Blog Posts I Recently Enjoyed Reading

To stay with January’s productivity/time management theme, I’m sharing links to a few blog posts I recently read.

The first one was a guest post by Tamera Alexander over at Seekerville–“10 Writing Tips for Staying Focused & Finishing Your Book.”

Here’s an excerpt:

1. Disconnect…and be disciplined about it—

So easy to say, so hard to do.

In my early years of writing there weren’t as many distractions as there are today—yes, we did already have cell phones and email (I wrote my first novel in 2002, not the dark ages!)—but phones and email and social media weren’t the “great commanders of time” as they seem to be now. The number of ways to communicate has increased exponentially since then. Which, in turn, has contributed to our lack of concentration and ability to focus.

Now there’s Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, blogs and the list goes on and on. An author could easily spend the majority of her time doing social media, staying connected with readers (which is an absolute blast!), and sorting the rest of “life stuff” that always crops up—and never write. Or at least never finish that novel.

The best—the only—way I’ve found that works for me is to turn it off. Literally.

There’s much more to it, and it’s worth the entire read. You can find the rest of the post HERE.

I’ve found that one of the reasons I struggle to stay focused is because something is off in my life, and it’s simmering below the surface. Sure, I can try to write through the murk, but sometimes it’s better to just face it head-on.

Patience Bloom tackles this topic in “2022 Is Up to You” (via RomanceIsMyDayJob.wordpress.com).

What do I need to know today?

I find a blank piece of paper and pick up my crappiest pen (à la Natalie Goldberg). The question hands in my head and I wait. Then, my hand just moves along, creating words, sentences, paragraphs, and pages. I’m never quite sure what will emerge but when I reach an end, I go back and read. What I find always shocks me. Asking this question usually unleashes powerful feelings, benevolent ones. There is a message from somewhere that turns out to be exactly what I need to know today.

Again, to read the entire piece, go to “2022 Is Up to You” via RomanceIsMyDayJob.wordpress.com by Patience Bloom.

Finally, Kelsey Gooden shares “5 Reasons to Keep Writing” via LittleInfinite.com.

4. To Inspire

Consider the times literature has found you in perfect timing. You know — those moments when you’re skimming pages, minding your own business and then BOOM. A sentence sinks into your core and forces goosebumps to crawl over your skin. The exact words you needed found their way to you in wonderfully divine timing! These sacred experiences only occur when a writer is brave enough to create their story. Writers likely have no idea when the right reader will stumble upon their work. But because they trust that their words will find those who need them, a reader is forever changed. Maybe your work is meant to provide that comfort and inspiration to someone else. You’ll never know if you don’t! 

Do yourself a favor and read the entire thing at “5 Reasons to Keep Writing” via LittleInfinite.com.

How is your month going?