Be Fearless! Become a Professional and Successful Writer

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          My professional life has gotten very busy. I’m editing and indexing a book for publication in early spring as well as working on a book I’m co-authoring with Cheryl L. Butler, co-founder of this blog. Add to that a few other freelance projects, this blog, and my day job of editing and writing for two publications and I’m very busy indeed.

          There are so many opportunities for writers these days as an employee, a freelancer and, best of all, as your own boss!

          Whatever your dreams, be fearless!

You have to be able to write on demand to meet deadlines. Have great ideas for articles and follow through with interviews and/or finish the book you are always talking about and get it published.

Write. Rewrite. Polish. Publish. If you are a writer, those are the job requirements to make a living doing what you love.

          Practical ways to achieve your dreams:

I recommend reading:

 Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower is essential for every writer. Inspiring. Motivating. Supportive. Fantastic! (Please see my reviews of this book on this blog.)

          Ensouling Language: On the Art of Nonfiction and the Writer’s Life by Stephen Harrod Buhner. Read it for the sheer beauty of his written words as well as his remarkable thoughts—a fabulous beacon for anyone on a writer’s path.

          The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield will keep writer’s block away. Whenever I’m not inspired to write, I flip it open and read a page or two then I’m raring to write again without fail. I most love his encouraging and inspiring essay “The Artist’s Life” on page 165—which I think should have been the first in his book because it’s essential for writer’s to know and believe in it.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg will get you thinking and writing. Follow her routine of filling a spiral notebook every month. I’ve been doing this for well over a decade. I have no fear of the blank page because I face it every day in this low-key way.

          I recommend writing:

          Fill a spiral notebook a month as recommended by Natalie Goldberg in her book recommended above. Upside—no fear of blank pages. It's a private way to improve your writing and capture ideas fearlessly.

Start a blog on any topic of interest so you write regularly—never missing a deadline. Gain an audience. Get feedback. Improve your writing fearlessly.

          Take a writing class. I did and besides learning more about the writing craft, I met the new owner of a local magazine there. This led to an internship, then a staff writing position, then Assistant Editor, then Editor, then Editor of two publications, then three, then four. Then all the freelance work I’ve done—and soon a published book—all because I was brave enough to go to one writing class and willing to work hard and fearlessly.

          Cheryl wrote her first book, Pregnant Women Don’t Eat Cabbage, for one hour each Saturday (all the time she could spare while raising eight children) until completed. She was brave and did some public speaking events. In the audience one night was a woman from Macmillan Publishing. A while later when the current Mighty Mommy left, this woman remembered Cheryl and recommended her to become the company’s Mighty Mommy columnist and podcaster—all because Cheryl pursued her writing dream fearlessly!
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Amazon has certainly opened up opportunities for authors. I have several friends working on books they plan to publish through Amazon. A friend of one of these friends has published both through a traditional publisher and Amazon, and she prefers Amazon as she has full control over the cover and content and receives more of the profits. Publish fearlessly.

Be fearless! That’s what it takes to be a professional and successful writer!

Great News, Bad News, Great News

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

      

                        

               Too long ago I started writing my novel with characters and a plot in mind, but, after writing the two most exciting chapters, I stopped.

              Why? Bored, mostly. Also, not sure how to keep momentum going even with a plot.

              Then, as I wrote last month, Cheryl shared with me that the prolific author Marie Force writes at least 2.000 words a day—every day—in one or both of the two books she has going at all times. (She has five series ongoing plus several single titles.)

              Furthermore, Force is a pantster (writes by the seat of her pants) not a plotter.

              She knows what she is talking about so I decided to do the same.

              Great news: I roughly finished my two partial chapters and wrote eight more writing fearlessly daily—and it was a blast! My characters said and did things I didn’t plan and kept the action/plot moving forward.

              This is the only way I’ll ever write fiction.

              The bad news: I didn’t do it every day. I should’ve as momentum does build and writing daily keeps it going. However, I had my monthly magazine deadlines and a two-week project also due.

              Bills have to be paid so I thought I needed to concentrate on my professional assignments, but this was a HUGE rookie mistake.

              Marie Force is right—2,000 words a day on your book(s) or don’t bother. That’s a direct quote. She wasn’t making a suggestion; she was telling Cheryl to commit to her work—no matter what.

              So I’m sharing with you that you need to commit to 2,000 words a day—2k a day—no matter what.

              I should’ve gotten up earlier or stayed up later or written in any spare time I had to keep the momentum going. Even if my writing was rough or off tangent, the magic and fun would have continued. But I stopped writing 2k a day. Instead I made notes on “new” ideas to make a character have more depth plus opened up a new avenue for the plot.

              It wasn’t enough.

              When my magazine deadline was over and my project was submitted, my novel was cold. I lost my strong connection to my characters. After an unacceptable/unexcused absence, they were giving me a collective cold shoulder.

              I had a tough time starting up again, but then I read Stephanie Bond is Your Personal Fiction-Writing Coach. Having written over 70 novels, Bond shares a lot of great advice and tips although some are better than others. She got me started again—and I’m never stopping unless I decide I don’t want a dream career of writing, hopefully, bestselling novels after all.

              The key to success is hard work—writing 2,000 words a day for your book(s). Every day. No excuses.

             Great news: learn from my mistake and commit from the start. You’ll be surprised and delighted where it leads. Then you can call yourself an author. Is that your dream? Go for it—2k a day!

              

               

What Set Me Off to Rapidly Finishing My Book? Read All About It

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

                                                  

                                                         

              When Cheryl interviewed New York Times bestselling author Marie Force (see today's previous post to read reprinted article), she asked her what it takes to be a fulltime author.

              Force stated that you have to write at least 2,000 words for your book every day—even on weekends and holidays.

              That sounds simple enough. Yet how many of us will do this?

              Force writes two books at a time. She has published well over 50 books so she knows what the key to success is and it’s 2,000 words a day minimum.

              This daily goal works perfectly with my nine pages a day deadline: three handwritten pages for my fill-a-notebook-a-month deadline and six on the computer for my projects.

              To write 2,000 words a day, I write rough copy. I don’t worry about spelling or punctuation. I don’t reread or rewrite much or edit at all.

              Previously, I had written two chapters of my book: chapter 1 with an exciting situation that introduced most of the main characters and chapter 7 which had a big action scene.

              I had a plot for what my characters would do between chapters 1 and 7, but every minute cannot be action-packed excitement so I hadn’t written anymore chapters—bored, I think—until Cheryl asked Marie more questions about her writing process and she shared the answers with me.

              Force is a pantster (writes by the seat of her pants) as opposed to a plotter who plans every chapter. Pansters are happy to sit down and write every day to see what is going to happen. The danger is pantsters might write themselves into corners they can’t get out of plotwise.

              Since I hadn’t written another plotted chapter for my book, I decided to try writing chapter 2 as a pantster—and I had a blast! The characters took off doing and thinking things that surprised me. I could barely keep up with them typing as fast as I could. It was unbelievably fun.

              In the last seven days, I’ve started or added to existing chapters at every session. I’m starting chapter 9 tonight having worked on chapters 1-8. (I’m going to finish the rough draft by my next post.)

              Normally I love to write in the morning, but I find myself writing my 2,000 words in the evenings. I need the pressure of a deadline and, I guess, 2,000 words isn’t enough so I subconsciously added writing closer to the end of the day as I can’t go to sleep until I reach my goal. It’s working so I’m sticking with it.

              For added pressure, I use a timer to track my work. I started at 860 words per hour (WPH). Within five days I crossed over 1,200 WPH. And now I’ve hit 1,400. It would be fantastic to write 2,000 WPH then I can’t claim I don’t have the time.

              This week has been a dream come true. I’m a pantster well on my way to being an author—finally.

             

The Power of Lists

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I love lists. I love writing down the things I have to do, but I love crossing them off the list even more. Mostly, I make lists for big projects, deadlines for the magazines, family stuff, and events.

          My daily errands and chores don’t need to be on a list. I know what I have to accomplish, but I decided to start making the lists anyway—why not? I love to cross off things. I’m now including on my lists small things I always mean to get to but don’t like clean out the junk drawer or donate some items.

          Funny, if it’s on the list it gets done a lot sooner.

          So now I’m making different lists—a bucket list for this year as well as for my life; places to visit with family and friends, a list of writing projects; a list of books I really want to read; cleaning/organizing lists for office and kitchen; and anything else that comes to mind.

          On my daily writer's list:

write at least three pages longhand in my monthly notebook;

read a page of The Writer’s Devotional by Amy Peters each day for a year;

randomly open Writing Fearlessly by William Kenower and read a passage or a page or a chapter for inspiration;

read from at least one other book as well as articles, essays, and/or poems;

write for at least one of my projects—book, screenplay, essays, or articles;

write my weekly Thursday essay for magazines and my blog posts or at least come up with topics;

fill out my Thought a Day Journal;

and plan, write, and/or edit the magazine issues for next month.

I do cross off every item on this list every day. I use The Ultimate Author’s Editorial Calendar and Writing Planner by Jennifer Ruggiero Schultz to keep organized. [Unpaid recommendation] It is big and unwieldy, but her daily page layout of lists works for me. Plenty of room to add tasks and track projects as well as record titles and page numbers of what I read, topics for essays and posts as well as what I wrote for specific projects, essay, blog, etc. Also places for lists of meetings/appointments and calls/emails, too.

There is a lot I want to see and do and accomplish—and I will get to all of it if it’s on one of my To Do Lists because I can’t wait to cross it off!

Reads for Writers: Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

            I am reading Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World by Timothy Ferriss who asks over 130 people from all walks of life the same 11 questions including: What book do you give as a gift the most or what one to three books have most influenced your life? What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life? How has failure set you up for later success? If you could have one gigantic billboard, what would it say? In the last five years, what new belief or habit has most improved your life?  

Here are some of my favorite quotes by authors/writers:

“…Real work and real satisfaction come from the opposite of what the web provides. They come from going deep into something—the book you’re writing, the album, the movie—and staying there a long, long time,” says Steven Pressfield. (page 9)

“…Obsess over figuring out the funnest, most exciting, most natural shape of yourself as a writer and start doing that…” Tim Urban (page 47)

“…Don’t let someone knock you off course before you reach your destination. Trust the work. Always trust the work,” says Soman Chainani. (page 72) “Make sure you have something every day you’re looking forward to…,” (page 73)

“…the metric I now use to judge my efforts and goals is: Did I do my best, given who I was and what I knew at that particular time? And what can I learn from the outcome to make my best better next time?” says Neil Strauss (page 98)

“Courage over comfort,” says Brene Brown. (page 233)

“Don’t let the weight of fear weigh down the joy of curiosity,” says Peter Guber. (page 281)

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear,” says Aisha Tyler quoting Jack Canfield (page 432)

                      

       Thanks to Tribe of Mentors, I have many new titles on my reading list as well as a lot of good advice from writers and many other successful people.

The book is a great gift idea, especially for new graduates. 

One Thought a Day: A Five Year Memory Journal

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          A few years ago I watched a documentary about a photographer in his early 60s who decided he needed to shake up his life. He had spent years traveling all over the world taking photographs for magazines, but one year, starting on January 1st, he gave himself a new assignment. He was staying close to home and taking only one photograph a day.

          He lived with his wife in a cabin somewhere in the snowy Mid West. Every day he would set out on a walk with his camera knowing he could only take one photograph. Not one scene that he could frame and reframe, but just one shot—good or bad.

          He would look around on his walk noticing trees, birds, prairie grass, brooks and ponds, deer, and once a wolf. He could see interesting and gorgeous scenes everywhere, but knew he could only shoot one. He had to pay attention so he didn’t miss a shot, but he also had to consider that there might be a better one on the other side of a hill, in the woods, or by the water.

          Once he took his photograph, he walked back home still looking for shots even though he couldn’t take them. Sometimes he saw scenes that might have made better photographs and sometime he didn’t.

          Since this was a documentary, a camera crew was following his every move so viewers got to see the scenes he didn’t shoot as well as the ones he did. All his choices and the consequences were captured on film.

I thought he was courageous to limit himself to one shot a day when photography is his livelihood as well as his passion. He had to work harder to find the shot of the day knowing all along if he waited he might find a better shot or not—a gamble every day.

I’ve decided to follow his lead.

I just came across a journal entitled One Thought a Day: A Five Year Memory Journal. My choices will be a bit easier as I can reflect at the end of the day which memory to record, but I will also be paying attention to moments during the day so I have lots of choices to consider.

It all comes down to paying attention to life—to what’s happening right now—savoring it even as another moment starts. Then reflecting on these moments to choose which one I appreciate the most.

Or should I be as daring as the photographer and choose during the day knowing a more memorable moment might be missed?

Well it won’t be missed because I’ll be looking for these moments. It just won’t make it into the journal—so maybe I’ll have two: one fearlessly choosing a moment in the moment and one at the end of the day. It will be interesting to see how often they are the same moment. Also, having a record of two memorable moments each day will make for a great year.

Happy New Year!

Be a Fearless Writing Warrior

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

Fearless Writing in action: Don’t write what you know. Write what you love.

According to William Kenower, author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence, “Love is the foundation on which every successful writing career is built.” (page 43)

I can attest to this. I love my over-15-year-long writing career.

Every month for two magazines and their Facebook pages, I write at least five essays and every topic is one I love. While the word counts run from 450-1,000, I can write them on demand simply because I choose topics I love. Words just flow out onto the page. When the words stop, then I rewrite, revise, edit, and polish until I’m happy with the essay and it meets the word count. This doesn’t even feel like work, but it does take a lot of time.

I also write several articles monthly. While I don’t always get to choose the topics, I love writing these articles so readers discover something new or are entertained, or, hopefully, both. In truth, this feels more like work, but it’s work I love so I count myself lucky.

Added to that, I’ve spent over five years writing weekly posts for this blog. It’s never felt like work because I’m writing about writing—a topic I love.

In another example, best-selling author Louise Penny notes she had spent five years writing a book she thought she should write. Frustrated, she looked at her nightstand and saw only murder mysteries, which she loved, and realized she was writing the wrong book.

Now writing a book a year, she is thirteen books into her Inspector Gamache series. She has won five Agatha Awards and the loyalty of legions of fans as well—including me.

Write what you love and you will never be afraid of a blank page.

You’ll also be a Fearless Writing Warrior.

Next post will be on January 1, 2018.

            

Fearless Writing Warrior Moves to Monthly Posts

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

As I wrote last week: I’m at a crossroad. Do I continue to encourage others to write even though Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower is the best book on writing/being a writer I’ve ever read? (Frankly, if you want to be a writer read that book. If it doesn’t help you write I honestly don’t know what will.) Do I stop writing the blog and concentrate on my writing projects that have been planned, but now, motivated by Fearless Writing, I’m raring to complete and generate income? Or do I also write the blog as a Fearless Writing Warrior (FWW) as Cheryl now calls us?

I have decided to continue writing the blog as a Fearless Writing Warrior. I am changing this blog to a once a month post as I have a lot of writing to do for my income-generating projects.

Please check in on the first Monday of each month to see fearless writing in action.

Becoming a Fearless Writing Warrior

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          Cheryl and I started this blog to encourage others too scared or scarred to write. We shared thoughts on every aspect of writing we knew from experience: remembrances as newbies and as current writer/author and writer/editor to show readers they could have writing careers, too.

          I am proud of our posts. When we started, we had long lists of topics which we exhausted. However, the pressure of a weekly blog squeezed thoughts out of us so we didn’t disappoint our readers. Many of those are my favorite posts.

I wasn’t sure when or if I would run out of topics so reaching the fifth anniversary was fun and surprising. I thought I could keep going, but then I read Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower.

Frankly, if you want to be a writer read that book. If it doesn’t help you write I honestly don’t know what will.

So I’m at a crossroad. Do I continue to encourage others to write even though Fearless Writing is the best book on writing/being a writer I’ve ever read? Do I stop writing the blog and concentrate on my writing projects that have been planned, but now, motivated by Fearless Writing, I’m raring to complete and generate income? Or do I also write the blog as a Fearless Writing Warrior (FWW) as Cheryl now calls us?

The writing advice that we all first learn—show, don’t tell—makes me think I have told you about Fearless Writing, but I haven’t shown you.

I’m going to give some thought to changing the focus of this blog to Fearless Writing Warrior. I’ll let you know what I've decided next week.

In the meantime, read William Kenower’s book Fearless Writing and become a Fearless Writing Warrior, too.

Reads for Writers: Fearless Writing by William Kenower 2nd Review

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

As a reader, I always love finding books that appeal to me. As a writer, I am twice as pleased when the authors also provide masterclasses within their books.

          Masterclasses take place when performance artists and musicians work one-on-one with students. Writers don’t generally have this option, but I have found some books to be masterclasses for characters, backstories, plots, settings, voice and/or creativity.

         

          In a previous blog, I explained how I decided whether a book was worth a review. First, I mark up a book as I read it. I underline. I score paragraphs. I write notes. And if there is an excellent point made, I dog ear the bottom corner of that page.

          If there are marks, notes, or dog-eared corners on 25%-30% of the pages, the book gets a good review; more than 30%, a great review.

In the two decades I have been reviewing books, I never hit 50%. I never expected to as that’s an almost impossibly high bar. Then I read Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower which came in at near 100%.

I felt a bit ridiculous dog earing page after page after page, but Kenower’s truths, descriptions, points, and advice were worth every mark, note, and folded corner.

Quite simply, this book is the Masterclass for writing.

Kenower recommends that readers start with chapter 1 “A Writer’s Worst Fear”  and chapter 2 “The Flow”  then choose which chapters interest them. I think beginning writers should follow his direction, but if you are a more experienced writer you might want to start with either chapter 10 “Finding Time to Write Or Why Procrastination Makes Sense” or chapter 13 “Don’t Fear the Cliché Or Relax—You’re an Original”  as these are two big fears of most writers. Once read, fearless writing can begin.

From my marks, notes, and dog-eared corners, I found every chapter important. I’ve read chapters 1-8 twice and chapters 9-18 three times. I feel like reading them all until they are a part of my DNA.

I’m a fast reader, but I had to put Fearless Writing down to give myself time to absorb what the author was sharing. It’s his story, but it’s also a universal one for every writer filled with insights and truths.

I recognized many of the truths Kenower discussed because I’ve experienced them too, but sometimes so briefly I hadn’t realized until he named them. But even more important were the truths I hadn’t thought about—just accepted—without realizing some, like discomfort and procrastination, have their own purposes. (Read chapter 8 “Creative Discomfort Or How to Love What You Thought You Hated” and chapter 10 “Finding Time to Write Or Why Procrastination Makes Sense” respectively.)

The other chapters are: “Feel First,” “Write What You Love,” “Accuracy,” “Critiques and Workshopping,” “The Intentional Arc,” “Writing is Listening,” “How Thought Works,” “Fearless Marketing,” “The Talent Myth,” “Fear of Failure,” “Evidence,” “Becoming the Author of Your Life,” and “A Good Ending.”

I am so grateful and excited that William Kenower wrote this book. It is life-altering.

Here are just a few insights from Fearless Writing:

“…the only two questions a writer should ask are “What do I want to say?” and “Have I said it?” If you are asking anything else, you’re not writing—you’re just worrying. (page 53)

“…You must embrace the reality that your curiosity is curious enough, your perceptions are perceptive enough, your humor is humorous enough. Get comfortable with that, and you will always know what you most want to say—and if you have said it.” (pp. 70-71)

“,,, There is a great distinction between an idea as it appears in my imagination and what that idea becomes on the page…I must trade in that initial excitement for the patient pleasure of discovery.” (page 106)

“How interested I am in the questions I ask my imagination determines the speed and power of the answer I receive. I must remind myself of this often…” (page 107)

“…when you accept the confidence you already possess and understand that writing’s immediate payoff is the pleasure of finding the next sentence, and then the next, you will discover that you have plenty of time to write…” (page 127)

“…The Flow is the experience of pointing your car toward something you love and are authentically curious about, and then riding the momentum of thought that ensues…” (page 135)

“…Writing, after all, is such an intuitive business. Writing is all about knowing what has no evidence for being known. Writing is all about following a path only you can perceive, that is felt and not seen…” (page 196)

“…If I am deliberate with the stories I tell myself away from the desk, I become the author of my day-to-day experience. Now life is a story I am telling rather than one I have been made to read.” (page 219)

          I hope all writers read this book so they can become not only authors, but the authors of their own lives.

         

           

         

Reads for Writers: Fearless Writing by William Kenower (A book all writers need to read)

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          On September 18, 2017, I listed about 80 favorite books. Then on October 2, 2017, I picked the one book I would recommend to all writers—The War of Art by Steven Pressfield—and I still recommend it highly, but I just read Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower and now this is the book I’d first recommend to all writers.

          As Garth Stein notes on the cover of this book, “This isn’t a ‘how-to’ book about writing. It’s a book about how to be a writer.”

And that is the truth. I recommend all writers rush out and buy it or get it through their local libraries.

In the Introduction, the author recommends chapters one and two should be read in order then readers can choose which chapter appeals to them next. They all appealed to me, especially Chapter 13 “Don’t Fear the Cliché Or Relax—You’re an Original” and Chapter 10 “Finding Time to Write Or Why Procrastination Makes Sense.” I’m not ready to go on a book tour yet, but Chapter 12 “Fearless Marketing Or How to do Your Job and No One Else’s” has eased my mind for when I need to sell my book.

I have only just finished reading the book. Without reservation, I think it’s the best book for writers that I have ever read and I have reads hundreds and hundreds since I decided I wanted to be a writer, while working for national book review magazine for small publishers, and reviewing books for other magazines as well as on this blog. Lots of books do not make the cut to be reviewed, but Fearless Writing deserves reviews, honors, and awards. It is on top of my must-read book list now.

Fearless Writing is the Masterclass for me.

I cannot do justice to this book by writing a review in a few hours as I just finished it. However, I wanted to get the word out immediately that Fearless Writing should be in every writer’s office and personal library.

I will write a proper review next week. In fact, I revere Fearless Writing so much I may write three or four.

Cheryl just finished reading Chapter 10. She emailed me to say it took her breath away. 

I think that is a terrific review for this book.

See what you think.

Favorite Book Recommendation for Writers

From Kate’s Writing Crate…


(Please see posts dated October 30, 2017 and November 6, 2017 as I have updated my recommendation. I still love The War of Art, but if I can only pick one, it would be Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write with Confidence by William Kenower)

          I recommended over 80 books or series in my post on September 18, 2017. Some of the questions I answered wanted only one book listed, but I shared two or three or more because there are so many excellent books to read.

          When I talked to a new writer recently, she asked me to recommend the best book to get her started on either her children’s book or her non-fiction book. Pinned down, I still couldn’t recommend one book. I told her The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Battles by Steven Pressfield (excellent for writers at every level) and Writing Down the Bones (excellent for new writers) by Natalie Goldberg.

          She told me she could only afford to buy one so I had to choose. I said The War of Art because overcoming resistance is the most difficult part of any project. It applies to writing and all creative projects especially because society does not usually support them so there are more battles to fight.

This book is not a step-by-step writing instruction manual. It’s a kick-you-in-the-pants, there-are-no-excuses-not-to-write book. (One note: read page 165 first. If I had been the editor of this book, “The Artist’s Life” would have been on page 1. It’s the most important thing to remember as you create and write.)

As I have written in other posts, I have three copies: one by my desk where I work, one in my informal writing spot, and one in the car so I’m motivated to write every moment especially if I am early for an appointment, if my appointment person is running late, or, sadly, if the car breaks down.

Time is in short supply for writers so put every moment you can to good use. Carry a pen and a notebook or 3 x 5 cards with you at all times. Again I don’t limit myself to one. I carry three or four pens in my purse and at least two in the car. I have a notebook in my purse and another in the car.

If you want to write, then be ready to jot down ideas and observations at any moment, but you also have to put in the hours and hours to hone your craft and find your voice. Inspiration is great, but it’s best to meet your muse on the page as your write regularly.

Getting the words down on paper or screen is was it takes to be published. Rewrites will take care of mistakes so don’t worry about them until later. Write whenever and wherever you can.

Once you are a professional writer, you need to meet deadlines so you still need to be motivated by a kick in the pants. Open The War of Art to any page and you will be back to writing after reading a few pages—sometimes only one!

Writing profusely and regularly is what it takes to become an author or successful in any writing career.

Start now!