J.P. Choquette's Blog, page 11

“Hurry Up and Slow Down!”

It's a typical weekday. So that means that the following thoughts run through my head immediately upon waking: 

Did I remember to turn the stove down last night?  Jane emailed me last week about that class. Did I really respond or just imagine it?  Deadline Friday! How much of the article is left to write?  Should I be worried about this back pain? Probably just the way I slept. Right?  Do we have enough bread left for lunches today?  And on, and on, and on. And all this is before rising.  My husband says that just hearing about all that goes on in my head tires him out. I don't think I'm unusual though. Women are more likely to have all these thoughts running rampant, maybe, but creatives are particularly prone to this type of never ending inner monologue. 

While I'm too Type A to consider sitting for a 30 minute meditation practice, I have noticed that the tiny, carefully observed parts of my day can provide space for me to be conscious of my life and the world around me. A mentor once called these bits of time “breathing holes,” an apt description. It can happen intentionally, as this morning when I spent 10 minutes in “nature.”

More often though, I find bits and pieces of meditative moments throughout my day. 
Finding “breathing holes”
Sipping a cup of coffee after lunch and watching the steam curl out around the rim; smelling my child’s hair while we cuddle while reading a book; focusing on the beauty of color that emanates from a dish of marbles in the sun; watching the cat sleep in a ball on my grandmother’s rocker.

I’d love to tell you that I’m a master at this. That I find Zen-like moments in every day. But I fail miserably at it most of the time. Like a muscle though, I assume that the habit will get stronger the more I practice.

Do you also find “breathing holes” throughout your day? Or are you more structured, with a proper meditation/prayer practice in place? Please share a response in the comments.  

Laurie Nataro Makes Me Laugh My Head Off

I have a tendency to slip into very serious thought-land. As an INFJ, I guess it’s just part of my makeup, the same way that my eyes are hazel and I have yet to meet a sport that comes naturally to me.

And while I enjoy quiet time to think and recharge, sometimes the kid in me wants to shake things up and stop taking things so dang seriously. It’s why I add color to my hair, eat chocolate every day and refuse to give up my dream of traveling across the country with my family, no matter how far away it feels at times. I want to stop at all the weird attractions too, like the world’s largest ball of twine and the recycled road runner.
image credit We all need more fun.
I recently downloaded a copy of Laurie Nataro’s book, It Looked Different on the Model, and chuckled through most of the chapters. I laughed so much in the waiting area at the dentist that I drew some odd looks. I was afraid to hold in the guffaws though, in case something came out of my nose unexpectedly. 


It was a contagious read, too. More than once, I caught myself laughing about funny things throughout my day that otherwise would have bugged the crap out of me. That’s a positive, right?  

It’s been a long while, too long, since I’ve read or listened to anything good and funny. Here’s a list of some of my favorites in case you also want to add a little more mirth into your day:

·         Bill Bryson
·         Laurie Nataro
·         Car Talk
·         Dave Barry
·         Loretta Laroche

What have I missed? Share your favorite funny authors/entertainers in the comments. 

Special Sauce for Writing Success

Remember what a big deal “special sauce” was to McDonalds in the 80’s? Competition between the Golden Arches, Burger King and other fast food places was fierce. Smart marketers knew the importance of setting McDonalds apart from competitors. 

(Side note: Mickey D’s recently sent that special sauce recipe to auction ... raising money for a nonprofit.)

This isn’t a post about branding your writing business, though or even setting yourself apart as a writer (both are important). Instead, we’re focusing on that “special sauce” that can help you experience long-term success with your writing business. 

How? Through creating a recipe that you love and want to pull out again and again.

First, we’re going to need to gather up some ingredients. There are the essentials, of course: determination, drive and persistence. A thick skin is important because as writers, we accept that rejection is part of the process. What are we missing? Oh yes, skill and ability along with a bit of experience. And now? The pièce de résistance: flow.

“Huh? Flow? Are we still talking about writing here, or Zen meditation?” 
image credit Flow, or diversity, is important in one’s writing business.  When I first started writing professionally, I was dedicated to journalism. I wanted to see my name in glossy national publications. I dreamt of browsing the local Barnes and Noble and seeing my byline in one of those magazines on the stands. 

I started out slowly, working with one magazine and then more and more national publications. It was exciting and interesting. For a while. But while I loved journalism, I was ready to try something else.

Fast-forward several years and I have three published novels and one nonfiction guide for writers under my belt. Can you guess what else I’m writing? Journalism articles and copy for corporate clients. And now I’m flowing again: teaching writing and writing-related business classes.

My point is without flow in our writing business, we run the risk of becoming stuck. Or stale. Who wants to be those? 
How to "flow" When looking to future success it’s important to make sure we have all of the ingredients that we need, or a way to get them. There are many great programs, books and resources that can help to take our writing to a new and different level.  

First though, determine what type of writing you want to include in your business. Books? Ghostwriting? Journalism articles? Freelance blogging? Editing?

It doesn’t have to be five different areas, but it could be that or more. Like building a financial portfolio, writing should include various streams of income to help you diversify not only your checkbook but your creativity. This will also help you beat the feast and famine cycle.

The beauty of creating your own secret sauce, is that it’s just that: your own. Choose the ingredients that make you sing: if writing ad copy doesn’t, leave it out of your recipe. Likewise, if you feel a thrill every time you are paid to create a blog post or write a press release, hone in on those areas. 

There is no right or wrong here, other than matching your writing skills and preferences to what customers and clients need. 

What are your areas of flow in writing? Do you want to strictly write novels like Stephen King or does crafting stellar blog titles light you up? What makes your writing interests or business diverse? 

Do The Opposite: George Costanza-style

Things not working for you? Do the opposite! Remember the episode of Seinfeld where George Costanza laments the way his life has turned out? "If every instinct you have is wrong than the opposite must be right," Jerry counsels his friend. It starts with his order at the diner ... and the opposite-experiment snowballs from there. If so many of us get the same results doing the same thing and ending up with something we don't want, why we keep doing those same things over and over? 

It might show up in your life as failure (perceived or otherwise) around your writing. "I just can't finish a book," you wail to your writing group. "I want to but I can't find the time/get started/finish the manuscript/stop daydreaming (insert excuse here)" 

Been there. Still doing that (frequently lately).  If we're writers, why aren't we writing? Are you struggling to find the time to write? So many of my newsletter subscribers and blog readers have mentioned this particular struggle. (Of course, there's always The 15-Minute Novelist to help ...) 

But is it really a time issue? It may very well be. There are many people who adore writing and simply lead lives that are too busy to add in one single thing extra. 

Of course, it could also be a fear issue. We all have days when our big dreams seem very far away. Or when we're just plain avoiding something. 


I've been "wanting" to start meditating for months now. Wanting being the key word. Notice the quotations? Because honestly, if I really wanted to meditate I would just do it already. 

I avoid meditating because: 
I might get boredI don't like doing nothingI am too busy (yeah, right)I hate sitting stillI don't enjoy the idea of beating myself up for the 10 minutes I should be meditating because my overly busy monkey brain or whatever zen monks call it, is like a ping-pong ball soaked in caffeine and sugar and let loose to zoom around my cranium 
So maybe we can each try the opposite of what we normally do when we feel that familiar resistance and see what happens? 

Instead of periodically smacking myself with the guilty words, "I really should learn to meditate," I could just do something completely opposite. Stand on my head? Learn to juggle? Bake a cake? Watch old Seinfeld episodes? 

The trick is trying to figure out if the benefits of our new habit (writing, meditating, exercising, whatever) will outweigh the hard part of getting started. 

My psychologist brain wants to delve more deeply into the whole fear/resistance thing, too. We'll be exploring that more in future posts. In the meantime, I'd love to hear about your greatest challenges to fitting writing into your life. Please share in the comments section.

Where Writers Get Inspiration

“But where do you get your ideas?”

Attending author-related events is a lot of fun. It’s always great to be around other people who love books. A common question I get and have heard asked at other author-related events I’ve attended as a guest is “Where do you get ideas for a book?” 
jewelry inspiration? Inspiration comes to writers in many different ways
While everyone is different and I’m assuming that there are as many different ways to come up with ideas as there are authors, some common themes include:

·         The shower
·         While driving
·         In a dream
·         When waking up (first thing, before your conscious brain has a chance to fully engage)
·         Having a conversation with someone
·         Reading a news article
·         Daydreaming
·         Thinking, “what if …” (my personal favorite)

Ann Greenawalt has an excellent post over at Women on Writing blog about making your own inspiration. She offers some unique ideas and answers to that (other) often asked question: do writers wait for creativity to hit or do they write until creativity starts flowing?

What about you? Where do you gather inspiration to write or do you just plunge in and get started, seeing what comes up in the process? Please share a response in the comments.  

Writing Anxiety Yo-Yo? It’s Time to Go-Go.

One day we’re up, on top of the world. We hum under our breath while visualizing ourselves climbing the best seller list or dominating the next poetry anthology. We. Are. Writers.

The next day? Getting out of bed seems a chore, putting fingers to keyboard an insurmountable act. What does it matter what we write anyway we sigh, muttering under our breath. No one will ever see it. We. Are. NOT. Writers. 

image credit Are You An Anxious Writer?
The term “anxious writer” may bring up thoughts of scribes nervously nibbling on the end of pens or endlessly tugging locks of hair while trying to force the words to come.

Aren’t most of us anxious writers, though? I’ve yet to meet a writer who is so gob smacked by her own work that she never feels a moment of trepidation when it comes to showing it. Or an author who enjoys reading critical reviews of his work, gleefully re-reading the negative bits over and over. For fun.

Most writers feel anxious when they put their hand to the page. Why? Because writing is like peeling away the skin of your inner places, allowing the world to look inside. 

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” ~ Virginia Woolf

Turning Anxiety into Creativity
Dennis Palumbo has written an insightful article about turning anxiety into creativity. He states that the feelings, negative feelings that so many of us want to avoid are often the raw material of our craft. It's easy to avoid those feelings though, isn't it? 


A third glass of wine? A little retail therapy? What’s one more episode on Netflix in the grand scheme of things? 


“No matter how mundane, the small anxieties can swarm like bees, making work difficult; distractions, like an impending visit from the in-laws, money worries, or that funny noise the Honda's been making," Palumbo says.

The trick seems to be expecting these anxious thoughts, recognizing them and moving past them.

“… as I've said countless times to the writer clients in my practice, struggling with these doubts and fears doesn't say anything about you as a writer,” Palumbo states. “Other than that you ARE a writer.”

What do you think? Do writing and anxiety go hand-in-hand? Or is the association a tired, overplayed assumption? 

Ready to Fill Your (writing) Well?

Recently, we talked a bit about nourishment and how important it is for writers. I even encouraged you to try a few activities that you find nourishing for the past two weeks. Did you? What were the results? 
“But who has the time?” you may be asking.
Humans are a busy race, aren’t we? There’s always more that needs to be done, a never ending treadmill list of to-do’s and should-do’s and don’t-want-to-do’s. When faced with all of these, it’s easy to believe we don’t have time to write. Or to take care of ourselves.

But that simply isn’t true.

It may take effort on our part, but we can make the changes necessary to make sure that the great doesn’t suffer at the sake of the mediocre. And it doesn’t require running away to a week-long retreat at a Lake House or flying to the South of France for reprieve. 
Before you delve into writing … rest.
I’m giving you permission today to take a break. Put your feet up. Rest on your laurels. Recharge your batteries.

I don’t know about you but I’m sick and tired of playing superhero when in reality, I’m just a regular old person, nagged by a critical voice and hounded by overly ambitious to-do list, struggling to live more mindfully and contentedly in a world where neither is glamorous. 
Filling the Writing Well
… isn’t necessarily applauded. Don’t expect your family to cheer you on when you tell them that they will have to start making their own dinner once a week or putting away their own laundry. You aren’t likely to hear enthusiastic “hurrahs!” from volunteer boards that you step down from. The other moms at the school might not understand when you say that you can’t make all the meetings anymore, or that, no, you can’t bake another batch of cupcakes. It is someone else’s turn.

Expect resistance. And make filling your creative well a priority anyway.

Too scary? Take it in small steps.

In what ways could you free up 15 minutes a day to nurture your creative side? Note : I’m still not encouraging you to write at this point. Fill first, then pour out your bucket later. Could you stop watching the news? Give up that Hollywood housewives show or pare down other fruitless pursuits like trying (and failing) to be Supermom/Superdad + Superemployee + Supervolunteer +/or Superfriend? 

And instead allowing yourself to do the best with the time/energy available to you while making nurturing yourself a priority.

If you haven’t yet read The Artist’s Way , by Julia Cameron, please make time to do so. Hey! You can fit that into your 15 minutes of quiet nurturing. For a faith-based book in the same vein that is equally well-written, check out The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer. Both of these books will fill you with hope that you can make not only your writing, but yourself a priority. Guilt-free.

Still not sure? What do you believe stands in your way? Post your challenges here—maybe one of us can help you.

What do YOU Need as a Writer?

The number one thing most of us need as writers? 

Find out in my guest post over at Pen, Ink and Crimes!  Get your writing needs met! Don't end up like poor Mr. Magoo.

5 Ways Freelance Writing Rocks (& How to Get Started)

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had the following daydream:

Rising from your cubicle/private office/warehouse desk, you casually saunter over to your boss’s office. “Hey Mr. Smith, I just wanted to tell you that today is my last day. Good luck to the next schmuck you get to take this job. I’m outta here!”

With that you grab your box of neatly organized personal effects, clear your locker or otherwise dis-engage yourself, permanently, from your place of employment.

The air smells differently when you head to the parking lot. The sun feels warmer, the birdsong sounds more beautiful. You feel alive. This if the first day of the rest of your life! 
Reality Sets In Unfortunately, launching a business, even a freelance endeavor which typically has a very low overhead, is rarely super successful right out of the gate. There are a lot of things to not only consider but also put in place. 

Who your clients? How are you are going to replace those clients if they go away? What is your area of expertise? How can you promote yourself effectively without being annoying? How do you keep financial records for your business? And more …

When I launched my freelance career, I did so on a part-time basis while working full-time. Was that easy? Not really but a lot of people do it. Doing so is a great way to both test the waters of writing professionally and not putting a great amount of pressure—financial and otherwise—on yourself/your family.

Looking back, there are some things I would have done differently. I would have given myself a bigger financial cushion. I would have lined up more freelance writing gigs before leaving my cushy (and completely dull) day job. 

And I probably would have had a better long-term plan in place for growing my business. Something more than, “make a good salary doing what I love.”

However, I wouldn’t trade these past few years as a freelance writer (and later author) for anything. 
image credit Here are 5 Ways Freelance Writing Rocks: 
1.       Interesting work. While you can’t always write exactly what you want as a freelance writer due to client demands, for the most part you’re in charge of your schedule. You can seek out publications in areas that you are experienced and have an interest in. No more being assigned dull, dry-as-toast projects by a boss who doesn’t feel like doing the work herself and sends it your way.

2.       Freedom. As a freelance writer, you’re generally in charge of your day-to-day schedule. Don’t want to work Fridays in summer? Plow through all your assignments and marketing Monday through Thursday and take them off. Of course, you have to stick tightly to deadlines, but if you want to work harder one week to make time to volunteer or catch a matinee some afternoon, it’s possible.

3.       Coolness factor. How many times have you met someone at a cocktail party or baby shower and, when she told you what she did for a living, you immediately wanted to learn everything there was to know about it? People who love their work are interesting, compelling and energizing. They come to life when talking about their life’s passion. And that is not only cool but also inspiring.

4.       Work/life balance. This is a little harder to manage but if you can get the process down, it feels pretty amazing. Many time entrepreneurs (that includes freelancers) find that they actually work more hours (many, many more) than they did while working at a traditional job. 

Because we are so passionate about our work, it is easy to get caught up in it … working far longer hours than we meant to. However, it is possible to put special measures in place to work more effectively within less hours and actually have better results. The resulting life/work balance is a beautiful thing.

5.       Being in charge. You are your own boss. No one can “make you” do anything today that you don’t want to do. There may be consequences to this of course. “I didn’t feel like writing that article,” will not fly with any editor I’ve ever met. 

At the end of the day though, your career is your playground. You get to decide where you want to focus your time/attention. It’s up to you to decide how big, or small, you want your business to be. You have the opportunity to build something that wasn’t there before, to serve people through work you feel called to do, and to do it in a way that is authentic to you as a person. 
How to get started
Recently, I had the opportunity to take a course by Gina Horkey called, 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success . The course is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Full of tips and ideas that took me months to learn when I started out. I wish that it had been available then.

 Even after freelancing for the past eight years, I learned some new things that I’ve already implemented. Plus, Gina’s conversational, friendly tone made it feel like I had a real friend walking me through what can sometimes feel like a maze of information online. 


The course is better than an e-book, in my opinion, because the information comes to you in small, easy-to-implement chunks (and you know how I like things broken down into easy-to-manage pieces, right?) 

Ready to get started? Check out out the course and prepare to launch.

PS There are other, free ways to find freelance writing gigs online. I’ll cover those in a future post. But if you have questions that need answers—how do I get my first client without any writing credits? How do I track what I’m pitching? How do I organize assignments and payment?—then Gina's course has your answers.  

Questions? Comments? Have you thought about freelancing? Or if you already are, what are some of the greatest challenges and benefits that you face?

*This post includes an affiliate link, which means that I may in some form financially benefit. I would never endorse a product that I didn’t feel strongly about myself and/or have positive outcomes with. Let this serve as my due dili­gence disclosure notice.

Are You a Tired Writer?

“I wish I were more creative in my writing.” 

“Once I get XX out of the way, then I’ll have time to focus on my writing/creativity.” 

“I’m so exhausted at the end of the day. The last thing I have time for is my own writing.” 

Raise your hand if the above sentences describe you. (My own hand is going up.) I get it. After all the work gets done … after I clean the house … after my family is taken care of, or the kids are out of the house, of I get through this semester …  
The trouble? Life keeps happening. There will never be a “perfect time” to write or create. There will always be something that comes up. The trick is to figure out a way to work around life and make sure that we have time every day for something that feeds our creative souls. 

Before you feel overwhelmed (Ugh! Another thing to add to my over-full plate?), let me reassure you that creativity doesn’t have to happen in mammoth-sized chunks. It can become an easy, painless, and actually lovely small portion of your day. 

Let me back up even further, though. 

This month our focus is on nourishment, not creating. Before we can pour ourselves fully into our creative projects, we need to fill our wells. What does that look like? 
Nourishment for Creatives ·         Taking a long, hot bath

·         Writing in a journal for release (I call this “puking onto the page”—not very attractive but it feels great)

·         Scheduling time to meet a friend for a handcrafted beer or fancy coffee drink

·         Listening to inspiring podcasts that make you feel good about yourself

·         Going for a walk and absorbing nature along the way

·         Making a perfect cocoon of blankets and pillows and nestling in for your favorite TV show

Your challenge: in the next two weeks, please select one of the above nurturing practices or use one of your own ideas. You don’t have to do it every day, but do try to find time for it at least twice a week. Notice how you feel before and after your nurturing practice. 

Would love to get your feedback on this challenge and to hear some of your favorite ways of nurturing yourself.