Trapped!

Whenever we go on extended trips, (anything over 2 hours), my son finds a way to wiggle his upper body out of his car seat straps. He feels trapped. Constrained, locked in, whatever you want to call it; my son loves his freedom. He wants to view the outside and see what's going on as he rides along the highways.

What about you, writer? Do you feel constrained from your writing by time, space, or the unrealistic demands of other people? If so, take some time for yourself, rethink your life, and set yourself free by making time and space to write!

It's possible, but you must take the first step.

One Size Doesn't Fit All!

Do you ever remember purchasing an outfit or an article of clothing labeled "One Size Fits All"?

You take the item home only to find out that you are not included in the "All." Maybe your arms are too long or maybe the robe is just a little too snug for you. It's disappointing to say the least.

What happens when you don't seem to fit the mold of the "typical writer"? Maybe you're not sure what direction to take, or maybe you're not apart of the writer's group everyone is raving about. To make things worse, you've just received a boatload of rejection letters for the manuscript you worked months to perfect. Because of these situations, you begin to question your ability to write and you wonder if you still need to write at all.

Wait! Before you close your laptop or retire that pen, understand that every writer has a different pathway. Take some time to ask yourself some questions, so you can reevaluate your situation.
Consider the following questions:

• Is this the best time for you to write?
• Are you writing in the proper genre?
• Do you have a specific target group who needs to read what you're writing?
• Are you passionate about what you're writing?
• Do you need to start with smaller projects?
• Have you had someone to edit your writing?

Now step back. It may take a few days to answer these questions about yourself. Once you've taken some time to answer these questions honestly, I'm sure you'll see the writer in you reemerging with a vengeance.

Just because one size doesn't fit all doesn't mean you can't keep searching until you find the right fit for your passion to write!

Be On Time!

In 2008, when I began working at an office job, I made a conscious decision to work at being on time to work and any other appointments. This is significant for me because I had been in sales for over five years previous to this time. My sales job had me spoiled in that I never really had a set schedule, so there was no obligation to rush to be on time.

Now that I'm a full-time writer, I'm finding myself working harder to stay in a "schedule" mode, in order to complete my writing assignments.

Being on time, whether it's for work, a meeting, or even a family obligation, is vital. As writers, we have deadlines to meet. Whether we're working independently or doing an assignment for an editor or publisher, it behooves us to set goals and complete our assignments on time. Doing this demonstrates to others that we value a person's time and rules.

What can you do to be on time with your writing assignments?

• Start writing once you find out about the assignment.
• Create a schedule for completing the assignment.
• Write something everyday.
• Complete your assignment at least 2-3 days before the deadline.

It's important for us to be on time as we write because someone or some people are counting on us!