Happy Tuesday
Writing a
(short) book may be on your bucket list. But we're smack in mid-summer in
the U.S. so really... who cares.
If you're not splayed out on your hammock or beach chair, you're chomping
to leave work early so you can do so.
Why not ignore your BIG WRITING PROJECT for the rest of the summer
because you just don't
have time.
That's one way to approach it. I'd like to suggest another.
Write for 15 minutes a day
If you can spare 6 minutes to brush your teeth (includes flossing), you
know you can find 15 minutes to write. But what can you accomplish by
writing for 15 minutes a day?
- Writers write.
If you write every day, you are a writer.
- You can chip
away at a large writing project, piece by piece.
- Writing every
day keeps the momentum going.
- You ward off
writer's block.
- You can get more creative because the stakes are low.
- Sometimes your 15 minutes turns into 30 minutes or an hour.
- Studies show that short bursts of writing can be very productive
What counts as
writing?
Don't get too precious about it. Perfection is not the goal. Anything you
write counts as part of your 15 minutes.
That said, it helps if you establish a writing "practice" -
like a yoga practice.
When you take a yoga class, you get on your mat and move through a
sequence of asanas or postures.
Below, Dorothea in
plank pose
Some days it feels hard. You feel creaky and inflexible. Other days
you're in the flow.
But if you get on your mat, your muscle memory kicks in and you know what
to do.
By setting up a writing practice every day at the same time, you create
the same sort of reflexive approach to writing.
Maybe it's at the kitchen counter first thing in the morning. (Like this
email I'm writing right now.)
Maybe it's at 11 PM right before you go to bed.
What you can write
in 15 minutes
- Jot down an outline
- Brainstorm titles for your book (get crazy)
- Write a paragraph where you explain the motivation behind your book
- Tell your reader what your book will do for them
- Explain how you can be of service to your reader
Use writing
prompts and do freewriting*
Also known as journaling, freewriting is a proven technique to unlock
your ideas and dig deeper into what you are really thinking. Here are a
few ideas for writing prompts from famed author and writing coach Natalie Goldberg:
- Write about
the specific moment you are in. As Goldberg puts it: "Tell
about the quality of the light coming in through your window."
- What is your
first memory?
- Write about "leaving." (This could be divorce, leaving the
house or a friend dying, Goldberg explains.)
- Grab a book of poems and open to any page. Choose one line and write it
down. Then rewrite and explain it.
- Be specific. Slow down in your mind.
A new edition of my Beta Author program launches in
September
If you want
company, structure and motivation for an 8-week writing sprint to help
you write a short book, mark your calendar for September and October. I
will be offering a new and improved version of my Beta Author program.
*Freewriting and establishing a daily writing practice are key components
of the program.
Spots to work with me 1:1 will be limited due to my Gap Year After 60 adventure. Deets to
come.
As always, I'd
love to hear from you, especially if you have a writing project on your
bucket list. Hit Reply and tell me what it is.
Yours in writing
15 minutes a day and enjoying the hammock the rest of the time,
Debbie
Useful Links
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg (her
classic book on writing, first published over 25 years ago)
Accidental Genius by Mark Levy (the
best guide to freewriting for business authors)
Debbie Weil
Founder & CEO, Voxie Media
Big Ideas. Short
Books.™
{eBook publishing and programs for up-and-coming business authors}
email: debbie@voxiemedia.com
mobile: 202.255.1467
voxiemedia.com
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@debbieweil
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