When you strip away all the tasks, to-do lists, self –inflicted responsibilities and living someone else’s dreams, you’ll find the beat of your own heart. I know you heard that beat or you wouldn’t pursue life as an author. At some particular moment in time, you and the desire of your soul were one. But then one kid gets sick halfway to soccer practice. As you turn around in heavy traffic, you mindlessly ask them why they couldn’t have become symptomatic before you buckled the twins in their car seats and chased Rover three blocks to put him back in the fence. But all is not lost. At least you’ll have some writing time. Well, at least until hubby calls to let you know he invited the boss to dinner… […]
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About Reba J. Hoffman
Reba J. Hoffman is a natural encourager and Member Care Coach at My Book Therapy. She has a PhD in clinical counseling and is the founder and president of New Hope Institute of Counseling. Reba uses her gift of encouragement to help writers overcome negative emotions so they can live their dream of being a writer. Her works appear in publications such as Running for the Woman’s Soul by Road Runner Sports and The Good Fight by Donna Hicken. She is the author of Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal published by My Book Therapy. She also publishes a motivational and encouraging blog, FindingTrue North. Contact her at reba@mybooktherapy.com.Author Archive | Reba J. Hoffman
Sizzling Summer Success, Final Cut: Chill Out!
I’m in the mountains and summer has finally hit. Steamy hot days with a thunderstorm or two between daylight and dark make for a sticky, hot mess. On days like these, you may find it difficult to meet all your goals and accomplish your to-do lists. So what? Will the world come to an end because you didn’t finish the seventeenth load of laundry? Contrary to what your teenage daughter might tell you, the answer would be no. Get as much done as you can. If you can’t get the rest completed, don’t sweat it. Chill out. Most likely, there’ll be tomorrow. Here are a few things that may help you get more done and have more time to chill out: Work during your most productive time. In Florida, I […]
Read the RestSizzling Summer Success, Part 4: Expect the “Rain on Your Parade”
I love summers in the southeastern United States. Picnics, baseball, sliding down slick rocks in the river. And there are always the parades. Kicking off with Memorial Day, it seems summer is packed with an endless supply of them. Summer in the south also brings storms. Most any afternoon, you can look to the horizon and see some sort of storm brewing. And, most likely, it’s right in the middle of your parade route. Just like parades and storms sort of go hand in hand, so do summers and your manuscript. Your best laid plans for hammering out word count can easily wind up a soggy mess. So what is a diligent author to do? Here are just a few things you could do: 1) Buy an umbrella. Ok, maybe […]
Read the RestSizzling Summer Success, Part 3: Keep Your Story Hydrated
I’m sure you would never think of walking across the desert in June without taking water, right? Of course not. You know that water is critical to your survival. And, you have to put it back into your body at the same rate that you lose it or you’ll quickly find yourself in trouble. It’s the same with your story. You must infuse it with whatever keeps it alive and healthy. Just like running a marathon, there is a key to proper hydration of your story. Here are some things you need to remember: Write your story on a regular schedule. When I run, I drink every ten minutes. That way I don’t get dehydrated. Just as it is impossible to recover from dehydration while on the run, your story […]
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