Challenging Times w/Podcast Version

Podcast Version:

You can find the Podcast Version here: My Amuseing Life, Season 2, Episode 4. 

Word of the Week:

Challenge: To be faced with something difficult that requires a lot of effort and energy; Opposition,  

Reading:

Today’s reading came from the book “Little Women,” by Louisa May Alcott. You can find a copy of the Public Domain book at Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – Free Ebook (gutenberg.org)

If you aren’t familiar with the book, Little Women is a coming of age story that follows the March sisters through their growing up years.  Along the way, they encounter many obstacles and challenges.  In the Podcast, I read from the first page and a half of the first chapter today, titled “Playing Pilgrims.”

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Bonus quote from the book:

“As she lifted the curtain to look out into the dreary night, the moon broke suddenly from behind the clouds and shone upon her like a bright, benignant face, which seemed to whisper in the silence, ‘Be comforted, dear soul! There is always light behind the clouds.”

Louisa May Alcott. Little Women

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Tips on Overcoming Challenging Writing Sessions:

We all face challenges in life, and sometimes writing sessions can become obstacles, making it difficult to write even a few words.  Here are tips for overcoming challenging writing sessions:

1. Just start writing.  Sometimes you can break out of writer’s block by just writing something.  Set a timer, and begin.  Write for the entire time, even if all you can write is “I’m thinking, I’m thinking.”
2. Take a break.  Sometimes you need to step away from the writing piece you are working on and come back to it later.  Take a walk, jump in the shower, get some exercise.  Switch what you are doing for a short time, and see if that helps you get back to writing.
3. Don’t get hung up on editing!  Your first draft will not be perfect.  Sometimes editing can get in the way of actually writing.  Write first.  You can edit later.  If you need to edit some as you write, go ahead, but be careful not to stuck on editing while you write.  If needed, set a timer to limit your editing as you write.
4. Reread what you’ve already written.  Sometimes reviewing what you already have can inspire new ideas.  Try putting the piece in a different font as well.  This can trick your brain into thinking it is something you’ve never read before. 
5. Don’t get stuck on research.  It’s really easy to get off track if something needs to be researched.  Set a short time limit for how long you’ll spend researching something, and then when the timer goes off, make a note as to where you are, and get back to writing.  
6. Try something new if you find yourself struggling to be creative.  Read a new book, listen to a new podcast, watch a new movie, or take a class with a community college, nature center, or other local group.
7. Switch up the environment.  Work in a another room in your house, or head to a local coffee shop or library.  Change the time of day you write, and use a different format to write with, such as new writing software or pulling out colorful pens and some paper.

Writing Prompt- Challenges:

Create a list of current writing challenges you are facing.  Next to each challenge, write a possible solution to that challenge.