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 […]
Last Sunday, I spent the day with eight talented singers in a daylong Vocal Improv masterclass. (If you like Bobby McFerrin, then you can imagine the kinds of sounds and songs we improvised together.) Setting a full day aside for myself wasn’t easy. Even your coach occasionally struggles to prioritize time for writing, art or […]
Take a moment to reflect with me. Can you remember a time when… …working on your personal writing projects was exhilarating and fun? …pitching your dream magazines felt thrilling? …submitting creative work to literary journals or contests was something you just did — each and every week? Remember how good it felt to focus on […]
Chances are, you got into freelance writing with your passion and dreams intact. Maybe, when you first started out, you dreamed of… getting paid to work in your pj’s and slippers… walking the dog during the workday and picking up the kids after school… doing a load of laundry or the dishes between assignments… making […]
In the past two weeks, my clients have been calling me with wonderful news — a book deal! A fellowship! A respected agent who asked to see more! Through our work together, my clients learn to hone their focus and achieve their writing goals from the inside out. Paying close attention to WHAT you pay […]
Last week I met a talented freelance journalist and content writer. She had so much going for her — great bylines; recurring assignments; a six-figure revenue; and a few big ideas to research and pitch. Despite these assets, this independent writer was missing two crucial elements that were keeping her stuck and unable to dig […]
The human mind has a peculiar tendency to amplify anything we focus on…especially, the negative. So let’s talk about your freelance writing career for a moment. What have you been thinking about lately? How good it felt to achieve your last writing milestone, or that time you tried to solve a writing problem…and failed? How […]
My client’s voice lit up brightly today as she recalled how fun pitching stories used to be when she was just starting out as a freelance writer. “I used to be so excited about finding ideas,” she said. “I loved it. I’d think, ‘Ooh, I see an idea in the world — I can develop that and bring […]
