Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” I don’t know about that. I’ve had some bigger agonies in my life than that. HOWEVER, after several years of burying an untold story inside me, I’ve decided to take some concentrated time to get the story on paper. Halting […]
Kristi Holl
Let's All Say "Ahhhhhhhh…" and Retreat!
Even when life is going well, the writing pressures, the marketing, the waiting, and the deadlines can make you dream of taking a writing retreat. Add in too many volunteer activities, caring for a baby, taking elderly parents to all their doctors’ appointments, and some days you want to run away. Last week I mentioned […]
"They Say…" Writing Advice
I hope you new writers question everything “they say” you have to do to succeed. That includes any advice I might give on this blog. Thirty years ago “they said” a new writer had to find a way to get to New York and meet the editors face to face if she wanted to sell […]
Retreat Time: Is It Possible?
While recovering from an illness I picked up simply (I believe) from being exhausted, I was going through my favorite writing books. One caught my eye and created an instant longing: The Writer’s Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves. It’s like a writer’s retreat in a box, with […]
Cures for Procrastinators in One Minute Flat
Why is getting started often the hardest problem that writers face? Today, I piddled around with journaling, reading blogs, watering flowers, some marketing…all the while “getting ready” to write. But by noon, I hadn’t written Word One. There was no real reason for me to be unfocused. I felt fine, ate a healthy breakfast, had […]
Getting Your Ducks in a Row: Organization or Procrastination?
Some time ago one of Suzanne Lieurance’s email “Morning Nudges” hit me between the eyes, and I printed it out as a reminder. I see this week that I need the same nudge again. Maybe you do too. Ducks on Parade “People will tell you that before you start on any new venture it’s a good idea to get all […]
Five Stages of Procrastination
How is procrastination like a bridge you set on fire yourself? According to Neil Fiore in The Now Habit, it’s similar to a situation where we scare ourselves into being frozen. Fiore says to imagine a very long flat board on the ground in front of you, and then imagine walking on it to the […]
Finding Writing Freedom
Within the last month, I’ve switched over from XP to a Windows 8 laptop with wireless Internet. It has been a wonderful, eye-opening change! YouTube videos and movies no longer stick, break up, or freeze. I can access the Internet in any room of the house—or even when away on trips. I can check frequently […]
Writers: Practice What You Preach
I got home late last night from the Highlights Foundation’s “Sharing Our Hope” workshop, where I did a lot of preaching about the importance of self-care for writers and how absolutely critical it is to our writing lives. We had a marvelous time together and forged new friendships. Even so, after “giving out” for several […]
Writers: Choose Your Friends Wisely (Part 2)
[If you haven’t yet, read about the dangers of toxic “friends” in Part 1 of “Writers: Choose Your Friends Wisely.”] Traits of a True Friend So…what are the characteristics of friends who best nurture our creativity and productivity? A. Supportive non-writer friends show an interest. They may not understand exactly what you do, but they […]