HOW TO BEAT WRITER'S BLOCK WHEN YOU JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WRITING

THESE FOUR (4) STRATEGIES TO BEAT WRITER'S BLOCK HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR OTHER WRITERS. GIVE THEM A TRY AND LEARN TO WRITE EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL MOTIVATED.

From The New York Times

 

How to Beat Writer's Block Even When You Don't Feel Like Writing

by: Kel Amstutz
March 24, 2020

All writers face writer's block at some point or another. It's a THING.  A fact of life. As professional writers we have to know how to get past it and... write anyways... even when we don't feel like doing it. 

It's like there is a piece of cake sitting on the table in front of us. It's not like most cake... Nope, it's delicious, decadent, moist and rich.  Someone slipped it into the microwave just a few seconds ago, so the scent of the warm chocolate is drifting over to wrap you up in it. The whipped buttercream frosting adds just the perfect crowning glory. 

(Feel free to imagine your own favorite indulgence... I mean, if chocolate cake isn't your thing.)

This piece of chocolate cake is a feast to your eyes, and you can almost taste it hitting your tongue in an explosion of chocolate goodness and let's be real... joy.

But... there is a barrier between you and the chocolate cake. You can see the cake just fine. You can even smell it. But... you can not quite reach it. 

If you want the cake bad enough.... you will figure out a way to get past this invisible barrier that is keeping you from it. 

Well.. the same is true for getting past writer's block.

Four Strategies To Get Past the Barrier

Here are four (4) strategies that have helped me... and other writers I know... get past the invisible barrier... and help get us to our figurative chocolate cake.

STRATEGY 1 - WARM UP

There have been way too many Saturday mornings that my pre-teen has grumbled and resisted getting up early for a family event... or to run an errand. She would much rather sleep in on her sacred weekend. But, she pulls herself up and out of bed, gets herself ready... and we get moving on out the door. (You know... before COVID-19 and all!)

Once she gets moving, the resistance fades away, and she becomes more human and less zombie. 

The same can be said for Singers who warm up their vocal chords by singing scales. Runners warm up by stretching, getting their blood moving.

Well... Writers warm up... by writing!

So... write a headline or a title. You can always change it later. You are by no means stuck to keeping it the same in the draft phase of your writing.

Write out random ideas as they present themselves to you. You can go through and soft them out later - and choose if you want to keep them or simply delete them.

The things is to get your fingers moving. This activity will jump-start your brain. And, your writer's block will simply dissolve.

STRATEGY 2 - START WITH THE END IN MIND

If I am just not sure of my lead or how I want to get started... I work on the rest of the piece. Of course, this doesn't work for short copy pieces like PPC ads and some of the product descriptions. But, for mid- to long- form copy, this is an excellent strategy to get past writer's block.

Write bullets. Write subheads and section heads. Write sidebar copy, if your piece will have sidebars. Write the stories you will use to illustrate your ideas.

The action of working on the project puts your brain into gear. For me, skipping the beginning and working on the rest of the piece allows the idea for the beginning to just come to me. Once I am in the flow of my writing, other ideas begin to flow, too.

STRATEGY 3 - REMEMBER WHY YOU'RE WRITING

John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Beatles legends, are famous (at least among us writers) as saying, "Let's write a swimming pool" before sitting down to write a new song. They were setting an intention to earn enough money from writing the song that they could put a swimming pool in their backyard... or whatever else they wanted to buy or do with the money earned from the song they wrote.

If you are a professional writer - or someone is paying you to write - this applies to you, too.

Are you writing a college education for your kids? Are you writing a new car? A vacation? Food on the table? Your way out of debt? 

Whatever it is that you are writing for, be clear on your WHY that is behind your choice to write for money. Then, remind yourself that your WHY is bigger than the distractions that you're using to not write. It is bigger than your writer's block!

STRATEGY 4 - GO FOR THE DISTRACTION

I can hear you... right now you are saying, "What? Go for the distraction? I thought my why is supposed to be bigger than the distractions!"

Well, when you are having a hard time getting started on a project, it is!

But, when you hit writer's block after you have been working on a project for several hours, it may be a  sign that you simply need to take a break. That is the scenario I am addressing here.

Sometimes writer's block is a sign of mental exhaustion. Your brain is telling you it needs a break.

In this situation, get up, take a walk... or do some yoga... or clean off your desk... or do some laundry.... or load the dishwasher... or sit in the sun and mediate. All these things could be extremely helpful in helping you find your center again.

Try creating the invoice you are going to give your client with the finished project. Or pay some bills. These distractions have the added benefit of also reminding you of your why.

These "distractions" can give your brain a needed rest and let you return to writing feeling recharged and ready to go once again.

Just be mindful that the distraction is a solution only when you really are in need of a mental break... not when you are avoiding getting started in the first place.

WHICH STRATEGY IS BEST TO GET PAST WRITER'S BLOCK?

I have used each of these strategies to get past my own writer's block. They all work. Which one you choose at any given time depends on what is causing our block.

For example, you would not choose the warm-up strategy if you have hit writer's block AFTER you were writing for a few hours. In this situation, you probably just need a break... go for the distraction, like a walk. 

If you are having trouble getting started, you would want to try the warm-up strategy or the start-with-the end-in-mind strategy.

The strategy of remembering your why is helpful whenever you are feeling unmotivated or when you are tempted to keep scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram instead of getting down to work. 

I would love to hear how YOU get past your writer's block and get writing, even when you just don't feel like it. 

Leave a comment below and share your best strategies!!!

IS THIS MISSING FROM YOUR DAILY ROUTINE?

DO YOU INCLUDE A DAILY FAST WRITE AS PART OF YOUR ROUTINE? IF NOT, YOU MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON SOME BIG WRITING AND BUSINESS BENEFITS. SEE WHAT THEY ARE...

 

Is this Missing From Your Daily Routine?

by: Kel Amstutz
Friday, March 13, 2020

WRITE EVERY DAY. 

How many times have you heard that very advice?

It's important. The more you write, the quicker you will hone in on your skills and improve what you do. And, the better writer that you are, the easier it is to earn the income you want.

When you are new to the game, to make your daily writing habit stick, it is best to put it on your calendar and treat it like a client meeting.

Once you have clients... and projects... and deadlines... writing every day is not a habit. It's a necessity.

If you want to make your clients happy and delivery good work on time, it takes a daily commitment (or, at least, that's always been my experience). So, the writing-every-day advice.. well, it gets heeded without your even thinking about it.

But, whether you are new to writing or you have been at this for a while and you're earning a solid living, there's a type of writing you can do EVERY DAY that will clarify your thinking, uncover new ideas, provide lots of fluff for your own content and marketing materials, and... and improve your writing skill and speed.

This sounds pretty freaking amazing, right?

It's also super simple. Anyone can do it. It doesn't matter what you skills or experience level is... you will get great things out of the exercise.

I know what you are thinking... enough already. What is this simple, powerful writing technique you are teasing me with?

IT'S FAST WRITING.

WHAT THE HECK IS FAST WRITING?

Well, it's not some ground-breaking thing. You probably ALREADY do it from time to time.

You just sit down at your computer - or, if you want to stay old-school, you can use pen and paper. Then you set a timer for 15-minutes. And... you write nonstop and without censoring yourself until that timer runs out.

Hey, I said it was simple. But, it's not as easy as it sounds.

Writing nonstop is hard. You have to LET GO of any notion of being perfect in what you write/type on that page. And, writing nonstop without censoring is even harder, because we want to fix everything we recognize as not being correct... and, we want to fix it RIGHT NOW. (you know it's true!)

By doing a fast write EVERY DAY, either before you begin your work or at the end of the day before you wrap up, you will train yourself to get out of your own way when you are writing.

That alone is reason enough to set aside 15 minutes a day.

When you learn to write without editing as you go, you'll see a big jump in your productivity.

You will also notice yourself starting to have better ideas. That is because the writing process uses the creative side of your brain, and the editing process uses the analytical side of your brain.

If you keep shifting OUT of writing mode into editing mode every two or three minutes, you never really let your creative juices flow freely. You are denying yourself full access to your amazing creative zone.  And that means, even if you do good work, you won't be doing your best work.

But, when you give yourself more time in your creative zone, your writing ideas start to get more interesting, fresher, and more original.

Writing this way has another benefit, too...

It's fun!

As humans, we pretty much live for two things... (okay, there are probably a few more, but there are two for certain.)  We live for connections with others and experiencing the creative flow state of mind... or that mental state where time doesn't seem to exist, you are completely unself-conscious, and everything just seems RIGHT.

The Flow State of Mind can happen in ALL sorts of activities... from hosting dinner parties to playing music or taking a walk in nature.  And of course, writing...

Allowing yourself to write without editing, as the 15-minute fast write trains you to do, will give you readier access to your creative flow state.

But, the benefits of this exercise do not stop there.

CLARIFY YOUR THOUGHTS, AND EVERYTHING GETS EASIER

You can use your fast write time to gain clarity on anything that's giving you trouble or that you're having a hard time expressing.

You know how sometimes you have an idea, but when you try to share it with other people, you have a hard time conveying the weight or importance or beauty of it.  It's a frustrating feeling.

It's so obvious to you that what you're trying to explain can be transformative. But, you just can't make the other people see it.  What's worse is you know it's a weakness in your own communication that's making it so hard to share it in the impactful way you mean to.

When you find yourself in that situation, at the beginning of your daily fast write, think about that problem, topic, or idea for a minute or two.

And then, start your fast write.

Because of the fluid nature of the fast write and because you aren't allowed to stop writing and think about what you're trying to say... you'll find that sometimes your thoughts begin to organize themselves in unexpected ways.

By the end of the session, you may just have the answer you have been looking for... the perfect expression of a big and important idea.

SAY GOOD-BYE TO WRITER'S BLOCK

When you fast write like this every day, another fun things starts to happen. Writing just gets easier. You are so versed in the experience of sitting down in front of a blank page and filling it, that when you sit down to work on a project the words just start coming.

Is it going to be ground-breaking work every time? Of course not.

But almost every time, it will be work that moves you forward, which means you will have an easier time staying in front of your deadlines and you might even find that you start completing some work ahead of schedule. How cool will that be!

FILL YOUR EDITORIAL CALENDAR

The fast write is also a great tool for coming up with ideas for your blog, your marketing materials, or your client's blog or email newsletter.

A blog is a big commitment.  Your readers expect to hear from you on a regular basis, right guys!

That can be daunting. What if you run out of things to say>

The 15-minute fast write can put an end to all that worry. Make one or two of your sessions each week about generating ideas based on recent experiences, conversations, or things you have read recently.

With that in mind, begin your fast write and just start listing ideas... nonstop, of course.

You will be surprised at how many ideas you are able to list off in a 15 minute period, when you put this kind of pressure and constriction on yourself. And, you will be even more surprised by how many of the ideas are useful and fresh. They won't all be, and that is ok. But, if you come away from each fast write session with even just five workable ideas, things will start to accumulate!

Within a few short weeks, you will have a running list of interesting and useful ideas for your calendar... or perhaps for your client's.

Writing every day is a great habit to get into. But, once you are writing every day for clients, make sure you are still spending time each day writing for YOU.

By doing a 15-minute fast write, you will tick that checkbox... and you will come up with more high-quality ideas... and you will improve your writing speed and skill. This is totally worth the short time commitment.

Give it a go for one short week and see what you think. Then... share your experience in the comments below.

MORE CLARITY AND MEANING THROUGH STILLNESS

IN OUR MEDIA-RICH, OVER-STIMULATING SOCIETY, IT'S HARD NOT TO BE EXHAUSTED. THE PRACTICE OF STILLNESS CAN BRING MORE MEANING AND FOCUS TO YOUR WRITER'S LIFE. 

MORE CLARITY AND MEANING THROUGH STILLNESS

By: Kel Amstutz
Friday, March 13, 2020

We live in a world that is noisier and busier than ever, right now.  Social media, a nearly constant stream of notifications from our phones... the 24-hour news cycle (which right now is all about COVID-19), instant access to everyone through text messaging and messenger apps. 

Recent studies are showing that, on average, Americans check their phones every 12 minutes (that is nearly 100 times per day!), and we are spending more than three hours each day staring at those tiny screens...

This sounds crazy, right?  But, it's facts people. I have triple check those numbers, which are growing daily.

So, what does this mean? 

Well, it means that it is harder than it has ever been to turn off your mind and just be still... be quiet. 

But, without that much needed down time, it is absolutely impossible for you to be at your very best.

If you find yourself longing for a more peaceful and meaningful life... it you have a desire to unlock your maximum potential, but you just can't seem to figure out how to get to where you want to be... the answer might lie in that stillness. 

In our media-rich, always-on, over-stimulated, over-scheduled, often-lonely society, it's harder than ever not to be exhausted - emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally.  And, doing those great things you want to do... you feel like you need to do... well, there rare when you are just down right exhausted! 

So... What can you do about it?

A few year ago, I discovered a disciplined practice, in one form or another, derived from all the greatest, wisest creatives, thinkers, and religious philosophers in our history - from the Stoics to the Buddhists, from Confucianism to Christianity. 

It's an ancient art... of slowing things down and quieting the mind, so you can be still... and, in that stillness, "see" clearly...

Stillness is the practice of simply being. 

The idea is rather simple, but it takes great discipline to achieve it.

I have found that the practice of Stillness come from routine and rituals.  To dig deeper, you must fight temptations... and strengthen your soul from such temptations.  This is the key to being about to be better at whatever and anything you do.

Think about it. Too often being still is confused with being idle or ambivalent. But, I've found that  being still is actually a key skill on the path of self-mastery, discipline, and focus. Being still helps you stay on the path. 

Stillness is what fuels creativity and inspires new and fresh ideas.  It is the foundation for becoming the master of one's own life.  Stillness makes space for presence and gratitude.  It allows you to succeed at your main thing. It is... the key. 

The key to being better... a better writer... a better human... a better parent... a better artist and helps unlock your full, true potential. 

 

I am a little hesitate to "tell" you how to practice Stillness.  It is something that I am still learning. It is the practice of just be yourself.  But, perhaps that is the value I can bring to you... as someone on the same journey of learning to find Stillness, to find the focus to be present... to find clarity. 

The techniques that I have found and use to practice my 20 minutes of Stillness each day come from tips and tricks I have read about, even blogged about previously in my posts. They are to: 

• Set a Time Each Day. Schedule this time. I put my Stillness time on my calendar as an appointment to ensure that nothing else can invade that time slot.  My time for Stillness is previous to me, it is a time that I schedule before I go to sleep at night, to quiet my soul and set my intentions, finding my clarity to ensure that I am able to keep the main thing... the main thing. 

I end my day with my Stillness, after I have completed my habits... my journaling, my creative writing... my stretching. 

I very briefly quiet my mind and find a few moments of Stillness before I lay my head on my pillow.  Then, I am able to end my day with peace.  

• Find a Place to Connect Your Mind, Body, and Spirit.  To be truly still, you must be physically still, your mind must be quiet, and you must feel at ease with yourself and the world.

For me, that is the easiest to achieve when I am getting ready for bed. I simply get comfortable. I connect with my surroundings by using my Himalayan salt lamp, my calm oil simmering, surrounded by nothing but quiet. This allows my mind to become quiet just before I end my day. This has the wonderful effect of connecting my energy with the energy of the sleep that I am about to embark upon. This is my quiet spot that has the right vibe that I am seeking. The main thing for me is to be in a place where I am not interrupted. 

For your Stillness practice, you just need to find a spot where you won't be interrupted, at a time when you can really focus and connect with yourself. 

• Set a Time. At this point, some advocate setting aside 15 minutes a day. Early in my practice, I didn't have an extra 15 minutes, especially when my kids were younger.  I started with just five minute stretches. That was enough to get me in my zone. Now a-days, I have some extra free time before I go to sleep, with my girls being a bit older and less needy and I can be still for 20 minutes. That is a good fit for me at this point in my life, but what is right for you will undoubtedly be different. 

One factor to keep in mind... it is surprising how the perception of this time can change from day to day. Some days 20 minutes seems like forever, but on other days, it goes by almost too quickly. 

I set a time to make sure I spend the intended amount of time in Stillness... and to make sure I don't get lost in being still and end up missing my bedtime altogether. 

• Relax Your Body. As I noted above, I prefer to sit in my bedroom, closing my eyes, I have even incorporated crystals to help myself have a physical connect to Earth.  You might prefer to sit in nature, or in a soft, comfortable chair with your eyes closed. To each their own.  The most important thing is to be in a place where you can truly relax. 

Relax your body deliberately.  Pay attention to your muscle tension and it's release.  Then, become physically and mentally quiet.  If being still is difficult at first, try to engage in any mindless physical activity, like rocking in a chair or watching something in its natural motion- like a fire or perhaps running water. 

To assist with the physical relaxation and mental quiet, I have used a recording of the ocean.  Listening to the natural sounds has helped to aid in finding mental Stillness in me.  Try falling rain, a thunderstorm... whatever helps you attain a state of relaxation. 

• Quiet Your Mind.  This will likely be the biggest of your challenges.  It was for me. It is very common for me to achieve a moment of mental Stillness and then I have some random thought (or several...) and get off track.  Don't worry about it when this happens.  Just recognize it and then return to your Stillness.  The more that you practice... the longer you will be able to hold your mind in a place of Stillness.
• Be Present.  I don't mean just physically present. When I say, "Be Present," I mean be aware, mindful, in the moment.  Don't think about the past regrets you might have. Don't think about your hopes and dreams in the future. Instead, collect your thoughts and be present - in the current moment. It is the most important time that you have. In fact, it is the only time you have.
• Learn to Focus You Mind and Feel the Moments (to Return).  This might be the most helpful component of being still.  What I am talking about here is learning to recall a "place or time of peace." To recall a mental picture of experience where you achieved a particularly vivid experience of peace and stillness.

For me, I go back to the time I spent lying on the beach in Oahu and being in a perfect state of Stillness as the sun beat down on me, warming my soul and the sound of the ocean surrounded my whole being.  

These profound moments give you a way to bring peace and calm forward, during your Stillness practice, or at any time you need to, really.

I resisted Stillness for the longest time, sticking to my belief that being Still was just a waste of time.  I was so wrong. 

The busier, noisier, more hectic my life became, the most I realized how important it is that you make the time to just be still.  It will help you rest better. It will help you stave off that dreadful burnout. It will help you focus on the things you want to achieve and help you put your best effort into whatever you are doing at any given moment. 

Even if you can only start off with five minutes a day - DO IT! 

You will soon see the difference it will make on your life and you will be so glad that you did.

With a Stillness practice, it will not matter how tough yesterday was, or how difficult today is looking to be. When you are at peace, full peace with yourself, you will find focus, clarity, and the meaning behind the tasks before you. And, everything you do will be that much easier, that much better, that much more joyful... because of it!

HOW TO BUILD A NEW HABIT... AND MAKE IT STICK... FOR GOOD!

GOOD HABITS CAN HELP YOU BE MORE PRODUCTIVE, BUT HOW DO YOU BUILD A NEW HABIT AND MAKE IT STICK? USE THESE FOUR (4) TRICKS TO HELP YOU BUILD LONG-TERM HABITS!

How to Build a New Habit ... and Make It Stick... for Good! 

By: Kel Amstutz
Wednesday, March 11, 2020

I have tried... time and time again... building a lot of new and different habits over the years.  Good habits, obviously.  Habits that I had hoped would help me strengthen my business, improve my health, and enjoy a more rewarding day-to-day experience.

A few of those daily habits I have worked on to develop and expand include:

• Stretching
• Creative writing
• Taking walks after dinner
• Writing poetry
• Keeping up with the house work
• Blogging
• Networking
• Journaling
• Crafting

I could probably double that list if I have it some more thought.

Some of these habits have stuck.  And, let's be honest... some haven't.


One of the most obvious reasons they haven't all stuck is that there are too many of them.  I have about five hours of daily habits listed there. Add in a four- to six- hour work day and then time to eat, and... well.. you can see that things start to get pretty crowded.

But it's interesting to see which habits have stuck and how long they have stuck around for.

For example. I've kept a daily journal for a full month - multiple times - and I enjoy doing it when I am in the zone... but not enough to stick with it indefinitely. Journaling, for me, is a short-term experiment that I engage in periodically, usually when life has got me down, more so than taking it on as a full-fledged habit.

I also spend a half-an-hour stretching each and every morning... and I have been doing that every day for about two years now. (We won't say it's because I am getting old and my bones need adjusting in the morning! LOL)

Writing poetry has always been a passion of mine and when I think about writing a poem a day... well, it sounds great, but have I ever been able to do this... sadly, no. 

However, I do try to creatively write every day for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I'm not quite as reliable with this as I am with stretching... but I do okay.

So, what makes a habit stick?

Having tried on a variety of habits for size with different degrees of success, I have a pretty good idea or assumption of why some habits take... and others just don't.

THEY MUST HAVE A COMPELLING PURPOSE AND AN OBVIOUS BENEFIT

If you want to turn something into a long-term habit, you need to have a compelling purpose behind WHY you're doing it. And because someone recommended it in their blog... well, it just doesn't cut it.

It does help to have a handle on what compels your purpose before you actually decide to implement a habit, but it isn't a requirement.  Sometimes the compelling purpose becomes clear after you have done something for a while.

That is how stretching has been for me. I didn't set out to make a habit out of stretching daily. Instead I fell and the result of being hurt, the stretching was ordered by the doctor to ease the aches and pains, and turned into a daily habit to keep those aches and pains at bay. Beyond that, my morning stretches started to help me feel more alert... helped me feel like I was starting my day off with a little more pep in my step... and I just really liked it.

And then, the kicker.  For a week, I decided I could use that block of time for getting things done around the house before getting kids up for school and running out the door to work. So I started to skip my morning stretches.  In no time at all, I was tired, cranky and not to mention so sore I could barely move.  I immediately went back to my morning stretches and once again found myself in a better mood... and with a happier body. 

That was my compelling purpose.  Stretching is a habit that has stuck, because I feel better and work better when I do it.

Journaling, on the other hand, is something that I just simply enjoy.  But, unlike many people who find journaling to be life-changing in a positive way... I really can't say that I notice that much of a difference when I journal versus when I don't.  My purpose behind journaling (when I sit down and do it) is usually that I read something recently about how amazing it is for creativity and mental health.  So I do it for a bit, and it's all fine... but there's not enough impact in it for me to form a compelling purpose.

So, when you start out to build a new habit, think about your purpose behind why you are doing it.

Ask yourself:

•  What benefit do you hope to gain? 

Then pay attention to whether or not it's fulfilling that intended purpose and delivering the desired benefit.

If it is and you recognize that it is, keeping it as a habit will become easy.  If it's not - and you have honestly given it time to deliver - then consider dropping it to make room for a different habit that may have a better result.

THE COST OF NOT DOING IT

A clear purpose and an obvious benefit will go a long way towards helping you stick to your new habit.

But what really cements it is the cost of not doing it.

A habit that is going to stick has a definite, noticeable impact when you don't do it.

For me, creative writing is like that.  If I don't make time to write creatively almost daily, my self-esteem takes a direct hit - I like myself better when I am diving into my writing as opposed to when I am not writing.  My creativity slips.  And I feel out of sorts. I don't get depressed... or sad.  I just feel like something if off.

But, when I'm writing every day - or even every other day - my work goes so much better, I get into the flow of my projects easier, I come up with ideas faster, I feel more energetic, and comfortable in my own skin. 

The cost of not writing is high. And it doesn't take long for me to notice when I am neglecting that habit.

On the other hand, another creative outlet - crafting, or mostly painting - just doesn't have quite the same effect on me.  I enjoy crafting, and I never regret having made time to do it. But, if I don't make the time for it... well, I don't feel any kind of negative impact.  So it doesn't stick as a habit in the same way daily writing does for me. 

MAKING THE TIME

So far, we have been talking about what makes a habit.... STICK.

But even if everything is in place for a new behavior to become a habit, you still need to get it to the point of being an actual habit.

I've found a few things that make the biggest difference when it comes to giving a new habit the best chance of sticking.  The first is to be realistic about the time commitment.

Maybe the new habit you're looking at forming will only take 10 minutes out of your morning.  That doesn't sound like a big deal. But if your mornings are already rushed, how likely are you to find that extra ten minutes?

This could mean that you will have to wake up even earlier... or cut out some of your other morning activities... or delegate something to someone else.  Is that something you'll be able to do and stick with?

If you can't clearly see how to make time for a new habit, chances are you won't stay with it long enough to realize the obvious benefit and feel the cost of not doing it.

USING EFFECTIVE TRIGGERS

Besides having enough time to dedicate to your new habit, the next obstacle is remembering to do what you want to do when you want to do it.

How many times have you decided to make something a habit, only to get to the end of the day and realize as you're falling asleep that... well... you forgot all about it, let alone doing it?

Setting a reminder on your Smartphone is one way around this, and it works really well for some people. For me... well, let's just say that I am really good at ignoring reminders on my phone!

What has worked well for me is connecting my desired new habit with an event to help me remember.  So, for stretching, my connection is breakfast. Right after breakfast, I transition into my morning stretches.  For creative writing, my connection is the end of my work day. After I complete all my work for the day, I sit down with my computer, or tablet, or sometimes even my notebook and I write.  For going for a walk, I connect this with when dinner is over.


Once you set these internal reminders up, you will have to be deliberate about it the first few times. But after a week or two, your brain will start to automatically transition into your new habit before you even realize what you're doing.

I have found that these habits are now ingrained in my subconscious.

Developing positive habits can have a huge impact on your business, your health, and your overall outlook on life.  When you choose the right habits - the ones that have a clear purpose and an obvious benefit - and then make the time to do them and tie them to a trigger, you will set yourself up for success.

What about you?

What strategies do you use to develop positive habits and make them stick?

I would love to hear more about it in the comments below!

10 RESOURCES YOU CAN USE TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER IN 2020

TO HELP YOU GET OFF TO A GREAT START IN 2020, HERE ARE 10 RESOURCES TO HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER WRITER... FAST.  YOU'LL BE MORE ORGANIZED AND A FASTER WRITER.

10 Resources You Can Use to Becomes a Better Writer in 2020

by: Kel Amstutz
Monday, March 9, 2020

Hi all. Can you believe it's the second week of March already?  Spring is just around the corner, which means it is time to get all your ducks in a row and make good things happen!

And, to help you with that, I have gathered together some of my personal favorite tools (and tools that were recommended to me by other writers, just like you) to help you be at your very best this year.  At least when it comes to writing!  

 

Coming Up with Great Ideas

Whether you're writing sales copy or tackling some major content-marketing campaigns, coming up with the right idea at the right time is powerful stuff.

As a writer, words are your tool of choice, but ideas - and the ability to express those ideas well - well, that's your real currency.  You need to be certain you have a never-ending source of great ideas.

I recently worked on an article on how you can find unique and strong ideas based on your own life experiences.  But, some days... well, on some days you just need a little push.  Here are two places you can go for that little push.. 

1. BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo is a pretty awesome subscription tool.  It's not a cheap one, coming with a $99 monthly investment. But, if you are a content marketer or a social media expert, it is one that you really should consider investing in. 

BuzzSumo is a valuable ever flowing spring of fresh ideas.  But, not just old ideas. Ideas people are actively showing an interest in already. 

For example, it shows you the trending content, industry influencers, and what is being shared on any topic you could care to share on, what is being shared from specific domains, and who is linking content.  Like I said... you would be very smart in investing in this valuable tool.

You can do a couple of content searches a day on BuzzSumo without subscribing, too.  And, you can even test drive it for 14 days without parting with your credit card info.  Give it a spin and see what you think!

2. Quora

Quora is a question-and-answer social media network or "A place to share knowledge and better understand the world".  Quora is a great place to start your search for ideas. 

You can do a search on your topic of interest and see what real people are asking about it.  That's like... content GOLD!

Or, you can ask your own questions and see what people have to say in response. This allows you the access to even more great content ideas at your fingertips. 

Capturing and Recalling Your Ideas

Generating ideas is only the first step.

Having all of those great ideas is useless if you forget them... or worse, can't find them later, when you need them.  You need to have a system in pace for capturing your ideas and then recalling them when you want to use them. 

1. Evernote

Evernote is probably a favorite tool out there for idea capture. 

With Evernote, you create topical notebooks. Then you add individual notes within each notebook. You can type your notes in... copy and paste, what ever works for you.  You can clip articles and images directly from the Web. You can upload files from your computer. You can even scan images in. You can access it from your smart phone, too, which makes recording ideas on-the-go a snap.

And, it's all searchable, which makes finding those ideas quicker and easier!

Evernote offers both paid and free options, so give the free version a try first and see what you think!

2. The Idea Journal

All right, before you start searching this one out... I need to share that this is not a fancy app or a computer program. Nope. It is just a good old-fashioned journal. 

I am journal obsessed. (Seriously, ask my husband... I have tons of journals all over our room!) I love journals because where else can you capture ideas? It's a great tool when the thought is right there and you need to get it out.  The downside comes when you are looking for that great idea you jotted down and you have to leaf through a lot of material.  If you've acquired multiple journals over the years (yes... I'm referring to myself) this process of finding that golden nugget of info can be time-consuming and quite cumbersome... and to be frank... FRUSTRATING! (yes... again, I am speaking from experience) 

But, there is a way to solve that problem. 

• First, dedicate a journal to capturing ideas. NOTHING else goes in that journal except for ideas you may use in the future. 

• Second, only capture one idea per page. 

• Third, on the back page of the journal, list the topics most of your ideas fall under, one topic per line. This is your index.

• Fourth, when you write down an idea, at the end of the page, black out the line that corresponds to the matching topic in your index. 

See... Problem solved. Now you will be able to find your ideas by topic at a quick glance, using your handy index.  It's a fun trick that makes that journal much more useful.

A Simple Trick to Write Faster

When you're a writer, being able to write faster results in a huge increase in your overall productivity. Finding ways to either type faster or move more quickly into (and stay in) the flow of your writing will result in getting more done. 

1. Typing.com

If you become a faster typist, you will become a faster writer almost automatically. That's because your thoughts move much faster than you fingers can. (I know it doesn't always feel like it, but trust me on this one.  It's true!)  By becoming a faster typist, your hands just catch up with your brain... or at least they gain on it a little. 

Typing.com is a website where you can practice by taking free tests to measure how fast you type now, and then you can work on improving your typing skills by playing a variety of typing games. 

How much of a difference can this make?

Well, if you type 50 words per minute right now, you can potentially write a 1,000-word article in 20 minutes, given you don't have to pause at all for thinking time.  Increase your typing speed to 70 words per minute, and that same article will now take you about 15 minutes to write.

You would be saving five whole minutes. I know it doesn't seem like much. Except, if you're saving five minutes out of EVERY hour, you're gaining a half hour to 40 minutes back in your day.  I don't know about you, but I can do a lot with an extra half hour!

2. Write or Die

 With a better typing speed being one way to become a faster writer, another way is to stop editing as you go. When you edit as you are writing, you're constantly switching between your right and your left brain... and you never really get into the flow of your writing.  You never really achieve that magical headspace where you thoughts organize effortlessly, the words come without coaxing, and, well, life is beautiful. 

So, it's worthwhile to train yourself to write when you're writing and to edit when you're editing... and not to attempt to do both simultaneously. 

And for this kind of training, I can not think of a better tool than WRITE OR DIE. 

Yes, it has an ominous name. That's because, if you don't keep writing, you'll suffer consequences.  You get to choose the consequences... anything from annoying music to creepy spiders crawling across your screen to a monster that eats all your vowels. (Yes, he "disemvowels" your words.)

Does it sound a little uncomfortable?  It is. But, it's also very effective.  If you want to get better about sticking to writing when you're supposed to be writing, this is the tool to train you to do just that. 

Working on the Right Thing

I've already established that, as a writer, you have a lot of great ideas.  You are also likely to have a lot of projects going on. Things you need to complete for your clients. Writing you need to do for your business needs.  Side projects that you would really like to wrap up.  And, a good organizational tool is hands down essential when you have a lot going on... 

1. Trello

When it comes to easy-to-use organizational tools, Trello is one of the best.

Through Trello, you create project cards and assign them to columns.  The traditional columns are "To Do," "In Progress," and "Complete."  But you can customize and the options are endless!  This structure gives you a nice visual overlay of what's coming up, what's currently going on, and what you have accomplished. You can even set due dates and categories and don't even get me started on the awesome background options you can choose from to really personalize your board!

You can create custom columns to fit the needs of specific projects.

You can organize your columns and cards by your boards. So, you might have a board for each of your clients, a board for your business, and a board for your Money-Making Website.

When you click into a board, you can quickly see what you need to do, what you're currently working on, and what you've already completed just by looking at the cards.

Within a card, you can create a checklist, attached files, set due dates, and even share the card with other people who are working or involved with that project. 

It's a simple but powerful tool that is well worth exploring. 

2. Microsoft To Do

Another good organizational tool that comes highly recommended is Microsoft To Do.  

Microsoft To Do is meant to help you organize everything from that work project you have due at the end of the month to the bills you need to pay this week to the party you're planning for tomorrow night. 

For each of these tasks, you create a to-do list and then give items on the list target dates.

You can access Microsoft To Do from your computer or phone to quickly see what's highest on your list in terms of their due dates... and also what's coming up. 

Polishing Your Work

You have been generating ideas, capturing them, and writing about them when the time is right. The final two tools on this list are about making sure your work is at its very best when you hand it over to a client of publish it on your website.

1. Hemingway

The Hemingway App is a favorite app among writers. It analyzes your writing for readability, long sentences, difficult sentences, passive sentences, and more. Problem spots are color-coded and easy to find, so you have the option of reviewing them and deciding if you need to make changes or not.

 2. ProWritingAid 

Another really great tool for editing is ProWritingAid.  This tool analyzes your writing and grammar mistakes, repetition, hard-to-read sentences, sentence variation and more. 

It also gives you explanations as to why it highlights something as a problem, and in some cases makes suggestions for improving the flow of your words. 

It's an absolutely amazing time to be a writer.  There are so many tools that, when used correctly, can make your work stronger. Give these a try and see if you don't end up with better results. 

**Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of the aforementioned resources above. I am only a user and identifying to my readers the apps that I have had success with but do not profit, represent, or gain from any of these applications.