What follows is a reconnaissance report on these enemies. Read with caution, write with bravery, and arm yourself with these little-known defenses against the 6 Creativity Killers.

Killer #1: Self-Criticism

Defense: Conquer your inner critic

What does your inner critic tell you? What sick nothings does it whisper in your ear? Listen to the voice and write down what it says, then look at what you’ve written down and translate the language.

Let’s look at an example.

Your inner critic might say: “You’re no good. You’re kidding yourself. You’re an imposter.”

Translated, the self-critic’s words become “When I reread that passage and realized it’s not as exciting as I remembered it being, I felt scared, because I need to be completely confident in this novel before self-publishing. Can we try to make that passage better?”

Broken down into these terms, your inner critic shrinks from an imposing bully to a frightened worrywart. Now you can have empathy for it, and you can have empathy for yourself.

Killer #2: Busyness

Defense: Write in small chunks

You might be too busy to write for hours at a stretch, but don’t let Busyness win. Condense your writing time into micro sprints.

First, separate your thinking time from your writing time (if you have only 10 minutes to write, you can’t afford to spend the first 5 brainstorming). Plan your next writing session at times in the day when you can’t write but can think (re: toilet time, shower time, driving time).

After you have a writing road map, make writing your default “dead time” activity. Dead time comes in batches of 5-10 minutes when you’re in the pickup line at little Timmy’s preschool, or during a group call at work when you won’t be required to talk. 

Most people think 5-10 minutes isn’t enough time to start a task, so they scroll social media or listen to the radio or stare off into the distance. But that’s a trap. 

Keep your WIP on Google Drive so you can write from your phone if necessary, and use these 5-10 minute chunks of dead time to crank out some words.

Killer #3: Stress

Defense: Become antifragile

Meditation, gratitude journals, workouts, and dozens of other activities can relieve you of stress. But sometimes nothing you do works. Then, it’s time to be antifragile.

There was a chess prodigy named Josh Waitzkin who used to get songs stuck in his head while he played. He would divert his concentration from the chess match to getting rid of the melody, but sometimes it just wouldn’t leave.

What was his solution?

He stopped trying to get rid of the songs. If the melody stuck in his head was fast, he played more aggressively. If the melody was calm and musing, so was his strategy on the board. Instead of trying to avoid stress, he used it. He wasn’t at risk of being broken by stressors; he grew because of them. He became antifragile.

See the Creativity Killer of Stress not as an enemy, but as an unknowing ally. Use it to your advantage, as fuel and as source material, and your writing will never again suffer at its hand.

Killer #4: Marketing Anxiety

Defense: Insulate yourself from future worry

Imagine this. You learn from what happened yesterday, you set goals that extend several tomorrows forward, but you’re insulated from future worries (including those about selling your book), because you exist completely in today.

Sounds great, right?

But how in the world can we be so grounded in the present?

One method involves exporting your anxiety. Take 20 minutes and write down everything you’re worrying about. Then, for each worry, ask yourself what the worst-case scenario is. 

For example, if your writing goal is to be traditionally published, you may worry about the process of trying to get an agent. What’s the worst-case scenario? Every query you send out will be rejected. 

Accept that possibility, recognize that the consequence, though painful, will not kill you, and brainstorm solutions. Could you work with a query specialist? Could you save up for conventions that would allow you to connect with agents in person? 

Taking small actions—or even making small plans—will loosen the worry’s grip on you.

Killer #5: Fatigue

Defense: Create enjoyable writing sessions

What requires more energy: a 2-mile walk to the gym or a 2-mile walk to the ice cream shop?

It’s easier to summon energy for pleasure than for pain. Consequently, if you craft your writing sessions to be more pleasurable than painful, you’ll find a deeper well of energy for it.

Step one in creating an enjoyable writing session is to “creatify” your writing environment. Put up some plants, some candles. Hang a curtain divider from the ceiling to create yourself a little nook. Find a comfortable chair. Play relaxing rainforest sounds in your headphones. Build yourself a happy place.

After creatifying your writing nest, it’s time to tackle your writing process. To ensure optimal enjoyment of your writing, you can find a writing partner, dress comfier while you write, drink a glass of wine or sparkling water…anything that helps transform your writing from a chore into a treat.

These feel like surface-level improvements, but they’ll combine to fill your writing with pleasure. Your energy will rise as a result, and your fatigue will fall.

Killer #6: Distraction

Defense: Recover your focus as fast as lightning

There are apps and focus techniques that can help you avoid distractions. But sometimes those things don’t work. The challenge becomes this: how do you resume your writing after the unavoidable interruption?

The answer is to ring the bell.

You’ve heard about that guy Pavlov and his dogs, right? He rang a bell every day before feeding time and the dogs salivated in anticipation. Eventually, he could ring the bell without feeding the dogs at all and they would still salivate.

What’s the bell for your writing?

What will instantly put you into a creative mindset or return you to a creative mindset after an interruption? Is it a particular chair? A candle scent? A type of music?

If you can find your bell—or if you can create a bell—you can turn your writer-mind on and off like a switch.

One more secret about Creativity Killers…

These defenses will protect you from the Creativity Killers, but you might find yourself struggling with the same one or two killers. Why? What makes you vulnerable to those killers, and how can you escape their influence?

There are six components of creative wellbeing, and if one of your components is weak, you’ll always be susceptible to the corresponding Creativity Killer.

For years I’ve been building a creativity-supercharging video course, and I’m only just now releasing it. That means you can take the creativity assessment, diagnose your vulnerabilities, and protect yourself from the Creativity Killers for good. And because this course is just hitting the market, you can do it all for free.

To apply for this free, creativity-supercharging video course, click here.

Tell us in the comments: What Creativity Killers do you suffer from? And how will you defeat them?

Mason Engel is the Amazon-bestselling author of 2084, the director of bookish documentaries for public television, and the founder of ClimbWrite.com. ClimbWrite’s video courses are designed for fiction writers who are looking to supercharge their creativity and pen the next bestseller.

You can find him on his website or follow him on Instagram.

The post The 6 Creativity Killers: A Reconnaissance Report on Creativity’s Greatest Enemies appeared first on DIY MFA.

When the events of the day thwart us so that the only addition to our writing is the intent to have written, frustration, sadness, and anger can morph into the Guilt Monster.

Oh, the Guilt Monster with its innumerable phalanges, each tipped with a talon designed to perfectly press your particular buttons.

The Guilt Monster plays us like a piano. It says, “You should have taken the trash out last night, should be walking the dog first thing in the morning instead of writing, should be getting up even earlier or shifting your writing time to after midnight because don’t you want to be a writer? If you really wanted to be a writer, you would write no matter the exhaustion and the desire to spend time with your family and the need to go to work to support that family.”

Right?

Wrong.

Just because you miss one day’s (or a week or a month or however much) worth of writing doesn’t mean you can’t be a writer or that you aren’t a “real” writer.

How Do You Feel Guilty?

In the past, the Guilt Monster hung around and made me feel bad all the time. The worst was the idea that if I wasn’t putting all available time and effort into writing what I thought I should be writing when I thought I should be writing it, I didn’t have the dedication to be a writer. I didn’t love writing the way I thought I did.

So, I felt guilty for not writing and guilty for not waking up at some god-awful time in the morning to write and guilty for spending all this time loving writing and not putting any time or effort into the process.

Oh yeah. It’s like curling up in a warm blanket and discovering it was only warm because someone peed on it and that person was you, and now you are wrapped in a cold, wet, smelly rag.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Now, it’s time to escape from the Guilt Monster faster than you would flail your way out of that rag.

Here’s the secret: You get to use your body and mind and spirit to write. By identifying and accepting what is true about you, you can figure out how to make it happen.

Let me explain.

At one point, I decided that I needed to get up at 4:30 am and write. I’d read blog posts, articles, and books by people who had done this and achieved all sorts of amazing things. Also, it was the time of day I could get a large block of writing done (I’d decided I needed to write for two hours each day) before I went to work.

Also, I was in my late forties, which was when my genetics switched over and turned me into a morning robin instead of a night owl, so I was pretty confident I could make it happen.

The first day, I woke up at 4:30 am—no alarm necessary! I trotted back to my writing space and wrote for my two hours. Then, I repeated this process for a few days in a row.

As the days plodded on, I grew nauseous, developed headaches, and exhaustion destroyed my focus by noon. I pushed through my day job and collapsed upon arriving home. Dinner? What dinner? How about frozen pizza again?

This schedule could not continue.

The Guilt Monster showed up with his teeth bared.

How could I consider myself a writer if I didn’t break my body to make it happen? How could I have wasted all this time on my writing when I wasn’t even dedicated enough to sacrifice my entire being to the cause? What had I done to my family by trying to be a writer?

Yeah. The Guilt Monster played the LA Sonata with all of its arpeggios.

Defeating the Guilt Monster

Begin by knowing this: that guilt you’re feeling? It’s normal. Natural. Bring your tray over here and have lunch with us at the writer’s table!

Let’s talk about comparing ourselves to others. We all do it. Looking at someone else and their writing process is a great way to get ideas for ourselves. However, it’s important to remember that those people who state with authority that “You MUST Do This to Be a Writer” are only telling you what worked for THEM.

They don’t know you. They’ve never met you.

You are the only person who knows what works for you.

In my case, those people didn’t know that my body and mind needed to stay in bed until at least 6:00 am. They didn’t know that my entire being would rebel and put me in a sickbed for days when I attempted waking up at 4:30 am.

And that was okay. Getting up that early could work for them.

It didn’t work for ME.

After spending time in the hellhole of my “I’m not good enough” guilt, I realized, even though getting up super early didn’t work for me, that didn’t mean I wasn’t a dedicated writer. That just meant getting up super early didn’t work for me.

Just. That.

And I didn’t have to do it. I could try something else.

I began experimenting with my process, finding the time and space and environment I needed to make my writing happen. To discover what worked for MY fingers to get the words on the page.

Any websites or blog posts or articles or books that proclaimed their way of writing was the best and only way? Out with the trash, baby! The comparison shop was closed.

Listen to Yourself

The best way to find what works for you is to listen to your body, your mind, and your heart. To get quiet, spend some time thinking deeply and differently about your process, and consider these questions.

Have I done anything before that might work here? If not, can I imagine something that might work? That could help me write regularly?

And when that idea bubbles up in your mind, try it. Even if ten thousand people are screaming at you that it won’t work, why not just give it a try? Look at that crowd and say, “So what? I’m doing it anyway.”

Even if it doesn’t work, at least you’re taking action. And that action quiets the static in your brain thinking, “I’ll never be a good writer because I can’t make (fill in your particular guilt trip here) work.”

That static goes away, and what remains is the time and space to do the work that you want to be doing.

Yep. Taking action silences the Guilt Monster. For the most part.

Walking away from the Guilt Monster doesn’t happen overnight. It still shows up, looming over you with familiar refrains. But the words stacking up on the page, chapters forming, stories being written, all of these help you give the Guilt Monster’s talons a needed manicure and make it harder for it to play the instrument that is you.

***This post uses Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Tools.

Tell us in the comments: What actions do you take to defeat the Guilt Monster?

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois empowers you to embrace JOY as you manifest your creative goals through her Creativity and Business Coaching. Battle resistance, procrastination, and overwhelm with her at your side, gently encouraging with humor and heart. Discover more at her website, labourgeois.biz

The post Battling the Guilt Monster appeared first on DIY MFA.

Writers aren’t impervious to the affliction.

You can definitely deal with burnout in the traditional ways of alcohol and a good venting session with your friends. But there are other ways of dealing with burnout that can actually help you creatively once you get to the other side.

And that’s what this article is about, but first…

A Quick Word on Creative Burnout vs. “Writer’s Block”

I did a bit of research and found that there is actually a difference between the two. Writer’s block is when you just kind of get stuck, so you avoid your work in progress for a while, then you get going again. Or you push through the wall, knowing that crappy words are better than no words, and soon enough you find yourself merrily writing again.

Creative burnout, on the other hand, is a bit more involved. Not only are you stuck and unable to write, but you don’t even want to try. It’s a heavier weight of avoidance than feeling stuck or blocked. Creative burnout isn’t that different from feeling burnt out in general. However, as creative people, one of the ways we connect with life and heal ourselves is through our art. If we can’t make that connection, then we really feel adrift.

So, what do you do when you’re experiencing burnout, creative or otherwise?

1. Get Moving

If you follow my Book Nook column, you may remember that I recently shared about reading a book on burnout. This book is full of scientific explanations of how and why our bodies experience and deal with burnout. The number one tip they give for beating burnout is to get moving. And I have to mention it because tons of other researchers also list this as the best way of dealing with burnout.

There are tons of options. Personally, I’ve been walking a few times a week and I’ve been doing a fantastic Yoga Ritual series on the Yoga with Adriene members site. But she also has some free yoga videos for writers: Yoga for Writers, Yoga for Creativity, and Awaken the Artist Within, to name a few.

This combination has a significance for me that has helped me begin to beat creative burnout. First off, during my walks, I listen to audiobooks, so I have an opportunity to consume art while I am exercising (see below). Or I can simply observe nature and draw inspiration from the sites and sounds around me. Secondly, the yoga series I am doing builds in five minutes of meditation. I’m horrible at just sitting still, but it has helped forge a stronger mind-body connection that is useful for creative endeavors.

Just throwing it out there. Find your own way of moving.

2. Turn on Some Tunes

I’ve seen that the music we listen to in high school holds a special significance for us throughout our lives. Perhaps this is because high school and early adulthood are when we’re really learning who we are as people. We’re developing our own tastes.

If I’m feeling angsty, I’ll turn on GreenDay’s American Idiot or if I’m feeling soulful and contemplative, I’ll turn on Brandi Carlile’s The Story and find myself in a whole other frame of mind that wants to grab a pen and put down some thoughts and feelings. These words might be nothing or they might turn into something.

Further, music leads to dancing, which is one of our earliest ways of creative expression. It’s something we were able to manage before we were able to put pen to paper or crayon to coloring book and explore.

3. Consume Art Visually

Lots of museums have digital exhibits of their collections that are available online for free. Start Googling some of your favorite painters or meet some new ones. Let their visual representation of what they saw in the world speak to you. Listen. See what it says. See what you have to say back.

The purpose of art is to provoke a response. The artist felt something when they turned to their medium and created something with the intent of parlaying that feeling into some consumer of their art. You.

Maybe it changes the way you think of the color blue. Or maybe a painting inspires a story.

Think of art like food. You have to consume good food in order to have energy. You need to consume art in order to expend your creative energy.

If you want some extra credit, get yourself a blank notebook and fill it with images, words, or whatever speaks to you. Look at it often. Maybe even write about what is speaking to you.

4. Do Something Writing Adjacent

This is the number one bit of advice that I give my coaching students when they feel stuck, but I think it would also be helpful for when you are so blocked you can’t even get started. This is a good time to go down that research rabbit hole. If you find something that interests you, read about it! It will quite possibly inspire you to begin writing at some point.

Check out the comp books and movies for the stories you’ve wanted to write in the past. See what happens.

5. Just Take a Break

Sometimes you just need to walk away for a bit. It’ll help clear your mind. It’ll alleviate the pressure to create when you can’t. Beating yourself up for not creating is only going to compound matters.

If it helps, maybe put a date on it. “I’m going on a creative hiatus for three weeks,” then don’t open your work in progress during that time. Tell your creative accountability buddies that you are taking a break for a bit to refocus so that they aren’t trying to be helpful by checking in.

And during that break, do other things to help recenter and refocus yourself.

You won’t get rid of creative burnout overnight. But it’s all about baby steps and soon you’ll be running and flying.

Tell us in the comments: How do you deal with burnout?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post #5onFri: Five Ways to Deal with Burnout appeared first on DIY MFA.

I would say I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t read 1984 before now, but I was a bit of an imbecile in high school and resisted reading a number of books that I was told to read. Yet somehow I became an English major? I don’t know. I want to go back and punch myself in the face sometimes. But I digress.

We’re here to talk about George Orwell’s 1984. The novel has certainly come into the fore in recent years, with the rise of alternative facts, the tendency to discredit journalists, and many attempts to rewrite history by censoring the parts of it that are uncomfortable. Rather than focusing on the plot of the book and its connections with the present, which I feel has been thoroughly discussed, I want to talk about art and ideas and what this book has to say about them.

Why a graphic novel?

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there was a graphic novel version. In my younger, snobbier days, I would have scoffed at the notion. I remember that scene from Major League, where the baseball players are reading the classics…in comic book form. The punchline is supposed to be that they can only comprehend the concepts if there are pictures.

But I now feel like graphic novels have a way of enhancing the story, while also, yes, making it more accessible. This artist, Fido Nesti, uses a simple palette of colors, lots of greys and browns, and occasionally blues and reds. This creates a visual starkness of how drab and uniform the totalitarian government has rendered the nation of Oceania. 

One of the things I love about reading is my mind’s ability to paint a picture. But having this visual component to my reading helps rein in that imagination. 

And that’s fully part of the point of Big Brother.

The importance of art

I’ve seen a lot of talk amongst writers that I know about why we should even be making art given the current climate. Isn’t there so much more we should be worrying about? Isn’t there something impactful we could be doing?

But those questions, I feel, miss the point of art. I began reading Make Your Art No Matter What by Beth Pickens this morning before sitting down to write this article. In her introduction, she hits on a couple of important points about art and its role in our lives. She says, “Artwork reflects the lived experience, imagination, and ideas of the artist,” then goes on to add, “I find artists furthering and transforming conversations, illuminating new ways to think, feel, connect, and live.”

To me, this means that art and life are inextricably intertwined. Through art, we ask questions, make statements, and engage with the world around us, including those who consume our art. And in order to make art, you also have to take in other artists’ work. Therefore, it’s a full-fledged conversation.

Art is also important because it creates a record of some sort. It depicts current events as interpreted by the individual artist. This makes art inherently subversive because it frequently seeks to challenge the status quo in some way.

How does this relate to 1984?

The novel begins with the defiant act of Winston Smith, the protagonist, putting pen to paper. The very act of putting words on the page forced him to craft a narrative version of current events and past recollections, which may well deviate from the official party line. As you read further, you learn that the party line changes as events unfold and Winston is tasked with correcting written accounts to match these changes in narrative. The government also controls so-called artistic output, dictating the storylines of novels, not just controlling the news and history.

And this is where the importance of art comes in. With art, there is the artist and the medium. There is no entity dictating what the art must look, feel, or sound like. This freedom and ability to express ourselves through our chosen medium is important and priceless. 

So, with all of this in mind, please continue making your art. It really is important. Art has the ability to reach other people and impact their lives. But it is also important on the personal level as a way of engaging with the world around you and giving you an outlet to tell your own story. It matters.

Tell us in the comments: Have you read 1984 by George Orwell? What did you think about how it relates to the importance of making art?

Lori Walker is the Operations Maven at DIY MFA. Though she’s fallen off the wagon as a writer, she’s hoping to return to writing essays (perhaps even a novel!) through her involvement with DIY MFA. She is also Launch Manager, Web Editor, and Podcast Producer for DIY MFA and a Book Coach. She resides in Smalltown, Oklahoma, with her husband and their cat, Joan Didion. You can follow her on Instagram at @LoriTheWriter.

The post The Book Nook: 1984 by George Orwell appeared first on DIY MFA.

Your regulars show up pretty quickly with drinks and snacks.

“You could get up super early and write for an hour and a half before work.”

“How about skipping lunch and writing in your car?”

“Stay up late and write until midnight!”

And then, that cute one from across the room sidles up behind you and whispers.

“Ever think about writing All. Weekend. Long?”

And your knees give way as desire overwhelms you. Seduced, you throw yourself at your writing for a day or a week, maybe longer. But then the passion wears off and the fatigue sets in. Before you know it, you’re making excuses for not writing today. How you’ll write twice as long tomorrow, or take the time over the weekend. Never mind grocery shopping and cleaning the house and you promised the kids to go to the zoo on Sunday!

And you start feeling guilty, regretful, wondering if you were ever meant to be a writer at all. After all, if you did WANT to be a writer, wouldn’t you be writing regularly? Wouldn’t you be dedicated to your keyboard instead of your family? Wouldn’t the need to write infuse every part of your being?

Learn What You CAN Do

Ok. Calm down. It’s all good.

Those feelings are natural. We all have them. We all enthuse and wonder and doubt and regret the lost chances.

But it’s not too late.

You just have to learn what you can do. And that starts with one small step followed by another (and another…).

“How can I make my writing happen?” is the right question.

And the answer is to pick a tiny, itty, bitty step.

Something that you can’t possibly NOT achieve. Something that shuffles you in teeny movements toward your goal.

Something that you can repeat each day.

When I confronted my own failings, I decided to write for fifteen minutes a day.

That was it. That was all I asked of myself. That was all I could ask of myself.

Fifteen minutes each weekday. I didn’t even make myself write on weekends. Fifteen minutes a day, five days a week.

Starting with that small step allowed me to make progress because I could do it. Over and over again. That petite success encouraged me to continue on my writing path.

What is a Small Step?

Maybe something springs to mind immediately. You know exactly what you will do! You’ll write a thousand words every day! And you’ll have fifty thousand words in fifty days! A novel in less than two months! Woohoo!!!!

Okay, darlin’. I love the enthusiasm, but how about we dial back a notch? Let’s make a little space for life and work and all of those silly normal things that derail our plans.

By embracing small steps and lowering our expectations, we allow ourselves to be successful. And, that success keeps us on track to reach our goals.

When you say you’ll write a thousand words but only manage 250, failure infuses your body. But when you commit to writing a hundred words a day and manage to get to 250, you have WON LIFE! Not only did you reach your goal, you surpassed it! CHAMPION!

So, how about if we cut that thousand words in half? What about setting a goal of 250 words? Or just a hundred? And what if we change the “day” to “day-ish”?

A successful small step is something that is so easy to do that performing the action is simpler than avoiding it.

If you’ve been away from your story for too long, maybe spend five minutes a day thinking about it. Maybe turn on your computer and look at what you’ve already written. Maybe just turn toward your writing space and look at it for a minute each day.

And, if you find yourself thinking, I can’t possibly make my writing happen by simply looking at my computer. I need at least ninety minutes every day without fail to write my book! It can’t be done!!!

That’s your resistance talking. Your resistance will always show up to tell you how it can’t be done.

Be kind to yourself. Tell your resistance that you’ll talk to her later and begin wherever you are.

Start your process with one tiny step. And if you find that tiny step to be too much, cut it in half and try again.

Because by repeating your small step, progress happens. Momentum begins to roll. Where first you just made yourself look at your workspace, one day you actually sat down. And then you began to type. Words began to seep out and fifteen minutes became twenty and then thirty.

Stop and Listen

If you don’t know what small step to take, I suggest starting by blocking off a small amount of time—say, five minutes—and use it to meditate on your goal. Your muse could be screaming an idea at you, but the static from our daily lives drowns out your muse’s quieter voice.

When meditation facilitates moments of silence, space appears for your muse’s soft tones to be heard. That inner voice bubbles to the top and tells you what is possible.

Just so you know, the other voices show up first. Grocery lists, chores that need doing, your argument with a coworker, the last thing you read on social media—all of these things materialize in your mind. Nudge them gently aside and re-focus on the silence. Eventually, those voices subside and allow the message to get through.

So, take the time for your muse and your mind and your heart to speak to you. They know what to do. Give them the space to tell you.

Every tiny step toward your goal opens the door to your muse. These small steps train your mind that this is the time when I write. This is the moment I show up to play. This is the time to do my creative work.

Take that small step, and begin.

Now that you have your “How can I make this happen?” goal, consider it from all sides. What is the smallest repeatable step you can take toward your goal?

***This post uses Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Tools.

Tell us in the comments: What small step are you going to take today?

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois empowers you to embrace JOY as you manifest your creative goals through her Creativity and Business Coaching. Battle resistance, procrastination, and overwhelm with her at your side, gently encouraging with humor and heart. Discover more at her website, labourgeois.biz

The post Start with a Small Step appeared first on DIY MFA.

The new year always makes me want to reevaluate my creative process and push myself to become a more productive writer. This year is no different. As I’ve been thinking about creativity, I’ve begun evaluating my mindset as a creative person. 

I’ve realized that there are certain components that make up the mindset of a writer. First, you must have a willingness to experiment and try new things through the process of iteration. You have to reframe concepts of success and failure and view them more as part of the process. And, you have to realize that word choice matters; the things we tell ourselves about ourselves and our work matter.

The Key to Success and Productivity is Iteration

What’s iteration? Simply put, it’s when you keep trying things out and tweaking your process until you get it right. This approach is huge in the tech startup world, where programmers develop rudimentary Beta versions and continually improve the product in subsequent updates. We think nothing if a piece of software creates an update to fix bugs and other problems, yet as writers we often beat ourselves up for the slightest imperfections, both in our writing projects and in our process itself.

I’m here to tell you that it’s OK to be imperfect. It’s OK to mess up. It’s OK to try different things and explore brand new ideas. Go ahead, try a writing technique out and if it doesn’t work, just ditch it and try something else.

There are two sides to iteration. The first is we must be persistent and keep writing, even when it’s hard or painful and crafting each word feels like pulling teeth. On the flip-side, though, iteration also means letting go of habits or techniques that aren’t working for you. As writers, we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that just because a certain technique worked for another great writer, it should work for us. Then when that technique doesn’t work, we feel like there’s something wrong with us because that other writer’s method didn’t take.

For example, when I read Stephen King’s memoir On Writing, I was very shaken by the part where he talks about his writing and reading habits. According to King, a “real writer” must write 2,000 words per day and read upwards of 80 books in a year. I tried following his advice, really I did. And I failed miserably and felt horrible about my writing. 

That was when it hit me that Stephen King’s writing habits might work for Stephen King, but that didn’t necessarily mean they would work for Gabriela Pereira or any other writer for that matter. I realized that I needed to test out my own writing habits and find something that worked for me.

After that, with a long-time process of trial and error, I discovered that I write best in the late morning and late afternoon, that I do my best work with headphones on and music blaring, and that I need short, contained blocks of time. For reading, I’ve found that 25-30 books per year is my “sweet spot” and that I love reading on public transit or late at night under the covers with a book light (like I did when I was a kid). Without iteration, I’d probably still be mentally flogging myself for not writing 2,000 words per day and reading 80+ books per year.

Why Does Iteration Work?

The answer is twofold. First, iteration makes you mindful of your work habits and writing process. It also pushes you to adopt a meta-view about your writing, which can lead to more objectivity. Let’s delve into these three reasons further, shall we?

You become a more mindful writer.

When you iterate and test out different aspects of your writing process, it pushes you to become a more mindful writer. Mindfulness and meditation are techniques that I’ve been exploring, both in my writing life and my real life over the years. The idea of mindfulness is to become aware of your mind—to observe your thoughts and where they go—but then to be able to let them go.

When you practice iteration in your writing process, it makes you more aware of your habits: both what works and what doesn’t. As you iterate and observe your habits, you’ll become better able to shape your process and become more a more effective and productive writer.

You adopt a meta mindset.

This goes hand-in-hand with mindfulness. When you iterate and test your process, it pushes you to adopt a meta-view of your writing. This creates a certain distance between you and your work, distance that can help you gain a more objective perspective about your project.

We writers can get very emotionally involved with our writing. Our characters become like close friends and the world of our writing becomes a private sanctuary. When it comes time to evaluate our work, this emotional connection makes us very biased. When we embrace iteration as part of our writing process, it creates a disconnect between us and our writing and this makes it easier to be objective with our decisions.

Reframe Success and Failure

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.
Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
~Samuel Beckett

This is one of my favorite quotes because it gets at the heart of what iteration is all about. In order to iterate, we must embrace failure and mistakes as a central part of our creative process. Failure is not some big, scary thing. It’s part of the game. I like to think of it as sort of like playing golf. I’ve tried to learn, but when it comes to hand-eye coordination, I’m hopeless. Many of my cousins and other relatives play, so I grew up hearing a lot of golf talk.

Here’s the thing: the whole idea with golf is getting the lowest possible score. You would think, then, that the ultimate victory–the epitome of perfection (at least in theory)–would be to score a “zero.” Here’s the catch: if you score a “zero” that means you didn’t actually play the game. The minute you step out onto the tee and take your first swing, you’re getting an imperfect score. Failure and imperfection are built into the premise of the game. In order to play, you have to fail.

We need to embrace failure as being a core part of the creative process, just as it is a core part of playing golf. When we fail, let’s celebrate and embrace that fact. It means we’re out there, playing the game and doing the work.

Word Choice Matters

One of our superpowers as writers is our massive vocabulary. This gives us the power to choose the word and the meaning that we apply to our lives and our writing. Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.” This reframing is key. 

You may have heard me ask in webinars who is an aspiring writer. Lots of people raise their hands. But really, it’s a trick question. No one is an “aspiring” writer. If you write, you are a writer. Period. End of story. It’s a telling fact that so many of us need to qualify our status as writers by calling ourselves “aspiring.” In fact, I’ve found this is true with most creative careers, where we’ll hear people say they are aspiring actors or musicians, but we never hear someone call themselves an “aspiring plumber” or an “aspiring neuroscientist.”

I share this anecdote to underscore the power of words, even if those words seem inconsequential. Whether we tack on the dreaded a-word when we call ourselves writers, is only the tip of the iceberg. The truth is, every word matters, and when we talk about ourselves, those are often the most influential words of all. What we tell ourselves about our writing not only shifts our perspective about the work itself but shades how we view ourselves as creative people.

My challenge for you today is to think—really think—about the words you use when you talk about yourself, your life, your creative process, and even your health, either physical or mental. Strip those words down to their barest essentials. Try to understand that deeper meaning behind them.

Then choose one word or short phrase and rewrite it. Use different words. Be deliberate.

We are working behind the scenes at DIY MFA on a new program that focuses on mindset for writers. If you want to stay in the loop, sign up here to get emails as we release more information.

Gabriela Pereira is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur who wants to challenge the status quo of higher education. As the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, her mission is to empower writers, artists and other creatives to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth.Gabriela earned her MFA in writing from The New School and speaks at college campuses and national conferences. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio, a popular podcast where she interviews bestselling authors and book industry professionals and author of the book DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community.

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Here are five ways you can change the world without leaving your hometown:

Change the World # 1: You have to change your own world first

Creatives are especially prone to burnout since we often see those people mainstream society does not. We’re used to looking at things no one else likes to look at. It’s what makes us such influential citizens in our society, whether wealth and fame follow that influence or not.

I am convinced the one best thing creatives contribute to society is our ability to imagine ourselves in other walks of life. It is only when we can move our imaginations into someone else’s point of view (whether that’s through a poem, a novel, a painting, a song, or a flash fiction piece) that any lasting change can take place. 

But before you do that—stand in your own shoes first. You can’t help someone else get warm if you’ve got holes in your own Cariuma sneakers.

Change the World # 2: Understand the power of micro-social interactions

I don’t know much, but I do know there are things only you can do. There are people only you, with your unique life experience, will even see, let alone write or paint or sing about. 

I saw a young mother in the parking garage of a children’s hospital recently. She held a crying baby in her arms, and she looked barely out of childhood herself. My heart went out to her. I know how hard it is to take care of young babies. The lack of sleep. The constant feeling of never quite getting enough to eat, the myth of a full night’s sleep far behind you. 

I know loads of people who wouldn’t even have noticed her standing there in the corner, and if they did, wouldn’t have thought much about it. 

But I knew. 

And when I caught her eye and smiled, nodded, she knew I saw her too. 

Did I change her life? No. But it would surprise you how helpful those small acknowledgments can be when someone is feeling alone. 

Why do I do this? Because of an article that I read about talking to strangers. It boils down to empathy: taking an interest in other human beings, regardless of who they are, makes us all feel better. All that leads to number three….no interaction is too small.

Change the World #3: Reaching out through your creativity. (Hint: small is best!)

Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Some people think that because they are not rich or powerful, they cannot change the world. This is false.

Do you know what doesn’t cost any money and barely any time? A quick email to check in on a friend we haven’t seen in a while. Just because emails aren’t Tolstoy doesn’t mean your writing can’t change the world. 

It is we the people, without extra time and money to give to noble causes, who change the world by performing minor acts of kindnesses. Holding space for others to create, writing an email, a lunch note to our kids, a thank you note to an author who inspired us. 

It is we the creatives who can imagine a world different, better, or at least kinder than the one we live in now. You need imagination for that. You need connection with that inner knowing, that strange, ineffable place we go to when we write, or paint, or sculpt. (Or dance, or play the violin…you get the picture! Oh! Or take pictures!)

These tiny surrenders to our creativity, of giving in to the impulse to kindness and courage, reverberate little in our own lives but echo and multiply over years and miles. That’s the beauty and power of art. I mean, people are still reading those small little poems written by Enheduanna in 2285-2250 BCE. That’s amazing.

Change the World # 4: Turning hate into beauty with our creativity

If you’re a writer or any creative—you’re probably on social media. Even without being internationally famous, this kind of presence that seems so integral to our success can make our lives like a lamppost, attracting all the moths that come with being a bright light in a dark place. 

A great example of turning something hurtful into something helpful is Kate Baer, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Kind Of Woman. Her new book of poems I Hope This Finds You Well, are pieces written from base material that range from (well-meaning?) advice to outright harassment that she’s received over the years as a writer. She deletes, moves around, and uses the words of hate (or ignorance) she’s received and turns them into poetry that inspires, motivates, and sustains. 

Turning hate into beauty with our creativity is a most agreeable way to change the world.

Change the World # 5: Creativity is just another word for intuition—use it!

Where do ideas come from? Why do we replay the same themes over and over in our art? 

The beauty of creativity is that it might tell us to take a pottery class, or sign up for a book club, or finally try meditation. When we allow ourselves to embody our authentic, wildly creative selves, we give space for others to do so as well. These acts of courage, small enough in our own lives, can cause tsunamis of miracles on someone else’s shore. 

Besides, even forgetting the benefits to others we may never know or see, there’s something deliciously rebellious about doodling with a poem in a shaft of sunlight instead of filing that document or typing that next assignment. It feels like indulging. It isn’t. 

Who knows how far our words or images will reach. What child not yet born will read our words or cry at the painting of our firstborn daughter? 

You’re a creative. Put down the laundry. It will always be there. Go change the world. Go create. 

Tell us in the comments: how will you change the world with your creativity?

Angela Yeh hails from Atlantic Canada but lives and works in Texas – after her liberal arts degree she wandered into Corporate Canada but managed to escape. She is a fantasy author who is gobsmacked she gets to work for and with writers from all over the world at DIYMFA.com. She considers it a personal challenge to find an article or podcast that will answer any question you ask us. Bring it on!

She lives with her small family, big Texas pine trees, and three cranky fur babies. You can check her out on Instagram or Twitter.

The post #5onFri: Five Ways to Change the World with Your Creativity appeared first on DIY MFA.

As I’ve been slowly finding my way back to writing joy, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned in the hope that it will help someone else. Goodness knows this pandemic life hasn’t been easy.

Here are my top tips (so far) to recapture joy in your writing:

1. Give yourself a break

I’ve learned from bitter experience that pushing through isn’t always the answer. I kept working through 2020 thinking nothing was wrong (I’m an extreme introvert—I love staying at home), but, looking back, the quality of my work was lacking. And, if I’m being honest, my heart wasn’t in it. It felt like work.

If you’re feeling something similar, step away if you can. Give yourself a vacation. And maybe a social media and news vacation while you’re at it. How long depends on how you feel. When your project starts whispering in your ear and filling your dreams again, it’s a good sign that you’re ready to get back at it.

If you have an external deadline that you’re working toward, you may not have much choice but to power through, but I’d suggest asking if you can have an extension. If you’re upfront and give plenty of warning, most editors and publishers will understand, especially now. Just don’t make a habit of it.

And if your external deadline is for a contest or an open call, ask yourself what you’ll regret more: rushing to submit work that may not be your best or waiting for the next opportunity. There are always new anthologies, submission windows, and contests opening up. Sometimes you have to choose your battles.

2. Tidy/simplify/organize your writing space

If you firmly believe that a messy desk is the sign of a brilliant mind, you may want to skip this one. I’m an organized chaos kind of gal, so I get it. But I find that once in a while, I need to clean, especially now that my writing space is doing double duty as a work-from-home space.

I have a Rubbermaid tub in the basement that houses stuff that I don’t need anymore but want to hang on to. I’ve filed away past years’ important documents and shredded the rest. If I haven’t looked at it or referenced it in a year, and there’s not a creative or personal business need to keep it … it goes. 

It’s amazing how much all those pieces of paper can weigh and how light you’ll feel when you get rid of them.

Have too many devices, cords, etc.? See what you can move/remove without negatively impacting your process. Loose pens? Put them in a small jar or cup. Notes everywhere? Get a corkboard or a magnet board.

You don’t have to go for the full Marie Kondo treatment, but clearing out some of the clutter will make your writing space more pleasant to work in, which can help you recapture joy in your creative process.

3. Small changes can make a big difference

While you’re tidying up, consider the tools of your trade. Is there something you can change that would make a big difference? Is there a piece of technology that’s hindering your creative work?

I’ll give you a couple of examples, so you can have a better idea of what I’m talking about.

Example one:

When I got my last computer, I invested in a wireless keyboard and mouse. I didn’t want the clutter of extra cables. Unfortunately, over time both became glitchy. I was also concerned about the environmental impact of using so many batteries.

I went back to corded peripherals. They’re much more dependable. I didn’t realize how much stress I was experiencing from using the wireless ones until I stopped.

Example two:

Years ago, I purchased a standing desk. It’s adjustable, so I can sit or stand, but at the time, sitting was an issue. I would get so focused on a task or project that I would lean forward, hunch over my keyboard, and tense up. I was so sore after sitting for 30 minutes or an hour that standing at my desk was the solution.

Now, I’ve been writing while standing for eight years. I’m not sure if it’s still benefiting me the way it used to, so I’ve decided to try sitting again for a while. I’ve adjusted the chair, so the seat pan and chair back are both tilted to encourage me to lean back and relax. It’s only been a week, but it’s working out well. I’m not sore, and I’ve already seen better productivity.

4. Every word’s a victory

If your practice has been shaken by the pandemic or your productivity is not where it used to be, take heart. This too shall pass.

Taking a break can feel like defeat, but when you start writing again, adopt the beginner’s mindset. Every word you write, every sentence, every paragraph, is a victory. It’s a word, sentence, or paragraph you didn’t have before.

Build on that foundation as you start to recapture joy. Set small, reasonable goals. Stay flexible. Stay positive.

5. So, celebrate!

Writing is hella hard. Take some time to recognize the work you’ve done each day. It may seem silly to celebrate a sentence or two, but soon, you’ll be celebrating paragraphs, pages, and even chapters.

When you first start writing again, your initial gains may be small. Reward yourself accordingly. A piece of your favorite candy for a couple of sentences or a paragraph. Fifteen minutes of YouTube for a page. Thirty minutes of gaming for a chapter. A nice dinner (or take out) with a loved one for a short story edited and submitted.

You get the idea. You’ll want to decide what an appropriate reward is for each accomplishment based on your own preferences and life circumstances. Recognizing your writing accomplishments will go a long way to maintaining your motivation moving forward.

6. Be kind (to yourself) and stay strong

And now, we enter the self-care portion of the column. Self-care has been getting some flack lately, but what I’m talking about here isn’t about a spa day (though that’s nice—maybe use it as a reward?). It’s about making sure you stay healthy. That’s the best kind of self-care.

• Sleep: Make sure you get a full night of it, that’s seven or eight hours for most people. Develop a sleep hygiene routine (I’ll let you Google that).
• Physical activity: Fit (see what I did there?) some in every day. I walk my dog twice a day. After work, to separate work time from creative time, I do a little weightless workout or some yoga. A simple, ten-minute routine. You don’t have to sweat. Just get moving.
• Feed your body and mind: I’m not recommending any kind of restrictive diet here. Just eat well-balanced meals, and work in as much “brain food” as you can. Leafy greens, oily fish, avocado, nuts, etc. “Brain food” is another thing you can Google.
• Foster self-awareness: This is all about listening to your body and what it needs. Uncomfortable? Get up and stretch. Hungry? Have a healthy snack. Sleepy? Take a ten-minute “power nap.”
• Breathe: This is the simplest way to make yourself feel good. Counted breathing, progressive relaxation, all the way up to meditation. All you need is five minutes to relax and refresh.

Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.

7. Bonus: Prepare for tough decisions

If you find you’re still struggling to recapture joy and get back into the writing groove even after you’re healthy, well-rested, motivated, and have organized your schedule for prime writing time, there may be something else interfering that you haven’t considered.

The last 20 months of pandemic have affected the mental health of a lot of people in negative ways. If you suspect that you may need some support, see a doctor and talk about options. If your employer has an employee assistance program, reach out. Call a helpline. See if there is a support group in your area (or elsewhere—you can attend by Zoom).

Take a hard look at your commitments. Are you doing too much? Is there anything that you can cut back on? For example, if you volunteer 15 hours a week, consider volunteering fewer hours and make up the difference with a donation or in-kind contribution. Could a family member take on some of your responsibilities and free up some of your time? An older child with a driver’s license could ferry younger siblings to lessons or games.

Sometimes it’s a matter of priority. We’ve gotten into the habit of doing different things with our time because of pandemic restrictions and lockdowns. Do you really need to binge-watch a whole season of that show? Do you have to make that perfect loaf of sourdough bread from scratch? If you genuinely enjoy these activities, use them as a reward (see number 5).

My tough decision is saying goodbye to my DIY MFA family. Though I love writing these columns, I think it’s time to focus on my mental and physical health. Finding out that I’m autistic was a blessing, but it changes everything.

The pandemic has been a game-changer for a lot of reasons. While the pieces of our pre-pandemic “normal” lives are slowly drifting back into place, we have to recognize how much the world, and how much we, have changed. There’s no going back. Now is the perfect time to take control of your life and process and transform them into something that will serve you well into the future.

And try to have some fun in the process, will you? This column is supposed to be about joy!

Remember to keep speculating and see where it leads you!

Tell us in the comments: What have you done to recapture joy in your creative life?

Melanie is an instructional designer by day, SF&F author-in-progress, and ink alchemist by night. She is the third generation of Marttilas to live in her little house on the street that bears her family name. She blogs at https://www.melaniemarttila.ca and you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

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I’ll decide to do something that seems so good for me. I’ll purchase books and watch webinars and do the research and decide, That’s it! That’s the thing that will change my life for the better!

Then, as I embark upon the journey to make this astounding life transformation… Did you hear the door slamming behind my eternal teenager as she flees screaming, “You can’t make me!”?

Hello, resistance! Not nice to see ya!

Some of us successfully defeat resistance in hand-to-hand combat. Others have to trick her into letting us go.

For the second group, here are my five steps to trick yourself into a creative habit. They worked for me, and I think they can work for you too.

Step #1: Decide on Your Goal

When deciding on your goal, make sure that it connects to your purpose and meaning in a significant way. You want this goal to be something that can get you out of bed on cold mornings or keep you awake when all you want to do is collapse.

For example, I wanted to FINALLY finish my novel. I decided to wake at 5:30 am for a full hour of writing.

By day three of waking at 5:30 am, I thought I was going to die. Thoroughly exhausted in every way, my day job suffered—and I still needed that sucker!

On day four, I accidentally slept in until 6:45 am and felt great all day. No more super-early mornings, I decided. I guess I can’t do that.

I could have stopped there, but my novel! I want to write! Get published! I don’t want to die without finishing all the writing I want to do! When I thought of giving up, my regret laid on top of me like a bag of concrete. 

“How can I make my writing happen?” I despaired.

At the same time, with that question, I knew I’d picked the perfect goal.

You’ve found your perfect project the moment you look at your goal and, instead of “It’s too much. I can’t do this,” you say “How can I make this happen?”

The trick worked!

Step #2: Pick One Tiny Step You Can Take Toward Your Goal

“How can I make this happen?” is the right question.

And the answer? Pick a tiny, itty, bitty step to take.

Something that you can’t possibly NOT achieve. This trick shuffles you inevitably toward your goal.

Something that you can repeat each day.

I decided to write for fifteen minutes a day.

That was it. That was all I asked of myself. That was all I could ask of myself.

Fifteen minutes each weekday. I didn’t even make myself write on weekends. Fifteen minutes a day, five days a week.

Step #3: Create a Ritual Around that Step

Create a ritual around that step that propels you into your writing space. 

To do this, acknowledge your truths. For example:

• I wake up early, but if I get up too early, I’m sleepy and grouchy all day.
• My wife sleeps late.
• I am at my most creative in the morning.
• I like to get my most important work done first.
• If I move making lunch from the morning to the evening, I have my fifteen minutes.

Mornings, in the still and quiet, promised the best results for me. 

Answer these same questions for yourself. What time of day are you the most creative? Are you good at getting things done at the end of the day or do you need to get them out of the way?  When will you be least likely to be distracted? Do you rise early or stay up late? Do you have any final or beginning chores for your day? If yes, can you move them to the opposite time?

Now, visualize your ritual. Does it feel possible? Great! If not, tweak the ritual until peace rises in your soul at the thought of performing the actions.

My visualization went like this:

Before I go to bed, I make my lunch and store it in the fridge. Off to sleep!

At 6:30, I rise. Fifteen minutes to feed the pets and walk back into my office. Write from 6:45 until 7. At that point, get up, take my shower (½ hour), walk the dogs (½ hour), eat my breakfast (½ hour). At 8:30 am, get in the car and go to the day job.

Yep. All doable. 

Time to set my stage! Make sure everything you need to write is ready to go when you enter your writing space. A working pen sitting on top of your notebook. Laptop in its place. 

Now all you have to do is take this same small step, over and over.

Once you start to write regularly, even if it’s only fifteen minutes a day, the words you put on the page will begin to pile up. As you begin to yearn for more time, go ahead and give in. Use a small chisel and chip tiny bits of extra time into your schedule. Too much time at once can undermine your efforts, so go slow. Patience is the key to this trick.

Step #4: Celebrate Your Victory

Each morning, I wrote for fifteen minutes. Done with my step, I proceeded through the rest of my day—so pleased with myself!

For me, the celebration for fulfilling my step was reveling in the work on the page. When I finished up that first day and looked at my word count, I saw that I’d created 50 words. I danced my joy in writing those 50 words all the way to the shower! 

Your celebration is the daily manifestation of your victory! Dance, sing, have a cup of that tea you keep for special occasions.

Allow your celebration to proceed in any way that you wish. But make sure to rejoice each time you succeed in taking that step. The continual reward helps you return to do the step again and again—and that keeps you moving forward.

Step #5: NO GUILT ALLOWED.

Finally, here’s the biggest trick of all—we all have those days, a day when we oversleep, a day when we feel sick, a day when we have to get the trash out and the cat pukes in the middle of everything and the dog runs outside and barks at a deer and we spend our fifteen minutes of writing time corralling him back into the house.

But our real goal is that when those things happen, instead of dwelling on our failure for that one day, we put that day behind us and show up brand new the next day. That one day’s worth of failure doesn’t get to seep into the next. Tomorrow, we return to our desks with our heads held high and write. 

And trick ourselves into continuing to write every single day that we can for as long as we can.

LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois supports writers, makers, and other creatives to find their meaning and use their creativity to manifest it in the world. And, if they want to turn their creative work into a business, her twenty-five+ years of entrepreneurial experience answers their questions. Writing and knitting are her nonnegotiable mediums, and she can usually be found with a pen or knitting needles in her hands. Find her free guide, “Tricking Yourself into a Creative Habit” online on her website and start writing those words today. She can’t wait to read them!

The post #5onFri: Five Ways to Trick Yourself into Writing appeared first on DIY MFA.

Many remarkable leaders, business people, scientists, and strategists ­(George Washington, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Elon Musk, or Steve Jobs, to name a few) ­changed the world because of their vision and knowing how to tap into their creative minds.

We can’t purchase, borrow, or force creativity upon ourselves. Still, we can develop and stimulate it with various techniques and practices. These techniques are designed to relax our bodies, bring clarity to our minds, and connect us to our souls where creativity lives. My favorite is mindful movement, also known as yoga.

Yoga has been around for about 5,000 years. It originated in India, where monks, Vedic priests, and warriors practiced yoga for physical and mental strength and religious rituals. Yoga found its way to the West in the late 19th century and recently became a popular form of exercise, meditation in motion, and relaxation technique. It serves men and women, young and old, healthy and ill, rich and poor, and anyone looking for inspiration to improve various aspects of their lives.

Yoga has many applications. As a yoga teacher and a writer, I have discovered that yoga can help writers snap out of writer’s block and get back into the flow. The main elements in every yoga practice—postures (asanas), slow breathing, and noticing sensations in the body—bring us to the present moment, unclutter our minds, release tension from our bodies, and allow us to hear the subtle voice we need to write and create.

Among eighty-four poses, I find several that work best when I feel stuck looking at a blank page and am waiting for the words to appear on my computer screen. I invite you to try the poses below (individually or as a sequence) and practice them daily or when you need the energy and creativity to flow.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

This pose is considered the fundamental yoga pose and the basic standing pose. We all do it daily, but we might not always know that we are standing in Mountain Pose. Paying attention to the details such as alignment, breath, and standing tall, make this pose powerful and effective for physical and mental strength.

Cues for this yoga pose: 

Stand up tall with feet at hip-distance apart, arms and shoulders down, chin retracted and the crown of the head reaching up. Feel the ground under your feet and notice your breath slowing down; expend your body on the inhalation and release tension on the exhalation. With each breath, lengthen your spine and become taller and more focused. Picture your favorite mountain—tall, powerful, peaceful, and inspiring—and become that mountain.

2. Cat/Cow (Marjaryasana/Bitilasana)

These two poses are usually practiced together. They create a flow while moving from one pose to the other with slow and rhythmic breathing. This flow is terrific for anyone who sits for a long time (hello writers!) and puts pressure on the spine and compromises their posture.

Cues for this yoga pose: 

Come to all fours and place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale and lift the sitting bones, arch the spine, bring your chest forward, and lift your head; exhale, curl your tailbone, round your spine, and relax your head down. Move through this Cat and Cow sequence several times, then return to a straight, neutral spine. Take a few more breaths and feel the energy flow.

3. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This pose, also known as Down Dog, is considered an inversion where the head is below the heart, and more blood and oxygen reach the brain. Improved circulation, lengthening, stretching the entire body, and being in an upside-down position can make a shift from being stuck to having the creative juices flow.

Cues for this yoga pose: 

Come onto all fours, then lift your knees and hips. Keep your hips high and your heels as close to the ground as possible. Press the front of your upper body towards the front of your legs, creating a sharp, inverted “V” shape. Let your head be heavy and your facial muscles relaxed. Breathe slowly. 

If your body is asking for you to move, stay in the inverted “V” shape and “walk your dog” by bending one knee at the time and reaching with the opposite heel of your foot toward the ground. Listen to your body and move with your breath.

4. Cobra (Bhujangasana)

Cobra pose stretches the chest muscles and allows the lungs and the heart to work better. When we breathe deeper and when our heart muscle has more space, we feel more energized, motivated, and inspired.

Cues for this yoga pose: 

Start by lying down on your belly, hands by your shoulders. Inhale, hug the elbows in, lengthen your spine by reaching the crown of your head forward, and peel your head, shoulders, chest, ribcage, and your belly off the floor. Exhale, slowly lower your ribcage, chest and head down to the ground. 

Repeat three to five times with at least one breath between the postures. On the last one, hold the pose for three long breaths before you come back down to the floor, then rest for several breaths.

5. Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

This restorative pose doesn’t require much strength or flexibility, standing up or stretching. Its focus is on resting, grounding, and rejuvenating. Some days we need just that, and that’s when Legs up the Wall can make a difference.

Cues for this yoga pose:

Sit on the floor sideways with one hip near a wall.  Swing your legs up the wall while you slowly bring your back down to the floor (use your hands and forearms to recline). It is a bit tricky to bring the legs to the wall if you are doing it the first time. If you decide that you don’t like this version, you can still do this pose with your knees bent and your lower legs on a chair or a bed. Have your back relaxed on the floor, arms along your body, and the back of your head resting comfortably on the floor or a folded blanket (or a small pillow).  

A good amount of time to spend in this pose is 5-15 minutes.

These yoga poses are easy but very effective. They can positively influence health, wellbeing, and creative success. They might even spark curiosity and open the door to a new lifestyle that can lead to the life we want and the creativity we desire. It all starts with a single pose, deep breath, and conscious experience of being in the present moment. Let’s do it! 

Urszula Bunting turned her struggles into the passion and calling in the search for answers to many of her life’s challenging questions. She became a Registered Yoga Teacher, National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and health and wellness writer. She is a self-published author of Finding Your Yoga; Essential Guide of a Healthy Lifestyle with Yoga and Ayurveda and a founder of UB Well, LLC. She has been featured in The Times-Call, the Longmont Leader, The NAJIT Observer, the Colorado Shoutout, and Yoga Journal. For more information, please visit Urszula’s website at www.ubwell4life.com.

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