Yearly Archives

2019

Serious Writers Never Quit

Serious Writers Never Quit

written by Bryan Hutchinson

If you’re a writer or artist who wants to activate the unlimited potential within you, this book will show you the way!

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who has reviewed Serious Writers Never Quit so far. A collection of blurbs from reviewers across the web are below, along with the links to their full reviews.

Any author could be proud to have their work remarked upon. Thank you so very much. I’m glad my work has meant enough for your time and consideration.

If you’ve reviewed Serious Writers Never Quit on your blog and the link to your review isn’t below, please let me know and I’ll be happy to add it.

'Serious Writers Never Quit' Can Bring You Mindblowing Revelations @IreneAprile #amwriting #onwriting Click To Tweet

Reviews From The Blogosphere

“You will be using the lessons from this book daily for the rest of your life as a writer.” ―Alisa Russell, blog: Thriving in Grace

“I love the encouragement in this book and the straight talk we all need to hear. This book is PACKED with valuable advice!” ―Edie Melson, blog: The Write Conversation

“Hutchinson rips off the band-aid and shares why we must fight the urge to quit, whatever the reason, and dig deeper into why we wanted to write in the first place. A must-read that you will continually reference to stay on track and keep doing what you do—WRITE.” Harley Christensen, full review.

“I gotta say, this was one of the most enjoyable books about the writer’s mindset I have read. I found it encouraging, practical, and intuitive with insights and suggestions. I love the way it got me to thinking.” ―Blog: Juneta Key

“‘Serious Writers Never Quit’ is a valuable resource for any writer’s library. You will feel inspired to creative action by this book. It belongs on your bookshelf next to The War of Art.” ―Josh Pack, blog: Etched in Gold

“Chapter Eight is my favorite, The Way is To Design Your Own Plan. All my life I’ve been ‘the product of someone else’s version’ and I’ve come to resent that. I’m encouraged to keep writing.” ―Judy Blackburn, blog: Listening to my Characters

“This book will help you win the battle for your mind and your will.” ―Frank McKinley, blog: Thriving Writers

“‘Serious Writers Never Quit’ is about the psychological mechanism that underlies the writing process. It can bring you mindblowing revelations.” ―Irene April, blog: Turning Passion Into Words

“He gets me, seems to know exactly how I feel and what keeps me from writing. Extraordinary. Usually, I speed read, but this time I had to go back, and read every line, with focused attention and mindfulness.” ―Blog: Ursula Nieuwoudt

“‘Serious Writers Never Quit’ is a manual for writers and can help you get motivated or unstuck.” ―Bandi, blog: The B Word

“I highly recommend ‘Serious Writers Never Quit.’ That is, if you’re really serious.” ―Blog: Anne Peterson

Read this Book to Feel Better about your Writing and Improve It, too! ―Debbie De Louise, blog: Mysteries & more

“Refreshing and Empowering ‘Serious Writers Never Quit’ offers a different view than other writing books I’ve read. I think every writer needs to read this book.” ―blog: Danielle Bernock

“I love where he says that a writer’s biggest enemy is failure; so true, but everything he shares is about passing past that failure, and going on to the finish line, and to pursue your calling as a writer!” ―Del, blog: Pen 4 The Lord

“I like the way Bryan inserts motivation with cinematic sports themes. Well, it is inspiring. Try plugging in Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger on Spotify and you’ll feel the effect.” ―Blog, The Fed Up Declaration

“This Kindle ebook is a major shot in the arm that could lead you to write your bestselling book (or launch your successful farm or restaurant). Bryan’s tips for getting out from under perfectionism, and sticking with what you are serious about, are good advice for living in general. Though aimed at writers, Bryan’s advice is spot-on for anyone who aspires to be a success at what they do.” ―Blog, Jenny Nazak

“First of all, it was highly readable. I felt the author had taken me aside, put his arm around my shoulder and imparted all of his hard-won wisdom about “The Way” to the writing life. The simple list of 21 key points of “The Way” near the end of the book was, alone, worth the low price of the Kindle version I read.” ―Elizabeth Cottrell, blog, Heartspoken

“A must book for every writer. I love chapter eight, design your own plan… don’t write what we think others want to read but what you’re passionate about.” ―Jon Bates

“I confess that the author’s take on what readers want was definitely something I needed to see and he did it in a preachy-free way.” ―Stella Carrier

“Rather than feeling put down by what I would need to do in order to be a ‘serious writer’ (which has happened before), I instead felt uplifted albeit with moments where I shook my head saying ‘Don’t tell me that, it’ll be too easy and then I won’t have a good excuse not to anymore’.” ―Jocelyn Nielson

“Loved this book! Packed with practical “put in practice today” tips. I fell off my chair laughing when the author suggested I learn to procrastinate wisely.” ―La McCoy

“If you’ve struggled to write consistently, pick up Bryan’s book. It’ll help you get over your objections and begin to write.” ―J. Lalonde

“If you’re looking for a bit of encouragement, this book is a quick read that could fit the bill and get you motivated to start writing again. (Actually, there are tips here that could apply to other careers, as well.)”  ―Blog, Leslie L. McKee

“I hear it all the time in the workshops I teach. “I don’t have time.” “I’m not good enough to be published.” The reasons, the excuses, the self-doubt… “Serious Writers Never Quit” is your answer… I should be handing this book out at every writing class I teach.”  ―Mary Potter Kenyon

“Boom, there it was!  For weeks I felt behind schedule and disappointed in my writing progress. But no more.  I let those feelings go immediately. The day after reading Serious Writers Never Quit, I starting writing my book again.” ―Blog, Karen Brown Tyson

“I’ve recently found a kindred spirit in Bryan Hutchinson, author of Serious Writers Never Quit–They find: The Way. His ebook captures much of what I was trying to convey to my students. If this had been around back then, I would have made it required reading.”  ―Blog, Laura Denooyer

“This book should be included with the purchase of any writing or editing program because it addresses the real issues, the issues that go on internally. There are books galore to help us with writing our craft, but none as eloquent that addresses self-doubt and how to overcome it. In fact, his process can be used for almost anything.” ―Blog, Angie McMann Writes

Don’t Quit. Your Writing Matters (Please Read This!)

Don’t Quit. Your Writing Matters (Please Read This!)

written by Bryan Hutchinson

You could write a great book and yet have no one ever buy it or much less, read it.

Another person could write a mediocre book and it ends up flying off of the shelves.

Which is which, is often subjective. But either way, it’s likely both authors put a lot of time and effort into their work. Both had to overcome their fears and their naysayers to take the leap and publish.

What You’re Doing Is Valuable

Just because something doesn’t seem all that great doesn’t mean a lot of work wasn’t put into it. Just because something seems simple doesn’t mean it wasn’t a challenge to create. The same goes for something that seems brilliant―it doesn’t mean the author wasn’t afraid it was total crap and would be laughed at.

Not everything we create will be a NYT’s bestseller or the next blockbuster of the summer. That doesn’t mean it’s not good. It doesn’t mean you didn’t work your ass off to create it. Sometimes it’s a timing thing, sometimes it’s not as good as you hoped it would be, and sometimes the work you do now is just practice for the better work you’re going to do later. And you know what? That’s okay. It’s still important.

I say a lot in my new book Serious Writers Never Quit and I hope the ultimate message you get from it is that what you’re doing is valuable. It means something. Even if you never read the book, I want you to know that. Don’t quit. Whatever you’re working on right now, whether it’s in contemplation or in actualization, is important.

Whatever you're working on right now, whether it's in contemplation or in actualization, is important. Click To Tweet

Everything is a process. Everything we do is about growth.

I hope what I created yesterday meant something and will stand the test of time. I hope what I create today is better than what I created yesterday. Just as I hope what I create tomorrow will mean something too. I hope everything I create means something to someone, somewhere.

We don’t always know if people will ‘get it’ before we create something. And you know what? Sometimes we won’t know afterward either. It doesn’t mean you didn’t create something valuable and it doesn’t mean you didn’t work hard. But with that said, I’ve worked hard on everything I’ve put out there. And with that said, some people still think I’m lazy and my work sucks (Hell, I’ve told myself that on more than an occasion, too).

I have no control over what other people think and, quite frankly, neither do you. We can only press on, whether people realize what we’re trying to do or not, or for that matter, how much sweat goes into it.

So please allow me to share something with you, just this morning a kind person named Will, sent me a message telling me how much my work keeps him going, no matter how much he’s wanted to give up.

Will, if you’re reading this, let me just say, back at you, my friend. Thank you.

Sometimes I’ve wanted to give up on this whole writing thing too. There are days, weeks, and even years, when the work can be all-consuming and there’s very little payoff. Sometimes people don’t realize what goes into your work. Sometimes others think what you do is effortless. And, more often than we’d like to admit, there are those who simply don’t care.

So, yes, sometimes it’s all a bit much, and I have to wonder, what am I doing it for?

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, just when I’m wondering if anyone really, truly cares, a message like Will’s comes along.

Every now and then we need to be reminded of what’s important.

Keep writing. Keep creating whatever it is you create. Never quit. You might not hear from them as often as you’d like, but there are those who truly care and appreciate you.

Your. Words. Matter.

Curl up in a blanket if you have to. Cry, if you have to. Hell, get a little drunk if you have to. But know this, when you’re done, it will be time to unsheathe your warrior’s pen and get back to creating that which only you can create!

Serious Writers Never Quit.

How To Make An Animated Book Cover That Rocks!

How To Make An Animated Book Cover That Rocks!

written by Bryan Hutchinson

I wanted to create something different―something special, a cover that tells a story in motion. You see animated images on social media all the time, so I thought why not create an animated cover for my new book? I didn’t realize it would cause such a ruckus. But hey, that’s what marketing is all about, getting people to take notice.

Here’s how I did it and you can, too!

Think about it, you work on your book for years, perhaps even decades, and yet you’re forced to do your best to sum up the entire story in one single, static image. Not anymore!

What if you could create a moving story on your book’s cover?

I did exactly that with my most recent book Serious Writers Never Quit, and since posting it on Facebook, and in my sidebar here on Positive Writer, I’ve received a tremendous amount of inquiries as to how I did it.

Before we get to the creation steps, here’s the result that’s causing all the ruckus:

(What’s also cool about this animated cover is that even though it’s in motion, it’s still possible to add a link to a sales page just as you would to a static image, such as a jpeg or png. Click on it to see it in action!)

Let’s Get To The Gif Of It

You see animated gifs all the time on social media, especially on Facebook. So why not make a book cover gif?

This isn’t exactly new, but almost all of the current gif book covers are gimmicky and do not take the time to tell a real story. You don’t want to create a forgettable gimmick if you can help it. I’ll explain what I did to try and avoid this problem.

First, it’s a good idea to understand how this works. A gif is basically several images on top of each other in one file that gives the perception of a single moving image. It’s like a flipbook.

In order to create an animated book cover, you’ll actually need about 5 to 10 individual covers. Don’t worry, though, it’s easier than it sounds.

The Design Steps

Usually, I hire a professional book cover designer, but for this experiment, I decided for my own sanity, and the sanity of whomever I would have hired, I should try this myself first.

1) Tell A Clear And Compelling Story

The story should be able to be told with as few images as necessary and should clearly visualize what the book is about with as little guesswork as possible on the viewer’s part. This is what separates the forgettable from the memorable.

The story I decided on is, well, what the book is about:

A writer becoming serious about (his or) her writing and in order to do that she must discover The Way to awaken the warrior within. Warriors have a mindset that drives them to achieve their goals. This book is about that mindset.

That’s a serious story and needed to be broken down into simple steps. I originally had 10 individual covers and finally got it down to 6.

Cover 1. A writer ready to make the all-important mental shift all of us writers must eventually come to make: Quit or take our writing seriously!

(Click images to see larger versions.)

Cover 2. Again, like the rest of us, she’s not exactly sure how to go about it at first, so she finds a manual (ahem, Serious Writers Never Quit).

Cover 3. She finds The Way. (The Way isn’t too complex to learn for anyone, but what makes it scarce is that not everyone takes the time to learn what it is and how to use it. So those who do, they gain the edge and become more enthusiastic about their work.)

Cover 4. Now that she understands The Way, she chooses her new direction with great enthusiasm!

Cover 5. She’s getting very serious and will attack her writing with her newfound way of being a writer, an artist, and if I dare say, a person. She’s becoming a writing warrior and nothing and no one will stop her now!

Cover 6. She is now a serious writer, armed with The Way, who will never quit!

2) Keep It Simple

I figured if I am going to do this on my own I would need to keep it as simple as possible. Simple stories often work best. No one wants their brain fried. Better designers can get more complicated, but for a novice like me, simple was best.

3) Pick Images That Go Together, Preferably In A Series

The best option, I think, is to purchase from stock photo sites to ensure you have the licenses you need. This is an example of what I downloaded from depositphotos.com:

4) Choose The Design Tools

I used Canva.com. This design site is super easy to use and has great templates to start with. You can also easily import your own images. What I like about Canva is that I didn’t need to learn a lot because it’s straight forward and it’s not cluttered with adverts and other nonsense.

5) Create A Basic Template

If you look at the below cover, I used the same typewriter that is used in the logo for my website Positive Writer and is also used on the cover of my previous book Writer’s Doubt (did you already guess that?). Thus I have continuity between my website and my books. The text and other elements I created from within Canva.

The cover is minimalist. Indeed, it looks simple, but I assure you it cost me hours and hours of tweaking. The simpler something looks the harder it was to make. If you find you’re having a difficult time of it, don’t worry, it’s normal.

Canva has many basic designs you can start with; however, I recommend you customize, customize, customize or you’ll end up with something thousands of others are using too.

6) Create (Or Choose) The Main Book Cover

Even though we are creating an animated book cover, you will still need a main static book cover for any site that does not yet allow animated book covers. Also, if you’re going to make a print copy you’ll need a static cover.

One of the cool things about any of the static images for Serious Writers Never Quit is that any one of them could serve as the main cover!

Here’s the one I chose to use on Amazon as the main cover:

7) Use A Software Program To Create A Gif

Once you have your design ready, download each individual cover and load them into a gif creation software program. Does it sound too easy? It really is that easy.

I used SSuit Gif Animator. It’s a free software program and you can download it here. SSuit Gif Animator is extremely easy to use and allows you to customize the timing between images as well, it will even resize the gif as per your needs. One recommendation I make is that you number your covers in the order you want them to be in the animation. Then load them into the software and click create, the gif animator will do the rest!

There are also several websites that specialize in creating animated gifs for you for free. However, a word of warning, some of those websites put their logo on it. I recommend creating using stand-alone software.

10) Upload It To Social Media And Your Website

Once your book is published and you’re ready to share the animated book cover, upload it to your favorite social media websites and post it on your author/book website.

The MYTHs

Don’t let any myths stop you!

There’s a myth that you should only have one book cover. And another myth that if you have multiple covers for the same book it will hurt sales. But these are simply not true!

Look at what Marvel did by creating several different covers for X-Men #1 (1991) below:

X-Men #1, with multiple covers for the same issue, is in The Guinness Book of World Records for best selling comic book of all time! So, there’s that!

Or, look at studios that create several different posters for the same movie.

OOPS! Marvel did it again! With what now is the #1 Box office hit of all time, Avengers Endgame!

That’s It!

With a bit of luck, and hopefully a compelling design, your animated book image might even go viral!

Viral or not, it’s still a cool and fun marketing strategy. It’s cost-effective too. Aside from the images I purchased, the rest was free. If you hire someone to do this for you, it could cost hundreds, even thousands, so consider costs if you want to have a professional create it. I highly recommend trying it yourself first. Canva really is that easy. After all, I am by no means a designer!

If you find yourself getting good at creating your own covers and you’ve self-published, go ahead and get even more creative and design separate covers for holidays and other occasions, if you like. There are so many options.

Since it’s almost Halloween, here’s a poster I created for the season:

(Click to enlarge)

And, of course, we have an animated version for Halloween as well. I can’t stop watching it because the cat totally cracks me up (every now and then I have a fun idea)! I’m already thinking up things I can do with the Christmas version.

There you go! Now go and create your own animated book cover.

If you do create your own animated cover, feel free to leave a link to it in the comments. I’d love to see it.

Chance To Win

If you haven’t read Serious Writers Never Quit yet, here’s the link to it on Amazon. Once you read it, consider reviewing it and enter a drawing I set up where you can win an Amazon Gift Card and/or an Amazon Fire Tablet!

Click here for how to enter the drawing.

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

I Want To Send My Readers To Your Blog: Get The Attention Your Writing Deserves! (Here’s How)

I Want To Send My Readers To Your Blog: Get The Attention Your Writing Deserves! (Here’s How)

written by Bryan Hutchinson

Here’s what I’d like to do, I would like to send my readers (over 200,000 monthly) to bloggers who have read and posted a review of my new book, Serious Writers Never Quit, to their blog. And, I’ll also enter those same bloggers into a giveaway drawing.

If you read it and post a review to your blog, I’ll include a link to your review in a future newsletter! Furthermore, I’ll post a link to your review in an upcoming compilation post as well (the valuable backlink every blogger needs).

This gives you direct access to Positive Writer subscribers and hundreds of thousands of monthly readers! I’m also giving away an Amazon Gift Card and an Amazon Fire Tablet!

This is how it works:

1) Read Serious Writers Never Quit.

2) Post a review about it on your blog with a direct link to the book on Amazon.

3) Place the link to your review in the comments of this post below! This is important. Please do not send me your links via email. By posting your link in the comments not only can I find it, but our readers can find it too!

That’s it. Of course, I hope you love the book! An honest review is what is most important.

  • BONUS: All the blog reviews will be entered into a random drawing for a $50.00 Amazon Gift Card and An Amazon 7inch Fire Tablet.

The drawing will take place on November 31st. (Ext)

(*This particular contest is not for any reviews on Amazon. Please do not submit any reviews in the comments from Amazon for this contest as they will not be included. The reviews can only be from your blogs.*)

Click image for large cover:

I look forward to sending Positive Writer readers to your blog!

Serious Writers Never Quit: WIN an Amazon GIFT CARD and an Amazon Fire Tablet!

Serious Writers Never Quit: WIN an Amazon GIFT CARD and an Amazon Fire Tablet!

written by Bryan Hutchinson

I am excited to announce the release of the new book, Serious Writers Never Quit: They Find The Way!

**UPDATE!!** Serious Writers Never Quit became a #1 New Release on its first day! Thank you! 

There are many human factors that stop people from becoming the writers they know they could be if they’d just keep at it and not quit. If only they could just find the way to be free of all the crap that’s holding them back. Unfortunately, most people have no idea how, so they give up or they keep dreaming but never get where they want to go.

The good news is that anyone can learn The Way and finish their work.

It’s time to unsheathe your warrior’s pen to finish your heart’s work and this book will teach you how. Use the proven strategies in Serious Writers Never Quit to stay motivated and keep writing, even when it’s harder than ever expected.

Your stories need to be told and the world needs your voice, especially now. Click To Tweet

To that end…

I am offering a review contest

**!!** Because of a specific rule by Amazon I was recently made aware of, the original contest must be canceled. I apologize for the inconvenience. However, you can enter the blog review contest here. Prizes have been added to that contest.

Click here to get a copy of the book via Amazon.

Serious Writers Never Quit: They Find the Way! Awaken the Writing Warrior Inside of You.

Write Using These Simple And Powerful Strategies

Write Using These Simple And Powerful Strategies

written by Frank McKinley

Do you constantly talk yourself out of writing?

Last week I got the most disturbing message any writing group leader can get.

“Hey, Frank. I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving your group because I’ve decided to give up writing. Your group is not the problem. I love it. I just can’t do it anymore.”

My heart sank to my feet.

What happened to this person that made them want to give up writing altogether?

I didn’t have a chance to engage him since he’d clearly made up his mind. But still, it nagged at me. Why just give up?

Why did he believe he didn’t have what it takes?

The Killer of Creative Dreams

Self-doubt kills more dreams than anything under the sun.

You might say, “No, criticism is to blame. People carelessly toss negative, hateful comments at writers trying to find their way. The pain is so great, they quit writing to avoid it.”

What criticism really does is trigger the doubts you already feel.

Let’s be honest. Who hasn’t ever wondered if they were good enough? Who hasn’t thought their work sucks? Who hasn’t thought that maybe they made the wrong choice when they decided to take up writing?

Isn’t writing supposed to be fun?

It should be.

When you get an idea and you toss it around in your mind for awhile, you get excited. It’s like a snowball rolling downhill, gaining momentum. You grab a pen and paper so the idea doesn’t get away, lost in the 70,000 other thoughts you’ll have today.

Then you take a break to eat, work, or do laundry.

When you come back, a little bit of the luster is gone. How can you get it back?

Or worse, you tell one of your critical friends about your idea. Of course, they aren’t as excited as you are, but that’s okay. You tell them anyway. You have the fervor of an evangelist, and you won’t be silenced.

Then the criticism comes.

Why do I feel this good? I haven’t even tested this idea. Maybe she’s right. Maybe it won’t change the world. Maybe it’s not the next Harry Potter. Maybe I should just give up and start doing jigsaw puzzles for fun.

And on and on it goes.

Then your book dies on the vine. Your blog post doesn’t get written. You start doing safer, more acceptable things.

And your writing tastes about as good as lukewarm milk.

Self-Doubt: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

I can’t guarantee you’ll never second guess yourself.

You will.

What I can do is help you fight back when doubt assaults you.

Here are six strategies that will keep your pen moving no matter what your heart tells you.

If people complain, you’re making a difference

People don’t complain about things they don’t pay attention to.

When you get a negative comment, you convinced someone to read your work. Further, they were so captured by what you wrote that they had to write back.

That’s powerful.

More often than not, you’ll get nothing from 99% of your readers.

Be glad.

The next strategy will show you what to do with that critical comment.

When criticism comes, evaluate it and move on

The main thing you want to know is this:

Is there anything useful in this comment that will help me grow as a writer?

If so, see how you can apply it to the next piece you write.

If not, laugh it off and move on.

One remark doesn’t have to define you. Does one blog post sum up all that’s possible? One book? You’ve got more inside. Lots more.

Keep growing. Keep showing up. And don’t you ever, ever give up.

Your work won’t fit everywhere, but it will fit somewhere

Nobody sells to everyone.

I remember getting a pair of shoes from my father-in-law. They were nice shoes, fit to wear at any fancy occasion.

I squeezed my feet into them. I thought, “They’re only one size too small. Maybe I can make this work.”

I wore them to church, and that was the longest two hours of my life.

Don’t make your writing fit somewhere it doesn’t. You have an audience out there who are dying to read your words. Your writing will fit like a pair of shoes custom made for their feet.

Spend your time courting these people, and you can have whatever you want from your writing.

Schedule some rest

I’m going through Julia Cameron’s classic book The Artist’s Way with a small group.

In week 4, she urges us to do an exercise called Reading Deprivation.

What?

Writers have to read, right? If we don’t, they say our work will suck. And we can’t have that, can we?

Actually, we can.

Here’s why. When we bury ourselves in reading, whether it be books, the news, social media updates, or email, we surrender our creativity to other people’s agendas.

We need time alone with our thoughts. So sit at your desk and stare at the wall. Go for a walk and leave your phone behind. Do something random, like listen to country music when you’d rather listen to Jazz. Find some kids to play with and watch their sense of wonder unfold before you.

Planned disconnection will feed your creativity like nothing else.

Try it.

I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what happens.

Did you solve a problem?

One of the first things you learn in math class is that there is often more than one way to solve a problem.

For example:

  • 2 + 2 = 4
  • 1 + 3 = 4
  • 4 + 0 = 4

Don’t even get me started on fractions.

When you wrote that post or book, did you solve a problem or meet a need?

If you did, you win.

So does your reader, at least some of them.

It would be great if you could find the one answer that will suit everyone. The problem is, that answer doesn’t exist.

So quit worrying about it.

Do what you do best, and use it to serve your readers. The ones who benefit will love you and tell their friends.

The rest will gripe and go away.

And chances are, you’ll never hear from most of them.

It’s impossible to write anything perfectly

I can’t tell you how many bestsellers have typos.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t edit. Obviously, you should. I am saying you should decide just how much editing you’ll do.

Edit enough for your work to make an impact. If it’s effective, it’s as close to perfect as it ever needs to be.

Let’s face it. You can always say more and say it better. But you only have so much paper and so much time. You have to put food on the table and keep a roof over your head. Limit your time and aim high while you write.

Then ship it.

That’s the key that will unlock the floodgates of productivity for any writer.

Now go get ‘em, tiger!

Which of these techniques can you use this week to overcome your doubts?

Pick the one that scares you the most and do it.

Then come back here and tell me how it went.

Have questions? We’re here for you. Self-doubt doesn’t have to win. There are people out there waiting to hear what you have to say. Don’t deny them the benefit of your hard-won insights.

You’ve got this!

Writing Contest: Your Calling Your Story

Writing Contest: Your Calling Your Story

written by Bryan Hutchinson

This year’s writing contest is all about telling YOUR story as a writer.

When did you know writing is your calling?

What led you to become a writer? What did you go through to get here? Do you remember the moment you realized writing is your calling? Or, did it come to you gradually? How did you feel when you finally realized it?

Tell us about your confidence. Were you always confident to share your work?

Tell us about your doubts and fears. Do you ever feel doubtful? If so, how did you, or what are you doing, to overcome it? Share your trials and tribulations, your elations and your successes.

This writing contest is about helping others see the potential within themselves.

How are you going to do that? I don’t know. But what I do know is: You Can do it.

You are a writer. More than that, you are an inspiration. We need your words. We want to be touched by them, moved by them, and compelled to believe… to believe we’re better than we give ourselves credit for. That anyone with the desire to be CAN be a writer.

You have this power. I know you do. In days like these, we need you to use it.

My suggestion is to write as if the goal of this contest is more important than winning it.

With that said, I do have some prizes for you. 🙂

The Contest:

It’s easy to enter. Write an essay (blog post) with the single purpose of getting those who read it to believe in themselves and their calling, using your experience as inspiration.

I’m not looking for technically perfect posts. I am looking for essays I believe will encourage others to face their challenges and ignite their passion for life and writing. That’s it. I think any further criteria will only inhibit contestants from writing their most inspiring work. Just write it, post it, and we’ll go from there.

This contest ends 15 Dec 2019.

No entry fee.

The prizes are:

1st Prize:

->) $95.00 Amazon gift card + All-New Fire 7 Tablet (7″ display, 16 GB)

2nd Prize:

->) $75.00 Amazon gift card

3rd Prize:

->) $50.00 Amazon gift card

– – – – – –

How to enter the contest:

  1. Post your essay between 300 to 1000 words on your blog. (You need a blog. If you don’t have one yet, it’s easy to start one on WordPress, or even easier, on Medium.)
  2. Consider leading into your post with: “I am participating in the Writing Contest: You Are Enough, hosted by Positive Writer.” You can phrase it as you like, but make sure there is a direct link back to this post to qualify.
  3. Paste the link to your entry in the comments below.
  4. Subscribe to Positive Writer. One of the perks of subscribing is being able to enter our writing contest. It’s free. Only subscribers can win.

It’s very important that you put your link in the comments to this post because that’s your official entry.

The winners (and runner ups) will be announced via blog posts here on Positive Writer. The best way to stay updated is to subscribe. Also, if you want to be reminded about this contest, subscribe. You can subscribe now, (click) here.

All 3 of the winning posts will be republished as guest posts on Positive Writer. (Awesome exposure for you.)

Most bloggers are looking for a fresh topic to write about, so here you go, you just so happen to be able to enter it into a fun contest, too.

We need your words.

Now go, write that winning post which will inspire people for years to come.

If you have any questions, please ask via the comments section below.

NOTE about entries: If you enter an essay into this contest you agree to allow free use of the article for possible publication as a guest post on Positive Writer, used in compilations, ebooks and other means with full credit to you as the author. This contest is void wherever prohibited.

Mine Your Emotions to Write Moving Fiction

Mine Your Emotions to Write Moving Fiction

written by Bryan Hutchinson

Showing emotion in characters—and evoking emotion in our readers—is a daunting challenge. It’s probably one of the hardest skills a fiction writer must master.

NOTE: This is a guest post by C. S. Lakin, an editor, award-winning blogger, and author of twenty novels and the Writer’s Toolbox series of instructional books for novelists. She edits and critiques more than 200 manuscripts a year and teaches workshops and boot camps to help writers craft masterful novels.

We writers want to think carefully about the emotions we hope to evoke in our readers. We want to think about why we want them to feel a certain way.

And just because I show children begging on the street and adeptly convey the emotions they are feeling in my scene, that doesn’t necessarily mean you, the reader, are going to feel compassion or anger or sadness. You might feel something else. Or nothing at all.

You can see what a ginormous challenge this is. But here is the secret to success.

Hemingway said, “Find what gave you the emotion . . . Then write it down, making it clear so the reader will see it too and have the same feeling as you had.”

Why does this work? Because all humans, for the most part, have the same emotional makeup. Behavior that scares, infuriates, humiliates, or alienates one person will generate the same reaction in others. You will never get 100% of your readers to feel exactly the same, but you can come pretty darn close if you are an emotional master.

Pay Attention to Your Own Emotions

Hemingway’s advice gives us the first step to learning how to manipulate reader emotions. In addition to examining how you emotionally react to things you see around you or on TV, pay attention to those moments when you feel strongly while reading a novel.

Have you ever read a passage in a novel that made you cry? Stirred up indignation? Real terror? I am often moved by passages I read in both fiction and nonfiction. Masterful writers can wrench emotional reaction from me even with random passages.

We’re told to get readers to bond with our protagonist within the first couple of pages, something few writers can do well. Yes, we might get readers interested in our characters and even riveted by their personalities and actions in the opening scenes, but do we truly care for them? Depending on your genre and story, you might not want readers to care for your protagonist all that much (at the start).

As we grow attached to characters throughout the reading of a great novel, we care more about them. And that makes it easier for emotion to be evoked in us. All along the way, a writer must carefully manipulate readers’ emotion, in a deliberate fashion, to try to get them to feel what he wants them to feel.

Factor in Action

When it comes to evoking emotion in readers, we go beyond the showing and telling of emotions in our characters. A huge element that sparks emotion in us is action. Watching what characters do, how they behave, the choices they make, the conversations they have—all can be potent triggers of emotion in readers.

When adept writers show action in a cinematic way, with characters acting, reacting, and processing amid sensory details and vivid description, readers are transported into a scene, as if they are there, living vicariously through the characters. Readers are willing and ready to suspend their disbelief and pull down their walls, making themselves vulnerable to an emotional experience that might be powerful.

Some readers read for the suspenseful ride. Like my husband and kids, they eagerly climb into seats on roller coasters—they’ll even wait two hours to experience a two-minute ride—just to get scared out of their wits. Some readers are perfectly fine crying, feeling miserable, aching in commiseration as they go on a difficult journey with a fictional character they love.

Why do so many people love to do this? I don’t know. I can only speak for myself. There is something wonderful, magical, and sublime about being made to feel deeply about something outside my normal routine, my normal life. Stories that remind me of what being human is all about, what love is, what loyalty is, what hope is, what being victorious looks like lift me up, confirm my humanity, bring deeper meaning to my own life.

So when you are considering how to move your readers emotionally, don’t limit yourself to showing emotion in your characters. Be sure to consider how you are presenting the action of your plot in ways that have emotional impact. And that’s really found in the plot itself.

What good is it for you to have empathetic characters with intense inner conflict and moral dilemmas, but all they do is sit around, drink coffee, text their friends, and worry about what to wear?

Situations and settings and sensory details have great potential to evoke emotion in readers, so push yourself to put your characters in places and predicaments that will set the stage for high emotional content.

Instead of thinking, “I want my reader to feel sad,” how much more masterful would it be to dig deep into the many emotional nuances we experience when any given event occurs.

Do what Hemingway instructed. When you feel something, write down what action took place that made you emote. Then dig into the emotions and learn not just why you feel this way but what exactly you are feeling.

What thoughts led you to those feelings? If you can nail the thoughts, which are words, you can put similar thoughts (words) into your narrative and character’s voice.

That’s the first step toward evoking emotion in readers in a masterful way.

Music to Stimulate Emotion

If you consider yourself an unemotional person, not used to tapping into emotional feelings, this aspiration to become an emotional master is going to kick your butt. I’ve had numerous editing clients tell me they really struggle with this. They say, “I’m just not the emotional, introspective type. I rarely get in touch with my feelings.”

Let’s face the facts: since readers read to care, to be moved, if you want to write the kind of novel that will move them, you must find those emotions within you.

Here’s one thing that might help: music.

I got the idea to listen to movie soundtracks from an author friend. He writes suspense, so he puts on suspenseful “theme” music when he’s writing.

I don’t know about you, but music is very powerful to me. It can evoke tremendous emotion in me. That’s why movies can move us in such emotional ways—they not only show scenes in which characters are emoting, there is a soundtrack that overlays, designed to stir emotion. Movies have such an advantage over books. Viewers see the action, which is much more powerful than reading about the same action. The visual is also enhanced with the auditory—we hear voices, sounds, textures that bring a scene to life. But music is something other.

Who can explain why certain musical scores make some people weep. Or want to cry out in joy? We can feel nostalgia, poignancy, love, peace, or awe when we listen to music. It’s hard to name the emotions we feel when we listen to music. Certain instruments might move us a certain way. I love hearing YoYo Ma play cello. Some are moved by opera. Or a sweet folk song.

The first time I heard Pharelle Williams’s song “Happy” on YouTube, I got so happy I started dancing around the house just like all those people in the music video. That song was so powerful, that people all over the world got hooked on it. Even Oprah had Pharelle on her show to talk about that one song. (If you haven’t seen it, take a minute and watch. It shows ordinary people of all ages, races, classes, stature dancing to the song in a wide assortment of locations.) It also inspired people all over the world to record themselves and others moving to the song.

Music is powerful. Music and dancing are universal. Joy is something everyone wants to feel. Emotion is powerful, infectious.

We also bring our past to our response to music. What are your favorite songs from when you were a teen? Music sparks intense memories. When I hear certain songs, I’m instantly transported to specific times and places in my life. Not only that, I can almost taste and feel as if I were back there, thinking and feeling the way I did when I was fifteen or twenty.

Music sparks memory. Memories spark emotion. Emotions lead to more thoughts and memories and more emotion.

If you know you need your character to feel something and you’re not sure how to tap into that feeling, try to find some music that will take you there. Find some music you already know. It could be a song or a movie soundtrack.

When you listen to a piece of movie music and know the scene it’s from, that can produce a strong feeling in you, especially if that scene moves you in a big way. I have a playlist of hours of soundtrack music. And I often chose a particular piece to listen to when I’m writing or plotting a scene in which I need to feel something particular. I may not be able to name the emotions, but I know what feeling I’m searching for.

Music can free you up. Bypass your resistance or writer’s block. If you need to write an exciting high-action scene and you put on music that is exciting and stimulating, it can get your creative juices flowing and drown out your inner editor.

It doesn’t take many words—a few bits of imagery, an ominous line or two, carefully chosen verbs and adjectives to evoke emotion. I urge you to pay attention to the small details, for they often create the biggest emotional impact.

And always ask yourself when reading moves you: What am I feeling? What made me feel this way? How did the author do this magic?

By getting into the habit of mining your feelings, you will be well on your way to becoming a master of emotion in your fiction writing.

Want to learn how to become a masterful wielder of emotion in your fiction? Enroll in Lakin’s new online video course, ‘Emotional Mastery for Fiction Writers,’ before September 1st, and get half off using this link!

Why Writing in Isolation is Good For You

Why Writing in Isolation is Good For You

written by Frank McKinley

You’ve probably heard that writing is a community affair.

Well, it is, and it isn’t.

Sure, if you want people to read your work, you’ve got to know what they want. So you visit the blogs on your topic and start snooping around. You might even look at the comments and see what questions people are asking. Who knows? You could be first with the answer nobody has given.

Then you run your idea by a few of your closest friends to see what they think. It’s kind of like getting pre-approved for a loan at the bank. It seems like a waste of time to go fill out papers for a whole afternoon if they’re just going to say no, isn’t it?

So you seek permission to write what’s on your mind.

At least you do if metrics matter more than free expression.

What if you go and hide to write?

The obvious way to hide is to sit at your desk and cut off all contact with the outside world.

No social media.

No email.

No notifications of any kind.

Can you do it?

Sure, you can. Just turn it all off. Besides, it will still be there when you get back.

But what if you have an appointment?

Work around it.

Set office hours. Let people know when you’ll be available so you can devote your full attention to them. And let them know when you can’t by making yourself unavailable.

Trust me, they’ll thank you for it.

There’s something else you’ll turn off while you’re writing. It’s so important it’s easy to overlook. But if you do, it will ruin your work.

What is this poison?

Opinions.

Ask other people what they think before you put words on paper. Ask them in conversations beforehand. But once you enter the writing chamber, no one else matters.

Writing time is your time

When you’re in your writing space, it’s sacred. It’s not to be interrupted by second thoughts, the phone, or anything that can wait.

Especially other people’s opinions.

When you’re in your writing space, it’s sacred. It’s not to be interrupted by second thoughts, the phone, or anything that can wait. Especially other people’s opinions. Click To Tweet

You’ve already floated the idea by a few people. They had their chance to agree or object then. Don’t leave the door to criticism open when you’re creating. Just open the spigot and let it flow.

Besides, you’ll edit later.

But not until you’ve had time for your draft to simmer.

Some use the term “free writing” for vomit drafts of all types. Why? Because you’re ignoring all the rules. Spelling. Grammar. Typos. Whatever.

You’re giving your voice free rein to say whatever it will.

Don’t worry about being offensive, wrong, or sloppy. Your prime concern is to get your deepest, most unreserved thoughts out so you can mine them for the gold inside.

That may mean you move a little dirt later. But so what? You’ve got to put the dirt there to move it. It’s just part of the process.

Keep the door closed while you edit

When it comes to startups, business expert Seth Godin says you should thrash early.

What this means for you as a writer is you get all the input you need on the front end. You research, then you write. You take a break, then you edit. Find the changes you need to make on the first swipe if you can. After that, go with it.

Too many changes dilute your writing’s power.

Don’t smooth off all the edges. You don’t want dull words competing with edgier ones. Your edges will help you stand out and will show your genius in all its imperfect glory.

Worried you’ll be criticized? Good. That means you’ve made an impact. No criticism means no one cares. And who wants that?

Keep the door closed to other eyes until you publish. The only exception to this is if you hire an outside editor specifically to make your piece the best it can be. Otherwise, use your best judgment. Set a time limit that fits the work you’re doing. Then share it with the world.

Open the door when you launch

You do this by allowing comments on your work.

If comments bother you, just turn them off. Seth Godin does this. And he’s still as popular as ever. You won’t go to writer’s hell if you cut off comments.

But if you’re growing, you might want to have a chance to talk with your readers.

Answer their questions. Respond to their observations. Ask them about what they’re working on, and offer advice if you can (and you sense that they might want it).

Generosity is a great community builder.

You might pick up new readers, customers, or even a client or two.

Here’s something not many talk about. When you talk about a finished work, rather than one that is still in progress, you’ll gain more confidence. Why? It takes guts to finish something. Every time you do, you get a little stronger. You learn more. And your writing time becomes more and more effective at bringing out the genius inside you.

It takes guts to finish something. Every time you do, you get a little stronger. You learn more. And your writing time becomes more and more effective at bringing out the genius inside you. Click To Tweet

Create your own writing sanctuary

You know your space needs to be quiet and free from distractions.

Now let’s take it to the next level.

Do you thrive with background noise? Or do you prefer total silence? Will you listen to music or binaural beats?

Will you have anything to drink? Water is good. I like coffee also. Stay hydrated and you won’t be distracted by hunger or undue weariness.

You also need a timer.

When you’re sitting at your desk for what might be hours, you’ll wear your eyes out if you don’t get up and move around every 25 minutes or so. Take a 5 minute break then get back to work. After 4 sessions like this, take a longer break (at least 15 minutes).

Make sure you don’t cheat and sneak some work in while you’re resting. The only work you can’t get out of is being alone with your thoughts. The forced breaks might just fill in gaps that would remain if you pressed on full steam ahead.

You might know this as the Pomodoro Technique. I’ve used it faithfully for years. I thought at first the frequent breaks would mess with my flow. But they actually made me more productive. When you rest before you get tired, you’re more eager to get back at it.

Here’s a bonus from Julia Cameron. Celebrate your wins by going on an Artist Date with yourself. It can be whatever you want. A walk in the woods. A bowl of ice cream. A trip to the coffee shop. Or maybe you just buy (or make) a trinket to mark the occasion.

When you cheer yourself on like this, you’ll find the will to press on when it counts.

How does isolation help you write better? Share your stories and strategies in the comments. I’d love to hear what works for you! Have questions? Feel free to ask. We’re here to help you make your writing dreams reality.

Why Every Writer should Eat Healthy and Exercise If They Want to Create Their Best Work

Why Every Writer should Eat Healthy and Exercise If They Want to Create Their Best Work

written by Bryan Hutchinson

Over the past few years, it’s been very difficult for me to concentrate on writing. I thought it was merely because I was getting older and perhaps a bit burned out and maybe a little disinterested, but I was wrong. Very wrong.

And you know what? You might be in the same boat I was in and not even realize it.

Whatever life situation you’re in right now, if you have moments when you feel underwhelmed, unenthusiastic, and way beyond just tired, unable, and seemingly incapable of creating your best work – for that matter, or to even try your best, and you’re more likely to give up, hit the sofa to eat and watch a movie instead of writing, you are not alone!

5 years ago I quit smoking, finally. Halleluiah! It was the best decision of my life.

But then something happened, I started to eat. When I say eat, Lord, you don’t know, I started to eat E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. I couldn’t pass a fast food joint without getting a burger (maybe 3 or 4) and fries, I couldn’t pass an ice cream stand without at least getting a multi-scooper on a sugar cone!

It was a disaster.

Within just a few months of quitting smoking I put on 10 pounds, then 20, and then 30. And you know what, I gave into it. But after a while I noticed it wasn’t just that I was gaining weight, I was getting tired faster, wanted to sleep longer, and I just didn’t have the desire to write all that much anymore.

Have you ever gotten instantly depressed merely from looking in the mirror?

I did. And it didn’t simply go away when I stopped looking. It lasted, and crazy enough, it made me eat more.

People kept saying the weight you put on after quitting smoking eventually goes away, like magic. Let me tell you two things, it doesn’t just go away and there is no eFF’ing magic to it! Zero.

I haven’t written all that much over the past three years. It’s been a struggle to sit down, face the keys and type anything, much less words that matter. I got fat and with each pound, I lost more and more of my drive.

New Flash: According to the Harvard School of Public Health, weight gain impairs physical functioning, reduces quality of life, and is associated with poor mental health. And now, friends and neighbors, I can personally confirm this! Or, better said, no shit!

Most of my life I’ve been a rather small guy, slim, 130 pounds soaking wet, with a size 29 waist. When I went into surgery for my hernia a while back, I weighed in at 200lbs! I’m not a tall guy, so 200 pounds is a big deal for me. It was a shock.

About 4 months ago I went to the doctor because I felt pulling in my chest after I ran upstairs. It freaked me out. The doc did an EKG and it didn’t come back all that great.

Let me tell you when you get EKG results that aren’t “good,” everything changes.

I could tell something was wrong when the nurse was finished and she hurried out with the results with a very concerned look on her face and then the doc came back in a minute later seriously looking over the results. I started getting scared.

Apparently, there was an anomaly in my results, I won’t go into the diagnosis in this post, but I will tell you this, from that day forward I changed my eating habits overnight. For 3 years I had wanted to change my diet, but it had been damn near impossible. However, with this new motivation, I changed my choices of food without a second thought.

Isn’t it strange how something can suddenly be so life changing? We can struggle for years and then something snaps and the change becomes instant. I wish we could do this without extreme crises.

This isn’t the first time medical results caused me to change instantly. In fact, my doctor’s warning about emphysema caused me to quit smoking from one minute to the next. I had tried to quit for years and his lab results caused me to quit instantly. It’s sad that it takes such dramatic life and death warnings to get me to choose to stop killing myself.

I’m sure I am not alone, so take it from me, don’t wait if you find yourself in unhealthy lifestyle situations. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? Waiting isn’t the problem. It’s the sudden clicks in our heads that get us to take action, but until the buttons are pushed, change seems impossible.

I used to think people overweight simply didn’t want to lose weight. I thought it was a choice. Same with smoking, but how did that work out for me after so many years doing it? Not great! Teeth problems, breathing problems, and so many underlying issues―many that I might not even know about yet. God willing, my body will heal itself.

Weight is even worse because it’s not like you can only stop eating―you have to change nearly everything you do eat (or, at least I had to).

And let me tell you, no matter how much smoke shaming, fat shaming, whatever-you-struggle-with shaming, and yes, even worse, self-shaming we have to contend with, none of it compels us to positively change. All the shaming just makes it worse. I wish it would stop.

Non-smokers, slim people, and anyone who thinks they know better and have to be an ass about it, stop it. One day, there will be something someone’s going to shame you about (if it’s not happening already).

Instead, consider helping, supporting, loving, and just plain caring. Or get out of the way and leave well enough alone.

Without the need to shame anyone, please know that change is possible. I did quit smoking. I did lose weight―40 pounds!―(finally), and I am making better lifestyle choices. You might not be a smoker and you might not be overweight, but there might be something causing you distress and self-harm. Know this: Positive change is possible.

Know this: Positive change is possible. Click To Tweet

Major Changes

These are the major changes I made:

1) Stopped eating junk food and limited sugar intake!

The first thing I did after I got the results of my EKG is I committed in my mind that I was not going to eat junk food anymore. I also stopped eating “added sugar,” in other words if it’s not a natural sugar, I don’t eat it.

This may sound like a small undertaking, but truth be told, I ate fast food and drank soda daily! I’m an on the go person and fast food fit my lifestyle. This was one of the biggest changes I’ve ever made.

2) Stopped eating white bread, rice, and pasta.

Actually, I have practically stopped eating bread altogether. I do eat one slice of gluten-free sunflower seed bread in the morning with a slice of cheese. I love rice and would eat it by the bowl, especially when I would get Chinese food to go. Spaghetti was another quick meal I would frequently make.

This might surprise you, but a study in 2015 published in the British Journal of Nutrition studied people who were split into two groups. One group lowered their whole grain bread consumption and the other group lowered their white bread consumption. The group that ate less white bread in their diet lost weight, in particular, belly fat. To add to this, I’ve lost 70% of my belly fat in the last 4 months!

3) Started eating salads for lunch and stopped eating large meals at night.

In the past, I would have a complete junk food lunch, and later, at home, I’d eat another full meal. The sad thing is, most of the time I wasn’t even that hungry in the evening, but I grew up with dinner at 5 and I’ve kept to that regardless of how much I had already eaten for lunch. Now I usually have a light bowl of soup in the evening.

4) Stopped trash snacking.

When I would sit in front of the TV or when I was working on a writing project I would frequently eat cookies or chips (or another trash snack), and often I’d have a little dip to go along with the chips. No more!

5) Replaced trash snacking with plain or lightly salted popcorn.

Popcorn is actually a low-calorie healthy snack, when, and only when, we pass on all the other toppings. Lightly salted (if you’re not prohibited from salt) and perhaps a little parmesan cheese, but all that other stuff, like butter, is a no-go. The great thing about popcorn is that it fills me up crushing the munchies that used to do me in.

If you like popcorn, the best option is to air pop it yourself. It’s very easy, simply put the popcorn kernels in a brown lunch paper bag and fold the top over twice to ensure it’s closed. Microwave on high until the popping has about a two-second gap in it, 1.5-2.5 minutes depending on your microwave. Dump the popped popcorn into a large bowl, salt as you want it, and enjoy! It’s cheaper and a lot healthier than pre-bagged microwave popcorn.

Other snacking I enjoy are grapes, nectarines, apples, and other fruits.

Here’s a quote I love from Jim Rohn:

We’ve all heard the expression, ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ Well, I’ve got a question for you: What if it’s true? Wouldn’t that be easy to do-to eat an apple a day? Here’s the problem: It’s also easy not to do. – Or, the guy messed up the saying, the guy says a Hershey bar a day… No! It’s not a Hershey bar, you’ve got to be smarter than that.

 6) Started exercising.

I started with some light aerobics to music in the mornings. I made it fun by treating it like a dance and not going too serious right away. At first, I only did aerobics for about 15 minutes, but now I do it from 30 to 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how much time I have available. I’ve also learned that in order for exercise to be effective, 5 hours a week is the optimal amount of time that should be spent doing it. I make sure I get my 5 hours every week!

I thought I would hate exercising, but after doing it for several months, I don’t know how I ever lived without doing it. It makes the entire day so much better.

Feel Profoundly Better

The above list might seem easy to some, but let me tell you, these are major, even dramatic changes I had to make. The improvement in how I feel, how I can focus and concentrate are nothing short of profound. I find myself writing again, heck, later this year I will publish a new book! Getting your blood flowing and having nutritious food in your system increases motivation and decreases procrastination. And, let me tell you, I was a world champion procrastinator!

I hope the changes save my life. I want to live to be 100! We live in a fast food world and we are in a century of ever-increasing productivity and go-go-go. The problem is the human body wasn’t made to be under so much constant demand and live off of processed food which provides practically no nourishment.

Whole foods rich in natural nutrients have changed my life.

I do my best to stay away from processed foods. I strive to eat what my body can actually use. For example, my body can get the most out of fruits, which do contain sugar, but that’s no excuse to eat a candy bar―which also contains sugar. The difference is my body can use the vast nutrients found in grapes and other fruits, but candy bars are useless with the exception of adding to body fat and adding other dangerous ingredients to my body.

Of course, you can overdo your sugar intake by going overboard on grapes, but under all circumstances, I still prefer them over cookies, chips, and candy bars.

I learned the hard way if you want to feel right – you’ve got to eat right!

If you want to feel right - you've got to eat right! Click To Tweet

I love writing. I love creating. I love living. I’m going to eat and drink accordingly going forward. I prefer to eat healthier and exercise rather than feel like crud every day and not write the way I want to write and be the person I want to be, healthy and energized.

Every writer, artist, and creative, should consider eating healthy and exercising. You won’t just get back to creating your best work, you’ll feel much better too!  I promise.

People have noticed my weight loss and have especially noticed I’m more upbeat and animated and that’s so rewarding to me for others to acknowledge my efforts to overcome my personal struggles. Several have asked me sincerely how they too can lose weight and/or deal with their various struggles, and at first, I wasn’t sure how to answer, but after thinking about it, allow me to offer these steps as suggestions:

1) Make a conscious decision.

Before I quit smoking and before I started to eat better I had already determined that I wanted to do those things. Although both changes I made in an instant manner due to the doctor scaring the shit out of me, the fact that I wanted to do these things was something I had already decided, so the actions were in line with my will.

Now here’s the thing, I wanted to eat and live healthier not just so that I would feel better or that I would lose weight, I ultimately wanted to live healthier because my heart needs me to and I want to live longer.  Feeling so much better and losing weight are two major side effects of this new lifestyle.

I didn’t say to myself, I’m going to start losing weight tomorrow. What I said to myself was, I’m going to consciously choose better foods and stop eating junk food! Period. And, thankfully, I did that.

The conscious decision was key. If you’re not sure or half-ass about whatever you want, change will not happen. I know, because all of my previous efforts failed due to indecision.

2) Make way-of-life changes.

Fad diets, crash diets, 6 week or 6-month diets, are, for the most part, bullshit! Seriously, why go through so much effort simply to go back to the way things were when you were not as happy, when you didn’t feel like you wanted to feel, when you didn’t look like you wanted to look, and when you weren’t being the person you wanted to be? Think about it.

Diets are temporary, that’s why we so often say they fail because we expect the results to last after we stop them. However, the good news is that when you make a lifestyle change, meaning you change the way you live your life, such as your eating habits or any other habit, you make a commitment to yourself forever. Lifelong commitments last. Temporary changes, don’t. You would think this would be a no-brainer, but most all of us fall for the idea of diets.

What I discovered is that when I changed my eating habits at first the food was different and it didn’t necessarily taste as good, but now, months later, I love what I am eating and it tastes far more delicious and nutritious than all the junk I had been eating. Processed foods have so many additives and crap in it that we don’t even know what it’s like to not eat them.

Once you get used to natural whole foods, you discover what you’ve been missing. Commit to lifelong change, my friend.

3) Get out of your own way.

What I mean by that is we are a results-driven society, but this drive hurts us when we are trying to hurry the human process along. Once you start to improve, let’s say you start to lose weight as I did, you might get excited and overeager for the process to hurry up and you begin to check your weight every morning. I personally think this is a fallacy and is more likely to lead to failure.

The human clock works on its own time, there’s only so much you can do to hurry it along. Waking up in the morning expecting to have lost 5lbs because you starved yourself the day before is not just impossible, it’s dangerous.

If you’re doing the right things, such as exercising and eating the right food for you, the results will eventually be obvious, but you shouldn’t get so impatient that you try to hurry them even more. Trust that you are already doing what you need to do and forget about your weight for a while, just let it happen. It will.

I don’t know how many people ask me about my weight daily. What’s the number today? They look at me strangely when I say I don’t know. I check at the end of each month, but not day to day.

4) Do what’s right for you.

This is so important. What I eat and do, might not be right for you. I enjoy aerobics in the morning. It reminds me of doing martial arts in my childhood, so now that I’m into it, I am even getting a little back into martial arts. I discovered the other day I can kick again!

What’s your thing? What would you like to be able to do again?

We are also lucky that today, even better than just 10 years ago, there are more healthy choices, premade salads, fruit bowls, and other ways of eating healthier. It’s not as challenging. Take advantage of it! If that’s your thing.

Ask yourself these questions to help motivate yourself to get started:

  • What do I want?
  • What would I enjoy most if I were healthier, more energetic, smarter, not procrastinating, smoke-free, you pick.
  • How can I do it?
  • Who can I ask for help or advice?

Last Word: CHANGE Is HARD – But Can Happen In An Instant!

Everyone makes the mental changes they need to in order to change in an instant. However, until that instant comes, whatever may cause it―be it a decision, a diagnosis or just the fact that you’ve had enough of whatever it is already― real change can’t and won’t happen.

We can want and even try for years to do something, to change something, but it’s not the years that make the difference, it’s the instant the mental change is made within you! I can’t make it for you, nobody, no matter how hard they try, or how much they preach, can make this change happen for you. Only you can.

After the EKG I could have continued my unhealthy lifestyle and I would have paid a high price, but in an instant, I made a mental change that may have saved my life! Yes, it was the results of the EKG that motivated me to change, but why? Because it was a trigger.

What I have learned about making real changes is that we have to find out what our triggers are first. For example, when you become attracted to another person you go out of our way to discover what they like and don’t like so that you can best appeal to them via their triggers. This is basic human nature, and therein is the answer.

Instead of discovering what the triggers are for other people, find out what your own are and use them to create change in your life. What is powerful enough to motivate you to change in an instant? You know what it is. Trust me. My health was most important to me when it came to smoking and weight. What’s most important to you?

Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments.

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