Writing Practice Prescription

This past Thursday, on April 24, 2008, ten attendees came to the Creekside Communications Seminar on WellWriting: Seeking Wellness, Story by Story. Feedback in the evaluation forms turned in at the end of the day reflects the success of the group and their participation.

Feedback highlights included comments such as “I learned that…”

• “Writing is healing for the soul.”
• “That I have a story to tell, and I can write.”
• “Making the commitment to writing will help me organize and express years and years of ‘people experiences.’ The impact of today will keep me motivated.”

and

• “I am now truly ready to compile my poems and writing to give testimony to my life struggle, loneliness, and finally coming into the light of ‘power, love, and a sound mind.’”
• “I am enthusiastic about my own experiences and wish to share those with others.”
• “That suffering comes in many forms but that writing is a perfect method to come to terms with your struggle and then perhaps find meaning [in it].

The goal of this course and our work is to encourage attendees to develop and maintain an ongoing personal writing practice for better health, well-being, and productivity. Toward that end, Creekside Communications will be offering future courses for newcomers and past attendees. Stay tuned for future information concerning course dates and times.

Five Simple Techniques for Surviving Information Overload

Productivity Consultant Shows You How to Find Anything in Your Office in 5 Seconds–Guarantees Results

In spite of the promise of the “paperless office,” studies predict there will be 50% more paper in offices by the end of 2005 than there was in 1995. Only 10% of the people in a recent survey by University of Washington School of Information were happy with the way they handled electronic information. Research shows the average worker spends 150 hours per year looking for misplaced information, but 80% of what we keep we never use.

If you’ve tried to organize your desk in the past, but it didn’t last, consider these tips from Elizabeth Hagen, CPO® to eliminate clutter, reduce stress, and increase results:

Take everything off your desk except what you must do.

Today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile. Put everything else you can’t throw away in boxes to deal with later. Create a new system to eliminate future messes – then you can deal with the past.

Clutter is Postponed Decisions®! Implement The FAT System

1. File it in a reference file or electronic folder in case you need it later.
2. Act on it immediately or in the near future.
3. Toss, recycle, or shred it.

Get The Magic 6™ tools for your desk to implement your decisions and eliminate unnecessary paper

1. Wastebasket/recycle bin/shredder
2. Sorting trays on your desk for In, Out, and File.
3. Rolodex or electronic database for contact information
4. Calendar/electronic planner for appointments
5. File drawer or box for Action Files – things to do
6. File drawers or boxes for Reference Files – papers you want to keep

Organize your Action Files to prioritize your work and manage your time

Categorize them by date (a tickler file), by category of action (Date Entry), or by project name.

Create an Index for your Reference Files

A filing software program, such as Taming the Paper Tiger, creates a file index, prints labels, and allows you to cross reference files. You can also do a “Google search” for the paper files as well as electronic files in your own office.

An organizing service offered by Hagen called The 8-Hour Miracle™ guarantees three results: (1) you will know what to do with every piece of information from that day forward, (2) you will be able to find anything you file in five seconds, and (3) you will have a game plan for integrating whatever you didn’t handle during the eight hours into the new system.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

About the Author:

Elizabeth Hagen is a dynamic and inspiring productivity expert and speaker who has motivated thousands to take action and get organized. She is President of ElizabethHagen.com and works with overwhelmed people to help them get focused, organized, and more productive. Her newest book and manual “Organize with Confidence” will change your life! Subscribe to Elizabeth’s free ezine “Extraordinary Results” at http://www.ElizabethHagen.com and receive the “31 Tips to Simplify Your Life” as her gift to you.

Forgetting Too Many Things?

13 Tips for Getting Organized and Staying Focused!

A new book by Martha Weinman Lear, entitled “Where Did I Leave My Glasses?” addresses the increasingly distressful (to many of us!) issue of memory loss. Fortunately, she puts the issue in a more positive light and refers to our forgetfulness as “nature’s priority filing system!” Two of her key recommendations for improving ones memory are “Get Organized” and “Concentrate More.”

Elizabeth Hagen, CPO®, couldn’t agree more! Ms. Hagen offers the following tips.

For eliminating physical clutter:

1. Place an easily accessible “Give Away” box on each level of your home or office.
2. Continually ask yourself, “What is the worst possible thing that would happen if I didn’t have this.” If you can live with your answer, put it in the “Give Away” box.
3. Encourage those around you to do the same!
4. As soon as the box is full, take it to the nearest donation center.
5. Continue the process.

For eliminating mental clutter:

1. Use 3×5 index cards for writing reminders. (They’re cheaper than sticky notes, easier to process!)
2. Keep index cards in your purse, the bathroom, the bedside table, the car, beside the TV – wherever you might think of something you need or want to do.
3. Every time you think of something you should do or want to do, write it down – one item per card, so you can easily put the reminder where you need it – e.g., your calendar, your shopping list, give to your spouse, etc.

For staying focused on what really matters to you:

1. Before you leave work, or go to bed at night, identify the three most important things to accomplish the next day.
2. Implement a system to record those three things – for example, a reminder in your calendar, a note on your mirror, or a file in the middle of your desk.
3. Complete at least one item BEFORE you open your e-mail! If you can accomplish all three, even better!
4. Implement a system to remind you to return to your priorities whenever you get distracted.
5. At the end of the day, express gratitude for what you have accomplished!

Organization, like any other behavior change, is all about habits. Using some of these tips even some of the time will go a long way to make 2008 your most productive and stress-free year ever!

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

About the Author:

Elizabeth Hagen is a dynamic and inspiring productivity expert and speaker who has motivated thousands to take action and get organized. She is President of ElizabethHagen.com and works with overwhelmed people to help them get focused, organized, and more productive. Her newest book and manual “Organize with Confidence” will change your life! Subscribe to Elizabeth’s free ezine “Extraordinary Results” at http://www.ElizabethHagen.com and receive the “31 Tips to Simplify Your Life” as her gift to you.

Seven writers gathered at Cameron’s Pub and Inn to attend our April 19th, 2008 WellWriting Workshop: Seeking Wellness–Story by Story. At the end of the day, the group was bonded, happy, and pleased with their day. Each participant took home their writing materials and output as well as a CD loaded with resources about developing a personal writing practice and living the writer’s life.

Highlights from feedback provided at the end of the day:

• The workshop inspired me to believe that writing is something I can do.
• I learned that I can write! I learned that I have a creative side. I learned that taking time out to explore writing was well worth it!
• There are many niches in the writing world and there is a place for your writing—whether it’s private/personal or public.

Many of the attendees noted they had learned to appreciate how valuable a personal writing practice can be and vowed to continue developing and maintaining a personal writing practice once home. As one attendee wrote that she hoped to use her writing to achieve “more clarity in goal-setting” as well as “better mental/spiritual well-being.”

When queried, “Would you recommend this course to a friend, client, or student?” attendees said yes and noted:

• It’s a great way to treat oneself to some creative, personal growth with kindred spirits.
• The group forum/feedback was especially powerful.
• Great opportunity to “dive in” to writing in a safe, comfortable, and relaxed atmosphere (not a “classroom”).
• Recommend (the course) for anyone interested in furthering a writing career, or using writing as therapy.

Did you miss the class? Not to worry. The same workshop will be offered this coming Thursday, April 24th. To learn more about the upcoming seminar or to register for it online, click here.

One of 40 contributors to the just released book, Voices of Alcoholism: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength, is writing buddy Kim Mallin, MD. The book’s publisher, LaChance Publishing, is donating 100% of profits from the sale of its Voices Of series to The Healing Project (www.thehealingproject.org), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the education and support of those living with chronic and life-threatening diseases.

Kim and I met at the Maui Writers Conference a few years back. She is a family practice doc with heart and courage. Most of her writing work focuses on fiction, but she does not hold back her pen when a chance to help others by advocating comes along. A recovering alcoholic, Dr. Mallin captures her ownership of her problem with these encouraging words: “Gifts don’t always come in pretty packages, tied up with big colorful bows. Sometimes they don’t even look like gifts at the time. Sometimes they look like the worst things that could possibly happen, and only with the passage of time does the gift becomes apparent…such was the case with my alcoholism.”

Her contribution to this important book serves as a good example of “bibliotherapy” through memoir writing. The basic concept of bibliotherapy is that reading can be a healing experience.

Click here to review the Press Release for this book.

Leon and I were in the same writing retreat group with David Fryxell a few years back at the Maui Writers Conference. Since that time our group stays loosely in touch. What a joy to get Leon’s email a few days back in which he reported:

“Hot off the Press: ZigZag Pass: Love and War, is a memoir of my experience as a teenage soldier in combat in the Philippines during World War II and, subsequently, with the Army of Occupation in Japan. Interwoven throughout the book is a love story. After returning home, as soon as I turned 21, Florence, the girl I left behind, became my partner, lover, inspiration, and wife of 62 years.”

Leon was kind enough to send some info from the back cover of his forthcoming book:

An Endearing Love Story that Blossoms during World War II

A compelling account of a young infantryman’s experiences in combat in the South Pacific during World War II. His later work as a combat medic provides insight into what was and still is one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in war. Readers also will find interesting the story of his boyhood days on an Indiana farm and his return to ‘the girl he left behind’ at war’s end.

–Dick Stodghill, author of Normandy 1944

I loved reading ZigZag Pass. It was great! I related to so much of it.

Peter Thomas, Oscar-winning radio and TV narrator

I finished your memoir … It is terrific! I wish I had learned WW2 history in that way. … ZigZag Pass definitely will appeal to teens. If I were an 11th or 12th grade history teacher, I would use your book as required reading.

Jane Kiester, author of books for children and youth

Your memoir is superb, a wonderful balance of history/fact and personal story that brought tear, laughter and learning for this reader. … This is … a real gift to those of us who didn’t live thru any of those horrors and only knew as teenagers ourselves through history courses, dry with dates and numbers.

Estelle Rauch

Apart from this work, I have not seen such a mix of solid history and first-hand experience. I do like it.

Tony Arnold

____________________________________________________________

Leon Hesser, semi-retired State Department Foreign Service Officer, is the award-winning author of nonfiction books, including the best-selling biography of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug: The Man Who Fed the World. Learn more about Leon and his book by clicking here:

www.zigzagpass.com

Bavender House Press
P.O. Box 770883 www.bavenderhouse.com Naples, FL 34107-0883

Here’s a nice blog post I found while surfing the net this morning. Enjoy.

Writing as Therapy

by

Laura Woodruff, LCSW

I have found writing to be such a good tool for emoting. It is such a great way to cleanse the soul! There are some things that are not appropriate for the blog, as we all know. So, I have had to find some other writing outlets! I just wanted to suggest to anyone that may be having rough times—- write, write, and write some more. I think some of the most beautiful writing is done in painful times. It can also be a great comfort to others as pain is a universal emotion we have all felt. So, when in pain—write, write, and write some more. I have also discovered that it feels better than eating, eating, and eating! So, those are my words of wisdom for others! I know, such a nugget of wisdom! Luckily, there is always humor too, which is also very helpful. I rely on humor a little too much. Thank goodness for kids and the rigors of life, that force you to forget about problems and delve into reality. I never thought I would be thankful for poopy diapers, but sometimes the mundane can be a relief from reality. Frightening but true. These are my thoughts for today!

__________________________________

Laura is a 35 year-old mother of five who lives in Utah. You can check out her blog by clicking here.

At the most recent Maui Writers Conference event I attended one of the speakers noted that the most frequent mistake she encountered among new writers was that of getting edited too early in the process of writing their books. So just when should you submit your work to an editor?

Check out this article from editor Barbara McNichol:

Not sure if your book is ready for editing?

Ask Barbara McNichol for a Sample Edit or Manuscript Review.
Call 520-615-7910

“Make Your Voice Sing” Sample Edit
My “Make Your Voice Sing” Sample Edit shows how editing can add power and persuasion to your writing while still capturing your voice and personality.
When you review your sample edit, you can see—
•    the quality and degree of editing provided
•    how editing adds clarity, precision, and artistry to your ideas
•    how we would partner to make your writing dreams come true!

“Make Your Voice Sing” Sample Edit Pricing - $100
You will receive:
•    A thorough edit of several manuscript pages
•    An editing Action Plan for copyediting your complete manuscript

A $100 credit toward your overall project fee when you order your “Content Complete” Copyediting.

“Hit Your Mark” Manuscript Review
You’ve labored so long over your manuscript that you’re too close to “see” its content clearly. It’s the perfect time to receive an expert review of your book—before you start the precision copyediting process.

Willing to invest in the ultimate success of your manuscript upfront?
An upfront review or critique lets you know if your manuscript succeeds in meeting your objectives early on. Find out what “big-picture” problems may lurk before copyediting begins and avoid pitfalls that will save time and costs in the long run.

You’ll receive all this and more by asking for a “Hit Your Mark” Manuscript Review, which will tell you:
•    if your manuscript includes all the content your intention calls for
•    where the structure of your manuscript needs improving
•    how well your ideas are presented to meet your objectives
•    how well your concepts address the needs of your readers
•    how you could magnify your ideas to make them bigger and better
•    how we can partner to make your writing dreams happen!
You’ll also receive a free “Make Your Voice Sing” Sample Edit

“Hit Your Mark” Manuscript Review Pricing
$  600 (up to 25,000 words)
$1100 (up to 50,000 words)
$1600 (up to 75,000 words)
You’ll find that a manuscript review will more than pay for itself with reduced editorial costs and increased sales.

______________________

Barbara McNichol offers expert editing of articles, book proposals, and non-fiction books. Contact her at 520-615-7910 or editor@barbaramcnichol.com or www.BarbaraMcNichol.com

By

Barbara McNichol

As writers, we can get caught up in an idea or feel particularly attached to a word or phrase. Our writing can suffer as a result. When editing your own manuscript, dare to be brutally honest with yourself. To help you, here’s a list of tips and techniques for steering clear of common pitfalls and strengthening your manuscript along the way.

While you’re editing, ask these questions:
• Is every word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, section, and chapter necessary?
• Is the message clearly understood?
• Can your ideas be expressed more simply?

Miracles do happen, but you likely won’t say yes to these questions after your first round of writing. So incorporate the following five “rules of thumb” in your revisions. Doing so will eliminate 90% of the weak writing editors see every day.

Make subjects and verbs agree.
Incorrect: A group of writers were in town. (“group” is singular while “were” is plural)
Correct: A group of writers was in town. (“group” is the subject here, not “writers”)

Use parallel construction.
Weak: We’ve learned to read, write, and we’re making sure information is shared.
Stronger: We’ve learned to read, write, and share information.

Make the subject obvious.
Incorrect: Driving down the highway, the new stadium came into view. (Who was driving
down the highway…the stadium?)
Correct: We saw the new stadium as we drove down the highway.

Use the active voice.
Passive: It was decided that everyone would take the class.
Active: The principal decided every student would take the class.

Select the write word every time!
Do you ever confuse “further” with “farther” or “accept” with “except”? I offer a handy reference guide called Word Trippers. It features more than 300 word pairs with definitions and examples to make their meanings clear.

For your free Word Trippers ebook, email me with 2008 Word Trippers in subject line.

Remember these tips to edit your work with a keen eye and a sharp pencil (or keyboard).

____________________

Barbara McNichol offers expert editing of articles, book proposals, and non-fiction books. Contact her at 520-615-7910 or editor@barbaramcnichol.com or www.BarbaraMcNichol.com

“Just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts,” may be good advice to keep your writing simple and on track, but there’s no reason why you can’t arrange those facts to put color and a little grin into the essence of things.

Consider the standard tagline used by many authors: “XXX is YYY who ZZZ. He/she lives and works in Mysterland and can be reached through his/her website www.bestwebsiteever.com.” Brief and to the point to be sure, but do you have any idea whatsoever about who the writer is?

Some authors breathe a little life into their taglines by mentioning hobbies, pets, and small children. Anne Bingham, pictured in this post, has a short tagline that stopped me in my tracks. In less than 40 words she tells the reader what she does and where she lives. And her detail-rich copy hints at who she is: a person with quite a healthy sense of humor:

“Anne Bingham writes business copy on the computer, edits manuscripts with a 9mm mechanical pencil, and reflects on faith and family life in a spiral bound notebook with a rollerball pen. She lives a few miles west of Lake Michigan.”

What does your tagline say about you?