The Necessary Suffering

The suffering can’t be avoided. Maybe it should not be.

In his novel, The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho lays out an argument that is dismissed by many. Yes, the idea that when you truly want something the entire universe conspires to help you achieve it sounds a bit…

On Journaling

The cultivation of skill takes time and requires patience. Your writing will not get better until you have written many, many pages.

Journaling is a good way to accomplish this.

The New Obsessions

We get clues. The new obsessions present themselves and once they do there’s no turning back. Your mind becomes engulfed. There is a notion that you chase after because your ignorance on a subject is no longer acceptable.

Trapped in the Mind

Writing is a solitary activity. As it comes from the mind, the writer benefits from solitude. Many do choose to write in the company of strangers in a café or library; the background noise can be helpful.

The Clarity of Success

When we have a distinct idea of what success look like, successes of other types tend to occur that are unrelated.

Interestingly, these other successes are most likely the result of the work you do in pursuit of your own true goal.

The Writing Minute

The writers and artists of today are very lucky. We have access to our work wherever we are. The time has gone where we were limited to a desk and paper.
 
Now while waiting on line, or pumping gas, or some other monotonous activity, we can write.
 
Our technology, at the risk of sounding…

Enthusiasm and Vitality

People often discuss discipline. Productivity is the new focus.

We would all love to know how better to spend our time. Taking action on a discipline vitalizes your life. And as Joseph Campbell said, “vital people vitalize.” We are not only helping ourselves…

The Distracting Screen

The first draft of writing works better without the screen. Yes, our computers are amazing tools that benefit the writer greatly. The possibilities that a computer brings are numerous.

That’s the problem.

The Misunderstanding of Writing

We always talk about writing and wanting to be writers. Many, many people want to be writers or known as writers.

But what does that mean?

If we are writing fiction, does the time we spend researching background for our…