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Writer's Notes - By Jeanne Dininni

 
WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!


Fortune Cookie Wisdom, Round 2

My last post discussed one of two fortune-cookie fortunes I received the last time I ordered Chinese food and how that "fortune" could be applied to writing. Here's the second insightful tidbit of writing advice I received that day:

Profound Principle

"Well arranged time is a good sign of a well arranged mind." Such a simple statement and yet so profound! As I'm sure most of us have discovered, whenever we're involved in a creative pursuit, such as writing, arranging our time can be difficult. This is partly because the most effective writing contains an element of inspiration -- a component that's hard to schedule.

Yet, scheduling regular time for writing can in many ways free us to engage our imagination and collaborate more closely with our Muse to create something special. Perhaps it's because making up our minds that this is the time we intend to work puts us into the right frame of mind to receive the inspiration that will infuse our work with creative power.

Dual Application

The whole idea that well-arranged time signifies a well-arranged mind is really a fascinating one because when we approach that thought from another angle, we see that just as a well-arranged mind can lead to well-arranged time, in a very real sense we can also use well-arranged time to help create the well-arranged mind our writing requires.

When we schedule regular time for writing, we release ourselves from the tyranny of the other activities we might involve ourselves in instead. The mere act of setting aside this time exclusively for writing can free us from the pressing responsibilities that might otherwise distract us from our goal and disrupt the orderly flow of ideas we need to express ourselves creatively.

Ready to Give it a Try?

If you don't already do this, why not try it? Experiment with scheduling your writing time, and see if it doesn't help you clear your head, allowing you to temporarily set aside the other duties that can often seem so pressing. See if it doesn't make it easier to arrange your thoughts in the beautiful, systematic, colorful, and creative ways that lead to enhanced self-expression. When you reach this creative plane, where everything seems to naturally fall right into place, this is the point at which you will do your best work.

Here's to well-arranged time -- and a well-arranged mind!

Jeanne

How does the "well-arranged time - well-arranged mind" paradigm work for you?


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Fortune-Cookie Wisdom Returns

I've written about fortune-cookie wisdom for writers before, and the insights were so amazingly suitable to the craft that after ordering Chinese food the other night, I was eager to crack open my two fortune cookies to see what kind of writing lessons they might hold in store -- and I wasn't disappointed. I'll write about fortune-cookie lesson number one today and number two later.

The Lesson

"You find beauty in ordinary things. Do not lose this ability." Could that admonition be any more appropriate for a writer? That's precisely what we writers must do to achieve the level of self-expression that inspires our readers. As writers, we need to see the world in a way most other people don't.

Everything in life -- no matter how ordinary it may appear -- isn't. Why? Because it has so many amazing lessons to teach us. That, in itself, makes almost any object beautiful -- on an internal if not external level. Why not try it. Look at the most mundane object you can find and begin thinking about what that object has to teach you about life and how you can apply that lesson to your writing. This is actually a great exercise -- one that I've engaged in before -- and I was surprised how much I learned from a whole array of common, everyday items.

Example

Here's an example I wrote during one Middle Zone Musings WILF (What I Learned From) exercise:

Trains are virtually unstoppable—as long as they remain on track. They teach us that we, too, will be unstoppable if we maintain our focus, build momentum, stay on track, and keep our eyes on the destination ahead.

Now, you try it. This exercise will not only help you gain philosophical insight that can benefit your writing. It will also hone your powers of observation when you use items you can actually look at, improving your ability to effectively describe the objects about which you write -- a critical skill for every writer to master. Even the items you aren't actually able to look at can bring many insights to your writing through visualization. They can also bring insight through mental, emotional, and philosophical comparisons, such as my train analogy.

Never lose the ability to see the beauty in ordinary things, because that beauty will make your writing extraordinary!

To your powers of observation!
Jeanne


What common everyday objects have taught you lessons that can be applied to your writing?



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Two of the Three Angels

Here's a photo of my grandnieces, Alyssa and Rain, taken earlier today. (Aren't they sweet?) In this picture, they're on their way to Alyssa's physical therapy session at the in-patient rehab center where she is recovering from a traumatic brain injury. Alyssa sustained the injury when she, Rain, and their friend Mia were all hit by a car as they crossed the street in a North Las Vegas crosswalk in late October. Thank God, Alyssa is making fantastic progress! And we're so thankful that Rain has fully recovered, though we're terribly sad that Mia, who was Rain's best friend, didn't make it. Yet, we know that Mia is looking down on the girls right now from heaven with love and joy and that she's cheering Alyssa on in her courageous efforts to recover.


Alyssa and Rain
Alyssa and Rain: Off to physical therapy!



For more information about the story, see my next post, The Accident that Has Kept Me from Posting Lately.


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A Tragic Accident

Just wanted to let everyone know the reason I haven't posted in quite some time: Two of my out-of-town grandnieces were hit by a car on October 21st (along with their little friend), and both were seriously injured. (The three girls were five, six, and six years old at the time of the accident.)

Tragically, their friend Mia died three days after the accident, and my two grandnieces, Rain and Alyssa, both sustained serious head injuries. Rain sustained a skull fracture and small brain bleed but, thankfully, was out of the hospital three days later. Alyssa, on the other hand, has had a much longer road to recovery. Alyssa sustained serious brain trauma, along with other injuries, and we truly feared we might lose her, both at the beginning and at several other points early in her battle to survive and heal. But, God was gracious. Much has happened during the ensuing battle – far too much to cover here – but after about five weeks in intensive care, Alyssa was transferred to in-patient rehab, where she is today, exactly seven weeks and one day after the accident.

Despite many challenges, scares, and setbacks along the way, Alyssa's continued progress and ongoing recovery have been nothing short of miraculous, and we are so thankful for the prayers of so many people who have joined together to support the family during this trying journey.


Two Links for More Info About Three Beautiful Angels

Rather than go into too many more of the details here, I will provide a few links where you'll be able to get further information on the accident and the journey of the two families if you should be so inclined.

The first link, to the These 3 Angels website, will provide all the background on the accident and loss of Mia, along with a beautiful and inspirational video about the girls.

The second link, to the These 3 Angels Facebook page, is where my niece Christin (Rain's and Alyssa's mom) is posting all the latest updates and many lovely photos of Alyssa as she courageously battles her way back to wholeness. The page also allows visitors who have Facebook accounts and who "Like" the page to leave comments expressing their thoughts, prayers, and good wishes for the families. God has been amazingly good to Alyssa, providing miracle after miracle, and we are so thankful for her incredible progress in just seven weeks!

Of course, the journey continues, and we hope to see Alyssa back home with her family (she has five siblings) before Christmas, even though she will need to continue daily rehab at an outpatient facility after going home. She's progressed by leaps and bounds over the last seven weeks, amazing everyone, and we are truly thankful for these blessings, as we continue to move forward in faith that she will fully recover from all the residual effects of the injury. Perhaps you might even decide to join together with us in prayer for this much hoped-for outcome. We certainly would appreciate it!


Thanks so much for reading!
Jeanne



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A Blueprint for Achieving Your Dreams

Shortly before his death at age 100, Chicago financier and philanthropist W. Clement Stone was asked the question, “How have you done so much in your lifetime?” His reply offers an inspiring glimpse into the inner workings of a visionary who first saw clearly what he hoped to accomplish and then set about to accomplish it:

I have dreamed. I have turned my mind loose to imagine what I wanted to do. Then I have gone to bed and thought about my dreams. In the night, I have dreamed about them. And when I have arisen in the morning, I have seen the way to get to my dreams. While other people were saying, 'You can't do that, it isn't possible,' I was well on my way to achieving what I wanted.

Take a moment to let Stone’s words sink in. Read them again, if necessary.

This deceptively simple formula worked for Stone (who achieved phenomenal success in his lifetime), and it can also become our “blueprint for success” – if we make each step a natural part of our daily lives. (Notice, I didn’t say “our daily routines.” That’s because dreaming – and creatively making our dreams come true – transcends routine and in fact makes our lives anything but!)


Follow Stone's Formula for Success

Let’s examine Stone’s formula and see how we can apply each part to our own lives:

Dream – as in daydream. Just as Stone did, set your imagination free to explore the things you love, enjoy, and value – the things that spark your passion. You’ll recognize them right away because they will capture your imagination, creating a strange sense of excitement and anticipation each time you think about them and bringing with them a unique creative energy that can propel you forward in pursuing them. (And everyone always told you that daydreaming is a waste of time!) As you visualize the possibilities, the “what ifs,” you’ll begin to feel a strong motivation to turn those dreams into reality. Don’t ignore it! That urge can provide the power you need to get where you want to go!

Think about your dreams. Take time to ponder and reflect on the aspirations that are beginning to blossom during your daydreams. You won’t be making formal plans at this point, though you will often resolve to accomplish something specific. Even if your dreams don’t seem very practical – or even possible – think about them anyway. You’ll gradually – or maybe even suddenly – begin discovering ways to start accomplishing your goals. Think about the positive, reinforcing aspects of your dreams before you fall asleep each night. (Skip the negatives and the detailed planning, as these could just keep you awake, defeating your purpose.)

Dream – as in night dream. Pondering your daydreams before falling asleep, as Stone did, will not only give you many conscious insights but will also trigger your subconscious to begin working while you sleep. This often means you will dream about your goal. But, even if you don’t, rest assured that your subconscious will be at work. As Dr. Ellen Weber points out in Brain-Powering Your Dream, your brain will begin building new neural pathways as you sleep – pathways that will help reinforce your determination, fuel your desire, and increase your ability to reach your goals.

Plan to fulfill your dream. The subconscious insights gained during sleep will help you more clearly envision the path that will ultimately lead to your dreams. Use these insights and intuitions to create a plan to get you there. Do any research you may need to make an intelligent and workable plan. Whether your plan is highly structured or a bit more flexible and intuitive is entirely up to you. But, check back in every now and then to see whether your plan needs adjusting (as it likely will). Does it need a little more structure – or a little more freedom? Has your situation (or your market) changed since you made your plan? Have you acquired new information that would demand a slight detour on the path to your goals? Adjust your plan accordingly, using the same dream-driven creativity that went into the original plan.

Ignore the naysayers. Refuse to listen to the people who don’t believe that what you hope to accomplish is possible or who aren’t convinced that you can do it. Surround yourself with positive, encouraging, empowering people – or if need be, act as your own cheerleader. (You are perfectly capable of giving yourself a pep talk anytime you need one. Just recall your hopes, your dreams, your passion, your talent, your faith in yourself and your abilities, and your prior successes, however small. Those should be more than enough to get you back on track!) Whatever you do, stay focused on the prize rather than the obstacles that stand in your way, and you will be irresistibly drawn toward that prize – even though you may have to take a temporary detour around the obstacles first. Creative solutions powered by your dream-inspired determination and drive can help you maneuver smoothly around those obstacles.

Get moving! Just as acting without insight, vision, and focus are counterproductive and will never help us reach our goals, possessing all the vision in the world will never produce results unless we’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the dream a reality. Even a journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step. Decide what that first step should be and take it. Then, move on to the next step. Before you know it, like Stone, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your dreams!


You can do it!
Jeanne


What are your thoughts on Stone's method for achieving his dreams? In your own experience, have you found any of the above steps particularly easy -- or hard -- to implement? Are any unnecessary? Would you add any?



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"Fortune-Cookie Goal-Setting" for Writers

This morning just for the fun (and inspiration) of it, I decided to open a fortune cookie left over from a recent Chinese food delivery. As many of you know, I've posted before on the words of wisdom often found in fortune-cookie fortunes which can help inspire us writers along our creative journeys. While I don't actually consider these "fortunes," per se, I do believe that many consist of great life lessons that can help motivate us toward success.

As it turns out, I received just about the best message I could have for beginning a brand new week: "The time is right to reach your goals." Now, if that isn't a powerful motivator and a fabulous catalyst for a "success" mindset, nothing is!


A Few Great Takeaways for Writers – and Others

Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I've drawn from this short, simple saying that make it a real motivator for me. (Perhaps you'll notice others.)


1. The time is right to reach your goals.

This simple phrase brings the potential for success directly into the present moment, in fact causing it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy if we let it, as we allow the promise it holds to filter down through all our doubts and fears, insecurities and inhibitions, permeating our very being. By recognizing the possibilities that lie before us and becoming thoroughly convinced that the time is indeed right for reaching our goals, we can actually begin experiencing the initial rewards of success now. By believing that the time is right for accomplishing our goals, we actually initiate the almost-magical process of making the present time the right time for achieving success.


2. The time is right to reach your goals.

This simple saying uses the word "reach," rather than "strive toward" or "work toward." The focus is on achievement and not work. I think that's significant because it inspires us to envision success...to look toward the prize, instead of focusing on the mundane tasks involved in acquiring it. Of course, there will be a time to focus on the work and plan the actual means for achieving our goals. Yet, it's that initial vision that sparks the subconscious mind to begin working creatively to bring success to pass.

Focusing our imaginations on the end result is somewhat like an insect being drawn to a flame – only in this case, that flame will help us, rather than harm us. (Don't you just love that?) Seeing the end result (or the interim goal) from the beginning will make the work involved in getting there incidental. We all know how hard people are willing to work when they are thoroughly focused on and excited about the end result. Yet, sadly, we also know how difficult and unpleasant work can be when approached as an end in itself – a simple means for making money – with no larger purpose or goal.


3. The time is right to reach your goals.

By sparking thoughts of our goals, this simple phrase helps clarify our vision of what success would actually entail for us. It causes us to focus our mind's eye on specific achievements or milestones we would like to see in our lives – and view these as actually being possible. This sets the "success" mechanism in motion. You'll notice that as you begin to feel inspired by this saying, one or more goals you'd love to accomplish will simply appear in your mind's eye. These are the goals – the dreams – your intuition is telling you are right for you. They are the successes that you are totally capable of achieving if you will only set your mind to them and bring all your determination, belief, and talents to bear. Listen to that inner voice and its innate wisdom! Then, let those goals draw you ever forward toward fulfilling them. You can do it! No question about it! The real question is, “Will you trust yourself enough to prove it?”


Will today be the day for you?
Jeanne


What are your thoughts on this "fortune"? In what ways does it speak to you?



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An Inspiring Artistic "Discovery"

While away on a church women's retreat last weekend, I visited a quaint little tea shop, where a framed print of a serene yet sturdy oak tree hung on one wall. I was attracted to the text displayed at the bottom of the print and began to read. After only a brief sentence or two, I was hooked. I knew that this artist's musings would resonate with me and decided to stand there as long as it took to read the entire verse.

I liked the writer's sentiments so much, in fact, that I determined right then and there to commit her name to memory so that when I got home I would be able to locate the verse on the Internet and pass it on to others (like you), who I hope will benefit as much as I have from reading it.

I've since discovered that this print and verse combination is available in numerous online venues and also adorns a set of note cards and no doubt various other items, as well.


The Story Behind Both Verse and Painting

Here's what the artist, Bonnie Mohr, has to say about this work on her website, Bonnie Mohr Studio:

When we completed building the studio showroom for Bonnie Mohr Studio on our farm, I decided to stencil the high sidewalls with something decorative. I wrote and stenciled a verse of the things I believe in and hope to teach my children before they leave home. Visiting customers liked it as well, and after many requests for a copy of the verse....I painted an image to go with it, and "Living Life" was born.


Link to the Verse

I hope this verse will inspire you to embrace your dreams and live life to the fullest, using your God-given creative talent to bring beauty into the world.

Here's a link to the Living Life Notecards page on the Bonnie Mohr Studios website. On this web page, you will be able to read the verse in its entirety and also see the oak tree picture Ms. Mohr painted to accompany her verse when the verse first became popular. Enjoy!


Here's to sharing the inspiration!

Jeanne


Please Note: This is not a sponsored post. My purpose in linking to the Bonnie Mohr Studio web page above is not to sell her note cards but simply to give you the opportunity to read her inspiring verse.


Which lines or phrases of "Living Life" speak to you most strongly? How has this verse influenced or resonated with your own thoughts, beliefs, values, or creativity? How has it helped build your resolve to get the most from each day, from your art, your career, and your life?



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Update: Just noticed that the link I posted to Pat Schneider's book on Questia was mysteriously transformed into a link that took one elsewhere on the Questia site. Tried posting another link, but apparently links at Questia must either be time-dependent or based on the number of visits the link receives: In other words, after a period of time, they expire. My apologies!

I've decided, instead to post a link to the Questia home page, where you'll be able to locate the book by typing or pasting the book's title into the search bar (in quotes) or by using the following category info: Under Subject Categories, click Education > Arts and Humanities Education (under Curriculum and Instruction) > Creative Writing > Writing Alone and With Others. Sorry for the convoluted way you'll have to access the book! That's entirely Questia's doing. I think you'll find it well worth the effort, though! Thanks for your patience!




A Wealth of Wisdom for Writers

In her book, Writing Alone and With Others (Oxford University Press, 2003), author and speaker Pat Schneider offers a great deal of wisdom to writers. The following are a few quotes that I hope will resonate with you, touching areas of fear or doubt, insecurity or confusion that you may be experiencing in your own writing journey. We all experience these moments of uncertainty now and then, whether we write professionally, share our musings with others for free, or pour our hearts and souls into written works intended for our eyes alone.


Sample the Book at Questia

You'll be able to read a generous sampling of pages from Schneider's book for free right on the Questia website, by visiting the following link: Questia and typing (or pasting) the book's title into the search bar (in quotes). (To search via Questia's categories, see my instructions in the Update at the beginning of this post.) You'll find a good selection of her words of wisdom for writers posted there, so that you can decide whether purchasing her book or e-book might prove worth your while. Even if you decide not to buy it (I'll be honest: I haven't bought it yet, though I'm considering doing so), at least you'll enjoy the benefit of the encouragement, inspiration, insight, and incredibly practical advice she offers in the excerpts available at Questia.


Where is the Book Available?

In case you'd like to purchase it, here are a few places the book is available (as of this writing):

Writer's Notes Writer's Resource Store (paperback)*

Amazon (paperback)

Amazon (Kindle edition)

Barnes & Noble (paperback)

Barnes & Noble (e-book)


The Quotes

Now, without further ado, a few sage Pat Schneider quotes that I hope you'll love as much as I do:

There are so many voices within us and outside us that discourage and undermine us, tempt us to abandon our own visions, our own voices, that a sense of duty, of 'ought and should' will not be sufficient to counter them. Each person must study him- or herself to understand the form that discipline needs to take. Surely the person who works well with a tight schedule of planned hours will want to work writing in the same way. The only way for me to lead a disciplined writing life, however, is to believe in myself as a writer and to love my work so much that nothing else—even 'those other commitments'—can take it away from me. (p.45)

Leading a disciplined writing life is not all about work. It is also about sleep. Entering and staying in the mysterious place where daydream meets night dream is important to the writing life. Our deepest writing, our genius, requires an engagement of the unconscious mind. (p.54)

I have come to understand, through my own writing and through working with other writers, that fear is a friend of the writer. Where there is fear, there is buried treasure. Something important lies hidden—something that matters—like the angel waiting in the stone that Michelangelo began to carve. (p.4)

The first step in becoming free of fear is to accept yourself as a writer. All writers deal with this problem. You are not alone. None of us creates ex nihilo (out of nothing). All writing involves self-revelation. Even if the actual facts of our lives are not revealed, we cannot escape the fact that writing reveals the ways our minds work. All writing is, at least, an auto-biography of the imagination. (p.11)

You are the landlord of your own soul. Let the words, the memories, the imaginings pour white-hot onto the page. You can decide later what they are, what they might become, and when it is time to show them to someone else. (p.13)

Whatever you do, don't stay in the never-never land of wanting and not doing. It will make your soul sick. If you want to write, claim for yourself what you need in order to learn, grow, practice. There is no other way to be an artist. (p.52)


Quotes Can Inspire Us to Achieve Our Dreams

Hopefully, this brief introduction to Pat Schneider's wise words will stir your writer's soul, planting a seed of passion that will compel you to develop your own unique voice, find your own special calling, niche, or purpose -- or further refine it until it truly expresses the essence of who you are as a writer, thinker, and person.

My hope is that these writing quotes will serve to spark your imagination, broadening your mind to new possibilities, inspiring new hope, and prompting extravagant dreams that you may never have even entertained before today -- bringing with them the firm belief that you are perfectly capable of achieving them!


May all your writing dreams come true!
Jeanne


*You'll also find a link to my Writer's Resource Store in my left sidebar.



What are your thoughts on the topics Pat Schneider discusses in the above quotes? Does any of her advice especially resonate with you? In what way?



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When Inspiration Tarries

No matter how much we may love to write, overcoming inertia and getting started can be difficult because, after all, writing is work -- and often it's hard work. That's why setting goals is so important. Yet, moving from goals to action is something else entirely, isn't it?

That's why employing one or another handy little technique can be just the thing we need to help get us going. Anything that will get us started is a good candidate. For example, jotting down a few ideas for our article or story, researching some aspect of our topic online, or even just beginning to write somewhere in the middle of the piece -- anywhere that suits our fancy at the moment -- can help us overcome inertia and begin building the momentum that can tide us over until inspiration kicks in.

The Key

The key, really, is to get started. I know that's hard to do when we're not feeling particularly inspired, but sometimes that's the only way to get inspired. As we work, our topic, story, or some other aspect of our project will often help inspire us. That means that if we never get started, we'll never reach that point!

Catching the Vision

Sometimes, too, it helps to simply take a moment to visualize what we hope to accomplish through our writing -- to think of a larger goal than the single task before us. Developing this kind of vision for ourselves as writers can help cement our resolve to tackle the task at hand as a means of fulfilling that larger creative vision.

May we always see far beyond the task that lies before us!

Keep reaching higher!
Jeanne

This post is adapted from a comment I wrote in reply to a comment left on my post, Goals and Drives: The Push-Pull of Planning and Inspiration in Writing.


What tricks have you discovered to keep you motivated and producing when you're feeling uninspired?



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Wise Sayings for Writers, Round 2

Last time, I shared six fortune-cookie sayings that my mom had tucked away prior to her passing – partly as a small way of honoring her July 3rd birthday and partly to offer some great advice to my fellow writers. Today, I'll share the other six sayings. Hopefully they'll inspire you to nurture your talents, step out, and move toward achieving your writing goals.

Here are the other six:

Past inspirations and experiences will be helpful in your job.

While this can be true for anyone, the writer will find this particularly relevant to both the craft and the business of writing. As the writer nurtures the creative, intuitive spark and begins to draw parallels between the past and the current creative work taking shape within his imagination, something magical happens. Insight flows and new life is birthed into the work. Whether or not he writes for money, creativity is every writer's "job" – and everything that's gone before can provide insight that helps him do it well.

Your heart is pure, and your mind is clear.

During your most creative moments, you draw pure inspiration from deep within, giving your thoughts a singular clarity that's clearly not present at other times. These are the moments all writers live for. Give yourself the opportunity to experience these moments as often as possible. Allow yourself some time for contemplation. Provide an atmosphere that's conducive to inspiration. Let yourself sense and feel and visualize. It will bring new power to your work. Relax, refresh, recharge, and renew in whatever ways you most enjoy and respond to best. Read for relaxation, entertainment, and inspiration and not simply for research, study, or self-improvement. Chat with a friend and bounce ideas off him or her to broaden your perspective and provide fresh new insight. These will help inspire and bring you to that pure, clear place.

Now is the time to try something new.

Have you been feeling as if you'd like to work on something you've never tried before – perhaps attempting a new style, form, or genre? Perhaps you've considered an entirely different creative outlet than you're used to, such as art, photography, or Web design. If you've been blessed with multiple talents, interests, and passions, nurture them. Each one is there for a purpose, and you'll never achieve that purpose unless you use all your talents.

Some people are natural born specialists. They focus on one major area of endeavor and are happy doing so. Others have far too many interests to settle for a single one, and they are only happy when encouraged and supported in their efforts to indulge them all, thereby building a multi-faceted creative existence. Both types are good, the world needs both types, and both types can adapt the concept of trying something new to their own natural style. The specialist can try a new project or new method for creatively carrying out her area of specialization, and the non-specialist can focus on an entirely different interest area.

Someone is interested in you. Keep your eyes open.

Somewhere, someone – an editor, an agent, a client, a fellow blogger – is interested in you and your talent and seeking precisely what you have to offer. You may not have found this individual yet, but he or she is out there just waiting for the moment of meeting and discovery. Believe and trust that that's the case and then seek out this person for all you're worth. As you go about the daily business of writing and researching and promoting and connecting, watch for new opportunities – opportunities that may turn out to be tailor made for you.

Take that chance you've been considering.

Every time you put yourself and your work out there for others to judge and evaluate, you're taking a risk – and risk can be unsettling. But, if writing is your calling and you know deep inside that you have what it takes – or you know you're willing to do whatever it takes to get to that point – don't sit on the sidelines watching others earn the recognition, enjoy the exposure, or reap the monetary rewards. If you have your eye on a market in which you'd love to see your work, if you'd like to approach a certain client, try a new creative collaboration, or work on a different type of project than you have up to this point – do your homework and then go for it. You'll never know how successful you might have been if you never try.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

If you're having trouble finding inspiration, motivation, ideas, time, quiet, or – you fill in the blank – you'll have to be creative in finding ways around these obstacles. You are a creative, after all. This is what you do. The same creativity you apply to your writing can be applied to your life to make it more conducive to your craft. If you want it badly enough, you can make it happen.

I've delved a little more deeply into these six fortune-cookie sayings than I did into most of the first six. Perhaps that's because these sayings are more philosophical than the others. Or perhaps I'm simply in a more philosophical mood today or feeling more inspired. Whatever it is, I hope you've received some benefit from my musings and that they'll help you – in some way big or small – to achieve your writing goals.

Write on!
Jeanne



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Fortune-Cookie Wisdom

I don't generally take fortune-cookie fortunes very seriously. But, one day recently, as I went through some of those slender slips of paper that I'd found among my late mom's papers, I realized how often they consist more of good, sound advice than predictions about the future. And that started me thinking about how many of them might be applied to writing. (Most, it turns out!) So, in honor of Mom's July 3rd birthday, I thought I'd share some of them, along with a few of my own thoughts about each.

I'll share six of them in this post and the other six in my next one.

Here's the first group:

It is quality rather than quantity that matters. Do a good job.

While we certainly need a balance between quality and quantity to earn a living as writers, it's important to be reminded every now and then how much more important quality is than quantity--that is, if we'd like to derive any real satisfaction from our work.

Rely on long time friends to give you advice.

This is such a necessity in the writing--and especially the blogging--world. How often do we savor the support, encouragement, and wise advice of long-time writing and blogging friends?

Others appreciate your good sense of humor.

This is so true for us as writers. When we add a touch of humor to our work, it can lighten heavy topics and provide a moment of pleasure for our readers that makes them enjoy our work even more than they would have without it.

We can learn from everyone, even our adversaries.

For the writer, this can be looked at in more than one way. We can recall people and/or life experiences that have challenged us, recognizing their potential for teaching us lessons that can make our writing richer. We might also think in terms of our critics, who can teach us much about our writing, ourselves, and human nature--providing another rich reservoir from which to create our written works.

It is proper to speak the truth.

As we express ourselves in our writing, authenticity is so important. "Authenticity" may be an overused word in writing circles today, yet I believe it's a concept that will never go out of style. When we speak the truth, transparently sharing our hearts through our writing, we have greater credibility with our reader, which develops a trust that enables the reader to truly enter into our work.

Keep your idealism practical.

I love this one, because, while its emphasis is on practicality over idealism, the first part says, "Keep your idealism," which I believe is step one. While writing for a living involves the necessity to be practical by balancing creativity with pragmatism, we still want to stay true to our ideals, since these are part of the wisdom we impart to our readers. Our goal is to develop a healthy balance, sacrificing neither of these two vital factors in favor of the other.

I hope you've enjoyed these first six examples of fortune-cookie words of wisdom for writers and that you'll tune in next time for the other six.

Keep writing!
Jeanne



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If you have ever been tempted to give up on your dreams, as a writer or in any other area of your life, do yourself a huge favor and read this brief but powerful post: It's Not Too Late, by George Angus at Tumblemoose.com. It may just turn your life around.

'Nuff said.

Jeanne

P.S. Come back after you've read the post and share your thoughts with us. A few questions I've posted below might help you more easily share the way the post has affected you. Or simply post your own thoughts.


What sort of impact did the above post have on your outlook? Do you see yourself, your situation, your dreams, and your limitations in a new light? If so, tell us about it. We'd love to hear the insights you've gained from this incredibly poignant post.



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We've just celebrated the third anniversary of Writer's Notes, and it's hard to believe it's been three years already! The time seems to have simply flown by. The last year, in particular, has passed with almost lightning speed, with so much happening to make it anything but ordinary. Some of these events have been good and others heart-wrenching, but each has been a growth experience that has added its own unique brand of quiet wisdom to my life's journey and, I think, to my writing, as well.


Transformational Events of the Past Year (2009-early 2010):


My Whoa Factor Phase

I was honored to co-blog with Brad Shorr at The Whoa Factor for the first half of the year (having been invited on board by Brad at the beginning of December, 2008). Though that stint came to a halt when Whoast, Inc. (the Chicago firm for which we blogged) was acquired by Straight North, I loved the time I spent there providing content beside a fellow blogger I've always admired.


My Battle-with-Mom's-Alzheimer's Phase

As most of you know, my mother became ill with an extremely fast-progressing case of Alzheimer's during 2009, at which time I became her sole caregiver (still keeping up with my writing as best I could), and Mom died of the devastating illness last May. That was a difficult time for me; yet, it also taught me so much. I won't go into the details of this period here, but suffice it to say, I learned many valuable lessons.


My Minimal Blogging Phase

As I dealt with the aftermath of Mom's death, I decided to give myself permission to blog less without guilt. At that point, I even (reluctantly) dropped my almost religious practice of writing a monthly comment-recognition post to thank everyone who had commented at Writer's Notes the previous month. That was tough to do, but it couldn't be helped. (I still haven't reinstated the practice yet, though I hope to soon.)

Rather than allowing myself to feel the stress and pressure that the need to post new content can sometimes bring, I focused on healing, on spending time with family, on dealing with the inevitable issues that always arise after someone close to us dies, and on writing only as much as I could and only when I felt I could. I still haven't fully regained my blogging rhythm yet, due in part to the residual effects of the topic I'll discuss in the next section.


My Personal Illness Phase

At the beginning of November, 2009, I came down with a bad case of bronchitis, which had me down for the count for about five weeks. As I began steadily improving—finally!—I noticed, to my dismay, that within several days (but before I'd gotten fully well), I began catching another cold, which immediately began moving down into my chest again. And hence, Round Two!

Unfortunately that wasn't all. After several more weeks of fighting the illness with herbal remedies and other natural supplements, and beginning to improve again, I've once again relapsed (thanks to yet another cold), and I'm currently battling my third manifestation of the illness, which seems to have decided to hang on for the duration. (It's been nearly three months since I've been completely well.) Finally got checked out the other day and various tests are underway to determine the precise cause of the problem.


My New Productivity Phase

Thankfully, I've continued working right through all this illness (which was, of course, easier to do since I work from home). I've in fact actually become even more prolific than ever in my professional writing since the beginning of the New Year, despite the health issues I've been battling. So, that, at least, is a plus!

Though I still haven't returned to blogging as much I'd like to yet, I am working on it—and succeeding to a fair degree. (You'll note that I wrote four posts in January--actually five, since it's still January 31st here in California, though Australia time [which is eight hours later] is used for time-stamping my posts, since Orble is in Australia.) This is a vast improvement over my posting frequency of late. Considering that in November and December, I only published one post per month, and only two in October, I feel I'm doing extremely well—even though I may not be feeling extremely well!


My New Outlook Phase

All this leads to my new, more optimistic outlook and the way it has helped my work. I've begun looking at my work in a more positive light, being more proactive in seeking work, more industrious in writing new content, and better able to (selectively) multi-task when needed without stress and without allowing it to throw off my equilibrium. These new developments have all been real pluses and real areas of growth for me, and I'm looking forward to perfecting them even more during Year Four of blogging at Writer's Notes!


Thanks so much for reading!
Jeanne


If you're a blogger, how long have you been blogging and what insights have you learned along the way, either during the past year or in general? If you don't blog, would you like to, and if you were to start a blog, what would you blog about?



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Happy (Belated) Birthday, Writer's Notes!

In honor of Writer's Notes' third blog birthday, on January 27th, I've decided to make things simple and post a link to the first post I ever wrote here, Opportunities for Writing Online Abound! Hopefully, it will bring back memories for many!

I'm in the middle of writing a second post on this topic, which discusses some of the events that have occurred in my life during the past year, strongly impacting my blogging. I should be able to put that up later today or tomorrow. So, stay tuned.

How could I have let my third blog birthday pass unnoticed, you ask? Well, sickness and extreme busy-ness with writing projects played into it. However, despite these, I've decided not to let the day go by totally unrecognized--even if late--and hence, this announcement.

Thanks so much for reading and commenting here--despite my frequent fits and starts--for the past three years!

Sincerely yours,
Jeanne



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A Writer's Notes Video Experiment

The New Year is a fantastic time to try something new! So, in the spirit of embarking on a new adventure, I've decided to try putting periodic videos on my blog. That seems a wonderful way to connect with my readers on a more personal level, and--while I'm by no means highly experienced in this creative medium--I hope you'll all receive this short message as a token of my esteem for each of you and my sincere wishes for your success in the New Year.



My 2010 New Years Message to My Readers



Video removed due to technical difficulties.



Your Feedback is Welcome

Please feel free to share your feedback in comments. While I'm well aware that my delivery needs a bit of work, I'm hoping you'll look beyond the obvious imperfections of this presentation and focus more on the message and the spirit in which it was shared. I could have redone this video countless times in hopes of making it as close to perfect as possible. But, I've decided, instead, to simply be myself and let this little impromptu time of sharing speak for itself.

Hope you'll enjoy it--but more than that, I hope you'll get some real value from it!


To your success in 2010!
Jeanne

P.S. Please let me know about any technical problems you may encounter while watching this video. I realize that volume could be a problem, since I didn't speak as loudly as I might have for optimal audio quality. (Will do my best to remedy that in the future!) Thanks for reading, watching, and commenting!



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Grow Through the Writing Life

December 3rd 2009 01:08


Great Advice for the Writing Life

Today's Quote of the Day is "Don't go through life; grow through life." What a simple yet eloquent statement! It's so easy to just coast along, accepting life as it comes, following the same old boring routine day after day, and never even giving a thought to the rich lessons life has to teach us and the deep areas of personal growth that can result from living life with intention.

Today might just be a great day to pause for a few moments and ponder the significance of these words of wisdom. Perhaps a few questions would help prompt us to apply this great advice to our lives, helping us discover exactly what it means to us as writers to "grow through life."


Growth in the Writing Craft

What would be the next practical growth step for you in developing your skill as a writer?


Would it help you become more mature in the art if you were to

1. Take a writing course (online or at your local community college)?

2. Work with a writing coach or mentor?

3. Research a writing technique or style on the Internet?

4. Join a nearby writer's critique group?

5. Use writing prompts to simply exercise your writing muscle more?

6. Read more excellent writing and learn through osmosis?

7. Blog more (or start a blog)?

8. Do more free-writing, untethering your imagination and allowing it to draw inspiration from deep within while giving your internal editor the day off?


Perhaps you have even better ideas than these -- ideas that are more in tune with where you are in your own personal development as a writer. I would encourage you to give a little thought to some of the ways you might seek to grow in your craft. Doing so will make you a better, more competent writer, which will bring you real personal satisfaction. Whatever kind of writing you do, you'll find many valuable (and often free) resources, both online and off, that can help you grow.


Growth in Your Writing Business

What would the next practical growth step be in your advancement as a writing professional?


Would it help advance your writing career and bring you closer to your professional goals if you were to

1. Start a blog in your niche (or in a new niche that you'd like to break into) to establish yourself as an expert?

2. Write an e-book?

3. Develop your own website to sell your writing services?

4. Prepare an online portfolio of your work?

5. Start a link collection of the work you've had published online and use it in e-mailed job inquiries or on your website as part of your portfolio?

6. Make a list of your satisfied clients and ask them for written recommendations of your work?

7. Prepare various e-mail templates to use when inquiring about writing jobs, rather than reinventing the wheel each time you respond to a job ad?

8. Surf the Internet with an entrepreneurial spirit, seeking websites that might be able to use your writing/editing/web design or other expertise to improve their sites and contacting them to offer your services?

9. Offer editing or other website help to clients who have purchased your work (making your own content look more attractive on their sites and therefore better for use as writing samples for other clients, while improving their sites' appearance and earning a little extra money, as well)?


Many of these ideas are nothing new. Yet they are important techniques for moving forward in the writing profession. No doubt you can think of many more ideas if you use your imagination.


Now, It's Your Turn

The main purpose of the above questions has been to stimulate thought by giving you a few ideas that you can use as a launching pad for a few innovative ideas of your own.

Every writer is different -- Isn't that great news? -- and every writer's situation, goals, and desires are unique to him/her. That's why only you can personalize these ideas and adapt them to your own needs.

Only you can decide what it will take for you to "grow through" the writing life!


Best wishes for your successful growth!!
Jeanne


What ideas do you have for stimulating your own growth as a writer and/or writing professional? Or, which of the above ideas do you think would be helpful for you to implement or adapt to your situation at this point in your growth process? What exactly would it take for you to advance to the next level in either area?



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For the past few weeks, I've been battling a bad case of bronchitis, which is part of the reason I haven't updated lately. So, partly to remedy my recent lack of content and partly to indulge my own desire to blog again, I've decided to present a list of wonderful quotes on writing. The following 20 quotes should give you plenty to think about where your writing is concerned and will hopefully motivate, encourage, and inspire you to keep on keeping on!


The Quotes

"The chief glory of every people arises from its writers." ~Samuel Johnson~

"The good writer seems to be writing about himself, but has his eye always on that thread of the Universe which runs through himself and all things." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

"It is by sitting down to write every morning that one becomes a writer." ~Gerald Brenan~

"The best antidote to writer's block is ... to write." ~Henriette Anne Klauser~

"One writes out of one thing only--one's own experience. Everything depends on how relentlessly one forces from the experience the last drop, sweet or bitter, it can possibly give." ~James Baldwin~

“Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.” ~John Jakes~

“Writing eases my suffering ... writing is my way of reaffirming my own existence.” ~Gao Xingjian~

"One writes to make a home for oneself, on paper, in time and in others' minds.” ~Alfred Kazin~

“I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living.” ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh~

"A classic is classic not because it conforms to certain structural rules, or fits certain definitions (of which its author had quite probably never heard). It is classic because of a certain eternal and irrepressible freshness." ~Edith Wharton~

"The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think." ~Edwin Schlossberg~

"A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: 1. What am I trying to say? 2. What words will express it? 3. What image or idiom will make it clearer? 4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?" ~George Orwell~

"Keep writing. Keep doing it and doing it. Even in the moments when it's so hurtful to think about writing." ~Heather Armstrong~

"You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist." ~Isaac Asimov~

"The first step in blogging is not writing them but reading them." ~Jeff Jarvis~

"The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn't behave that way you would never do anything." ~John Irving~

"A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view, a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway." ~Junot Diaz~

"Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time ... The wait is simply too long." ~Leonard Bernstein~

"Learn as much by writing as by reading." ~Lord Acton~

"There's always something to write about. If there's not then you need to live life more aggressively." ~Min Kim~


So, get out and live--and then sit down and write!

To your success!
Jeanne


Sources:

Love Quotes and Quotations

ThinkExist.com

The Quotations Page



Do you enjoy reading quotes on writing? How do they help motivate and inspire you? Which of the above quotes are your favorites?



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"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives." (Viktor Frankl)


Some of the wisest observations about life have an uncanny way of applying not just to life in general but to specific, narrow segments of it. For example, if we substitute "writing" for "life" in the above quote, we'll see just how true this statement is.


Inspiration: Driven to Write

Many of us write because we feel driven to write, because writing is such an integral part of our intellectual makeup that we can hardly imagine not writing. In fact, putting pen to paper—or hands to keyboard—comes as naturally to us as breathing. And in one sense at least, for us writing is breathing, because when we write, we freely inhale the crisp, clear air of expansive thought before exhaling a stream of ideas, fully formed, to the world. That's why the highest form of this unbounded inflow of ideas is called Inspiration.


Planning and Goals: When Inspiration Tarries

Our inner drive to express ourselves through the written word does much to motivate us in our quest to have our ideas heard, to influence others, to make our mark on society, to earn recognition, and yes, even to change the world. Yet, the Inspiration that fuels that drive often eludes us—particularly in the early stages of the creative process. And this is where the pull of goals can spur us on, drawing us forward and giving us the impetus to begin writing and to stay with the task until Inspiration deigns to visit us.


Bridging the Gap Between Goals and Inspiration

This is such an important lesson for writers to learn. Though Inspiration is certainly the ideal for which we continually strive, it may sometimes be a luxury for which we simply cannot wait. When deadlines loom or personal projects seem stalled, we often must depend on the conscious goals we've previously set for our work to keep us on track and prevent us from giving up. Then, as we allow the magnetic attraction of our personal or professional plans to lure us forward, we so often find our project suddenly picking up speed—gaining forward thrust, if you will—as the subconscious motivator called Inspiration gradually kicks in and begins actively propelling us toward our deliberately orchestrated outcome.


Recognizing the Value of Planning

Our favorite writing times, of course, are those where Inspiration is our early visitor, coming upon us unannounced and uninvited—and particularly when this well-loved yet often fickle visitor's influence precedes, or even initiates, a project. Yet, it's wonderful to know that even when Inspiration tarries, we always have our old friend Planning to get us on our way!

While Inspiration may be our closest friend, let's not ignore our loyal sidekick Planning, who will always be there, standing quietly in the wings, patiently waiting to help us achieve our literary goals.


To goals and inspiration!
Jeanne



What have you discovered about goals and drives, planning and inspiration, as you've traveled your own writing path?



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Writing vs. Living

The following thoughts about writing and living life come from a comment I left at John Hewitt's Poewar: Writer's Resource Center a while back. The comment was written in response to a guest post John ran on his blog.


...Everything we write–whether fiction or non-fiction–flows from our real-world experiences…from the realities of life as we’ve both lived it and seen it lived…from the ways in which those realities have changed and affected us…from the people who have impacted our inner and outer environments…from the physical world around us and the profound effect it continually exerts on our thinking.

It’s important to remind ourselves of these things every once in a while–to willfully remove ourselves periodically from our obsession with writing and once again engage with the people, things, and forces that surround us, where we can draw new inspiration, enthusiasm, creativity, and perspective and thereby learn new lessons and add new vitality to our writing...

...(W)e must not simply write about life; we must live it.


Your thoughts?

How much time have you spent writing about life, and how much time have you spent living--and drawing inspiration from life--lately?


Pensively yours,
Jeanne



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What's Your Plan?

What have you been doing or planning lately to give yourself a break from the rat race? What strides — or even baby steps — have you been making toward a more balanced, restful, peaceful life? Even if they haven’t yet been translated into action, what thought-pattern transformations — or paradigm shifts — have been occurring for you lately that have begun preparing you for action?


Permission to Be Human

Personally, I'm choosing to savor small successes, take smaller bites out of bigger tasks, and not allow all the things that still need doing to steal my joy over the things I've managed to get done. In other words, I'm purposefully focusing more on what I have accomplished than what I haven't. Whenever I do that, I usually realize that I've accomplished far more than I thought I had. But even when I haven't, I give myself permission to be human, to be imperfect, and not to beat myself up over it. If something doesn't get done today, tomorrow's another day. And it's perfectly OK for me (and you) to take some time out to enjoy life, relax, and savor the moment, and not be on task every minute of every day.


Mind Over Matter

It's a mindset, really. It doesn't mean you have any less work to do. It doesn't magically give you fewer responsibilities. It doesn't give you an excuse to ignore a job indefinitely. And it doesn't make you irresponsible. It simply means that in addition to work you're also willing to allow a little time for you. Because you're worth it! And because, when you're stressed out, overworked, and overwhelmed, you can't do your work effectively anyway.

It also means you take time out to focus more on the things that are truly important. In the grand scheme of things, will it really matter whether you do the research for that article right now or put it on your calendar for tomorrow or your To-Do list for later this afternoon so you can take a few moments out to call a friend or relative you haven't spoken to in far too long? Usually not. And what an incredible difference that simple gesture can make in your life and theirs. That's just one example of something far more significant than work. No doubt you can think of many others — if you'll pause long enough to think about it.


When You've No Choice But to Work

I understand you may be wrestling with looming deadlines — Believe me, I know them well! — and in such cases that all-important call may have to wait. But, my question is: Will you determine to make the call once you've finished? Or will you fall right back into the old routine, the pattern of thinking there's simply no time for such luxuries, that they can wait for a time when you aren't so busy? Allowing yourself to stop and smell the roses, connect with the important people in your life, and free your mind from the incessant demands of compulsive "doing" will bring new life, new vigor, and new inspiration to your work. Try it and see.


How Will You Break Free?

I've told you a few of the things I'm doing to alter my perfectionistic, inadequate - unless - continuously - overachieving paradigm and given you a few reasons why it's so important to do that. Now, my question for you is this: What will you do (or what are you already doing) to bring more harmony and balance into your own life and work?


To your freedom!
Jeanne



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