You may have never thought of it this way but confidence is a gift. Here’s how I know. Not everyone has it. Some folks, particularly writers can do the exact same thing. One gains confidence and the other has anything but. There is nothing like facing something in your writing career feeling confident. The good news is that you don’t have to sit and hope that someone will wrap some and put it under the Christmas tree for you to open on Christmas morning. You can give yourself the gift of confidence. Here’s how: Look for and acknowledge the improvements you make. You’re not getting worse at writing. You’re getting better. Even a small improvement should stand out in your mind. Don’t compare yourself. Comparing yourself to a Pulitzer Prize […]
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Finding the Truth of Your Character
Watching an interview with Brad Pitt on Inside The Actor’s Studio, an acting student asked, “What are your processes and how have they changed?” Pitt wisely answered, “My processes is always changing.” He talked about the journey of discovery, of finding truth. As an actor, or in our case, writer, grows and changes, they should be able to hone the process of finding a the heart of a character, of discovering the truth. Pitt went on to say, “Find a moment of truth and the character will come.” This is a profound truth for all of us who deal in character. Find the truth of your character and let it breathe, let it come. Let it shine on the page. We talk a lot about processes and tools here at […]
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A Writer’s Christmas Wish List
‘Tis the season when the blog-o-sphere is cluttered with writers’ wish lists. Google “gifts for writers” and you’ll discover things like: A book clock A bathrobe – because we all know writers don’t wear real clothes while writing Moleskin notebooks (I love these things—not that I need another notebook.) Jewelry for writers The MBT Novelist Starter Pack (Didn’t think I’d forget that, did you?) It’s all well and good to drop “all I want for Christmas” hints during this time of the year. How else will people know that you long for a ceramic tray that looks like a notepad? And I have a few hints about gifts to give yourself this season that will help you be a better writer in 2013. Give yourself the gift of less. December […]
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Writing Through The Holidays
Are you asking yourself the same question as I am? How in world is any sane person supposed to fit writing a book in along with the busy holiday seasons and a day job? It is possible. You can do this! Plan, Pray and Snatch. These three things have saved my sanity the last two weeks. I so badly wanted to complete the MBTWRIMO this year. For those of you new to the writing world, November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), where writers set a goal to write a 50,000 word manuscript in one month. Yes, if I didn’t think I was crazy when characters started talking to me, trying to complete a book during the holiday season should make me certifiable crazy. Plan: I made a plan using […]
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