Smart Strategy to Focus Your Writing

Ever get the feeling of overwhelm with the number of ideas you have coming into your head?

Recently, I've been thinking about writing strategies.  With two blogs, two businesses, poetry, and a number of book ideas, I'm finding myself getting overwhelmed by the magnitude of writing ideas I have and that I'm not actually moving forward with anything...yet. 

However, I think I've found an effective way to focus my writing...

Earlier this week, I was listening to a business webinar about focused strategy, where the speaker spoke about a way of sifting through entrepreneurial ideas to get focused and make progress in fulfilling those ideas.  In thinking of applying these principles to my businesses, I realized that the same strategies (slightly modified) could also be applied to my writing ideas, so that I could actually prioritize them, get focused and make progress. 

At the heart of these strategies is the idea of getting out of the "noise" of the "should do's", and instead, aligning your ideas with your purpose or vision.  So, the first question to ask is:  What is your purpose?  Why are you writing this book/blog/newsletter?  What are you trying to achieve? 

Having your vision or purpose in mind gives you focus and helps you sift through your ideas and choose the ones that align with your vision or purpose.  Further, having that vision written and in front of you (I have it taped to the inside of the front cover of my notebooks - one book for each writing platform - where I draft all my writing, and refer to my purpose whenever I sit down to get writing) will help you come up with the ideas that are focused on your vision. 

For example, with this blog, my purpose/vision is to share my experiences and my insights into the writing process,  and  to share pieces that I have published.  Now, since refocusing on this purpose, I have developed a writing schedule and topics list for the next 4 blog entries...that should make the process flow more smoothly and consistently, and actually allow me to write even more in a focused amount of time. 

What are the strategies that are working for you?  I would love to hear from you. 

Happy writing!!!

Words from a Photograph

I’ve experienced so much expansiveness in the last while and although not doing so much writing, there’s been a creative flow of a different kind.  A couple of months ago, I started doing a program which has opened not only my eyes, but all of my senses and my very being to a vastness of pure potential which I find absolutely amazingly fascinating.  With those experiences of the last few months, coupled with a recent opportunity to be the subject of a couple of photo shoots, I found myself falling in love with the images I saw, and more deeply in love with my own camera.  Those experiences have inspired me to be more attentive and present to what I see, and capture as much as I can with the lens - capturing the essence of what I see in nature – the greatest inspiration for my poetic verses. 

This week I chaired my Wordsmiths writing group meeting.  Inspired by the photos I had taken the week before at my parents’ farm, I decided we’d do an exercise that entailed writing the story that is happening outside the photo frame.  It’s one thing to see a photograph or a painting and write its story, but it’s something else to write what happening outside of that image.  The result – 8 wonderfully creative stories churned up in a 20 minute writing session.  Some of them will be developed into greater works of prose and poetry, I’m sure, and I look forward to my fellow wordsmiths to share their creations at a later date. 

I mentioned this writing exercise to my photographer later that night while discussing a shoot.  Inspired by a photograph that he took of me (probably my most favourite shot of them all).  It’s such a good piece that I asked his permission to share it here.  Thanks to Steve Di Monte of Change Your Life Photography for sharing.

 So, next time you're out and about, why not grab your camera and capture what you see.  Search the images to inspire you and dream up what’s happening around them…it’s a really fun exercise, and if nothing else will put a smile on your face as you reminisce through the photographs.  Happy writing :) :) :)