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Archive of ‘The Write Stuff’ category

My Not-So-Secret Writing Life

It’s not a well-kept secret that I’ve been working on a memoir for quite some time. Every once in a while, I’ll come across old New Year’s resolutions on Facebook where more than once I’ve written: “I’m going to finish my book this year!” And then, another year goes by without a completed first draft.

Recently, one of my best friends asked me how the writing was going. I was so touched. She has always supported my work, and it’s been a while since someone asked me that question. Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to respond. I think my answer to her wound up being an enthusiastic one like – “It’s going well! Thanks for asking!” – without going into too much detail.

Here’s the truth: I write every single day. I wake up and wonder what I’ll write about that day. I see stories and content all around me and immediately want to put my spin on it. Most of the time, I write for my job as a nonprofit communications professional. I write (and rewrite 😉 ) marketing emails, impact stories, leadership spotlights, website and social media copy, fundraising campaigns, and so much more. I love having a career that allows me to use my skills and talent to write for good causes. And I know my work experience enhances my overall writing journey.

But I’m also trying to spend just as much time here on my laptop writing my book, and that’s not always easy. This means I have to put myself first. I’ve invested time and money to learn more about my craft through professional development classes, writing workshops, and reading countless books and articles. With all the writing, editing, proofreading, and learning I’ve done over the last decade, I’m sure I have a complete manuscript by now. And yet, I have nothing to point to and say, “Ta-da!”

So what’s the problem? The problem is that personal writing projects have always taken a backseat in my daily life. Sometimes it’s because I sit in front of a computer all day and have nothing left after the workday. Other times, writer’s block or imposter syndrome kicks in, and I’m completely helpless. And there have been plenty of times that I write and write and write because I have so much to say and can’t type the words fast enough. Now that I’m an empty-nester, my schedule is much more open, and my mindset is focused on writing this book. But that’s not enough. I need a plan of attack. Here are some changes I’m already putting into place.

  • Making the Time – I’ve already told my husband that I’m carving out at least an hour a day to write, if not more. I’m also getting out of bed earlier than normal to get ready for work, leaving time for me to be creative. I’ve even traded in most of my TV time and doom-scrolling for blogging or reading because reading other people’s work is an important part of my process.
  • Writing with Friends – I’ve committed to two writing challenges and half a dozen in-person workshops this summer. (I told you I meant business 🙂 ). The first is the Ultimate Blog Challenge which requires me to write one blog daily for the entire month of July. I love this not only because of the writing, but we also support others doing the challenge by commenting on their posts as well. It’s a supportive online community of incredibly talented literary citizens. The other challenge is with the Philly Writers Workshop. Every week, I am paired with a classmate to exchange new pieces written in 15-minute blocks of time for positive feedback. This challenge is designed to help us all get into a routine I desperately need. These projects bring me joy and hopefully get me closer to finishing my book.
  • No More Negative Self-Talk – I need to stop telling myself no one wants to read what I write or will care about my stories. It’s a lie I tell myself that causes me to procrastinate even further. So, I’m not going to worry about writing the perfect memoir, whether I’m the right person to write this book, or if I sell a million copies. And no more lying about not being good enough. I am good enough.
  • A Little Detective Work – I need to dig through previous posts, read old workshop prompts, review past submissions, and then organize what I have written and see what remains to be said. I may have a complete manuscript and not even know it. Wouldn’t that be nice? A girl can only dream.

What other things should I be doing that I can include in my plan? I’m all ears – or eyes. Add your thoughts in the comments!

XO,
Elisa

Top 5 Writing Resources

Whether you write a blog regularly or your writing life is limited to work e-mails and an annual holiday letter,  we all could use a little help. Here are my top 5 writing resources to help cure writer’s block and improve your skills. I receive no kickbacks for recommending these books. All links go to the author’s website instead of an Amazon page, hoping you will support your local independent bookstore when purchasing these fantastic resources.

Here we go!

Everybody Writes by Anne Handley

This book is known as the “essential guide to becoming a masterful marketer, writer, and storyteller. If you are someone who falls asleep at the thought of grammar and sentence structure, this is the book for you. This author is known for her wit as well as her wisdom. She provides excellent strategies for planning in her chapter “Think Before You Ink” and “How to Hate Writing Less.” Handley teaches you how to develop your brand, avoid cliches, and write engaging copy.

No matter what topic you write about, you want your writing to connect with your audience. This is your book.

Epic Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi

During the pandemic, I decided to get a professional certificate in digital marketing. My first class was on content marketing, and this was the textbook. Fortune Magazine calls it “one of the top business books of the year.” If you are responsible for generating content for your business or employer, this author talks about how to develop content and then recycle that content for different platforms, from e-mail to social media. Want to grow your audience? There is a section dedicated to expanding your reach through your content. I learned so much from this book. He just came out with a second edition, which, admittedly, I haven’t purchased yet. I already have the original, which cost me nearly $30. I’m glad I have it on my shelf, and I’m a little jealous of the people who don’t have this book yet. You get to buy the most recent edition, while mine is ten years old.

Totally worth it!

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

For those of us who are struggling bestseller novelists or memoirists who fight imposter syndrome and writer’s block, this book is my gift to you. She writes an inspiring and often humorous guide to the writer’s world. It’s my survivor guide for when I’m feeling like I don’t have an ounce of creativity left in me. She inspires me to write many shitty first drafts and reassures me that my voice deserves to be heard.

Perfect English Grammar, Grant Barrett

Gather up all of your grammar and punctuation questions and find the answers in this little manual. From spelling and formatting to abbreviations and pronouns, you will want to consult this guide before you hit send on that e-mail, publish that paper, or put out that press release.

Finally, I will get my geek on and tell you about my favorite resource.

How to Tell Fate from Destiny and Other Skillful Word Distinctions by Charles Harrington Elster

As an avid reader and writer, I’m a huge lover of the written word. While a thesaurus will provide 20 different words for convince, this book looks into the deeper meaning of those words to help you decide which words to use in what context. For instance, he writes, “to convince” means to “make someone believe something,” while “to persuade” means “to make someone take action.”

Isn’t that so cool?! No? Okay, I’m weird. I know. But if you are a word nerd like me, this is a must-have for your resource shelf.

Whether you enjoy writing or are required to write for your job and don’t know where to begin, I hope there is something on this list to help you. Good luck!

XO,
Elisa

Reading Slump and Writers Block

What happens when you can’t decide on a book to read or a topic to write about? My worst nightmare. A reading slump and writer’s block. Okay, it’s not a nightmare, but it’s so frustrating.

Let’s start with my reading life. January started out decent. I read two books and liked them both fine. Then, I DNF’d book number three — “Overdue,” a behind-the-scenes look at the public library system. It sounded good when I heard the author give an interview. In reality, I didn’t want to learn anything that would ruin fond childhood memories of storytimes and reading clubs. Then, I chose two different personal essay collections. Both were national bestsellers; neither held my interest. I switched to fiction and picked up a novel I had put down because I was bored with it. I read two more chapters and put the book at the bottom of my TBR pile.

I took a week off from reading and threw myself into work projects, reorganizing closets, and watching The Bachelor. Today, I pulled out two bestsellers that have been on every “Best of 2022″ list I’ve seen—Carrie Soto is Back” by Taylor Jenkins Reid on Audible and  “Verity” by Colleen Hoover. Fingers crossed.

As far as writing goes, I’ve been doing plenty of it. I compose emails and catchy subject lines, edit videos and website copy, take notes in meetings, brainstorm story ideas, and make lists. Someone once told me that if I wanted to be a successful writer, my day job should have nothing to do with writing. Too late for that! If you ask my bosses, I’ve been very productive. But it isn’t the same as working on my book or finishing a blog writing challenge. All of my good habits, like waking up early, reading for inspiration, and sitting down in the chair to put pen to paper, have failed me lately.

But I’m not quitting. I’m starting over, not from scratch, but from experience, which is where I left off.

XO,

Elisa

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