They told me it would take my mind off bad reviews, the social media frenzy…angry family members, and ex-boyfriends. I didn’t know how to tell everyone—or maybe I was afraid to tell everyone—the truth: I wasn’t sure I had a second book in me.

Inconvenient Daughter was always the story I knew I needed to tell. It was part of me—it defined me in so many ways. And now that it was out in the world, I was worried it was the only story I had to give. 

Imposter Syndrome

A lot of people think getting published is validating for a writer. While that may be true for some, up until publication day I kept thinking, “They’re going to realize they made a mistake and pull this book, right?” Seeing Inconvenient Daughter on shelves was weird to say the least, but it didn’t make me feel like any less of a fake.

Those feelings were solidified when I sat down at my computer to write a second book and came up with nothing. Now, I’m used to staring at a blank screen, but I wasn’t used to the lack of ideas or inspiration. There was absolutely nothing going on upstairs. That’s when I started wondering if I was really a writer. After all, what writer has only one story to tell?

The Joy of Writing

It was months before I got an idea, and even when it showed up, it kind of sucked. I was starting to panic as though any minute someone was going to kick my door in and revoke my official writer membership card. 

Then I realized, the benefit of being a writer is the ability to create new realities. And that’s where I found the joy of writing.

I designed a reality where there was no pressure, no expectations…and no deadlines. I gave myself permission to be weird and silly and possibly a bit bold. I’d gotten caught up in success and failure, publishing and drafting, and forgot there’s joy in writing. There’s excitement in discovering the story. 

Hope to Draft Another Day

A lot of these things are easier to say when your book is on a shelf for purchase. At times I found myself thinking, “What are you crying about? One book is better than none.” I think sometimes we writers get so caught up in publishing we lose sight of the fact that all it really takes to be a writer is to write. 

So, whether you’re published or not, whether you have an idea or not, or whether you feel like a writer or not…give yourself the space to explore, to create, to find the joy of writing.

Tell us in the comments: How did you find the joy of writing?

Lauren J. Sharkey is a writer, teacher, and transracial adoptee. Inconvenient Daughter is her debut novel and loosely based on her experience as a Korean adoptee. You can follow her at ljsharks.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The post Finding the Joy of Writing 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.

The post Speculations: Recapture Joy in Your Writing appeared first on DIY MFA.

You just have to rethink how you go about it.

Just follow these steps. 

1. Shop Around

The best place to start for a great newsletter is by knowing, in general, what you love in a newsletter. So for a couple weeks, go ahead and sign up for every single email newsletter you come across. Other authors, news outlets, experts, shopping websites, everything. 

Then, watch it all come in. What trends do you see? How are different people and companies going about their emails differently? What kinds of layouts catch your eye? Take it all in, and question every piece of it. 

And more than anything else, pay attention to what you enjoy. For some, it might be the top quality curated links a certain person has an uncanny knack for pulling together on a theme. Or, maybe it’s the simple elegance of ample white space. Maybe it’s the digestible quick hit of a top 5 list, or the satisfying deep dive into a topic you’re passionate about. 

There’s no right or wrong answer here, just note your observations. 

2. Create Your Own Template

This is where it starts to get fun: Consider the notes you took in step one as you took in all different kinds of newsletters. 

• If a snarky headline enticed you to open an email right away, find ways to add your own humor into the subject lines. 
• If a picture of an author’s dog gave you the warm fuzzies, your cat might do the same for your subscribers. 
• If you lost yourself in the latest updates about an author’s creative process, find ways to give your own subscribers a glimpse into how you work. 

Don’t think in terms of topics, here — think in terms of sections, pieces you can offer a variation on every time. Then stack them together, keeping an eye out for balance between meatier content that will offer readers a bit of depth and smaller bites that will give snackable satisfaction. 

And of course, don’t forget your goal is to keep in touch with readers who will want your books. As long as you have reasonable tie-in to what you write about in some way, you’re golden. 

3. Commit to a Schedule

Now that you know what combination of content is going to keep you excited to write a newsletter, it’s time to figure out your schedule. 

How frequently can you create the content in the template you created, at top quality? 

Once a month? Once a week? Once a quarter? There’s really no right or wrong to this, just find a workflow that’s a reasonable commitment. (Okay, if you can’t  commit to once every three months with confidence, reassess what you’re including in your newsletter and make it less demanding to create —that’s a bare minimum frequency).

And hey, no pressure. If you commit to a frequency that later proves overly ambitious, you have the power to change it. You’re the boss of this little publication, after all. 

4. Promote 

While there’s nothing wrong with slow, steady growth, a newsletter is undeniably more fun when you have an audience to address. Which means you need to invite people to subscribe. 

Start by creating a snappy description of what readers can expect from your newsletter. This works best when it’s specific, short and matches the tone of the newsletter itself. 

Then, drop that thing everywhere you can–your website, your social media profiles, your email signature, swag, everything. Your fans will be sure to catch on!

Have Fun with Your Newsletter

Newsletters are an amazing way to stay in touch with readers, share more of yourself and your work, and stay in touch between new releases. So don’t let the idea of a newsletter intimidate or frustrate you–choose to include content that you’ll enjoy creating and sharing with your fans. 

Over time, you can learn more about what your readers love by monitoring your engagement analytics and hone it even further if you need to. But by starting with a formula of content you know you’ll love creating, you’re much more likely to stick with it. Odds are, that enthusiasm will be contagious, and your subscribers will have more fun, too. 

By day, E. J. Wenstrom is a content marketing and public relations expert. By early early morning, she’s the award-winning author of the Chronicles of the Third Realm War series. Join her email list for bookish news and a free download of the TRW series prequel RAIN at www.ejwenstrom.com.

The post The Secret Formula to Author Newsletter Joy appeared first on DIY MFA.

I bought ‘American Sunrise’ on Audible first, by accident, but I am so glad I did. Usually, I prefer hard copies for poetry books so I can underline at my leisure, and to stop at a particular passage to think about what and how they’ve written something.

American Sunrise is narrated by Joy herself, and while I encourage people to buy the hard copy too, hearing her speak her own poems in her own voice is a delicious indulgence. I cannot overlay my white perspective on top of her melodious, sometimes haunting intonations. Her voice turns her words into birds that fly over me too high to reach.

The Trail of Tears

I had never heard of The Trail of Tears. Maybe it is because I’m Canadian by birth, or because I’m white, or because my privileged education did not have the courage to embrace all of our history both cruel and horrifying.

The first few poems immediately pull me into the mud and bafflement of being thrown out of my own home, on my own land. Of having my children taken from me and forced to learn about a strange god in a foreign language, their homemade clothes suddenly not good enough. The trail of tears and everything that went along with it is a grief-rupture that is carried along ancestral DNA from parent to child. It is difficult to sit through. And it is not theirs alone to endure. If 2020 has taught me nothing else it is that no community suffers in isolation. What affects one will spread to the other. We are all connected. Hurt never stays contained within the one holding it.

Standing Witness

The imagery gives me chills –  the line from “How to Write a Poem in a Time of War”, ‘The torn pocket of your daughters home made dress…’ makes me want to cry and I am not a crier. I am a mother though, and this line makes me want to fight, and cry, then fight-cry.

In the past I would have stopped reading. I would tell myself this is hard, and you’ve had enough hard in your own life, and there is nothing to be done about it now. But this is 2021 and I am still alive and so I don’t turn away, feeling like it is my duty. It is my personal responsibility to both our ancestors to stand witness to her pain. And there is pain. There is grief. There is also this strange and wild voice threaded throughout her poetry, startling me like birds taking flight abruptly. 

Startling because it feels familiar. And even though I do not have even a ghost of a similar experience to relate to, even though this is the first time I am hearing these stories from her grandmothers, I find an echo of my own pain in hers, a glimmer of shared human suffering. Her poetry calls for us to stand still for a moment and listen to what was lost.

Humor connects us quickly but it is a light touch. A lover’s graze. This deep mourning, this sharing of her grief through poetry is a mother’s birth travails. There is hurt you don’t think you’re going to survive, and there are tears. In the end there is a love that shatters you more completely than suffering ever could. 

Shovels of Grief

She doesn’t shy away from the heavy topics, the thoughts we try not to think. In her poem “Singing Everything”, she reminds us that ‘For death, those are the heaviest songs. They have to be pried from the earth by shovels of grief.’

When you think you’re just reading a Joy Harjo poem and then the words slant sideways and winnow down deep inside your being to a sacred, secret place you are surprised to find is there. 

And it blooms, awakens, shoots out like a fire-cracker lilly back into the poem that birthed it and you are connected as surely as to a telephone line. You are never the same. This is the wonder of poetry in general and the skill of Harjo in particular.

As usual, Rumi said it better than I ever could:

Cry Easily

Keep your intelligence white-hot

And your grief glistening,

So your life will stay fresh.

Cry easily like a little child.

And so, I think I will cry. And then maybe dance a little, just like in her poem “Seven Generations.” I’ll dance and cry, and hold space for the relief of grief. 

Angela Yeh hails from Atlantic Canada but lives and works in Texas – after her liberal arts degree she wandered into Corporate America but managed to escape. She is a staunch advocate for writers and literacy/learning with her online writing community at DIYMFA.com. She also teaches a love of creative gardening to pre-k kids in her physical community. She lives with her husband, two lovely human children, and two cranky fur babies. You can check her out on Insta – @thatpluckygirl or at her website, www.thepluckycanadian.com

The post A Dance of Joy and Tears appeared first on DIY MFA.