Hello, and welcome to September! It’s an exciting time of year. Are you feeling ready to get organized and serious about your writing dreams? If so, today I’ve got a treat. First, a bit of backstory. Several weeks ago, I welcomed several new aspiring writers to my practice. Although they have different goals and plans […]
In the deep earth of many women’s lives dwells something nearly magical: a truthful, powerful river of longing, creative power and passion. You might not see this creative energy when you glance at the woman across from you in the produce section. You might not sense that underlying passion when she’s passing you with the […]
A few months ago, I spoke with an aspiring writer who spent most of her waking hours doing many good things. Except writing. This woman worked full-time, and was accomplished in her field. She paid attention to her body, and invested time and energy in regular exercise. She was attentive to her children, her spouse, […]
Summer. Is this time of year frustrating and destructive for your writing? If so, let’s chat. Some days, I experience summer as a languid and almost sensual force of flow and ease. This midyear season can be quite lovely as it cloaks us with heat, warmth, spaciousness, and an unmistakable invitation to have fun, take […]
At a Portland farmer’s market years ago, I once picked up a brightly-painted greeting card with this text on the front: “Not every day can be a feast of lanterns.” I bought several copies of the card, and shared them with a few friends through the years. Except for one. That one, I keep for […]
“The answer to all writing, to any career for that matter, is love.” -Ray Bradbury I’ve had the good fortune to coach some pretty accomplished men and women to finish their books and create a sustainable, happy writing habit. Know what I’ve noticed? Many of these men and women have turned personal illnesses, setbacks or […]
I still remember the first time I saw my husband on a skateboard. Years ago, he was still my boyfriend, and one day I drove towards the road he lived on for a visit. As I rolled up to a two-way stop sign in his neighborhood, I saw Jon speed by in front of me […]
WRITING & OVERWHELM So many writers I meet struggle with feeling totally overwhelmed. Partners, friends and family need attention. So do clients and bosses! It takes TIME to do life in a way that supports all of you: relationships, finances, professional attainment, health and wellness, spirituality, creativity and fun. And way too often, when we […]
Not long ago, I met a writer who desperately wanted cut through the clutter of her busy schedule and inner resistance so she could finally focus on writing. She had a book to finish. Her book was personally meaningful and commercially viable. Not only was its concept well-developed and the book half-written, she’d successfully lined up people […]
How’s your writing going these days? When you sit down to write, do you sometimes find that you have nothing to say? No new ideas? No curiosities to explore? No exciting insights or creative energy? Then what happens? Do you start to doubt yourself as a writer? Lose faith in your project? Do you force […]
Lazy (defined): a lack of desire to expend effort Do you have writing dreams you’re not pursuing with full effort (and heart)? Every week, I meet writers like you who are stuck, frustrated and aching to achieve their writing dreams. In the intimacy of our conversations, these smart, driven, frustrated writers share the same stories. Do […]
What are you choosing to focus your energy and attention on today? Are you living daily with a painful voice inside, a voice that calls you out constantly for how little you’re writing these days… how difficult it is to enjoy your writing, (once you finally sit down to try)… and how short your falling with […]
I’m not sure you’d ever guess this about me now, but this is true: Long before I moved to California, for nearly a decade in my late teens and early twenties, I struggled with a crippling clinical depression. My friends and classmates never knew my truth, for I worked hard to hide this pain. Inside, […]
Not long ago I realized just how off-track my mornings had become. I was checking my email upon waking and sampling blog stats before breakfast. Under the guise of “keeping up with business” I was cramming my mornings with “busyness.” No surprise that my days began to lack energy and inspiration! Use these three simple suggestions to fine-tune your own […]
Welcome to Q2! As of today, we are just a little more than 90 days into the new year. There’s a sense of fresh energy and new life in the air – do you feel it? Here in Northern California, the hillsides look almost impossibly green, and tiny blue wildflowers have begun to bloom outside […]
