The Creative Era

I'm not sure if you know who Daniel Pink is but he wrote a book called A Whole New Mind (that's him and his book to the right), which talks about how right-brained people will be ruling the future...(well, that's what the subtitle says.)

Basically, those people who are left-brained and have careers in left-brained type industries (like, I.T. etc) will find themselves at a loss as companies begin to outsource work to other countries, or to computers.

Creatives (right-brained types) are becoming invaluable to companies because they can effectively problem solve and think outside the box.

This is an interesting concept, especially considering that most of us have been taught that jobs in these left-brained dominant fields are lucrative and stable. These careers had always been considered 'real' jobs.

Many of us probably didn't think that writing could be a viable career option.

All I can say is: Start getting that right-brain into shape....looks like we'll be busy.

Success

Here is a popular quote on Success...although, no one can say for sure who first wrote it. Some say it was Ralph Waldo Emerson and others say that it was a woman named Bessie Stanley who penned it back in 1905. The one below had been altered from the original. Either way, it is a great quote.

Success is:

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

Finding Time to Write

As I sit here trying to get some writing work completed, I am ignoring my two children. One has been watching cartoons for the last 4 hours and the other just woke from her nap and is playing with the phone...hopefully she doesn't call overseas.

How do we busy people find time to write? With kids hanging off of our necks or fighting in the background, the only time that we can find some quiet is in the really late hours of the night. Either our children suffer or our sleep suffers.

I don't think there really is a solid answer for this. We can work when kids are napping, in bed or during quiet time. We can sneak in a few minutes of work here and there or just commit to working as soon as the kids go to bed.

But the best thing to do when determining how your day will go is to have an idea of what you want to accomplish. So, when those precious writing moments come about, you will know exactly what it is you need to do without thinking about it for five minutes (those five minutes could be spent on writing).

Got to go....I'm off to pry my child away from the T.V.

Creative Choppiness

Ever feel like you are struggling when writing a story? Kind of like writer's block but not. You're still writing, still going through the motions of writing, still putting words on paper....maybe not sentences, but at least words.

The thought process is almost choppy, slightly forced, but you know if you could just get the clutter out of the way, you'd find a constant stream, rather than dribbles and drips.

So, how do you get past the choppiness?

1) Keep writing. If the words are there but not quite flowing, that means that something wants to be unleashed. Something is lingering ready to push forward.
2) Step away from the computer. If you have been writing, but the flood gates are still closed, step away from your writing. Come back an hour later and read what you have written. Everything looks clearer when you come back to it with fresh eyes.
3) Have a nap. If all else fails, just sleep for 20 mins. Maybe your brain is tired and needs to restore some energy. Most of us never allow ourselves to have a nap. We just pluggin' away like machines. Take that time to help the brain rejuvenate.
4) Eat cookies. Sometimes a nice break of milk and cookies is what your spirit needs. Indulge a little bit and enjoy the moment.