The Worried Writer Episode #23: Super-Charge Your Writing Goals for 2017!

ww_sarahpainter_headerimageHappy new year! This is a short episode to kick off 2017 and I reveal my tip for super-charging your goals.

In the January 2016 episode, I defined what makes a good goal and how to set one, and this year I talk about the importance in working out the ‘why’ behind your goals.

As you probably know (since I bang on about it enough!), I love setting goals and believe they are one of the most powerful things we can do when trying to achieve things in writing (and life).

Last year, I wrote about my writing goals for 2016 and in this episode I recap on how I got on and chat a little about my aims for 2017.

I found setting my goals (and putting them in public – eek!) incredibly motivating, so I’m doing it again this year… Look out for my 2017 goals post on Monday!

Next month’s episode features an interview with a listener of the podcast, Gillian McAllister. Gillian’s first novel, Everything But The Truth, is out 9th March and it was really interesting to speak to someone who is at an early stage of their career.

If you’ve got a question you’d like answered, please email me or find me on Twitter.

I’ll answer it on the show and credit you (unless, of course, you ask to remain anonymous).

Please spread the word and, if you can spare the time, leave a rating for the show on iTunes. I truly appreciate your support.

Thank you for listening!

 

Christmas Gift Ideas for Worried Writers

I know that it’s December and you may have already bought all of your holiday gifts but, just in case you are still looking, here are some ideas… If you have bought for all the worried writers in your life, perhaps one of these will just have to slip into your shopping basket as a gift to yourself!

The Essentials:

 

 

It might not be wildly original, but a good-quality notebook is ALWAYS a safe present for a writer. I love Moleskine (again, not original, but there is a reason they are so popular) and have recently been favouring these large soft-cover ones. I have this blue one and it’s a lovely colour (always a bonus).

Extra-large blue Moleskine: £10.50

 

 

 

Lovely fine-tip pens in lots of colours for plotting/brain-storming/colouring-in or doodling. When it comes to writing, having fun is the key to productivity. An array of cheerful coloured pens remind me of childhood play, which can be a very good thing when wrestling with a tricky chapter or a ‘can’t be bothered’ day.

Stabilo 88 fine-liners are my go-to felt tip and this pack of mini-size sweet colours is £8.99.

 

Pretty Literary:

alwaysimpossible

 

 

I love this quote and find it genuinely useful. Plus, this typographic print is so pretty!

Print by LilyWillowDesigns on Etsy. £3.01.

 

 

 

 

SONY DSC

 

 

Literary cushion with added library-love.

Virginia Woolf cushion from The Literary Gift Company: £18.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books:

 

I have re-read (and recommended) this book many times. If you struggle with fear and self-doubt, this book will make you feel less alone.

The Courage To Write by Ralph Keyes

 

 

 

 

 

I really enjoyed this from Elizabeth Gilbert (the podcast is good, too!).

She is warm, wise and encouraging, and I know I will turn to this book regularly.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

 

 

 

As you all know, Joanna Penn is my unofficial mentor, and I highly recommend all of her books (as well as her outstanding podcast, The Creative Penn). The Successful Author Mindset is particularly useful for worried writers, whether just starting out or with several books published.

 

 

 

Healthy Writer: 

Writing is a sedentary pursuit and a little motivation to leave the laptop can be a good thing. Mel Sherratt spoke about her Fitbit and how it had helped her to get more active in episode 13 of the The Worried Writer podcast.

FitBit Alta WristBand (also available in black, purple or dark blue).

 

 

 

 

 

Even if you don’t want to do a full yoga or pilates workout, I highly recommend interspersing your writing sessions with some gentle stretching. Like many writers, I suffer from a dodgy back, but if I do my physiotherapy exercises throughout the day, I can keep the pain under control. Even if you don’t have problems now, RSI and posture-related pain are very real hazards when it comes to typing for long periods – please don’t wait until you are suffering to look after your body!

 

 

Just For Fun:

chocolate_miniature_books

 

Adorable chocolate books from Choc On Choc: £9.99.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

zombieA Literary Feast: Recipes Inspired by Novels, Poems and Plays by Jennifer Barclay

Food and literature combined!

And, finally… For the writer who has everything (and who isn’t freaked-out by the undead):

Zombie bookends: £15.00

 

 

 

Hope that helps! If you’ve got any gift recommendations, I’d love to hear about them in the comments. 

 

The Worried Writer Episode #22: Holly Martin ‘I Just Love Writing’


hollymartin_ww

Holly Martin is the author of funny, romantic fiction and paranormal YA, including her successful White Cliff Bay series, One Hundred Proposals and The Guestbook. Holly was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance, she won the Carina Valentine’s competition and was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance 2014. Holly’s latest book Christmas Under A Starlit Sky is out now.

For more on Holly and her books, visit her blog or Facebook page or find her on Twitter.

In the introduction, I give a short writing update. I managed to finish the rewrites on my latest book. Although I spent the first couple of weeks in despair, feeling as if the story was broken and that I couldn’t fix it, I am so glad I made myself persevere. I am much happier with the latest version and I think the ending it much stronger. Now I’m just going to keep my fingers crossed that my agent agrees!

Another thing I’ve done this month is to revisit the goals I set back in January. I haven’t managed to hit all of them, but I have got more done this year on my writing business than in any previous year so I’m definitely celebrating. It’s also encouraged me to make a last push in December and see if I can tick off another of my goals before the year runs out.

With that in mind, I’ve started work on a Worried Writer book. A non-fiction title which will bring together my own story with the best tips and advice gathered from two years of author interviews. I’d love to know if that is something you would be interested in. Also, if there is something in particular you would like covered in the book do let me know!

I will keep you all posted on its progress on the podcast, but if you are particularly interested and would like to make sure you get updates, please consider signing up for my mailing list here.

Once it’s finished, I will be looking for beta readers for the book, and there will be giveaways, review copies and all that good stuff available to those who are signed up!

In the interview:

I quiz Holly on the secret to her amazing productivity:

‘Well, I just love writing. I just love creating a story… It’s just something I really, really enjoy. Whenever I’m writing a story, my mind is always jumping ahead to the next story I want to write so by the time I finish writing one story, the characters and story for the next one are already fully formed in my mind and I want to get it down.’

On process:

‘The most important thing is that you need to write every single day, even if it’s just a couple of hundred words, because then your mind stays in the story…’

On submitting/trying to get published:

‘Just don’t ever, ever give up.’

Holly on keeping the creative spark alive:

‘You just have to write what you love… If it’s becoming a chore then something is wrong… If you enjoy writing and enjoy those characters and getting back to it every day, then the readers will be able to tell and hopefully they will enjoy it, too. It’s really important to stay true to what you really want to write.’

 

Recommended:

Self-editing For Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

Save The Cat by Blake Snyder

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve got a question you’d like answered, please email me or find me on Twitter.

I’ll answer it on the show and credit you (unless, of course, you ask to remain anonymous).

Please spread the word and, if you can spare the time, leave a rating for the show on iTunes. I truly appreciate your support.

Thank you for listening!