Tag Archives: attitude

February 4, 2022 · 10:14 am

Top 10 Websites For Writers 2022

There are dozens of websites for writers out there, many of which pertain to specific genres, publishing and marketing advice, jobs and submission opportunities, courses, etc… Here’s my list of favorite general writing and creativity websites that offer tips and tools, advice, prompts, creative inspiration, and writing communities to connect with. Most are free to join, and some ask for a small contribution to help keep their sites going.

1. Creativity-portal.com. For over 20 years, Chris Dunmire has been providing inspiring articles, ideas, prompts, and exercises to bulk up your creative muscles. The site covers a wide range of topics on a multitude of creative outlets and makes for a great browse if you’re having a little trouble getting started or just need a shot of inspiration. There is a $5/year subscription fee.

2. Nanowrimo.org. As you might know, NaNoWriMo started out as National Novel Writing Month, where you are challenged to write the first draft of a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Since its inception, it has grown into a multi-faceted organization providing year-round challenges, advice, inspiration, pep talks, and local groups to connect with. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of, and a great help to get you moving towards finishing (or writing) that book.

3. Writetodone.com. A comprehensive collection of articles, tools, tips, and resources for both fiction and non-fiction writers. From headline generators and blogging advice to master classes by David Mamet and James Patterson, it covers all the bases. One of my favorites for their lists of resources.

4. Themarginalian.org. (Previously known as Brain Pickings) Maria Popova has collected over 15 years of interviews and writing by some of the best literary giants of our time. Book reviews, poetry, current topics, and newsletter subscriptions to keep you up to date on all that is going on in the literary world.

5. Thewritelife.com. A huge assortment of information for everything writing-related, from freelancing, productivity, publishing, blogging, and finding inspiration and publishing opportunities.

6. Almostanauthor.com. Another general resource guide, especially good for those just starting out. From writing the first draft to publishing options, chat rooms, resources, and links to many other writing-related websites.

7. How to Be An Artist. Jerry Saltz’s 33 Rules on How To Be An Artist on vulture.com. This isn’t a website, but a fantastic list and insight by New York art critic Jerry Saltz. Words of wisdom on how to live a more creative life.

8. Writing.com. A community of thousands of writers sharing and offering advice. You can upload your work for reviews, or just enjoy reading what everyone else is writing about. A very supportive and thriving environment with a great library of resources.

9. 99u.adobe.com. This is an excellent site for anyone in a creative field, especially those freelancing from home. From managing anxiety and isolation, developing creative routines, and dealing with self-doubt, I highly recommend checking this site out. Articles, interviews, videos, and tools to help you be your best.

10. Writermag.com. Inspiration, articles, publishing opportunities and contests, tips and advice for all writers, as well as links to other resources. A great spot for general information, copyright laws, submission guidelines, and answers to many questions for those just starting out.

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January 13, 2022 · 1:12 pm

Some Collected Creative Inspiration

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January 7, 2022 · 9:37 am

10 Good Things This Week

Joan Didion 1934-2021

1. I started reading Carnival of Snackery by David Sedaris, which is a follow-up to his book Theft by Finding. He’s an American humorist, author, and essayist, and one of my favorite writers. These two books are collections of his journal entries and observations on his life, family, and friends. His method of documenting his life is what got me started on my own path of taking notes all day on what I encountered, observed, overheard, and thought about. Austin Kleon clearly details Sedaris’s process here.

2. I finished reading Mary Oliver’s American Primitive. She was an incredibly prolific poet and writer, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1984 for the above title. Her works explored the concept of who we really are in relation to the world around us, and I read a poem a day of hers for the last month. Poetryfoundation.org has many of her poems online as well as much more information about her and her philosophy.

3. Virtual museum tours of the Van Gogh Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. Not quite the experience of being there, but as it doesn’t look like I’ll be doing a lot of international travel in the near future, this certainly fills the gap. The Norton Museum of Art here in South Florida had a wonderful exhibit of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera recently that was amazing to see in person.

4. A little late to the party, but I finally watched The Peanut Butter Falcon, originally released in 2019. The story follows Zack Gottsagen, a man with Down Syndrome, as he runs away from a nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Amazing performance by Zack, as well as Shia LeBeouf and Dakota Johnson. I was surprised by how much I liked it.

5. Had an outstanding dinner with a friend at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant. The food, service, and atmosphere were worthy of five stars, and the Malbec was the best I’ve had in many years. Highly recommend if you’re in the US and looking for a great dining experience.

6. Found a great new blog/newsletter by Ijeoma Oluo called Behind the Book. She’s a bestselling author, essayist, and editor with a remarkable, honest, and relatable blog about writing and the writing life. She’s realistic, and also has a great sense of humor.

7. Adam J. Kurtz has a new book out titled You Are Here For Now that’s at the top of my to-be-read pile. He’s so honest, creative, relatable, and encouraging that you can’t help but feel better about life after reading his books. He also makes pins, stickers, journals, and all kinds of things you can find on his website.

8. The weather here has finally cooled down just a little bit, so I’m able to take a walk again and not have to be back inside by 8 am in order not to melt, although mid-afternoon still feels like July. Not complaining, it’s just nice to be able to open the windows now and then and get some fresh air.

9. I reread Joan Didion’s Slouching Toward Bethlehem. She is truly one of America’s greatest writers, and such an interesting and unusual soul. Sadly, she left us on December 23, 2021. I highly recommend this and all of her books, both fiction and non-fiction. Her interviews in The Paris Review are a wonderful read, as she lets us in on her process and challenges in continuing to take on the world through her writing.

10. Live Earth Cams. I think I lost about half a day traveling from Bourban Street in New Orleans to New York City, over to London, Paris, and Dublin, then to Pattaya, Thailand. Just really cool to look at and explore.

Just some fun and interesting discoveries from this week…hope you all had a chance to exercise those creative muscles, and if not, there’s always tomorrow. Every day is a good day to start something new.

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December 31, 2021 · 12:52 pm

A New Year…A Fresh Start

For many years, I spent the end of December reflecting on what I’d accomplished, what I didn’t, and how it reflected the goals I had set for myself. It often left me feeling negative, overshadowing all the accomplishments and leaving the lingering unreasonable goals I had failed to meet.

What I discovered is by focusing on what worked and what didn’t work, what I wanted to accomplish versus what I felt like I was supposed to accomplish, it has brought me a much greater sense of satisfaction, motivation, and excitement. I constantly look for new sources of inspiration and additions to my daily routine or creative process to capitalize on this.

Life is all about change, about being open to new ideas, new opportunities, new methods. What worked in the past may not still work today, as we really are all a work in progress. The goals may be clear and defined, but how we go about reaching them can change with the tides and our unpredictable world.

The first week of the new year I ask myself one question…What would make me feel good about myself and what I’ve accomplished by this time next year? I then break those goals down into small steps, by month and then by week. I’m terrible with a daily to-do list, so I pick and choose from a weekly list. It allows me some freedom and helps me maintain some level of excitement about what I’m doing.

No matter how you set your goals or what path you take to accomplish them, show up every day, surround yourself with things that inspire you, and embrace your creativity and let it shine. Take note of the small things, always be on the lookout for new inspiration, and bend like a willow when life gets in the way.

It’s about progress…not perfection.

Wishing each and every one of you a very Happy, Peaceful, and Successful New Year!!

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December 15, 2021 · 11:39 am

What’s Your Perfect Day?

If you could map out your perfect day, what would it look like? Would it include a walk in the first light of the morning, a breakfast of cappuccino and croissants, and hours of uninterrupted writing or studio time? Maybe an hour or two reading blogs, or a great book with a cup of tea by your side? Sitting in a café in the afternoon, writing poetry and listening to your favorite music, or lunch with a friend, catching up and ranting about the state of the world? Would it include a lovely dinner prepared by you or someone else, paired with the perfect wine? An evening binge-watching Netflix, or a great movie, alone or with a friend?

How close is any of your perfect day in relation to your reality? Life doesn’t allow for us to live every day in perfect harmony with our wishes, but how can we adapt our dreams and desires to better fit that reality? Life is fluid, always presenting hurdles, obstacles, changes, new responsibilities, and difficulties, and we have to work extremely hard to adjust. All too often, what we really want to do gets pushed to the bottom of our never-ending to-do lists, and the day ends before we get there. The day always ends before we get to the end of the list. And it always will.

What would it take to add the elements of your perfect day to your life? There always will be things we absolutely have to do, but don’t we deserve the opportunity to spend some of our short time here doing the things we enjoy, fostering our creativity, making things, connecting with other people, giving ourselves a reason to be excited about starting the day? Isn’t it time to put some of those things closer to the top of the list? Maybe a walk three times a week, or a trip to the café once a week, Friday night movies, and however much time that can be blocked off for creative pursuits every day. Whatever we can do to incorporate the components of that perfect day.

“How we spend our time is how we spend our lives.” I’m betting no one’s last words were “I wish I spent more time on Twitter”. Our time here is short, and you really don’t have to go out and slay dragons every day or be completing tasks every minute. Think about the things that are truly important to you, things that you would regret not doing. We have no control over time, but we do have control over how we spend it. Just be yourself, and make time for who you want to be.

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November 19, 2021 · 12:16 pm

I Still Believe

I still believe that art can change the world.

I still believe creativity is the answer to living a better life.

I still believe that small acts of kindness can make a difference in the world.

I still believe that words are our most powerful tool.

I still believe in the inherent good of most of humanity.

I still believe embracing our differences does not divide us.

I still believe education is our hope for a better world.

I still believe that love is eternal.

I still believe there can be change if we stop being afraid.

I still believe that laughter helps us heal.

I still believe our differences bring us together.

I still believe that the energy we put out into the world is reflected back on us.

I still believe we can exist and respect our planet simultaneously.

I still believe that we can pursue our own happiness and peace without infringing on anyone else’s right to do the same.

I still believe that we are all equal regardless of our differences.

I still believe.

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November 11, 2021 · 10:49 am

Writer’s Block: Fact or Fiction

So many of the books written on the creative process try to convince you that there really isn’t such a thing as “writer’s block”. They’ll quote established writers from Ernest Hemingway to Stephen King, Agatha Christie to Joan Didion. All you need to do is show up every day, and just start writing. Sometimes it’s just crap and ends up in the trash, and sometimes there is some good in there that’s worth mining and exploring further. And I believe this to be absolutely true. Louis L’Amour advises “The water doesn’t flow until the tap is turned on.”

And there are many things you can do to stimulate the creative juices…establish a routine, take a walk, switch to a different medium, or read the work of others you admire. I’ve written previous posts about how to get that creative spark lit, about reinspiring yourself and training your brain to know when it’s time to get going.

But sometimes you hit that wall. And you hit it hard. You stare at that blank screen or page, you’ve tried all the tricks, you’ve rearranged and poked and prodded, you’ve begged for cooperation, you’ve paced and squeezed, and nothing. You can type words on the page. They’re flat and uninspired. There is no flow. You have no interest in what you’re writing, and neither will your readers.

I call this condition “creative constipation”. Forgive the analogy, but no matter how hard you squeeze, nothing is coming out. It can be traumatic when you write original content for a living, but there are times when you cause more harm than good by digging for gold in a mud puddle. It can also be tricky knowing the difference between “I don’t feel like working today” and “I can’t find the words”. Only you can tell the difference. When you’ve tried your best, when you’ve reached down to your very soul, when you’ve pushed yourself to your limits, and still nothing, it’s ok to just admit it’s not working right now and go do something that makes you feel good.

Taking the pressure off and walking away from the performance anxiety relaxes those overworked creative muscles and allows them to loosen up and recuperate. Writing every day without a doubt strengthens those muscles, and I’m a firm believer in pushing through most blocks. But just like any kind of exercise, knowing when you are doing more damage by pushing too hard can cause irreparable harm. It can make you avoid it because of fear and anxiety. It can keep you away for too long. It can make you question your abilities and your strengths.

Sometimes journaling (for your eyes only) can help you discover an underlying reason why things aren’t working. Are there distractions you need to attend to or feelings that you’re not addressing? Are you just feeling burned out?

Let the light back in and give yourself permission to take time for yourself. Fill that creative well back up again. Relax your brain. Read magazines. Plant something. Watch a funny movie. Take a day off from social media, which I highly recommend doing anyway, at least one day a week. Don’t waste precious time feeling guilty. Creativity is a fragile beast. It can be whiny and fickle and uncooperative. Show it some love, some attention, and some appreciation. Realize how lucky you are to have it. That wall you’re hitting is only right in front of you. You can keep trying to smash through it, you can try and scale it, or you can simply take a few steps back, give it the finger, and walk around it.

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October 29, 2021 · 1:12 pm

You Are Your Greatest Work Of Art

“You are free to do whatever you want. You need only face the consequences.”

-Sheldon Kopp, American Psychotherapist

How do you define yourself? Are you a Writer? A Photographer? A Sculptor, a Poet, a Painter, a Potter, a Yoga Master, a Chef? All too often, we describe ourselves awkwardly and tentatively, with a combination of explanations and disclaimers. It’s as if we don’t feel we deserve to use those labels. Our experiences have shown us that using them usually leads to being questioned with “Oh, have you written a book?” or “Have you had a show?” or “Do you have a YouTube Channel?” As if these were the milestones we need to reach in order to be considered worthy of the title. Imposter syndrome kicks in, and we suck those words right back up.

You have to want it, believe it, and own it. Who do you really want to be? Who are you now compared to that? What steps can you take to bridge that gap? What’s holding you back from being that person? You certainly don’t need anyone else’s permission or validation to be anything you want to be. There are obvious things that we cannot change, but we can change how we react to them. There are some changes that may take some time, but are you moving in the right direction? Can you envision yourself being that person and living that life?

Our capitalistic society is always pushing us to be more productive, accomplish more tasks, buy more material possessions, and fit in. The result is often anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and low self-esteem. Just maybe our to-do lists should include being authentic, being kinder and more supportive of other people, and respecting and valuing our own self-worth instead of just getting more tasks done.

You are the greatest piece of art that you’ll make in your lifetime. And each of us will always be a work in progress. Life changes and changes us in the process. Priorities shift, lessons are learned, goals are adjusted. Be careful not to lose yourself in the waves. Stay true to yourself, and it will show in your work. Create the person you want to be.

I’ll wrap this up with one of my favorite quotes from my mother, who always encouraged us to be whomever and whatever we wanted to be…

“Don’t be normal…normal is so boring.” -Selma Bersin

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October 22, 2021 · 12:41 pm

Some Weeks Are Better Than Others…

Grant Snider

Petrea Hansen-Adamidis

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September 24, 2021 · 1:04 pm

We Are The Documenters of History

We, the people, are the documenters of history. It is our stories, our artwork, and our photographs that future generations will look upon to get a true insight into our society. It won’t be Jeff Koons multimillion dollar balloon animals, nor will it be the latest best-selling novel, the current viral tweet or trending tik tok videos that they will seek out.

People are fascinated by the everyday lives and struggles of the “common” people. From the earliest cave drawings and logbooks of the first explorers, to the diaries of Civil War soldiers and a beautiful young soul named Anne Frank. From field sketches on the battlefields and poems scrawled on napkins to photographs tucked away in books. These are the words and windows we study to view what life was truly like.

The greatest artists and writers throughout history created works that have withstood the test of time. But we are just as fascinated by DaVinci’s notebooks and observations on life as we are with his creations. And the words of Charles Dickens are just as relevant today as they were almost 200 years ago. Truly great art survives, and so do the stories behind them.

But to dig even deeper, to see and read and feel what people were experiencing, how they were living and working, how they were reacting to what was going on around them, we turn to the “regular” people. The journals, the sketches, the photographs of everyday objects they put together for us. This is what allows us to get a true vision of their existence.

And that is why what we do today, by creating stories, by making our art, by documenting our experiences and lives and struggles and observations and reactions to what we see and hear, is so important. Document your reality. Your words matter, your art matters. Your journals, your blogs, your photography, your creations, they all matter. Your life matters.

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