The Relaxed Writer

2 Tips for Happier Writing (for freelance journalists, copywriters, creative writers & others)

You are so lucky to be a writer.

You're powerfully endowed with creative, investigative, analytic and/or expressive abilities.  (Not so, you say? Then try this: "I'm actively developing my creative, investigative, analytic and/or expressive potential, and have a vast array of free instructional resources available to me whenever I log onto the internet.")

Given your writing abilities and potential, how can you enjoy your writing more today? 

My suggestions are simple.

1. Find silence. 
2. Use your words for good.

Find Silence

"Go to where the silence is and say something."  - Amy Goodman, journalist

I love the sense of the sacred invoked by this quote. I also love its utility, its global usefulness to creative writers and journalists and technical writers and copywriters...you name it.

If you're writing creatively today, read "silence" literally.  Still yourself with meditation before you write, or preface your time at the writing desk with a long, ambling walk, a la Brenda Ueland.

If you're thinking about new stories to pitch, train your investigative eye on the silent spaces in the culture at-large.  Give voice to an under-examined trend, an overlooked causal relationship, a neglected-but-important population, region, cause or initiative.

If you're writing copy or content or white papers, "find the silence" by looking at your audience's needs with fresh eyes today.  Discard your assumptions and ask your audience directly what they need.  Find out if there's an angle or an important question you've overlooked, and address it.  

Use Your Words for Good

The journalist I quoted above has devoted her career to activism.  Whether you share her progressive stance or drive, you can still use Amy's words and example to inspire your writing.

See if you can set an intention to direct your talents to "good" today. 

When you draft a fiction piece or examine your experience in memoir or essay form, you're expressing your individual stance and serving others.  Good, creative writing is a form of service and has the power to bridge gaps between people.  (Ever read The Help?)

When you publish a newspaper or magazine piece, you're directing attention to a particular subject.  As you formulate a new pitch this week, challenge yourself to tackle a subject you care deeply about. 

When you sit down to write copy, content or white papers, consider what skillsets you're using.  (Marketing savvy?  Analytical or creative thinking?)  Dream up a small and meaningful project you can take on this holiday season.

• Could you offer a 1/2-hour brainstorming session to that friend who's struggling to launch a non-profit? 
• Could you outline your own instructional e-book?
• Could you offer to generate infographics or give one-hour copy review by phone to a favorite organization you belong to? 

I know you're busy, and the point here isn't to add more projects to your workload. 

I'm simply asking you to consciously acknowledge your gifts and recognize that you have a choice in how/where to use them.

Find silence.  Use your words for good.  Two simple practices to help you enliven your writing career and enjoy yourself more.

What do you think?  Leave your thoughts in the Comments section below.

---

Don't forget: "Two Days to Write," my step-by-step, virtual writing intensive, begins with a kickoff call this coming Wednesday, December 7th.  Check it out & join us!  http://www.twodaystowrite.com

 

 

 

Write During the Holidays - Tip #3: Create Momentum

This post is Tip #3 in a three-part series on how to stay on track with your writing during the holidays.  Be sure to read holiday writing tip #1 (Gift Yourself) and tip #2 (Create, Don't Consume) if you missed 'em!

---

Write During the Holidays Tip #3 - Create Momentum

It's much easier to choose writing over sweater shopping when you've made some progress with your writing project.

When you've got momentum:

1. your writing is top-of-mind,
2. your next steps are clear and 
3. you've already accomplished a significant chunk of your writing goal.

Consider the woman sledding in the photo above. She's focused solely on getting down the hill on her sled, knows exactly what her next steps are (steer clear of the trees!  hold on when you hit that turn!) and has already made her way down the hill.  The girl's got momentum!

You don't need to be as solely focused as she is, but trying on the image for a moment is pretty useful.  Imagine you've got real momentum with your query-writing, creative writing or platform-building project.  Do you feel on-task, focused and energized?  Are you excited to be on the hill?

The easiest way to create writing momentum for yourself is to set aside a half-day, a full day or more to work on a specific, targeted writing goal.  (Perhaps you want to send out 3 new queries.  Or rework 2 chapters.  Or draft a new essay and outline a few blog posts.  These examples can help you design your own goal.)

Before you begin, make sure you clear your mindset and get your space, your project and your support network ready.  Plan out your writing sessions. And when you're writing, use your time productively. 

But be forewarned:  doing a writing intensive on your own can be challenging. Line up a friend to join you.  Bookend your writing sessions by phone or with Twitter. Or turn the planning and self-motivating tasks over to me.  I designed my upcoming writing and coaching intensive with one goal in mind: to help you set aside two days to write -- and use that writing time well.  If you're interested in joining us in December, you can learn more about my private and group coaching program here.

Imagine how great you'll feel after you clear that lingering assignment or writing project off your plate.  Imagine, for a moment, how incredible it'll feel to dive head-long into drafting your new story, getting new freelance writing assignments or launching a new blog. 

If you set aside an afternoon, a day or a weekend to work on your writing project, you'll create the momentum you need to stay on track with your writing--even when you're busy shopping for socks or ties or sweaters.

Your writing project will be top-of-mind.  Your know which next steps to take. You'll have some solid writing progress under your belt.  You'll be headed down the right slope with a smile on your face.

There's no better way to begin your new writing year.