Abundance Surrounds Your Writer Self

Inspiration, ,

Abundance Surrounds Your Writer Self. Many of us lost sight of Abundance during the past two very difficult years. I certainly did. I drew myself in and held my loved ones close as was possible in a distanced, divided, doubt riddled world. Reminders of loss were everywhere, so I burrowed deeper. In my writing life I did the same. Maybe something similar happened to you.

Spring has Come Now, and We Long for New Light and Fresh Beginnings. We peer out tremulously from our hibernation places in search of what remains of possibility. As I peer out from my own writer’s burrow, the first thing I see is all of us, and what a lovely sight we are.

We are Our Great Resource. Each other – our writers’ community. Our writing sisters and brothers, still here where we have always been. Abundance of Talent – Ideas – Support. We reach out. We work together. We combine our resources and thrive together.

We Call on Each Other When our Determination gets Shaky. We remember the words of two oldish songs and sing along. “We all need somebody to lean on.” – and – “You’ll get by with a little help from your friends.” We invite ourselves to lean on one another and accept help.

We Remind Ourselves that Our Common Ground is More Precious than Our Differences. We reconcile. We listen to each other. We press on as allies because allies are what you need, not enemies. United we stand and are strong – in our writing lives and in our human hearts.

Turn Next to another Great Resource – Yourself. You are your first ally in every undertaking. You are your first fortress through any struggle. You are the Hero in Your Mirror. You are equal to whatever challenges you may face. Never underestimate that. Never underestimate yourself.

Never Underestimate Your Writer Self. Repeat these words to yourself every single day. “I have something worthwhile to say. I have something to say that is worth saying well. I have something to say that is worthy of being heard. And stories to tell that deserve to be told.

Rediscover – or Reinvigorate – Your Love for Your Writing Work. You are blessed to have discovered your passionate pursuit in life. Rejoice in the gift of that discovery. Loads of effort and creativity will be required of you, but that is the most satisfying route take. One day of diligent, delicious effort at a time. This is a journey you can be proud of making.

Finally (if you will permit me to suggest it) Turn to the greatest Abundance of all. Your Higher Power. Whatever that may be. Powerful forces for good are present in your life and in your work whether you are aware of them or not. I believe this to be true. I invite you to believe as well – and also to know that, now and always, Abundance Surrounds Your Writer Self.

Alice Orr – www.aliceorrbooks.com

ASK ALICE Your Crucial Questions. What are you most eager to know – in your writing work and in your writer’s life? Email aliceorrbooks@gmail.com. Or add a comment question to this post. I will be honored to respond.

Alice’s latest novel A Time of Fear & Loving – Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series Book 5 – is available HERE.A Time of Fear & Loving

Look for all of Alice’s books HERE.

Praise for A Time of Fear & Loving: “Alice Orr is the queen of ramped-up stakes and page-turning suspense.” “Warning. Don’t read before bed. You won’t want to sleep.” “The tension in this novel is through the roof.” “I never want an Alice Orr book to end.” “The best one yet!”

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Build Your Writer Platform One Plank at a Time

Writing Career Tip, ,

Build Your Writer Platform One Plank at a Time. Your Platform is the launch pad for your visibility. Your Platform gives you access to your readership. It gives your readership access to you. If your goal is to be published and read – you must build a solid writer platform.

You Do This or You Continue to Do This – One Plank at a Time. You do not have to do it all at once. You do not have to do it hurry. That will plunge you into frenzy. Frenzy is not an effective mode for accomplishing anything. Resist the urge to dash about in frenzy.

Your Social Media Presence is a Good First Plank. A pile of planks actually. Still – approach this effort one step at a time. No frenzy. No dashing about. One plank at a time means you will not become overwhelmed. Here is the first thing to remember about this first plank.

The Most Important Thing about Social Media is the Nature of Your Presence There. Your Presence as in how you Present yourself. The nature of that presence must be a conscious, even calculated choice. You think it through – or rethink it through – at the very beginning.

Begin your Thinking – or Rethinking – with This Crucial Question. Since my goal is to enhance my visibility – how is it in my best interests to be seen? Which means you must also ask yourself another question. Why am I on social media? What do I need to get out of being there?

These days I am on Social Media mostly as a Teacher. I want to attract people to me in a way that will make them open to my message. Which means it is in my best interest to be likable, approachable, pleasant. Someone you will enjoy learning from. That is my conscious intent.

You Must be Consciously Intentional Too. Be aware always that social media is not a small peephole accessible only to chosen friends and followers. Social media is a giant picture window. Everybody can look through that window at you. Decide what you want them to see.

Think Hard about What You Need Your Very Visible Presence to be. If you need to be a political firebrand – or any brand of firebrand – rant away. If you need to be a sex pot – vamp away. Be aware always that you make this choice for your writing career as well as for yourself.

Build Your Social Media Presence in a Way that Works for Your Writing Career. Which is all about building relationships. Make relationships your priority. Talk about the people you are connecting with as much – or more than – you talk about you. Put their needs ahead of your own.

Use your Social Media Presence to Serve Your Followers. They are potential readers. Pay It forward in advance to your readership. Give them – first and foremost – what they need. They will keep following you for it. They will support and encourage you and your writing career.

Lasting Relationships will be the Happy Result. Relationships that form the foundation of your solid platform. A place where you can firmly stand. A presence that works for you and your writing career. As you – Build Your Writer Platform One Plank at a Time.

Alice Orr – www.aliceorrbooks.com

Alice’s latest novel A Time of Fear & Loving – Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series Book 5 – is available HERE.

A Time of Fear & Loving

Look for all of Alice’s books HERE.

Praise for A Time of Fear & Loving: “Alice Orr is the queen of ramped-up stakes and page-turning suspense.” “Warning. Don’t read before bed. You won’t want to sleep.” “The tension in this novel is through the roof.” “I never want an Alice Orr book to end.”  “The best one yet!”

https://www.facebook.com/aliceorrwriter
http://twitter.com/AliceOrrBooks/
http://goodreads.com/aliceorr/
http://pinterest.com/aliceorrwriter/

 

How to Notch Up Your Writer Discipline

Writers Life, ,

How to Notch Up Your Writer Discipline. For starters, write regularly. Let the rich experience of creativity sink deep into your psyche until you feel out of balance without it. I used to say, “One page or one hour a day minimum.” Now I say, “Often enough to feel the need to return the next day.”

Discipline Your Work Environment. Carve out a corner of your own. Virginia Woolf talked about “a room of your own.” Crowded circumstances can preclude that. A space that encourages a writing mood will suffice. Make that space as private and comfortable as you need it to be. Keep your writing paraphernalia nearby. Notebooks, files, pens, computer, a lamp shade covered in story ideas.

Acquire Quality Writing Equipment. Do so by disciplining your spending on other things if that is necessary. Most important, do so by believing this absolutely crucial truth. You deserve what you need to succeed.

Discipline Your Commitments. Cut out every non-writing activity that you can. Ask yourself, “Is there somebody else who can do this? Does it have to be me?” Say no to new requests for your time and energy. Ease the inevitable disappointed reaction with a smile and this gentle suggestion. “Ask me again next year.”

The Exception is When You are Paying It Forward. Invest in your career by investing yourself in your writing community as often as you can manage. Find a balance that benefits both you and others. Do not hide your generosity. Serve in the spotlight, but do not brag. Graciously accept thanks and acknowledgement of your efforts.

Discipline Your Family and Friends. Post your work hours. The refrigerator door is a good place to do that. Insist on no interruptions at those times. Tell your people how important your writing is to you. Make them hear you. Eventually, they will get it. Do not back down.

Discipline Your Telephone. List your daily work hours on your voicemail message. Say that you do not take calls during your work hours and mean it. Keep a smile in your voice, but do not apologize. Mention the hours when you do receive calls. Eventually, they will get it. Do not back down.

Discipline Your Online Activity. Identify your personal online time-burners. Activities that are minimally productive to your career. If you cannot resist, do not indulge during your best brain time. Never indulge during your writing work hours. Use your online activity to build your career, your public platform, your visibility. Limit online playtime to your dim brain hours.

Escape-Write through Stress. Life is full of stressful situations. They can stop your writing progress in its tracks. Use that stress to enhance your writing instead. Powerful storytelling is intense, so is stress. Incorporate how you are feeling into a dramatic scene from your current work. Your body, breath, immediate environment. Feel it all. Adapt it all.

The Purpose of Discipline is to Carry You Deep into Your Story and Keep You There. John Gardner called this place “the dream of the book.” Discipline helps you inhabit that dream and write from deep inside your imagination. Because deep inside is where your best stories live. Discipline helps you get there. How to Notch Up Your Writer Discipline.

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Alice Orr. Teacher. Storyteller. Blogs for writers at www.aliceorrbooks.com. Former literary agent. Author of 16 novels, 3 novellas, a memoir, and No More Rejections: 50 Secrets to Writing a Novel That Sells. Amazon says, “This book has it all.” Updated version coming soon. Look for all of Alice’s books HERE.

Alice’s latest novel – A Time of Fear & Loving – Riverton Road Suspense Series Book 5 – is available HERE.A Time of Fear & Loving

Praise for A Time of Fear & Loving: “Alice Orr is the queen of ramped-up stakes and page-turning suspense.” “Warning. Don’t read before bed. You won’t want to sleep.” “The tension in this novel is through the roof.” “I never want an Alice Orr book to end. The best one yet!”

https://www.facebook.com/aliceorrwriter
http://twitter.com/AliceOrrBooks/
http://goodreads.com/aliceorr/
http://pinterest.com/aliceorrwriter/