Spiritual Short Stories – A Heartfelt Conversation with Chris Cade

INSCRIBE YOUR LIFE is the name of a new program in development by spiritual author and mentor, Chris Cade.

Fear of Writing has been invited to participate and 26 prompts were written for a special Fertile Material workbook. The new program will be released later this summer.

Meanwhile, if you’d like to get to know Chris and benefit from his upbeat views and methods, here’s an Internet event you can attend this week:

Inspirations of the Heart Radio
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
11:00am - 12:00pm Pacific

Spiritual author Chris Cade and host Catherine VanWetter will share a heartfelt conversation inspired by the many stories and authors Chris has reviewed and interviewed.

Chris runs several Websites, including Spiritual-Short-stories.com, where he shares hundreds of stories written by and for people like you. Chris is also getting ready to release his writing program, Inscribe Your Life, which focuses on using creative writing as a tool for self exploration.

Join Chris and Catherine for an upbeat, fun and inspiring hour. You are invited to jump in and join the conversation!

Bookmark this page to attend live via the Internet (see above for date and time):

Blog Talk Radio: Spiritual Short Stories – A Heartfelt Conversation with Chris Cade

One of Chris Cade’s favorite quotes:

“Live your life fom your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people’s souls.” – Melody Beattie

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RELATED TOPICS

Free Spiritual Writing Mini E-Course

Let Your Writing Light Shine

Excerpted with permission from WriteSuccess newsletter by Mary Anne Hahn

WriteSuccess Quote

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

—Marianne Williamson

From My Desk to Yours: Let Your Writing Light Shine

Hello:

I generally opt for pithier quotes than the one I selected for this issue, but as I skimmed through Web pages of inspirational words, this one stopped me dead in my tracks. I thought about editing it a bit, you know, making it a little shorter . . . but to me, every word of it counts.

If you skipped past it, I ask that you go back and read it. If you read it quickly, I urge you to take it in a second time more slowly. And if you're already familiar with the quote, I encourage you to take it to heart, perhaps even memorize it.
What is it about these words from Nelson Mandela that strike such a chord in me? From a personal standpoint, I often find myself “playing small,” justifying the mundane actions that I prioritize as necessary, while postponing the ones that just might make a huge difference in my life or in the lives of others. I don't tackle the great novel because what if I never finish it? I put off working on ideas I have to help certain kinds of writers find lucrative work because what if it fails? Or worse yet, what if it takes off and I don't have the energy or ability to keep it going effectively?

These self-doubts plague many of us on different levels. We writers, who so often bare our souls and expose our vulnerabilities, may wrestle with them even more than other people. When I journal about mine, I generally think that they stem from feelings of inadequacy and fear of failure. Or I sometimes wonder, who am I to pursue a greater destiny than the one I am currently living?

What captivates me about Mandela's words is the challenge that they present to all of us to be our best selves and give our lives and work our best efforts. He says in effect, “I dare you to step into your greatness. In fact, you not only do yourself a disservice by ‘playing small,’ you are letting down every single person who needs you.”

All I can say to that is, “Wow.” Because here's the thing—people need us writers for so many things. They need us to keep them informed, make them laugh, motivate them to make a change, guide them in learning a new process, entertain them, get their messages across, promote their products and services, influence others to take some action, or tell their stories for them. Rich and famous people need us, companies of all sizes need us, our readers need us. Ours is a marvelous, important profession. We must never think of it as being otherwise, or belittle our calling by placing it behind all other things on our “to do” lists.

For whatever reason, we've been called to be writers. Let's not “play small”—let your writing light shine.

Here's to your writing success.
Mary Anne

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MARY ANNE HAHN edits and publishes WriteSuccess, the free online ezine of ideas, information and inspiration for writers, as well as shares writing contest, news and job leads on Twitter. A freelance “writerpreneur,” she provides ghost writing and copy writing services to coaches and Web-based business owners. Visit writesuccess.com
to subscribe to her newsletter, or follow her Twitter updates at twitter.com/writesuccess.

Inside the Heart & Mind of Blogger Sunflower Ranch

By guest blogger Sunflower Ranch


I STARTED BLOGGING to redirect and sharpen my writing skills after a very long break to take care of my Dad after my Mom's sudden death. Now he's gone, too, and after a few months I began to blog. Though I've been blogging just a few months, I feel it has helped me tremendously. I'm still not up to going back to my unfinished creative projects—yet. But soon, I hope.

I've met an incredible amount of extremely talented and friendly people while blogging. Many are friends from OnlineAuction.com where I sell books and collectibles. They suggested I have a blog to help with my sales at OLA, and they've lent much support and encouragement from the very beginning.

I have also made many friends in the arts—writers, poets, painters, photographers, essayists—and political junkies of all stripes. Many are multitalented and belong in more than just one category.

These bloggers live all over the world, and yet, they are the kinds of friends I know would make wonderful next door neighbors.

I started blogging cold turkey—if that's a phrase I can use. LOL So, I guess I'd have to say, everything so far has been a learning situation and as time goes by, I hope, an improvement.

Seriously, though, I feel I've grown as a person, having the wonderful opportunity to get to know so many interesting people. I'm a stay-at-home wife and caregiver, so it's a little more difficult for us to maintain an active social life. I feel what I do on the blog is an extremely important part of my life. It's widened my circle of friends in the loveliest way!

Blogging is a two way street—if you share your thoughts with others, they will share with you. If you visit their blogs, they will visit yours. Someone has to take the first step and I've been on both sides—and it's fun. If I visit your blog and like what I see there—be it enthusiasm, raw talent, polished paragraphs, or cool pictures, I'll read more of your blog, usually sign up as a follower, and put you on my blog list.

I feel a long blog list is good for two reasons: 1) I can easily check my favorites again, and 2) new readers to my blog will also have a chance to visit the blogs I find interesting and find some that resonate with them, too. Then maybe they will join that blog, share with their readers, and become followers. I guess I just love the interconnectedness of the blogosphere.

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Sunflower Ranch's poetry, fiction, and non-fiction has been published in national magazines and on the ‘Net. For many years she designed, edited and published several innovative online literary magazines through Cayuse Press. She now is concentrating on blogging and screenwriting. She holds a degree from the University of Washington School of Drama and for many years was a popular director, actress and drama teacher in the Puget Sound area. Later this summer and early fall, she will be teaching “Blogging for Seniors” through Pierce County Libraries. She sells books, collectibles, and stuff for writers online at the Sunflower Ranch store. A wife and care-giver, she lives with her husband near scenic Mt. Rainier in Washington state.

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RELATED TOPICS

Sunflower Ranch & the Vespa Friendship Blogging Award

Milli's Picks for the Vespa Blogger Friendship Award (coming soon)

Skydiving as a Writer

By guest blogger Jimmy Hanson

10,000 WORDS in one day.

Now, normally this would make a person panic. Kind of like sky-diving, that thing where it looks awesome from afar but when you’re actually there looking out the window it suddenly hits you – wham! You’re a thousand feet off the ground and you’re going to fall the whole way back down.

10,000 words.

… Then again, honestly, who ever dared to call a writer normal?

I could have easily waved it off as a crazy venture done by other people and left it at that, especially since the date – June 18th – was a Thursday and I had to work. Regrettably that includes sitting behind a desk answering phones for a hospital for nearly 8 hours straight, which has absolutely nothing to do with what I really want to do [which is write, 24/7!!].

I also have a 4-year-old son who needs to be cared for, chores to be done, dishes to be washed, clothes to be folded, dinner to be cooked … the list goes on, more and more excuses for why I shouldn’t have participated in such a fool-hardy venture.

But still … the intrigue got to me. 10,000 words in one day.

Has a nice ring to it, and since I hadn’t been getting much writing done lately I figured, what could it hurt?

Actually, nothing. I planned my day around it: get up at 4 a.m., early even for me, so that I would have two hours of uninterrupted quiet time for writing. Go to work, and pad at what I could without being caught. Go to lunch, type away like a mad fiend at a nearby café. Return to work, pad a bit more; maybe get up to 2,000 words if I was lucky. Go home and persist, persist, persist. Stay up until the stroke of midnight, if I had to.

So what really happened? Woke up at 6:30, ran around like mad getting everyone ready for daycare and work and zipping out of the house at 7. Arrived at work, promptly forgot my goal in the mad-dash to get emails and calls completed. Remember only around 9 that I had planned to have at least started by then and start typing at an insane pace to get a decent amount in without being tagged.

Lunch – run an unexpected errand, and then write all speedy-speedy for the remaining 20 minutes. After work, convince husband why it is vital I have an hour after work to head to the café and work solely on reaching my goals and thrill at the instant, and unexpected, approval.

Stop at 10 p.m., feeling astonished and amazingly accomplished to have completed 6,723 words.

Wow. The number still resonates within me even a few days later. I wrote 6,723 words in one day.

On a random Thursday, in the midst of life and work, and other.

How many can claim to have at least even tried such a venture? The pride of being a part of it – of reading the check-in posts and sharing in the trials and tribulations of myself and others – is something that can never be diminished, never be taken away.

10,000 words in a day. Crazy? Maybe.

But so is sky-diving, and there are people out there that do it anyway, right?

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JIMMY HANSON is a bipolar creative writer who found her ultimate niche in paranormal romance. Her favorite pastime is taking her son on fantastical adventures, and curling up with her two cats and a delicious book or two. Jimmy blogs at Thoughts of a Fragmented Mind: a bipolar journal.

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RELATED TOPICS

See right sidebar for rules, suggested prep & other 10K Day info

Patti Stafford: 10K Day Guest Blogger

“Never listen to dumb inner critics.” – Patti Stafford

IT’S GOOD TO be back in the company of fiction writers. Of course I’ve only been here a few days, BUT I feel this is a good place for me.

I’ve been keeping company with bloggers and non-fiction writers. Not saying anything bad about them, it’s just a different genre and I enjoy their company too. I realized recently that you need to keep company with the type of writing you pursue, so as a fiction and non-fiction writer I get the privilege of keeping company with both groups – but I have to admit the non-fiction group isn’t always as community oriented as the fiction group.

There’s a special bond among fiction writers that I don’t think exists with other writers.

6/17/09 – Tomorrow marks the 10K challenge. I am up later than I wanted to be and didn’t get as much fiction reading in as I wanted, but I’m just going to go with the flow.

6/18/09 – Okay, so now it’s the day of the 10K challenge. At this time I’ve churned out 3,426 words of FICTION. Yay! The inner critic had been telling me I couldn’t write fiction any more. In three hours, after a three-year hiatus from fiction, I have proven that the inner critic is just dumb! Never listen to dumb people or dumb inner critics.

This has been a release. Not only has it sparked my passion for fiction, but I’m finding that I enjoy flash fiction. These are very short stories that just give a glimpse in time.

I stepped away from writing for a long time; not just fiction, but non-fiction as well. I didn’t like where my writing career was going or the low pay that a freelance writer sometimes has to settle for.

I write non-fiction for the money. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy it or wouldn’t write it without pay, but it’s my job so I have to attempt to make money at it. I finally got back into non-fiction writing some time ago and things have been going really well in that area. I’ve made connections that I never thought was possible, especially since I came back starting from scratch.

Not only did I start from scratch, but I had a name change during my hiatus – I was privileged to marry the first guy I ever fell in love with- 27 years later. He’s the one I never got over. So I started over with a name change and everything. I expected it to take much longer to build up my credentials and stuff, but surprisingly, when you have renewed passion, the universe seems to work in your favor.

Then the yearning for fiction started gnawing at me. I kept planning to get back to it, but the lure of getting paid per article was a little more important. I was so thrilled to find the 10K Challenge. As soon as I read Milli’s post about it – which was the same day I found her, her blog and the challenge, I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t tell myself I’d think about it, I just commented right then and there that I was in.

I had a blast participating. But I discovered it wasn’t just the writing fiction that I needed or got the most out of. It was being in the company of fellow writers whom I discovered need as much support and encouragement as I do. That’s one of the key elements that’s been missing.

I believe we all started with the challenge of writing 10K words that morning, but it ended up being more about the community feel and sharing our struggles and accomplishments throughout the day. For this reason I’ve decided to create a community group for this purpose.

I’m so glad I participated and got to meet a great bunch of writers. I hope our friendships grow and we can all support each other because, other than musicians, no one ever understands us or our passion.

We need each other. I think that’s why the 10K was such a success for all of us, regardless of the word count. The inspiration and being able to share that, with other writers throughout the day, was one of the best parts of it.

Thanks to everyone for making it such an Awesome experience.

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ABOUT PATTI STAFFORD

I am:
A Musician's Wife. A Freelance Writer. An Inspired Thinker. A Mom of Awesome Kids.
Therefore I write.
Find me at: PattiStafford.com

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RELATED TOPICS

Join Patti's new forum! ~ Writer's Support Group

June 18’s 10K Day Beat All Records for Massive Writing Fun!

YESTERDAY 16 WRITERS met on the Fear of Writing blog for the purpose of challenging ourselves to try to write 10,000 words in a day.

The numbers and creative breakthroughs generated by this day were phenomenal.

For instance, one writer who had to be at her job all day still managed to rack up 6,723 words. Another writer broke the sound barrier (or something on that level!) by producing an astonishing 15, 410.

But beyond word count were riches that cannot be reduced to statistics. ‘Bean’ had always wanted to write a book about her Boston Terrier, but he passed away before she could do it. Yesterday she broke the 10K barrier writing about her beloved Mikey Dog.

Freelance writer Patti Stafford earns her daily bread from non-fiction writing—so she was thrilled at the opportunity to reconnect with fiction writing. And Patti was so moved by the depth of camaraderie, she’s decided to start a forum where writers can connect in between 10K Days.

Saundra_M ran around town helping her daughter with various home-buying and moving crises (it’s an interstate move and son-in-law was away on a biz trip)—and then had to emergency-water 50 plants that had wilted in the Texas heat. But she still managed to write 3,050 words and found a new level of creative freedom while working on her novel.

Below is a list (in alphabetical order by last name) of writers who’ve reported their final word count. We all agreed that the spirit of the day was the ultimate reward—so everyone was a winner, no matter how many words they wrote!

Al from Oz – 10,250
Bean – 10,174
Down the Rabbit Hole – 8,030
Maria – 3,000
Barb D. – 3,091
Lois Eighmy – 15,410
Jennifer “Jimmy” Hanson – 6,723
Mindy Lawrence – 5,000
Saundra_M – 3,050
Beth Morrow – 10,642
Susan Smith – 4,878
Patti Stafford – 3,500
Milli Thornton – 6,319
J.R. Turner – 10,179

TOTAL WORD COUNT FOR THE DAY:

100,246

The total word count is probably higher than this—not everyone who participated posted their check-ins.

I believe the ultimate feeling to take away from a 10K Day is this: how much it proves that we’re capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US!

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Note to participants: If I’ve got your word count wrong, or if you don’t appear on this list, please write to me and I’ll correct your entry. (I didn’t have a way to contact some of the writers.) You’ll find my email address by clicking on the profile link in the right sidebar.

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RELATED TOPICS

See the Check-Ins Posted During June 18's 10K Day

10K Day: Live While It’s Happening!

Note for new arrivals: The 10K Day starts on the morning of Thursday, June 18. Your exact starting time is up to you.


WELCOME TO ALL those plucky writers who are participating today!

This is the place to post your check-ins.

If you develop a case of writer’s block—or if you need some extra ideas about what to write—you’ll find all those 10K Day links compiled here.

DON’T FORGET TO HAVE REGULAR BREAKS!

You’ll regret it later (when you get burnt out) if you don’t take regular breaks. Even if you’re on fire with your writing, take your scheduled breaks. Every two hours is recommended. Breaks are also for posting check-ins.

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST FOR YOUR CHECK-INS?

Comment moderation will be turned off for the day so your posts should appear right away.

Keep check-ins fairly brief:

1. You can mention your word count if you want to. If you’d rather not, please provide a general comment about your progress thus far.

2. You can also describe what you’re working on.

3. Feel free to mention how you’re feeling and how the day is going for you.

4. It’s always fun to hear what people are drinking, snacking on or listening to.

5. Check-ins only. Please DO NOT post your writing! (The comment section will become unwieldy if everyone tries to posts their stories.)

6. If you have any special revelations or remarkable experiences, please give the mini-version. All of you will be invited to write about your 10K Day on my blog after it’s over.

Don’t forget to log out of forums, Facebook, Twitter, your email, etc.

Go gettum, Tigers! – Milli

P.S. As a ritual before you start writing, check out this poem from Sharon Kane written especially for my blog: The Gate Keeper. It can be used as a prayer to get in the right frame of mind for your 10K Day—in loving cooperation with the gatekeeper of your imagination instead of in a power struggle :~)


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RULES & TIPS

10K Day: Rules of the Game

Recommended Preparations

Survival Tips, Productivity Tricks


GOT WRITER’S BLOCK? TRY THESE . . .

Use the Whiplash of Your Inner Critic to Make It Across the Drawbridge

Here's an example of doing the above but with a fictional character instead, by Patti Stafford (10K Day participant). Look for the second entry on this page; it's entitled writer's lament.

Four of Milli’s Fertile Material prompts

10 Tips for Using the Fertile Material Writing Prompts

New Writing Prompt: Sparkling Beasts & Glimmering Gods

Milli’s Zodiac Writing Prompts: Aries / Taurus / Gemini

Writing for Spiritual Growth
(Free e-course! When you sign up you’ll get the first lesson right away—but the first lesson contains an audio interview; either save it for later or listen in advance so it doesn't cut into your writing time.)

7 Fun Writing Challenges from Sunflower Ranch


MOTIVATIONAL ARTICLES

Writing Dialogue: Don’t Freak Yourself Out

How I Am Overcoming My Inner Critic and My Fear of Success by Lois Eighmy

A Writer Kissed by Inspiration (helpful for memoir writers)

10 Things to Celebrate About Being a Writer

Rocky Balboa’s Speech to Writers

“The Gate Keeper” – a universal prayer for writers

Written lovingly for this blog by guest blogger Sharon A. Kane

FOR THE WRITING to come
I must wait till I am “ready”
I cannot write on command
I must obey my inner workings:
I watch the chaos slowly organize
I feel the ponderances take shape
I set the stage for the ritual of “letting down”
For the ritual of the Gate Keeper letting down the gate
In order to write I must have an agreement with The Gate Keeper
That she will let down that gate and let me descend
That dark, still creative pool
Trolling the depths for words and phrases and images

When the Gate Keeper is sure I can say the words:
“Thank you for guarding and protecting me from
judgement and pain and shame
Yes! Stand your post while I descend to the levels of treasure
Where there is no critic or judge
Only imagination, sureness of truth, sureness of self
Where I know who I am
I know my life lessons
I’m ready to manifest
I’m ready right now
I’m conscious right now
I am awake right now!”

the words start to come,
one by one
then a trickle
then a stream
ideas take shape
setting the stage for
humor with belly laughs
and gravity with tears
and wisdom with stillness
and words are streaming a stream sure of its direction
whooshing, scaling rocks, and boulders and fallen trees,
cool clear water moving fast
cooling the ambient air past forest orchids and painted turtles and
bugs, lots and lots of bugs
till it meets another stream
the words come even faster now,
the images almost too fast
I can’t write fast enough
ink to paper, suddenly slow but I write,
and the streams start swirling
spiraling tornados, white caps and foam
we hit the rapids, the paper my kayak, the pen my oar,
the ongoing mist misting my eyes my face
the words rush as rushing water,
these waves of truth emerging from my head my heart my soul
no longer aware if I will reach someone
or make the world a better place
Because I am in the center of my self in the center of my knowing
I am writing speaking sharing my truth my story my experience
My life lesson, My challenge, even My obligation to open my self to the hungry others ready to resonate and receive permission,
ready to take their next steps,
ready to taste the watery ride
that is theirs for the taking,

Just step into the kayak and pick up the paddle,
let the water float you until
the urge to dip into the water
enlivens your paddle-wielding arms

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ABOUT SHARON A. KANE
I am a musician, energy healer, gardener and experimental cook. Convinced I couldn’t write, I started journaling to cope with challenging life events. Writing became the medium to move through the emotional work in a gentle way. My writing became the safe haven for the voice of my inner self.

Sharon blogs at: sophisticatedpeasant.blogspot.com

Mindy Speaks Her Fear About the 10K Day

MINDY LAWRENCE of MPL Creative has kindly allowed me to reprint some remarks she had shared by email.

This might be helpful to others, so I admire her courage in allowing me to include her name on this post.

Also, I know a technique that Mindy—or anyone experiencing fear or writer’s block—can use to encourage a breakthrough. Watch for it in RELATED TOPICS at the bottom of this post.

Here’s Mindy:

“The closer I get to ‘10K Day,’ the more I am sweating. I haven't produced anything over 1,000 words in a long time. I reached for my copy of FEAR OF WRITING and held it, white knuckled, reviewing all the reasons to just let it fly.

“I've been starting one story after another and dead-ending after a paragraph or two. I get started but find nowhere to go from there. Maybe I shouldn't worry about the ‘where’ and concentrate on the process.”

UPDATE 6/18/09: Despite the fact that Mindy was deep into preparations for a trip she was taking the next day, she racked up 5,000 words during her 10K Day! During one of her check-ins, she said, "Eye opening things are happening."

UPDATE 7/6/09 “This weekend I wrote 2200 words on my novel. I attribute my surge in writing to the 10K Write. Now I have 7200 words on my book. I plan on having a manuscript completed by the end of the year if at all possible. Thanks, Milli, for priming my writing pump. — Mindy”

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RELATED TOPICS

Writer's Block? Use the Whiplash of Your Inner Critic to Make It Across the Drawbridge

Mindy’s writing blog

10K Day: Rules of the Game

Writer’s Block? Use the Whiplash of Your Inner Critic to Make It Across the Drawbridge

THREE DAYS BEFORE Christmas, 2003, I was sitting in Wired! coffee house with Theresa and Daniel, two members of the Taos, New Mexico Fertile Material Writing Circle.

We were in the throes of what we always do in these writing circles, which is to pick a writing prompts from my book, write for about 45 minutes, and then take turns reading our stories out loud to the group.

(Ironically, the prompt we were working with that day was “Schmuckdom Never Pays.”)

Over the years I've had tons of fun in the writing circles. But, like most other writers, it's not all wine and roses. That's when I have to remember to use some of my own techniques—or tricks I've picked up in my travels—to break myself out of the funny farm.

(By the way, how come it's never actually funny when you're in there?)

This particular day I used the trick where you allow your Inner Critic to speak. Not simply to speak but to slander you; to paint a grisly picture of how woeful you are as a writer.

I find that the less you censor it (even though it's mean and horrible) the bigger breakthrough you're likely to have.

And I did. After I wrote this drivel (see below), suddenly the clouds opened up and the sunshine of a story idea poured through. I ended up writing something funny and even feeling good about my story. My companions liked it too.

The thing to remember is this: You are never going to feel like you're about to have a breakthrough. I certainly didn't. My skin was crawling with self-loathing and I could not see a light at the end of the tunnel.

You just have to keep going and trust that your feelings will change.

Here's what I wrote that day:

“I'm the leader of my own writing group, a group that uses writing prompts I invented, but I sure don't *feel* like a writer. I feel completely unmotivated to come up with a story line.

“Theresa and Daniel are sitting across from me writing furiously . . . thank God at least my prompts work on the other members of the group. I'm only writing this crap so I won't distract the real writers when they see me staring blankly at the wall for the entire writing session.

“Teresa’s already on the second page of her story. Maybe the caffeine from my breve will kick in soon and I'll be struck with inspiration. Ha.

“If I could somehow rustle up a story idea I would try to do something different with the character Caesar—the Chihuahua that gives Mr. Schmuck such a headache.

“Now Daniel has also turned the page. And Teresa’s on page three of her story! Maybe I can content myself with watching others derive pleasure and value from my writing prompts. In that way it least, Fear of Writing has been a success, even if only on a small scale.

“On the way to our writing circle I stopped to rent some videos. The second one I picked out was Gaby, the true story of a woman who was born with cerebral palsy and could communicate only by wriggling a toe, yet she went on to become a best-selling writer. I feel like a failure already just from reading the blurb on the back of the movie. Here I am, with all my senses intact, all my limbs in working order and a book full of writing prompts—so what IS my excuse??

“Why can't I feel more joy when it comes to writing? Everything feels like an over-chewed piece of bubble gum.

“In the land of Schmuckdom, I rule.”

Not sure how much it comes across to the reader, but I was feeling shame and low self-esteem (low? make that rock bottom) as I wrote this. But after I wrote the last line, somehow my mood shifted. Suddenly I was on fire to write the story that came flooding into my mind.

I believe this technique works for the following reason: While your Inner Critic stretches out and revels in its power trip, the subconscious mind tiptoes gently and slips in under the cracks.

Once the imagination takes over, the balance of power has shifted. And that's all you need.

P.S. If you have a copy of Fear of Writing, you'll find the writing prompt “Schmuckdom Never Pays” on page 203. In the e-book, if you're using the arrows to move between pages, it's on page 213.

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RELATED TOPICS

Fear of Writing: for writers & closet writers

Fear of Writing: the e-book

10K Day for Writers: Rules of the Game

Mission statement:

The purpose of a 10K Day is to try to write 10,000 words. The spirit of a 10K Day is to liberate myself and celebrate my creativity.


THIS DAY IS for you, so do what works for you. But these are the rules that have proven to produce the best results:

1. No editing or rewriting.

2. No looking back over what you’ve written during the 10K Day.

3. No rummaging—either in notebooks or in your computer files—for writing you did some other time.

4. No research. Make it up.

5. Don’t fuss about the rules of writing. Just write.

6. Don’t fuss with structure. You can format, add chapter headings (or whatever) some other time.

7. No struggling. (“Allow yourself to be crappy.” — J.R. Turner)

8. Take a 15-minute break every two hours. Use this break to refresh your body, brain and spirit.

9. Report to your writing companions during your break. These “check-ins” should be kept brief.

10. No agonizing over your word count. Yes, the goal is 10,000 words, but not at the cost of your peace of mind. This is not a competition—not even with yourself! Have fun instead.

Adapted from 10K in a Day by J.R. Turner

* WHERE TO POST YOUR CHECK-INS *

A special blog post for check-ins is created for each individual event. You can see an example of that here (scroll to the bottom of the following article to see the check-ins):

10K Day: Live While It’s Happening!

To get an idea of the wide range of results (and how the important thing is the spirit of the day, not the actual word count) go here:

June 18’s 10K Day Beat All Records for Massive Writing Fun!

If you have any questions, my email address can be located by clicking on my Blogger profile (right column, under my photo).

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RELATED TOPICS

10K Day: Recommended Preparations

10K Day: Survival Tips, Productivity Tricks

More . . .

How to Cheat on a 10K Day

Results of My First Ever 10K Day

10K Day: Recommended Preparations

YOUR 10K DAY will be more successful if you take the time to do a little advance prep. Below are some tips adapted from the article 10K in a Day by author J.R. Turner. Jenny has been a wonderful friend to me over the years, and it was she who introduced me to the glories of the 10K Day.

Prepare the Minds of Those Who Claim Your Time

Your 10K Day is for you.

If you're typically not very good at setting boundaries for your writing, this is a good time to start. Whether you attain the goal of writing 10,000 words that day is not the crux of the matter. Granting yourself that day is.

Let your friends and loved ones know ahead of time that you’ll be unavailable, except for matters of urgency.

Do as much as you can to minimize routine chores. Get the laundry caught up the day before (or catch up on it after your 10K Day). Do important errands the day before. Provide something extremely simple for the family dinner and assign someone to cook it.

My husband always cooks dinner for us on a 10K Day. This is not as heroic as it sounds. I supply him with a bag of Bertolli Complete Skillet Meal for Two (look for this range in the frozen section of your supermarket). All he has to do is dump it in the skillet, cook it for 6-10 minutes, and then serve it up.

They're actually quite tasty. And I can't tell you how heavenly it is to sit down to a hot meal—prepared by someone else!—after all those hours of writing.

Now Embrace the Joys of Being Dispensible

You can tell people to leave you alone until you’re blue around the gills but it's really up to you to police it. The low-stress way of doing this is to let your calls go to voicemail (or turn your cell phone off), log out of your e-mail and do not respond to text messages.

Oh, yes . . . and close the door to your writing area if you have one.

If you need to be available for emergency contact (this is often the case with mothers), decide ahead of time how to deal with this. Ideally, you don't want to listen to the phone ringing all day—part of you will be distracted, wondering who it is. That's why it's best to think it through ahead of time.

Gather Your Materials

You've probably already decided what you want to work on that day. Make sure you assemble everything you'll need the day before.

For instance, if you're writing an historical novel you'll probably want to have your research notes by your side. But if there’s something you really need to research before you can write the next section, do this in advance. 10K days are not for doing research.

Remember, This is Fun!

If you’ve started feeling some performance anxiety, chill out. You’re supposed to enjoy yourself. You don’t have to show anyone what you wrote that day. And you have nothing to prove to the world.

So you only wrote 1,999 words that day? Maybe that was precisely the breakthrough you needed.

Be Kind, Unwind!

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RELATED TOPICS

10K Day: Rules of the Game

10K Day: Survival Tips, Productivity Tricks

More . . .

10K Day: Not Sure What to Write About? No Worries!

How to Cheat on a 10K Day

Results of My First Ever 10K Day

10K Day: Survival Tips, Productivity Tricks

THOUGH FUN and rewarding, a 10K Day is very looooong. But you can take some simple actions to increase your staying power.

Furthermore, you can increase your productivity by eliminating some things you'd normally take for granted.

Start Your Morning Right

On the morning of your 10K Day, you should dress comfortably and eat a proper breakfast. I always start with two poached eggs and two slices of whole wheat toast.

Though you might be tempted to “save time” by skipping breakfast, trying to survive the day on snacks (especially if your snacks don't contain much protein) is going to drain your brain of energy big time.

Drink Plenty of Water

Another excellent way to fry your brain cells is to make them work harder than usual while letting them dehydrate. To avoid this kind of avoidable brain fog, drink water at regular intervals.

How to Magically Create More Time for Your Writing

Your family and friends are not the only distractions you'll need to tame. Are you addicted to Twitter, Facebook or the news channel? Does your idea of writing time involve reading posts on writing blogs and then leaving comments?

First, give a Viking-sized holler of courage:

RAAARRRGGHH!

Now log out of everything and turn off the TV.

You'll be amazed how much more writing you can get done without these time suckers!

Zen Writing

When you sit down to write on a 10K Day, you should rely solely on creativity, heart and courage.

J.R. Turner (the friend who introduced me to the 10K Day) advises that you should hide your hard copy dictionary and thesaurus. In addition, turn off spell check, grammar check and the thesaurus option in your word processing program.

J.R. says: “Eliminate as much as you can until it's simply you and the blank page—your imagination and the story, nothing else.”

It's not about finding the perfect word or creating flawless sentences. It's about losing yourself in your writing.

A Shower Late in the Day Can Work Wonders

From my 2006 article, Results of My First Ever 10K Day:

“By the end of the third session, I was royally burnt out. I really thought I wasn’t going to make it. I couldn’t imagine facing two more sessions and churning out another 4,000 words.

“I decided to have a longer break after the third session to try to revive myself. I took a shower, put on some fresh clothes and had something to eat. I was prepared to also go do something relaxing, such as read a light magazine—but to my surprise, by the time I was finished eating I was eager to dive in again.”

Stretch Your Body

Your poor body is going to suffer during a 10K Day. Being made to sit in a chair all day while you largely ignore its needs is not the kindest thing. You can do your body a great service by adding some stretches to your day.

Here’s a free (and quick to read) e-book about stretching correctly, complete with photos to illustrate how:

Stretches for Desk Jockeys by Robin Segal

Enjoy your 10K Day! — Milli

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RELATED TOPICS

10K Day: Rules of the Game

10K Day: Recommended Preparations

More . . .

10K Day: Not Sure What to Write About? No Worries!

How to Cheat on a 10K Day

Results of My First Ever 10K Day

How I Am Overcoming My Inner Critic and My Fear of Success

by guest blogger Lois Eighmy


EVERY TIME I begin a story, I hear my inner critic telling me it's a stupid idea. Or maybe she tells me it is a good idea, but not something I can do well.

Sometimes she may be right, but more often, she is not. I went through a long time of not writing anything because I let my inner critic tell me I was no good at it. What could possibly make me think I could write a good story?

Then I made an incredible discovery in 2006 when I heard about Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). In Nanowrimo, the point is to write 50,000 words in 30 days (typically during the month of November). They don't have to be good words. They don't have to make sense. You just have to sit down and write 50,000 words (roughly 1,667 words per day).

If you make it to 50K at the end of the month, you are a winner and you receive a winner's certificate. If you do not make it by midnight on the 30th day, you still have the satisfaction of having tried and done your best.

And let me tell you, if you tried and you stuck it out, you are still a winner in my book, whether you reached 50K or not!

I thought about what I would write for my first Nanowrimo Novel and I came up with a great story about the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. I did not do much preparing or outlining, but I created some quick characters and made a timeline for their births, deaths and the most important events.

When November 1 rolled around, I just began writing. I let the story take over instead of trying to make some sense out of it. It may seem like a sloppy way to write, but when you have not written anything in a long time, this is a good way to get the creative juices flowing again!

You have to shove the inner critic out of the way and ignore him or her and just write your heart out. It does not all have to make sense. It just has to be written.

So, how did I do on my first Nanowrimo Novel? Well, at one point early in the novel, I found my timeline wasn't working with the story and I took a few hours one night to rewrite it . . . AFTER I'd done my writing for the day . . . then I continued with the story AND I WON! I was so excited to have written a novel, from beginning to end, and I was ecstatic!

I was so pleased with my experience that I have participated in Nanowrimo in 2007 and 2008. And I've won both times. I plan on winning again in 2009, as well!

My inner critic still tells me that the only reason I won is because I'm a stay-at-home wife, and maybe she is correct. Or maybe she is not. Other people have gone on to complete novels while holding down more than one job or going to college while working, so that is certainly not the reason I finished. I finished because I ignored the inner critic while writing. I waited until the story was finished before unleashing my inner critic's fury.

Because of Nanowrimo, I have gone on to write eight more novels . . . and not all of them have been for Nanowrimo.

So what do I do with my stories now that the rough drafts have been written? That's a good question. This brings me to the other major struggle I have: the FEAR OF SUCCESS.

Fear of success? How can anyone be afraid to succeed, you might ask.

I am afraid of many things. I am a shy person, so I am afraid of the thought of reading aloud to other people (doing readings). I am afraid of doing meets and greets and having my photo taken for publicity. I am afraid of what the critics will have to say about my work, as all new writers probably are.

But I think there is something more to it than that. I think I am afraid that my “good ideas” will come to an end and I will be a failure in the long run. I think I am afraid that success will change me into someone I do not want to be. I am afraid . . . I am afraid . . . I am afraid. . . .

But just like the inner critic needs to be ignored during the writing process, my fear needs to be conquered if I want to be a published author. I just have to take baby steps. I have to take these steps in defiance of my fear.

Will I succeed? I have to believe I will. I will face my fear so I can move forward in making my dream of being a published author a reality. I will use my fear as a challenge, as something to strive to overcome. I will take one step at a time until there are no more steps to take. I will do this with each book I write that I want to publish. And I will stay positive and keep my head up.

I am a writer. I write to please myself. If others should happen to enjoy my stories, too, then that’s a happy bonus I’ll be thankful for!

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LOIS EIGHMY is a stay-at-home wife, artist and avid blogger (LMEighmy). Her art cards can be ordered as personalized greeting cards (Note Cards by Lois Eighmy). She writes short stories and novels and hopes to have them published one day soon. Lois lives in Arkansas with her husband and family and her cat, Chloe, but dreams of moving back to Maine, the land of her childhood.

Greeting card image, "Anthurium," Copyright © Lois Eighmy

New Writing Prompt: Sparkling Beasts & Glimmering Gods

THE PHILOSOPHER’S APPRENTICE, a novel by James Morrow, caused me to laugh on almost every page, ponder like a philosopher, and visualize parts of the book coming to life as a movie.

It also caused me to have a writing prompt moment. That’s when I notice something that begs to be made into a Fertile Material writing prompt.

On page 132 of The Philosopher’s Apprentice, I was reading about some hands-on learning for sisters Londa, Donya and Lolly proposed by their tutor, Jordan Frazier. The beauty of Jordan's astronomy lesson hit me with images of the night sky and creative juice, all at once.

I came up with the prompt below by generalizing what I read on page 132 and adding my own details to it. Then I emailed the author to show him the prompt, asking his permission to use the idea. James Morrow replied very graciously, and with a Yes.

I hope you enjoy the prompt! I encourage you to use it to write a story. At the end of this post you’ll find a link to a helpful companion article: “10 Tips for Using the Fertile Material Writing Prompts.”

Without further ado, here’s the prompt:

SPARKLING BEASTS AND GLIMMERING GODS
You are marooned on a Caribbean island with only your journal, the frosting pen from your niece’s Easy-Bake Oven and your moral guardian. While trying to figure out a use for your moral guardian on a tropical isle, he or she gets busy and sets you an assignment to distract you from your angst about “losing everything.” You are to study the night sky, thread the stars into constellations of your own making and then invent your own myths based on these new configurations.

With thanks to James Morrow and his book The Philosopher's Apprentice

If you do write a story using this prompt, please leave a blog comment and spills the beans on one or more of the following:

— Was it fun?

— Did you surprise yourself with the richness of your imagination?

— Would you like to see your story published on this blog?

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10 Tips for Using the Fertile Material Writing Prompts

Read Chapter One from The Philosopher's Apprentice by James Morrow

10K Day: Not Sure What to Write About? No Worries!

Related Topic: You're Invited: 10K Day for Writers, Thurs June 18

A 10K DAY has a way of building on its own momentum. But you’ve got to start somewhere, right? Don’t let that initial Blank Mind Syndrome stand in your way!

Whether or not you decide to participate in the 10K Day, this post will help—especially if you fall into one of the following categories:

(a) You have writer’s block aka fear of writing

(b) You’re working on a major project (eg. your first novel) but have trouble getting back in the writing groove each time you take a break from it

(c) You don’t have a major, or even a minor, project and you’re sorely in need of some new material to work on

(d) You want to use your 10K Day to write something a bit different to what you usually write.

Coming up over the next six days, I’ll be posting resources that will provide you with fun material to kick-start your 10K Day, as well as insider secrets for success. Here’s the line-up of goodies I’ve got planned for you:

— A new prompt I’ve created entitled Sparkling Beasts and Glimmering Gods

— Tips on how to survive and thrive during a 10K Day

— Six writing challenges courtesy of “Sunflower Ranch”

— A free course you can take to learn how to write stories for spiritual growth

— Writing prompts based on the signs of the zodiac

— Motivational articles from writers who know what it's like to be slogging through the writing trenches

(Here's one: How I Am Overcoming My Inner Critic and My Fear of Success by Lois Eighmy)

So check back each day for the next six days . . . and get ready to have plenty of stuff to write about on June 18!

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Related Topics:

You're Invited: 10K Day for Writers, Thurs June 18

10K Day: Rules of the Game

Sparkling Beasts and Glimmering Gods

You're Invited: 10K Day for Writers, Thurs June 18

I HEAR YOUR question telepathically. What the bloomin' heck is a 10K day for writers? Could “10K” possibly mean 10,000?

You guessed it. A 10K Day involves trying to type, scribble or otherwise inscribe 10,000 words in a single day.

Awww, wait! Before you hit the Next Blog button on the Blogger nav bar, give this fair consideration. Even if you think of yourself as a closet writer, chances are you'll find this activity liberating.

The set-up goes like this: Two or more writers agree to set aside an entire day to devote to writing. Email check-ins are used to keep in touch throughout the day, reporting on your progress—or bemoaning obstacles, if any happen to arise. These check-ins are incredibly motivating, during what is essentially a day of seclusion.

Seclusion is necessary to make the activity worthwhile. After all, if the world can intrude on you whenever it decides it wants to, how much writing will you get done?

Put yourself and your writing first for one day and reap the rewards!

Here are the basic “rules”:

— You don’t have to write 10,000 words. That’s just the goal. But you do need to commit to setting aside the day—and sitting down to write.

— You can start whenever you want to. If you’re an early riser, go for it. If you can’t stomach doing anything creative until at least noon, please honor your body clock.

— You can write whatever takes your fancy. It doesn’t have to be something ambitious, such as a novel.

— We’re all in this together so please consider yourself an equal with the other writers. You are celebrating your creativity. Nothing tops that, not even published books or writing awards. And some writers will be more prolific than others. There's no shame if you have a low word count. The real goal is to revel in your writing!

Game to at least try? Wonderful! Your first step is to leave a blog comment to let me know you want to join in.

Next step: Read 10K Day: Rules of the Game (opens in a new window)

I look forward to piling on the word count with you!

P.S. If you can’t participate on June 18 because you have to be at work, why not organize your own 10K Day on a Saturday and invite a writing friend or two? Don’t forget to let me know so I can announce it on my blog.

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RELATED TOPICS

10K Day: Rules of the Game

10K Day: Not Sure What to Write About? No Worries!

How to Cheat on a 10K Day

Results of My First-Ever 10K Day