Tag: author inspiration

April is #IndieHeroes Month

indie heroes logo darkIt’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since we began our #PublishingFoul coverage. At this point in 2015, we were just about to kick off our series about vanity presses and scammers, how authors could avoid falling prey to one, and what to do if you already have. We’ve archived all of those posts, by the way; you can find them by clicking here.

Now here we are, with April 2016 just a day away. And this year we’re doing something different. Instead of pointing out publishing’s bad guys, we’re going to make stars of the good guys – our #IndieHeroes. Continue reading “April is #IndieHeroes Month”

Synchronicity: Finding Meaning in Writing

scarab beetle synchronicity in writing pixabaySynchronicity [sing-kruh-nis-i-tee] is a concept developed by psychiatrist Carl Jung, who felt that it was possible for seemingly unrelated events to come together in “meaningful coincidences.” In his book by the same title, he told of a patient who seemed to reach an impasse and was making no further progress in treatment. During a session, she told him she’d had a dream about someone giving her a golden scarab, an expensive piece of jewelry. While she was talking, Jung heard a tapping on his window behind him, opened it and a large green-gold scarab beetle flew in. Jung caught it and handed it to the woman, saying, “Here is your scarab,” and from that point on, she made great progress in her treatment.

The novel I’ve been working on concerns a young woman who inadvertently ends up being the primary caretaker of her elderly aunt who has Alzheimer’s. After the death of the aunt, the woman uncovers family secrets that change her perception of most of what she thought she knew. I’m to the point in the book where I’m about ready to kill off the aunt. No, I won’t murder her; she dies of natural causes, but I was struggling with whether or not the timing was right. I felt like I wanted to provide a bit more substance before the aunt’s death, but I wasn’t sure what that substance would be. My writing stalled. Continue reading “Synchronicity: Finding Meaning in Writing”

Getting Inspired by… Ray Bradbury

i sing the body electric by ray bradburyFinding something that inspires you to write can be easy or difficult. It can come screaming out of left field like a foul ball, or worse, hit you at the most awkward of times like driving the car. My inspiration tends to pick awful times to invade my brain. It’s usually in the middle of the night. Yes, I’m sure you’re nodding in agreement. We’ve all lost a lot of sleep in this profession.

I admit, I don’t read enough. And I know I should. Shame on me! I’ve always been afraid that if I read, that somehow I’d subconsciously copy the author. Maybe not exactly, but paraphrase someone out there. This is probably a silly fear. Writers are supposed to be inspired by the works of others. But my fear has persisted, and I knew I needed to conquer it. Continue reading “Getting Inspired by… Ray Bradbury”

Get Off Your Duff! 8 Simple Ways to Kick-Start Your Motivation

Donna FasanoEven the King of Just-Do-It, Tony Robbins, must have days where he feels unmotivated. It’s only natural to find yourself in a slump, every now and then — suffering through days where you just don’t feel like doing anything productive. If you find yourself feeling this way, take heart. You’re not alone. I’ve felt the same way. I have found that, if I allow one day to pass where I don’t write, it easily turns into two, and then three. But I have found a few ways to kick-start my motivation. I hope these suggestions help you get off your duff and get moving in the right direction. Continue reading “Get Off Your Duff! 8 Simple Ways to Kick-Start Your Motivation”