Feeling the Pressure?

It seems that everyone I talk to lately is under a lot of pressure. And those who aren't seem to have those little nuisances in life gnawing at them. You know, like you didn't flip your car on the interstate. Thank God for that. But the security officer stopped you as you went through the entrance...just long enough for the gate to scrape down the whole side of your car.

Sometimes, particularly in our very busy lives, the little things mount up and blow the top right off the pressure cooker. It's enough to make us crazy. Oh, and then we're supposed to sit down at the blank screen and pound out all manner of perfect prose. You know, there IS a reason they call that little flashing character a CURSE-er.

So what's a weiry writer to do? Well, you could go to the mall, sit on a bench and stick your tongue out at everyone who passes. That usually works for me but if that's not your style, you need some other mechanism to let it out.

I recommend minute vacations. You know, those moments where you go to an exotic island in the south pacific and lay in the cool breeze with your toes sunk in sand? Just stop... step away from the computer... and daydream. Go to your favorite location with only those who won't make you crazy. Erect a sign in your mental image that says, "No Naggers Allowed!"

Soak it in. Bask in the peace of the one place on earth Aunt Agnes won't think to look. It'll make you smile when you sign the ticket and the police officer will wonder what you're really up to. :-)

What about you? Feeling the pressure? Type out your gripe in a comment and you will be instantly cured. Ok, not really but I'd like to hear from you anyway.

Dealing With Discouragement

I know writers sometimes get overwhelmed while juggling life and pounding out prose. And things do happen that pull us away from our creativity. That's called life and the only alternative to that will suddenly and permanently end your writing career altogether.

That being said,I've noticed recently that writers- specifically Christian authors- are being hit with discouragement. I have numerous author friends and colleagues and I can honestly say not one of them is free right now from this ball and chain.

So what is a writer to do? How do we fight against that negative emotion when it wraps its tentacles around us and pulls us down into the pit of despair? Most of the discouragement we experience is a direct result of being overwhelmed. The good news is that Overwhelm is entirely treatable!

When life happens in such rapid succession it's overwhelming, it's important to:

1) GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! Take time to regroup. You may not be able to fly to the Swiss Alps for two weeks. Wouldn't that be lovely? You can take a day, an hour, or a few moments to exclude all outside distractions and just spend the time on Y.O.U. Take a hot bath. Go for a walk. Get an ice cream cone. Something that will recharge you.

2) LIGHTEN UP! You can't do it all. Nor can you be all things to all people all the time. So don't hold yourself to it. We have so many things tugging at us, we rarely feel like we do any of them justice. Do the best you can in every circumstance but don't expect any more of yourself than that. It just won't happen and is utterly unfair to you.

3) SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: You could have 127 items on your daily "to do" list. Wow! That's ambitious and... ummm... CRAZY! It's great to have a list. It's one of the greatest tools to keep you on task. You will be productive by working toward accomplishing each and every one of those tasks, but not all in the same day. Prioritize and make it a point to finish the most pressing ones, and give yourself permission to do the rest tomorrow... or next week... or...

The bottom line is that, in your overwhelmingly busy life when you just can't seem to get ahead in the game, you have to consciously do things to avoid being overwhelmed. If you can master that, you'll be able to combat discouragement.

What steps can you take today that will build in those safeguards in your life? Leave a comment here and help others. Implement the steps and you'll help yourself.

For more ideas on how to organize your day, pick up this book:

The End

I've been absent from my blog for a month because I've been writing a new non-fiction book. Today, while sitting in my Lay-Z-Boy surrounded by my notes, I put the finishing touches on the first draft and typed The End on "Dare to Dream".

What a joy it is to finish a literary work. Sure, I'll need to go back and do rewrites but the first draft is finished! It is a wonderful feeling. I'm excited about the next step and anxious to see the finished product.

Thank you all for your patience and support during my absence. I appreciate you more than you know.

Reebs

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Author and friend Lisa Jordan celebrated her very first book contract this week. She pulled out her pen and signed her way to a whole new world. Lisa also sat down with me to answer some burning questions I had about her journey over the rainbow:

Me: What compelled you to start writing a decade ago?

Lisa: I've been writing since I was sixteen, but, of course, family came first. When my boys were very young, they needed me more. As they grew older, the voices in my head wouldn't hush. We had gotten a new computer, hooked up to the Internet, and then I searched for writing groups. I found one and liked it, but it didn't quite meet my needs. Writing has been a dream for so many years that I couldn't not write.

Me: You mentioned on your blog that you made many "new writer" mistakes. Can you give us an idea what some of those mistakes were?

Lisa: Oh, goodness. I'm not sure if there's enough space--head hopping, telling, naming the emotion, overuse of adverbs, opening with descriptions of weather.

Me: What has helped you the most to hone your craft?

Lisa: In 2005, I found ACFW online and joined. I attended the conference in September and met Susan May Warren. I had discovered her books a couple of years before meeting her and loved them. I was like a tween at a Justin Beiber concert when I met her. That meeting changed my life. We developed a friendship over the years. A couple of years ago, I became involved in My Book Therapy, Susie's book therapy site. Being mentored by Susie and Rachel Hauck helped me to take my writing to a new level. Their workshops forced me to dig deeper into my characters. In turn, I learned what elements are necessary to write a salable novel.

Me: Writing is a very tough endeavor. How were you able to stick with it for ten years?

Lisa: I wanted it badly enough. I did take off some time to earn my degree in early childhood education. God placed this desire in my heart over twenty-five years ago. I needed to be faithful and obedient to His calling. Having friends and family who believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself, helped me to stay focused when discouragement kept me down.

Me: What advice can you give new authors as they start out?

Lisa: My advice would be not to rush the writing process. Take time to savor those nuggets of wisdom from writing books, workbooks, retreats, etc. Each step has it's own blessing. Cherish those.

Also, believe in yourself and God's plan for your life. Writing is hard. It doesn't get easier with publication. You need to learn to find your balance, but keep your priorities straight.

Me: What writing books would you recommend?

Lisa: My Bible--where else will you find such perfect spiritual truth?? And then ost definitely, Susan May Warren's From the Inside Out and Deep and Wide. James Scott Bell's Plot and Structure, Alice Orr's No More Rejections, GMC: Goal, Motivation, Conflict by Debra Dixon, and a baby names book ... yes, seriously!


Love Inspired will debut Lisa's first novel,Lakeside Reunion in November of this year! What her whole story of her journey over the rainbow? Check out her website: . Truly, it is a story of dreams come true!

Congratulations Lisa!

The Conspiracy of My Mind

Last night I worked with a friend online getting used to Skype. You know, that program that allows you to instant message and make phone calls using the internet. Skype was invented by two Swedish techno-brainiacs. Knowing this, I told my friend I really didn't like to use the program because it was un-American.

Suddenly, out of absolutely nowhere, my imagination began to conjure up all sorts of evil plans to take over my mind. Cryptic subliminal messages told me to kill my dog and steal the money out of the red kettles at Christmas. A computer cyborg jumped out of my monitor and sent me to the remote planet of Skyperia. I was sentenced to life in techno-prison.

My wise friend calmly typed, "please step away from the Skype." Clearly, my wild, uncontrollable imagination was flexing her muscles! I mean, I created a new planet, a whole new civilization, and a secret conspiracy to completely control the phone communications of the entire world...all in five sentences! Not bad, huh?

Know what I learned? There's a story in EVERYTHING! Even a weird name. There was an entire mystery or thriller there, but don't tell the Skypers. They'll sneak into my work in progress in the middle of the night,kill the hero and write the villain to reign victorious over good. He'll take over the world!

Oops... there I go again. I soooo love being a writer. But I really must be kind to my readers. So, to spare you, the Masters of Skyperia have issued a subliminal command for me to type: The End.

I CAN DO IT... NO I CAN'T!

People ask me how I’m able to be so confident. When they do, I always want to turn around to see who’s standing behind me. Surely, they don’t mean me. Some say I’m bold as a lion. I’ll stand down any foe. That much could be true. I would rather fall for what’s right than to stand for what’s wrong.

But Confident? If they only knew the wrestling matches that go on inside my mind. It reminds me of when I was a kid. Ok… a really young kid, for the record. When I took my bath I’d have wars between my left and right hands. They’d fight each other to the death. My right hand always won. Always.

I wish my confidence always won the battle of my inhibitions today. Sometimes it does. Other times I feel like I’m totally incapable of writing anything of value to anyone. That makes me feel so…. Umm… left-handed.

When I sit down at the computer to write, sometimes poetic words gush out like a waterfall. Other days, the only one who would be proud of what I write is my first grade teacher, Miss Beasley. But I’m a writer nonetheless. I’ve learned to ride those waves of confidence followed immediately by questioning why I ever thought I could string meaningful words together. It’s all required to be a writer. The ups and down. The ins and outs. The confidence and the utter lack of it.

I’ve also learned to capture the emotion of it all. My characters experience the same inner struggles as I do. Why not capitalize on my agony, right? If you are questioning your ability as a writer, do what I do. Have a fist fight in the bathtub. Oh wait. That’s not it.

Ride out the wave. Tell yourself you are a writer. Whether the words come out good or bad doesn’t change that. You breathe. Therefore, you write. Simple isn’t it? And a lot less messy than wars in the bathtub! 

When You Least Expect It!

A week ago I was out riding my bicycle. It was a picture perfect day in Central Florida. Bright sunshine, warm temperatures and not a cloud in the sky. I'd had a frustrating week and needed to clear my head.

When I turned and headed back toward home, I rolled through an intersection. I had the green light and the right of way. Sometimes that doesn't mean anything. This was one of those times. Suddenly, an 83 year old woman ran the red light and came right into my path. I had no time to react and no distance with which to stop.

So, I hit her...sort of. Without even thinking, I turned left and shifted my weight to the right. I leaned into her car and went in the same direction, connected to her until she came to a stop. It was a very frightening experience that could have ended in disaster. I could dwell on that. Just the thought of broken bones, rode rash and hospital visits makes me cringe.

The same week that happened, I received an invitation to write a new book to encourage new writers. Just like the Toyota Camry that suddenly appeared right in front of me, that came out of nowhere as well. Both were completely unexpected. Both were life changing. Each happened in an instant.

I realized there is just as much chance something wonderful will jump right up in front of us and change our lives. When we least expect it, good things happen. Dreams come true. Prayers are answered.

I learned to never, never, never give up. When I least expect it, something great will happen to change my life forever! Like my life being spared. Or a book contract. Know what? It's exactly the same with you.

Don't give up hope. Never! One day, you'll be glad you didn't.