Top of the Week Attitude

Hey writers–it’s Monday. While the working weary of the world bemoan their back-to-the-grindstone day, we writers can start the week with a positive attitude. Doesn’t matter if last week you got rejected, were blocked or received critique that set you back. It’s a new day, a new chance to write the best you ever have.
Writing Tip for Today: Veteran writers know this writing road is full of disappointment, frustration and waiting, only to receive bad news. Yet every time we sit at the keyboard, we get to start fresh. We can think up new ways to make our work-in-progress shine, or dream up a new story. When you write, how will you approach the top of the week? Here are some things I do:

  • Brainstorm. Use Mondays for “brainstorming” ideas. I might work in the garden or read a novel I love. All the while I’m telling my subconscious to work on a story problem.
  • Reread. I go back and read my last session’s work. If I still think it’s doing what I need it to do, I’ll go on, using a few keywords I planted in the mss. to help me remember what comes next. If not, I’ll revise that scene.
  • Dream BIG. Allow myself to dream big on my WIP. I’m not a very good plotter/outliner, and sometimes I find my scenes lacking impact. So I’ll dream it bigger, by raising the stakes and deepening the emotional impact.

About Linda S. Clare

I'm an author, speaker, writing coach and mentor. I teach both fiction and nonfiction writing at Lane Community College and in the doctoral program as expert writing advisor for George Fox University. I love helping writers improve their craft and I'm both an avid reader and writer of stories about those with wounded hearts.

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