inspiration

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It’s the Most Underused Time of Year!

I was just telling Ben today how much I LOVE the days between Christmas and New Years. It feels like a huge push to get to Christmas with endless preparation, shopping, cooking, and cleaning. (And lights to see, songs to sing, yummies to eat, and traditions to create or honor…)

Then on December 26…

The whole world takes a collective pause.

The stores are busy, but they lack that crazy pre-Christmas frantic-ness. (Yes, even with long return lines, the stores are quieter.)

The trimmings of the season are still out, still beautiful, but they’ve faded into a quiet background – the anticipation has worn off.

Kids are out of school but there’s not much on the to-do list.

I find that these days are the most underused time of the year! It’s so easy to fritter it away noshing on leftovers, watching bad TV, and creating a Kim-shaped dip in the couch. The world is on pause – and it’s easy to get caught up in the nothingness of these five days.

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Are You Being Called to Write Your Book?

If you’ve been around my world for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about writing a “Book of the Universe.” This is where you’re feeling called to write a book. When somebody comes to me with a Book of the Universe, they say something like:

“The book is calling to me and I have been chosen to be its author.”

That’s pretty powerful, isn’t it? Being chosen to write a book is a lot like being chosen to be a parent; it’s a huge gift and responsibility and joy, all at once.

It’s the feeling that you HAVE to do something and that it HAS to be done right now. Right now! In fact, the feeling of NOT taking action makes you feel uncomfortable, antsy, and emotional.

That’s one of the signs of a Book of the Universe.

Gotta tell you though, not everyone is lucky enough to be asked to write a Book of the Universe. It’s an unmistakable feeling. And there can be the worry that it’s wasted effort because, often, these books don’t feel like they’re tie directly into your existing business.

Are you being called to write a book? That makes it a Book of the Universe and it needs special handling. Click To Tweet

I get it! I’ll be the first to admit, I hate wasted effort. I hate wasted time and it drives me crazy when I can’t do one move and get multiple results. It drives me crazy! (And I think that’s why I dislike doing laundry or the dishes so much; no matter how well I do it, there’s always more to do!)

But when God has asked you to write such a book it means that not only will you the author have something huge to gain from the writing process, but it also means that there is someone who needs to receive your words.

And here’s the thing about when a book is calling out to be written:

It’s a gift from the Universe, from God, from our Creator. And writing these books needs to be done, no matter if it fits neatly into the box of our business or not.

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5 Tips to Harness Inspiration

There’s a big difference between having inspiration to write and having motivation to write. (Inspiration is the fuel that starts it all.)

These two things are very different; one is about fun and ideas and flow and the other is about working towards a goal and keeping the end in mind.

I think that most books START with inspiration. You get that great idea, have that little voice whispering in your ear, or just get flat-out excited. It’s perfect to take those great feelings and get started! It’s that serendipitous moment that kick-starts the creativity.

Motivation is what keeps you writing after the initial inspiration fades.
Motivation is what keeps you writing after the initial inspiration fades. #amwriting Click To Tweet
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t believe in writer’s block. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a LOT easier to write when inspiration is knocking.

And inspiration probably WILL fade over time. Work ethic and the “I’m not going to let anything get in my way” need to take over so eventually, the writing gets completed. Motivation is a needed ingredient in your writing. But inspiration, ah, inspiration! Without it, nothing would get started.

Don’t for one second think that inspiration is limited to writing fiction! All writing is creative. You have to find the right order of words to express your thoughts. (If you’ve ever struggled to convey your thoughts you know what I mean!)

5 Ways to Stay Inspired

1. When inspiration hits: WRITE
It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, drop everything and get words on paper. Period. No excuses. Inspiration doesn’t come around every day so make the most of it when it’s around. I’ve scribbled article drafts on napkins and done character sketches on the back of envelopes. And yes, I’m THAT WOMAN who’s pulled over to jot a note in the dust of the hood of my truck.

2. Remember that feeling!
It won’t last forever so when you’re digging deep into motivation (and maybe finding the well empty) think back to the last time you were riding the wave on inspiration. Sometimes calling those feelings to mind is the only thing you need to get you going again. I once was writing a short story that woke me up at 4 am for three days. It was the most amazing feeling to be SO inspired. When I’m stuck, I vividly call up the feelings of sitting on my aunt’s cracked leather couch, hunched over the laptop with a backache and needing to set an alarm to remind myself to eat.

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Boring Writing Is NOT Impactful

Being boring is the kiss of death to your book. Your reader won’t finish your book and IF they can read it at all, they won’t retain the message you’re trying to share.

My advice:

Don’t be boring.

I just wrapped up a 5-Day Writing Challenge that was ALL about how to use stories in your writing so that you can connect—heart to heart—with your reader.

In a nutshell, it was all about how NOT to be boring. Story-based writing is key to making sure readers keep turning pages so they can experience your message and so your words can touch their lives.

What Makes a Boring Book?

It’s when your reader can’t relate to the material; it doesn’t feel relevant, they can’t imagine themselves in that same situation. There’s no emotional engagement.

And when you’re not grabbing the heart of the reader… you’re certainly not grabbing her mind.

All those beautiful goals you have for her transformation won’t happen because she can’t implement what you’re trying to teach her.

Notice I said can’t.

Not won’t.

She wants the transformation you’re offering. She wants it with both hands, on her knees praying for change.

But if you can’t connect to her soul, she can’t implement the change.

And before you start to cite your flashy acronyms or trademarked 5- or 7-step systems, I want you to tell me about one of those systems YOU’VE learned, memorized, and use.

I can’t do it, even with all the tens of thousands of dollars I’ve spent in my education.

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Writer’s Block as a Linguistic Phenomena

When I was at Jennifer Diepstraten’s event, Millionaire Sales Mindset, two weeks ago she asked the audience—coaches, consultants, and mentors who are making mid-to-high five figures or over six, looking to break seven—to describe a time they suffered from a sales slump.

Stories flowed with abandon of those times where we (myself included) had a string of discovery sessions that were all no’s, or speaking from stage to zero results, to an empty calendar—no prospects in sight!

Jennifer listened attentively, face conveying her empathy.

And then she hit us with the whammy.

There’s no such thing as a “sales slump.”

#truthbomb

You see, a “sales slump” is a linguistic phenomena.

What’s a linguistic phenomena? It’s a phrase we use to have us not be responsible for empowering ourselves.

A linguistic phenomena is something “said to be” – we’re literally speaking it into existence. And it only exists because of our speaking of it.

Woah…

Think about it.

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Why Are You Holding on to Writing Your Book? (And SHOULD you be?)

Happy April!

While the first day of Spring might be in March, the calendar flipping to April always signifies the change in season to me. And any time the weather shifts, but especially when it’s getting warmer, I want to roll up my sleeves, tie a bandana over my hair, and get busy getting rid of old stuff.

One bit of old stuff is projects.

At this time of year, I ask myself:

What project am I carrying around that I’m never going to do?

(That can be anything from a writing project to a craft idea to a household improvement! For our purposes, we’re looking at PROJECTS, not chores.)

Now, in order to GET to that question – what am I carrying around that I’m never going to do? – I have to do some pre-work called:

What are all my projects?

You might call these “open loops” but at the end of the day, they’re the things that you see every day, that your brain catalogues, and that you are forcing yourself to ignore.

Where have I told myself, “Kim, you’re going to do that, make that, create that” and then didn’t keep that promise to myself?

Where have I started something, in good faith that I’d enjoy it, that I’d finish it, that it would bring beauty and meaning to the world, and never finished it?

Then I make a list. Quickly and without succumbing to the woulda-shoulda-coulda’s.

Now, I ask myself, with as much honesty as I can:

Kim, are you REALLY going to do this? And if you are, will you do with with joy and pleasure? Or is it guilt and obligation?

Let’s look at a concrete, non-writing example:

I had a box of yarn. At least a dozen skeins in different colors. And knitting needles. At least eight pairs in different sizes.

I only know how to make one thing: scarves. (I’m using that loosely. I can knit but not pearl so I flip the whole mess around when I need to go the other way!)

While I like scarves, I only have one neck. I’m not a skilled enough knitter to make NICE scarves for gifts. I have all this yarn and all these needles and I honestly don’t know the “right” way to match the two.

But here’s the real crux of it:

I haven’t knitted in at least five years. Maybe longer. I shuffled that big plastic box all around my storage room, always thinking of the money that was represented in that box. But when I have time to myself to do a project, I never ever thought, “Oh! I’d love to knit a scarf!”

I was carrying this project around well beyond its expiration date. During one season in my life, it did bring me joy and pleasure. Now… it was guilt.

So I pulled out just one skein of yarn to save and all the rest went to Goodwill with my blessings. That project, that creation, was never going to be created BY ME so this is a chance that it can be created by somebody else.

(Wondering why I kept one skein of yarn? Because you never know when you need string RIGHT NOW to tie something up. It’s got a practical use and has zero guilt attached to it.)

Also going out the door are an oil lamp I was never going to make, wax that will never become candles, and a pile of scrapbook supplies that will never become layouts. I made the windchime from the wooden spoons I’d been collecting. I sorted the card supplies I use to send cards to my clients. I threw out the dried up tub of air-dray clay and bought a fresh one because I have an immediate craft project I want to do.

So, as you start this task, start with the physical projects that you can see. The fabric, the paints, the glitter.

Hone your “Am I carrying this OLD STUFF with me?” decision bone on real, tangible project-related STUFF.

Because now comes the harder part…

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Your Writing: The Difference Between a Goal and a Resolution

Happy New Year!

As we’re flipping over the calendar to a fresh start—and be honest, you can make a fresh start at ANY moment, but January 1 just seems to make sense—I wanted to guide you in crafting goals for the new year that support your writing.

First off, let’s look at the difference between a goal and a resolution.

A resolution is a decision (often with feelings of extreme resolve) to do or not do something.

It’s things like:

  • I WILL write every day for 2 hours.
  • I WON’T spend time on Facebook.
  • I WILL fold the laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer.
  • I WON’T go to bed with the kitchen dirty.
  • I WILL walk every day.
  • I WON’T drink soda.

It’s the feeling of black and white of a resolution that give it all it’s power. For about a nanosecond until you break the will/won’t phrasing and then it’s easy to throw in the towel.

A goal is your aim or desired result. And no matter how much you’ve studied about HOW to set goals (concrete, measurable, specific, etc.) goals can often feel too big and by nature undoable.

Goals are usually phrased like:

  • FINALLY write my book in 2019.
  • Blog every week.
  • Not let the house turn into a disaster.
  • Declutter.
  • Get into shape.

Big ideas, right?

So how can we use the powerful differences between a goal and a resolution together to make 2019 the year where you do, actually, meet your writing dreams?

Let me say that again:

We’re going to USE the differences between a goal and a resolution to craft a solid plan.

USE the differences between a goal and a resolution to craft a solid plan for finally writing your book in 2019. #amwriting Click To Tweet

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