I’m thinking my move to my new domain might take awhile so while I’m designing, adding, figuring out the WordPress world I will mirror the blog here. It feels like moving to a new home and I keep coming back here to check the drawers for missing socks and making sure that my neighbors know my new address and will come to the Open House. Weird how an online space can feel like home. Comfortable, cozy and difficult to break the ties.
During the residency I attended a workshop on novel writing. Even though I’m not currently working on a novel, I was curious what advice author, Ryan Boudinot would present. It was a motivating hour and a half. Not only to hear about his success, his novel will be published this September, but to hear about his failed novels the ones he wrote that will never be published and the lessons he learned from the process of writing a novel. He also talked alot about the subconscious and how this plays a very important part in writing. Yes, all that negative self-talk can thwart the writing process. This led me to this book I am adding to my study plan. Double Your Creative Power!: Make Your Subconscious a Partner in the Writing Process A book that will probably weave its way through all of my studies this semester.To condense Ryan’s advice into a post is a little difficult but what I got out of it is the following:
- stop the negative self-talk
- write regularly even if it’s a page a day
- stop self-censoring
- don’t use time as an excuse…there will never be enough time
- be persistent
- follow your gut when it comes to your work
- find an agent and a publisher that believes in your work and your vision
- don’t give up your day job
- don’t force the process
Today, think about how your subconscious could be your partner, what have you been telling yourself about your writing. Write down all the negative stuff and then shred it. How would your writing look if you thought you would be successful and published? What would you do different if you didn’t have all of the excuses.Now get back to work!Lovingly,The Writing NagAnd to answer Ian’s question What made me decide to move? I want my own domain so I can put all of me in a site. A place for food writing, poetry, content writing, book recommendations, reviews, etc. I’m sure this will evolve over the next few years…but I hope you continue to follow The Writing Nag.
When I first read the title of your post, “I am moving”, I thought oh no, she is relocating and won’t have her blog anymore. I was happy to read that it was just the domain name and that is why you are moving. I enjoy your posts. It is good that you got your own domain, I did that too. I also have a site at WordPress that I am working to incorporate all the writing forms I love, blogger is a little bit restrictive in this way.
You are right about our subconcious being our own worst enemy when it comes to writing. I used to let it get to me before, but I avoid listening to the inner critic as much as possible. I have not started a novel yet myself, but I like the sound of the book you mentioned. Good luck with your new site, I look forward to it.
In novel writing, failure is very much a part of the road to success. Graham Greene never did get his first novel published and John Grisham was rejected by just about every literary agent and publisher on the face of the earth.
Glad to see a another blogger becoming successful and getting their own domain name. I am can’t move off blogger just yet because I am still building my fan base.
Also, great post. I also just completed a similar post, Write a Narrative Non-Fiction Piece in Six Easy Steps, on my blog whenthepagecomestolife.blogspot.com