Blogging

People always ask me what my best advice for writers is. Just kidding – no one has ever asked me for writing advice. Ever. And that’s okay, because the truth is, I don’t know a whole lot about writing. I don’t read enough, I don’t write enough, I don’t workshop enough (except in college – but back then workshopping was called “drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes).

Let it simmer. Let your ideas marinate in your brain before every touching a piece of paper or a pen.

I do have one piece of advice (unsolicited as it may be). My number one piece of advice for anyone writing, blogging, or journaling would be: Let it simmer. Let your ideas marinate in your brain before every touching a piece of paper or a pen. Plenty of people advise writers to carry pencil and paper with them all the time in case inspiration takes over, and while the sentiment is great, it’s not always realistic. What if inspiration strikes while you’re in the middle of the grocery checkout line with your screaming baby trying to jump over the conveyor belt to touch the buttons on the cash register? What if inspiration strikes while you’re in a public restroom (tangent piece of advice: when in a public restroom, touch as little as possible).

Frantically writing down creative lines and excerpts is a great idea for those nuggets, or one-liners that pop into your head randomly. However, if you’re planning on writing an essay, short story, or any  longer piece, let that idea simmer in your brain. Really think about each idea, what it means to you, and how you want to approach it in writing. Pretend your idea is a big, lumpy ball of dough and your brain is a pasta roller. Churn that idea through each level of the pasta roller until that lumpy ball of dough becomes smooth, evenly shaped pasta you can’t wait to sink your teeth into (your teeth would probably be your pen and pencil, or typewriter if you need more help with this metaphor).

It’s important to edit your work, but consider the value in mentally editing your ideas before you even write them down. Don’t worry about remembering them – the ones worth remembering will always find their way to paper. The next time creativity strikes, let it simmer and see how it affects the final piece.

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When the hell am I going to blog?

I talk about writer’s block a lot, mostly because I THINK about writer’s block a lot. As a freelance writer, there’s a lot of pressure to blog regularly or at least produce some content on a personal level on a consistent basis. As you can see from the lapse in posts, I don’t succumb to the pressure very often.

You see, I really don’t see anything wrong with not writing when you don’t have anything to write about. I put faith in ideas, and that ideas will happen sort of organically. Yes, you should feed your brain and creativity by continuing to write in one way or another. Still, if it ain’t happening, it ain’t happening. Don’t ever feel pressure to produce creatively because (if you’re anything like me) you’ll end up frustrated and disappointed.

I’ve had a crazy couple of months – in a superb way. Balancing my own business while maintaining a part-time job while staying at home with my son is a constant seesaw of obligations. On top of that, I’ve been fortunate enough to publish a book – a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. Because of this my blog has definitely suffered. But that’s okay. Business is great, and taking time to focus on my business and my book will breathe life into creative ideas down the road.

So that’s that. An article about not writing articles.

Do you feel pressure to produce creatively? How do you channel that?

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Every entrepreneur says it. Every start up believes it as their mantra. Trusting your crazy ideas can be the difference between being ingenious, and just being in debt. Still, it warrants repeating. Trusting yourself and believing in your ideas is key to stepping away from the herd. What’s more, having the courage to stand behind your ideas can add confidence and gumption to the recipe – two key ingredients that can take your crazy ideas to the next level.

Case in point: this music video from Of Monsters and Men. In their visual accompaniment to “Little Talks,” this Icelandic folk band creates something truly mesmerizing. It’s weird, fantastical, and overall lovely. The video was created by a company called WeWereMonkeys, and my Googles tell me they have also worked with Coheed and Cambria and Land of Talks. Watch the video and feel creativity ignite:

There. Did it work? Are wonderful ideas never thought of by anyone sprouting out your ear holes? Alright, maybe not, but that’s okay. The point here isn’t to generate ideas – those will come on their own. Instead, recognize them when they do come, and stand behind them to help them grow. The geniuses that created this video trusted their ideas, and didn’t worry about who would love it or who wouldn’t get it. The result is something completely daring, gorgeous, and original.

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I try to eat as healthy as possible. A better way to phrase that would be I try to eat as reasonably as possible. I minimize how much fried food I eat, I eat vegetables every day, and start every morning with a spinach and fruit smoothie. I don’t drink caffeine and stick to as many whole, fresh foods as possible.

That being said, I’m currently in the process of kicking my sugar addiction. While that doesn’t mean never eating sweets (let’s get real) it does mean seriously getting a handle on the sugar I eat. Because I don’t drink caffeine I rely on sugar to get me through the afternoon slump. Juices, sodas, hot chocolate [read: anything chocolate] boost my energy and improve my mood (temporarily). However, sugar can be a toxic and highly addictive substance.

Sugar isn’t only bad for my health, it’s also bad for my business. When I eat too much sugar, I can’t concentrate or focus on a single task. My mind wanders and it’s difficult for me to complete projects. By reining in my reliance on sugar I’ve already seen an improvement in my focal ability and my overall health.

How does your diet affect the way you do work?

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