If you live in Florida or other humid climate, you completely the feeling expressed in the title. As I’m writing this, the humidity in central Florida is 100%, and it’s not even raining. If you walk outside, your clothes and hair stick to your skin. Perspiration immediately pops out and you find it difficult to suck in a breath. It is all-consuming and agonizing. It’s still May and we’re already praying for November. Fear is a humid emotion. It engulfs you. Sticks to you. Makes you gasp for air. The things writers face in their journey are, without a doubt, frightening. And, just like a summer day in Florida, it begins early and gets worse as the day goes by. A storm brews on the horizon and there is nothing […]
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When Things Heat Up, Part 3: A Snowball’s Chance in a Really Hot Place!
I know. Sometimes you feel that’s about all the chance you have of living your dream. The cursor on the blank screen haunts you and your Aunt Gertrude tells you to give up those crazy pipe dreams of being an author. After all, working at the Piggly Wiggly’s good ‘nough for her, it should be for you, too. And the momentum you’ve gained from the snowball rolling downhill begins to melt as things heat up. Soon, you’re left in a puddle of disappointment and despair. It’s enough to make never want to climb the cold mountain again. But can I tell you something? The greatest achievements in the world have occurred just beyond where people wanted to give up. It’s true! And, the greatest failures have occurred when people stopped […]
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When Things Heat Up, Part One: If You Can’t Take the Heat. . .
Most of the country completely skipped over spring and went right to scorching summer heat. Wow! For writers, June also means getting your manuscript ready to pitch at fall writer’s conferences. This month we’ll discuss the rigors and how to keep your cool when things heat up. I know you’ve heard, “if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Well that would be great advice, if you didn’t need to eat. Someone’s got to cook or you don’t eat, right? A better goal would be to learn to endure the heat. Let’s say your heat is not in the kitchen but at a writer’s conference, umm… gulp… in front of all those agents and editors. You can’t very well abandon the kitchen or you’ll never see your […]
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Showers of Creativity Part Four: Go Forth and Create
We’re at the end of the month and you’ve come through three weeks of discovery and planning to give the world the best of YOU that you can offer. That’s quite an accomplishment. I have no doubt the world will be a better place for it. When this series ends and I’m not showing up in your email inbox every weekend, the tendency will be to “get back to normal”. No worries. The thought crosses nearly everyone’s mind. But what will you choose to do when that thought comes? After all, you’ve worked hard over these last few weeks in attempts to wax creative. You deserve a rest, right? Ummm, no. Here’s the thing. If the train isn’t moving, wouldn’t that be a dandy time to jump off and go […]
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