Don’t Let Doomscrolling Interfere with Your Writing

April 2, 2025 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

These days, it’s a struggle to stay focused on writing. With so much happening in the world, worry and fear can consume our thoughts about what the future will bring – and how it might impact our writing careers and well-being.

While it’s important to know what’s going on, spending time doomscrolling news feeds not only can halt your writing progress, it can affect your mental health.

If you’ve never heard the term, doomscrolling is the act of spending hours reading news sites and social media news feeds that can be negative and make you feel sad, anxious, angry or upset.

Doomscrolling isn’t productive for several reasons:

It’s a waste of time and energy.
It takes you away from your writing and other constructive activities that you enjoy.
Reading other people’s comments can attract negativity into your mindset
With a negative mindset, your emotional state is compromised. When your mental health suffers, you don’t feel like writing.

But how do you balance the need to understand what’s happening in the world with the need to remain sane and positive?

Fortunately, there are things you can do instead of doomscrolling to help you maintain balance and equilibrium and to minimize the negativity.

Author Bryn Donovan offers her list of 100 activities to do instead of doomscrolling. Inspired by her list, I’ve created my own. It’s not nearly as extensive (only 25 activities) but they promise similar results – maintaining balance at a time when life seems rocky and unpredictable.

Use writing as an outlet for escape. Try journaling or bury yourself in your latest work in progress.
Commune with nature. Go for a walk, do some stargazing, sit by a river and watch the water flow, listen to the birds chirping, or watch squirrels chase one another.
Listen to music. Ideally something soft and calming that will take the edge of your emotions.
Get some exercise. Lift weights, go running, play golf or do some yoga. Staying active can give you peace of mind.
Watch a movie. Fictional worlds can be easier to deal with.
Dance. Put on some happy music and let your feet move.
Call a friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a while.
Watch sports. Go to a baseball game or watch a match on TV.
Work on a puzzle or play a computer game.
Cuddle or play with your favorite furry friend. They’ll appreciate the love and return it in kind.
Spend an hour at the library or bookstore and browse the shelves.
Spend time in the kitchen. Bake cookies or try out a new recipe.
Read a book. Reading is always a good option to escape the stresses of life.
Draft your next story or poem. Exercise those creative juices.
Do some light housekeeping. Sweep the floors, do laundry or wash dishes.
Take a bath or shower. Wash away those blues.
Start a garden. Grow your own herbs.
Sketch or draw. Or if you’re not artistic, color in an adult coloring book.
Work on a crossword puzzle.
Read the dictionary or thesaurus. Yeah, I know it sounds strange, but imagine how you can grow your vocabulary.
Plan your next vacation. Check out different places you’d like to visit, then make plans to see them in person.
Sign up for an online course. You’d be surprised how many low-cost or free courses are available through Udemy or Coursera.
Read about writing. With so many writing blogs, your choices are endless.
Update your music playlists. Add some new music or create a playlist with songs that make you feel good.
Create something beautiful. Indulge in a craft of some sort, like make a floral arrangement, design a spring-themed wreath, make your own scented candle. Bringing beauty into the world, no matter how imperfect, can make you feel better.

The next time you’re tempted to indulge in doomscrolling on social media, take a step back. Consider doing something constructive instead. Your writing life and mental well-being will thank you.

How to Keep a Writing Routine During Your Holiday Travels

December 3, 2024 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

With the holidays come opportunities to travel. Whether traveling for business to other parts of the world or to a neighboring state in your own country to get together with family and friends, new and unexpected adventures await.

But when will you find time to write? Your travels can demand a lot of your time and attention. There are parties to attend, gifts to wrap and cookies to bake. You can get so caught up in exploring the city or enjoying holiday festivities that your regular writing practice might fall by the wayside. While you’re traveling, is it possible to still maintain a writing routine?

The answer, says seasoned travelers, is a resounding yes. But to make it work, it’s important to plan ahead and schedule writing time so you don’t get distracted.

Well-traveled writers at the Writers & Artists community provide practical tips to help you maintain your writing routine while on the road.

1. Set realistic goals. Review your agenda if you have one, then schedule writing time around your schedule. Set goals that are realistic for that schedule, whether it’s the amount of time spent writing or a specific word count. If you set a small goal each day, it’s easier to keep to your writing routine.

2. Always take notes. Keep a small notebook handy in your purse or pocket. When inspiration strikes or you see something that sparks your imagination, write it down. If you don’t take time to jot it down, no matter how briefly, you’ll lose the image. By the end of your traveling, you could have an entire mini-notebook filled with ideas and images from your trip.

3. Take photos. Sometimes words aren’t enough to capture the feeling and visuals of a setting. Photography is a writer’s best friend. Bring along a camera or use your mobile phone to capture visual details that you can recall later.

4. Aim for consistency. Schedule time every day to write, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Writing a few sentences or paragraphs is better than not writing at all.

5. Take advantage of technology. Your mobile phone has numerous features to aid in your writing. Try the voice-to-text feature, for example, to dictate a scene that suddenly pops into your head. The Notes app is helpful to jot down lists or story ideas. Remember to carry a portable charger so you can keep your devices powered up.

6. Make the best use of downtime. Whether you’re at the airport waiting for a delayed flight or you’re riding on a tour bus, use that downtime to take notes, do research, or read up on the writing craft.

While these tips answer the question of how to fit in writing while traveling, you might wonder, “How can I best use my travels for my writing?”

Writer Saanvi Thapar at The Writing Cooperative (on Medium) shares her three-step approach:

Write what you see. Traveling can sometimes disrupt the flow of words and ideas prompting a form of writer’s block, Thapar writes. Go easy on yourself and focus on writing what you see. Many tourist spots offer opportunities to focus on the details of what’s in front of you, whether that’s a stunning sunset over the ocean or the gleam of ice and snow on a mountain. This exercise hones your description writing skills.

Write what people say. If you’re visiting a foreign country, go where the locals go. Grab a table at a café or public park, then listen in on people’s conversations. Note not only the expression in their voices, but listen to how they tell their stories. Immerse yourself in their culture, and write about their history, folklore, and traditions. By listening and learning about others’ stories, you learn to write about them with empathy and understanding, says Thapar.

Write what you feel. Writing is as much an emotional experience as it is a mental and creative exercise. When you travel and experience unique sights and experiences, it’s bound to affect us on some deeper level. Keep those memories alive by recording them in a journal or using the notes app on your phone. Don’t just write about what you see and hear, but explore how those events affected you.

Make the most of your travels by writing about them. With a regular routine, the right note-taking tools, and a desire to share your adventures with others, you can bring your travels to life for readers.

A Writer’s Guide to Managing Deadline Pressure

June 8, 2021June 8, 2021 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Remember the movie The American President, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning (one of my favorite romantic comedies of all time)? At one point in the film, Douglas (as the U.S. President running for re-election) gives a riveting speech to reporters about character. Afterward, his press secretary (played by Michael J. Fox) rushes to rewrite the President’s State of the Union Address – with only 35 minutes before the scheduled speech. Talk about a pressure-packed deadline!

While those kind of tight deadlines don’t happen often in a writer’s life, deadlines in general are part of the process. Most of the time we can handle those deadlines without feeling stressed or anxious. But other times, the pressure to perform under strict deadlines can be a challenge.

How do we manage to stay calm and focused on the project at hand while the deadline hangs over our heads like a guillotine blade?

Examined closely, this question can be divided into two separate issues. How are we able to deal with the deadline themselves? How are we able to deal with the stress and anxiety it produces (stress management)? Looked at another way, the anxiety we feel about deadlines may have more to do with feelings of insecurity about our ability to do the job than about the project itself.

One online dictionary defines deadline pressure as “the sense that there’s a shortage of time to complete a project, producing feelings of anxiety and stress.”

That begs the question: is deadline pressure a management issue, or a stress management issue?

If there’s a silver lining at all, it’s that deadline pressure is a universal experience that affects all industries, not just writers and creative professionals. Accountants and finance people have year-end reports to file, and tax attorneys must prepare tax returns by April 15. Manufacturers must produce large quantities of their product before clients run out of stock. Hospitals race against time to find the perfect match for a patient that needs a new heart or kidney.

Deadlines are not the enemy. It’s our attitude about them that slows us down. While too many deadlines at one time can make us feel overwhelmed, deadlines can be motivating tools too, writes Psychologist Dr. Christian Jarrett. Without them, students may never finish their homework on time. Deadlines, he concludes, can help increase focus and boost perseverance.

If deadlines can help us meet goals and stay motivated, then why do most people struggle with the pressure? More important, how do we deal with that pressure so it doesn’t adversely affect our work?

Ironically, it may be our organizational skills that can keep the pressure to perform in check. Here are a few tips that have worked for me.

1. Set up a schedule for your project. Start with your deadline, and work backward toward the current date. In your schedule, allow for time for research, time for outlining, time to write the first draft and time to rewrite and proof before submitting it.

2. Start your project as early as possible. Granted, you may have other projects you’re working on. Try spending an hour doing the initial planning and research. Don’t wait until the last minute! Spending a brief time thinking about what you plan to write can give you a head start toward your deadline.

3. Divide your project into bite-sized chunks. This will allow you to work on your project a little bit at a time. You’ll make slow and steady progress. When you know you’re making progress and seeing the results of your efforts each day, you’ll feel less stressed.

4. Set short, intermediate deadlines. Allow an hour to perform certain tasks related to your project. Maybe it’s sending out a bunch of emails to set up interviews, conduct background research or draft an outline. When you know you have one hour to work, you’d be amazed at how much you can accomplish.

Most important, don’t wait for the last minute to begin your project! I know I said that once before, but I needed to say it again because it’s soooooo important.

As for the emotional aspect of deadline pressure, here are a few things you can do to keep yourself centered.

Breathe deeply. Take a few deep breaths before diving into your project. Following your breath will allow you to slow down your thought processes, and consequently, reduce your anxiety. Repeat this every time you feel stressed about the project.
Trust your instincts. When you’re racing toward a deadline, dealing with a difficult task or trying to solve a problem, sometimes the instincts kick in. Trust them. They’re usually spot on.
Trust your abilities. You know you have talent, you have experience and you’ve trained well in your chosen field. Once you’ve done your research and prepared your notes, trust your ability to get the project done on time. When you have confidence in your abilities, it takes a lot of the stress and panic out of the process.
Manage your time well. Doing small tasks each day will produce better results than a marathon at the finish line.
Give yourself a break. If you’re really feeling stuck, walk away from the project for an hour. Go for a walk or take a snack break or watch TV to get your mind off of the problem. When you come back an hour later, you may notice a solution that you didn’t see before.

There may be another aspect of deadline pressure to consider: performance anxiety. There’s a pressure to perform at your highest level, usually because something is at stake – a grade at the end of the semester, winning a new client or repeat business, or a coveted promotion. Meeting that deadline shows you are serious about your work.

For more great tips about writing under deadline, check out this article courtesy of the Public Relations Society of America.

Deadlines will never go away, and neither will the pressure. If you plan your time well, you’ll meet deadlines with greater confidence and less stress.

Strategies to Maintain a Consistent Writing Practice during the Summer

May 25, 2021 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

With summer just around the corner, the weather is heating up. Little by little, COVID restrictions are loosening up in many parts of the country. Like most people, writers are eager to get out to enjoy the season.

Along with the summer comes changes in schedules. The school year ends, families go on vacation and some businesses offer summer hours to allow employees time off. Everyone everywhere is in a more relaxed state of mind. They’re eager to enjoy the season, more so this year than in the past because of what we’ve all been through with the pandemic. Things may be so relaxed, in fact, that activities you were so diligent about – such as a regular writing practice — may slack off.

Is it possible to maintain a consistent writing practice while enjoying summer vacation? The answer to that is yes. You just may have to make some adjustments to your schedule.

If you’ve been diligent about writing every day (or almost every day), you probably want to keep momentum. It might help to have a plan for maintaining your writing during the active summer months, so you don’t lose track of your writing goals.

Now is the best time to develop strategies to maintain your writing practice, no matter what the summer holds for you. If writing is important to you, you won’t want to let it slide. If you already have a consistent practice, you’ll be more motivated to keep writing through the summer months.

Here are a few ideas for maintaining a summer writing practice.

Start your writing session earlier. With the sun rising earlier in the day, you have more daylight to play with. Why not use that daylight to your advantage? Rise a half hour earlier and begin writing when you wake up. Even if you already write for an hour a day, by starting a half hour or hour earlier, you’ll get your session done sooner and you’ll have more of your day to spend doing as you wish.

Condense your writing sessions. If you’re really stretched for time or you prefer to use the time to spend with your kids or your friends, you can shorten your sessions. Instead of writing for two hours (if you’re lucky) write for an hour. If you write for an hour a day, cut back to a half hour. You’re still writing every day, and you’re still making progress toward your goals. You’re just doing it at a slower pace.

Write in multiple short sessions. Another option is to write in short blocks of time, such as fifteen minutes. But schedule them throughout the day. So rather than write for an hour in a single session, break up that hour in four 15-minutes sessions. If all you have are little breaks throughout the day, use them to your advantage. You’d be amazed at how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes. Check out my blog post about this topic.

Give yourself an occasional day off (or two). Sometimes you need to take a break from writing altogether. Summer vacation is a prime time to do that. If you’ve been working on a tight deadline or writing every day without a break in between, treat yourself to a couple of days off. You’ve earned it. You’ll come back to your writing with fresh eyes. Just be sure not to keep extending your break for too long or you will lose momentum.

Focus on non-writing tasks instead. There’s more to writing than putting words down on paper. Other aspects, such as research, interviewing subject matter experts, outlining and developing character sketches, are just as important. But sometimes they can be relegated to the back burner until we have to deal with them. Even daydreaming and people watching can be counted as non-writing tasks if they lead to story ideas and developing character descriptions and plot lines.

Capture experiences right away. Remember to carry a small notebook with you as you go about your day. You may notice something in your environment or experience something special that you want to capture while it’s fresh on your mind.

Make yourself accountable. If you don’t want to slack off too much, tap into your community of writers. Reach out to a mentor or writing buddy when you feel your motivation is lagging. Better yet, team up with them to write once a week in a coffee shop or at the beach. When you know someone else is along for the ride, it’s easier to keep on the path.

It’s tempting to let your writing slide during the summer months. By planning ahead and establishing a regular routine, even if it’s different from your non-summer schedule, you can make progress toward your writing goals.

Achieve Your Writing Goal in One Year (or Less)

September 1, 2020 ~ The Regal Writer ~ 3 Comments

Have you heard this questions before? “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

I’ve always hated that question in job interviews because I could never answer it without making myself look like a disorganized mess. I would hem and haw, waiting for inspiration to strike me with an appropriate answer before finally settling on a very safe one: “Working here.”

The truth is, I’ve always had difficulty setting and keeping five-year goals because I could never think that far ahead. Too much can happen between this moment and five years from now that could alter my long-term plans, so why bother making any?

These days, my goal-setting is simpler because I focus on short-term goals and I look no further than one year ahead. Instead, I ask myself, “Where do I want to be one year from now?” I figure as long as I take care of the short term goals, the long-term future will take care of itself.

The one-year plan includes several interim goals to measure your progress. I borrow this approach from publishing production schedules, which establishes the publishing date first and then works backward to the starting point of the production cycle. In between, there are deadlines for writing, proofing, artwork and so on.

Think about what you want to accomplish with your writing practice. Where do you see it one year from now? Maybe your vision is to manage a blog. Maybe you want to complete a collection of travel essays. Or maybe you want to write stories from your life to pass onto your grandchildren. Whatever that goal may be, start with your year-end vision, then break it down into smaller, achievable tasks. Those tasks become your interim deadlines. When you know you want to achieve X one year from now, it’s easier to work backward to set the interim deadlines.

I find a good time for these goal-setting sessions is the beginning of the New Year, your birthday, or the beginning of the school year. Those times signify fresh starts when goal setting can help you stay motivated. But any time of year is a good time to make goals for yourself, no matter what you want to achieve with your writing.

To help you with this goal-setting exercise, answer the following questions.

1. Name one thing you would like to achieve in your writing practice one year from now. For example, complete first drafts of 12 childhood memoir essays to be included in a published collection. (Twelve is a random number that I chose based on the calendar months of the year. That equates to one memoir essay each month.)

2. Name one thing you would like to achieve in six months. Perhaps your six-month goal is to review the essays you’ve written so far leading up to your one-year goal. How many essays have you completed toward your year-end goal? Do they need editing? Perhaps your six-month goal is to hire an editor or have someone review the work you’ve done.

3. Name one thing you would like to achieve by the end of three months. Perhaps in three months, you would like to read one or two memoir collections that other people have written to help you understand how it’s done. Or maybe your goal is to write three essays that will be included in your collection.

4. Name one thing you would like to achieve within one month. Your goal could be to write for 30 minutes at least three days a week, or it could be to complete a draft of one essay for your childhood memoir.

5. Name one thing you’d like to achieve within the next two weeks. It could be to evaluate your daily schedule to see what you can change to make room for writing. Or it could be brainstorming ideas for your collection of memoir essays.

By the end of this exercise, you will have set five goals for your writing practice at five different time periods – two weeks, one month, three months, six months, and one year. Make sure they are reasonable, measurable and realistic to achieve. Then review your goals every few months to see how much progress you have made. If you find that you haven’t achieved any of your goals, do not beat yourself up over it. Just modify your goals and start over again.

By developing a one-year plan with smaller goals at interim points, you can stay focused on the tasks at hand while letting the long-term future take care of itself.

What kind of writing plans do you make for yourself? Are you able to stick to them?

Three Questions Every Writer Should Ask Before Starting a Writing Routine

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Novice writers often ask, “How often should I write? And should I write every day?”

Browse the internet and you’ll likely find a variety of responses to these questions. Some responses suggest making time goals, such as one hour a day, while others suggest word goals, such as 500 words. For example, Stephen King in his book “On Writing,” advises new writers to aim for a lofty 1,000 words a day.

To add to the confusion, novice scribes are advised to write every day to achieve consistency with your writing. If you don’t write every day, experts argue, you might lose momentum and motivation. After missing several days, you may never get back to writing.

While their arguments are valid, they may not be practical. Not everyone has time to write every single day because of demanding schedules. Further, the thought of writing every day can be daunting, especially for novice writers who haven’t a clue how to get started. You might say to yourself, “Write every day? I can’t possibly do that! That will take up too much of my day!”

That kind of reasoning assumes that writing is time consuming. But the truth is, writing isn’t nearly as time consuming as we imagine it is. That’s because many of us have built up scenarios in our brain in which we imagine sitting in front of our computer for several hours a day. That scenario might be accurate for well-known authors and professional writers, but not for beginning writers like you and me.

How much time you devote to writing depends on several factors: what you’re schedule allows, whether you’re new to writing, and what you want to achieve with your writing. No two writers will have the same answers. Below are several questions you need to ask yourself before establishing a writing routine.

Question 1: Are you new to writing?

If you’re new to writing, it might be helpful to start with a small goal and work your way up into larger goals as you gain more confidence in your abilities. Set a word goal of 100 words, for example. If after a few days, 100 words is too easy, you can raise the goal to 250 words.

For other writers, a time goal may be a better option, say 15 minutes or 30 minutes. Even five minutes is better than none at all. As you gain more confidence, you can add more time to your sessions, moving from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, for example.

Shannon Ashley at the Post-Grad Survival Guide blog writes that it’s important to achieve consistency with your writing. But how much time and energy you put into it is up to individual writers and what they want to achieve. But it’s not necessary to write every day to achieve that success. It is important if you want to achieve consistency, especially for newer writers.

I recommend setting a small goal of 100 words per session. That is the equivalent of three or four paragraphs, something that is easy to achieve if you write every day. However, if you don’t have time to write every day, you can choose to write two or three times a week or even just weekends. You can still achieve consistency with your writing by committing to writing three days a week.

As you gain more experience, you will learn to write faster and get more writing done in less time. That’s when you can set higher goals for yourself and create more flexible writing schedules.

Question 2: Do you prefer a structured routine or write when you can?

Some writers prefer having a set schedule because they enjoy the structure that it gives them. Writing every day for a set amount of time or specific word count provides a sense of accomplishment. Just sitting down and writing at the same time every day is an accomplishment in and of itself.

The reality is, there is no set rule that says you have to write every day, writes Ali Luke at WritetoDone blog. It’s simply a goal to work toward. Only you know what is best for you considering your schedule.

On the other hand, some writers with more demanding work schedules may not have a lot of spare time for writing. Or they may simply thrive in unstructured work environments. Sometimes it’s necessary to find time to write wherever you can squeeze it in. For example, you may jot down notes while riding on the bus to work, or cram in a half hour of writing before bedtime. Further, it may not be possible to commit to writing every day. It may be that you are weekend warriors, writing in chunks on Saturday and Sunday.

Knowing which type of person you are – structured or unstructured – can help you decide how to set up your writing routine or whether you should have one at all.

Question 3: What do you want to accomplish with your writing?

If writing is a hobby, then you can be more flexible with your schedule since you are not tied to any deadlines. You can write whenever and wherever you want, and you can make your sessions as short or as long as you want – as your schedule allows. It might be easier to squeeze in writing time before doctor’s appointments and work breaks.

But if your goals are more serious – such as writing an essay or article that you want to have published – then you might need to devote a longer work session to complete it. That’s quiet, uninterrupted time to research, contemplate and prepare your finished piece for an editor. Since it requires greater care, then you will need longer stretches of time to work on it.

The bottom line is this: the more you want to accomplish with your writing, the more time you will devote to your craft. If you love to write, the more time you will make for it. That’s the difference between those who see writing as a casual leisurely pursuit and those who view it as their life’s work.

15 Writing Ideas for Your 15-Minute Writing Session

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 ~ The Regal Writer ~ 2 Comments

So you think you don’t have time to write. That’s very possible, considering all the demands on our time these days. Work (or looking for work), home schooling your kids, household chores, cooking, and all the other responsibilities we have that can get in the way of our writing time.

Don’t get discouraged if you’re not able to accomplish as much writing during your writing sessions. If you can make time for 15 minutes of writing, you can accomplish more than you think. You just have to go into your session with a goal. Know what you want to accomplish or what you want to write about. When you know what you want to accomplish, you can make the best use of your time. Then get down to work.

Here’s what you can do with your 15-minute writing session.

1. Freewrite for 15 minutes straight without stopping. Let the ideas flow from your brain to the page. Aim to write 100 words every session – at a minimum. Do not stop to edit or rethink what you just wrote. Just keep writing. You may be surprised at the ideas that you see on the page afterward. If you do this consistently, over 10 sessions (aiming for those 100 words), you should be able to complete a 1,000-word essay.

2. Draft a dialogue between two characters. Start with one character asking the other person a question. See where that dialogue takes your characters. Avoid writing back story or other narrative. Focus only on the dialogue.

3. Choose an object on your desk or somewhere in your room. Describe it in detail including the color, shape and texture of it. How did you acquire that item? Is there a story behind where that item came from?

4. If you have a pet, give the animal a voice. Write a few paragraphs as if the pet is speaking to you. What would the animal say? Would he lavish you with praise, or whine and complain that you don’t pay enough attention to them?

5. Create a bullet list of stories you’d like to write. Use a prompt like “I remember” or “What if?” to kick off your ideas.

6. Write a brief review of the last book you read or the last movie you watched.

7. Write the final chapter of your current work in progress. Sometimes by writing the ending first, you have a clearer idea of how to start your novel.

8. Browse through old vacation photos. Describe the place as you remember when you visited it. Add as much detail as you can recall.

9. Create a character sketch of your protagonist, antagonist or other major character. Describe their appearance, then write as much detail about what they are striving for in your story. What is the character’s back story?

10. Recall the last dream you had. Rewrite it as you might read it in a book or see on a movie screen.

11. Write a letter to a friend or loved one, especially someone you have not seen in a long time. Or write a letter to a historical figure you admire and wish you could meet. What would you say to them?

12. Play writing games. For example, choose three words at random from the dictionary (close your eyes, open to a random page and let your finger stop on a word) and write a story using those three words. The story can easily be two to three paragraphs.

13. Think of a book or movie in which you did not like the way it ended. Rewrite the ending. Remember you only have 15 minutes, but you can jot down the key ideas.

14. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. What do you hear? Describe the sounds and the images that come to mind when you hear them. Are there birds chirping? Is there a plane flying overhead? Is someone playing their stereo loudly? You can do this same exercise with other senses as well, such as touch, taste and smell.

15. Listen to a piece of music, preferably instrumental. Close your ideas as you listen to it. What images come to mind? Does it bring back any memories? Then write about your listening experience.

No matter how busy you may be, there is always time for writing, even if it’s only 15 minutes. Your writing practice shouldn’t suffer because you believe you don’t have enough time. There is always time, as long as you have the desire to write.

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Use Waiting Time for Your Writing Practice

July 30, 2019 ~ The Regal Writer ~ 1 Comment

photography of a person reading newspaper — Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

At my part-time job recently, I found myself sitting around for extended periods of time waiting for batches of orders to come in before I had to put them together for the customer. I hated those slow times. Even though I had my smart phone with me, I didn’t want to waste valuable battery life on reading online articles. So I did the next best thing to make the time pass. I grabbed a pen and began jotting down notes on a spare paper bag about my waiting experience, notes that I am now converting into this blog post.

Inspiration can hit you at any time so you have to be prepared. One of the best opportunities for finding that creative inspiration is while you’re waiting — whether you’re at the doctor’s office, at the airport, or in the grocery checkout line. Taking advantage of that uninterrupted time for writing, research or revising stories is better than worrying about that job interview or your upcoming blind date.

Worrying is fruitless when you have to wait, say psychology experts. Worrying doesn’t accomplish anything except make you feel worse than you already do. And worrying can be harmful to your health in the long run.

Waiting is commonplace in our society. So why do we hate it so much? Because we’re used to being on the go. We don’t want to slow down for anything. Social media and technology have made the situation worse by creating an immediacy to information and faster response times. Life got busier and faster as a result. We’re used to being on this treadmill called life, and we don’t want to get off.

We also dislike waiting because we can’t control our time. The control of our time is in the hands of someone else, like the doctor or the pilot. We worry because we aren’t in control.

Sometimes we simply have no choice but to wait. According to the Washington Post, research has found that it isn’t the wait that annoys people; it’s that people get bored while waiting. Researchers have found that unoccupied time feels longer than actual occupied time. When you have something to distract you, time passes more quickly. That’s why you see TV screens in doctors’ offices, magazines at hair salons, and mirrors and paintings outside elevator banks – to keep people preoccupied.

As awful as waiting can be, it is sometimes necessary, even helpful. It can be especially beneficial for our writing and creativity. Here’s how to make the most of those wait periods:

1. Catch up on your reading. Bring a book or magazine to read. It really does make time pass by more quickly, especially at a doctor’s office or while getting your hair done at the salon. You never know when that book can start a conversation with the person next to you in line.

2. People watch. If you’re lucky enough to have a window to look out of during your wait time, take advantage of it by watching the people go by. Reimagine their conversations. Imagine where they are coming from, what they do for a living. Create stories about them.

3. Jot down notes. I carry several small notebooks in my purse so when inspiration strikes me, I take notes before I forget them. I can refer to the notes later if I need ideas for stories. If you don’t have a notebook, look around for a spare sheet of paper to jot down notes. The note-taking keeps your hands and your mind busy so you don’t dwell on the long wait.

4. Do research. Do you need to do research for an upcoming project? Or maybe you are a news junkie who needs to stay updated on the latest news. Your smartphone (or laptop if you have it with you) are your gateways to knowledge.

5. Look around for inspiration. There are stories all around you. For example, if you’re at the airport, observe how the ticket agents handle customer issues. If you’re waiting for your prescription at the pharmacy, take note of the different products on the store shelves. What do they do? What ailments do they heal? Set aside your frustrations about waiting, and be curious.

6. Write about your waiting experience. There’s an instant story right there. Use the little notebooks from number 3 above to jot down ideas. Write about other times you’ve been forced to wait for something. Let your experience be your guide.

7. Take a walk. Stretch your legs. We do too much sitting around, so it’s important for our health to keep moving. Walk around for a change of scenery. It might also improve your mood.

8. Stop looking at the clock. In fact, put away your clock or watch altogether. The more you look at the time, the more it will seem to crawl, which will only frustrate you even more. When it’s out of sight, it’s out of your mind, and you won’t think about all the time you’re losing by waiting.

9. Learn to be patient. That’s what waiting ultimately does – help us become more patient.

Waiting doesn’t have to be a chore or a bore. With a little preparation, you can turn your enforced waiting into an opportunity. Make the most of it.

Tips for Creating Work-Life Balance as a Freelancer

April 4, 2019 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

equality-1245576_1280 — Image courtesy of Pixabay

When you work as a freelancer or independent contractor, you are your own boss. You can set your own schedule, goals and priorities. You can take time off when you want to. You have more freedom.

Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it?

But the fantasy rarely lives up to reality. More often than not, that self-imposed schedule and responsibility can get out of hand if you’re not careful. While it doesn’t happen often, freelance work can result in forty-hour plus workweeks. For many freelancers, the opposite is true. There isn’t enough work and they’re scrambling to find new clients. Constant fear and worry can nag at you about making ends meet or getting clients to pay on a timely basis.

When you work for yourself, it’s easy to focus more on your clients than your own family. Even more than your own well-being. It’s easy to lose track of your schedule. It’s easy to forget that you have a social life.

But take heart. There is hope for all freelancers. According to the 2018 freelancer survey by Upwork, 77 percent of full-time freelancers reported having a better work-life balance since becoming self-employed. It is possible to achieve that balance. But like everything else, you have to work at it, and you have to plan for it.

Having work-life balance is critical for your well-being for several reasons. It helps prevent burnout so you won’t feel overwhelmed by all your responsibilities. It helps you feel more energized and refreshed so you can face each new challenge. It helps clear your head so you can think more clearly.

Once you decide to begin working for yourself, it’s important to establish work-life balance early on in your freelance career. When you shift from a full-time job with a fairly set schedule to not having a set schedule at all, it can be easy to lose your sense of balance. As your own boss, it’s up to you set create that balance. Make it a part of your business planning. But how do you do it?

Here are a few ideas to help you create more work-life balance in your freelance career:

1. Set a regular work schedule. Establish consistent work hours and stick to them. If you worked a nine-to-five job previously, establish a similar type of schedule when you first start out. Make sure you give yourself two days off each week. Setting up a regular schedule with two off days keeps you in a routine that you can sustain.

2. Stay connected with family and friends. When you work for yourself, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing you are alone. That’s not true. No matter how busy you are setting up your business and pursuing new clients, don’t forget about your family and friends. They are your support system, and they can give you proper perspective when business gets too hectic or if things don’t go as smoothly as you planned.

3. Don’t be afraid to say no. No to assignments that would be a waste of your talents, no to outside obligations until you meet your deadline, no to clients who don’t pay on time or change their requirements. Know your limits. Know when you’ve had too much on your plate. Pass on the assignment or refer to another professional.

4. Keep your calendar organized. Keep all appointments in one place, both personal and professional so you don’t accidentally overbook yourself. Also set clear goals and priorities and list them in your calendar as a quick reminder of your obligations.

5. Detach and disconnect from devices. Information comes at us 24/7 via our devices, social media, computers and TV screens. It can be difficult to shut it out. It’s up to you to do that. Set aside a day or a weekend to do a digital detox. It might be helpful to put those detox dates in your calendar.

6. Set up a “fun” account. Small Business Trends, an online publication about small business practices, suggests setting up a separate bank account to be used solely for fun activities. As you get paid from clients, set aside a set amount into this fun account so you have money to splurge on that weekend spa getaway or ski trip you’ve had your eye on.

7. Practice self-care. To be your best for clients, you need to live healthily, suggests experts at FilterGrade.com. Eat properly, get proper sleep, practice meditation and yoga, or take long walks. Do anything you can to clear your mind and center yourself.

8. Keep up with personal interests. Maintain your hobbies, whether that’s playing tennis, reading the latest best-seller or attending concerts. Volunteer with your favorite cause. Sometimes when you spend time with those less fortunate, it puts your own troubles into perspective.

Whether you’ve been freelancing for for some time or are just starting on your journey, setting aside time for yourself is as critical to your success as helping your clients. When you work for yourself, it’s up to you to make work-life balance a priority.

Five Lies About Writing That Can Derail Your Writing Practice

March 28, 2019April 2, 2019 ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

two men using white laptop computer sitting on brown wooden sofa — Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

When it comes to maintaining a writing practice, we tell ourselves a lot of lies – not being good enough, not having enough time to write, not having any good ideas, writing is easy, etc.

Why do we tell ourselves so many lies? More important, what are we basing them on? Whose voices do we hear when we hear those lies? Perhaps it was some offhand comment someone said to you many years ago that you took to heart? Or perhaps it’s someone else’s belief that you adopted as your own, even though that person is no longer alive?

Those lies often act as barriers to your writing. If you get too far ahead of yourself, you may hear that voice again. That’s when self-doubt kicks in. You slow down or stop writing altogether. That’s no way to engage with your writing.

Maybe it’s time to dispel those beliefs and get real about your writing practice. Maybe it’s time to re-frame those internal messages into more positive ones so you can enjoy writing again.

Below are the most common “lies” that you may have told yourself at one time or another and how you can dispel them once and for all.

Lie #1: “There’s not enough time to write.”
An old friend of mine once told me that he didn’t realize how much time he wasted until he started grad school. Once he started classes, he became more aware of how he was spending his time. “We waste a lot of time,” he told me with a shake of his head.

The truth is we fill our days with busy work, much of it meaningless. If you claim that you’re too busy to write, what are you “too busy” doing? How do you know that you don’t have time to write if you have never tracked your activities throughout the day? Are you using your time as efficiently as you could?

Try this exercise: For three consecutive days, keep track of how you spend your time. Include one weekend day (for example, Thursday, Friday and Saturday). Set up worksheets from midnight to midnight with fifteen-minute increments for each day. Be honest with yourself. Once these worksheets are completed, take note of any gaps in your schedule. Are there pockets of time where nothing is happening? Can you split up a segment of time? For example, if you get an hour for lunch, can you set aside a half hour for writing? Or if you spend most Saturdays watching marathon episodes of your favorite show on Netflix, could you swap out one hour for writing instead?

By seeing your activity in print, you’ll likely find ways to re-allocate your time so you can spend more valuable time writing.

Lie #2: “Writing is too time-consuming.”
How much time do you think you need to establish a regular writing practice? Thirty minutes? An hour, perhaps? Many people believe writing is time-consuming based on some preconceived idealistic vision of what a writing practice looks like. They imagine an overly large oak desk in a drawing room with lots of bookshelves and French doors that open up onto a garden with a view of the lake in the distance.

This scenario is far from the truth. (Hence the schedule assessment). More likely, writers are squeezing in a writing session during their lunch hour or on a bus ride to work in the morning. Most have full-time jobs, families to raise, obligations to the community. They don’t have a lot of time to indulge in fantasy, but they do make time to work on their craft.

The truth is, many writing experts say you only need ten to fifteen minutes a day to establish a regular writing practice. If all you need is ten minutes, you can write anywhere. Check your activity assessment again. Are there gaps in your schedule where you can squeeze in ten minutes of writing?

Lie #3: “There is nothing worthwhile to write about.”
Many aspiring writers stop writing because they think they don’t have anything worthy to say, no interesting stories to tell. But ideas for stories are everywhere if you remain aware and alert for them.

Engage with the world around you. Notice the people walking in the park or through your neighborhood. What are they doing? Riding a bike, feeding the birds, playing with their kids? Observe the other passengers on your next train ride to work or in the coffee shop you hang out. How are they dressed? How are they spending their time? Quietly and unobtrusively listen to the conversations around you. Note how two people speak to one another. In hushed tones so as not to be overheard? Or loud and emotional, as if they are having an argument?

There is plenty to write about. You just have to be aware of your surroundings to be inspired.

Lie #4: “Writing is not a worthwhile career.”
If you believe that writing is not a worthwhile career, go to the nearest bookstore or library, open up a magazine or newspaper or browse the Internet. You’ll find plenty of opportunities for writers. Sure, it may be tough going at the start of your career, or even in mid-career. But that has never stopped writers from writing. You may have to work a dull nine-to-five job to pay the bills while you hone your craft. But ask anyone who has ever been published and they will tell you that writing brings them joy. That in itself makes it worthwhile.

Lie #5: “Writing is for sissies.”
Writing is not for the faint of heart. Especially if you are writing a novel or a work of non-fiction, writing is a slow, agonizing process, complete with false starts and writer’s blocks. Your first draft is usually junk, and you’ll have to go through several editing passes before an editor or publisher believes your latest project is worth sharing with the rest of the world.

The key to progress is consistency. You can work on your latest masterpiece and still it may not be good enough to be published. But writers are the most courageous and heartiest of souls. They risk rejection constantly. Even after they’ve received fifty rejection slips, they dust themselves off and try again.They’re willing to toil for years on one project that is close to their heart, just to see it come to fruition. This writing life is definitely not for sissies.

Remember you are in charge of your own writing practice. You set the schedule and the parameters for success, however success means to you. Once you become aware of the self-defeating beliefs, myths and assumptions affecting your writing, you can flip the script. Rewrite the assumptions as fact-based truths. Then use them to redefine your writing practice.

Are there any lies that you used to believe in that nearly derailed your writing career?

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