Coach Marla Beck

writing career

Writing Support

You haven’t heard from me in awhile because, truthfully, it’s been challenging to type. I fractured my shoulder six weeks ago, while ice skating with my daughter. My injury is healing well, but wow… it did hurt. A word about the ice skating… Seems that I found a true, new passion a few months ago. […]

Writing Habit

How does it feel to achieve a big writing goal?   When you discipline your writing habits and finish what you write, you feel elated. Energized! Eager to pursue your next project and move your writing career forward. Pleased with yourself and your capacity to focus, persist and COMPLETE a writing project that may have […]

Writing

Even smart people believe stuff that’s not actually true. Take, for example, our culture’s love affair with striving. If you’ve ever worked hard to do life “right,” then you know what I mean. You may have worked hard, long hours, and then faulted yourself when your body rebelled against the stress. You may have baked the cookies, […]

Consistently Creative

Every day, I help writers step through the painful struggles that hold them back from creating fulfilling writing habits and careers. And every day – as a vocalist, musician and writer, I am traveling on this path, too. This weekend I found an old journal and I discovered a very clear intention I’d set, at […]

Women Warriors

I’ve been happy this month, watching my clients grow and thrive as writers and busy, passionate people in the world! There have been big wins. For instance, Pamela Toler, a woman who’s authored more than a few books to-date, just published an important book, one that’s infused with her wit and voice and squarely centered […]

creative practice

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 […]

creativity

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, […]

angry cat

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 […]

book

“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 […]

write

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

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 […]

follow up

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 […]

writing

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 […]

writing

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, […]

In any given week, I spend a minimum of 3 to 5 hours focused and engaged in creative work. (That’s 3% of my waking hours.  Not much time, right?  Never underestimate the power of a focused half-hour or hour of writing, though.  I get a lot done.  Even better, this modest investment yields so much good […]

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