Tag: (business) Writing

Other Cool Blogs: Liana Brooks 3/20/2019 – Escape the Writing Slump

Erin Penn

Photo by Tadeusz Lakota on Unsplash

As you know, I’ve been attacking my writing this year – catching up on blogs and started the NOVEL and SERIES with the hopes to finish it before Package Season and Tax Season starts again. I’m now just over two months in with another four or five to go. Enthusiasm is flagging. It’s not easy spitting out 20,000 words or more per month; and to finish in time, that is what I need to do.

So I need to take the writing slump by the teeth and 

Shake It Off

My favorite author, Liana Brooks, gave some advice about “How to Escape a Writing Slump” in her 3/20/2019 posting. (URL: http://www.lianabrooks.com/how-to-escape-a-writing-slump/)

Not all of them will work in my particular case. Many of the suggestions focus on when the words just aren’t coming because the writer has went down the wrong path. In my case, it’s looking at the long path before me. Maybe I should take a couple days break and mow the lawn; maybe see friends tonight. Maybe look at tax training and remind myself why I am trying to escape taxes.

Anyway, whether you hit a road block or just an energy need, stop, reassess, and rest or move forward – whichever is best. I’ll do the same on my end. Good Luck!

Magical Words: The Five Mantras

Erin Penn

Photo by Rachel Nickerson on Unsplash

The Five Writing Mantras of James Maxey:

  1. The worst novel you put on paper is better than the best novel you have in your head.
  2. Here. Now.
  3. To write a good novel, you must first write a bad novel.
  4. Never look back.
  5. Little by little, the work gets done.

In other words – Write it, concentrate, write to grow, perfection is the enemy of the good, climb a bit every day.

Get the full picture at Magical Words 2/19/2011 –

Writing Exercise: Which mantras do you need to work on? Which of one hit you the hardest when reading about them? Choose that one to work on this week. Make a colored card and stick it on the wall where you write with the beginning date.

My Strategy Plan for 2022 (Making It Your Business)

Erin Penn

Photo by Jeriden Villegas on Unsplash

For this month’s Writer’s Exercise, I discussed Ms. Klansky’s strategic plan implementation postings and then challenged people to create their own. Strategic Plans are great to have, especially if audited because you haven’t made a profit three out of five years on your tax documents. Having Plans on hand helps prove an INTENT to make money.

I wanted to do the writing exercise myself to shake things up that have slid because of the pandemic. With a strategic plan in hand, I can focus on my writing.

Mission Statement:
Create entertaining and marketable stories which show healthy relationship choices, present educational items, and challenge people to do better.

Setting Goals:
1. Increase sellable words volume.
2. Get blog up-to-date by December 2022. (Edit: According to a reasonable production amount, goal changed to March 31, 2023)
3. Produce novels regularly, setting up a successful production line by December 2022.
4. Stay healthy.

Developing Strategies (Brainstorming):
1. Increase sellable word volume

  • Write Daily – showing up / Butt in Chair (BIC); Daily word goal (worked before for about two months); Daily time goal (never worked). Prime the pump mini-stories to kick-start the day (distracting for me). Control doom scrolling and internet time – so BIC is focused properly. Ritual to set the mood and drop into writing quickly.
  • Writing day/”Date Your Writing” – A day set aside for writing or a time set aside specific to writing, like a date which cannot be superseded.

2. Blog up-to-date – Approach by doing one type of blog at a time. Or maybe a year at a time. Keep up on the now and do a couple extra daily. Figure out how much I need to do so I can figure out how to split it up.

3. Produce novels regularly – Focus on getting a series out at a time. Focus on singles because easier to complete. Is series or singles better? Outline – draft – or jump in? I’ve always thought of myself as a planner, but I seem to be working better as a pantser with the blogging. What process? Which stories?

4. Stay Healthy – Movement, Doctor appointments, keep health insurance $$$, and eating. Walk / collect litter every day; yard work, work for post office two or three days a week, buy healthy food to eat at home. Dentist and doctors visits.

Specifying Actions:
1. Increase sellable word volume

  • Write daily through one flip of the hourglass.
  • Caveats – missing one day a week is allowed.
  • Evaluation – Review monthly to see if this habit is still working for me. (Note: It has been working okay for a week now (March 2022)).

2. Get the blogs up to date. – Make December 1 to March 30 “Blog Season” to keep writing skills up during package months and tax season, but acknowledging not having the energy for bigger works.

  • During Blog Season – Write at least two blogs a day until caught up. (Edit for evaluation: Fourteen blogs weekly)
  • During Novel Season – Do three blogs a week to maintain blog so don’t fall behind
  • Evaluation – Make sure reach weekly requirements.

3. Produce novels regularly – Create two genre novels a year while working for post office and doing taxes.

  • “Novel Writing Season” – From April 1 to July 30 (novel 1); From August 1 to Nov 30 (novel 2) – four months each.
  • Tuesday is “Novel Writing Day” – All day for the novel and only the novel. Flip the hourglass at least three times. (Morning, afternoon, evening) Not allowed to schedule against it, unless moving the Novel Writing Day to another day.
  • Word goal per week for novel – 5,000 words for the first three months (65,000), fourth month is editing and cleanup. Aim on novel writing day is half the volume (2,500) and five other days of (500) each.
  • Evaluation – Daily counts, but more importantly weekly evaluation on Saturday. (Week counts will be from Sunday to Saturday).

4. Stay Healthy

  • Doctor appointments – Make and keep the four recommended doctor appointments: Eye Glasses (done in Feb); Dentist; General Doctor; Woman Doctor. Evaluation: Make one a quarter. Are they complete at the end of the year?
  • Daily exercise – On days not working for the post office, do yardwork or collect litter in the neighborhood.
    • Caveat forgive during tax season.
    • Evaluation: Reassess monthly and see if need to be redirected.
  • Healthy food – Plan weekly meals on Monday.
  • Overall Evaluation: Keep weight below 200. Happy goal would be 185 by the end of 2022.

Memes: Writing Advice

Erin Penn

I’ve previously posted memes I’ve created related to NaNoWritMo. But I also create other memes related to writing. Here are some I have released into the wild.