebooks that never get published. Scripts that languish in endless revisions.

It’s all just smoke and mirrors

Stuck is a smokescreen for fear.

Bored is a smokescreen for fear.

The fact is, we are terrified. Getting to the end of a project stirs up all our issues around being seen, heard, scrutinized, read, listened to, failing, succeeding.

But in the end, isn’t it better to try?

Brené Brown brought this quote from Theodore Roosevelt to my attention, “It is not the critic who counts. It is not the man who sits and points out how the doer of deeds could have done things better and how he falls and stumbles. The credit goes to the man in the arena whose face is marred with dust and blood and sweat. But when he’s in the arena, at best he wins, and at worst he loses, but when he fails, when he loses, he does so daring greatly.”

I’d much rather try and “fail” then never to try at all.

Your turn

I’d love to hear from you. What’s your experience with completion? Do you keep going until the end? Waffle? Run out of steam? Get bored? Are you daring greatly? Dipping in a toe or diving in? Does the fear of failing stop you?

Warmly,

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> March 8th at 11 a.m. Pacific — Mark your calendar! If you enjoyed my Creative Productivity TeleClass Series and you’re wondering about the next steps to put what you learned into practice, you’ll want to join me for this free information call next week. I’ll walk you through identifying your next steps and fill you in about details about how I can support you along the way through my 1:1 mentoring programs. More information on its way soon! Watch your inbox for details about how to sign up.

~> March 21st: Register for the next Writer’s Circle session. Register by March 21st for the next session of my Writer’s Circle (starts March 25th). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com. We’re running four groups of fantastic writers right now and it’s a ton of fun. Come join us!

 

What I'm Up To

~> Daily. Working on rewriting my script, Progeny, with my mentor Chris Soth after finishing the ProSeries. Just about done!

~> Reading How to Speak Dragonese with my son. Finished ScriptShadow Secrets* by Carson Reeves — a great one!

 

Thanks for reading.

 

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Filed Under: Creativity, Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,
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