15 Minute Writer

Writing Tips – 3 Wisdom Tips to Overcome the Fear of Failure

Let’s talk for a minute about fear. Do you hesitate to write and submit a story for publication or to write a book or a blog post? Maybe you want to write a report or give a presentation or speech, but you feel uncertain about it. Do you want to learn how to write but fear you won’t do it well? Do you hesitate to venture out into a new area with your writing? Or maybe you have some other fears related to your writing.

The fear of failure and rejection can be a hindrance to moving forward with learning how to write, how to write better, or accomplishing your writing goals. Yet being willing to risk is one of the keys to growing in your writing skills and achieving your goals. For sure, if you don’t venture out, you will not be successful. How can you overcome your fear of failure?

Here’s a story that gives us some clues. Sara Blakely is a self-made billionaire from her idea for Spanx, which became a big hit with women and even celebrities. She shared that her father asked her weekly if she had failed at anything that week. If her answer was no, he was disappointed. This is a wise father. He knew that in order to succeed, his daughter needed to be willing to fail.

Sarah shared that she experienced rejection and discouragement along her journey. However, she persisted to the point where she is now extremely accomplished. Not only is she successful herself, but she started a foundation to help women in third world countries with their entrepreneurial ideas so they too can reap the benefits of their innovations.

3 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Failure

• Fear of failure loses its power over you when you realize that as long as you learn something, you never fail without gaining something.
• Fear of failure loses its power on you once you realize there is no shame in making a mistake, only an opportunity to gain experience of what works and what doesn’t.
• Fear of failure loses its power over you when you realize that all successful people fail their way to success. One writer I know posts her rejection slips as proof that she takes action. If she didn’t submit her writing for publication, she would not get rejection notices, but then she also would not have the chance to get published.

You may not succeed when you write something, but you have a chance. For sure, if you don’t write, you guarantee failure.

How about you? Can you set a weekly goal to fail at something in your writing? What would happen if you set this as a goal? We think by shrinking back we protect ourselves, but actually, we hinder ourselves from achieving a new level of growth and experience.

I challenge you to think about something new and risky you can do with your writing this week. What do you think might happen if you did this regularly? Think of all the potential you may unleash if you run toward your goals free from the fear of failure.

What do you think? Does this make sense to you?  What risks are you going to take? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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7 Writing Tips From A Famous Author–Charles Dickens

How would you like to be remembered as a writer?

Could you and your writings be honored in a public way like Charles Dickens?

In Britain, Prince Charles led a global celebration to celebrate Dickens’ 200 hundredth birthday. Read-a-thons were held all over the world to commemorate his writings. Even the internet took note. On the Google search engine, a Google doodle of characters from his novels greeted internet surfers.

What can you learn from Dickens that will improve your writing? What are you writing today that can impact your world  in a positive way through your stories, articles or blog posts?

Charles Dickens was a popular English novelist in the mid eighteen hundreds.  He felt compelled to address some of the social issues of the day such as poor child labor laws. Through his novel writing, he raised the level of awareness of the injustices and the unfair treatment of orphans and child laborers.

One of his most famous novels was “Oliver Twist,” about an orphan boy who suffered grave mistreatment. It was even made into a movie that impacts us today.

Dickens sought to encourage others to be more charitable by highlighting the plight of the poor. Millions have watched the movie or seen plays of “The Christmas Carol” and have been warned by Scrooge’s behavior and  inspired to be more generous to those in need such as Tiny Tim and his family.

Dickens used vivid stories to challenge the social injustices of his day, to highlight the plight of the poor and the hardships of the working class.

This awareness of injustice and sensitivity to the poor came in part out of his own misery. When he was twelve, his father was sent to debtor’s prison and he had to go to work. He sat in a cold, dark room with rats running around, as he put labels on shoe polish cans to earn a living.

Later he drew on these experiences to create strong characters and scenes in his creative writing. He knew how to tell a story!

What can you learn from him as a writer?

7 Writing Tips From Dickens’ Writings

1. Opening sentences. He used gripping opening sentences to grab the attention of his readers. One of his openings has even become a classic line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” the first line from “The Tale of Two Cities.”

2. Powerful endings. He used cliff hangers at the end of his chapters to leave his readers hanging. In those days, chapters were released one at a time and people would line up to get the next installment because they were so eager to find out what happened next.

3. Vivid descriptions.  Here’s an example. “She was dressed in rich materials – satins, and lace, and silks – all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table.” (Great Expectations. Ch.8.) His descriptions gave the reader ability to feel, see, smell and hear the people and scenes. Stories came alive through his descriptions.

4. Strong characters. Dickens was a master at creating characters who linger in our minds and have become a part of our culture such as Ebenezer Scrooge. “Bah, humbug” has even become part of our language.

5. Drama. He used action and dialogue in such a way that pulled the reader into the story. His novels were easily made into movies because of his mastery of dramatic techniques.

6. Social justice writing. He used the pen to confront the evils of the day and sway public opinion. He raised the level of awareness of injustice through the use of his stories.

7. Transformed his personal suffering into helping others. He used his own life experiences and misery to be able to help others in similar situations.

A friend of mine, Lucille Zimmerman said, “I believe writing should be powerful, raw, and beautiful. It should make you think, and act, and it should change you!”

Dickens’ creative writing did that and so can yours. You can learn how to write and pick up writing tips from creative writers such as Charles Dickens. You may not be as famous as Charles Dickens but in your own way, in your corner of the world, you can learn how to write in such a way to impact your arena of  influence.

If you want to learn how to write or how to write better, you can also take courses such as “How to Write for Fun and Profit.” However you decide to learn, do take the time to improve your writing skills so you can write well.

Learn how to write a story. Write your stories, blog posts and articles in ways that captivate, challenge and change your readers’ lives for the better.

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Creative Writing – What Can A Tugboat Teach You About Thinking Big?

Do you have big dreams? Would you like to do something big with your writing, with your life? Do you feel like you are an ordinary person, one little person in the world and maybe a little shy about what you can seriously accomplish?

I understand those fears because I’ve had them myself. Perhaps some of the insights below will help you take some more steps to put those fears behind you.

Child prodigy, Arfa had these thoughts about the power you have in your mind to overcome the tendency to be shy. “If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind. If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident you act confident. Therefore never let shyness conquer your mind.”

Arfa Karim Randhawa was the computer programming prodigy. She became the world’s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at 9 years old. Unfortunately Arfa only lived until she was sixteen but she had a big dream and in her short life, impacted the world in a significant way.

Another source encouragement came in an unexpected way when I visited my sister last summer in San Diego. We enjoyed an expansive view of the San Diego harbor from her high rise condo. We’d watch the large ships coming in and out of the harbor.

One of the sights that captivated me was the little tug boats pulling a big ship–and I mean a huge ship, a ship many times its size. Once the ship was in the harbor, it could no longer use its own power but had to depend on one or two tugboats to pull it in. It’s almost amusing to see these tiny little boats pulling the great ship.

Tugboats were created to tow big ships. That is their job. It doesn’t matter that they are small, they were fashioned to do this chore and they do it well.

Sometimes I identify with those tugboats. The dreams I have and the ship I want to pull in seems huge to me.  Maybe you can relate. You may sometimes feel small in comparison to the big dream you have.

Perhaps God designed you to fulfill some big plans. Maybe through your writing He wants you to impact others in some significant way just as the tug boats were designed to pull the hefty boats. It’s not in your best interest or in the best interest of the world for you to shy away from the gifts, talents and abilities, God has placed in you. Maybe you won’t be a prodigy but you have your own significant assignment and role to play to make the world a better place with your writing.

Develop your writing skills, talents and abilities. Maybe you already know how to write but are you refining your skills and adding to your abilities? I’d like to invite you not to settle at the level you are in your writing skill. Always be looking for ways to add to your knowledge in how to write well and to grow in your creative writing skills. Implement new writing tips and ideas regularly.

If you have not yet learned to write, then begin now to learn how to write and the techniques of creative writing. One way is to take writing courses. The writing course, “How to Write for Fun and Profit” is designed to support you as you learn how to write or  move your writing skills to the next level. I would love to support you on your writing journey but whether you take a course from me or not, learn how to write and continue to improve your skills.

A proverb  which inspires me to continue to develop my writing skills says, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings, he will not serve before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29 (NIV 1984)

Your ever increasing ability will enable you to move big ships into the harbor–huge ships loaded with good things for yourself and for others.

Don’t be shy no matter how little you feel. Grow in your skills and have fun with it!

Go write now!

How about you? How can you overcome your shyness? What can you do to bring your big ship in?

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5 Ideas to Share Your Heart with the Gift of Writing

Have you ever wanted to give a more meaningful gift than something you buy? Are you experiencing tight finances? Have you thought about giving a gift of something that you write?

My friend and her husband had an unusual anniversary this year. As part of a special dinner they prepared and served, her four children, age 6-14 put on a skit they wrote and one of the daughters sang an original song she’d penned. The kids gave their parents the gift of writing. These gifts blessed their parents far more than anything they could have purchased.

Once a year at my writer’s club, instead of a speaker, we have a “night of sharing.” We read stories we penned that inspire us, make us laugh, and cry. For our Christmas party, we read Christmas stories & poems we wrote. We give each other the gift of our creative writing.

At our church, we have a Christmas talent show. Members put on skits or share stories they wrote or original songs. They inspire us and make us laugh. We will share with each other the gift of our writing and creativity.

Here are some ideas from my personal life. On my aunt’s 70^th birthday, I wrote her a tribute. The idea came to me when my sister said, “Why do we wait until someone is dead to let them know what we appreciate about them? Why not let someone know while they are alive? My aunt wrote me and told me how much my tribute meant to her. If someone you love has died, you can still write a tribute to give to those who loved them or a poem or story in their memory.

One time, my sister gave me what she called a “praise bouquet” filled with encouraging, affirming traits she saw in me. Her gift greatly encouraged my heart. I’ve done the same for her. We encouraged each other with our gifts of writing.

One of my adopted sons is especially gifted with words and has written me letters filled with encouragement. One of my adopted daughters has written me the sweetest little love notes or thank yous. These gifts of writing bless my heart.

A friend wrote something for my birthday, rolled it up, tied it with pretty ribbon, and put it in a beautiful gift box.  Her gift charmed me with her creativity and effort.

Another time, I wrote a Christmas story about one of my adopted daughters and got it published in the Chicken Soup book series. Even if I had not gotten it published, the story is there for her to bring back a special memory. I also wrote a story about some childhood memories to leave a legacy for my children and in this way give them the gift of writing.

What can you give in writing as a gift?

5 Ideas to Share Your Heart with the Gift of Writing

1. Stories – Write a story about a special occasion, a holiday memory like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation or a birthday or an event from an ordinary day that is worth sharing.
2. Drama – Write a skit or play and perform it for a special event or create an event to share it.
3. Song – Write a song and either sing it or have someone sing it for you.
4. Tribute – Write a letter of encouragement or a letter to honor someone.
5. Thank you – Send thank you letters on special days or holidays or for any reason to brighten up an ordinary day. Let people know you appreciate them.

Another idea is to give someone the gift of learning how to write. Do you know someone in your life who wants to learn how to write or who enjoys writing and would like to improve their writing skills? Do they have stories to share or a book they want to write? A perfect gift that would delight them is an online writing course. Consider the course I have to offer, “How to Write for Fun and Profit” with proven tips and strategies to make someone’s writing dreams come true!

However, you choose to do so, brighten someone’s day by giving them the gift of writing.

What ideas do you have? What have you done to share a gift of creative writing? Share with us in the comments below.

Letter Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Christmas gift Image: Naito8 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Creative Writing: Learn How to Write by Watching Kids Play

Would you like some new ideas on how to nurture your creative writing? Ask around and see what other people do to nurture their creativity. Watch kids when they play and observe what they do.

“What do you do to nurture your creative self?” I asked a friend of mine who I know has a creative bent.

We stood outside the building waiting for her husband to bring the car. “Hmmm, let me think about that.” She looked down at the pavement for a moment. “I go to a craft store, and look around. I might buy some new paints and take them home to play with them.

I work with kids so I watch them and the way they play. They don’t start out intentionally to create something. They just start playing. I find inspiration in that so I’ll start out just playing with the paints and see where it goes. If it develops into something I go with it. If not I simply enjoy the play and creative wandering.”

She wrinkled her nose, put her hands out and wiggled her fingers, “I like to get messy when I paint, and when I do crafts. I like the feel of the paint on my hands. I like paper mache and getting the glue all over me. Not everyone is like that but I enjoy the mess.” She grinned.

“I like to write too and sometimes rather than have a plan, I will tune into that creative stream of writing and let it take me where it wants to go. Sometimes it turns out to be something and sometimes not, but I enjoy that process of letting the writing flow.”

She paused and thought for a moment, “You know I’ve been doing a lot of administrative stuff lately, things that are not fun but have to be done.  I’m missing that creative connection. I think this week, I will actually go to the craft store, get some paints and do what I just said.” She smiled at me, “Thanks for asking!”

As you learn how to write, here are some tips for exploring creative writing.

7 Tips to unleash your creative writing:

1. Plan a time where you will not be interrupted.
2. Create the environment. Get some tools you enjoy using, maybe a new journal or pen or open a fresh page on your computer. Brew your favorite cup of tea or coffee.
3. Start writing about something that is going on in your life, a recent fun activity or a sad time, a special gift that someone gave you. Look at a photo and write about it.
4. Use your imagination. Let your mind wander like Sarah did with the paints and like kids do when they play.
5. Enjoy the journey. Let your inner child out to play. Allow yourself to be childlike without knowing where you are going with this activity.
6. Relax and let it be what it is. If it turns into something, go with it. If not, set it down like kids do with toys and pick up another idea.
7. Have fun with it. Don’t judge yourself. Kids don’t get dissatisfied with the results of their play. Let yourself be a child and explore.

How about you? Have you ever done anything like this? How do you stimulate and nurture your creativity?

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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How to Write: Allow Your Play To Support Your Work

When you go out to do something relaxing are you alert for ideas that would give you solutions? Are you open to ideas to help you solve a problem at home or work?

Open your eyes to see and ears to hear because ideas and solutions are everywhere. They come more freely when you give yourself a break and go do something fun!

Here’s an example from my own life. A friend invited me to go to an small artist colony here in Arkansas. Terra Studios is the home of the original bluebird of happiness.  I hesitated because of my long to do list for my work. I had just set my goals for the month for my productivity group and I felt self imposed pressure to get started on them. However, I had decided as part of my work goals to intentionally invest in creativity and fun activities. I had put it on my list of things to do so now I had to do something fun.

This decision to incorporate creativity activities as part of my goals started last summer when I stayed with my sister for a couple of months in San Diego. We had a blast going on creative adventures together. Since returning home I missed those adventures so I decided to schedule creative opportunities. I wrote my friend back and we found a day that would work for both of us.

The day we left, the sun shone bright and the trees still showed off all their beautiful fall leaves. As we drove, I soaked in the various array of colors, orange, red and yellow mingled in with some still green.

During our drive, I told my friend about my Conflict to Peace in Relationships blog. She shared a story of a conflict she had with a friend and a great idea for a blog post popped in my mind. I pulled out my blank notepad and began scribbling down notes to remember when I returned home.

When we arrived at artist colony, we thoroughly enjoyed all the creative statues, pottery and glass. As we toured the back of the building and watched them blow the bluebird of happiness, my eye caught a pink bird of hope they created for women who had contacted cancer. Another idea came to me for direction in my writing.

Then on the way out, I stopped to read a group of plaques with inspiring sayings that motivated me in my writing. A realization came to me, I came to play but my play supported my work and gave me significant ideas. Fortunately, I was prepared and briefly wrote down all that came to me.

3 Tips to Capture Ideas

1. Keep a pad and pen near you at all times.
2. Take brief notes but enough so you can remember the essential details.
3. Write as soon as you get home or within the next day while it’s fresh on your mind.

Have you thought about the connection between play and work? Sometimes we get so focused on work, we forget that play is an important part of work. Maybe if you realize that play can support your work whether it’s at an office or at home, you’ll take time to enjoy your life more.

What about you? Do you take time to relax and do fun things. What do you do to capture the ideas and solutions that come to you?

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How to Write: Share Your Stories While You Can

Do you have stories to write but you haven’t gotten around to it? Do you want to share your stories with others to help them?

At an English Tea Room during the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate, I met a couple of retired women dressed in color coordinated outfits with matching hats and purses. They asked what I did and when I shared that I am a writer, we started talking about learning how to write to leave a legacy for your family. One of the women said, “I need to learn how to write my life stories so my children and grandchildren can know me.” She laughed, “I want my children to know why I like the color blue.”

A father of two teenagers shared with me,“I have so many thing I would like to say to teenagers to warn them about some of the things that trapped me and how to avoid them. I’d like to share some of the lessons I learned but do it in a way that won’t bore them.”

A retired friend shared with me, “I believe some of my life experiences would inspire others and show how God worked in my life. I don’t know how to write the stories.”

Another young adult man said, “I would like to write humorous stories from my life that would teach lessons in a fun way but I know I need to learn how to write.”

An additional friend confided,“I have some amazing stories to share about miracles that have happened in my life. I know these are stories that need to be told but I can’t seem to find the time.”

How about you? What stories do you to tell? Many of us have stories to share but they are locked up in our hearts like items in a storage bin. We haven’t thrown them away but they are not being used and shared with others. Think of the difference your stories could make if you would get them out there and share them!

This week a beautiful friend died of age 49 with brain cancer. She generously gave of her time, her wisdom and her care to so many of us as well as loving her own family of seven children. She invested her life in others and in her kind and gentle way made a huge difference in my life and all she touched. The flowers at her graveside spoke of the beauty of her life. She loved well and we will miss her. However, in her final days, she wondered, “Did I do enough? Did I love enough? Is there more I could have done?”

How about you? Do you have stories you want to tell but you have not shared them. What if someone’s life could be changed for the better by what you write? Would it be worth the effort? If something happened to you, would you have written all you wanted to?

If you are not sure how to write and need some support and encouragement in creative writing, check out the “How to Write for Fun and Profit” online course. If you are like my friend who feels pressed for time, I’ve divided the course into segments you can read and do the assignments in 15 minutes segments. I would be delighted to support you as you learn creative writing to be able to share your stories.

Whether you take my course of not, the important thing is to write. Don’t leave this world without sharing your treasures with your family, friends and the world!

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How to Write: How Can You Profit From the Problems in Your Life?

Do you ever get discouraged with your writing or writing business? Do you get down? Frustrated? What do you do?

I’ve written about the fun and creative part of writing, but there is often another part that goes with the writing journey. Today, I am in a funk. I didn’t sleep enough hours last night. I got discouraged because of some technical problems with my website and email program. I have some ergonomic problems that cause my hands to hurt and backaches etc from sitting too long at the computer in an inadequate chair. In fact, I’ve been in kind of a funk for the last week for these and various other life challenges.

Why am I writing about this? Why am I sharing my “negative” feelings? Well, because I want to help you. I want you to know that it’s okay to be down sometimes. It is part of a normal life experience. Like everyone else, for various reasons, you can end up in a pit of negative feelings. You can run into a wall of discouragement especially when you learn a new skill such as how to write, or when you write a book, learn to develop in a new area of creative writing, deal with the grammar gremlin or do the obligatory writing needed for your work.

Compost Bin

We live in a culture that doesn’t like to admit their struggles, and so people have a tendency to feel isolated and believe they are the only ones who have difficulties. This is not good or helpful for you. One time I saw a quote that said, “We learn how to suffer by watching others suffer.” How in the world are we going to learn how to deal with the negative in our lives if we don’t know how others struggle and watch how they overcome the various obstacles they encounter?

What do you do with your negative feelings and problems in life? My friends have a garbage compost for the garden. They throw out all the garbage on the compost pile and then use it to nurture growth in the garden. Then they harvest beautiful, nutritious veggies. Take your depressing life experiences and put the garbage on the compost pile. Recycle it! Use them in a positive way to support life and nurture growth.

5 Writing Tips to Turn Your Problems into Profit

First of all realize that profit is not only about money but about personal growth and helping others as well. If you keep this perspective, you can profit from whatever comes your way.

• Write about it. Journal your negative feelings while you feel them. Acknowledge rather than deny your feelings. Let yourself have them. This is wonderful therapy. If you don’t know why you feel funky or how to get through it, many times answers will come as you write. This can also be great material because as you find your way through the dark tunnel, you can help others find the light too.
• Look for the opportunity in the adversity. If you are a person of faith, pray and ask for help in solving the problems and wisdom on how to use the negative in a positive way. Anyone who asks God in faith for wisdom receives it.
• Persist despite the discouragement in moving forward toward your goals. Use the things coming against you to actually propel you forward toward a solution instead of hindering you. “The pressure you feel will drive you to find the solutions you need.” Curt Brown
• Allow the experiences to carve a compassion in your soul for fellow travelers so you can help them along their life journey. There is nothing like a struggle to break down the walls of pride that often separate us. When you can share your life experiences with others, they profit and you profit. Our shared suffering connects us.
• Use the lessons learned in some way in a positive way. Learn how to add creativity to your blog writing and write a blog post about challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Learn how to write and write a story using the complexity of your feelings for a character to make your story or novel richer. Write a how-to article or book on how to overcome some of the issues you face.
  

  Turn Garbage into Dollars

  There are numerous ways to turn your trash into treasure. People will pay you big bucks if you can offer them solutions to their problems. Now I am feeling good about feeling bad. LOL!

Well, this is what I did in the midst of my problems in life. I wrote anyway. Did you get that? Wrote anyway! I had a deadline on a blog post I needed to write so I wrote this.

Go Write Now!

What about you? How do you profit from the problems in your life? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Rubbish Bin Image Grant Cochrane/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Dollars out of Trash Image Scottchan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Sleeping Woman at Computer Image: Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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How to Write: Write and Bring Money to Your Bucket

People will give you money

What if a unique expression of your creativity in your writing could result in people handing you money with a smile on their face?

I enjoyed an extended visit with my sister who lives in San Diego last summer. One night I took a walk for exercise. As I walked down the streets of San Diego, I happened to wander into the Gas Lamp district where there are alot of restaurants and partying going on. It is a historic district and entertainment center. People crowded the sidewalks as the energy and excitement lured them. Since I’m not from around this area I got a little lost and ended up in front of an Irish Pub. There a large black man caught my eye.

He had on a huge mad hatter type hat, dreadlocks, layers of beads around his neck on top of an African print type loose shirt. He carried an orange bucket with decoys on it and a black boom box with a mike. He’d ask people their name and then sang a rap style song with their name in it. In this particular situation, he sang Irish songs, rap style. How unusual! He totally delighted me with his creativity so I put $1 in his bucket. I noticed it was full.

He turned to me and asked my name and then began to sing to me using my name and rhyming rap. Joy filled my heart as I stood there and enjoyed the gift of his talent. As other people passed by, charmed by his ability to use words to create rhymes on the spot, they also dropped money in his bucket.

I later learned from the one of the restaurants hosts that the rapper uses no curse words and encourages kids in his songs to obey their parents. He also supports a group who encourage young people in the arts. Everywhere he goes, he creates an environment of fun and positive vibes with his creative rap. He personalized his songs. Everyone loves individual attention and their faces light up with joy.

What can you learn from this relating your creative writing?

When you create a positive fun environment in your creative writing, people are drawn to you. There is so much focus on the negativity in the world that it’s important to find ways to engage people in positive ways. When you learn how to do creative writing, you will refresh them and lift them up. You can draw people to you by letting your light shine in how you write. As you write, you sing your song. Personalize it and people will feel loved, cared for and delighted in. They will reward you for your creative writing efforts.

Be Unique

Express your uniqueness as you learn how to write and increase your creative writing in your chosen area. Find your voice and sing it. Be your positive self. As you learn creative writing  you will find ways to reach people with the skillful use of words. You can grab people’s attention with personalized attention. Then people will flock to you and put money in your bucket. Soon it will overflow like the man whose main skill was his knowledge and use of words.

If you’ve always wanted to write but lacked the skills, I can help you make that dream come true. If you’ve always wanted to write but lacked the skills or you want to improve your writing skills, go to a writer’s conference or take an online writing course. You can learn “How to Write for Fun and Profit” and enjoy the positive energy and rewards our friend with the top hat did.

How about you? What can you do to create a positive environment through your creative writing and draw people to you?

Go write now.

Share the Gift of Writing!

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net by anankkml

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How to Write: Write to Change the World

What do you do when the power goes out? Our whole lives and of those around us revolve around power that comes from electricity. We enjoy a multitude of benefits and power is essential to our modern-day lives, so it’s serious when we lose it. At the same time, if you look, there can be some hidden benefits.

Recently, I visited my sister who lives in a high-rise condo in downtown San Diego. Suddenly our computers went on battery power. My sister came into the room where I worked. “Did you just plug something in? Our power shut off.”

We soon found out that it was not just us. We couldn’t turn on the TV or radio but when a friend called, she told us that an unexpected power outage left approximately 4 million people in San Diego and Mexico and other parts of Southern California without power.

My sister has a habit of saying in adversity, “What is good about this?” She’s an artist and she had been teaching me how to draw flowers. So she said, “Well, we’ve wanted to get some time to draw. Would you like for me to show you how to correct the shading on the tulip you’ve been drawing?”

I hesitated. I was in the middle of cleaning up my office desk. Noting my questioning, she implored, “A year from now we won’t remember cleaning, but we will remember that we took the time to do art.”

“Okay, you’re right, and besides that exploring creative expression as it relates to creative writing is on my list of things to do.” I laughed.

We sat down and enjoyed doing art until it got dark. Fortunately, we had a gas stove, so I lit a match to ignite the flames. I cooked something to eat and we sat on her deck. God provided us with natural light in a beautiful full moon, so we enjoyed eating dinner with the moon flickering on our faces and the dark buildings in the city.

Earlier, we also happened to be out in the hall when neighbors came home to the condo across the hall. We had never met and started talking about the blackout. They were the most delightful couple. He said, “Well, this is one good thing about the power outage. We met our neighbors!”

Stefanie, a friend on Facebook wrote, “It was an interesting day yesterday with no power. In our area, no one panicked. It seemed like everything just slowed down. There were BBQs going, children playing outside, neighbors talking to each other and people taking strolls around the area–back to the days of no TV, no Internet. It was so beautiful! This is what we have lost with technology.”

Sometimes we think writing means writing a novel or something more involved. In this post, with her simple observations expressed in creative writing, Stefanie called people back to the treasures we lost with the focus on technology; the treasures of having relationship; being creative and resourceful with what you have; the ability to find good in any situation.

We write for various reasons, but one form of writing is to provide perspective and encouragement on how to deal with the adversity in people’s lives. We all experience trouble in some form or another. When we find the good things and a purpose in those challenges, it gives us the strength to endure the suffering and any losses we may experience.

I saw a magnet recently that said, “If you can’t change the situation, change how you think about it.” As writers, we can learn how to write in such a way that we offer a positive perspective in adversity and strengthen people to go through it. When we see difficulties as opportunities to grow, we will be stronger as individuals, as a nation and as a world.

Make a difference in the world.

Go write now!

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