Yearly Archives

2019

(For Free) Download the Book On Writing: Writer’s Doubt

(For Free) Download the Book On Writing: Writer’s Doubt

written by Bryan Hutchinson

For this week only you can easily download the bestselling book, Writer’s Doubt and several other great books on writing by Jeff Goins, K.M. Weiland, Angela Ackerman, Becca Puglisi, and other brilliant minds, for free!

FREE for This Week Only:

If you sign up for the Remarkable Writers Course Bundle, you will receive the first month free using the code 1MONTHFREE!  (This offer is only good for this week and then goes away like the morning’s mist.)

Within the BONUS sections of the course curriculum you can download the complete books, Writer’s Doubt by Bryan Hutchinson, You Are A Writer by Jeff Goins and other bestselling books (all for free)!

And that’s just the gravy.

The Remarkable Writers Course Bundle includes:

The Serious Writers Masterclass (Brand New!)

Writers Crushing Doubt (Most Popular!)

The Art of Positive Journaling (Highly recommended for those who want to cultivate the habit of writing every day!)

How to Get Attention (Students Love this! It Works. Get attention for your writing and your art.)

Obviously these courses are an enormous amount of content and an entire month for free is quite a bit of time to get your feet wet, learn the lessons you want to learn right away, AND, don’t forget, download all of the bonus content entirely for free!

In order to get in, simply CLICK HERE and use the code: 1MONTHFREE

Yes, it’s true you can sign up, download all the bestselling books and absorb as much of the lessons possible in 30 days, but I think once you realize just how much content there is and how valuable it is, you’ll stay around for a while and take the lessons in a way that truly benefits you. You’ve got nothing to lose, either way.

Once you sign up you’ll have access to all of the content in the Remarkable Writes Course Bundle, including all of the bonus books for download and absolutely zero limitations.

One Month Entirely Free!

CLICK HERE and use the code: 1MONTHFREE

What are you waiting for? It’s Christmas!

Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins. ―Jim Rohn

Fear and the Writer Within You

Fear and the Writer Within You

written by Bryan Hutchinson

A long time ago, when I was still in my teens, a good friend of mine, Phil, used to tell me, “It just doesn’t matter.”

He’d say this whenever we were about to do something daring (better said, crazy) and we would either end up looking like a couple of idiots, brave as all get out, or we’d be ignored and no one would give a damn.

Right, so in order to get me to go along with whatever scheme he had come up with, he’d look me in the eyes, shrug and say, “It just doesn’t matter.” All my arguments and fears would be swept to the wayside and we’d get to creating whatever ruckus was next.

However, to be completely honest with you, at the time I didn’t understand what he was really saying. Sadly, I’ll never get the chance to ask him because he passed away.

Over the years of writing, blogging, publishing in public and failing more often than succeeding, I think I finally realize what he was saying:

Whatever we fear, or whatever shame we may suffer, we’ve got to go for it anyway. The risk is worth it and even if it doesn’t seem like it, it just doesn’t matter, let’s do it!

And boy, did we. I’ll never forget those firecrackers! (But that’s another story.)

Phil never really cared about glory or being noticed, he simply wanted to live life and do whatever we were afraid of. He was so brave. The bravest person I’ve ever known.

Such unwavering bravery is sorely missed in the world today, especially in the arts, when everyone is so worried about being criticized, of making a mistake, and looking like a failure.

So what!?

I mean, who gives a damn if you fail?

I don’t, and you shouldn’t either. I’ll tell you why.

It took me a long time to really understand what a 16-year-old understood already so young.

Life is full of risks, but it’s also very short and if you don’t live your dreams now you may die later regretting that you never took your chances.

People often think of fear as life and death, fight or flight, but there’s another fear and it’s just as dangerous. It’s the fear of looking like a failure and being shamed. Such as what might come if you do something risky and fall flat on your face.

The fear of shame is the fear most people allow to control their dreams and, if we’re being honest about this, it controls the direction their lives take and how they interact with others.

Over the years I’ve met people who work day-to-day doing the daily grind as they call it and they ask me why I bother taking the risks of writing and publishing books. They ask this as if all I’m doing is sticking my neck out and looking foolish. These are the people who sadly will likely never accomplish much outside of a 9 to 5.

On the other hand, I’ve had people ask me for advice on how to write books, how to publish them and how to market them. These folks assume that publishing is worth it and many have gone on to do just that, several, I’m happy to say, surpassing my success.

I’m sure you noticed, there’s a striking difference between those two groups.

One group is afraid of the risk of being shamed or they think they’re not talented enough to do anything on their own and fear failure, and the other group is willing to take risks and just wants to know how best to go about it.

Both groups are projecting the outcome they see on to me, success or failure.

We are all in one of those two groups. (I know there’s a lot of grey area I’m skipping here and I’m doing that on purpose.)

There’s the group of doers and the group of those afraid to do whatever their “it” is.

And believe me, everyone, every person on this Earth of ours, has their own “it.”

What’s yours? Are you pursuing it? If not, why not? What’s stopping you?

Pretend if you have to, pretend until you’re not pretending anymore.

Are you an introvert? Pretend to be an extrovert for at least a day.

Scared? Pretend to be brave for a day.

Can’t focus? Pretend, just for a day, that you have all the focus in the world, sit down, turn off all the distractions and get to it.

Whatever your fear or hangup, it just doesn’t matter. Today might be your last. 

It’s interesting how realizing today might be your last, really, truly understanding this, that our daily hang-ups suddenly vanish and we let go of fear, shame, and guilt.

Phil went after his dreams every single day that I knew him. He was one of the most joyful people I’ve ever met, and yet, he had issues outside of his control that eventually led to the end of his life at an all too early age.

The day came when it was Phil’s last, but I’ll tell you this about my friend, while he was here there were things that scared the shit out of him, there were things he was clearly afraid of, but one thing he never let stop him were his fears, certainly not of failure or of shame.

“It just doesn’t matter.” In the right context, are powerful words. Fear and shame, just do not matter, they’ve got another thing coming if they think they can stop us!

You’ve got another thing coming! Was another one of Phil’s sayings whenever someone hinted to him that he was afraid to do something. We first heard it in a Judas Priest song and it became our anthem.

Out there is a fortune waiting to be had 

If you think I’ll let it go you’re mad 

You’ve got another thing comin’  

―Judas Priest, 1982

Even today, when I get a little freaked out, a little too overwhelmed and I start worrying and letting anxiety get the better of me―because let’s face it, I’m human―I turn on that song and I feel the anxiety melt away. I see Phil’s smile in my mind’s eye as we walked down the road with his boom box blaring, “You’ve got another thing comin'”

Sometimes I have to pretend I’m a badass again, the way I was when I was with Phil.

The introvert

A lot of people don’t realize this about me, but I am in introvert. As a kid, I was terribly shy and I stayed mostly to myself. I was very lucky to befriend Phil in school.

If it hadn’t been for Phil, I would be in the first group I talked about, afraid of taking risks and being shamed, living safe day-to-day, only working the grind and hating every minute of it. Instead, I’ve written hundreds of articles, published in magazines, newspapers, and on blogs across the net. I’ve published a few books, too.

A lot of what I’ve tried hasn’t worked, and yet, I still finish and ship, like another friend I admire is keen to say.

Have I been embarrassed by some of my failures?

You bet. But I’ve never felt ashamed for trying any of it.

If I died today, would I regret taking any of those risks?

Ha! You’ve got another thing coming!

I don’t know what your “it” is, but I’ll tell you this, find a way, don’t take no for an answer, do it! Whatever it is.

Live life to the fullest, shame is just imagination gone wild and failure is just another lesson learned. (Click to Tweet This)

Your story is starting. You might not finish.

It just doesn’t matter. Write anyway.

But, since you’re writing,

give it your best,

get serious, be brave,

and never quit.

Show ’em, they got another thing comin’

Serious Writers Never Quit!

The One True Fan You Need For Your Writing To Be A Hit

The One True Fan You Need For Your Writing To Be A Hit

written by Bryan Hutchinson

That person in the audience, you know, the one who was clapping after every song.

That dude way up in the rafters who was whooping and hollering after every hit for his team.

And that lady, the one who stayed and listened until you completed your reading at the local bookstore.

Those, my friends, are the kind of fans we need.

Readers who LOVE our work, fans who send us emails saying how our words touched them, and fellow writers who give us props, that’s our tribe. They are treasures to be cherished.

But how do you get dedicated fans in the first place?

How do you get readers, listeners or viewers to notice you?

Believe it or not, a fan base starts with one fan.

Just One

You don’t need to convince a thousand people to read your work, or even a hundred―you only need one person to fall in love with your words.

You don't need to convince a thousand people to read your work, or even a hundred―you only need one person to fall in love with your words. Click To Tweet

The Catch

But, here’s the catch, not just anyone, you need that one to be the fan that is absolutely, unashamedly, enthusiastic about your work.

You need one sincere and dedicated fan.

If there’s one, there’s a hundred, if there’s a hundred, there’s a thousand.

All you need to do is focus on the one.

But who is that one person, that one mysterious fan who matters so much? I’ll tell you.

The problem today is that the internet gives us this belief (and fear), that we can reach a million people just by showing up. Anyone who has been blogging for a while can tell you that is simply not true. It’s a lie that only seems real because you don’t need anyone’s permission to post a comment, an article or even a manifesto.

Warning: This is going to get depressing first before it gets better.

A blogger is lucky to gain 100 readers in his or her first year and even luckier if they stay.

To get a million people to visit your blog you have to do something so extraordinary that it’s too overwhelming to even contemplate. And even if you do something so brilliant, all the stars, moons and planets in the night’s sky will need to align just right, and then maybe, only maybe.

Once the new blogger realizes this reality they’re most likely to surrender, give up and quit. Indeed, according to a New York Times report, as many as 95 percent of all blogs created have been abandoned.

Frankly, if they simply up and quit the artist and temporary blogger wasn’t all that serious in the first place. My advice to any aspiring writers out there, please don’t start writing and publishing online if you’re only doing it to instantly reach millions of people. You’ll drive yourself silly and it’s unlikely to work.

You can reach the masses! Yes, that’s true. But not the way most people think.

If you start a blog right now, this minute, you likely will not be able to get a single stranger to visit it today, much less read it.

Sure, you might be able to convince a family member or a close friend to read your blog, but that’s probably where it ends.

It doesn’t matter what you post about or how awesome it is.

I know, this is depressing news, but I’m a positive writer so I promise you it gets better.

One Person. That’s What You Need.

The right person.

If you focus your writing, publishing and marketing efforts on that one ideal fan, you have a chance. A real chance to reach people who will care about your writing.

Define for yourself who your ideal fan is and what they want to read, view or listen to. Once you have that person in your mind, create only for him or her. Often, the best person to start creating for is yourself.

Once you start creating this magnificent art for your ideal fan, start visiting the places he or she would hang out online and find places where it’s acceptable for you to share and post your links. Attract one reader at a time. Those who love it will share it.

This takes time and that’s is why 95% of blogs are abandoned. Worse, you go on Facebook and you see established bloggers sharing their articles and have 12k likes, but you can’t even rub together two fans.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that many of the blogs you see going viral have already been online for a long time and for years they couldn’t attract true fans either. Sooner or later you find the sweet spot and it all changes, but no one can tell you what that sweet spot is and then when you find it everyone will act as if they knew it all along. Sure they did.

Darn those liars!

Not really, what people often miss is that creating for someone else hardly ever works outside of a 9 to 5. Writing what you love for yourself first often is where the answer is and it will seem like we knew this all along because deep inside maybe we did, but we didn’t have trust in ourselves.

Your Assignment:

This is what I want you to do, I want you to write something NEW you would show up for, something you would love to read as a reader and a fan. Something you would share if you weren’t the author.

Create something so compelling for you that you must read it over and over again because you can’t get enough of it.

Be your one true fan first, before anyone else.

Once you convince yourself, and you become the ultimate fan of your own art, the rest will follow.

Lead us by writing something you love for you, no one else. If it’s good enough for you it will be good enough for others.

When you’ve written and published such a post, do me a favor and post a link to it in the comments. Here’s the thing, don’t rush, no, don’t do that. I know you can create something quickly, but that’s not what I want, I want something you LOVE. Don’t share until you’ve written THAT article.

That’s what it takes today. All the bullshit about SEO, interlinking, Social Media and all that jazz doesn’t matter a hoot if the art doesn’t have that intangible something. Bland, SEO perfect articles don’t get shared, no one other than Google cares about them.

Don’t get blinded by algorithms. The artist, YOU, matter more than any system!

Write something that if a critic were to shred it you’d cry, but not quit. No, never quit.

Because remember, Serious Writers Never Quit!

Anyone could be lazy about this and post an old link of theirs, but wouldn’t it be amazing if you took the above advice and created something new with this specific goal in mind?

Here’s a warning, though:

If this works, things could change. Are you ready for that?

3 Courageous Authors To Inspire You (One Was Committed To An Insane Asylum)

3 Courageous Authors To Inspire You (One Was Committed To An Insane Asylum)

written by Bryan Hutchinson

Role models have a unique ability to guide and inspire us.

As authors, it’s one thing to theoretically understand what we need to do. It’s another entirely to see a writer we admire shining brightly, lighting the path for us to walk.

Special Note: This is a guest post by Chandler Bolt, he is the host of the Self Publishing School podcast & the author of 6 bestselling books including his most recent book titled “Published.” He’s also the founder & CEO of Self-Publishing School, the #1 online resource for writing your first book. 

If you’re feeling fearful, or doubtful, or like you’re not enough, you’re far from alone.

Any writer woe you’re facing has been overcome before.

When you find someone who has overcome similar challenges to those you face, you give yourself the belief that you can do the same.

Here are some examples to help you move forward.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Have you ever doubted your academic ability? Does some part of you fear that your educational history disqualifies you from writing?

Considering the prominence F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work would go on to have in the classroom, his background is a little ironic.

Fitzgerald was a notoriously poor speller, and with hindsight, many believe he had A.D.D. Traditional academic success was not something Fitzgerald was able to attain.

In spite of that background, he became one of the most studied and loved authors in American history.

How can we draw inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald when facing our own fears as writers?

  • Love is more important than technical ability. For many of us, having our writing criticized, and being expelled academically, might cause us to give up. Not Fitzgerald. He persisted regardless, spending his time and energy on crafting the stories he loved. The difference? These days, we’re blessed with a lot of tools to help us overcome our technical limitations.
  • Our background doesn’t define us. Often, we’re under intense pressure from a young age to have a predefined life path in mind and an academic background that seems ideally suited to it. If there’s something in your academic past that makes people scoff at your odds of becoming a writer, don’t let it stop you.

The next time you find yourself letting a typo or spelling error knock your confidence, stop. 

Remember Fitzgerald.

Our academic ability and technical skill don’t determine if we succeed as book writers.

Only we do.  

Paulo Coelho

As writers, we know how it feels to be doubted. To be treated with a little scorn if we open up about our ideal future or express our creative side a little too strongly. 

Paulo Coelho experienced things more severely – he was committed to an insane asylum multiple times by his own family.

After attending law school, and ignoring writing for years, Coelho returned to his calling at the age of 39. 

Tens of millions of copies sold later, and countless lives touched, we can conclude that things worked out for Paulo Coelho.

But how can we apply ideas from his journey to our own writing goals?

  • We can let down our loved ones. While some of us are fortunate enough to have parents that want us to chase our dreams, many do not. While Coelho’s story is an extreme case, it’s possible that even the most painful disapproval can result in superb success. 
  • We can switch paths throughout our life. One trap a lot of writers fall into is feeling like it’s ‘too late to start’. Just peruse some writing quotes from famous authors and you’ll quickly discover that it’s never too late. Coelho’s commitment to eventually following his heart’s desire shows us we can become successful writers even after a long period of doing something else.

One of the hardest things to do in life is to admit we’re on a different road to success than people we love and respect wish for us. Or to drop a prestigious and seemingly stable career such as law to pursue something creative.

If you ever happen to find yourself in either of those scenarios, recall Paulo Coelho. Both his fiction and life story can provide you with the courage to carry on. 

Agatha Christie

Did you know Agatha Christie didn’t always seem destined for writing stardom?

Christie was known for struggling with spelling and writing in general. Even among her family group, she was not believed to be particularly intellectual.

The fact that Christie went on to sell over 2 billion copies is remarkable.

So what lessons can we take from Christie’s background and apply to our own writing lives?

  • We blossom at different times. Sometimes, we can sadly let our perceived role within the family group determine the path we later take. Christie didn’t. If being seen as less able among her own family didn’t hold her back, please don’t let it hold you back either. You can achieve your potential later in life, regardless of how your childhood seemed to set you up.
  • We use the tools we have. Christie achieved a lot of her best work by dictating it. Think about the advances in technology we have enjoyed since Christie’s era. If you are struggling to get your words down, try recording them. Hearing our writing out loud also improves it on the page. 

Try and use Christie’s story as proof that our perceived identity within our family growing up doesn’t define who we later turn out to be. Also, using technological tools doesn’t make us any less of a writer. 

We all need to do the best we can with what we have, just like Christie did.

Which Author Has Inspired You The Most?

So which author has inspired you the most throughout your writing life?

Are there any other authors you like to lean upon mentally when times get tough?

Please feel free to share some examples and takeaways from your personal favorites in the comments.

5 Ways To Overcome Your Fears of Publishing Your Writing

5 Ways To Overcome Your Fears of Publishing Your Writing

written by Bryan Hutchinson

In today’s world, you’ve got countless opportunities to express yourself in writing.

It’s fun when you’re in your safe space. The words flow. Your heart is at play. You’re free to be you – no restrictions, no outside expectations, and no worries. Yeah, right…

Special Note: This post is by Positive Writer regular contributor, Frank McKinley.

Then you get to the end.

The publish button stares at you. Should you press it? Or should you edit the piece a bit more?

The longer you hesitate, the harder it is.

In those moments of hesitation, your fears amplify and could cause you to quit.

The following are some of the worst ways you can imagine.

Writer’s Worry 101

Your mind races as you consider everything that could happen.

  • Someone will laugh at your work – in public – and tell all their Facebook friends.
  • The day after you publish you’ll think of something you could have included in the post.
  • You might make a point you deeply believe in and one of your readers will mercilessly criticize you for it.
  • Your post gets lost in a universe of countless whispers – and no one reads it, comments on it, or cares about it.

There’s no guarantee that any of this will happen, of course. It’s the possibility that scares us.

It’s enough to make your heart race, your palms sweat, and your creativity run into hiding.

So to protect ourselves from that pain, we hold back. We soften our message. Maybe we even post less frequently, or not at all.

If you’ve read this far, and felt any of these feelings, you’ve come to the right place.

You may not be able to make these fears go away. But you can manage them. You can move past them. And you can use the weight of your gifts to lean in and write something awesome.

And you’ll be able to press publish with no regrets.

Accept the fact that fear will never completely go away.

That’s good.

If you’re stretching yourself, you’ll second guess yourself. You’ll wonder if you should have said it the way you did. And you’ll feel a bit unqualified to even address the topic at this level.

It’s okay. Don’t quit. No, you don’t want to do that.

Nobody knows everything. Not Even the experts. They just know enough to appear smart. Watch them enough, and you’ll see someone throw them a curveball. Chances are, they’ve learned more about handling the unexpected than they do about their topic.

When you’re growing, you’ll always feel a bit unprepared and short of knowledge. You’re learning. Don’t let it scare you. Share your wisdom anyway. Someone will appreciate it. You just have to find the people you can serve best, and do your work for them.

Reframe your fear as enthusiasm. This is an adventure. You’re going somewhere you’ve never been before. Maybe no one has. Go. Do it. Make your mark.

If you’re persistent, fear will step aside and let you shine.

Take risks with your writing – regularly.

If you keep a journal, you’ve done this already.

Now it’s time to take that great idea and go public.

In today’s world, you can get almost instant feedback. Use it to move forward, refine your writing, and learn to deal with critics.

You can’t learn all this just by reading about it.

You learn to swim by getting in the water. You improve your speaking skills by giving speeches. You find out what your readers want by sharing your writing with them.

If a post bombs, you can write another one. Keep writing and next week no one will remember what you wrote this week. You’re only finished if you give up, so do yourself a favor. Keep writing. Hit publish. And don’t be afraid to look foolish while you’re building your career.

The key is to take a new risk every week. If you can stand it, take a risk every day. Don’t let disappointment derail you. Learn from it. Move on. Create something new.

Your risk tolerance will grow stronger with every step you take outside your comfort zone.

Prepare as well as you can.

Is there anything you need to know?

Look it up.

Are your writing skills not as good as they could be? Take some lessons.

Having a hard time coming up with ideas? Brainstorm a list.

If you’re a perfectionist, you’ll love this tip. But don’t build a nest here. Kick your children out so they can fly. In other words, set a time limit to get ready, then go.

Publishing is the goal of preparation.

Don’t stop short of the finish line.

Be a brainstormer.

Want to pull out your inner genius?

Pick your own brain. Dump your thoughts on paper.

Here are a few ways I generate and refine my own ideas.

Mind maps. This tool reflects the way your brain works. You start with a word (or picture) in the center. Then you branch to other words as they come to mind. It’s best to keep each word in its own bubble. That way you can make connections to anything that makes sense to you.

Here’s what one looks like.

Free writing. Set a timer. Use a prompt. Write until time runs out. You’ll have a draft, and maybe even uncover some new insights.

If it’s not all you wanted, just do it again.

This is also a great way to make your writing more conversational. Imagine yourself telling your thoughts to someone else. Then read it aloud. If it sounds like coffee with a friend, your readers will have more fun reading it.

Journal. My journal is a stream of consciousness. It’s a chance to explore my thoughts and feelings. And often, it’s a test drive before I share my ideas with the world.

It’s also a way to keep your writing muscles strong.

Take an observation walk. We’re so busy we don’t have time alone with our thoughts. Leave your phone at home. Walk alone. Take whatever your mind throws at you and explore the possibilities. Or maybe you pick something to look for on your walk. Things of a certain color. Rough things. Smooth things. People that catch your eye. The news you just heard.

When you’re uninterrupted, you can go places your busy life will never take you.

Set your own deadlines. Remember Parkinson’s Law? Any activity will fill the time you give it. If you want to be productive, set a deadline.

And keep it short.

If you’re doing something huge like writing a book, set a deadline for every single piece.

Writing? Figure out how long it takes to write the required number of words and add 10%.

Set a time limit on your editing, too. You don’t want to polish all the life out of your post, your book, or your poem.

Set (and meet) deadlines regularly and you’ll become the prolific writer you always dreamed you’d be.

The time to overcome your fears is now.

I know all these techniques work because I use them.

Last week, I sat in on a client meeting. The presenter asked the audience a thought-provoking question. I took the question, mind mapped the answer and wrote a short inspirational post. My total time investment? Less than one hour.

That’s the measurable time.

The intangible effort was the connections I made to things I already thought about before I heard the question.

Writing ideas are available. Now you have the tools to grab them.

When you do, fear may rear its ugly head, but it won’t be a factor working against you and you won’t quit! No, you won’t do that.

Serious Writers Never Quit: They Find The Way

A Writer’s Worst Fear (How To Use It To Your Advantage!)

A Writer’s Worst Fear (How To Use It To Your Advantage!)

written by Bryan Hutchinson

There’s a fear that is devastating. When it hits we either succumb to it (as most do) or we realize the truth and use it to our advantage. Indeed, the fear is real and it can kill your next project almost instantly. In fact, when you think about it, you will realize it’s already caused you to quit several times, even before you started.

It’s the fear of, “This might not work.”

It’s not an illusion. It’s not a shadow. It’s not a figment of your imagination. It’s the most valid fear we have.

That pile of clothes in your corner chair which looks like the boogeyman at 3am is still just a pile of clothes, but the fear of your next endeavor not working is real and the fact that it might not work means exactly that:

It. Might. Not. Work.

What if I write this book and no one cares?

What if the one person who reads it laughs at me and calls me a phony?

What if there’s a typo in it and I lose all credibility?

It is the ultimate fear for any artist because it can cause you to quit before you start and effectively keep your talents sheathed and hidden from the world, especially now when we need them so desperately in these strange times.

What if no one comes to the concert?

What if no one comes to our opening night at the gallery?

What if no one purchases a copy of my latest book (ever)?

What if this embarrasses me?

Frankly, my friend, it might not work. There’s no magic formula, no special pill, and no guarantees of any kind anyone can give you that what you’re doing will work.

And that’s okay. That’s the edge. That’s where the real art is created, in the nether between not creating and no one caring and creating, and still, no one caring.

This is an opportunity. It provides clarity. Your art is first and foremost for you.

Art is, as it should be, personal.

Since it might not work you might as well create the art you were called to create. If the masses love it, great. But the goal, and the only goal, should be to create work that matters to you. Make it personal.

Art should never be about the bottom line. It should never be about pleasing the mainstream viewers, listeners, and purchasers. Not if it’s really and truly, art. This isn’t to say it won’t do those things, but should it be intended to? That’s the question, and if we answer yes, the stakes go up and the odds increase that it won’t work.

Art has always been about creating on the edges, out on the fringes, creating something that matters to the artist first.

Art has always been about creating on the edges, out on the fringes, creating something that matters to the artist first. Click To Tweet

It doesn’t have to work.

If working means pleasing everyone, hitting the NYT’s bestseller list or making the top 100 billboard charts.

The fear that it won’t work is a good fear to have because that means you are creating art you care about and not some replica you hope to pawn.

Choose to be yourself.

If no one else gets it that’s their loss. Do it anyway. By its very definition art is something new and unique, something others might love, hate or ignore.

Art doesn’t give us guarantees, nor do we deserve them. Art needs you to fear the fear of failure, it needs you to take risks, it needs you to do it from your heart, and in the end, art in of itself matters because it simply is.

The only way to reach new heights is to risk slipping off the edge and falling. The fear of failure is real. Use it to your advantage, because it’s letting you know that you have nothing to lose.

Fear is the most powerful stimulant when used to create, it can direct you to find purpose and help you focus like a laser, or it can cause you to give up. The choice is yours. It’s always yours. That’s the edge, and the edge is serious.

Get serious.

Serious writers are warriors of the pen who leverage fear to their advantage. When perfection and fearlessness are set aside, what’s left is purpose and focus.

Once we do this, we unsheathe our talents and create the art we are called to create.

It’s your turn.

Lead us. Show us the way.

Whether your art delights or is snubbed, it’s the creating that matters. That is what is being lost in today’s world of smile-every-minute-social-media posts. Don’t let imperfection and lack of guarantees cause you to quit.

If you fail, there will be those who will snicker and laugh, but you and I, and many other warriors of the pen, we will know the truth, that you unsheathed your creative talents and danced with fear in the pale moonlight.

And you know what? Tomorrow’s efforts will benefit as you write more and more, practicing your art. So, please, whatever you do, don’t quit.

Serious Writers Never Quit

“‘This might not work’ is either a curse, something that you labor under, or it’s a blessing, a chance to fly and do work you never thought possible.” ―Seth Godin

This Is Marketing by Seth Godin: A Short and Simple, Enthusiastic Review

This Is Marketing by Seth Godin: A Short and Simple, Enthusiastic Review

written by Bryan Hutchinson

This Is Marketing by Seth Godin (Frankfurt AM, Germany, in the background)

I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s work for nearly two decades and I admit that when I lose sight of what to write about (or how to write―because that happens too), I visit Seth’s blog and after reading only a few posts, the desire to write something that matters overcomes me and I get back to it.

It seems to me that Seth’s #1 mission is to give us food for thought, and not just for writing and marketing, but even for our bellies. I purchased my first book on baking bread thanks to his recommendation just yesterday via a very touching post.

How To Create Art: The Step-By-Step Instructions

Over the years I’ve noticed Seth’s readers are constantly asking him for step-by-step instructions on how to create art and many complain that he won’t give them said instructions. He always answers pretty much the same way, that such instructions would negate what art really is, which is, art.

However, I think Seth did something rather sneaky in his latest book, This Is Marketing.

I’ve been reading This Is Marketing over the last few days and feel Seth has done the one thing he said he wouldn’t do, he’s given us the instructions, step-by-step, on not only how to market our art, but also how to create it!

I’m not 100% sure he realizes he did this or maybe he is abundantly certain and will never admit it. Either way, this is by far the best book I have read this year, and is the best book I’ve read from Seth so far, even though I’ve read and listened to Linchpin many times.

On page 11 of This Is Marketing Seth writes:

You can learn to see how human beings dream, decide, and act. And if you help them become better versions of themselves, the ones they seek to be, you’re a marketer.

He could have easily replaced a marketer with an artist.

Then he follows on the same page with Marketing in Five Steps.

In. Five. Steps.

I’m not going to give them away here, you need to read them in the book along with the rest it, trust me.

This Is Marketing is in effect what readers have been asking for and Seth delivers in spades. Whether he intended to or not, he provided instructions on how to create art and he did it by teaching us what marketing is and how to market our own work.

In order to market your art, you must understand how you created said art and why you created it.

The good marketer understands the how and the why, and Seth teaches us why the marketer understands and how he or she uses this information to serve our fans. It’s within these lessons where the heart of the book is.

This Is Marketing is likely the closest you’re going to get to a step-by-step instruction book from Seth, even if it’s cleverly disguised. You just have to read between the lines a little, but it’s there. I promise.

You can get your copy of This is Marketing here on Amazon.

I hope you read it and let me know what you think.

Are Marvel Movies Art? (There’s no easy way to say this…)

Are Marvel Movies Art? (There’s no easy way to say this…)

written by Bryan Hutchinson

One of my favorite movies is The Color of Money directed by Martin Scorsese. In fact, the movie had such an influence on me that I shared what I learned from it in my latest book. (There are many life lessons in The Color of Money, especially for writers and artists, so I hope you watch it.)

Another movie I love is Bram Stoker’s Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Not as many lessons in this one, with the exception of the most common horror movie trope of all time, don’t do that, which is whatever you see the character doing on the screen that’s obviously going to get themselves killed or worse (yes, Dracula, so clearly there is worse).

Both Coppola and Scorsese have done so much for cinema

But something they stated recently really caught me, as a voracious movie viewer, off guard and took me somewhat aback.

Scorsese said that Marvel movies are not cinema and Coppola followed that up by saying they’re despicable.

Sorry, what the holy-hell is that all about? (That’s my inner Deadpool asking.)

I mean, these guys have the right to say whatever they want, they’re movie gods for Star-Lord’s sake. So wait, what?

As much as I admire these wonderful directors, from what I’ve been reading online their comments are being seen as sour grapes. I don’t think that’s entirely fair, though.

I think they more likely mean that they consider Marvel movies to be commodities, made expressly for the purpose of making money, not for the purpose of creating art or furthering an art form or film genre as it were in classic cinematic films, such as what they created.

However, with that said, as many see it, if it wasn’t for Marvel the box office would be dying, if not dead. If you want to kill movie theaters the one thing that could be done to accomplish this goal would be to get rid of superhero movies.

Moviegoers used to love silent movies, then we loved cowboys and Indians, then it was gangsters, musicals, animation, and, oh my, horror, and where do we put Pixar? But now we love Marvel superheroes, too.

Life and film are ever-changing.

I grew up reading Stephen King and IT was one of my favorite books. I can’t tell you what a delight it was for me to see the new IT movies part 1 and 2 succeed the way they did, it was like watching my favorite team hit multiple home runs.

It wasn’t a Marvel movie, but I honestly couldn’t tell the difference in that IT has superheroes and a supervillain, just as every Marvel movie does. (Common, those kids took out Pennywise! That’s some superhero stuff right there, even if they couldn’t fly or shoot lasers out of their eyes.)

I also grew up reading Marvel comics and Spider-man was my favorite in that category of entertainment, so in 2002 when Tobey Maguire put on the suit, I went to see it and it was like a dream come true. I watched that movie a dozen times and I love the latest one, too.

I love Marvel movies, but not everyone will and some will insult and condemn them, even people I admire will do this, but I’ll tell you this, if you take away our current era of heroes and villains, the cinema complexes will die a painful and terrible death.

My living room is in many ways a thousand times better than any movie theater.

My large 4k screen and surround sound system look and sound perfectly fine compared to anything in the theaters when it comes to romance, drama, crime, comedy and other less special-effects driven cinema.

When I want to watch a “Theme Park” movie, as Scorsese calls Marvel movies, I’ve got to get out of the house. Marvel’s Avengers, DC’s Superman, or even WB’s Harry Potter for that matter, for those, I want to be dazzled in the most sophisticated IMAX theater I can find.

Marvel movies are what?

Cinema, by its very definition, is art, so when someone says Marvel movies are not cinema, what they’re really saying is that they are not art.

Wrong!

Marvel movies are works of art just as the comic book art on which they are based. They are a new type of movie-going experience that appeals to an entire generation of fans who grew up reading the stories and connecting with the characters, heroes and anti-heroes.

Maybe I’m missing the point, but I don’t think so, and I’ll tell you why.

Art of any kind, cinema, comics, novels, music, paintings―you name it, are all subjective.

The irony is that Scorsese’s latest movie, The Irishman, is a Netflix movie and I can’t wait to see it (at home). This kind of movie might not be doing all that well in cinema complexes anymore, but it’s still great art.

Besides, let’s not ignore the elephant in the room, why make such comments AFTER Stan Lee’s death? This makes it worse because the timing makes this faux ruckus seem somewhat, if not completely, cowardly.

Marvel is in great company with Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh produced over 900 paintings during his all too short lifetime, but he only sold one, Red Vineyard at Arles. His work was shunned, described as being too dark and lacking the bright liveliness seen in Impressionist paintings. In other words, not art in the eyes of the established artists and art critics of the time.

Before Van Gogh, Impressionist art was considered a joke. Until it wasn’t.

What can we learn as writers from this?

  • Challenging the status quo can cause those entrenched in the current system to speak out against your efforts, especially if you’re successful. Remember how hard publishers fought the Amazon Kindle and then eventually embraced it?
  • Not everyone will love your work, no matter how many readers or listeners you have.  In fact, the more readers you gain will most likely cause even more disturbance and pushback.
  • Your writing matters, it’s not dependent on any big names loving it or endorsing it, but if they trash it, well, then you know you’re on to something because they noticed it enough to remark on it.
  • If you find nuggets of truth in the criticism you receive, learn and improve, and keep moving forward. No one’s perfect. This is why I recommend for all artists to read their reviews, the good, the bad and the ugly.
  • Don’t quit. No, please don’t do that. I can guarantee you Marvel isn’t going to and neither should you. (For more on not quitting, go here.)

Keep writing and making your art.

Serious Writers Never Quit

How To Prevail As A Writer

How To Prevail As A Writer

written by Bryan Hutchinson

I quit writing for more than a decade. During that time I went and did something else. No matter how good I got at that something else, I always regretted not doing what I really wanted to be doing.

What caused me to quit can cause anyone to quit, even the most talented amongst us.

It was fear. Specifically, the fear that I wasn’t good enough.

The fear of not being good enough is real. In fact, you’re feeling it right now, and so am I.

Will people laugh at my work? Will they tear down my best efforts and tear me down in the process? Will they spot all of my mistakes and realize how much of an idiot I am?

But let me ask you this question:

Will you ever truly be good enough―good enough for yourself?

It’s unlikely.

And that’s why you’re remarkable.

Being remarkable is doing what you love to do, in spite of the doubts and fears that are trying so hard to hold you back.

Being remarkable is doing what you love to do, in spite of the doubts and fears that are trying so hard to hold you back. Click To Tweet

They say that those who have done great things had great courage, and that’s true.

You can’t be courageous if you’re not afraid. Courage is facing your fear of doing something and doing it anyway.

Fear can cause us to quit doing what we love. When it succeeds we regret it because there will always be a longing within us, an absence of fulfillment. So, don’t quit.

Prevail instead. Because you can.

If you want to prevail over your fears you have to:

  1. Admit you have them
  2. Accept them
  3. Get down and serious
  4. Stay focused on the results you want
  5. Keep writing and keep moving forward

These steps take courage.

As long as you are alive fear of being good enough will be with you, but it doesn’t have to stop you from doing what you love and creating what matters to you.

Use fear to your advantage.

Think of it this way, the more fear you feel about something, the more doing that something means to you. Keep doing it. Focus even more on your writing.

Creating work that matters isn’t about taking the easy way. It’s about taking the hard way. It’s about not quitting and having no regrets, even if you fail to make the bestseller lists (this time or the next).

Because doing what we love isn’t about sales. It’s about living our calling and loving ourselves, and when fear tries to stop us, we look it in the eyes and say, “You won’t stop me, not today―not any day!”

And by doing this, we get dead serious and gain a laser-like focus and determination that cannot be created in any other way other than from facing our fears.

Call it the gift of fear. This is how you will prevail, by realizing fear is a gift and using it to do what you love to do, better, with more focus and determination than you could have ever mustered without it.

You are good enough! You will prevail. You’re a serious writer.

Serious Writers Never Quit

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