I write a lot. My habit is to write something, anything, every day. Sometimes it’s good, I have day when I even like what I have written. Mostly I look back at my writing and think of things I should have or could have done differently. Sometimes writing is a duty, and I’m just finishing …
writer
When Other People Kill Your Creativity
Recently, I was working on what I’m sure would have been a great blog post when I received a snotty text message from a friend on an unrelated topic. Stupidly, I stopped typing to pick up the phone and read the message. It took me ten minutes to stop being pissed off and start typing …
When People Don’t Understand
Not long ago I wrote a blog post about something that both made me sad and forced me to think about my personal values (read it here: The Person I Don’t Want To Be). I posted a link to this in one of the writers groups that I belong to because I am interested in …
The Best Reason To Act On Your Ideas
For the past couple weeks, I’ve had an idea for a blog post knocking around in my head and notes for it jotted on various scraps of paper. I’ve been thinking about writing about minimalism and how it’s good for creativity. I may have thought about this one for too long, because today in various social …
The Scariest Thing in the World
During a recent bout of procrastination, I realized that blank pages are the scariest thing in the world. Not because writing is difficult (though it often is), or even because what I consider my best writing is painful for me to produce, let alone for me to show to others. Blank pages are scary because they …
Creating After Success
I’ll be honest: I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself over this post. It has to be great, I tell myself. I have to write something that people will like, because they liked my last post, and now I don’t want to disappoint anyone. That’s why this post has been two weeks in …
Are You Really Wasting Time?
I don’t think it’s possible to waste time. Sure, we’re only given so much, but how can you waste it? Waste money, sure. Waste water, or food, or fuel? Definitely possible. How can you waste time? It passes at the same speed regardless of if you’re using it to watch bad Alaskan reality TV shows …
Why I Call Bullshit on Writer’s Block
Last night I was rereading Anne Lamott’s book Bird by Bird when I came across something that annoyed me. Anne says everyone will be stricken by writer’s block at some point in their creative pursuits. I choose to call it what it is: Writer’s Laziness, Writer’s Procrastination, Writer’s Emptiness, or sometimes, Writer’s Raging Case of …
Fear of Failure
I wrote for years without showing my work to anyone because I was afraid of the reaction I would get. I wasn’t prepared to hear that my work needed work. And I really wasn’t prepared to hear that my work was good, that I should publish it. When I did start sharing my work, I …
Why a Niche?
I’d like to slap people who advise you to find your niche. Seriously, who do they think they are? Niche means a place or position suitable for a person or thing. I’m pretty sure that means wherever the fuck you are (with few exceptions, which I’ll leave out for the sake of brevity). There. Problem …