Old Dog Learning New Tricks

Hello everyone -- The last few months of my life have been truly exhilarating. I've launched a communications company called C-Suite Communications. I have been diligently working on my writing -- sending out queries, meeting new people, and expanding my network. I continue to build a following to my blog, The Eclectic Writer. Most importantly, I've been doing lots and lots of thinking about life, writing, and in general lots of stuff!

I came across one of the handouts I picked up at AWP and finally read it this weekend. It was a Writer's Magazine supplement called "How to be a More Productive Writer." I'm not sure if you can write to the magazine and request a copy, but it really is filled with good tips and advice.

One tip that really caught my attention is the need to set up writing rituals. I will admit, I have not been good about "being a writer" these past few months-- more so, I've focused on "marketing myself as a writer" and "calling myself a writer," as well as sending out queries, thinking about writing, actually writing things here or there, but no true discipline or science behind it.

So I decided it was time to take some of the advice in the articles and begin some rituals. I started this week by setting the timer for one hour in the morning. Once the kids get on the bus, I grab a fresh cup of coffee, sit down at the computer, and write. No emails, no telephone, straight forward writing. Now I realize it will take more than an hour a day to get at my goals; but I'm actually surprised how much I put on the page by forcing myself to write for that block of time. I have two articles due on Sunday for the book, "Writing on Family" that I've thought about ad nauseum for a month now. Suddenly the words are pouring out and I realize I actually know what I'm talking about and how to do this. Amazing rediscovery.

Another piece of advice I plan to try is to send one query a day. I had been trying to figure out a block of time once a week to query. But that didn't work. The advice given is that if you can get one query out a day, the odds are in your favor that eventually something hits. Sort of like buying a lottery ticket a day, or putting a dollar in the piggy bank. Small things will add up to a big bang with time.

I'm really at the start of this journey, but I know others have mentioned the need to jump start their writing lives post-MFA. I find it's really been a process, one that involved giving myself permission not to overthink it, to give myself time to discover what's in my head and what the priorities are. Doing so I've made progress on my novel, identified what my non fiction book is about, and continue to think more about what I want it to all look like down the road.

I'd love to hear some of the tips any of you have, or read some of the discoveries you're making, in your writing lives.

Anne