Blog
Inside a Community Writing Workshop
Read about my most recent community writing workshops at Pendleton Public Library and find out how you can get involved in a workshop near you.
It’s been a while since I’ve been in the classroom, so when I went into the Pendleton Public Library the first week of March, I was nervous and excited - like the first day of a new semester.
While I wasn’t teaching a class, I was leading workshops, for teens no less! Would they engage with the material? Would I be able to talk to them on their level? Would they…like it? Or find it helpful?
The first group was middle schoolers, grades 6-8, and the second group was high schoolers grades 9-12. I don’t typically work with teens, but I figured if they were interested in creative writing at the library, they would probably be students like I was at that age.
They didn’t disappoint!
Both workshops were about stories in movies. For the middle schoolers (which I call the “youngers” in my head), we analyzed the Shrek trailer and looked at how much you could tell about a story just from the 2 1/2 minutes. To my great surprise, Shrek is still popular with middle schoolers!
The girls who attended were cheerful and ready to get into it. They were so fun and more confident than many adults I work with. It very much reminded me of a time when I was handwriting my first novels on lined notebook paper. They really dug into the exercises and were ready to learn and participate. A far cry from the trepidation I had when I first arrived.
Two short days later, I was back in the library with the high schoolers. We did similar activities but focused on more of the nuances of writing using the original Ghostbusters trailer from 1984 and the newer remake with a female cast from 2016.
What I think I look like during writing workshops.
Photo credits: Chaz T Photography
Personally, I enjoy both so I was excited to hear what they thought. My main participant hadn’t seen either version, so it was kind of perfect - a way to see how much you can really tell from a trailer.
After all, movie trailers are just summaries of movies just like you read a summary of a book.
She, too, caught on quickly and remained engaged. I wondered if I was talking too much, but she asked if I would keep going and sharing more information. I don’t think I’ve ever been asked to talk MORE outside of clarifying questions.
What I actually look like - we have fun!
It was pretty cool, and I can’t wait to do the second round of workshops at the end of March. We’re going to be talking about fan fiction, which should be fun. I’ll have to brush up on what’s popular, as I’m sure it’s changed since I was young, and writing fan fiction myself!
A Few Logistics
This is my first foray into community workshops, and thus far it has been a great experience. I’m a big fan of the library, always have been, and always will be, so this opportunity immediately jumped out as something I had to take.
My librarian contact has made the process easy!
I created the flyer, the workbooks for each age group (same foundation, different activities), and a super simple PowerPoint for the workshop itself. If you’ve been around for a bit, you probably know that I love cute and visually engaging materials because I get so jazzed about writing.
I’m working on figuring out how to repurpose them because truly, the basics are the same no matter what level of writing you’re starting with. You can see a preview of some of the pages below - what do you think?
The workshops lasted about an hour each, and although they were small groups, both were fun and engaging for all of us. Although my passion is working with adults, it’s safe to say the kids are a-okay in my book.
Interested in Hosting or Attending a Workshop?
One of my goals for 2023 is to get out in the community and interact with writers from all walks of life. It’s okay if you don’t think of yourself as a writer, too! I’d be happy to talk about setting up a workshop even if you just want to see what it’s all about.
If you want to learn more about my philosophy of writing first, you can grab a copy of my book Storytelling for Everyday People: A feel-good, no bullsh*t guide to telling the story in your heart.
If you want to get to know me a little before we connect, I totally get it - there are many great successful writers I don’t vibe with. Happy to connect and just have a chat, too. The best place to find me is on LinkedIn, Instagram, or through the Contact form.
How Writing Habits Help Business Owners
Habits aren’t easy to create, but they’re important. Writing habits can be trickier than others, too, because we all come from different places with experience and skills... Here's how writing habits can help business owners.
Habits aren’t easy to create, but they’re important. Writing habits can be trickier than others, too, because we all come from different places with experience and skills.
Developing your voice and feeling confident about it takes time and effort. You have to show up and work on it, and it doesn’t always feel like a fun creative whirlwind. Similar to running your business, sometimes writing feels exhilarating and sometimes it kicks your butt. I totally get that because it happens to me, too, even as a seasoned writer.
What I’ve experienced, and what I’ve seen when I work with students and coaching clients, is that you need a writing habit. When you create a habit of showing up for yourself to regularly practice your writing, it not only feels better, but you tend to have fewer “this is all terrible” days, too. You learn what’s comfortable and what feels good, and it becomes easier to live with days that aren’t great because you don’t feel like every single time will be bad.
I feel it coming, it always does: “But…”
Some of the most common obstacles and challenges - what I often call the “buts” - I hear from storytellers from all walks of life are:
I’m too busy
Taking time for writing feels like a luxury
Writing isn’t as urgent as other pressing matters in my life
There’s always tomorrow, so why do I need to start today?
These are all completely legitimate concerns. We are busy, and sometimes emergencies do pop up that we have to take care of immediately, such as taking your beloved pet to the emergency room because they got into something and won’t stop throwing up. Obviously, you wouldn’t just not take care of them because you’ve scheduled writing time (even if they’ve done it more than once and you don’t feel as bad for them as you used to). But, in general, writing on a regular basis and practicing telling your story doesn’t usually present those types of high-stakes scenarios.
People have these preconceived notions about what writing “has to” look like, and most of them aren’t very good.
Things like writing for hours at a time and having to have the exact right words at every turn put so much pressure on you as a storyteller. They work totally in concert with the challenges above because the challenges present an out.
You can’t do an hour-long writing session three times this week because your brother needs you to watch your nephew. You can’t journal every day because you have to be at work all day and you’ll be too tired - you’ll get at it on the weekend.
These unfortunate notions, some that have been programmed into our minds since we were kids learning what a “real writer” is, can create barriers to even starting. Who wants to do something thinking it will be a completely uphill battle they won’t be very good at?
This is why creating a writing habit is important. I believe, and I’ve seen it with my own two eyes, that when you make a little time for writing each week, it can change your life.
It’s worth sticking with the first couple of months to build a strong, healthy habit. Here’s why.
Get Comfortable
Writing isn’t natural for a lot of people. In fact, it has a tendency to feel extremely vulnerable, especially if you’ve been in situations where you felt you didn’t have privacy to express yourself.
As you create a writing habit and write regularly, it’ll get more relaxed. You’ll get more comfortable, and it’s highly likely you’ll begin to feel more creative and excited to continue on.
Get Creative
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they’re “just not that creative”...but seriously, it’s super common. People don’t think they can think beyond reality. Really, it just takes a desire and a little bit of practice. When you get more comfortable telling your story and it becomes a habit, the outcome can evolve into something bigger than you started with.
If the first thing you want to do is tell your story from beginning to end, and you practice doing that, it makes sense you’ll add to that goal moving forward. Maybe the next outcome is that you want to feel comfortable telling your story, or learn how to tell it in a way that makes sense for you to share it.
No matter what you do, when you have a writing habit you show up for, you’ll see progress. You’ll come up with new ways to say things and perhaps figure out how to explain the context of your story without feeling like you have to give your whole life story as background information.
Get Confident
My favorite part about writing habits is the confidence they create. There’s nothing quite like seeing someone write a story know they did that. It’s the same look of wonderment from community college and university classrooms to community centers and library group sessions to addiction treatment facilities. It’s the “I can” look, at least that’s what I call it.
Getting comfortable with your words and ideas and being able to be creative, sometimes for the first time, is an incredible feeling. It builds your confidence, which is essentially the entire goal of this book. It builds to the moment where you think to yourself: I did this and it’s good enough. I did this and it matters. I did this and I matter to the world.
What Does This Have to Do with Business Owners?
Everyone can benefit from a solid writing habit, but business owners can get a few extra kickbacks from them.
As you grow more comfortable, creative, and confident in your writing, you’ll grow in similar ways in your personal life a business.
Because most people have a complicated relationship with writing and writing habits, forming one means that you’ve already proven to yourself that you can do hard things (like Glennon Doyle says). When you face obstacles in business, you’ll be more confident that you can work through it - maybe even in writing!
Business owners are people first. Sure, we do badass things and create and manage. But at the heart of it all, we’re people who have emotions, feelings, stress, love, relationships, and everything in between. Writing gives you a safe place to be human first before anything else. Everyone needs a space like this.
This is your time to shine, business owner. I believe in you, and I hope that you believe in you, too.
What are Writing Sprints and How to Do Them
If you’re struggling with writer’s block, or just want to get some writing done, this is for you.
Being a writer comes with many challenges, one of which is the dreaded writer’s block. There are some lucky writers out there who never experience writer’s block, but for most of us, they’re simply part of the experience.
If you’re struggling with writer’s block, or just want to get some writing done (but can’t seem to find time), a writing sprint may be the perfect solution.
What is a Writing Sprint?
A writing sprint is a form of timed writing. You set a timer for however long you want to write and go. Some common time limits for a writing sprint are 20 minutes, 40 minutes, or an hour. You can do more or less depending on what you want to get accomplished and how long you’ll stay focused.
If you’re doing a longer sprint, it can be helpful to break it up into smaller portions with a short break in between. The Pomodoro Technique can be incredibly helpful for writing, too.
Once you choose the length of time and set your timer, all you have to do is write. The most important thing to remember for sprints is that anything goes. Don’t worry about making sense, correcting or using great grammar, or whether what you’ve written is “good.” The main goal is to get words onto the page. Sometimes you’ll find you’ve written a masterpiece in this time. Other times, you want to delete the whole block when you’re done. What matters is that you wrote.
Why Use Writing Sprints?
Writing sprints can help you to make progress on your writing project and defeat writer’s block. Whether you’re writing a novel, short story, or an article, sometimes we need help to get back into the swing of writing.
Writing sprints help you get into writing faster. It forces you to think fast and dump your thoughts onto the page without a filter. This is a great way to test out new ideas and storylines. If you don’t like what you wrote in the end, you’ve spent less than an hour instead of days.
By breaking writing into smaller chunks of timed writing, it makes the whole task less overwhelming. Writing anything can be a daunting task, which is how writer’s block can set in. The feeling of not knowing where or how to start is something writers have been navigating for hundreds of years.
With writing sprints, you don’t have to worry about it. You’re just putting words on the page during the time on your timer. You don’t have to try to write the next American epic. All you have to do is put some thoughts onto paper (digital or otherwise). If it’s not a good fit for your work in progress, you can always edit it later.
When you’re writing with a timer, it gives you less time to dwell on the minute details. Knowing you’re on a time frame pushes you to keep writing rather than look back over what you wrote. You can lose so much writing time by worrying about what you’ve already written. When you get obsessive with editing as you write (it’s happened to us all), you won’t get very much done.
There’s less pressure to be perfect when you do writing sprints. If you make a mistake, you have it in the back of your mind that you can or will have to fix it later. If you realize what you wrote is a tangent and has nothing to do with the overall story, you can take it out later. You never know when you may write a few great sentences that will take your story to the next level. You might also write garbage you’d never share with anyone. Anything can happen.
Even if you realize you need to delete the whole block you just wrote, at least you know that’s not the direction you want to go and you can try something else. There’s always a benefit when you’re writing - whether it’s progress in your project, or experience to learn from.
5 Easy Steps to Do Effective Writing Sprints
1. Choose an amount of time - we recommend starting with 20 minutes first to see how that goes. If it works well, then try more.
2. Set a timer - You can use an app that makes it more fun, like the Forest app (which grows trees while you stay off your phone!), or a regular timer.
3. Do the sprint - Write words and have fun!
4. Take a break - If you’re doing a longer sprint, try to take a break mid-way through. If you want to keep writing, go for it, but breaks can help rejuvenate your brain and body and increase creativity.
5. Do another sprint if you feel like it - Sometimes we reach the end of our sprint and want to keep writing. If this happens to you, that’s awesome and you should definitely keep going. If it’s not, that’s okay, too. Schedule your next sprint session and congratulate yourself for making some progress.
BONUS: Find an accountability partner & sprint with them. This can be a friend, someone you met on social media, or just someone else who likes to write. If you can’t find a partner, you can also text someone you trust and let them know you need an accountability friend. Let them know when you are sprinting and when you’re done. Make sure to choose someone supportive and who will cheer you on.
Happy sprinting!
4 Creative & Productive Ways to Use Post It Notes
Do you use post it notes? In school we used them for ... As an adult, I’ve found many more uses that help ... There are many ways to help yourself be more productive. If you haven’t tried to use post its in these creative ways, you should.
Do you use post it notes? In school we used them for taking notes in lieu of highlighting in books, or as bookmarks. As an adult, I’ve found many more uses that help to keep me productive as a writer. Not only do they help me stay organized, but I use them to keep me on track and keep me motivated.
There are many ways to help yourself be more productive. If you haven’t tried to use post its in these creative ways, you should.
4 Creative Ways to Use Post-Its
As a writer, all the thoughts and ideas that swirl around in your mind can be overwhelming. Sometimes you need new techniques or tools to help you organize them and keep you moving forward towards your goals.
Here are four of the best ways I’ve found to use post its for my productivity.
Making Notes when You’re Reading
Whether you are reading fiction or nonfiction, taking notes as you read can help when you find something you want to take with you into your own writing. What better to make a quick note than a post it?
Anytime I come across a certain technique, trope, or tip I like in a book, I stick a post it on the page, noting what I want to remember. This allows me to move on without too much distraction. It’s also helpful when I’m working on my own writing and want to try out some of the same techniques. I can go back to my post it notes instead of wasting precious writing time skimming that part of the book.
There are so many ways you can use post its as you read. It might mean noting the way a certain author uses dialogue, or the way they describe a character. It can even be as simple as liking a word and not wanting to forget it. Writing is a process and you can use sticky notes to fit your style. Have fun with it!
You can color code, like using yellow for dialogue and orange for descriptions. Whatever helps you remember the best, try it out! No harm in testing new strategies, right?
Organize Writing Notebook
If you have a writing notebook, you can use post its to organize it. Writing notebooks are a great resource for anyone working on creative projects, especially long ones. Curious about what goes in one? Read this.
Post its can differentiate the sections of your writing notebook. If you already have tabs, you’re ahead of the game! Post its can still be useful to flag information you’ll reference a lot or that you know will be important later in the writing process.
Sticky notes can also keep your scenes in order. You can mark each section within your notebook with a different colored post it, or label them if you don’t like to use color coding.
Everyday Reminders & To Do Lists
Whether you’re a full time writer, or simply write for the love of it, most of us are busy. Planners are useful, but sometimes you may need a little extra reminder. When there’s something pressing that I have to get done in a day, I use post its to remind myself.
I’ll make a to-do list and stick it on my computer or put the most pressing task on my bedroom door so that when I inevitably exit, I’m reminded of that task. We can’t remember everything, and we don’t need to with helpful reminders like this around!
Motivation
Just as you can stick to-do lists around the house where you’ll be sure to see them, you can (and should!) stick motivational quotes or sayings around the house, too. Even if you aren’t someone who believes in manifestation or the power of positive thinking, having words you love around you will put you in a good mood.
For example, try writing “You can do this!” on a post-it. Stick it to your mirror and every time you look at yourself in the mirror, you’ll get a little happy reminder. Being your own cheerleader is a great way to keep yourself motivated. It’s nice to have others cheering us on too, but we spend the most time with ourselves. We need to be able to boost ourselves up when we need it.
When you’re feeling down, look at your quotes and let them remind you why you’re doing this. You are strong. You are brave. You can do this. Don’t let negative thoughts or imposter syndrome get the best of you. Use your post it notes as an easy way to surround yourself with positivity.
Keeping inspirational quotes handy can also help when you encounter writer's block. You never know when you’ll need a little extra spark of inspiration to get the writing juices flowing again. Have a few of your favorite inspirational quotes written on post it notes in your writing area and look at them whenever you get stuck.
Find your favorite post its, try out some new strategies, and see what works best for you. Incorporate that into your daily life! Sometimes we forget that there are ways to make our lives easier, and need a reminder that we don’t have to do this (or figure it all out) on our own. If there’s something else you use that helps you stay productive, let us know so we can share it with our writing community!
25 Inspirational Quotes for Writing
Finding the motivation to write can be difficult some days. You probably don’t want to force yourself to write, but if you need to get some writing done, an extra push can help get you going. Sometimes all we need is a little inspiration before we dive into writing. Here are 25 inspirational quotes to spark your inspiration!
Finding the motivation to write can be difficult some days. You probably don’t want to force yourself to write, but if you need to get some writing done, an extra push can help get you going. Sometimes all we need is a little inspiration before we dive into writing.
Here are 25 inspirational quotes to spark your inspiration!
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.”
“You fail only if you stop writing.”
“If the book is true, it will find an audience that is meant to read it.”
“Don’t forget-no one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell.”
“If I waited for perfection… I would never write a word.”
“The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, and write, write, write.”
“Writing—the art of communicating thoughts to the mind, through the eye—is the great invention of the world.”
“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”
“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.”
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
“Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.”
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”
“To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.”
“Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.”
“It is perfectly okay to write garbage—as long as you edit brilliantly.”
“When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.”
“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
“First, you write for yourself... always, to make sense of experience and the world around you. It’s one of the ways I stay sane. Our stories, our books, our films are how we cope with the random trauma-inducing chaos of life as it plays.”
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”
“I believe there is power in words, power in asserting our existence, our experience, our lives, through words.”
“People are going to judge you all the time no matter what you do. . . Don’t worry about other people. Worry about you.”
There are so many great quotes that can help inspire you to write. Hopefully some of these will spark your creativity and get the words flowing.
Do you already have a favorite quote that inspires you to write?
Let us know in the comments!
6 Simple Ways to Build Creative Confidence
Doing creative work requires some semblance of confidence, whether to help get you started, or to keep you going. Without confidence, you can run into problems like writer's block, imposter syndrome, and overall fear and anxiety about your work... When you feel confident in your own work, other people will feel more confident about it, too.
Doing creative work requires some semblance of confidence, whether to help get you started, or to keep you going. Without confidence, you can run into problems like writer's block, imposter syndrome, and overall fear and anxiety about your work.
Having confidence in your own writing takes it to a whole new level. When you feel confident in your own work, other people will feel more confident about it, too.
What is Confidence?
In the most basic sense, confidence is the “quality of being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future.”
Confidence has everything to do with how we feel about the actions we take (or could take) to be successful. When we’re confident, we feel sure we can accomplish what we need to serve others and ourselves, as well as succeed in the future.
In other words, confidence helps you on your road to success. (If you want to read more about confidence, we did a mini-series about it.)
Why Do Some Writers Lack Confidence?
It feels like it should be easy to stay confident in yourself, but it’s often hard to do. You’ve probably wondered whether your writing is “good enough” - and so it is with many writers. We’ve all been there. It’s a human thing to question yourself - and completely normal.
When you tell other people you're a writer, they ask questions, too. Some questions seem harmless, like “What do you write?” Other questions, such as “When are you going to get published?” can create a sneaking doubt in your mind and make you wonder if you’re good enough to get published. And if so, what will people think? Will people want to read it? And what if they do and they don’t like it?
Then there’s the ever-famous bad experience that seems to happen to all writers at one point or another. For those of us who love writing and have been doing it since we were young, we often started out full of confidence - of course our ideas were good! Then, we have a moment or an encounter where someone gives us negative criticism we don’t know what to do with that alters the course of our writing lives. It sometimes takes years for confidence to grow (and for some it never quite comes back in the same gleeful way).
So what do you do about these doubts? And how the heck do you gain confidence in yourself and your writing when it feels impossible?
6 Ways to Build Creative Confidence
These are some of the ways we (and our clients!), here at Capturing Your Confidence that work - writer to writer.
Journaling
Journaling is great because you never have to show it to anyone, so you never have to worry about whether people will enjoy it. Journaling is all for you. It’s a safe space where you can write about anything you want.
It can be a daily routine (like Rachel’s morning pages practice); a place to write out all your story ideas; a place to vent all your fears, successes, or memories you want to remember; or, you can use it for all of the above.
If you need multiple journals, that’s okay! Journaling is meant to help you, whatever that might look like.
Start Small
If you want to write, but it seems too daunting, start small. You can always work your way up to your longer term goal. For instance, say you want to write a book, but you’re not sure if you can (because it is a lot), you can start with a short story or essay.
It doesn’t have to have anything to do with what you want to write your book about. The process of writing that shorter piece will help you figure out things like how quickly or slowly you write, what style and genres you prefer, and whether or not you actually want to write something longer.
If you’re thinking about writing professionally for readers online, you can start small by writing guest posts on someone else’s blog. Doing this helps you test the waters before you make the commitment to building your own blog. You can also publish on sites like Medium, where you don’t have to pay to post, but you can see if what you’re writing about is something people are looking for.
No matter what you want to write, there are ways to work your way up to that end goal.
Read Your Writing & Find Things You Like (On Purpose)
One of the best things you can do for your writing confidence is to read your writing. Be intentional about it - find your favorite parts and best lines. Ignore the pieces that you feel aren’t up to par (let’s be honest, it can’t all be gold), and really feel the pieces you’re proud of.
Whenever you’re feeling self-doubt or just need some inspiration to keep writing, go back and read those pieces you picked out. Remind yourself that you are good enough, no matter what anyone else says. It’s easy to forget your own capabilities when you aren’t looking back at your work.
Writing is a constant growth & learning process and it’s important to look back to see how far you’ve come.
Share Your Writing with One Person
When you’re ready to share your writing with someone, choose one person you trust to start with. Tell them exactly what you want from them, whether it’s honesty, or simply to hype you up. It’s okay to want someone who will point out the good pieces of your writing for your first outside perspective.
Eventually you’ll need them to tell you what needs work, but if you’re not ready for that, don’t feel pressure to ask for that on your first share. The worst feeling is giving someone your work and having them tear it apart when it wasn’t ready for that type of criticism yet. Don’t ask for the brutal honesty until you you’ve edited and worked to make your draft as strong as it can be without an outside eye.
DO NOT CHOOSE SOCIAL MEDIA AS YOUR ONE PERSON.
Let me repeat that: when you select the first person to read your work, DO NOT share it publicly on any type of social media platform. This is a recipe for a shitstorm of criticism, which is not what this first person share is about.
Take a Break from Social Media
First, a note: we’re not anti-social media here. You can make connections with fellow writers, and run effective marketing for your book on social media. It’s a great opportunity to meet people you probably wouldn’t in real life!
But it’s a double-edged sword. If you’re scrolling through Insta or TikTok for hours on end, you have less time for your own creative work. It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others, which saps creativity, sometimes without you even knowing it’s happening. Imposter syndrome anyone?
Much of what you see on social media isn’t real anyway.
Someone may say they write for five hours everyday, or read twenty books every month, but you don’t know that’s actually the case. Even if it is, they’re not you. Everyone is different. Everyone writes and reads at a different pace, and everyone experiences self-doubt sometimes (even the loudest people).
So, make sure to take a break from social media every once in a while. Even if it’s only for a day, take a step back and remind yourself of who you are and why you’re writing. Take a day to explore and inspire yourself, or to rest and relax. Whatever you need to do, allow yourself those moments to rejuvenate yourself.
Keep Practicing, Even When You’re Not Feeling Confident
Even when you’re not feeling confident, write anyway. It doesn’t have to be your best work. In fact, if it’s something that feels like garbage, that’s okay, too. We all do it, words don’t come out perfect, even for the best of us. That’s what editing is for.
You don’t even have to do anything with it. All the time you spend writing is making you a better writer. Practicing even when you’re not confident can sometimes (inadvertently) lead to some of the best work, which is sure to restore at least a little confidence. Remember - all you have to do is write. Everything else is peripheral.
My challenge to you is to try these tips when you need a confidence boost and let us know what works best for you!
Start Showing - Not Telling - with this Unique Writing Tool
As a writer, there are many responsibilities to think about to make sure that my work is the best it can be, so it’s nice to be able to use tools to make them a little less intimidating...One tool I’ve recently discovered that’s extremely useful for editing is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi.
As a writer, there are many responsibilities to think about to make sure that my work is the best it can be, so it’s nice to be able to use tools to make them a little less intimidating.
I need to be able to write, first and foremost, but I also need to know a bit about editing, formatting, social media, marketing, and networking. Utilizing tools that make these tasks easier isn’t just helpful, but essential to getting everything done.
One tool I’ve recently discovered that’s extremely useful for editing is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi.
What is the Emotion Thesaurus?
First things first (in case it’s been a little while since you’ve used one), a thesaurus is a tool that tells you synonyms of another word. I always have a tab open on my computer with a thesaurus handy when I’m writing.
The Emotion Thesaurus (TET) is a little more in depth than your average thesaurus. You use it the same way as you would any other reference book, by looking up the emotion in question. In TET, you get a ton of other information about the emotion, too:
The definition
The physical signs/behaviors associated with it
Internal sensations that occur when you experience the emotion
Mental reactions to it
Acute or long term responses for it
Signs that it’s being suppressed
What it may escalate to
What it may de-escalate to
Associated power verbs
Each word has a full two pages allotted to it so you fully understand what the emotion is and what it looks like.
There are other thesauruses by the same authors for other kinds of references:
2 Ways to Use The Emotion Thesaurus
There are multiple ways to use The Emotion Thesaurus. First, you can use it as a dictionary. If you think you have an understanding of a word, but you’re not sure, look it up in the thesaurus! There’s a definition listed, and reading through the rest of the information will familiarize you with the word and its exact usage.
You can also use it as an editing tool, which is what I use it for. You can look up emotions as you write, especially when you’re unsure how to show what they look like. You can also use it when you’re rereading and making edits.
I find it easier to use during the editing process so I don’t have to keep stopping to look up each feeling I want to describe while I write, but either way, it really helps you show the emotion instead of telling your reader about it.
A good way to know when you should be showing vs. telling is whenever you see the words “seem,” “appear,” or “felt.” Try to replace those words with descriptions of what’s happening in the moment.
It’s not that you can’t ever use those words - sometimes they’re necessary - but if you use them a lot, consider swapping them out for descriptions instead.
Why The Emotion Thesaurus is a Helpful Editing Tool
If you have trouble showing vs. telling, this tool is for you. When I’m in the moment, sometimes it’s easier to say how a character is feeling instead of showing it with their actions or expressions. If you write fiction, you’ve probably felt the struggle!
This thesaurus has helped me so much in learning what different emotions actually look like (it’s not always like you see on TV!) so I’m able to properly show them in my writing.
For instance, instead of saying, “they were disgusted” you can say “their lip curled and they wrinkled their nose.” They both convey the same message, but you can visualize disgust with the description much more clearly.
If you don’t know what an emotion feels like, this tool is a must. The internal sensations and mental responses are super helpful in figuring out how the character who’s experiencing the emotion should be reacting on the inside & how they behave on the outside.
For example: A character is feeling impatient. On the inside, they may be experiencing a headache, or becoming tired, but they’re trying to avoid lashing out at whatever is causing the impatience.
Need words that relate to a specific emotion or word you’re looking up (like when something is on the tip of your tongue but you just can’t think of it)? This will help. TET gives you options for words that are more or less intense than the feeling you’re looking up (in the may escalate to/may de-escalate to sections).
For instance: You want to find words related to insecurity. In TET, you’ll find words associated with this feeling include unease, wariness, uncertainty, and nervousness. Although they all have similar meanings, the first two are a little more intense than the second two.
Even if you have showing vs. telling down, I still recommend checking out The Emotion Thesaurus. It’s easy to overuse the same descriptions for emotions, especially when you find a way that feels really clear. When you’re in the zone, you don’t necessarily notice these occurrences, but you do when you start editing. At least I do!
This thesaurus gives great alternatives for showing emotions that aren’t overused or obvious. It helps to keep your writing fresh and keep your readers on the edge of their seats.
My challenge to you is to try out one of the writing thesauruses.
Do you use a thesaurus when writing? Have you used any of the writing thesauruses before? What’s your favorite writing tool? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
Overcome Your Writing Fears with These 9 Simple Strategies
Beginning, or even continuing, a writing project can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider before you dive in - and many fears that may arise. Today we wanted to share some fears that we see often, and how to overcome them so you can keep working on your next masterpiece!
Beginning, or even continuing, a writing project can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider before you dive in - and many fears that may arise.
Today we wanted to share some fears that we see often, and how to overcome them so you can keep working on your next masterpiece!
All the Writing Fears (or at Least a Lot of Them)
Picture this: you’ve got a brilliant idea (or at least an idea) and you’re ready to write. BUT, and this is a big one, you haven’t really planned anything out. You may not even know much about the characters or the world, but dang it! You want to write the thing. Worrying about fully developing an idea can hold you back, especially if/when you feel like if you don’t plan more it may not be any good.
The good news is that as long as you have an idea, you can start writing. Maybe you just have a couple of characters who keep coming to mind, or you’re picturing one certain scene. If that’s what you’ve got, go for it! Focus on writing and developing those bits first - then you can work on planning and writing more when you have a better feel for where you see the story going.
Amidst your thoughts about developing your idea enough, you may worry if people will even “get it.” What if they don’t understand? What if you can’t find the right words to express the image in your mind? Unfortunately, you can’t control what other people understand of your work. You can do your best to make sure your writing is as clear and precise as possible, and get feedback as you go along, but that’s about it. There’s no way to connect with everyone, and that’s okay! You don’t need to.
Along these same lines, writers often fear that people won’t “buy in” or be interested in what you have to say. For non-fiction writers, it may be about not being persuasive enough. For fiction writers, it may be about readers not relating enough to your characters and story. Either way, the only thing you need to worry about is reaching your ideal audience - the readers you know will love your book.
Audience is a funny thing: it can both thrill and terrify you, especially when it comes to your writing! Many writers, especially new writers, are especially worried about not having a big enough following or a wide enough audience. It’s a lot of work to build a social media following, and an audience of loyal readers. And actually, having an audience is a big part of being successful as a writer because that’s the way you reach “your” people! The key is that it takes time - the more effort you put in interacting with people and sharing your ideas, the easier (and more natural) it will feel to grow your following.
Probably the most common, and sometimes the most debilitating, fear is being compared to others. While it’s not always a bad thing to be compared to other writers (hello, who doesn’t want to be compared to someone great?!), it doesn’t feel good when the comments are about you not being as “good” as other writers. This is especially true if you’ve been inspired by someone you love and are trying to write something similar.
Then the worry becomes a fear that your idea isn’t original. While we hate to be the bearer of bad news, you probably aren’t going to have a ground-breaking, never-been-done-before idea. It’s natural to get ideas from what you read and see in the world! You just need to make sure that whatever you’re working on doesn’t copy anyone directly (that’s plagiarism). Sometimes we take ideas from what we’ve read and it morphs into our own unique thing, and that’s great - just make sure you’re not copying from someone else directly. Put your spin on it. After all, that’s what will excite people!
9 Ways to Overcome Writing Fear
While there may be quite a few fears, there are some pretty simple and effective ways to fight back.
Figure out the ultimate outcome. If you figure out what you want to happen in the big picture, it will help dispel the fear that your idea won’t be developed enough.
Think about yourself. What do you enjoy reading and writing about? What are your favorite genres, tropes, archetypes, etc.? What are you writing: a novel, poem, short story, something else? All of this info factors into how your idea will play out. If you know where your story is headed, it’s easier to see the bigger picture and work your way towards that outcome.
Take the free 10 Day Organize Your Book course. During these 10 days, you’ll plot your book (or whip your Work in Progress back into shape), organize your ideas, technology, and space and just feel good about your writing.
Imagine your ideal audience. Who are you writing for? Consider age groups, genre types, niche groups, or whomever you think would enjoy your writing the most. Once you have an ideal audience, you can write with them in mind. If you’re stuck on audience (it happens to all of us sometimes!), read this, it will help.
Find other authors in the same genre on social media and follow them. It helps to know that you’re not alone no matter what type of writing you do. There’s an audience for all topics, you just need to make sure you’re a part of that community so when you share your work, it’ll be found by people who’ll be excited to read it.
Set a timer for your writing sessions. Also called writing sprints, having a timer can be helpful to push past fear of writer's block. Read the older part of your writing first if you’ve already started, then set a timer and focus on a tiny section. Give yourself the freedom to be as sloppy as you want (& DO NOT edit as you’re writing). If, in the end, it doesn’t make the cut, at least you’ll make progress and get next part in your writing.
Get the failure workbook. It’s called “How to Stop Feeling Like a Failure in 5 Simple Steps” - we clearly like keeping things simple around here! The workbook walks you through widespread myths about writing (that are totally not true), the mindset you’ll need to be successful, and exercises about how to get there. Super helpful. You’ll be writing with confidence in no time!
Practice. Write as much as you can and as often as you can. This will help you improve your writing and help to dispel the fear of not being good enough.
Don’t show anyone, at least at first. One of our favorite strategies is to keep your writing to yourself until you decide it’s ready enough to share. A first draft is never perfect, and will need a lot of edits before it’s ready for readers. You don’t want your unfinished, unpolished work being compared to other writer’s final drafts, it's not fair to yourself or your writing! While we always encourage feedback, don’t feel pressured to show your writing to anyone while it’s still brand new, even if they mean well.
My challenge to you is to push past your fears and write!
What fears have been holding you back? Do you have an idea that you need help developing? Have you had success overcoming similar fears? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
4 Stressors Secretly Causing Writer’s Block
As a writer, you’ve probably dealt with writer’s block in some form or another - almost all of us have. It’s a frustrating and seemingly endless period that can bring about a whole lot of stress on its own. But did you know that stress can be what leads you to getting stuck in the first place? Learn about 4 sneaky stressors and what you can do to manage them!
As a writer, you’ve probably dealt with writer’s block in some form or another - almost all of us have. It’s a frustrating and seemingly endless period that can bring about a whole lot of stress on its own.
But did you know that stress can be what leads you to getting stuck in the first place? Once you understand what’s causing unnecessary stress in your life, it’ll be easier to manage it and in turn, avoid the dreaded writer’s block.
What the Heck is Stressor?
First things first, let’s discuss what exactly a stressor is. A quick Google search will tell you that a stressor is something that causes strain, tension, or...you guessed it, STRESS! There are so many stressors in your life that seem harmless, but can actually create a lot of stress in your life.
4 Sneaky Stressors Causing Writer’s Block
Instant Access News & Media Coverage
With access to laptops, phones, and tablets, you have the world at your fingertips - including the good, bad, and the ugly. Being able to constantly check your phone and see updates on the news and other kinds of media can be a HUGE stressor.
Most of the time, the news is not reporting on happy topics. Almost all media outlets tell you about the tragic accidents, extreme weather, disputes in politics, and more pressing issues. After all, “if it bleeds, it leads.”
Sometimes it’s important to take a step back from all of that information. Although it may feel like it, you don’t need to know every single detail of what happens in the world each day. It is important to stay informed, but news can easily become an obsession, which isn’t helpful for anyone. In fact, it often leads people to losing faith in humanity and brings a ton of stress into their lives.
Limit yourself to checking the news a few times per week and rest assured that if anything dire happens, you’ll be able to find out quickly. Limiting yourself will help bring more peace into your life, and get some writing done!
Social Media
This may or may not come as a surprise, but social media can drag even the best of us down if we’re not paying. It creates a stressful cycle where you find yourself stuck in a bubble where everyone’s lives are perfect and going just right...except yours. When you see perfectly curated content, it feels a lot like comparing yourself to a model in a magazine, and you find yourself lacking most times. It’s incredibly stressful (and unhealthy) to spend so much time comparing yourself to others, especially when you don’t really know what's happening behind the scenes.
After all, you’re only seeing what people want you to see. It’s important to remember that social media isn’t always what it seems. It’s much less important to get a lot of likes and comments than to forge actual relationships with people (even though it’s painful when you feel like you’ve posted the “right” stuff and no one seems to care.)
The other thing about social media is how much time people spend on it. According to the data, people in the U.S. spend more than 2 hours EVERY DAY on social media. Can you imagine how many other things (including writing) you could do with 2 more hours in your day if you limited your social media time?! And how much stress it could relieve if you spent that time enjoying your time instead of comparing or wishing your life was different? Or actually shaping your life into something you enjoy every day?
Turn off social media and put your phone away when you’re going to be writing. Don’t let yourself be drawn into the social media black hole that winds up eating all your time and taking your focus away from your creative ideas & writing.
Expectation Overwhelm
Once you announce that you’re writing something - a book, a story, an article, etc. - it comes with expectations. People will ask “How’s the book coming?” or “What are you writing about?” Even though most people are well-intentioned and simply curious to know what you’re working on, you’ll probably start to feel the pressure pretty quickly. It’s not just the questions that can cause stress, but also knowing they want to or even expect to read your work.
You might start to wonder: Will they like it? Will it be “good enough” for them? If they don’t like it, will they think less of me?
One simple way to avoid feeling too much pressure (unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid entirely) is to be vague when responding to these kinds of questions. When you don’t share much, they’ll ask less. It may seem harsh or strange, but can really help. If you want someone to bounce ideas off of, that’s fine - just make sure they’re someone who won’t judge your ideas.
You can also hold off on telling people you’re writing anything until you’re sure it’s something you’re going to put out in the world. Then, if you change your mind or decide to go a different route, you won’t have to explain yourself to anyone. It relieves some of the pressure and frees up your mind to just write.
Not Enough Physical Contact with the Outside World
Thanks to the pandemic, it’s become increasingly difficult to physically interact with the outside world. This can put a damper on your spirits and make it difficult to focus on writing projects. It seems like having to stay inside would help these projects, especially since many writers consider themselves introverts. But when you don’t have a choice, it can feel like a chore.
It’s important to take breaks, even if you can’t get out of the house, so you don’t start to dislike writing. As with anything, you can overdo it if you push yourself too hard or force yourself to write when you don’t want to.
Not only is getting out good for your mental health, it’s also good for inspiration. Without the interactions that were a part of your everyday life before, you might find yourself uninspired. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to find new ideas. You can still interact with nature, listen to music, or talk with friends and family on the phone. These are all great ways to spark your creativity when you can’t go out in public.
My challenge to you is to take a break from your phone for a day.
Do any of these stressors make an impact on your writing? How do you overcome writer’s block? Have you ever taken a break from social media or your phone for an extended period of time? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome
As a writer, something I have to contend with on more occasions than I care to admit, is imposter syndrome. This is something that affects most (if not all) writers at some point. It’s hard enough to be a writer without having to battle with your own inner self-doubt and worry. So, today I’m sharing how I deal with imposter syndrome.
By Holly Huntress, Living Through Writing
As a writer, something I have to contend with on more occasions than I care to admit, is imposter syndrome. This is something that affects most (if not all) writers at some point. It’s hard enough to be a writer without having to battle with your own inner self-doubt and worry. So, today I’m sharing how I deal with imposter syndrome.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the feeling you don’t belong. That you aren’t good enough. When it comes to writing, it makes you feel like you aren’t really a writer. When you experience imposter syndrome, it makes you doubt yourself and your abilities - you feel as if you’re an imposter. Imposter syndrome can happen in any field, not just writing. It can put a damper on your spirits and hinder your writing. So, what do you do when it takes over?
How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome
More often than not, I find myself being sucked into a spiral of self-deprecating thoughts regarding my writing. I’m not as good as… I could never write that well… I’ll never be considered a real author… The list goes on.
A lot of the time my imposter syndrome stems from making comparisons between my writing and a book I’m reading. Never compare your unfinished/unpolished writing to that of a published novel/work. The book you’re reading has been through multiple rounds of professional edits and beta reads. Your writing is still in its early stages. If you compare it to one of the books on your shelf, you’ll bring imposter syndrome on yourself in a heartbeat.
Even if you are comparing your own writing to someone else who hasn’t gone through the edits and beta reads, it’s still not fair to yourself to compare them. Everyone has a different writing style. If they didn’t, reading would become boring... fast. All books would read the same, and if you read one, you’d have read them all.
When imposter syndrome is creeping up on you, keep in mind that there’s someone out there who wants to hear what you have to say. It may not happen right away, but you will find your audience. In the meantime, imagine your ideal reader and write for them. They’ll be your biggest supporter and possibly your biggest critic as well. Don’t let the fear of those critiques hold you back or fuel your imposter syndrome.
Critiques help you grow as a writer. Don’t think of bad reviews as something negative. They’re there to help you discover what you need to work on. For example, if you have a review that mentions bad grammar or spelling, that's an easy fix! Simply make sure you have a more thorough editor helping you with your writing.
If someone says that they weren’t a fan of the character development, maybe spend a bit more time planning out your next character’s arc before diving in to make sure they’re a fully developed character. There are so many ways you can use your reviews to help yourself. It’s okay to be upset by bad reviews, but make sure you use them to the best of your ability. Don’t let them go to waste.
Another super helpful way I overcome Imposter syndrome is by reaching out to other writers in the writing community. I have mentioned writing communities before, and I will keep bringing it up! There are writing communities on every social media.
If you’re not sure how to find those writing communities you can learn more about writers on Instagram, or read about writers’ TikTok. Twitter and Facebook can be just as useful as long as you can find your writing community.
Whenever I feel down about my writing or need some help, I reach out to my writing community. I post a video on TikTok asking my question, or saying I need some help with whatever is bugging me, and people respond in the comments.
Or I post on Instagram, either to my Stories or to my page, and do the same thing. Pose a question and wait for the responses to come in. If I need more immediate help, I can always directly message (DM) some of the writers who I have become closer with and they’re always willing to help.
If you need an instant boost in your morale, go back and read some of your own writing. Sometimes it’s easy to forget your own abilities. I know I do since I’m not usually reading my writing.
Imposter syndrome is no fun and it can really make you feel crappy. But, with the right tools in your arsenal, you can snap back into reality and remember who you are: a writer. No matter who tries to tell you differently, even if it’s yourself, YOU ARE A WRITER. So do what you do best and write! Beat back the imposter syndrome and overcome your doubts.
