Rae Poynter's Blog, page 2

You don’t need to be “born talented” to be a good writer

Happy Friday, friends! Here’s a gentle reminder to end your week: writing is a practice and a craft. You don’t need to be “born talented” to be a writer.

A few years ago I started taking dance classes here in my town. It was super hard at first, and I’d be mentally exhausted after each class from having to consciously think about every single movement I made since it was so different to my body.

Today I’m still dancing, and it’s gotten easier. Not easy, but easier! I’m catching onto steps ...

Does your prose need to sound more “literary?”

The other day I was browsing through an online writing group I’m part of, and someone posted a question about what makes “good writing” and why so many popular books were apparently “bad.” In response, another commenter cited a wildly popular YA series, and said something to the effect of, “The author isn’t even a good writer. She’s just really good at creating characters and plots.”

From our teen years onward, we are often schooled in what “Good Writing” should mean. Good Writing wins Pulitz...

Reminder: It’s normal for your creative energy to change with the seasons

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if your energy has been low lately, you’re not alone. 

Up here in the northern tip of Minnesota, we’re finishing yet another month of freezing in below-average temperatures and being buried in feet of snow. The only vitamin D I’ve been getting is from supplements, and it’s even been too cold for my husky to go on our walks in the woods together.

Even if you don’t live in as extreme of a climate as I do, I know many of us are feeling the blues of win...

Hustling won’t help you write better. But neither will procrastinating.

If you’ve spent any amount of time on the internet in the last few years (and, okay, you’re reading this, so of course you have) you’ve probably come across online personalities peddling toxic productivity culture. Or hustle culture.

Hustle culture is that segment of our culture that values productivity, achievement, and success over just about anything else. It’s the messages that tell you it’s a status symbol to work 70 hours a week, that success always comes before family, or that only tho...

Rebuilding a creative mindset after a major disruption

One of my favorite places to hike is just a short trip down the road from where I live. The dusty gravel road opens into a little parking area that takes hiker up an old Forest Service road and through a towering stand of red pines. It’s quiet there, near silent, with only the sound of the wind rushing through millions of pine needles.

It was the perfect quiet, off-the-beaten-track place to hike.

Until this summer.

I set out on the trail one evening only to find obnoxious beeping, bri...

New Book! Flat Fee Freelancer by Stephen Poynter

Greetings from the North!

I’m popping in with some exciting news: we’ve got a new book out! Say hello to Flat Fee Freelancer by the lovely and talented Stephen Poynter!

For those of you who don’t know my husband Stephen, he has a background in finance and is passionate about helping entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses.

The idea for this book was born–at least in part–from my own frustrating experiences launching my writing business.

I’ve been freelancing for four years no...

North Shore Life: March & April | Creativity in the midst of Uncertainty

Hello dear readers, and welcome back to this corner of the North.

Its been quite a while since my last post, and Im so excited to be back. Things have changed quite a lot since I wrote last, needless to say, and amidst these wild times I realized that I never posted the remaining installments of my year-long North Shore journal. Well, consider this the next installment. Better late than never, right?

In the times that have passed, several good things have happened: Ive made some good headway...

Build Your Best Writing Life: An affirming and actionable book for writers

As the end of the year approaches, I’ve been thinking about the upcoming year and what I want most out of my creative life in 2020.

The New Year is a natural time to set goals and reevaluate priorities, and over the next month I plan to share some thoughts and resources to help foster a creative start to the new year.

I’d like to kick off by sharing a brand-new book with you: Build Your Best Writing Life by author and blogger Kristen Kieffer.

I stumbled across Kristen’s blog Well-Storied in a...

Why I Won’t Make Fun of My Past Self

Recently I’ve been working on reorganizing my blog, which has had me unearthing many old posts that I had all but forgotten about. (Northernwords is already 5 years old–time flies!)

As I began to re-read some of my old posts, immediately a slew of berating thoughts began to fill my head. I picked apart every sentence I had written, every picture I had taken, and wanted to do it all over.

How could I have ever wanted to share a blog that was so awful?

Then after several moments of scathing...

Want to get travel updates? Here’s how!

Hi Readers,

Guess what? I’m off exploring the world again!

While I would love to create blog posts about our travels, due to privacy reasons (and sketchy internet), I will be sending email updates about our travels instead.

You may see some general travel-themed posts here, but if you want more current updates, please let me know and I can add you to the list! My email is northernwordspress@gmail.com. Just shoot me a message with your email address and I will add you to the list.

Cheers,

Rae