a website & community for women who write & blog
As a writer, I’m constantly collecting journal prompts for self-care. When you’re an ambitious writer, prioritizing self-care is tough; sometimes it feels impossible. Going after goals like writing a book, starting a blog, or building a freelance writing business requires sacrifice. And oftentimes the first thing we sacrifice is self-care.
(more…)
Let’s talk about your BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS WRITING GOAL!
A BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS GOAL (or BHAG) is a concept developed in the book Built to Last. A BHAG is a goal that’s clear and compelling and once that requires building for the long term and creates a sense of urgency.
So what’s a big, hairy, audacious writing goal?
I think it’s that writing goal you have that’s so big it scares you. The one that’s so ambitious that you’re afraid to tell anyone about it because you think they’ll laugh at you. Or maybe when you think about the goal you laugh at yourself.
That was me less than 2 years ago. I secretly wanted to quit my teaching job to be a full-time freelance writer. I have other BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS GOALS and I knew that being a full-time freelance writer would give me the flexible schedule I needed to pursue them. But I was convinced that there was NO WAY I could make enough money to pay my bills and maintain a comfortable lifestyle on freelance writing income.
But guess what? I’ve done exactly that for over a year — in spite of cancer and in spite of a global pandemic that has rocked our economy.
There are three things that I think helped me achieve this goal.
(more…)
I was 19 years old when I first felt like a real writer.
I wrote a news story about an affordable housing initiative, pitched it to a newspaper in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, and that paper published my article.
I had my first clip and I felt legit.
But here’s the thing. You don’t need a book or a blog or byline in a newspaper, magazine, or website to be a writer. To be a writer all you have to do is write!
Here are 7 things you can start doing to FINALLY feel like a real writer.
(more…)
My theme for July was RESET and I can confidently say I did exactly that. I reset my goals for the year and even my 40 Before 40 list. But that was just the beginning.
This month I hit the reset button on nearly every aspect of my life, including my writing and blogging life, and I learned 3 important lessons along the way.
(more…)
This month I revisited a book I first read years ago when I was a student, a book by John Lee titled Writing from the Body.
The introduction of the book makes a bold declaration: Writer’s block begins in the body.
(more…)