Tag: focus

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The Intentional Writer

Stop Feeling Overwhelmed, Adopt a Quarterly Focus

The intentional writer

I am easily overwhelmed when I think about all the things I should be doing to market my book and increase my platform. Grow social media following, SEO research, lead magnets, guest posts, ad split-testing, etc. (Not to mention working on my next book and dealing with the rest of life.)

I work on one thing for a day or two, then I hear I should be doing that other thing, so I switch to working on it instead. And at the end of the week I feel like a failure because I haven’t made any significant progress in any of them.

Does this sound familiar?

Then read on…

A simple strategy to avoid feelin project overwhelm

Stop trying to do it all!

Really.

It’s impossible to focus on every marketing tactic at once, anyway. Not only is is impossible, it will lead to poor results and lots of frustration. Instead, focus on one area at a time.

Big projects like marketing a book—or writing, polishing, and submitting a book—are marathons rather than sprints. The overall success is an accumulation of efforts over a long time span.

This allows us to prioritize one aspect for a period of time and then switch to another. The key is choosing a long enough time period to allow for success.

Try the quarterly approach

Break your year into three-month quarters. Assign a different marketing focus for each quarter. Plan out at least four or five quarters, so that you can cover all the important bases.

An example of using the quarterly focus strategy:

QuarterMarketing focus
April-June:Grow email list
July-Sept.:Grow social media following on one or two accounts
Oct.-Dec.:Run ads and offer a discount to boost sales
Jan. – March:Get spots on podcasts or radio shows
April-June:Learn how to use a new platform effectively (such as Facebook Live, or YouTube, or TikTok)

This quarterly focus strategy helps you:

  • Stay focused
  • Stay motivated
  • Manage time wisely
  • Avoid feeling overwhelmed and giving up
  • Have more time to really do something well
  • Assess how your area of effort affects book sales (because you aren’t trying five things at once.)

Of course, you shouldn’t completely ignore other marketing tactics in the meantime, but you can give yourself permission to do the bare minimum to maintain them while keeping the chosen area the priority.

I hope this quarterly focus strategy helps you face your next big project with more confidence and less stress.

Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her first novel, Death and a Crocodile, garnered a gold medal in the Illumination Book Awards.

In addition to writing novels, Lisa blogs about living with authenticity and purpose. Visit her at www.lisaebetz.com. Facebook LisaEBetzWriter Twitter @LisaEBetz and Pinterest Lisa E Betz Intentional Living.

Categories
Devotions for Writers

The Dastardly D of Distraction

devotions 
The squirrel ran across the patio steps.
The phone rang.
The dishwasher beeped.

How can you focus on words when the world keeps interrupting?

Do you ever feel like everyone wants a piece of you? Jesus did. In Mark 1:37 the disciples said, “Everyone is looking for You!”

Parents of toddlers can relate to the constant barrage of questions. Who can think when you’re in such demand? But, is there a distinction between different kinds of disruptions?

Some distractions are good:

              A water break rehydrates.

              A bathroom break gets a stiff back into motion.

Some distractions are bad:

              A phone conversation can go longer than expected.

              A grocery run can interrupt the flow of words.

Distractions can be bad.

Some advocate switching up tasks to give left brain/right brain stimulus.

Some declare, “Stick to the same activity to prolong concentration.”

So, what’s a person to do, when combating the Dastardly D of Distraction?

Group similar activities together to save time.

              Save a trip away from your desk by grouping errands together.

              Do a brain dump of your week’s schedule.

Can you listen to podcasts while in commute, or read a book while waiting for an oil change?

Could you swap after-school carpool with another parent?

Find ways to condense tasks to save time and energy.

Most of all, find what works for you.

Exercise:

Make a Ben Franklin List. On the left, write: Good Distractions. On the right: Bad Distractions. List ways you get distracted daily, then note how they can be turned into a positive. i.e. The dog needs to go outside. This could be a positive when you take a walk together and get the blood circulating!

Look up the following verses and jot down how Jesus responded. How would you respond?

  • Matthew 19:13-14 The disciples thought children were an interruption.
  • Mark 6:30-44 How did Jesus turn an interruption into an opportunity?
  • Mark 10:46-52 Who created the distraction?
  • Luke 9:1-6 What extra stuff hinders your progress?
  • John 4:34 What was Jesus’ purpose?
  • John 11:54 Why did Jesus avoid publicity?
  • Luke 10:40 Martha was distracted and almost missed the blessing.

Jesus knew His Father’s work meant something different than what others expected of Him. (Mark 1:35-39) He healed people out of compassion, but He had a greater purpose.

What is your greater purpose and how will it change your response to distractions? Will “some” commandeer your time, or will you take command of the Dastardly D of Distractions?

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Break Through the Fog

Recently I heard an update about the long-term effects of those who have survived Covid-19. Not only can the virus cause damage to every organ it goes through, but it can also have lasting effects on our brains via our brain stem.

In regards to our brains, the virus can cause severe brain fog that inhibits survivors from being able to focus or maintain a train of thought for long. As a TBI survivor, I know all about brain fog.

Although I am more than 20 years removed from my accident, I still deal with the lingering effects daily. Some days are better than others and some days I can’t remember what day it is. My brain fog is pretty humbling in its ability to shut me down.

  • My short-term memory is shot.
  • The ability to focus is limited.
  • Motivation to get started is impaired.
  • Sometimes I can’t even put my thoughts into audible words.

The latter effect is rare, but debilitating, especially as a writer. We writers are wordsmiths; our job is to put words together to communicate a clear message.

The ability to think and communicate clearly is a necessity for writers. You don’t have to have a brain injury like me to suffer the consequences of brain fog or writer’s block; but, you do need to know what it is and how to handle it.

Brain Fog!

First off, we need to understand that brain fog isn’t a medical issue in itself, but may be an underlying symptom of one. Common symptoms are: memory problems, lack of mental clarity, poor concentration, inability to focus.1

Most of the time we writers describe it as writer’s block, but the issue is deeper than not being able to write or a lack of creativity; something is happening beneath the surface that needs to be addressed.

Medical experts have identified potential causes of brain fog that strikes both writers and the disabled alike.

  1. Stress – Chronic stress can increase blood pressure, weaken the immune system, and trigger depression. It can also cause mental fatigue. When your brain is exhausted, it becomes harder to think, reason, and focus.
  2. Lack of sleep – Poor sleep quality can also interfere with how well your brain functions. Sleeping too little can lead to poor concentration and cloudy thoughts. Aim for 8 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
  3. Hormonal changes – Hormonal changes can also trigger brain fog. Levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen increase during pregnancy. This change can affect memory and cause short-term cognitive impairment. Similarly, a drop in estrogen levels during menopause can cause forgetfulness, poor concentration, and cloudy thinking.
  4. Diet – Diet can also play a role in brain fog. Vitamin B-12 supports healthy brain function, and a vitamin B-12 deficiency can bring about brain fog. If you have food allergies or sensitivities, brain fog may develop after eating certain foods. Possible culprits include: MSG, aspartame, peanuts, dairy. Removing trigger foods from your diet may improve symptoms.
  5. Medications – If you notice brain fog while taking medication, talk with your doctor. Brain fog may be a known side effect of the drug. Lowering your dosage or switching to another drug may improve your symptoms. Brain fog can also occur after cancer treatments. This is referred to as chemo brain.
  6. Medical conditions – Medical conditions associated with inflammation, fatigue, or changes in blood glucose level can also cause mental fatigue. For example, brain fog is a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome, which involves persistent fatigue for longer than six months. People who have fibromyalgia may experience similar fogginess on a daily basis. Other conditions that may cause brain fog include: anemia, depression, diabetes, Sjögren syndrome, migraines, Alzheimer’s disease, hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases such as lupus, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, dehydration.1

The important thing to remember is: Don’t panic. Even severe cases of brain fog and writer’s block will pass once you take the necessary actions to correct them.

Stay Calm!

The neurological effects of stress/anxiety can affect our bodies physically because they are connected. The trick to getting through physical stress is to stay calm and preserve mental health.

Below are my main steps to dealing with brain fog and stress.

  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Proper nutrition.
  • Take breaks.
  • Limit caffeine intake.

A lot of my writer friends would argue with my last tip. I have colleagues who live off of caffeine. The problem is that caffeine can actually make stress worse. Caffeine stimulates our nervous system and damages our neuroreceptors over time, which is why it takes more to work as we get older. The damage is done by overstimulation.

Medically speaking, the brain’s primary source of energy is glycogen, which comes from carbohydrates and even sugar, not caffeine. Besides, most of us know caffeine increases heart rate along with anxiety levels and that is no way to break through the fog!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  https://www.healthline.com/health/brain-fog

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Declutter Your Writing Life

The intentional writer

In my blog about living intentionally I often talk about decluttering—not just in our homes but in all areas of life. My definition of clutter is as follows:

Clutter: any thing, activity, expectation, or task that is non-essential and gets in the way of doing what matters most. Clutter is everything that is not meaningful, useful, or beautiful. 

So then, decluttering is the removal of all that is non-essential so that we can focus on what matters most—in our case, writing and promoting our books and our message.   


Areas where you might need to remove some clutter

  1. Your workspace. Does your workspace encourage productive work or does it contain objects that distract you? Are the tools and information you need readily available, or is your workspace filled with other stuff that doesn’t help your writing but happens to “live” in that space? Can those non-essentials be moved elsewhere?
  2.  Virtual clutter. When you sit down to write, are there virtual things that distract you? Perhaps you need to turn off social media notifications, close internet tabs, or even disconnect with the internet altogether while you write. Perhaps you need to leave your phone in another room. Or perhaps the weight of unprocessed emails has gotten so heavy it hinders your focus. Would an hour spent sorting your inbox and dealing with simple tasks declutter part of your brain and give you more bandwidth to create well?
  3. Unfinished projects. Do you have unfinished writing projects lurking in the back corners of your mind that make you feel guilty? Perhaps you need to declutter them from your to-do list. Life happens and your priorities change. It’s OK to change your mind about a project and decide something else is a better use of your time, but when you do, put the old projects completely away—physically and mentally. They do not need to be fed or watered. You can ignore them completely, and they will still be there if you ever want to revisit them.
  4. Too many spinning plates. Are you trying to keep up with all the big social media platforms, blog weekly, promote your new book while working on two others, and fill up every weekend with speaking engagements? Perhaps you need to declutter your schedule. Return to your Why and your career goals for this season. Identify which writing activities are essential and which are not-so-essential. Thinning out your schedule will help you become more productive and do your best work on what is left.
  5. Other people’s methods. No two writers are the same. Therefore, no two writers follow the same writing process or find the same promotion techniques helpful. I know many writers who have tried Mr. Expert’s method for writing only to give themselves a major angst-filled case of writer’s block. By all means, try any method that sounds like it might work, but also know when to discard that expert advice and do what works best for your unique brain. If your process is working, declutter any guilt you might feel for not following the experts. If your process is not working, perhaps you need to jettison a method that doesn’t suit your creative style.
  6.  Expectations. This is a huge area for all of us (and not just in regard to writing). Unhelpful (or unsolicited) expectations can sabotage our self-confidence, creativity, and willingness to share our words with others. What expectations do you need to declutter from your writing life? Comparing your writing to a best-selling author? Listening to friends who think you should have several books published by now? Beating yourself up for once again failing to hit your five-thousand-words-per-day goal? Your success is based on who you are as God’s child, not on what you write, how much you write, or how well it sells.
  7. False Aspirations. Every now and then I go through my bookshelves (both the real ones and the virtual ones) looking for titles of books I aspire-to-have-read but I don’t particularly want to actually read. Sometimes we face a similar issue in our writing. We may aspire to write literary fiction (because it proves how masterful and intellectual our writing is) or crime thrillers (because they sell well) while what our heart and God are actually calling us to is a different genre. Perhaps you need to declutter some unhelpful aspirations and come to terms with what you are best suited to write (in this season of your life, anyway), even if it’s not as glamorous, as spiritual, or as saleable as you think writing ought to be.

I hope these decluttering suggestions will help you write with better focus, more contentment, and greater creativity.

What other kind of writing clutter have you discovered in your life? Let me know in the comments.

Award-winning writer Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a unique story to tell the world. She loves inspiring fellow writers to be more intentional about developing their craft and courageous in sharing their words. Lisa shares her words through speaking, leading Bible studies, writing historical mysteries, and blogging about living intentionally.

You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter Twitter @LisaEBetz and Pinterest Lisa E Betz Intentional Living.

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Top Self-Quarantine Bestsellers?

lighter look at a writer's life

So, how’s life going, y’all?

As I write this post, our country has been in pandemic lockdown for over two months. States and communities are slowly reopening, but life certainly feels different.

Know what else is different? Writing and creativity in a pandemic.

You would think days and days on end at home would lead to lots and lots of writing. You would think that would be true, but it hasn’t necessarily been for me.

I have been working from home (for which I am extremely thankful), and that has kept me very busy. I have been doing a lot of baking and, therefore, a lot of eating. Eating time can really eat into your writing time (see what I did there). And all of these television shows aren’t going to watch themselves.

On the other hand, thinking about what kind of books might be written during this time of self-quarantine, I have come up with some ideas. Here, in no particular order, are my top ten isolation book concepts:

1. –Zoomin’ for You: A Video-Conferencing Love Story

2. Sleep Pants of the World: A Comfortable Pictorial History

3. What Day is It: A Cozy At-Home Mystery

4. Lounging Around: Lifestyle Devotions for Not-So-Busy People

5. Who’s That Masked Grocery Shopper: Where’s Waldo for Adults

6. Honey, I Don’t Want to Do Anything on the List: Procrastination on Steroids

7. The New Hygiene: Getting by on a Shower a Week

8. Wiped Away: The Search for Toilet Paper

9. School’s Not Out: Homeschooling for the Perpetually Frustrated

10. Corn-Teen: 500 Easy Recipes for Isolation Weight Gain

Of course, I must mention a bonus title, proposed in last month’s post: How to Pull Your Hair Out: Releasing a Book During a Pandemic (I know this one all too well, as previously documented).

On a serious note, I am looking forward to the works developed during this time at home, from dedicated, disciplined writers who have taken the time to create. I salute you for your determination and for your good use of time. To be honest, I have worked on some legitimate ideas for actual projects. I have lots of thoughts on sticky notes, ready to be transformed into actual stories, as soon as I can find them all and put them together.

I’ll get to those—right after my tenth snack of the day.

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate–all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

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Guest Posts

The Comparison Trap: Eight Ways to Avoid It

Sometimes I look at the work of other authors and feel my abilities fall short. It doesn’t matter that God’s call is unmistakable, it’s still too easy to wonder if he can really use what I do. But it doesn’t matter if I am not as talented, or intelligent, or educated as other writers. God wants me to use what he’s given me for his purposes and the blessing of others.

Since you might struggle like I do, I’d like to share some steps you can take to avoid becoming ensnared by the dreaded comparison trap. 

Just Show Up: You win half the battle when you just sit yourself down before your computer or pad and pencil. “Lord, help me here. I feel dry and dull and I don’t know how to do this.” Then just dive in and start writing, no matter how terrible your efforts seem. The enemy of your soul likes nothing better than to discourage you and “just showing up” is an act of spiritual warfare.

Practice gratitude: The Lord is good and gives so many good things. Gratitude shifts your focus from the gift to the giver and opens your heart to receive more from him. Thank him for the gift he’s given you, for what he helps you to write, and the results that come from it. Gratitude is an act of worship. And just as importantly, thank the Lord for those other authors and what he’s given them.

Adjust your focus: It’s not about you. Keep your eyes on the Lord. If you worry about what you can produce, if you can impress, if people will like you or read what you’ve written, you’ve fallen into the pride trap. With a humble heart, offer up your gift and efforts to God, eager to see what he will do with them. 

Examine Your Priorities: What’s important to you will drive your life and your writing and decide their final outcomes. Success as a Christians writer depends on your greatest priority: intimate relationship and fellowship with your heavenly Father. That’s when the rivers of living water that Jesus promised can flow out of you through your writing to the spiritually thirsty. 

Look at the heart: As human beings, we are drawn to the outward appearance. It’s not about if you write as well as the next person but if your heart is lined up with God and his purposes. It’s when you are worried about producing or performing, trying to measure up, or “meet your quota” that writer’s block attacks.

Relinquish control and trust God: Your talents were never yours to begin with, so turn over the controls. God wants to use you and your writing to expand his kingdom. Ask him who your target audience should be and what and how he wants you to write to them. As you write with his help, ask the Holy Spirit to minister to the hearts of your readers. He can take just a few sentences from your article or a paragraph from your book and use it to change a life that will then touch others and echo through eternity.

Refine and grow your skills: Although it’s not about how talented or smart you are, working towards improving your skills is a necessity. Studies show it takes at least 10,000 hours of doing something to master it. Read books on writing, attend seminars and conferences, complete writing exercises designed to develop your proficiency. Network with and learn from other writers with more experience. Study the classics and see how those authors did it. 

Never give up: Someone once said that the one way to ensure something never happens is to give up. You are employing your talents for the Lord and for his kingdom, and he calls you to faithfulness. He never gives up on you so don’t you quit either. 

This is not about competition, about seeing who can be the most successful or productive. That’s the world’s mindset. It’s about joyfully working together to bring God glory. Falling prey to the comparison trap hinders your own creativity. But remembering it’s all about God and the needs of others will free you to be all he meant you to be as an individual and as an artist.

Cheryl Weber is located in beautiful Lancaster County PA and enjoys writing fiction, devotionals, and the occasional humor piece. She has ministered in a dozen different nations in missions and as staff of the School of Writing with Youth With a Mission. In the fall of 2017, she served as a journalist for a medical team working with YWAM Ship’s ministry in Papua New Guinea. Just a few of her stories from that trip can be found on her website at:  https://cheryllynneweber.com/cheryls-recent-adventures/

Categories
Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #14 – Stay on Mission

I’m writing this post at a time when our world is in shut-down mode. Stores are closing their doors, travel has been restricted, and the term self-quarantine has suddenly risen from the shadows of the past and roosted in our everyday vernacular. Life right now seems like a sci-fi WIP—being written by a pantser. And yet again there’s the … waiting. Waiting for answers, waiting for a cure, waiting for some assurance that this virus won’t be the tiny straw that breaks the world’s hope.

Ah, but we know the true author of the story, and we know that He is where our hope lies. None of this has taken God by surprise. He’s still on His throne and still in control. So, what do we do during our time of waiting?

Here are a few tips to help us stay on mission.

  1. – Social distancing does not have to keep us apart. Can you imagine how much more difficult the separation would be if we did not have the benefit of technology? I shudder at the thought. Now is the time to take full advantage of every online networking opportunity available. Our connections with each other are vital to God’s plan. He created each of us to fit together like puzzle pieces for His purposes. Wouldn’t it be just like the enemy, that schemer, to use this time to divide and conquer us? We can’t let him. We must choose to band together in every safe and possible way. I’ve added some links below to help with this.
  2. It has been said that the instruction to fear not occurs exactly 365 times in the Bible. I’ve not counted these occurrences for myself, but I believe it. It’s as if God doesn’t want us to live one single day in fear, so he gives us a verse for each day.  One important thing I’m learning about fear is that it has zero power in my life when it is brought into the presence of God’s perfect love. His perfect love casts out all fear. But wrangling that fear from the confines of my worry and anxiety and casting it into the truth of God’s love—requires trust. In this time of uncertainty, when it’s hard to discern truth from fiction, one thing is sure. We have a God who can be trusted. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. May we all move into that trust and away from fear.
  3. Many of us have extra time on our hands now that the demands of our overly-busy lives have been temporarily suspended. With fear out of the way, let’s use the spare time to move forward into our callings. Let’s draw near to God, deepen the relationships we have with our families, write something every day. Remember, this period of waiting is not a bump in the road—It’s a springboard. As C.S. Lewis once said, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”

Scripture: 1 John 4:18, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Fun Fact or Helpful Resource:

Here are some great ways to connect with others online:

  1. Join a critique group where you can share your work with other writers and receive valuable feedback. There are many out there. But Word Weavers Intl. is my fave.
  2. There are private writers’ groups and clubs you can join online. Serious Writer has a club that I love. They not only provide networking opportunities, they offer training and other amazing perks.

Annette Marie Griffin is a award-winning writer who speaks at local women’s group meetings and women’s retreats on the topic of biblical womanhood and finding our identity in Christ. She is the Operations and Events Coordinator at a private school for special needs students and is the editor of their quarterly newsletter. She has written custom curriculum for women’s retreats and children’s church curriculum for Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas where she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Family Program Director for over twenty years. She and her husband John have five amazing children and two adorable grands. She’s a member of Word Weavers International, ACFW, SCBWI, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Creative Writing Institute.

Categories
Guest Posts

Overcome This Temptation if You Want to Finish Your Book

When you first start working on a new book, everything feels great. But then somewhere along the way, something changes. You begin to struggle. You’re not sure what the next scene should be. Characters start acting in ways you didn’t expect, or maybe the pacing slows down. 

What do you do then?

If you’re like the majority of writers, you start to doubt yourself. You wonder if this story is any good. You may begin to think it’s no longer worth the effort. 

Then out of the blue, you get another idea. A much better idea. You think perhaps you should abandon the story you’ve been working on and try the new idea instead. Just the thought of doing that makes you feel better. 

Watch out! This type of thinking is dangerous and could have long-lasting negative effects on your career.

Writers Watch Out for the Shiny Object Syndrome

Writers are creative people. We love thinking about new ideas. 

Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to this part of our personalities. We can fall victim to a condition called the shiny object syndrome. This is the tendency for a writer to chase after a new idea rather than stay focused on what she’s already working on.

Picture a child playing with bubbles. He will run after one shiny bubble until it pops, and then another and another, constantly changing his focus and direction. It’s fun, but it doesn’t accomplish much.

A writer is afflicted with shiny object syndrome if she abandons a project into which she’s invested considerable time to chase after another idea she thinks is better.

This syndrome is extremely dangerous to a writer’s career. I know from personal experience.

How Shiny Object Syndrome Hurts a Writer’s Career

I spent many years writing novel-length manuscripts before I finally got one published. During that time, I abandoned many manuscripts because I fell victim to shiny object syndrome.

I would get about halfway through the book and start to struggle. I know now it’s perfectly normal to have difficulties in the middle of a book, but I didn’t know that then. I assumed if I was having trouble, something was wrong with the story idea.

Right when my struggle was greatest, shiny object syndrome would appear. I would start to think of other ideas I could pursue, and those other ideas would sound better than the one I was working on. Soon I would succumb to the syndrome, abandon the story I was working on, and start over with a new one.

What this process got me was a lot of years of writing manuscripts I never finished. Finally, it became clear what was going on. My story ideas weren’t bad at all. I just didn’t have the skills I needed to complete them.

7 Ways to Defeat Shiny Object Syndrome and Finish Your Book

How can you tell if you’ve fallen victim to shiny object syndrome? Ask yourself if any of these sound familiar to you:
· You have a long list of story ideas but none of those stories have been completed. 
· You constantly start new stories but don’t finish them.
· Your computer or desk is full of unfinished manuscripts. 
· You like to start new stories, but you rarely have a plan for how you’re going to finish them.
· You’ve been working on one story for years, but can’t seem to finish it.

If any of these statements seem to apply to you, try the following tips. 

1. Write it down: When a new idea occurs to you, write it down and store it in an idea box or on a file on your computer or cell phone. Don’t jump ship to pursue it until the project you’re working on is completed.

2. Understand that “new” isn’t “better”: Understand that any idea you have for a book is just an idea. What matters is your ability to execute that idea in a novel-length manuscript. That’s where the real challenge is. 

3. Commit to your story: Any book or even a short story takes a significant investment of your time and energy. Make sure you’re in love with the idea and you have a powerful motivation to write it before you begin, then commit to finishing it.

4. Keep quiet: Talking with other writers can be fun, but if you leak your story idea before you finish the book, watch out! Other writers will chime in. “You could set the story in this location!” they might say, or, “How about so-and-so for an antagonist?” These new ideas may seem better to you, throwing you off course. 

5. Realize that getting stuck is normal: Most writers experience a struggle in the middle of a story. It’s normal. So when you reach that point, don’t despair. Get help if you need to, and keep writing.

6. Keep going: Writers must keep going no matter how tough the story gets. Take stock of what you’ve done so far. Create an outline of the chapters you’ve completed. Brainstorm solutions to whatever problems you’re facing. Turn to craft books and mentors when needed. Keep trying while learning to live with the discomfort. Eventually, you will find a way through! 

7. Understand the value of having completed projects:Remember that success as a writer is based entirely on those projects you complete and publish. We can often fool ourselves into thinking that the ideas in our heads are completed ideas, but you can’t build a career on your thoughts. Completed stories are what matters. Focus on finishing no matter what. 

Note: For more guidance on how to finish the creative projects you start—including the 5 things you must have to complete your book—get Colleen’s FREE mini-course here !

Colleen M. Story inspires writers to overcome modern-day challenges and find creative fulfillment in their work. Her latest release, Writer Get Noticed!, was the gold-medal winner in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards (Writing/Publishing 2019). Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018, and her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. Find more at these sites:

www.colleenmstory.com
www.writingandwellness.com
www.writerceo.com
Twitter: @colleen_m_story

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Stay Focused

One of the biggest problems most people with brain injuries experience is problems with attention / concentration. Sometimes it seems no matter what precautions or measures I take, I cannot stay focused on what I am trying to do. Regardless of adequate rest and sleep, exercise and setting, focus can elude me.

One time while I was learning to walk again, my neuropsychologist called out my name, distracting me just long enough for me to walk face-first into the doorjamb of the door I was about to walk through. I am the epitome of someone who cannot walk and talk at the same time. My focus is on where I am going.

Even my eyesight is affected by my brain injury, my eyes do not focus as fast as a normal person’s eyes, this is part of the reason I am legally blind. For these reasons, I am an anti-multitasker.

It seems like everywhere I turn people are trying to do a hundred things at once. In my opinion, multitasking can hinder performance instead of enhancing it. I want to refer back to the cliché I heard while I was growing up, “Jack of all trades, but masters of none.”

People want to do a little of this and a little of that and in the end do a whole lot of nothing. I don’t care how trendy it is to multitask; quality always suffers in the end. I see people all the time in the gym trying to read while working out. When they finish working out they get none of the benefits of either, because they never get a quality workout and they forget most of what they read.

Before anyone gets up in arms about this, rest assured medical science has proved this already, multitasking is an illusion at best[i]. It does more harm than good.

  • Less Attentiveness.
  • Impedes learning.
  • Limits mindfulness.[ii]

For these reasons, I like to complete one project at a time. I can have other projects on my mind and write notes down about them, but I never begin writing anything until I finish a project I’ve already started.

Although this may seem time-consuming and counterproductive to some reading this, for me it’s the best way to get the quality writing I strive to produce. I’m determined to stay focused.

Focus?

When I first began blogging over a decade ago, I wanted to create content that was deep and meaningful; I wanted to make an impact on my audiences. So I spent a lot of time writing in an attempt to add depth to my words.

Soon my posts were 4,000 words in length. In my mind, I equated length with depth, but after years of studying, I’ve learned the opposite is true. Because the human attention span is so short, more words can take away from our message.

When we lose our audiences’ attention, we lose our purpose for writing, all because we’ve lost the focus of our message. After my writing mentor read my blog, she pointed out that I had two or three different blogs combined into one.

She advised me to write shorter more focused blogs. Which meant I needed to stay focused on my message and weed out excess.

Like most writers and creatives I like using certain literary devices to emphasize my point, such as the ones below:

  1. Analogies.
  2. Popular quotes.
  3. Clichés.

The problem is when these devices begin taking away from our theme instead of adding to it, often sending our readers down unwanted tangents. The wordiness distracts or bores our audience. Pretty soon, like the hungry cow grazing in a pasture without paying attention to its surroundings, we end up out in the middle of nowhere.

This is why author Jerry B Jenkins teaches that less is more. The best writers are economical writers; they make the most by using the least amount of words. This is laser-focused writing.

Concentrated?

Lasers work by concentrating light or energy onto a specific point which magnifies its power. Focused writing is much more powerful than lengthy writing. When we concentrate on our theme, our writing is more focused which benefits both us and our audiences.

  • Brevity: Fewer words take less time to write and helps keep our audiences’ attention.
  • Intelligible: Focused writing is straightforward and easier to learn.
  • Clarity: Focused writing is less confusing because we know its purpose; there is no unnecessary information or clutter.

Personally, when I cannot concentrate, I tend to make more errors. Living with my brain injury has forced me to try to concentrate more and hopefully stay focused.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

[i] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/

[ii] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/

Categories
Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing

Tip #1 – Keep your eye on the goal

With three seconds left on the clock all Tim could think about was advancing to the state championship finals. He’d spent his whole high school career in anticipation of this one moment in time. How many parties had he missed because of practice and workout schedules? How many hours had he spent muddling through math homework to make a passing grade? How many opportunities had he passed up for this chance? Too many. But it would be worth the sacrifice in just a few short moments.

He swiped the beaded sweat from his brow, took a deep breath, and sized up his opponent. Tim had no doubt he could tip the ball when the whistle blew. But regaining the ball and making the winning basket would take focus, skill, and more than a little luck. The shrill scream of the whistle ignited the passion burning in his muscles and fired Tim into action. He tipped. He grabbed. He dribbled. And … he scored, right as the buzzer sounded! An eerie silence filled the packed gymnasium. Then—an explosion of garbled outcries erupted from the crowd. Tim had made the winning shot …  all net, right into the other team’s hoop.

Had Tim invested the hard work required to excel at the game? Yes. Had he made the right sacrifices and set the right priorities to develop his skill? Yes. Had he given his all at crunch time to ensure a win? Yes. The problem? He had lost sight of the correct goal.

Although specifics vary, I think it’s safe to say that most Christian writers share one common overarching goal; we all want our writing to reflect our faith. We want the best of us—which is Christ in us—to shine brightly from the page no matter the genre. So we literally write our hearts out for Him. In the beginning that’s so easy. He is our muse, our driving force, the narrator of all our penned words. But when the work is done and we descend from our writing high there’s often a valley at the bottom of that hill.

It’s called waiting.

In the wilderness of waiting there are plenty of distractions that can lure our attention away from the goal. During that seemingly long stretch of time between a finished piece of work and the payoff most of us will encounter pitfalls like rejection, discouragement, comparison, self-doubt, and worse. We’ll talk more about each of those things in future posts. But above all else if we can learn how to focus on the right goal, no pitfall will ever entrap us.

So let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith … and our writing. He’s busy at work during that waiting wilderness—molding and making us into who He has called us to be. The wait may seem like a monotonous and irritating waste of time, but I love how Pastor John Piper describes the silent work of God’s sovereign hand; “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.”

Scripture—to help keep your eye on the goal:

Hebrews 12:1-2, Psalm 121:1, Psalm 123:1, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Isaiah 26:3, Proverbs 3:5-6

Fun Fact—to help keep your eye on the goal:

The famous and inspirational book Chicken Soup For The Soul ONLY became a became a best-seller and award winning series AFTER a whopping 144 rejections! Chicken Soup’s author, Jack Canfield wrote, “If we had given up after 100 publishers, I likely would not be where I am now.” He went on to say, “If you have a vision and a life purpose, and you believe in it, then you do not let external events tell you what is so.”

 

Annette Marie Griffin is a award-winning writer who speaks at local women’s group meetings and women’s retreats on the topic of biblical womanhood and finding our identity in Christ. She is the Operations and Events Coordinator at a private school for special needs students and is the editor of their quarterly newsletter. She has written custom curriculum for women’s retreats and children’s church curriculum for Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas where she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Family Program Director for over twenty years. She and her husband John have five amazing children and two adorable grands. She’s a member of Word Weavers International, ACFW, SCBWI, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Creative Writing Institute.

Categories
The Intentional Writer

The Benefits of a Writing Ritual

The intentional writer

Writing rituals are something I come across whenever I look into advice for how to be a productive and consistent writer. I never paid them much mind. The basic concept made sense, but they didn’t seem like something I wanted to bother with. Routines and rituals are not what make me tick.

Then I began reading the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book explained the why behind rituals (specifically what he calls motivation rituals) and I realized they were more powerful than I had thought.

What is a motivation ritual?

Forming and keeping good habits can be hard. Motivation by itself is not enough to overcome our brain’s natural resistance to creating new habits. People who study habits have come up with various tricks to make it easier for us to succeed. When it comes to motivation rituals, the main concept at work is this:

You can make difficult habits more attractive by training your brain to associate them with a positive experience. A motivation ritual is a way to associate the habit you want to grow (such as clearing your brain to focus on writing) with something you enjoy (a cup of coffee in your special writer’s mug, perhaps). Over time, the ritual becomes your brain’s cue that will help you begin the habit.

In the book, the author describes how during his years as a baseball player, he developed a pregame stretching and warm-up ritual. He intentionally went through the sequence the same way every time. It prepared him physically, but at the same time it prepared him mentally. He goes on to say:

I began to associate my pregame ritual with feeling competitive and focused. Even if I wasn’t motivated beforehand, by the time I was done with my ritual, I was in “game mode.” James Clear in Atomic Habits

Aha! So that’s what a writing ritual is all about. When done correctly, it can help us clear our heads and get into “writer mode.”

How to design a writing ritual

I am not suggesting that you can invent a ritual and it will magically boost your writing focus. I am suggesting a well-designed ritual can help you form and keep a good writing habit. Here are some key points to keep in mind if you want to create a helpful writing ritual.

  • The ritual must associate something you enjoy (like a creative writing prompt) or a series of easy steps (like the baseball warm-up) with the habit of focused writing.
  • The ritual is not likely to work if that action is already associated in your brain with bad habits. (i.e. creative writing prompts = daydream for the next hour)
  • If your current writing space is full of cues that distract you, you may need to change up your environment in order to create a new ritual that will point you to new habits. This could mean choosing a new place in your home or office to do focused writing. Or it could mean creating a ritual where you put certain distracting items away to clear your physical and mental space for focused writing. (Sort of like Mr. Rogers changing his shoes.)
  • The ritual needs to be repeated consistently, and the specific cues in the ritual should be only for that particular habit. The idea is to train your brain to think something like: “when I put on those brown headphones, it’s time to concentrate.” Or “When I put on my favorite writing sweatshirt and sit in my desk chair, I am Lisa-the-writer, not Lisa-the housekeeper or Lisa-the-cat’s-servant or anything else.”
  • Try to adopt a attitude-based mindset instead of a goal-based mindset. The ritual is not about meeting your daily word count. The ritual is about becoming the sort of person who can sit down and focus on writing on both the good days and the bad days.

Ready to give a writing ritual a try?

I am continuing to ponder how I can tap into the power of a writing ritual. How about you? Do you have a writing ritual that helps you get in the zone?

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Are You Taking Productive Breaks?

The intentional writer

It may seem counterintuitive, but we can actually improve our productivity by taking breaks. God invented the concept of rest right back in Genesis chapter one, and we haven’t outgrown our need for it. We do not operate at peak efficiency hour after hour. We do better when we take periodic breaks.

All breaks are not created equal, however.

Some breaks restore our energy and boost creativity. Others simply waste time.

To make your breaks worthwhile, start with the right mindset

Don’t give in to guilt. Ignore those voices that whisper you are lazy or weak if you stop before the job is finished. When you take breaks with intention and intelligence, you are being smart and efficient. Remind yourself of that as often as you need to.

Be honest with yourself and your limitations. You might not be able to sit and concentrate as long as other writers. That’s OK. Find a balance between work and rest that makes sense for you.

Here are some tips for taking productive breaks.

  • Be in control of when you take them. Don’t let distractions like a Facebook notification drag you away from your work at less-than-ideal moments. Find a logical stopping place. Even if you set a timer, finish the sentence or the thought before you quit.
  • Take them regularly. Many of us are in the habit of sitting at the computer for hours at a time, hunched over our keyboards, wrestling with uncooperative prose. Studies say sitting for long periods isn’t good for us. Neither is forgetting to drink enough water. Develop a habit of taking a short break every two hours or so.
  • Be intentional about unplugging. Writers know the benefits of setting a piece of writing aside for a few days, because it allows us to look at it with new eyes. A similar truth applies to breaks. Resist the temptation to keep working in your head while you stretch or refill your water bottle. Give your brain a break too. For best results, get away from your desk completely.
  • Know what restores. The best breaks restore you mentally, emotionally, and physically.
    • Get your body moving. (Do office yoga, take a ten-minute walk…)
    • If possible, go outside. Nature has very effective restorative powers.
    • Connect with other humans. (But not someone who will suck you into a half-hour chat.)
    • Find solitude. If you work in a busy environment or interact with people all day, the best antidote may be a few minutes of solitude and silence.
  • Avoid the gripe zone. Griping about work might vent a little steam but it isn’t going to boost your motivation or enhance productivity. Avoid people or situations that tempt you to waste your break time complaining.
  • Avoid mindless screen time. Surfing social media will not restore your energy as effectively as moving your body and focusing your brain on something else.
  • Keep them short. Aim for ten to fifteen minutes and then get right back to work. No dilly dallying.

And, finally…

  • Stay focused between breaks. Modern society has become addicted to distractions. Learn to resist the siren call of email notifications or incoming text messages. Be in control of when you check devices rather than letting the devices control you.

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about  intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz

Categories
Write for His Glory

Live in the Moment

I love it when the Lord uses everyday activities to teach me. Sharing one of many lessons on what we can miss when we don’t live in the moment.

One day Don and I were driving home from Hershey. There’s a spot along the road where you crest a hill and WOW, an amazing view is off to the right. I’ve wanted to take a picture of that view for a long time but kept missing the opportunity.

So, camera ready, I anticipated reaching the spot. Not being familiar with the road, though, I sat in “ready” mode for several miles. Eyes focused intently ahead, I grew impatient as each crest yielded nothing but woods. I knew we must be close, where was that spot?

As I glanced to the right, I saw an amazing mimosa tree. Full of blooms and perfectly shaped, the large tree would have made a perfect picture. But alas, we had driven by before I could aim the camera.

I became so focused on the road ahead I missed the glorious sight right in front of me!

How often do we miss what God planned for today because we’re focused on a goal, a plan, a destination somewhere in the future?

I’m learning to live in the moment by starting each day with, “Lord, what do You have for me today?” Then I focus on Him, and look forward with expectation to what He will do that day!

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”   (Matthew 6:34, MSG)

 

Mary Graziano Scro, a graduate of Christian Communicators Conference, is an inspirational author, speaker, and blogger who intuitively weaves analogies and personal testimony with practical biblical teaching. Whether “live” or at the keyboard, Mary loves sharing what God has done in her life to encourage others about the awesome life God has planned for us, IF we are willing to choose wisely in our everyday lives (John 8:31-32). And it’s not only about us – the more we invest in our own unique relationship with Jesus, the more visible He is to a world that desperately needs Him.

You can reach Mary on:

Facebook: Mary Graziano Scro https://www.facebook.com/don.mary.scro

Twitter: @marygscro

LinkedIn: Mary Graziano Scro  https://www.linkedin.com/pub/mary-scro/11/600/a4b

Blogs: Life Is Not A Formula at www.marygscro.com

Categories
Encouragement

Focus on One Thing at a Time

Ever been so inundated with projects you didn’t know where to start? I encourage you to FOCUS and take one thing at a time.

I recently returned from a wonderful writer’s conference in Wheaton, Illinois. I’ve been to several conferences before but this time, I came home with so many projects and so much excitement to write, I could hardly stand to be around myself. Imagine my poor husband! Actually, I brought home suggestions for freelance work for him, as well, so he was pretty happy. 😉

After I unpacked, did my laundry, and laid out all my materials in my office, a bit of distress struck. Where do I start? I have this and this and this …

Then I remembered what my newspaper-reporter-husband said to me years ago when I did freelance work. I sometimes had multiple assignments that involved writing, interviews, and even setting up photo shoots. And I juggled all this with the needs of three active kids.  I often found myself in a tizzy—until my husband taught me the key: FOCUS on one thing at a time.

It seems simple enough. But when your brain is in panic mode, or you’re too pumped on caffeine, it’s easy to get bogged down with the WHOLE, rather than focus on the ONE thing that needs to get done, right now.

 

So, after staring at the spread of work I’d laid out in my office, I took a deep breath, prayed for wisdom, and made a list. What were the priorities? What needed doing today? And that’s where I started.

In one short week, I’d accomplished more in my writing than I’d done in a very long time. Rather than allow the anxiety to set in, I prayed for wisdom and focus. And God came through as I did my part.

It takes lots of discipline to be a writer. We are surrounded by so many distractions on every side and we must turn off the interruptions that suck away our mental energy. Unless, of course, a child is bleeding—and I’ve had that happen! I encourage you to guard your thoughts. Control what you can. And pray for FOCUS.

You might be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Carry on.

Elaine Marie Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her latest release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. She freely admits to being a history geek. Look for her upcoming series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. The 4-book series is entitled Dawn of America. You can visit her site at www.elainemariecooper.com

 

 

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Brainstormed

It has been nearly Twenty-two years since I became disabled with a traumatic brain injury. Even so, I am still learning how my brain injury affects my body.

The disappointment and frustration are as fresh today as they were during my rehabilitation where I had to relearn everything from smiling, talking, to buttoning and unbuttoning shirts and even tying my shoes.

Anything that requires fine-tuned motor skills had become a struggle for me. Fine motor skills involve smaller movements performed by the wrists, hands, fingers, feet and toes. They involve smaller actions such as picking up objects between the thumb and finger, writing carefully, and even blinking. These motor skills work together to provide coordination.

It took over a decade for me to learn how my brain injury affected my eyesight, that’s when I learned I was statutorily (legally) blind. You don’t have to be a doctor or biology major to know that the brain controls the functions of every part of the human body.

But, the most surprising thing about a T.B.I. is how it affects my memory. My long-term memory is intact, but my short-term memory is shot. I can remember things as far back to when I was three years old and my family lived in Italy like it was yesterday. But, read a list of things to me, give me directions or play-by-play instructions and I’ll forget most of the information before you finish.

Not only do I have a hard time remembering detailed lists, I can have a hard time focusing on the order. It’s as if I’m stuck out in the middle of the ocean on a boat during a hurricane, the ideas and concepts keep flying by with the storm.

Brainstorm!

Brainstorming is defined as solving a problem or creating new ideas by having a discussion with others, or problem solving by exploring various ideas. For most creatives it is the first step in the process of creating.

It can breathe life into our creation or be the final nail in its coffin. Perhaps you’re like me, over the years I’ve learned creative outbursts and inspiration often occur at the most inopportune times: while driving and listening to the radio, during a pleasant spring or fall walk while leaf watching, during a last-minute fast food run.

And I hope I’m not the only one who has almost broken their neck trying to get out of the shower to jot down droplets of tranquil inspiration only found in an evening shower. It’s why I have a dictation app on my phone, often stopping on the side of the road to record memos and thoughts during a long bike ride.

When I get home I sit down and brainstorm the thoughts I recorded. For me brainstorming helps me to focus my thoughts.

There are different approaches to brainstorming for different purposes.

  • Speedstorming: is great for small groups, each person has five minutes to produce three ideas and write them down on a piece of paper. Then pass the paper to the person on the right, he has five minutes to build on those ideas. The process continues for 30 minutes or until each person has contributed to each paper.
  • Brain writing: this approach is similar, except each member develops as many ideas as possible before passing to the next person.
  • Reverse brainstorming: this approach requires generating ideas that would hinder the goal achievement. Then reversing the ideas to identify and solve the problem.
  • Content brainstorming key: utilizes a visual to illustrate how one thinks. A spreadsheet is used to determine: topic, audience and content structure. Participants write down as many ideas as possible to give a clear direction of the content.
  • Team brainstorming: participants are broken into small groups where limited time to generate as many ideas possible and jot them down on paper or poster board. When time is up, each team presents their ideas to the larger group.
  • Focus brainstorming: a no-brainer way to generate ideas for specific demographics. It utilizes each demographic within a company by separating them into groups to develop ideas specific to that demographic.

Focus!

The heart of brainstorming is the generating ideas to focus our audience, readers or target market onto a specific theme or idea we are trying to convey. It works like a laser by taking many ideas and focusing them all one specific point of relevance.

A writer’s primary objective is to be informative or entertaining, not wordiness. Years ago I heard author Jerry Jenkins say it this way:

“Learn how to say more by writing less.”

We all have ideas, everyone has a story. But, not everyone has the power to harness the power of the written word.

  1. Learn the process.
  2. Be coachable.
  3. Be humble.
  4. don’t get brainstormed!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Child's Craft

Overcoming Obstacles

Obstacles. Disguised in various ways, they reveal the same evil – blocks to what we want to achieve or to where we want to go.

When I first began running, I recall my first 5K race. As I struggled up a grueling hill, an old woman (probably younger than I am today, but old to my young eyes back then…) flew up next to me, slowed her pace even with mine for long enough to say, “Child, lift your knees just a little bit higher to get up the hills and focus on the pavement, not the top of the hill.” With that, she soared on past.

Since that day, I lift my knees just a little bit higher and focus on the pavement with every hill I face. That was over 30 years ago. Hills are not grueling obstacles for me anymore. While I can’t say I enjoy them, I know how to manage them.

I wondered if I could apply this sage advice to other obstacles in my life. So I broke down the elements of her tactic.

Lift knees higher. This might equate to working harder. Seriously? Sometimes I work like crazy and still face obstacles. I can’t work any harder. Maybe it equates with trying something different. If the same stride isn’t working, try something new.

Focus on the pavement. Perhaps I should stay focused on the task at hand. Don’t keep my eyes on the seemingly impossible goal and all the hard work it takes to get there, but enjoy every step of the way and I’ll eventually get there.

So, what obstacles are you facing in your writing? What prevents you from getting to your finish line? Do you have writers block? Impossible deadlines? Can’t find the right word to fit your cadence? Can’t find the time? Too many words for your children’s book? Having trouble finding an agent or a publisher? Today I’ll offer a few suggestions.

Run. I think running fixes just about everything, but if you don’t run, then try walking, biking, or exercise to get your positive endorphins flowing. There are numerous studies backing up God’s amazing endorphins and the creativity linked with them. Here is one you can read. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/10491702/Lacking-inspiration-Exercise-found-to-boost-creativity.html. Some of my best writing ideas were inspired during my runs. Check with your doctor first if you haven’t exercised in a while.

Get away from your computer and get out into God’s world. Sit outside. Breathe in the fresh air. Running outside takes care of this one too. Get the fresh oxygen flowing through your veins to fuel your body and your brain. This change of scenery, may ignite the imagination and get your creative juices flowing. It may clear the mind to start fresh when you return to your task. Even if you’re struggling with making a deadline, getting fresh air and exercise may be just what you need.

Write in a different place. Don’t trap yourself in your office, no matter how peaceful or productive it has been in the past. If it isn’t working for you at the moment, try a different location. Go to another room in your house, Starbucks, or Panera.

Keep writing. Thankfully that lady didn’t tell me to quit running and go home. She wanted to help me through the obstacle of what I was already doing. So keep writing.

In future blogs, we’ll discuss other ways to manage the obstacles we face with writing. But for now, keep lifting those knees a bit higher and focus on the pavement, not the obstacle looming before you.

Share what obstacles you may be facing below and if you have the solution for another’s obstacle, share that below as well.