“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.” ― Maya Angelou
“What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” - Tim Ferriss
When it comes to courage, showing up is half the battle.
I jotted down some notes from Chantele Aimee Osman who gave a talk on courage at a writers conference. I later went back and use some of what she shared as prompts to dive deeper into the topic.
"Life shrinks or expands according to one's courage." ~ Anais Nin
Living on the come... (gambling metaphor)
Measuring up.
The moment before you jump is the scariest.
Your recipe of passion is unique.
You must write for yourself first, then for others.
The courage to pursue a dream.
"After the final no there comes a yes and on that yes the future world depends." ~ Wallace Stevens
Leave yourself open to different genres. Often the one you are writing for is not where your gift is needed.
Try short pieces in different topics.
SERIOUS AUTHORS TREAT WRITING LIKE A BUSINESS (BECAUSE IT IS). Professional Passion (you must treat it like a job).
Read what others write. Don't write in a vacuum.
Learn by Reading Learn by Writing Learn by Speaking
Put money in your cookie jar to invest in your own writing.
Surround yourself with people who support you in your passion work.
It's like a diet.
Accountability is all about making your commits public - people who will hold you accountable.
Consider a co-writer/co-author (especially if they are better known). Remember Jay Asher found a co-author to ease into his second book, where he was stuck on where to go next.
Ignore peoples' opinions.
Tips for focus:
Rcommeneded Book: Into the Woods - Book on screenwriting
The short stories you get published build credibility that you are a writer. It's the evidence agents need to see. It's the difference between an author and a writer. Everyone writes, but only the best get published.
Sidebar: I would have never read 13 reasons why if it wasn't an audiobook. The medium you publish to is also key.
Try writing in public. She shared the story of a colleague who made a point of going to the same coffee shop everyday at the same time to write for 1 hour. His tweets became his success log, a motivator, and accountability partner at the same time.
'Life Happens' is not a VALID excuse when you are pursuing your true passion. Eliminate obstacles & excuses.
It may help to come pu with a writing playlist. It will condition your brain and get you into the writing 'zone.' Try different music and see what emerges.
Use the Freedom app (locks you out of the internet).
Try speaking your book. One author spoke the words that became his book while he hiked everyday. (Note if you want to try this, you may need to apply the embarrassment patch.)
Some people who can't type, they need to speak it.
Read your work aloud is key. Submit every opportunity to your critique group and read aloud at your meetings.
If you are writing about a place, use Google Maps!
USe Expensify - keep track of your expenses.
Q. What if you tracked your TIME as an expense? Imagine the hours $$ you would write off?
Write or Die (Online writers aid she loves) - WRITE FOR TIME NOT WORDS.
The big idea... Keep an idea file on your phone.
Real life examples... Tesla Trucks came about from an idea file.
Learn the 3 act story structure!
Stuck in the middle (where most people fail).
Start the story 20 pages after the story starts. Backstory is not important! We don't care!
Walking into the room is a reader opening the book.
Assume the best until proven otherwise (like real life).
Include conflict in your writing - even in Non-fiction as it!
Every story has an ending. A goal. An obective. A problem to solve.
Nobody gets it right on their first try.
The setbacks are the drama that keep life interesting. Setbacks is what courage comes from.
Overcoming Writers Block
Never short on ideas if you keep an idea file (that's my list of chapters in pubwriter!).
Write like your watching a movie. Cast it. Scene by scene. How does it end.
A book falls from the sky. Everyname that is written in it kills the person.
Writing for the love of it.
Flash Fiction is the result of prompt writing. The more flash fiction you publish, the more publishing credits you get.
YOU NEED PUBLISHING CREDITS!
Follow your passion, but play by the rules (of logic).
Passion Rules: * It must make money
Pitch time - sign up for conferences that offer pitch time!
critiques are fine, but pitches are vital!
every book should be better.
just keep writing. don't worry about the rest of it. believe in yourself first and formost. don't look for others to believe in your UNTIL you believe in yourself.
deadlines and consequences.
being busy is no excuse to follow through on you true passion.
yoga is key for your creativity juices. go for a bike ride. go for a walk... that is key!
'Take your favorite writer to lunch day.'
'Fail to grow' 'Fail to learn'
Write for yourself. When you want to read what you write - it's good. That's all that matters. It's what artists do.
The consequence of missing your deadline is YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING WHAT YOU LOVE.