Weekly Writing Inspiration

Getting to the page every day will help you reach your goal. I use word count as a test of how a project is going. If I hit the word count, I feel a lot better about my process. But what do you do when you don’t hit the word count?

An editor wrote those three words on a manuscript of mine. I want to read the paragraph that was highlighted with those encouraging words to give you permission to write some lovely words of your own today.

How do you want readers to react to your words? How do you want them to respond? Is it okay to plan that? Is it okay to want readers to respond in some specific way? Here’s a response to a radio topic that relates to your writing. I’m not suggesting you manipulate people—but be authentic enough to cause your reader to respond. If you’re scared to do that, listen to this writespo!

Twenty years ago I had a bunch of questions and a dream. Walk through that with me and I’ll encourage you to push on the cage of your heart.

It doesn’t seem real when you first begin. It feels like a pipe dream. That thing in your head will never be translated into something you will hold in your hands. But it happened to me again last week and the feeling never gets old. I want you to feel that same thing with your writing.

Where you are now is where you will want to be at some point in the future. The doubt, despair, hope, frustration, dreams you have right now is the key to unlocking truth from your words. This doesn’t diminish your desire to “arrive,” but it will help frame the struggle.

I am excited and scared about a road trip I’m on right now.
Find the thing that helps you find your story. For me, driving is the thing that awakes, loosens characters in my mind and helps me get them to the page. You have to hear the quote I discovered today—and may your story, your life be a song of the soul set free.

I held a book in my hands and a flood of memories washed over me. Write the article, blog, email or book that you want to return to you in 20 years. Here are a couple of stories I hope encourage you.

It happened again as I was working on the opening to a writing seminar. It happened this week while I worked on a non-fiction piece, as well as a fiction piece. Come to the page every day. No question. But remember that ideas come at their own pace, they run downhill like water and pool. Relax. Keep writing.