Newsletter

Did you know I have a newsletter? 

No? 

Well, I'd kind of forgotten, too. 

But I promised myself I would be better this year, so I'm going to start sending one out the first week of every month. 

Just one. 

That is all.

So if you're looking for an extra dose of inspiration, writing-related tips, and thoughts on living the creative life, this one's for you.

Sign-up link in the sidebar. --->

~Katie~

P.S. Already a subscriber? Keep an eye on your inbox. :D

Practicing What I Preach: A Follow-up

In my last post, I mentioned that I'd stalled on my most recent project, so I went back to the place where things "stopped working," deleted a sizable chunk of writing (more than 5,000 words), and decided to pick up where I left off.

To be perfectly honest: it was scary. 

It felt like a huge risk to delete so much manuscript at once. 

It was easy to make excuses: the words aren't that bad. I desperately need those words to pad my story. I worked so hard on that section. If I delete them, it'll set me back X number of days. I won't meet my deadline. I will have wasted so much time and energy, and for what?

So I wanted to post an update on what happened after I had that "clean slate" to work with.

First, once the words were gone, it was like a weight lifted. I finally felt like I was making progress (even if it was regress). I read a couple of previous chapters and was immediately able to insert about 1,000 of those words back into the story--just not in their original order. Once that scene was taken care of, I was able to move seamlessly into the next scene that was supposed to happen: one I'd been dreading/avoiding.

And you know what? The words came quickly. 

You already know that between family and work I have to find writing time in the nooks and crannies of the day, but I was actually able to stay up late one night to work on it, and was so motivated I finished the scene first thing the following morning.

In just a few days, I've almost earned those 5,000 words back. What's even better? I don't feel like I'm fighting this story anymore. Things are flowing nicely, characters are acting the way they're supposed to act, and I'm not forcing things to happen that don't want to happen.

Cutting that section was one of the best decisions I've made on this project, and I'm blogging about this for posterity, because I know there will come a time when I am stalled on a new story--making no progress whatsoever--and my only option will be to hit "delete." 

I know I will make the same excuses: no, I need those words. I've worked so hard on them. I can't afford to backtrack.

I know I will need to return to these posts and take my own advice, and reading them will remind me that sometimes the thing I dread most is exactly what I need to make happen, and that the results just might surprise me. 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~  

Practicing What I Preach

5,200

That's the number of words I omitted from my WIP over the weekend.

Why?

Because I'd stalled. Because I hadn't been able to add anything legitimate to the story in several weeks. Because I wasn't happy with those words or where the narrative was heading. Because all of a sudden I was moving in a strange direction and didn't know how to make my next plot point work. 

I deleted the words because they weren't serving me or the story.

This is me practicing what I preach, because 

The first thing I tell my students or mentees when they're stuck 

is to go back to the last place they felt the "magic." 

When the words flowed freely.

When everything made sense.

Go back, and begin again.

I'm not going to lie, it hurt removing those 5,000 words, but maybe now I can get this story back under control.

Plus, it's not like the words are gone forever. I just moved them to a different section of my Scrivener file. I still have access, and if I find I need to re-incorporate a scene or two, I can.

But now I have a clean slate to work with. I'm not trying to force something that just doesn't want to happen.

Suffering from Writer's Block?

Tip: Return to the last place you felt the story was working and begin again. 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~   

No Small Thing

Reflections

I know at the start of a new year the focus is on resolutions and goal-setting and that "clean slate" feeling, but, in addition to laying out the upcoming year's plans, I hope you were also able to set aside some time to reflect on last year and all that you accomplished.

Because that's important, too. 

Reflecting. 

The simple truth is that we are not the same person today that we were on this day one year ago. And maybe you didn't quite get to everything on your to-do list, but there were some successes along the way. I know it.

If you haven't already done so, there's no better time to take inventory and reward yourself for all of your breakthroughs in the last year, both big and small.

You can start with the following list. If you're feeling brave, up the number to five or ten or even fifteen. Be sure to answer from the heart, and remember that no success is too trivial.

1) List three of your proudest moments
2) List three challenges you overcame
3) List three things you learned about yourself
4) List three areas where you experienced the most growth
5) List three things you created

And if no one has told you yet, congratulations on everything you accomplished last year.

Treat yourself to that coffee or chocolate bar or manicure or new book. 

You deserve it.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

On Setting Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's that time again!

This particular post has become something of an annual tradition with me, so despite my recent blog/social media hiatus, I feel compelled to re-post. 

So, without further ado, five things to remember when setting your goals for the new year:
  

1. Write the Goals Down

It's proven that just in writing your goals down, you're more likely to accomplish them. Make a list and keep it handy. (But don't overload yourself. Limit your list to the three to ten things you MOST want to accomplish.)

2. Make them Specific

Don't just say you want to "read more" or "write more." Write down how many books you want to read a week. Determine how many words you want to write a day, and which story (or stories) you want to write.

3. Create a Plan and Set Deadlines

What will it take to read a certain number of books in a year? Trips to the library? Penciling "reading time" into your schedule? If I wanted to read six books a month, that's one book every five days. With due dates, that's two individual trips to the library. The first and fifteenth could be designated library days. I could find a quiet place and read for thirty minutes after dinner every evening....

Get an action plan together.

4. Get Out of the Way

I fully believe that we are in control of our own destiny. I'm not a fan of assigning blame, or even letting past events or situations affect our today and tomorrow. Don't sabotage your goals with a negative mindset. 

Believe in yourself.

And that voice in your head that says you can't? He's a liar. Tell him to shut the hell up. 

5. Remember WHY These Goals Were Set

Maybe it's to become more well-rounded. Maybe it's to step outside of a comfort zone. The "why" is just as important as the "what" and "how." This is what you will return to when the road gets tough. 

So . . . what do you want to accomplish in 2018?

Your goals don't have to be reading or writing-related, either. Make this the year you get healthy--both physically and spiritually. Make this the year you save for that trip. Learn that language. Work for that promotion. Make that career change. Go back to school.

Step into your "discomfort" zone. 

Live intentionally.

Figure out what matters most to you and make those tough decisions (if necessary). 

Get moving.

And, as always: Be Brilliant!

~Katie~