Time to Write

Why "The Secret" doesn't work for writers and artists

In coaching creative people, I have been surprised to find that probably the biggest obstacle many--perhaps the majority--face is lack of confidence in their creative abilities. They have a harsh inner critic that hounds them with doubts and fears of rejection.

Furthermore, most of them think these doubts are in themselves a sign of weakness or failure--surely the truly talented and successful writers and artists don't have these anxieties?

That's why I was particularly interested to read an essay by Robert Fritz, author of of the best-seller on creativity, "The Path of Least Resistance." Here's part of what he wrote:

"...the most successful, accomplished, innovative, and creative people did not have positive attitudes and thoughts, hardly ever thought that well of themselves, and were not filled with a heightened sense of self-love. The most common human trait was a sense of doubt, a lack of personal esteem and confidence, and a pronounced lack of a belief in themselves. Instead, they cared about what they were creating. They were in a different business than the belief business. They were in the creating business."

Fritz's essay is about the misleading idea that the most important thing is believing in yourself or adhering to "The Secret"--the law of attraction that has suggested that if you think enough about something it will automatically come to pass. He says that, yes, sometimes the things you think about or want do come your way. Other times they don't. You have to get on with your creative work either way.

Fritz's list of those who doubted themselves includes Einstein, Churchill, Edison, Ben Franklin Georgia O'Keefe, Elvis, Babe Ruth and Carl Jung.

His prescription is simple, if not always easy: "In the creating business it doesn't matter what you believe, but how well you create. In fact, the central questions are: what result do I want to create? Where am I now? And how will I move from here to there. No matter what you believe, good, bad, or indifferent, you will be able to master your own creative process, and use that mastery in your own life-building process."


While I do basically agree with him, I also believe it's very useful to transform a harsh, crippling inner critic into a constructive guide. I offer a program for doing that--you can find out about it here.

This essay also led me to re-reading his book, "Creativity," and I'll share some more of his ideas with you here shortly.

What do do when you are overwhelmed

So much to do, so little time, right? And sometimes the "to do" gets much bigger than the "time." What to do then? The video below gives you some ideas to get back into control. (And there's lots more like this in the new 2nd edition of my book, "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done"--it includes a brand new chapter. You can get it from Amazon or another online or offline retailer. There's more information at www.focusquick.com)

What to do when you feel overwhelmed from jurgen Wolff on Vimeo.

No excuses Monday 8: "I HAVE TOO MANY IDEAS!"

You have too many ideas?

Congratulations!

What a great problem to have.

But you say you can’t decide?

You start on one project and then halfway through decide another one would be better and start on that one?

And eventually you have a drawer full of half-finished ideas?

If that’s the case, the problem isn’t really that you have too many ideas, it’s that when the process becomes more difficult and your first draft isn’t matching your perfect vision of what the project could be, you give up and decide to start on the next thing that seems great.

Until you get halfway into it, at which point you have a new great idea and start on that one.

Your problem isn't that you're such a genius, it's that you use your new ideas to give you an excuse not to wrestle the old ones into submission. Sorry to be so blunt but I know this from personal experience.

The solution: Decide to finish the next thing you start.

No matter what.

Even if you become absolutely convinced that it’s a waste of time, the worst idea you or anybody ever had, stick with to the end.

That way the very least you will learn is to be more careful about what you commit to.

If new ideas pop into your mind while working on that project, jot them down. Then get back to work.

Most likely when you're done you’ll discover it’s not nearly as bad as you feared.

In fact, don’t be surprised if it’s rather good.

Then you can move on to your next great idea.

(One way to make sure you finish is to join my 60-day Breakthrough Strategy Program. You'll get weekly updates, teleconferences, and feedback and encouragement from me and the other participants. There's a group version and a one-to-one option. Find out what it can do for you at www.jurgenwolff.com.)

Creators on Creating

One good book on creativity (if I do say so myself) is "Creativity Now!" (Pearson). Here's another:

"Creators on Creating" book review from jurgen Wolff on Vimeo.

A great way to be sure there's a market for your creative work

Have you heard of crowdfunding? Here’s how it works at a site called Kickstarter.com: Artists, writers, film-makers or others propose a project, come up with a fundraising goal and make their case to Kickstarter via letter, video tape or web site.

If Kickstarter accepts the proposal, they issue a formal invitation to the creator, who then puts his or her pitch on the website.

Often the creator suggests levels of funding and associated rewards. For instance, if its a children’s book, if you donate five dollars you might get a digital version of the book when its done; if you donate ten you get a copy of the book; if you donate twenty you get an autographed copy; if you donate fifty you will be mentioned on the book’s thank-you page, and so on. The creator also decides how long the fund-raising drive will last—it can be a few days or a few months or longer.

If the project fails to reach its financial goal in the allocated time, the people who pledged money are not charged and the project doesn’t go ahead. If it does, then they are charged and the site takes 5% commission on the total raised. Some projects raise more than their minimum amount (that’s allowed).

Kickstarter is not the only site doing this; there are others that specialize in bands and music projects, fashion, art and other creative niches. To explore further, you can Google “crowdfunding.”

I’m going to be experimenting with this for some smaller projects I have in mind and I’ll report back to you how it all goes. If you try it, let me know how you get on.

What does the iPad mean for writers?

The Independent reported that magazine publishers have signed lucrative deals with advertisers for the iPad versions of various publications. For instance, "The New York Times, whose iPad app was featured in Apple's launch presentation for the device in January, has sold exclusive rights to ads on its iPad editions for the first 60 days to a credit card company. The Wall Street Journal said it has signed up a slate of advertisers including FedEx and Coca-Cola to take advertising space at $100,000 a month."

Clearly this is about prestige rather than number of potential customers because nobody knows how many iPads will be sold during the first 60 days.

In a poll, more than a third of prospective buyers said they'd use the device to read magazines and newspapers, but of course they can use it to access the internet's multitude of free offerings. It's also likely to rival and probably out-do the Kindle as a book e-reader.

So what does all this mean for writers? Here are a few possibilities:

1. It may revive the fortunes of some magazines and newspapers, which means more opportunities for journalists and feature article writers. However, it does not solve the free vs. paid conflict, just extends it.

2. It provides an additional distribution channel for self-publishers. Obviously e-books and e-reports are easier to create and distribute than self-published hard copies of books.

3. It makes the sales of parts of your book easier and more likely. In the United States, individual chapters of my book,"Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done" are already being sold individually for $1.99 each and UK publishers undoubtedly will be looking at the same kind of option for non-fiction books. Authors will have to look more closely at their contracts to be sure they're getting a fair deal on such sales.

4. It creates a demand for new formats. The device allows the easy mixing of text with images, video, audio, hyperlinks, and various types of interactivity. Some of the early efforts will succeed just because of their novelty but long-term only the new formats that add value will survive. It's an opportunity for creative authors to experiment and generate new ways of interacting with readers/consumers.

5. It offers a great opportunity for the authors who get in early with material especially configured for such devices. The first truly innovative formats and projects will get lots of media attention, just as happened with the first apps for the iPhone.

You can create interactive material and multi-media material on your own fairly easily these days using relatively inexpensive software like iMovie, GarageBand and Photoshop Elements and digital still cameras and video cameras like the Flip or Kodak Zi8. However, it might make sense to approach publishers to partner with you from the start, both for some financial support upfront and a guaranteed distribution channel.

If you do anything along these lines, I'd love to hear from you and share your experiences on this blog and on my creativity podcast, "Creativity Rocket".

(If you want to come up with more creative ideas easily, check out my book, "Creativity Now!" published by Pearson and available from Amazon and other online and offline retailers. It helps you get into the creative state, generate endless ideas, and turn your ideas into reality.)

The Power of Story (interview with Matthew Friday)

Episode 2 of my Creativity Rocket podcast is up, and it features an interview with teacher and story-teller Matthew Friday on the power of story-telling, a review of my new creativity book, and a tip for how to overcome procrastination by using micro-chunking.

You can listen to it here (and subscribe on iTunes or your other favorite service so you don't miss any future episodes).

The secret of fast creativity

In this entertaining six-minute video by Robert Sutton, Co-Director of the Center for Work, Technology and Organization at Stanford University, defines creativity and talks about the secret of fast creativity (with a little side trip into the history of Play-Doh along the way). (If you're into creativity, by the way, I think you'll also enjoy my latest book, "Creativity Now!").

Watch it on Academic Earth

What to do when you have too much to read

It's hard to keep up with our reading, isn't it? Here's a video with some old-school tips for how to catch up on your non-fiction reading (there's a whole book of tips like this: "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done--brand new 2nd edition).See www.focusquick.com.

What to do when you have too much to read from jurgen Wolff on Vimeo.

The one question to ask yourself (even if you hate Dr Phil)

I’m ambivalent (at best) about Dr. Phil McGraw but I am a big fan of one of his catch-phrase questions:

“How’s that workin’ for ya?”

When he asks it of one of his guests, usually the answer is, “Not too good” (they’re not big on grammar on the Dr. Phil Show). It’s a great question to ask about various aspects of your life.

For the writers among us, what are you doing to achieve your writing goals? (pause here for your answer….)

How’s that workin’ for ya?

For everybody, what are you doing to move toward your most cherished goals?

How’s that workin’ for ya?

If the answer is, “Very well,” then carry on doing that and consider whether doing more of it would bring even better results.

If the answer is, “Not very well,” then consider what you could do differently to give you a different outcome.

Shameless plug: Another option if the answer is “not very well,” or if you want more of what is working, is to join my 60-day Breakthrough Strategy program—more info at www.jurgenwolff.com.

How to use social media to promote your books

Here’s a video of Chris Brogan talking about how authors can use social media to promote their books (it’s about 4 minutes long). As you’ll hear, it’s easiest to do this when you have a genre book, fiction or non-fiction. He also talks about whether authors really need publishers and the point most publishers are missing. (If you’re seeing this without the video embedded, or you'd like to see Chris's whole face while he talks, you can find it here.)

No excuses Monday 7: "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO START!"

If you’ve ever seen a movie featuring a writer, you probably got the impression that the authors sit down at their typewriter (if it’s an old movie) or computer, frown for a moment, and then start typing.

Slow dissolve to a few weeks later and they pull the last page out of their typewriter (much more dramatic than printing it out…) and it’s done.

Next stop: book signings, instant fame, and money, money, money!

If only.

One fallacy in that version is that it’s easy, another is that you have to start on page one, and the third is that it’s all one smooth process.

Let's focus on that starting on page one bit, because that's what trips up a lot of aspiring writers. They stare at the blank first page, it stares back at them...they stare at it...it stares back.

The blank page usually wins. 

Here's the solution: You don't have to start on page one.

You can start anywhere.

If you don’t know yet what your opening scene will be, but you know that at some point there’s going to be a showdown between two characters, write that. Then figure out what would have to happen just before that, or what will happen just after that, and write that scene.

I call that Jigsaw Puzzle Writing. You start with any piece and add on.

When you run out of adjoining scenes, pick another part of the story that you know you want to include and repeat the process.

Eventually you'll have enough pieces that the whole thing fits into one beautiful complete story. Probably you will need to do some rewriting to smooth out the bits where they fit together, and that's fine.

Then you can prepare for the book signings and the money (we hope).

So--where to start?

Anywhere.

Just start.

(A great way to start is to get my book, "Your Writing Coach," from Amazon or your other favorite online or offline retailer. A great way to continue is to be inspired by my free monthly Brainstorm creativity and productivity e-bulletin--just send an email request to [email protected]. And if you want more support than that, check out the two versions of my online coaching program (one group, one one-to-one)--details at jurgenwolff.com.)

Through the glasshouse: a new publisher open to writers

I’m not sure what ‘sourced ethically’ means when you’re talking about new writing, but that’s one of the terms used by a new U.K.-based publisher called Glasshouse Books. I'm always interested in passing along potential opportunities for writers, so let's take a closer look.

At their website they say, “We are a brand new publishing house with a focus on quality fiction and non-fiction, sourced ethically, printed to respect the environment, and delivered to cater for those who can and cannot afford books.”

They are making their books available free on the website in a non-downloadable format—presumably this is partly for people who cannot afford books. (In my view, in our society most people who don’t buy books can afford them but choose to spend their money on something else, but I digress.)

The free versions may create a demand for hard copies, which Glasshouse plans to publish when they have a minimum number of orders. “We’re not interested in best-sellers but in doing the best we can,” they say on a video on their site, and are targeting libraries first.

That makes the choice of one of their first titles surprising: “Bloody Vampires.” It’s listed as “10 Writers, 3 Artists, 1 anthology of new vampire stories.” Contributors include Paul Burston and the creator of Glasshouse, Bobby Nayyar. I would have thought we had enough vampires already but maybe there's still a thirst (sorry) for more.

The on-screen layout of their books is very clean and you can jump to any page or leaf through page by page. One problem is that I couldn’t find the button to make the print bigger and using the “zoom in” command on Firefox didn’t have any effect. If this feature is there—and it should be—I didn’t spot it. Might be a good one to add in the next version.

Instead of taking random submissions, Glasshouse puts briefs on its website.

One up at the time of this writing is for a book to be called “50” which will contain 50 short stories, each between 3000 and 3500 words, set in a state in the United States. The payment will be $500 upon the first print edition (assuming they get enough orders to justify a print edition, which, with 50 authors all presumably wanting a few copies, should be a safe bet), with more if it goes to further print runs (it doesn't say how big the first print run would be, but I'm sure such details are available directly from them).

They are also going to publish a one-time newspaper on free speech that will be distributed without cost in the UK before the General Election. Since there’s no money involved, it seems fair that they don’t pay anything for the material they use. However, it did surprise me that part of the contract is: “You agree:(a) to grant us royalty free and worldwide permission to publish and distribute your Submission for the legal term of copyright in the United Kingdom;” I would have thought that granting one-time or first-time use would have been more appropriate, with the writer or artist retaining copyright.

I admire anybody trying something new but there are a few elements here that, to my mind, don’t seem quite consistent. Nonetheless, worth keeping an eye on and I wish them well.

(If you want to write a book, my "Your Writing Coach" will take you from idea all the way through to publication. It's published by Nicholas Brealey and you can get it from Amazon and other online and offline retailers.)

If you're approached by FilmLiteraryGroup...

I got a message (ended up in my spam filter, appropriately enough) with the subject line “Screenwriter’s now.” Interesting grammar. Anyway, they are offering a film packaging service. For a fee they will help you rewrite your script, work out a budget, do a marketing breakdown, a director wish list, a cast wish list, and some more stuff.

So let’s take a closer look at one of these elements that struck me as strange, the cast wish list. On their web site they says, “The necessity of a cast wish list is self-evident. It gives screenwriters the ability to bring producers a sense of reality to intangible characters by casting these roles.”

Huh? You mean if I tell producer X that I think George Clooney would be great for the male lead and Sandra Bullock for the female lead, he’s going to have a better “sense of reality” and it’ll help him or her with casting?

I don’t think so. More likely, it'll make him or her think I'm a presumptuous amateur.

But wait, they also say, “Once this process is complete, the effort is made to try and get actors on the list to become attached to your screenplay.” I think this means they will call up George Clooney’s agent and say, “We have a script here written by a writer you don't know and there’s no studio or producer attached. Would George like to be attached to it? No? OK, thanks anyway.” There, an effort has been made.

Let’s look at the credentials of the principal Stephen Gray. On the site he’s listed as founder and of Gray Fox Films. Never heard of it, but the website helpfully tells us: “GRAY FOX FILMS has slated its initial project “Sunset Plaza” a dark comedy spoofing L.A. and the entertainment industry. It is expected to be shot in Los Angeles in August, 2005.”

Well, sometimes I lose track of time, too. Let’s have a look at IMBD. No sign of “Sunset Plaza.” Nor any of the others they mention in that section.

Finally, let’s check out the testimonials section. Here’s one: “There are few people in Hollywood that skip the run-around and tell it like it is. Stephen Gray is one of those people. He is a stand up guy that will get your script into the right hands. In Hollywood, that's what it's all about. -- Regards, Charles Heit , Hollywood, CA

Thanks, Charles, but who are you? His dentist? His brother-in-law? A satisfied client who got a film sold? If the latter, I’m all ears. What was the project? Who bought it due to the involvement of Film Literary Group?

Maybe that was a bad random choice. Let’s try one more: James H. Man. James says, “Stephen Gray, You are magnificent! In a world of smoke and idle promises. Your tenacity and charm bowl people over. I feel fortunate to have hitched my horse to your wagon. Let’s do the deal, Oscar’s table in three years.” – James H. Man, Screenwriter/Author, Amarillo, Texas.”

I have  a hunch James hasn’t hit the Oscar ceremony yet or we would have heard about it. Again, I'm glad Mr. Gray is popular but the testimonial doesn't mention results.

I’m not suggesting FilmLiteraryGroup is a scam, they’re pretty upfront about what they offer (although as far as I can tell the prices aren't on the website). But I have grave doubts that this would be money well spent.

A way to sharpen your perception and your writing

Artists who want to sharpen their ability to portray people attend life drawing classes where a model sits (or stands) for them, and it gave me an idea for a fun and useful exercise: life writing.

You don't need to pay a model, you just go to a coffee shop or anywhere else that gives you the opportunity to watch people.

Your goal: to write a quick sketch of the person or people you see.

In no more than five or ten minutes, write a short scene featuring them in any kind of situation that pops into your mind.

That older man over there looks worried--what might be going on? Maybe he just got back from the doctor's office. They did tests but the results won't be in for a couple of days. He's thinking about his life so far and what he meant to do and may never get to do if the results are a bad as he fears.

Your "models" won't be sitting still for you, but that's good--often it's body language or posture or little mannerisms that tell you a lot about someone. Like that  young couple. She looks totally in love with him, but when she wasn't looking he gave the waitress a flirty wink.  Is he already getting bored in this new relationship, or is it just an old habit? What trouble has his flirtatiousness caused him before?

The idea is to write these without worrying about whether they'll ever be published--but I wouldn't be surprised if some of them did find their way into other parts of your writing.

At the very least they'll sharpen your perception and make those visits to Starbucks or Caffe Nero or your local mom and pop coffee shop a more creative experience.

(Another source of inspiration is my free monthly "Brainstorm & Focus" e-bulletin. You can get it by sending a request to [email protected])