Today is the day. Whether you’re bracing yourself against icy winds or basking in the early sunshine of spring, today is the perfect time to stand back and take a big-picture perspective on your writing. Looking for a writing prompt to open your vision? Try asking yourself this: Why do I write? Write down your […]
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 […]
It hurts not to write. Nearly every week, a midlife writer confesses the terrible pain they feel by being in a prolonged state of not-writing. Sometimes by accident, and often, via fear, these writers find themselves mired in a solid, good life, but a life that’s sorely lacking creative practice, growth and fulfillment. These busy writers… … […]
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 […]
I just got off the phone with a fascinating and motivated writer, a woman who confessed to me with shame that she must just be “too lazy” to write consistently. You see, for years, she’s struggled to create a regular writing habit. It’s not that this writer doesn’t have a bit of time to devote to […]
Have you been dying to quit your job so you can spend more time on your writing? This week, two of my clients did just that. One client left a professional position in an organization she’d outgrown, finally allowing herself the opportunities she needs to grow her writing career to its full potential. Another client, […]
Last night, it rained here in Northern California for the first time in many weeks. The air this morning is brisk, clean and fresh. The sky is a piercing blue, post-rain. Against this canvas, the greens of the leaves and shrubs seem rather electric and alive. Things inside my home feel more vivid and clear […]
Are you a midlife writer? Have you been struggling to put your writing first, when there are so many other responsibilities competing for your time, your attention and your focus? You are not alone. One of the biggest challenges busy, midlife writers share with me is this: they know how to hit their deadlines for […]
A personal note today. My mother’s death this time last year was the last of a series of profound, life-altering events that have steadily cascaded through my experience since 2012. The past five years have been an arduous passage for me, a time in life that has required me to draw on and develop deep […]
A few years ago, I worked with a writer I’ll call “Trudy.” Trudy was a thoughtful, ambitious woman who cultivated a busy personal life and a successful career she truly cared about. In nearly everything this determined woman focused on, Trudy excelled. On paper, you’d say Trudy had “made it” — for Trudy consistently made […]
Yesterday was the first (non-holiday) Monday of 2018. Were you excited to wake up? Eager to start your day? Did you walk through your day feeling on-task and highly capable? Sexy and empowered? Happy? Did you glow with that alluring kind of aliveness that comes from being creatively awake and engaged again? If not, then why? Are […]
One of my favorite clients came to me with a terrible ache and longing to get back to her writing. She’d tried, unsuccessfully, to devote more time to creative writing and she’d tried, unsuccessfully, to focus on her projects until they were done. Year after year, she attended literary readings and supported her friends’ writing […]
A few days ago, I backed my car out of our driveway and onto the road. I quickly shifted gears and pressed the accelerator. Although I’d shifted the transmission into DRIVE, I immediately noticed a significant drag on my car’s momentum. The car was moving forward — just not very fast! That’s what happens, I […]
Last night I stayed up late, researching Christmas presents online. I bookmarked items and filled my shopping cart. I made mental lists and discovered a few items I might like, too. Quite a lot of mental energy and time can go into holiday gift-giving, yes? As this year’s season of celebration and generosity unfolds, I […]
