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The Ever-Changing World of Writing & Publishing

Feb 22nd, 2012 by

The explosive growth and evolution of technology and the internet has definitely changed many industries, including the writing and publishing world.  In fact, right now, I bet you’re nodding your head in agreement  … and maybe even in confusion.  And you’re not alone.  Lots of opinions and perspectives run rampant for both the positives and the negatives.

All we can do is research, discuss, share and collaborate with like-minded people, to help us discern how to interpret the information that is available to us at any given time.  Then make the decisions that are best for us, our goals, our life, our work … and our message.

I have spoken to so many in the writing and publishing world, new and seasoned, and the feeling is generally the same.

Recently, I had the great pleasure of meeting and hearing Douglas Gibson speak at an event I was attending.

Douglas Gibson worked in the Canadian publishing industry since 1968, first as a Trainee Editor with Doubleday Canada, then working up from Editorial Director to Publisher for Macmillan. He was lured to McClelland & Stewart to start the first editorial imprint in Canada, Douglas Gibson Books; and in 2000, he became President & Publisher.  He retired just a few short years ago and wrote a beautiful book called Stories About Storytellers – which of course I had to purchase a signed copy of.

As a relatively new author and publisher, I was truly inspired and encouraged by his words.  It made me even more purposeful and assured about the work that we are doing here at I C Publishing and the amazing journey that I chose to embark on early in 2011.

When I think of all the changes that have taken place in the world of writing and publishing, some just in the last few months, there is one significant change for the good; the playing field has levelled a fair bit, making the opportunity to pen and produce one’s own book much more accessible than it once was.

There is so much more to say on this subject, and of course I will, in another blog.

For now, let me encourage you to keep exploring and asking questions … and know that there will still be more change, but don’t be afraid.  Embrace what you can learn at your own pace, and enjoy the amazing choices that will continue to present themselves.

Should you be an author looking for support and you’re not sure what you need, here are a few excerpts of current Wikipedia definitions to ponder on.  Please note that there are differences between traditional and non-traditional publishers, and there is a fast-growing trend towards non-traditional, as well as “self” publishing.  There are also different publishers for different genres of writing.  More on all of this too, another day!

PUBLISHING / PUBLISHER

“Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public…  Publishing includes the stages of the development, acquisition, copyediting, graphic design, production – printing (and its electronic equivalents), and (can include) marketing and distribution of newspapers, magazines, books, literary works, musical works, software and other works dealing with information, including the electronic media.”

PUBLICIST

“A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album…  One of the publicist’s main functions is to generate press coverage on behalf of clients and to serve as the bridge between clients, their public and media outlets.  (They) manage campaigns and perform other public relations functions. It usually takes many years to develop the media contacts, experience and relationships necessary to be an effective publicist.  Some publicists specialize in representing ‘ordinary’ members of the public to procure the maximum possible fee for stories they wish to sell to newspapers, television stations and magazines.”

LITERARY AGENT

“A literary agent (often synonymous with “publishing agent”) is an agent who represents writers and their written works to publishers, theatrical producers and film producers and assists in the sale and deal negotiation of the same. Literary agents most often represent novelists, screenwriters and major non-fiction writers. They are paid a fixed percentage … of the proceeds of sales they negotiate on behalf of their clients.”

In addition to the invitation to contact me personally, please feel free to engage in conversation right here on my blog.  Either way, I’m happy to be of assistance.

We’re in it together!

Warmest regards and appreciation,

Sheri

 

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Exploring the Writer’s Language Toolkit – Part 2

Feb 7th, 2012 by

Last week we looked at some of the most commonly used elements of punctuation and how they are used.  But our punctuation, grammar and language toolkit has a lot more in it. Ellipsis …, italics, (parentheses), “scare quotes” and bold-face are the most frequently used ways to enhance the written message.

The Ellipsis—the three little dots that follow a phrase is used for two reasons.  The first is to indicate words missing … from a quoted passage.  The second use is to trail off in an intriguing manner … This invites the reader to use his or her imagination to complete the thought. If this is exactly what you intend then by all means, insert the ellipsis. Be careful not to use the ellipsis … instead of dashes … as this can be quite irritating.

Italics can be very effective if conveying an emphatic thought but quickly lose their force if overused. Ideally, only one to three words at a time should be italicized, rarely a whole sentence, and never an entire paragraph. Think carefully about using italics to convey the intended feeling. Instead, try to pick the best possible words themselves for the job. More about this below.

Last week we looked at parentheses and scare quotes, but it’s worth referencing again as a reminder that these should be used only when absolutely appropriate. Here are a couple quick examples:

It is without a doubt (see chapter 3) a widely misunderstood concept.

His review of the play noted that the “acting” was atrocious.

Bold-face, underlining, capitals, italics, exclamation marks—these are all emphatic elements at the writer’s disposal. While all have their place, there is nothing quite like using language as the best way to convey your story.

Poet and author Barry Dempster says that language should evoke a response. Telling a story with words is one thing, but having those words create an image, an emotion or transport the reader to another place and time is a powerful skill. At a recent writing seminar, he asked the participants to create a list of ten happy sounding words, and ten horrible sounding words. Not that the meaning of the words be happy or horrible, but that they sound happy or horrible. Words that sound horrible often have hard consonants like G, B, GM, K.  Words that sound happy may have vowel/consonant combinations of “en” or “ess” and have a light, airy or soft feel. My happy list has words like twinkle, cozy, pink and buttery. My horrible list has words like cough, phlegm, wrought and splotch.

Language is the most powerful tool of all. Give totally to the description to evoke the emotion. The language tools are many: alliteration, sound echoes, rhymes and sibilance to mention just a few. If you write a meaningful, powerful poem, book or essay, punctuate it properly and use just the right mix of styles, then you are surely on your way to writing success!

Think about your words—play with the possibilities and send us your feedback! Here on this blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a wonderful opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave your comment.

Kim Leitch

 

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Are You a Writer? Tips on Packing Your Punctuation Tool Kit

Jan 31st, 2012 by

The Art of Language

Whether you loved your English studies or not, you’ll find the following a wonderful refresher. Kim is my publishing assistant, proof-reader and our resident expert on everything English. Creative license aside, Kim gives you lots to ponder. And next time you go to write or type a personal email, business letter or pen a book, I’m sure you will appreciate these tips on what to put in your punctuation tool kit. It might make you think twice on how best to deliver your message…

We’ve probably all heard that using the right tool for the job makes the world of difference in the creation of the project and in the end result. For a writer, the tool kit is packed with options.

The top tray of the tool kit contains the most widely used elements: the periods, commas, semicolons, colons and question marks.

Of these, the comma is the most misunderstood. The tendency is to over-use commas. We often see pages peppered with commas as if the writer were afraid the reader would forget to breathe unless the comma was there. Professional editors today use commas much more sparingly than even a few years ago. On the other hand, it is important to put a comma in the correct spot:

Suzy walked on her head a little higher than usual.

Suzy walked on, her head a little higher than usual.

Semicolons are used to separate two independent clauses in a single sentence: “She felt she had worked enough; it was quitting time anyway.” Colons introduce a list or series: words, colours, numbers, etc.

The second tray in our kit contains lesser used but equally important tools: the exclamation points, parentheses and brackets, and hyphens and dashes.

When do you use an exclamation point? As little as possible—only if the statement really does mark an outcry or emphatic comment.

When do you use parentheses? As little as possible; while stronger than commas and similar to the dash, they are used to include words with no grammatical relationship to the text: “She thought the balloons at the party (gold and silver) were just the right touch.”

Hyphens and dashes are often used interchangeably but in reality there are distinct differences. Hyphens are used for compound words and as separators: my name is Kim; that’s k-i-m. There are two types of dashes: En dashes are connectors, replacing the word “to”.  He lived from 1931–2011. Em dashes are used sparingly instead of commas or parentheses and are also used to bridge sudden breaks: Will he—can he—get there in time?

The little pull-out tray in our tool kit is small, but very important. This is where the apostrophes and quotation marks live. The Greek word for apostrophe means “turned away; omission”. Here is a quick primer on apostrophes:

  • Contractions: I’ve, couldn’t, it’s
  • Speaking of “it’s”, let’s put this question to rest. Here is the definitive answer on the use of an apostrophe with the letters i-t-s:
  • It’s your turn (contraction of “it is” or “it has”, and the only time it’s used with an apostrophe.)
  • Its snout was rooting up truffles (possessive for any use other than “it is” or “it has”.)
  • Possessive plural: The boy’s hats (one boy, many hats)
  • Regular plural: The boys’ hats (multiple boys)

Quotations could take up a book by themselves, but here are a few notes:

To surround a direct quote. The period goes inside the end quote. In multi-paragraphs, the end quote is only at the end of the last paragraph while there is a beginning quote at each paragraph.

To accentuate; sometimes called “scare” quotes: slang, ironic or other nonstandard use: “Child protection” sometimes fails to protect. Scare quotes should be used very sparingly. Consider whether the word really is unique or you are just trying to set it apart from the rest of the text. Italics may be the answer but don’t overdo these either.

Single quotes are used to denote a quote within a quote. “I told them all that John said, ‘I am always right’.”

Two of my favourite books are: Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss, and The Chicago Manual of Style, The University of Chicago Press. While some of the points above may be obvious, in our age of email, abbreviations and instant messaging, we sometimes overlook the importance of creating a properly written message, letter or book.

We’d love your feedback. Here on this blog, you’ll get commentluv. Don’t forget to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave a comment.

Happy writing!

Kim Leitch

 

 

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Success: Know Who You Are, What You Want and Do Your Homework

Jan 24th, 2012 by

This week’s message is simple – 2012 has started with phenomenal energy and intensity – and if you’re going to keep the pace and enjoy the process, much less accomplish what you set out to, it’s important that you get in touch with who ‘you’ are and what ‘you’ really want.  Do your homework and follow through with an action plan.

If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you’ve probably noticed that I like to share content that will empower you in all areas of your life – whether you wish to be a successful writer / author, teacher, parent or business owner.  I like to offer you tools that can be used again and again, as you move forward on your journey.  In keeping with my last post, I have some more questions for you below.  Should you notice the occasional message repeated, it’s likely a cornerstone of my thinking and choice points that I reflect on regularly.  And so, it’s meant to be there.

Yes, my blog is designed to be somewhat interactive – I believe that ‘when we do, we learn’.  These questions are in no way intended to overwhelm you – they’re simply meant to gently stimulate new thinking and help you recognize what’s most important to ‘you’ – so you can enjoy the experience and results FULLY!     

Know Who You Are, What You Want and Do Your Homework

Writing a book?  Know your message, your audience and your goals around your book.  We’re not all moved and inspired by the same things.  Do you want a small supplemental revenue stream or a national / international book tour?  Why?  What will this require of you?  What new things do you need to learn?  What support might you need to access?  What are your time lines?  What are the benefits?

Want more success in business?  Know your message, your expertise, your goals and why?  Be mindful of comparing yourself to others … except for inspiration and encouragement of what’s possible when you put your mind to it!  What do you need to learn?  What support might you need to access?  What are your timelines?  What are the benefits?

These days, more than ever, it’s obvious that we can’t be all things to all people.  That said, we can be almost ‘all things’ to many – as long as we know who we are and what our own special gifts and talents are.  For example, it’s uncanny the kind of work that continues to flow to I C Publishing – and I believe in part, it’s due to my clarity about ‘who we are’ and ‘who we’re not’.

Recently, I’ve been refining my marketing plan and materials for the first half of 2012 – and this has become even clearer:

I C Publishing serves primarily the non-fiction writer, whose intent it is to share meaningful and moving messages from their own personal or professional experiences – to encourage, empower and enlighten the reader.  I C Publishing is committed to quality content, meeting the author where they’re at and providing the necessary services to help bring their work to life – keeping at the front, their unique voice and style of writing!

How did I get to this point?  I asked myself the same questions I’ve shared with you in my last two posts.  I’ve also paid attention to how I feel when I working with my ideal clients – and I’m clear that I want more of that.  It makes me feel alive …  I feel like I’m fulfilling my purpose.

Why did I start this blog, or for that matter, I C Publishing?  I was ready.  It was the next logical step in my career.  I had self-published my first book, Hearts Linked by Courage, and through my own journey saw that there was a need to fill.  There were so many unknowns that I had to figure out – and there were very few local resources available at the time.  Since then, the resources and my amazing team have grown considerably.  I’ve learned so much – and continue to of course.

Through I C Publishing, I’m able to share my knowledge and expertise on so many fronts, offering business consulting, assistance in the creative process and administrative support – to budding and seasoned writers … the kind of support I wish I had when I first embraced this elusive and intriguing path myself.

I look forward to your thoughts! Here on this blog, you’ll get ‘commentluv’ so don’t forget to leave a link back to your own blog when you comment.

Continued success!  What’s next for you?!

Warmly,

Sheri

 

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Don’t Set Goals to Write A Book or Increase Income or Change The World?!

Jan 10th, 2012 by

Don’t Set Goals to Write A Book or Increase Income or Change The World?!

That’s right!  Don’t set goals to write a book or increase income, mend a relationship or change the world this year – unless you are going to ask yourself the following questions, and then take the answers to those questions to create a clear a pathway for your success:

1. What are you willing to do ‘differently’ that will support you achieving this?  And what will you do to sustain these new habits.

2. How would accomplishing this goal change your life, personally and professionally – for you, your family, friends, colleagues or clients?  Look at all angles.  Would you be happy with these changes or might it be helpful to adjust your goal slightly – to ensure that the outcomes you are striving for have a lasting and positive affect all, where possible?

3. Who do you need to hire, consult and/or surround yourself with, for your added learning, resources and accountability?

If you are a writer, this might mean taking a course or joining a group with similar interests as yours, like the Writing Community of York Region (or Durham, or Simcoe County).

It might mean working with a creative coach, editor and/or publisher – depending on where you’re at in your journey.  Since this is the work that I do and ‘love’, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you might have and I’d be happy to point you in the right direction.  Feel free to comment on my blog or email me directly at icpublishing@primus.ca.

If your projects are business related, Masterminds groups are an excellent consideration too.

There’s a lot of advice available about setting and achieving goals.  It’s ‘everywhere’ this month, and I would also be happy to share more on this topic, from my own perspective and years of experience.  However, I believe that the questions I’ve included above will have much more impact and meaning for you initially.  They’re meant to encourage you to think outside the proverbial box, give you better answers (to the better questions you are asking), and ultimately provide you with the results you desire!

The world of writing, book production, publishing and publicity can be an elusive one at times, and it is ever changing and evolving in this fast-paced world of technology!

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing some more great information with you; from a few helpful Wikipedia industry definitions, to resourceful tips on Social Media and a great message from one of our ‘soon to be published’ authors, Robin Smith, sharing thoughts on her creative process and a bit about her awesome book Jump For Joy When Your Dreams Come True!

I look forward to your comments, and please feel free to offer suggestions for topics that would be of interest to you…Don’t forget to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave a comment!

p.s. For those of you in the York Region, Ontario area, I will be leading a Mastermind Group for local writers from February to June.  Please contact me personally should you be interested.

…And more great news, you can now find my book Hearts Linked by Courage at Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge, Ontario – they host some great workshops too.  Here’s their website http://blueheronbooks.com/.

Wishing you a prosperous and joy-filled 2012!

Sheri

 

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Time to Reinvent Yourself in 2012?

Dec 15th, 2011 by

During the holiday season I thought it might be ideal to personalize my message a little more.  This is the time when most people do some reflecting on the year that is coming to a close, and planning for the one ahead. Perhaps you would like to re-invent yourself in 2012?  

Maybe you’re thinking about the past choices you’ve made, and the changes you’d like to incorporate in the coming weeks and months; or what new things you want to learn, explore or accomplish. Not so long ago, I was invited to do a one-to-one TV interview on the topic of Reinventing Yourself. I’m happy to share, and my hope is that it gives you the inspiration, insights and encouragement you need, as you embrace the new year, set new goals and achieve your heart’s desire! …Perhaps a new career, your first or 5th book, a healthier you, stronger relationships … ? Why not?!

You’ll notice that the interview is divided into four segments … Please enjoy at your leisure! ‘& Although the show is called ‘Woman To Woman’, gentlemen, I’m sure you’ll find the content helpful and refreshing as well!

For those of you receiving this post via email, please click the word ‘video’ to connect to the video channel.

Video 1

Reinvention is an act, not a destination…

Life and change are easier when you work on yourself and embrace change. Become a better self-manager and get clear on what you do and don’t want in life. Learn to recognize the choices that you have and focus on re-framing your inner dialogue.

 
Video 2

It’s hard until you decide it’s not…

Stretching your comfort zone, addressing that negative self-talk and having a strong support system in place are keys to success. Learn to embrace who you are, and stay on a path of self-development.
Video 3

Make an appointment with yourself…

Keeping a wellness journal, and scheduling yourself in. Recognizing it’s not about being perfect, but becoming your best self. Owning your own circumstances and not blaming or passing the buck. Getting honest with yourself about what you truly want.  We all have a story.
Video 4

Get out of your own head…

Circumstances that stretch you happen for a reason. Start doing what you’ve been blessed and gifted to do.  Honour yourself. Be courageous.

I welcome your questions and comments. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is a wonderful opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave a comment.

‘Wishing you abundance in all things!

 

Warmest Regards and Happy Holidays,

Sheri

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5 Reasons to Have Professional Photography for Your Book Publishing

Dec 6th, 2011 by

Put Your Best Face Forward

Welcome to Insightful Communications Publishing!  This week, I have invited a colleague of mine to share with you some great insights about the importance of Professional Photography for your all your business projects, including book publishing.  Bob Kyriakides from Digital Light and Magic is focussed on ‘our best image’ and I hire him often.  You’ll find his message helpful, refreshing and easy to read.  Enjoy!

In today’s so very-digital world, it’s easy to fall into the trap of going the “DIY” route for your business photography. Let’s face it, almost anyone can afford a very well appointed camera, but… owning one and knowing how to get great pictures out of it are on opposite ends of the spectrum. When having your book published, you want everything to be perfect – especially what’s on the cover. When people check out your book, they’re going to look your picture – yes – they WILL look at your picture. So, it’s very important you put your best face forward by having a professional photographer take that picture. Let’s look at 5 reasons to have professional photography for your book publishing.

1. “You only get one chance to make that first impression.” Especially true of your business portrait or “headshot”. A headshot created by a professional photographer should represent you the way you want clients to see you whether that’s confident, funny, poignant or got-it-going-on! The headshot on your book cover should attract people to your book rather than have them thinking, “ouch, looks like that’s a self-portrait” or “too bad about the shadow”. You’ve gone to all this effort to have your literary work-of-art published… go the last mile and have the headshot that will grace its cover done right.

2. Reusing and recycling are good for the environment and excellent for branding. Clients often tell me people they meet for the first time say they feel like they know them. Why? Because my clients use one or two headshots EVERYWHERE… book covers, business cards, e-newsletters, websites, etc. A professional photographer can make those “just right” headshots happen.

3. You get what you pay for. How often do we hear that one? So true when it comes to headshots. Professional photographers don’t just snap your image then hand over the file. We agonize over every detail of your headshot in “post” (the work that happens after the photo shoot) before letting you see the proofs let alone handing over the finished file. That attention to detail takes time and talent.

4. It’s fun and soul-soaring. Yes, you read that right… photo shoots should be fun. They are celebrations of your unique awesomeness captured in still images. We are often so critical of our own appearance. A fun photo shoot generates amazing images and incredible confidence. You’ll remember that every time you look at your photo on your book. And yes, headshot photo shoots CAN be fun.

5. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, then video is worth a million.” Once you’ve got your headshot, you need to start thinking about video marketing for your book. Did you know… on average there are more than 400 tweets per minute containing a YouTube link and on Facebook over 150 years worth of YouTube videos are watched every single day? Your video, promoting your book, should be one of them!

Until next time… I remain focused on your best image.

Bob Kyriakides
Digital Light and Magic
info@digitallightandmagic.ca

 

 

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Meaningful Marketing Strategies – My Top 10 Recommendations

Nov 29th, 2011 by

When I was thinking about what to share this week, I found myself wondering why I hadn’t written about this topic much sooner than now – especially since I feel so passionate about it.  Sure, there are many tangible ways to promote and market yourself, in general; whether it be a book or other product or service you want to get out to the masses.  However, you can also get lost in the details and comparing yourself to others, if you don’t have a clear vision of what your message is and how ‘you’ want to communicate it.  And so, in this blog post, I will share some Meaningful Marketing strategies and my Top Recommendations to help you enjoy the process more and reach your goals!

1.    Stay true to yourself and your message.  How do you do this?  It’s relatively simple.  Know why you are writing (or have written) your book – and know how you want the reader to benefit from your story or teachings.

2.    Be yourself – your best self – no one can do ‘you’ better than you.  Comparing yourself to others is only useful if you admire that person, and you want to learn from and emulate them.

3.   Handpick your inner circle, i.e. those that provide personal and professional support that compliments your vision and philosophies.  This is not about selecting just those that will agree with you and your ideas, it’s simply about aligning yourself with others that ‘get you’ and are willing to communicate clearly and constructively, as needed.

4.    Be flexible, creative, organized and open to ideas and options that will enhance your work, and reach your intended audience.

5.    Know your budget and resources; to help you prioritize what to do first and what might need to wait.

6.    Know your goals, including the kind of revenue stream you would like from your book sales (and ensure that it is consistent with what you are willing to do to support and accomplish those goals).

7.    Discern what Social Media makes the most sense for you to use in telling your story.  Again, think about your audience.  For example, you could consider blogging about the message(s) you share in your book.  This can build rapport and curiosity quickly, as long as you are blogging correctly and to the right audience.  Be mindful of your time as well, and don’t try and do ‘everything’ all at once.

8.    Be well prepared when opportunities for TV interviews and/or keynotes arise.  Depending on the time you have, think of 2 or 3 main objectives you want to stay focused on.

9.    Tangible marketing items can range from book marks and post cards to 2’ to 6’ displays for events.

10.  Book or Message Marketing through photography and videography.  Technology and ways to connect and communicate continue to evolve, so must we!  Imagine creating a 1 ½ minute professional video … I’ve invited our Videographer to guest blog about the ‘behind the scenes’ and power of video!  Stay tuned.

Although most of my blogs currently speak to one’s writing and book publishing journey, I want to emphasize that many of the insights and tips I share can easily be applied to other areas of business.

In closing, I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface in many ways.  That said, I encourage you to remain open to all learning and opportunities; yet trust your instincts and what feels right for you!  Recognize your strengths and areas of specialty – and know when to call on others whose expertise will add to yours and help make your dreams a reality!

I’d love your feedback. Here on this blog, you’ll get commentluv. What a wonderful opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog.

Warmest regards,

Sheri

 

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Getting into Your Ideal State of Creativity

Nov 22nd, 2011 by

In last week’s blog post, we spoke about some of the roadblocks of putting pen to paper and making progress on our goals in general.  I also shared some great tools and insights on how to overcome those challenges, change the tide and make your dreams a reality.  This week, we’ll talk about how to get into your ideal state of creativity. I have one very powerful exercise to teach you called Mapping!  Read on.

There are many ways you can CREATE YOUR IDEAL STATE – of laser focus, confidence, clarity, empowerment and more!  In this blog, we’re going to concentrate on helping you to access and create your ideal state of CREATIVITY!

  • I encourage you to be mindful of your inner dialogue.  When you think ‘you can’t do something’ or ‘that won’t work’ – ask yourself, ‘What if that was possible, and What if I could…?’!  As you start to train yourself in this new way of thinking, I like to call it Solution Thinking; you will come up with better answers and options for yourself.
  • When it comes to ‘Getting Into and Staying In the Creative Zone’ – it is ideal to develop your own space in your home or office and fill it with all that inspires you!  Walking into this room or area can affect your state of mind almost instantly.  You can also meditate and / or journal about what you want to write – for added clarity, focus or inspiration.
  • Then there’s Mapping Your Ideal States – another *NLP term.  In practicing this technique with clients and using it myself, I have found it to be a truly amazing experience.  Working with a Practitioner does allow you to go deeper with this exercise to access even more resources; yet it is still often quite transformational when you learn and practice it yourself.

Are you ready?  Get comfy in your chair…

All you need to do, is think (or write) of a time in your life when you were highly creative and everything was exactly the way you wanted it to be: Step into this experience as if it was happening right now … Imagine your thoughts and words flowing perfectly …  Notice everything you can about this time, how you felt …  what your physiology was like, your breathing, your energy … what sounds and visuals you noticed that might be useful to you as you remember …

When you are recalling a time, keep it simple, it doesn’t have to be a grandiose moment to have significant meaning or impact for you.  Trust that what comes to you first, is likely the one that will be most useful for you to ‘map’.  Remember, you can always repeat this – and actually, you ought to for practice of course! 

Journaling through this exercise can also help you anchor the powerful memories and thoughts that come to mind!

Now, after even a few minutes, notice what is different about how you feel?

The more that you access this experience and imagine it as if it was happening right at this moment  – the more you will see and value its use when you want to BE CREATIVE NOW!

‘Here’s to your creativity and more new successes in the making! I’d love your feedback on how this works for you! Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. This is an ideal opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave feedback.

Until next time,

Sheri

*Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has its roots in psychology, and is a fascinating study of how we think and communicate, verbally and non-verbally – and how we can reinforce and/or reprogram our patterns of behaviour to help us lead more fulfilling and successful lives.

 

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Is Life Getting in the Way of Your Creativity?

Nov 15th, 2011 by

I’m extra excited about the content of this blog and next week’s, since I believe these are some of the real secrets to helping people move into action and manifest their dreams – whether creating the content for your first book and/or next, developing a new product, program or service … or making changes to have a healthier, happier relationship!  We all have things that we aspire to creating; however, life can get in the way.  Why is this?  I suspect your answer might be because you’re too busy, the office needs you, the family needs you … and well, you do need to sleep, right?! [smile]

True enough, some of these reasons might be the cause of our immobility at times, although they can also mask the real reasons for not taking the steps we could be embracing ‘right now’!  Would you agree?

Perhaps you feel fear about the unknowns?  Perhaps you lack the confidence?  With all that you have going on in your life; you could find it hard to get into the right frame mind to ‘create’ – even though you want to?

Well, I have something profoundly simple and ‘hope-filled’ to share with you!  There are ways that you can overcome your fears and insecurities!

Keeping in mind, there are always more factors than one can write in a blog; what I am sharing can have an incredible impact on what’s next for you in your life – when you are ready!

Let’s get started:

Clarity – It is important that whatever your goal, you are clear about what it is (with detail) and what it isn’t – allow time to dream and think of all the possibilities.  Also be sure that this is something you truly desire – and that it is your goal, not someone else’s goal for you.

Another piece of wisdom to impart: be sure you have done your homework, acknowledge what you know and what you don’t – and research / access the appropriate resources and people to support you.

As you move through this process, you will gain more clarity, confidence and focus – and experience much less fear, as a rule.  That said, depending on how big your goal is; there is a certain kind of fear, anxiety or excitement (better called a growing edge, which you simply need to ‘grow’ through with the help of those around you).

And remember the bigger the goal, the bigger the rewards!

I encourage you to notice the synchronicities that start to happen around you too!  A great example of this was during and after I wrote my book, Hearts Linked by Courage, and decided to start I C Publishing to fill a need in our local and national community.  At every turn, I was hearing about or meeting others who were writing, self-publishing, wanting to be published and seeking the support that I had been previously looking for!

Ecology Checks – In my own ongoing personal development journey, I learned the skill of filtering information and input from others – in order to recognize what was / is most helpful to ‘me’ in any given situation.  When I started exploring the study of neuro-linguistics*, I found another tool.  It made instant sense to me – and I believe it is something that I’ve done at a sub-conscious level all my life.

Most simply put, Ecology Checks are questions you ask yourself about the ripple effect of your choices and decisions.  How will your circumstances change?  How will others be affected?  Are you good with the way things will likely play out – or do you need to consider any adjustments to make it more the way you want it to be?

When I became more consciously aware of using this technique, I found it even easier to make choices and decisions – TAKE THE NEXT STEPS and CREATE MY IDEAL OUTCOMES – as I’m sure you will too.

Once you’ve implemented the above as needed, you’ll want to read next’s week’s blog about how to ‘get into your ideal state of creativity’ and more!

I’d love your feedback! Here on this blog, you’ll get commentluv.  This is a wonderful opportunity to leave a link back to your own blog when you leave a comment.

‘Here’s to living your ideal life and manifesting your amazing dreams!

Sheri

*Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has its roots in psychology, and is a fascinating study of how we think and communicate, verbally and non-verbally – and how we can reinforce and/or reprogram our patterns of behaviour to help us lead more fulfilling and successful lives.

 

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Posted in Marketing, Personal Development, Publishing, Self Development | Comments (1)

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