5 Ways to Buck the Writing Blues

Copyright Stacy Lynn Ennis

I love writing.  I think it's fantastic.  It's splendid, marvelous, wonderful, and every other happy-sounding adjective you can think of.  I just love writing.

I also hate it.  Hate with a capital H.  H-A-T-E it.  Hate as in, "I hate it so much I could just cry."

It's funny how these two extremes seem to often occupy the same space.  I can be clipping along, words elegantly gracing the page or screen, thoughts flowing through me with ease and concise perfection (at least to me)...and then the next minute, nothing.  This state of nothingness can last for minutes, hours, and even days.

Why?

Well, for me, it has to do with two things: focus and creative stimulation.

Focus is first because I'm actually a pretty focused person.  I recently started planning out my day--writing out what time I'll do what and for how long.  This helps me stay focused.

However, this uber-planning sometimes only slightly alleviates my desire to get everything done now.  Especially when working on creative projects (such as writing or art), it's easy to feel that they're not as productive because they're more difficult to measure.  For example, I feel more productive if I spend an hour editing a four-page article or reading 40 pages for class versus writing two paragraphs or starting the design to one book cover mockup.  The quantitative side of me tends to see more as better, and this can cause me to lose focus on the creative task at hand--namely, writing.

Creative stimulation is second because I tend to be heavily influenced by my environment.  When I'm writing for long periods of time, I'm pretty good about setting up my space: a warm cup of coffee, the window partially open, my desk clear of clutter, a notepad and pen nearby, and no sounds but the birds singing outside (and sometimes the cats fighting, but I can't control that).  I don't check e-mail or social media, and I try not to have any conversations with humans.  (Cats are fine because they don't talk back.)

But when I'm writing a day here and a day there--right now, for example, as I'm revising my book--and not in a daily routine, I find it hard to get creative.  Sometimes I struggle to resist the urge to be "productive."  After all, to be creative, sometimes you just have to sit and think.  This does not always feel productive, although I know it will lead to productivity.

So, how does one buck the writing blues?  Here are some things that work for me:

1. Find out what inspires you...and then do it.  I watch TED.com videos most mornings to get inspired for the day.  In the early afternoons, when I'm feeling tired and a bit sluggish, I have a cup of tea and stretch out on my foam roller; this small break is often the fuel I need to finish the day strong.  A bit later, I do some sort of exercise.  This gets my blood pumping, and these long fitness sessions often lead to really great ideas.  I find all of these things inspiring, and they've quickly become necessary to my creativity.
2. Make a switch.  Feeling antsy?  Having trouble focusing?  About to fall asleep from boredom?  Move to another room. Stand up at your desk for a period of time.  Turn on some music.  Work from your tablet instead of your desktop.  Switch gears and work on another project.  Head to a coffee shop.  The possibilities are endless, but the point is the same: Changing things up often aids in both focus and creativity.
3. Write down your writing goals.  I know I often tout goal setting as the ultimate way to be productive and achieve dreams, but it's true.  I set monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly goals...and I almost always achieve them.  I also set long-term goals, but I don't usually write them out.  (Although one of my goals this month is to start writing those long-term goals out.)  If you're feeling stuck, stumped, or otherwise battling writing blues, writing your goals out on paper might help you visualize the finish product, which will help keep you focused.
4. Be intentional.  Goal setting will help with this, but the idea here is to be aware of what you're doing and why you're doing it.  Make decisions that bring you closer to what you desire, whether it's writing a novel or finishing a poem.  Record your achievements in a spreadsheet or by checking off items on a list--it doesn't matter how you live intentionally, just that you do it.  I used Wunderlist to make weekly and daily lists for myself, then check off things as they're completed.  I love clicking that little box and seeing the list item move to the "Recently done" section.
5. Stick it out.  You can do anything for a short period of time, and writing projects are no different. If you're feeling like you just can't type another word, remind yourself that the end is near.  Are you writing a book?  A few months to a year is doable, right?  Penning an article?  You can get through those couple of hours.  Being intentional with your writing and setting goals will help, but if you have to clear out your schedule or say "no" to a few things, then do it.  Book club can wait. So can cocktails with the gals.  Achieve your writing goals now.

No matter the cause of your writing blues, there is hope, and a prolifically-perfect day is right around the well-worded corner.

What about you?  How do you buck the writing blues?

On Photographs (or, What Will 2012 Bring?)

This quarter, I am taking just one class: memoir writing.  In it, we were instructed to choose a photograph---any photograph---which we are to later write a reflective essay on.  Instantly, I thought of this photo:

One of my favorite snapshots of our time in the Dominican Republic, this picture captures a lot of things for me: the peacefulness and reflectiveness of travel, the life of the rural Dominicans, the poverty that sneaks up on you as a traveler, waiting around corners and in between buildings, ready to expose itself when you least expect it.  But most of all, this image captures a moment in time, a place I loved, and an adventure I won't soon forget.

Jarabacoa, where the photo was taken, is a rural mountain town known for its crops: strawberries, coffee, and peppers, as well as its flowers.  It's a beautiful little place with a nonexistent nightlife, not much in the way of tourism, and definitely little to offer the spoiled traveler who came to the DR for the beaches and five-star resorts; but to us, it was a favorite spot, just a two-hour bus ride away.

It's also the place where some pretty crazy things happened: the bat that got stuck in our room and dive-bombed me while I was sitting in bed; the hour-long horse ride through the mud and muck of the jungle, in which my husband and friend complained most of the time (but I really enjoyed); the waterfall excursions and swimming in the pools below; drinking beer in el parque, pretending not to feel out of place as the only gringos there; eating at the same restaurant three times because we couldn't find anywhere else; the final trip with a dear friend of mine in the DR, before we parted ways.  These are the things I love about my travels to Jarabacoa, the things I'll reminisce about for years to come.

And while I was looking for the above picture, I came across this one:

I call this my "explorer pose," because I, well, was trying to look like a traveler/explorer.  To me, this photo, while posed and a bit forced, shows a great deal about me as a person and how I changed in 2009.

Case in point: Doug loves to tell the story of how, shortly after we started dating, I said something like, "Oh, yeah, I don't stay in hotels less than four stars."  At the time, I think Doug just looked at me strangely, not wanting to offend his new girlfriend; later, he told me---and anyone else who would listen---how silly he thought I was for saying such a thing.  (I admit, it was a bit silly.)  But just a little over a year after that statement, here I am, clad in my explorer outfit, living in a new-to-me third-world country, wearing Chacos and my Timbuk2 bag, ready to tackle some adventures.  This is after riding a bumpy bus through winding mountain roads (which, I later learned, is a super deadly and dangerous road), checking into a MUCH less than four-star hotel, and eating some questionable food at a local joint across the street.

Ah, yes, 2009: the year I became tough.

As I look at these photos, I can't help but wonder what the heck I'm doing now.  If 2009 was the year I became tough, 2010 was the year I "went with it" by randomly moving to Asia, and 2011 was the year  my career took off and my hard work was finally recognized, what will 2012 be?

Well, for starters, it can be the year I realized a lifelong goal: writing a book.  But what else?  How will I grow personally, professionally, and spiritually?  How will I find adventure when I'm stuck here in the U.S., not traveling, and not immersing myself in new cultures?  Reaching a lifelong goal isn't enough for me this year; I need to do something big, to keep up with the tradition of years past.

But, really, you can't plan these things.  All you can do is take the opportunities life offers, go with the flow, and try to enjoy it.

I guess I'll just have to let life be what it is and see where it takes me.  As the Dominicans say, "A ver..."

Keeping It in Perspective

Things that went wrong in the last week or so:

1. My husband ran our car over a concrete slab (on accident, of course); this cost around $400.00 of unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.
2. I got a speeding ticket, along with a ticket for not being registered (it's a long story; we're trying to renew our registration in Idaho, but we're having trouble getting it done).
3. My husband's computer died.  When he called to find out about fixing it, he was told that it costs $200.00 per hour to have it looked at/fixed.  I mean, c'mon...is this for real?
4. I called about the speeding ticket, after realizing that it is due today.  Apparently, in Reading, Ohio, if you don't pay the ticket in full by the date stipulated, a warrant is put out for your arrest.  So, I had to walk to the post office and send the check for $130.00.

Things that went right in the last week or so:

1. I signed a book contract.

Yeah, I think this about evens things out. :)

Of course, there are many other things that are always going right in my life: a great little family (my husband and cat), a thriving career, great friendships, a roof over my head, etc.  But, for now, I think the contract will get me through the next 30 things that go wrong.

Justin Foster Is Interesting. Oatmeal Is Not.

Earlier this week, I promised a post about one of the authors or books that I've worked with.  One of those authors is Justin Foster, and I've had the opportunity to work with him on several projects and books, including his own.  Below is an article that originally appeared in the winter 2011 issue of Fusion Magazine.  Be sure to read the entire article -- there is a giveaway at the end!

“Bacon is interesting. Oatmeal is not.” Such is the premise of Justin Foster’s book, Oatmeal v Bacon: How to Differentiate in a Generic World. Foster, a Boise area resident, brand strategy expert, speaker, writer and “general disruptor of conformity” is known for his ability to help brands communicate how awesome they really are. Or, as Justin might put it, how “Bacon” they really are.

Oatmeal v Bacon is a useful, interesting and witty 65-page book that will “instantly make [business owners] smarter than most of the people in their given market,” Justin says. The book includes a “Bacon Assessment,” personal branding assessment and benchmarks to help businesses evaluate their brand effectiveness. And, who wouldn’t want to read a book that is, as Justin puts it, “short, humorous and useful”? It includes practical strategies to help “Bacon Brands” embrace their sizzle and take their branding efforts to the next level, thereby attracting customers and improving client loyalty.

So, what does this metaphor really mean, anyway? “Selling the Oatmeal,” according to Justin, is trying to sell something boring—a brand, business model or product—using boring strategies like “a PowerPoint, overly-designed marketing materials that nobody ever reads and a pitch.” Justin’s “Aha!” moment came one day while watching Jim Gaffigan do a bit about bacon. “Oatmeal,” Justin realized, “is boring, bland and you have to put something on it. Bacon is…bacon.” Or, as Jim Gaffigan put it, “Bacon is so good they wrap it around other meats to make it taste better.” So, “Bacon Brands” are interesting brands, brands that are different and unique. Oatmeal brands are boring, generic and create little to no interest from their prospective customer base. “As pollen is to bees,” Justin says, “bacon is to people.”

When asked about what local companies Justin considered to be Bacon Brands, he responded quickly with his top five, which he explained received a 45 or higher out of 50 score on the Bacon Assessment. Those brands are:

•           Brick 29 Bistro in Nampa

•           Flying M coffee shops in Boise and Nampa

•           Tribute Media, a Meridian-based web marketing and web development company

•           Bodybuilding.com, a Meridian-based, supplement e-commerce company

•           Fisher’s Document Systems, a Boise-based regional document systems company (note: they are one of Justin’s clients)

According to Justin, “It’s the businesses that advertise the most that seem to have the hardest time retaining their customer base, because they don’t know how to create differentiation, loyalty or connect emotionally with clients.” He wanted to help these businesses. After realizing that, due to the sheer number and varied budgets of businesses, he couldn’t possibly help everyone, he finally said, “I guess I’ll just write a book.” So, he did, over a period of three months, devoting Thursday afternoons to crafting a useful, enlightening and practical book that he could offer to these businesses. The end product is just that, and the demand has been so great that Justin is already working on his next title.

Oatmeal v Bacon, which started four years ago at the suggestion of his Boise-based publisher, Maryanna Young of Aloha Publishing, is finally available on Amazon for $15.95. To get your free copy of Oatmeal v Bacon, be one of the first five to respond in a few sentences to the following question: “How is your brand a Bacon Brand?” Just go to the contact form at www.OatmealvBacon.com and enter your response in the “comments” area.

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Justin is a brand strategist who helps clients create a meaningful, relevant presence in the marketplace by “blowing stuff up” and helping clients find real strategies for taking their brands to the next level. He lives in Caldwell, Idaho, with his wife, Lynna, and two kids. He is available for speaking engagements and consulting through his business, Foster Thinking. To contact Justin or learn more about Oatmeal v Bacon, visit www.fosterthinking.com and www.OatmealvBacon.com.