Tag: writing
Catch new ideas while redefining the obvious
Through out the day we encounter many words – some we like, some we dislike; some we even avoid to use, or we overuse. Why is that?
To every word we attach our meaning, definition and somehow just one word can influence our way of thinking and how we form opinion.
The next exercise I’m going to propose belongs to type of writing that some experts and psychologists call free writing. As in this article, author Joel Friedlander sees that free writing:
- is a practice that helps to liberate your writer’s voice and connects you to the vibrant stream of creativity that lies just under the surface of our ordinary thinking.
- can be used to launch you over a writer’s block, to explore painful emotional memories, and to work out problems in a longer work. It can be used for making contact with one’s own unconscious.
- is a simple, structured practice that is flexible and forgiving. It can be used as the base of a writing practice, or spontaneously whenever you want to go deeper into a subject.
You pick one word – it can be a word related to your current project you are working on or just some random word you find interesting, attractive or annoying. The purpose of the exercise, is in your own words to write down general definition, widely accepted meaning of the word.
Then ask yourself do you agree with given definition and give your reasons why you agree or disagree.
Afterwards continue writing what’s your own meaning, what emotions it triggers and ext.
For example, the word danger. One of the generally accepted definitions is life-threatening situation. For me, first impression is the feeling of unease, uncertainty, fear, unpleasant surprise and losing control over situation.
You can write as long as you like. One, two paragraphs. It’s possible that at one point you will feel stuck and think “This is stupid, it doesn’t take me anywhere!” , which is the critical point -by continuing to write, you are unlocking a new stream of ideas that otherwise you might have stopped before they had chance to get out.This type of playing with your insights, examining thinking patterns – opening the word can help you further tap into your creativity potentials. I personally find this exercise very useful – especially when it comes to writing/creating something new, from personal perspective. It can be helpful in terms of crafting a story, poems and blog post and all you need is just one word to start.
Give it try and share your experience in the comments below.
Daily verse with purpose: Brian Aldiss
What would you like to read on “Business in Rhyme”?
This blog has been existing almost 6 months and it’s turning into a great community.But of course, no matter how much it gives me space to learn and share my experience – it’s not only about me. So here I created a simple poll that gives you the opportunity to vote which topic of your interest you would like to read more or know about more. You can add your own answers as well. Poetry will stay the central focus of the blog, but I’m interested to see your opinion in which direction this influence of poetry we can further explore.
We are soon approaching New Year and there are some additional novelties that will enrich Business in Rhyme and make it more interactive. I hope you’ll find them attractive as well.
For now, thanks for taking time to vote.
Maja
3 step-process to curb fear of creative self-expression
We are creative beings. Even while only sitting and thinking – you are actually creating, but some people need that final nudge – to translate their idea into a physical reality. They are afraid of expressing themselves creatively, and sources of this fear can be numerous: fear of other’s people approval, not being original enough or not meeting some type of criteria (deadline, aesthetic or functional purpose) for what they want to produce.
Most self-help teachings will tell that you need to face your fear, “take the bull by the horns”. But it can be counterproductive – and you can end up being chased by the angry bull, not trained and fast enough to escape this seething fury.
And I believe that there is the key – before facing your fear, prepare and arm yourself with any additional weapon that can help you fight this raging animal.
- Acknowledge your fear. By this I mean that you should be frank with yourself and admit you are somehow scared to publicly express your creativity. As mentioned above, fear is an angry and hungry beast that craves your self-doubt, pessimism, lack of clarity and unreachable perfectionism. Your fear can endlessly haunt you, wanting more, but you don’t have to be the one to feed it: once you accept its existence – it’s much easier to equip yourself and prepare a battle field into your advantage.
- Turn your fear into curiosity. Examine your thoughts carefully: what are you actually afraid of? Right down your thoughts. Is there any credible truth behind those statements? After all these are just thoughts. Thoughts can be changed. And what would happen if you begin to enjoy your creativity? People will think and talk, no matter what you do. But how would your life improve if you give your creativity a chance? Like writing a book or painting? You create for the sake of your own life experience, passion and joy: replace your negative thoughts with more empowering affirmations that will open the door to more inspiration and creative outlet.
- Take meaningful action. If you are still lingering on the edge of insecurity, think of ways you can improve your creativity: what else you need to know? What additional information would help you? Do your research, ask questions, observe other people who did similar things – what actions they have taken..do you need any skill? Educate yourself, take classes, go to workshops…Instead of feeding your fear, feed your creativity, enable it grow, flourish and materialize into something you will enjoy. That’s the sure way for your environment to enjoy your work as well.
I hold it true that thoughts are things
Endowed with bodies, breath, and wings,
And that we send them forth to fill
The world with good results – or ill.
That which we call our secret thought
Speeds to the earth’s remotest spot,
And leaves its blessings or its woes
Like tracks behind it as it goes.
It is God’s law. Remember it
In your still chamber as you sit
With thoughts you would not dare have known,
And yet made comrades when alone.
These thoughts have life; and they will fly
And leave their impress by-and-by,
Like some marsh breeze, whose poisoned breath
Breathes into homes its fevered breath.
And after you have quite forgot
Or all outgrown some vanished thought,
Back to your mind to make its home,
A dove or raven, it will come.
Then let your secret thoughts be fair;
They have a vital part and share
In shaping worlds and moulding fate —
God’s system is so intricate.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
5 components of the winning productivity
Simplifying our schedule and work environment are first steps in gaining our productivity back. Hence, staying productive and turning it into a habit, requires also a work from our side. Here, I propose few approaches that can help you become and stay productive.
Prioritize three main tasks.
In this digital age, when technology is conquering every inch and second of our life, many people use to-do lists to stay organized. What really counts is the intention we put behind our planning. No to-do list or planning is effective unless we act upon it: strategically and efficiently. In other words, pile of things you schedule yourself to do with a reminder that will beep somewhere in the background can only make you more nervous and anxious.
First thing you can do to increase your productivity at work is two prioritize three main tasks you need to do for the next day. The best thing is to write them down, before sleep. In that sense you are putting yourself forward, intentionally preparing your mind for the things that need to be done next day. Late dr Wayne Dyer used to call that “let your ideas marinate over night”.
Become an early riser.
If there are any parts of your life you would like to improve – squeezing in some time for exercising, eating healthier or simply stop being late all the time, you need to start building your morning routine, one that focuses around your needs.
Do less important and repetitive tasks when your productivity is low.
Observe yourself: note at which times your attention and concentration levels are not at their best and do tasks that don’t require that much of your energy.
Kill that nagging perfectionist inside.
No matter how good we are at our work, efficient and reliable, many people simply are never satisfied we the work they produce. But this not affecting only them, but also the people they work with. I had a colleague that what ever she was doing, she did it at such slow pace, the rest of us would always need to wait for her to finish report, to come at the meeting on time and ext. Her work was good, yet she was never satisfied, always in need to correct, add, erase…you get the picture. Now, I’m not the proponent of sloppy work, but at some point you need to put the limits and say “This is good enough – for the conditions, resources, time given – I produced a hell of good job!” – Instead of terrorizing yourself inside with achieving unreachable perfection for never-ending goal!
Take meaningful breaks.
Take enough rest during your working hours since it can help you feel energized during the day. Instead of stressing about the things you still need to do, try to reflect upon the things you’ve already done: that sense of relief and gratitude for the things you already did, will set you on the right foot for other things ahead of you.
Why sit ye idly dreaming all the day,
While the golden, precious hours flit away?
See you not the day is waning, waning fast?
That the morn’s already vanished in the past?
When the glowing noon approaches, we will rest
Who have worked through all the morning; but at best,
If you work with zeal and ardor till the night,
You can only make the wasted moments right.
Think you life was made for dreaming, nothing more,
When God’s work lies all unfinished at your door?
Souls to save and hearts to strengthen–ah! such work,
Such a richly freighted labor, who would shirk?
Then arise, O idle dreamer! Dreams are sweet,
But better flowers are growing at your feet.
If you crush, or pass unheeding, idle friend,
You shall answer for their ruin in the end.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Are you ready to enter a new relationship? 9 luscious ways to seduce your reader with your writing!
You as a writer and author, while building your audience are becoming a brand. And your writing is your best branding and marketing tool that exists. Words, emotions, message you transcend through your writing is that magnet that attract readers who share your values and point of view. But once they jump into your writing boat, you and your readers began to interact and build certain relationships; things become different, and a little bit complicated. But you as a writer, don’t want the status: It’s complicated. You want the status: Engaged.
Think about it for a second:
When you are in a relationship with someone and you enjoy it:
- it is a person you are looking forward to see;
- it someone you care about and like spending time with;
- it’s probably someone who shares your values as well;
- you interact on the basis of mutual trust.
Even classical marketing is moving from brand oriented marketing to marketing that is oriented towards building relationships.
To truly understand what kind of impact is your writing having on your readers you can ask yourself these questions:
Did my writing enabled me to build meaningful connections with my readers?
If not, what can I do to emulate the positive dynamics of such relationships?
- It has to be a content your reader likes spending time reading;
- It has to offer something of interest that makes your reader want to expect fresh content and read it again;
- That content deals with topics your reader cares about and shares his values.
In order to achieve these objectives you can apply certain tactics through your content:
- Offer your readers opportunity to know about you and don’t be afraid to show your vulnerability. In that way you are engraving that human component in your writing and building foundation for future relationship.
- Offer understanding, compassion; be helpful through your writing.
- Use catchy anecdotes and funny stories that are amusing and captivating.
- Show you’re interested in their perspective on things, even if it doesn’t agree with your own.
- Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. What I mean is that pretty much the same message you deliver you can say in different ways and modes of expressing. People digest information differently. I remember while I was working with students, the more graphics I used, the students at the class were more ‘tuned in’ with the information, absorbing it in with wide open eyes, not wanting anything to miss. So use visuals as well, audio features, retell what you have to say in different ways.
- Be chatty. Start a conversation by asking questions.
- Always spice up everything with your quirkiness, with something that makes you different and that can enrich your content to the level it is worth remembering and sharing.
- Let your readers know that you are accountable and professional, but throw some ball once in a while. Add some playfulness in your writing because too much of serious approach can be sobering and counter effective.
- But never go across the line of NOT being you. What ever you write, be true to yourself because dishonesty leads to mistrust and deceit and like in any relationship, your reader might just break up with you and your writing (remember: rebound can be painful 😉 ).
Why does this written doe bound through these written woods?
For a drink of written water from a spring
whose surface will xerox her soft muzzle?
Why does she lift her head; does she hear something?
Perched on four slim legs borrowed from the truth,
she pricks up her ears beneath my fingertips.
Silence – this word also rustles across the page
and parts the boughs
that have sprouted from the word ‘woods.’
Lying in wait, set to pounce on the blank page,
are letters up to no good,
clutches of clauses so subordinate
they’ll never let her get away.
Wislawa Szymborska
Experiencing a creative block? Dare to compare!
Every one once in a while we face a challenging situation to solve some problem, find an answer to a question; brainstorm an innovative idea. And that got me thinking: what if we challenge ourselves even more? What would happen with our creative flow? Now, I’m not thinking about putting pressure on ourselves, yet we all know we can ‘move’ ourselves towards productive creativity through certain exercises, but creativity is still kinda unpredictable.
What I mean by challenge, I mean challenging us by comparing the problem to something else.
In poetry is very well known technique called similes. Its purpose is to compare two things, so examples of simile poems include any poem that makes comparisons using the words “like” or “as.” Two things compared don’t have to be alike (in poetry usually they are not), and they create different images in our mind, making correlations and connections that doesn’t actually exist. If we apply this to our creative thinking, we are training our creative muscle; it gives us an opportunity to conceptualize different solutions and approaches in problem solving.
Examples of similes in poetry might include something like:
Your eyes were dark as a night without moonlight.
Blank page is like an empty canvas where I paint with my words.
So next time you have trouble getting in your creative mood, try this exercise:
You write down your question/problem and try to find a simile….”My problem is like I…..and finish the sentence. The idea is here for you to challenge yourself to find a similar problem in a completely different life area.
If you have a trouble finding inspiration to start writing, for example, try to remember how it felt when you were trying something else new: a sport, travel, diet, even reading a new book, or developing a new habit? How did you manage to start a new activity? What made you want to stick to your new routine?
Write down your similes and try to analyze them. What of the written ideas you can translate in a given problem? As you brainstorm and think of your answers, probably this will trigger even some emotional response that can act like a drive for generating a flow of new ideas.
You might not get the desired outcome all at once, but using this effective brainstorming tool can distract your attention from a problem. In this way, making distance in your view, will help you get more objective and consider some approaches that might actually work.
A community: what it means for you and your (writing) business
Humans are social beings. No matter how we might enjoy solitude (for many reasons, like creativity, that’s already written throughout this blog), we want to satisfy that need for belonging to a group that shares our vision, interests; who can help us find and deliver our purpose. In this post I emphasized the importance of defining our message that will resonate with who we really are, what we stand for, what we believe and our true values. It’s a way we brand ourselves.
I would say that this is the first step in creating your community. Community is about interaction and engagement based on trust where reciprocity is the absolute law. The more value and contribution you put out there, the more like-minded people you will attract. How physically the exchange of information will go is of lesser importance. Being that blog, twitter, facebook, podcast … or a chit-chat with a friend over coffee – each time you communicate you build your community. Sure, some people come and go, but community is a live thing: it changes and evolves along with you. With your growth and your contribution, your audience grows, matures, breathe, dream, eat, sleep, just as you do! In other words, how much work and effort you put in your community, there is a higher probability for your message to be heard at broader scope. In return, your supporters will help you grow your business.
One of the vital ingredients that you need to provide while building your community is a personal touch. Most people best relate to struggles, little victories and specific experiences of their peers. They easily identify their own needs and wants, which is a force in building an audience. By sharing our story with them we give an opportunity to people to learn from us as well.
There is no one out there with your skills, your experiences, but you. And you bring that uniqueness to your community, that ‘quirkiness’ that differentiate you from other people. It’s a sure way to building your right audience.
And is also true that people easily get destracted, with life going too fast and information that is bombarding all our senses. What you deliver to your community has to be focused and relevant message and on the regular basis. Distraction leads to oblivion.
And your community has to be well pampered with all goodness you can provide, because at the end of the day how much you have been of service to your community, will show the real support you have.
As long as you stick to these rules, your community will start to manifest and yet you will never have to impose any self-promotion and marketing. Your behavior, communication and contribution, in my opinion is the best marketing tool you can apply.
Good we must love, and must hate ill,
For ill is ill, and good good still ;
But there are things indifferent,
Which wee may neither hate, nor love,
But one, and then another prove,
As we shall find our fancy bent.
If then at first wise Nature had
Made women either good or bad,
Then some wee might hate, and some choose ;
But since she did them so create,
That we may neither love, nor hate,
Only this rests, all all may use.
If they were good it would be seen ;
Good is as visible as green,
And to all eyes itself betrays.
If they were bad, they could not last ;
Bad doth itself, and others waste ;
So they deserve nor blame, nor praise.
But they are ours as fruits are ours ;
He that but tastes, he that devours,
And he that leaves all, doth as well ;
Changed loves are but changed sorts of meat ;
And when he hath the kernel eat,
Who doth not fling away the shell?
John Donne
Write a book – without even knowing it!
I’ve always been curios and hungry for knowledge: to explore, research and eventually tell the world about my findings. My first intentions were never to become a writer or published author, but with time I evolved into one. The funny thing though is, that in my early school years I never liked to write literally essays and school approach to poetry was dreadful! So my early inclinations towards poetry, quietly faded away, until few years ago when my interest simply rekindled itself and I began to experience so much benefits from writing and reading poetry.
At the University, writing scientific papers and factual reports became very natural to me. When I seriously decided to devote to academic career this type of writing and communicating were so habitual that writing papers had its own flow and rhythm. Pretty much the same was with my lectures.
And before I knew it, I actually wrote a PhD thesis. And a PhD thesis with little modifications became one book. My lectures with little wrapping and structure became my second! I’ve published so far three books (and I think right now I’m working on my forth 😉 ).
So what I want to say is that there are endless ways how you can write a book, without even a real intention on writing it. It’s important that you enjoy writing. It might develop into something significant or not. Who knows? But as long as you invest yourself in the process, without thinking too much on why and how, your real literally genius will shine through.
Did you know for example that The Artist’s Way “hatched out” from a sheet of paper with tips for Julia Cameron to give to students at her writing classes?
Or that Escape from Cubicle Nation originates from blog post series?
For you is important to track and record your ideas; something that you have already written – is it finished or you want something else to add to it?
In other words, if you so desperately want to write a book, try not to write one!
Maybe you already have a blog, a diary, jotted collection of articles, short stories, verses, quotes, thoughts, questions, lectures…?
Maybe you’ve written a thesis, a paper or already have undeveloped e-book?
Or you like to record your thoughts with your smartphone or even have a gallery of pictures that you find inspiring?
All of that can be turned into a book, worth reading and worth publishing – as long as it represents who you are, your values and your true nature.
In this post I further explore professional benefits and opportunities you can experience by being consistent in your writing.
Your life is actually a book you write every day – you choose how you leave your mark. I vote for ink and paper!
Business in Rhyme 