Category: Miscellaneous

Lori Foster’s Reader & Author Get Together

Posted on by Joy Held

I’m excited to be going to Lori Foster’s Reader & Author Get Together in Cincinnati, OH this weekend to meet readers, editors, and other authors. Will you be there?

http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

I’ll be posting updates here over the weekend. Check in and find out how things go. And I’m holding a contest for those of you who can’t make the weekend with me! Leave a comment on at least one of this weekend’s blogs and you’ll be entered in a prize drawing for a Writer Wellness goodie bag. Can’t wait to hear from you! (US residents only.)

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Journal As Memory Maker

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

A journal is a “home away from home” for our thoughts. Thoughts run the gamut from accomplishments to worries, and our journals are bound to catch all sorts of our ideas eventually. There are no rules for what should and shouldn’t be kept in a journal. That’s up to the keeper. Here are some ways a journal is helpful to just about everyone.

1.Place to keep track of life events. Just jotting down what happened on a particular day and what the weather was helps us review our lives whenever we take moments to go back through and reread entries. We feel a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction which contributes to our overall feeling of positive self-worth.

2.Goals and wishes vault. The journal is a fantastic place to write down dreams and future plans. Write it down, make it happen really works because when we see our wants in writing it gives us a fresh perspective on their value and importance. Dream lists in a journal keep us focused and this refreshes our energy because we have something to work toward. Focusing on goals keeps depression at bay.

3.Creative projects tracker. Writers and artists often have a journal per book or art project which serves as a place to dialogue and document the work. Outlines, lists, resources, and comments are really important to the final result. They serve as a sounding board and a file for information and compliment the end product nicely. Many popular writers keep project diaries and publish them years later as “the making of” books to keep their works popular and interesting. This practice allows the safety and freedom an artist needs to make the inevitable mistakes that happen along the way to a creative endeavor.

Journals have a way of taking on a life of their own in a very short time. They are friends, confidents, and idea generators in many ways. In what way does your journal support your life and work?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Time and Keeping a Journal

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

When I recommend keeping a journal to students, family, or friends, I prepare myself for the typical response. “I don’t have time.” I have armed myself with quick and easy ways to help them get started and see that a journal doesn’t have to take up huge amounts of time to be fulfilling. But if someone stays on target and journals a small amount on a regular basis, it’s very possible they will need more and more journaling and then what? It’s a kind of viscious cycle that produces positive results but we should have reasonable boundaries in place so the journal doesn’t interfere with the goal of having a life and a successful career.

Journaling is suitable to anyone’s predicament. Because there aren’t any real rules, just helpful guidelines, it can be a win-win situation. Unless we become obsessed with keeping a journal and that’s where setting journal boundaries in the beginning is helpful.

We only have so much time in a day. In yoga we believe we are gifted with a finite number of breaths to breathe in a particular physical life time. When those breaths are exhausted, we leave one body for another body until we have breathed enough to be enlightened. Everyone requires a different number of breaths to get to this point, but suffice it to say time and breathing are finite resources that are very, very important.

Setting healthy limits for journaling disallows us to go overboard and journal more than we produce in other areas of life. It prohibits journaling from distracting us from the lives we are supposed to be living. It also makes journaling very do-able for most people. Set time limits and page limits that suit your particular needs. Here are some practical ideas to setting healthy, productive boundaries to successful journal keeping:

1.Choose a format with built in space definitions and decide ahead of time how much space a journal session will cover. For me, I have a large sketch book with blank pages without lines. On weekdays I write or draw or whatever on one page per day max. Weekends I spend more time with preparing pages with paint or collage pictures and write as many pages as I need to because I have more time.

2.Set a time limit by writing to a particular track on a music CD. Open the journal, start the music, and write. When the music is done so is the journaling. Not finished with a thought? Perfect! That’s a built in place to pick up the next journal session and it’s one less thing to come up with to write about.

3.An index card a day is a fun and challenging way to keep a journal and organize it. Try colored index cards for more inspiration. Monday=blue; Tuesday=pink; etc.

What agreement do you have with journaling so you can keep on target?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Kind Words To Share

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity has received some really nice reviews from two wonderful readers lately. Here’s a sampling of their thoughts and links to their sites. Visit and read the reviews and leave a comment!

From Linda Rettstatt, One Woman’s Write:

“I haven’t posted book reviews here on my blog, but I wanted to share this review because many of my readers are also writers. Here is my review…”

(read more)

http://onewomanswrite.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-writers-wellness-by-joy-e-held.html

From Natalie Markey, Pen To Publish:

“Since this blog is devoted to writers’ craft, industry hot topics and my journey from pen to publish, I rarely post reviews. I have said before that reading is one of the most important tools…”

(read more)

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/2011/04/craft-book-recommendation-writer.html

I am humbled by your kind words, ladies. Thank you!

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Have you subscribed to this Writer Wellness blog yet? Get email updates when a new post is added. Click “subscribe” and leave your email. That’s it and thanks in advance!

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: National Poem In Your Pocket Day

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

 Even if you aren’t much of a poet yourself, you can take part in the very civilized and very literary National Poem In Your Pocket day today (April 14, 2011.) The promotions explain it this way:

 The idea is simple: Select a poem, pocket it, carry it, and share it with family, friends, and coworkers throughout the day.

 The Academy of American Poets sponsors this activity and have free poems to download just for your pocket.

http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406

 Here’s what I’m carrying in my pocket today:

“To Save The Glen”

How soft the morning mist of Glens,

How quiet the raging, howling winds.

The Id repose to praise and thanks,

But all are not amiss these ranks.

La Sola rise to mark the start,

In trade and deed to show our smart.

September 11 steals the stage,

The Universe convulsed with rage.

A mighty clash of dark and light,

The former struck, the latter fight.

Visions and words impart the horror,

Innocence and peace denied the Moor.

Thy sheath is bared; they steed is clothed,

Our light is set to right the loath.

The Glen erupts, the light blaze bright

Now Heavens ROAR with rockets might.

So, Id must choose twix light and dark—

To save the Glen or lose our mark.

~George A. Gunter, Jr. (1933-2007)

 What poem will you share today?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

 http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Thursday Thought: Procrastinaor Juror Beware

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Three weeks after sitting in a court room for over two weeks as a spectator in a murder trial, I get a jury summons of my own in the mail. I’m being “considered” as a juror for U.S. District Court. Well, okay. I believe in the civic duty of serving on a jury but I have personal and moral issues with being the person who casts judgment on another human being. Granted, there are human beings who have committed deadly sins, as in the case I attended in February, and their problems and actions warrant judgment. I am just not thrilled with the prospect of making decisions about the penalties someone should suffer because of their choices. I believe karma will take care of it for me.

So I had blocked out the questionnaire sent in the mail decreeing that I must answer the questions and return it in the prepaid envelope considerately provided within ten days or suffer my own consequences. The explanation of the penance is I may have to go to the office of the U.S. Circuit Clerk and answer the questions there if I miss the deadline.

As a journalist the word deadline has great meaning to me and always has. The history of the word includes the fact that California prisons in the 19th century didn’t have enough money for fencing and guards were told to shoot fleeing prisoners once they reached “that line of sage brush, that’s the dead line.” Not wanting to be shot in the back, I have always made it my business to meet deadlines in a timely and cheerful manner no matter how much I prefer to procrastinate. That’s right, put it off until tomorrow.

Years of meeting deadlines and making daily to-do lists have empowered my brain to overpower the lazy limbic system where the urge to be easily distracted is created. Yes, our brains are wired to find the easy, comfortable way out of everything and that contributes to why it is so easy to procrastinate. But in my case, years of alternate brain training woke me up at two o’clock in the morning from a dead sleep to remember I hadn’t filled out the damn questionnaire yet.

After searching the house for a bloody number two pencil (I seem to only have disposable mechanical pencils in the house,) I have successfully finished my jury questionnaire in pencil which unnerves me. What if somebody changes my answers? Worry. That’s another blog.

I plan to put the questionnaire in the mail TOMORROW.

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous. 

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer 

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc. 

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com Natalie Markey

Be well, write well.

Tuesday Tickle: Creative Play Date

Posted on by Joy Held

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Creative play is the focus of Tuesday Tickle here at Writer Wellness. It’s an intentionally vague topic to allow me lots of juicy wiggle room to explore whatever I want. And that’s exactly what creative play is all about. Exploring whatever we want that pumps up our creative salivary glands and gets us back in the groove of writing.

I call it creative play because I recommend messing around in fun stuff and each one of you gets to define what fun stuff means to you. Creative play is also the primary means of filling the well when it’s feeling dry. That’s of sign of the dreaded writer’s block creeping up behind us. And although the world acknowledges the existence of writer’s block, we don’t have to be hypochondriacal and sit around and wait to catch it. With regular experiences with creative play, writer’s block is completely avoidable, and no prescription drugs are required to bolster our immune systems (sorry.)

Creative play is a simple prescription: do something creative. That’s it. It must be creative and must be enjoyable and it counts as creative play if it is capable of filling your well and keeping you juicy and filled with ideas for writing. And less fear. How’s that? Writer’s block is fear based in my opinion. Expectations, deadlines, pressures, and bills to pay can sure wreak havoc on a writer’s psyche and cause us to feel overwhelmed and incapable of writing. Participating in creative play is a great medicine for alleviating the fear. But most of us need a permission slip to participate in creative play because we have gotten into the nasty habit of thinking that writing is work. It is, but it’s supposed to be work we love. We are one of the few professions that can genuinely claim that we work at something we love. Getting paid is a bonus.

So, here’s your permission slip:

I, Joy Held, give YOU permission to enjoy a regular creative play date to do something fun, crazy, enlightening, and relaxing. 

Here are some ideas from my own recent creative play dates:

I attended the local college student art show at the museum. Saw some really great beginning works that reminded me that we all start out the same way: with a crayon. Also discovered a new artist whose work is very powerful and I intend to look into more of her projects.

Woke up on Saturday and decided to paint every wooden clothes pin in the house. Spent a few minutes gathering them up and used assorted colors of spray paint to decorate a hundred clothes pins. Now when I’m hanging laundry or securing a bread bag, my colorful day of painting in the sunshine comes to mind and refreshes me.

I read and write reviews for a lot of young adult books. Just recently I read the latest collection of short stories from fantasy author Tamora Pierce TORTALL AND OTHER LANDS, A COLLECTION OF TALES. The stories included new and old characters and even a tale entitled “Huntress” that I heard Pierce read aloud at a convention in 2005 before it was published. Reading outside the genre I write keeps me honest and respectful of the craft. Here’s the link to the review:

http://teenreads.com/reviews/9780375866760.asp

What do you do to stay healthy and avoid writer’s block?

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com.

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

 Be well, write well.