Why having honest feedback is so important

I'd be the first to admit, my writing is very close to my heart. It is a part of me, a way to communicate and showcase stories and ideas. What it isn't is polished and perfect without the help of editors, beta readers, and critique partners

Before anyone thinks of publishing their work, they should make every effort to ensure it is free of any errors or completed to the best it can be. The first step is having someone look at it with a critical eye. This is where writing groups and critique partners and groups come in.  They can give you the insight and feedback you need to make your work a cohesive and thrilling read.

No matter if you've been in the industry one year or ten or twenty, if you have one book or one hundred books. If you do not have the right people to give you the harsh truth of your writing you will struggle. Keep in mind a writing career is one where you must continually work toward improving your skills and connecting with your readers with stories which are fresh, exciting, and entertaining. 

How do you do this if you grow complacent, or perhaps you put on blinders and pretend you are doing great? 

You can't. 

Let's start at the beginning. You've written your book. Great. Are you ready to publish? No. You're far from it. 

So what do you do? What's the next steps? Edits? Revisions? What do they even mean? At  what point do you say you're satisfied? 

Your self edits and revisions are important, and should be done with care. You want to be thorough but let's be honest, you aren't going to catch everything. So, what you want to do is simple. Do you self edits, the revisions, work the book to where you're happy with it and then -- this is the scary part -- put it before your critique or writing group with a massive vat of red ink. 

Then you sit back with a notepad and wait. You may be asking for what? After all, you've spent weeks polishing this manuscript what could be wrong with it? What your readers will see may be different then you envision and as such, you have to be prepared for this. 

So allow yourself the chance to get your work the necessary feedback before it goes to the editor or publisher. Let your peers point out areas of weakness, of passive writing, of scenes which don't make sense or a character who is flat. Soak up their feedback and don't get discouraged. 

The critique or writers group you work with is a valuable resource. They will give you the honest feedback you need, not necessarily what you want. Having someone point out a weakness in your book before it hits the market can only benefit you. It was something I struggled with myself. I got used to having those around me who worked with me give me only positive feedback and when the chance arose to get a more in depth and critical look at my work came, I took it. 

I truly believe it was the best move I made because the book is growing, developing, becoming a much more intense story. It's becoming the story of two people who want the same thing but the deck is stacked against them. There's depth and a sense of recognition to the characters. Things I would not have seen if not for the tireless and brutal honesty of my critique partners. 

There is value in working with others to get your book ready for the next phase of the publishing journey. Your book will be all the better for it, your editor will love you and you may even find your readers are twice as eager to get into your book. 

Honest feedback is ultimately worth more than endless accolades from family and friends who only see the person they care about and don't wish to hurt.  

Reach further, put aside pride, and you will find your writing becomes the jewel you know it can be.  

Are we truly alone?

The notion of an author sitting in a small, cramped space pounding out word after word in near darkness is one we have come to recognize. Perhaps, its one we have even come to accept and expect from those who take up the pen.

But is there any truth to it?

Isolation is a single part of being a writer. When writing we don't typically surround ourselves with other people. It is a mechanism to ensure success, and it lends itself to some misconceptions. Writers do not do it because we are anti-social but because it is the natural path to productivity and meeting the goals we set. After a period of time, it becomes second nature, and we simply continue it.

The word, isolation, however, does not necessarily mean we are sitting in a cramp, dark little room with endless cups of cold coffee and crumpled paper. No, there are times when we are sitting in a crowded space working on our projects, our focus on the story. Segregation does not require one to be separate from others, it can be a state of mind.

I have met several authors who find working around others to be too distracting. They are often drawn from their craft by other conversations, interruptions, and other distractions. Isolation, for them, is the only way to write and it is a truth they've learned the hard way. For these authors, it is a vital part of ensuring success, but for others, they find success in a different form of separation.

For example, J K Rowlins wrote The Harry Potter books - in a coffee shop. Being a public space, it is safe to assume she was not alone. Yet, her ability to meet the quotas and deadlines she had set for herself within the limits of her location and time is truly impressive. Her environment was noisy, crowded, boisterous and yet she managed to create an amazing story we can all recognize. Physically, she was part of a crowd, mentally, she was isolated and focused.

There are moments for each of us where we are writing while we are engaging with others. Even in the most minute way. For some of us, however, true isolation is needed. Where we set aside the time to write when the house is quiet, the day is done, and perhaps we are alone while everyone else sleeps. Every author is different.

You may say, there are some writers who spend their time in a crowded office working on their writing, and this is a prime example of isolation whilst included. As a professional one needs to understand their writing habits and curate healthy mechanisms to ensure deadlines can be met. Those who spend their time surrounded by others in the office setting have learned how to work within the confines of their environment. It is not something you can simply do, you have to learn how to recognize distractions and how to tune them out to ensure you're able to work.

Mariah Albright - New Author

Hello dear readers,

Welcome to today's post, please extend a warm welcome to Ms Albright, a new author just starting on her journey to publication. She's been very gracious in stopping by to be grilled!

Welcome Mariah and thank you for coming in. Lets just jump right into the questions, shall we?

1. 
   
2. What is the first book that made you cry?

Anne Frank

3. 
   
4. Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Energize

5. What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Telling and not showing.

6. Does a big ego help or hurt writers?

It hurts the writers.

7. Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

No.

9. Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

Sometimes I've considered it.

10. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Deliver readers what they want

11. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

Possibly

12. What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

I help them by reading over their writing and giving them construction criticism.

13. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?

Work a connection between each book.

14. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Write down your ideas

15. How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?

Haven't published anything yet.

16. What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I haven't made money from writing.

17. What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?

J.K Rowling

20. What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

Diary of Helene Berr

22. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

Flamingo

24. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

3

25. What does literary success look like to you?

Having at least 100 readers 

26. What’s the best way to market your books?

Popular places and sites

27. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I spend a week or two researching if I don't already know about it.

Right now I'm researching Planet X.

28. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

I view it as a copying mechanism

29. What did you edit out of this book?

Names for personal reasons

30. Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?

Not yet.

32. How do you select the names of your characters?

It has to fit my story whichever sounds best and goes with the time period I'll use it.

33. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?

Teaching

34. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

Haven't published a book yet.

35. Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

No, but I've thought about it

36. What was your hardest scene to write?

A scene about ptsd experience

37. Do you Google yourself?

I have before.

39. What is your favorite childhood book?

Missing Mrs. Nelson

40. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?

Not getting distracted

41. Does your family support your career as a writer?

         Yes

42. If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

Always use writing prompts to improve my writing.

43. Do you believe in writer’s block? 

No

November's Writing Challenge.

November is looking to be a hectic month for me. I'll be working on my paranormal novella, as yet untitled, which will be part of #TheForsakenSeries. As well, I'm going to be working on the Booktube channel Patricia and I have, and the podcast channel Ciara and I share. Patricia (my alter ego) is working on a historical romance she's been dying to write, so our time will be well spent.

So this month is busy as we prepare for the writing challenge, continuing our blogging, and look to release another title.

To ensure I am able to meet the goals I'm setting myself, I've taken advantage of having this month to prepare for each project and work on getting some blogs written and scheduled, as well as doing a number of recordings for podcasts and videos. This way when November 1 rolls around, I'm ready to start the month by focusing on the projects I'm planning.

Me and Nanowrimo by Rita Trevalyan

I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo since 2006, when my fellow writer and adopted niece Kira Cattan first told me about it.  NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, but the “National” part is a misnomer because it has spread all over the globe.  In it, you write a 50,000 word novel in a 30 day month. It used to be that if you didn’t have a plot, no problem, just writing, maybe one word 50K times, and you had it.  But these days, they’ve turned professional, and are asking us to prepare for the big event. I have had several of my NaNo novels published, once they were polished and edited.  Or was it Kira? It strikes me that it was actually my fellow Druid Michael Sharding who informed me about NaNoWriMo, and the rest is history. I got involved in it. My dearly departed the late Richard L. Fulton II called it “the Olympics for writers.”

Like many other writers, I battle writer’s block every day, so I got a book by Jenna Glazter titled Outwitting Writer’s Block  from Writer’s Digest Books.  I employed several tricks from the book, but my favorite has to be “the ugly notebook.”  From a salvage operation I participated in during a muggle gig, I acquired a 3-ringed looseleaf binder that had started its existence as an Office Services manual. I disposed of the contents, and put a package of college ruled notebook filler paper in it.  In this “ugly notebook, I warmed up and limbered my brain to do my writing. I started with the verbal form of scat singing. Scat singing is an art form started when blacks were slaves, and not allowed to own or play any musical instruments. For one thing, it’s rather difficult to play the banjo when your hands were required for picking cotton.  After they were freed, Such artists as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, and in our own era, Bobby McFerrin were known for their scat singing skills. I did it to warm up my brain. After all, dancers warm up their muscles, as do athletes. Shouldn’t we, as athletes of words warm up our writing muscles?Later, I took to asking questions pertaining to my stories.  

I have what’s known as dyscalculia, or math anxiety, so it was easier for me to write 2000 words per day for 25 days than 1667 for 30.  I took 5 days off for the Veterans’ Day parade, Thanksgiving, the Scottish Ritethe Liberty Lodge Thanksgiving dinner, and spending the day with my daughter.  After Doc died, and I moved to Sacramento, my housemate Stephen couldn’t understand why I would engage in something that didn’t have an immediate monetary payoff, and would try to sabotage me in all kinds of ways, mostly by trying to distract me by his incessant chattering like a monkey.  To persuade him of my seriousness, I wrote every day, resulting in 60,000 words or more.  Once I’d polished my manuscript, I submitted it to my new publisher, and after some edits, the book would come out, in ebook format.  After I got my Dragon, It was that much easier to produce my 2000 words, since I would dictate them, and the Dragon would type them on the screen.  I wrote in the morning because the chances were greater that I would be left alone, and I would have the rest of the day to do whatever I needed to do.  

I was, by now, participating 3 times a year, because they added Camp NaNoWriMo in April and  July. At first the April Camp Nano was “Script Frenzy”, and I wrote a screenplay, and a stage play.  Then I turned back to writing novels. Lately, so that I don’t have to wake up to a blank screen with an equally blank mind, I scribble out on paper on my clipboard “(I have 10), at least a portion on my writing for the morrow.  I take that clipboard with me to the bank, the store, the bus stop, and Kaiser, so that I’m always creating, even when not at my computer.  

A warning:when you go to www.nanowrimo.org to commit to your novel and sign up, they will strongly encourage you to donate.  With the exception of one November Nano, and two camps when I either couldn’t participate at all, or had to drop out for health reasons, I participated for 13 years without donating, so you don’t need to, if you’re low fixed income like me.  But if I ever strike it big, I intend to. So get an idea, go to www.nanowrimo.org and register your novel idea. Plan and prep.  Then, starting November 1st,at 12:01 am if you’re really eager and a night owl, write your 1667 words or however many words you write, and on every day, through November 30th, then validate your novel,and join me in in the winner’s circle.       

Rita

Negative Reviews and how to deal with them.

I'm certain we've all gotten a negative review. The one-star review or a review where your book is literally torn to pieces leaving you ragged and raw. Every one of us has had to deal with such a review at one point or other in our career. It's not the review we must worry about, but how we deal with it.

Many years ago, (10 years or so) I got some amazing advice from my publisher at the time. She told me to consider how my life had altered and for me to consider what it meant to have a book on the market. For better or worse, I was a public figure, even if it was only to a select group of people. What I did was being watched closely.

Her words ring true even now after she's retired and I'm working on book number...thirteen or so. In some ways, my life altered with the first contract, in other ways, it's still the same. For me, the biggest difference is how much thought I have to put into what I say online.

Okay, I can hear you say, "Nonsense, what could possibly have changed?"

Well for starters, I had to be aware of getting into controversial arguments on social media. Not that I was into them, to begin with, but I've seen some authors who have lost their s**t over a bad review, or some percieved personal attack. I'm all for defending one's self, especially in light of some of the negatives out there such as Piracy but that's another topic for another day.

Reviews are a keystone for authors, you need them to create sales. Unfortunately, you need sales to get reviews. It becomes an endless cycle of hope and prayer, lol. But let's get back to the topic - I meandered away there, my apologies. We write this book, pour our sweat, blood, and tears into it. It becomes a living entity to us. After weeks, months even, of work, it's published and on the market. And we want people to love it, but you check and see a *gasp* review. Reading it, the anger rolls, steam's bursting from your ears, and you're ready to throw the laptop out the window.

How dare someone tear it apart? What do they mean giving it a single star?

Guess what, it happens.

The way we handle it will set the tone for ourselves and our reputation as authors. No, you don't toss out the laptop or break things. It won't change anything, and you'll have to clean up the mess. Instead, take it for what it's worth. A review is a reader's opinion, and there is very little likelihood you're going to satisfy every person who picks up your novel.

So we have to balance it out. Yes, a negative review sucks, but if we expend all our energy on that one review - what's left. In my experience, and I make no implication I'm speaking for anyone else, the best way to deal with the negative review is to pick it apart. What is the reader telling me? Was there some plot hole which I didn't see and it pulled the reader from the book? Maybe it was pacing? Is there a kernel of information within the review I can use?

If you can answer any of these questions positively, then I would say make this a positive review.
One thing an author should never do is attack the person leaving the review. If you want to lose any credibility, or gain a bad reputation then engage in an all out troll war.

Now, if there is no way to look at the review in a positive light for whatever reason, then just getting passed the review is your only option.

Put your energy into a more positive endeavour such as writing. There is never going to be a day when you will please every person who reads your book. And it's been proven, bad publicity can work in your favour. Keep in mind, reviews are opinions, and trying to force, cajole, or otherwise please everyone so you get nothing but 5 star reviews will ultimately hurt you when you suffer burnout.

Nanowrimo? Is it for me?

It is officially Pre-Nanowrimo month!

What does this mean? For a number of people - me included - this is the month where we get ourselves prepared for the challenge of November. For myself, its figuring out what I'm going to write during the month long writing challenge of Nanowrimo. I'm still considering what it will be as I'm going to be tackling more than one project.

My first project will be one for me, Elise Whyles, which means it'll probably be a contemporary or fantasy/paranormal novel. I do have an idea hanging around, circling me like a shark, just waiting for the right time to snap its massive jaws into my tush.

The second project will be one a little different. I've (as Patricia Bates) have spoken to one of my publishers and we're going to be doing some revamping of some of my historical romances. To follow this up, I'm going to be writing a historical romance. I have an idea for the novel, which means research is going to be my main goal in the next few weeks.

There are a lot of authors I know who take part in the yearly challenge and there have been some great works come out of it. But is it for everyone? Personally, I would say its for everyone who wants to write, but there are things to consider to ensure success.

What do I mean? Do I lose if I don't finish the novel? The measure of success is within your mind, if you start off with the idea to get a book plotted out and research started and only get five thousand words done, who am I to say you aren't successful.

I measure it in the number of goals you manage to complete.

For me, I have two main goals for November:

1. Finish the first draft of the manuscripts I'm working on for the month.

2. Forgive myself if I don't get as much done as I want.

If I can do both of those things by December 1, 2019 I figure I'm ahead of myself.

So are you going to take part in November's challenge? Let me know, I'd love to hear about your progress and if you took part!

Success comes in many forms

I have often sat and wondered just what success meant.  Can I define what it means to me? Was it the balance in my bank account? Or maybe the number of followers I have? Perhaps it is something else, maybe something someone has done better at than I? To see if it was within my grasp, I first needed to define it, and to do so, I had to truly look at more than the dictionary's definition.

Recognizing how you identify success is extremely important. If you don't know what success looks like, how will you know it when you see it?  This leads into the big question: What is success to you?

If we compare our success against another person who has made more money or is better recognized, how can we really measure our success. Which is not to say we should discount those who have gained more than we have. It's human nature to feel some emotional response to another's success. Be it jealousy, anger, or joy, it impacts our ability to see our own place within the spectrum.

The answer to this question is intensely personal. At least for me it is.

My measure of success is different than my neighbors.
And that's how it should be. It's very likely two people have the same goal, or goals. What's unlikely, is if they're going to do the same in the pursuit of those goals. It is only when you get down to it that you see the differences. Like the murky waters of a lake, what lies beneath the surface is where the action is.

So what do I aim to acheive within my writing career?

Thinking big, as if I had the world at my fingertips, my successful achievement would be to see my books on the NY Times best seller list for weeks and royalty cheques  in the seven or eight digits.

Pretty lofty, isn't it?

Perhaps. If I'm honest with myself  (and that's the key here) my success is not obtainable. It is. But if I sit down and really study what I'm wanting, then it means I have to look at the whole picture, not simply the royalty cheques, or the rave reviews. But I also have to look at the road to reach said goal, then it can be overwhelming and I am ultimately setting myself up for failure.

I was read the way to eat a bear was one bite at a time. The anology works. There isn't anything you can't do if you take it step by step. Having the drive to do it, and the will to overcome the negative energy, the self-doubt, the fear, is what is needed.

So if I look at my goal of NY Times Best Seller List, then to ensure success I have to break it down.

1. Setting Realistic Goals for myself.
2. Making them clear and concise.
3. I need to be honest with myself, and accountable.
4. The goals must be trackable.

Breaking my ideal success story into smaller, more easily managed bites, ensures, I don't end up on a sinking boat in the middle of shark infested waters with no lifejacket.  How much success I get will be determined by the amount of work I put in...and if the end goal stands when I get closer to it. What do you think? What does it mean to you to be a success.

Insanity...or Determination

Insanity by its own definition is utilizing the same action time and again while expecting different results.

How often have we, as authors, tried some new-fangled promotional tool and not seen the results we want, but we continue to use it in the hope it'll suddenly net us the sales. Well, if you're anything like me, or some of my author friends, probably more times than you'd like to admit. Perhaps, its the sense of entitlement we have come to believe in, or maybe its complacency, or simply a desperate hope we cling to like a shipwrecked victim clinging to the dingy. Or perhaps, its none of those things but rather a simple lack of awareness of what we're trying to do.


Are we trying to get recognized?
Looking to boost our ranking on Amazon?
Perhaps, we are trying to attract sales?
Are we trying to compete with other authors?

Whatever the answer, it drives us forward, beating our fists against a brick wall without truly understanding what the end result is meant to be.

I've talked with a lot of people, including professional coaches about using the tools at our disposal in the pursuit of success and sales. During those conversations, the very idea of having an expectation of instant return on investment was talked over.

I had one conversation where the person I was speaking to asked me at one point a question. Instantly it had me rearing back with a gasp. How dare she ask me such a question. How dare anyone assume I wasn't looking at the big picture. 

What is this question which caused such a monumental moment of shock and horror? It was a simple question, and instantly had my defences going up.

When was I going to stop blaming everyone and everything else for my lack of sales?

After sitting for a few moments doing an Emmy award worthy impression of a goldfish, I blinked, and sat back in the chair and stared at her.  Her question was a difficult one, but one I needed to answer for a couple of reasons.  One, I didn't necessarily want to accept I wasn't carrying my share of the burden of promotion. I wasn't, by the way. And two, to see the results I want to see, I needed to have the blinders taken off.

I could sit around and complain about how my sales suck, or I'm not getting anywhere, I want to make more money.

In truth, I discovered the reality of there is an endless supply of "I'm spending money on ads on social media, I hired a PA to do my scheduling for promotion etc.

Excuses are plentiful, I found, like juicy apples on a tree.

Full disclosure: I've offered my fair share of excuses, of paying the blame forward. Its not my fault the books are selling it must be someone elses. In truth, I've spoken of them numerous times, until I got the wakeup call.

Sitting at my desk, bemoaning the lack of sales, and search engine placement, I drafted an email. I could almost feel the ulcers forming as I hit send on my message and wondered if it was the right thing to do.

That email was the first smart action I took. The answer I got was a wake-up call, and one I'd tried very hard to pretend wasn't what I needed.  My correspondence was met with a hard truth, one which lifted the wool from my eyes. If I wanted to succeed I had to take a cold, hard look at what I was doing...and cut away the dead weight of repetitive action I was hampering myself with. I had to acknowledge being accountable for my own mistakes meant I needed to push aside the excuses, the laziness, the sheer lethargy I had managed to convince myself was working.

I failed to see how my actions of epeatedly, trying to gain ground by doing the same thing over and over again was in its own way insanity. Believe me, I tried the basics until it was nearly muscle memory. But, I wasn't gaining, by all accounts I was holding steady with a decline in sales as my books were superseded by new releases by other authors.

I had to do some thinking, what did I want to do? Get a head or spend my time spinning my wheels in quicksand. With every post, every missed chance, I was making the choice to walk along the path of denial.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering, what does this have to do with the title of this blog?

Well, its a prime example of my experience with the insanity of inaction. I was determined to unmine myself, to make my own projects second, while I wallowed in the woe is me of lack of sales.

Taking the advice and critism from others was hard. It was shocking and bold, and what was needed. For me to succeed - for any of us to succeed, I believe we need to take a solid look at what have and what we don't have. What we know and what we don't want to know.

If I want to be sure I'm making sales, I have to accept my part in the process and step up to the plate. I need to step off the revolving door of complacency and jump into the deep end of promoting and marketing my brand, my books, and engage with my readers.

Is this going to be easy? Probably not, but then the things we want aren't always easy to obtain. When we have to work for what we desire, we appreciate it much more than if its handed to us. So, it begs the question, my fellow authors, where do you fit in the cogs of this wonderfully crazy world of publishing?

Creating Your Perfect Writing Space Part Two

In my last post, I talked about why authors need their writing space to be productive. I touched on the where of the space as well, but today I'm going to into further detail and talk about the top five things we need to be creatively productive.

You've picked out your 'office' spot, a quiet little nook you can claim as your own. But turning it from the bare, uninspiring spot into the wonderful pool of a creative fountain is going to take some work. A little sweat equity will ensure success.

As an author, I know what I need when I'm sitting down to write. Whether its notes I jotted down while making dinner, or the research books for my next story, I want them to be at the of my arms reach. Having a few shelves to hang on the wall allows for vertical storage, and you can buy shelving for a few dollars on Amazon or even your local Walmart.

Honestly putting the shelves together may be more taxing than hanging them.

A desk or table you can put your computer on is of course vital. If you use a Desktop or a Laptop it is imperative you have a desk you can place it on. This allows for better air circulation for the laptop, as well as a healthier position for you to write in. Finding the perfect desk doesn't necessarily mean running to the store and buying one, refurbishing an old table, will work just as well. Currently, I'm using a table we had in storage as my desk.

Having a comfortable chair to sit in makes a big difference in how productive you are. If you're constantly having to readjust yourself or get up and walk around, stretch  perhaps investing in a more ergonomical chair would be a good idea. Remember to take breaks though, just because the chair is comfortable enough to sit in for hours on end, doesn't mean you shouldn't take a few microbreaks during your writing time. In the end, it will help keep you healthy both mentally and physically.

You want to have good lighting of course. Natural light is always the best, but if your writing space doesn't have a window, ensuring you have adaquate lighting is a must. Investing in a good lamp and placing it near your computer is the best way to get great results. As well, having a lamp will ensure you are able to work any time of the day or night. There are a lot of good lamps out there ranging from ones which sit on the desk with a shade to the ones which have a positioning arm. Which you use, is entirely up to you. I prefer the one with the arm, simply because you can move it around to focus the light where you want it.

So, you've got the desk, chair, shelving, and lighting figured out. Now comes the fun part of this. Picking a color for the walls of your writing space. Yes, colors do have an impact on your creativity. Depending on what mood you want to create will ultimately affect which color of paint you purchase.

The top three colors I've found for creative productivity are Blue, Red, and Yellow. There are of course benefits in other colors, but for my writing space, these I've found work the best.

Blue being an intellectual color, helps the brain function at a higher level. It's used to in areas which require focus and mental strain.

Red is a physical color. Typically a person would put this in their office if they're required to exert themselves physically.

Yellow is a wonderful color, full of sunshine, and happiness. It represents the more creative aspects of our minds and helps to stimulate creativity, happiness, and positivity.

For myself, having walls of yellow with blue and red accents is ideal. It allows me to focus on my writing as well as keeping me motivated to not only work on my writing but my health as well. Taking breaks to do some stretches, or turn away from the computer for a few minutes and do some reading ... or even grab a cup of coffee all helps.

Having a few plants in your work space is helpful, as it creates a more natural atmosphere and thus allows us to recharge those creative batteries.

I hope these suggestions have proven to be helpful as you work toward creating the perfect creative space within your home. Happy decorating and make your creative space your own!!

I'd love to hear from you on what your writing space looks like. Share in the comments below!

Creating Your Perfect Writing Space Part One

I firmly believe everyone has felt that sense of dissatisfaction of writing wherever we can, when we can. In today's hectic lifestyles, it is a reality our time is rarely free, and often distractions and outside circumstances prevent us from sitting and writing. The loved ones, music, t.v. all ofer something far more intriguing or mind numbing as the case may be. But these offer us something else, something far more dangerous to our writing careers - a chance to procrastinate.

A  simple way to deal with all of this is to have a desingated writing area. I know what you're thinking, I can't afford that, there's nowhere for me to put such a space... there are a lot of reasons why not, I've said them myself, and the reasons why are far more important.

For a lot of us, our writing career is a source of income which we use to pay the dreaded day to day bills. To be able to have the time and space to write is key to getting works out there. Without a space to create, we feel the impact on our wallet.

Having a designated writing space is a benefit often over looked. The benefits of having one, include an area where you can retreat to, where writing is the primary endevour and productivity is increased. It is also a space where your boundaries come into play. You know the ones which say

"Writing here - disturb at your own risk -

It's a space set aside strictly for your creative brain to engage, and the outside distractions fade way. Carving out the niche for your office space can be a challenge, but it is well worth it.

I read a lot of articles about creating a space for myself and while a number of them indicated the space needed to be big, I don't feel it needs to be.  Perhaps, because I've never lived in a home where there was a lot of extra space, so I've learned how to use the space available.

Keeping in mind, there has to be space for you to spread out, for your printer, research material, notes, computer, etc. Living in a confined area, you will need to think outside of the box. If you have the spare square footage to create an office, it still pays to be creative.

This leads to the big question of: How can one utilize the area they have? Cross-purposing comes in handy for those of us who live in a small home or apartment. As well, you can think vertically when it comes to some things. A wall can become the landing zone for all your notes, books, etc. Sticky Tac, or pins work well for this. A small shelf above the desk can hold things like your highlighters, pens, pencils, flashdrives, and any other tool you may need. I've heard of offices in basements, even a walk in closet where the author could close the door, and surround themselves with plants, light, and music as they wrote. This, to me would have two benefits. A: you can shut out the outside distractions and write with ease, and no worries. B: You won't be limited to time of day when you write. For some of us, writing during the day is a necessity, but if you're a night owl, or you work during the day, having a space you can retreat to when everyone else is in bed allows you to still meet the word count goals you set for yourself.

Once you have figured out the where you're going to put your writing space, then comes the how and when which I'll touch base on in the next blog post.

I know where I would find my ideal space for a home office if I could pick...how about you? Where would you find your creative space?