Remember Your Approach

Let your wishes only be wants and never needs. Needs are too grasping, too desperate, too how will I live if I don't get this need met?

Make everything in your world a want so that you can remember--you want this, it is your choice to go out and get it, and it should be pleasant because it is a want and the world won't end if we don't get it.

It is a want and therefore it must be something we want to explore, not something that could take us down if we don't get it.

Remember to enjoy your wants and the pursuit of them.

Remember to enjoy. Don't be fast, don't be slow, just be who you are.

Simon Says with the World

The World wants you to be happy today (and always).

The World wants you to smile at someone today...
even if it's just up at the sky.

The World wants you to hug someone today...
even if it's just a teddy bear.

The World wants you to kiss someone today...
even if it's just a flower.

But mostly, the World wants you to know yourself...
and to tell you it loves you.

Thankful Thursdays: Career

I've decided to start a regular feature on the blog called Thankful Thursdays. I keep reading over and over again about how the best way to feel happy and fulfilled in your life is to be thankful for the things you have so that's what we're doing. Every week will have a theme and today's is career.

This is a tricky one for me because I can easily let the voice in my head say, "What career? You're not published! What can you be thankful for?"

But being thankful is not about wanting, it's about appreciating, and sometimes you need to ignore that initial voice and dig deeper.

This is what I found I have to be thankful for in my career as a writer:

1) I am thankful for the courage to query that I've recently found. Yay, courage! Why were you hiding?

2) I am thankful for starting this blog and having the inspiration to share my thoughts with others!

3) I am thankful for all the new techniques I'm learning on how to edit a novel! And for sticking with it!

4) I am thankful to myself for staying true to my purpose, and continuing to write no matter what.

5) I am thankful for all of the wonderful agents, editors, librarians, illustrators and all people connected to writing, publishing, and helping books to reach readers and enrich people's lives.

6) I am thankful for libraries! (I think this one is self-explanatory.) And for the wonderful librarian who was at my school from Gr.6-8. She took the time to invite writers to our school and to take us on field trips to meet writers, and she generally took me and my best friend under her wing. Thank you. You changed my life.


Well, it appears that I found some stuff after all : )

What are you thankful for today?

Make It Simple

You don't have to be amazing every day.

You don't even have to be amazing on any given day.

Just show up and put in the effort, the essence of what is you, and it will add up to people asking you how you did something so huge and amazing.

And you'll know the answer is:

"One step at a time."

But they won't believe you.

They'll say, "You're talented."

"You're a genius."

You'll smile and nod and say, "I'm talented at showing up."

And that's all the talented you need.

The Perfect Guide

There is a technique I've started doing whenever I feel nervous or scared about an endeavor.

I like to call it The Perfect Guide, and I usually picture a guy that's a mix between a psychologist and a guidance counsellor. I imagine he's my buffer and stands between me and all the scary things.

Let's do an example with querying (because that's one I always go to him with).

So everytime I sit down to send out queries, I send out a few, and then I think:

I'm sending these queries out to all of these agents. But really, I am giving my query to you, Perfect Guide.

Please show the query to the agents, chat with them, get to know them, and let me know which one of them is a good fit for me.

If they are not a good fit, I know I will receive either a "no" in my email or no response at all.

If they are a good fit, I trust that you will let me know at the perfect time. (Because The Perfect Guide is soo awesome, that not only does he know which agents are best for you, but he knows the perfect time for them to contact you back. He knows when you'll be at your best and ready for them.)

So that is how I use The Perfect Guide. I know it's a mental exercise, but it really makes most of my anxiety vanish. It just makes me feel secure and taken care of, and that's a great way to feel while you're querying : )

Celebrate Each Day

We often ask ourselves, "Are we working enough?"

But we also need be asking, "Are we celebrating enough?"

We are alive! Life is a miracle, but also a game.

Play.

With.

Life.

How Can I Serve?

Answer:

You already are.


You can serve by writing GREAT books that are fun and exciting.


Your books are your service.

Float Exercise

Do this for about 5 minutes every day (or as much and as often as you feel is needed).

Sit in a comfortable position and let your body "float" as if you are in a swimming pool, completely carefree and weightless, the sun shining down on you and warming you up.

Now let go of everything.

Unstitch your dreams and greatest desires.

Let them float away so that they can become real.

As long as you clutch them to your chest, nobody else will see the treasures.

Feel that they are gone and there is only happiness and fulfillment and sunshine.

You already are and have everything that you need.

I love you.

You are wonderful, and brilliant, and shining brighter every day.

Let Your Writing Be Another Person

Raise your hand if this is what your relationship with your writing looks like:

You beg, beg, beg your writing to get published.

You tell your writing, "You're great!" one second and the next, "You're getting burned this afternoon!"

"I don't know why I bother with you, there's so many other things I could be doing!"

"I'm naturally talented. Why aren't you turning out the way I had it in my head??"

"I don't have time for you today, but let's pretend I did."


Seriously. Think about it. If you were treated like that, would you stay in that relationship? Why should your writing? And if it does stick around, how is it supposed to flourish under those conditions?


Treat it like any relationship you would have with a person.

Give it the time and the patience to grow and develop into your initial vision.

Be patient.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

But mostly, just be there. Show up and be supportive.

That's all you need and that's all your writing needs.

There Is No Rejection

That is the lesson. That has been the lesson all along.

There is no rejection. 

There is only what matches and what doesn't, what works and what doesn't.

You wouldn't want an agent who doesn't completely love your book so don't even be disappointed. Be glad and thankful that you're getting closer to the agent that will love your work.

Let things be. Let things go.

The Universe is constantly working with you and has much bigger plans for you than you can initially imagine.

Listen to your intuition, your gut feeling. Let yourself be guided....

To the right agent....

To the right editor....

To the right novels to write....

Let yourself be.

Let yourself be guided...

in your first draft and in all your editing and revision:

plot

character

paragraphs

sentences

flow

rhythm


Let the Universe in. It is working with you, gently lighting up the way for you. And whenever anything feels off, it's because the Universe is showing you how to make it even better, not because you're not good enough.

You Used to Be Afraid

You signed up for a writer's conference!

You'll be able to show your work and talk to people and have lots of fun, writer-style!


You used to be afraid of approaching people.

You used to be shy.

You used to be obsessed with what they'll think of you and if you'll be good enough.

You've let that go.


And I am sooo proud of you.

You've changed your entire mental dialogue.

Without fear, you are now free to be excited!


You can't wait to meet other people in the field. You're going to hear all kinds of speakers and learn stuff and laugh at some jokes!
You might even get to touch an agent or editor! (Like a handshake, nothing creepy.)

You've been reading a lot about agents and editors and they're really cool and lovely people.
And the best part is, that just like you, They. Love. Books! And they want to help writer's books be the best they can be!

You like that. You really like that. You're not sure why you saw them as scary before at all because they're more teachers and guides than anything else.

You decide you want an editor and an agent. You want these people on your team and you're going to go out and find them with full confidence and love for your work.

I love you.

You have really arrived at a peaceful state of mind.

Let Go of Your Fears

Be giving.

You have so much within you, but you are keeping it trapped.

You're afraid of a little embarrassment or that 100% of the world won't agree with you.

They won't.

Get over it.

It would be boring otherwise. 

I love you.

You are wonderful. 

Persevering is a success in and of itself.

Happy writing!

It Shouldn't Hurt

"If querying hurts, you're doing it wrong."

--Me

Just like exercise or anything else, it shouldn't hurt.

If it does, you need to change the way you're thinking about it.

Don't think of it as finding an agent for yourself, but for this novel right here. The question should never be are you good enough. Take the pressure off yourself. The question isn't even if the book is good enough. In fact, there are several questions:

Is the book written well for the audience it's trying to reach?

AND

Is it marketable?

AND

Is there an agent interested in representing it?

You already are doing exactly what you need to be doing.

Keep writing! I believe in you!

Expect Good Things

Expect good things to happen in your life and to come to you.

Expect good news in the morning...
even if it's just that the sun has come out again and that the world is still spinning.

Expect good things throughout the day...
even if it's just a yummy meal or a phone call from that special someone.

Expect to hear good things...
even if it's just the sound of children laughing or the wind strumming tree branches.

Expect... that your dreams are coming true.

That the blocks are falling into place and that everything is coming together.

I love you.

You Will Be Brave

Dear Muse,

I am tired. I stayed up too late sending a query.

My eyes hurt, my brain is foggy and my fingers are having trouble finding the keys.

I don't know if there's any point in trying to write, I'm afraid it will not be any good.


Dear Writer,

I will whisper in your ear.

I will be there.

You will hear me louder because you are too tired to have as many inhibitions.

You will still write.

You will still write well.

You will be creative.

You will be brave.

Just show up every day, that is all you need to do.


With all the love in the world, and all the confidence too,

Your Lovely Muse

You Already Are

Don't try to be gifted.

Don't try to be talented.

You don't need either one.

You don't need to have them or use them or for them to be inside you.

You already are the gift.

You already are and there is nothing you need to do or any way you need to change.

You are a piece of the whole, and at any moment you may choose to rise to any occasion and shine.

As much as you want.

Go write and be happy!

I love you.

You Are a Kid

Don't think of yourself as a grown-up, think of yourself as a kid.

Nothing is so all-important that you can't laugh at your process of learning. Every mistake is just a small tumble, but you can get right back up. Every time you're upset, it's a cry for help but know that you'll feel better again soon.

Know also that the help is there from:

Family

Friends

even strangers.

From the whole world and from yourself.

Don't forget that you can help yourself too.

Look outside and look inside. (Always check both!)

Celebrate

"Work at what you love and celebrate every step of the way."

--Me

I love you!

Remember to celebrate even the tiniest of success because it is all a success, even the steps that feel backwards are just roundabout and still the path to your goal.

I love you.

I am proud of you.

I like you thinking more positively.

Love

Love

Love

Love

Love