Productivity
Ann Patchett on Surviving Creativity’s Core Disappointment
Ann Patchett has many useful things to say about writing in her new essay collection, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, and in particular about the core creative challenge of surviving the fatal moment when, having finally summoned the courage to bring your vision to life, it immediately disappoints: “Only a few of us…
Read MoreWhat is the biggest barrier standing between you and greater productivity?
In my case, it used to be perfectionism that shut down the creative process before it started. I spent nearly five years writing and rewriting the same novel chapter because I was terrified of having others see it and judge it. Then – as I got less perfectionist – my biggest barrier became time management.…
Read MoreOn The Importance of Going OFF the Internet
Going off the Internet seems a radical act, but for most people it’s essential for creativity. The Internet is inherently and continuously interruptive, and that’s not a good mix with creative work, or productivity in general. In classes, I quote Jonathan Franzen (“It’s doubtful that anyone with an Internet connection at his workplace is writing…
Read MoreWhat Muhammad Ali Can Teach You About Getting More Work Done
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” That famous quote from Muhammad Ali really does captures the spirit and essence of productive, joyful work. Let’s break it down: 1) “Float like a butterfly.” You move lightly and freely around and through your work until you see an aspect of it that inspires you. (Inspiration…
Read MoreJohn Scalzi on Why You Should Never Let Your Reviewers Get You Down
The Inimitable One offers a list of one-star reviews of books that later went on to win science fiction’s celebrated Hugo award. My favorite is this review of Scalzi’s own novel Red Shirts, which actually uses the word “onanistic”: This is an onanistic shallow and very disappointing book. Little or no character development. What should…
Read MoreNew Yorker Cartoonist Shows What to do When You’re Stuck on a Piece
Please check out this wonderful piece by New Yorker cartoonist Drew Dernavich, in which he discusses his creative process for a cartoon. He submitted it in 2007, but it was rejected. At that point, he did NOT do what many perfectionists would do, which is to either: (a) despair, and maybe give up cartooning,…
Read MoreHello Crewel World!
And knitting world, scrapbooking world, decoupage world, etc.! Check out my post on How to Get More Crafting Done in 2014. Many thanks to Lois Winston, author of the fun Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, for the opportunity to guest blog at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers.
Read MoreRecognizing and Valuing Your Successes. Part II: Character and Moral Successes
In my last newsletter, I discussed the importance of not undervaluing your work successes. Perfectionists tend to ignore or devalue all accomplishments other than “the big score,” which is a very demoralizing and demotivating mindset.) But it’s also important to recognize your “character successes,” and I list some types of those below. I decided to…
Read MoreNice Note! Student and Coaching Client Finishes Novel
A nice year-end missive from a student and coaching client: “I actually, with little fanfare, have finished my novel (the one I was working on in your Savvy Authors class). It didn’t take as much writing as I feared; it is about 75K words now. It may need a bit more, during editing, but not…
Read MoreMy Most-Read Posts from 2013
My most-read posts from 2013, in case you’ve missed any of them. Why, in Writing, Process Trumps Product, And Why You Shouldn’t Worry About The Quality of Your Work This is Called Situational Perfectionism Why You Shouldn’t Wait for Ideal Conditions to Start Your Project What to Do If You are Stuck in the Middle…
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