Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription. This episode is about seven minutes long.] It is so hard to write something when there's no energy for it. Now, I don't mean lack of energy because you didn't get enough sleep or because you haven’t had your second cup of coffee yet. I mean, it’s hard to write when there’s no enthusiasm for the project—when there's no excitement for it. It’s hard to write when you’re missing that feeling of eager anticipation for digging in, when you’re lacking curiosity at what the finished product will be. I’m not saying you won’t have to work, but even when a project is challenging, I hope the writer still senses energy for it. One reason some writers secure a writing coach is because they’re lacking energy and trying to figure out why their writing lives or their writing projects are feeling kind of stuck and sluggish. They’re wondering where the energy is and how to find it. As a coach, I ask questions. I listen. And one of the things I’m listening for is energy. Sometimes I can sense energy on the page, too. I’ll be reading a draft someone’s working on, and when I get to know a writer, I can tell by the tone of the piece where the energy is and where it kind of ran out. I’m trying to help them find and follow the energy. Find and Follow the Energy of a Writing Project The following are signs that a project you're working on has internal energy associated with it: Is it hard to pull yourself away from the work? Do you find yourself thinking about it while you're falling asleep coming up with more ideas to scribble on a notepad in the dark? Do you find it hard to stop talking to others about it with an excited voice? Is it easier to do something you wouldn't normally do in order to finish the work (for example, you find yourself getting up earlier because you can't wait to get going)? Do feel like more ideas are spinning off of this this one? Are you going to be sad when the work is done, even though you’re excited and proud of the finished product? Find and Follow the Energy in Response to Your Writing Here are a few signs that your writing is producing energetic responses from others: Did your editor seem thrilled, even if you had to go back and make some changes? Were people reacting more on social media through likes, shares, and interactions? Did people contact you by email to talk with you more about it? This energy is harder to gauge because we can’t climb inside someone’s mind to see or feel their energy, but these are a few indicators you may have found a sweet spot for your writing life. Consider Your Writing Goals Take a minute to think through and list your goals, short-term or long-term, big or small: Maybe you want to submit to a literary journal an essay you recently wrote. Maybe you want to finish up a poem you’ve been working on for a long time. Maybe you want to pitch an article to a business magazine. Maybe you want to start a blog, or start your blog back up if you have one and it's been dormant. Maybe you want to launch a big project like a book, or you want to join November's NaNoWriMo. Now, what is behind those goals? Are they obligatory in some way? Do you think it’s “the right next step” for a writer at your stage? Or did you gravitate to them because of the energy? Find and follow the energy. Because if we follow that energy, we’re on our way to a satisfying writing life. Would you tell me a little about what energizes you—and what drains you—here in the comments? You can also visit my Facebook page to join the conversation there.

  [Note: The audio uses the word "assess" but the National Writing Project (NWP) used the word "address" so I have adjusted the written content to align with NWP. The written content offers only a glimpse of the topic, not a transcription. This episode is about six minutes long.] The last couple of podcast episodes have focused how to affirm the writer in your life who has asked for input—and how to err on the side of encouragement. As a continuation of this discussion, I’d like to share with you an idea for how you can ask for input from individuals or groups. First, decide what level of input you truly want. Then ask the person or group to bless your piece, address your piece, or press your piece. This bless, address, or press idea originates with the National Writing Project for teachers, which I heard about from my friend Kris. Here's the basic idea. Bless If you want the reader to bless your work, you want encouragement for what is working, but not necessarily feedback on what’s not working. You ask for "bless" when you truly want your reviewer to only affirm, affirm, affirm. Address When you ask the person to address your work, you ask for him or her to address one specific problem or concern. Focus in on something you’re unsure about—something that an outside reader’s response would help you sort out. Be specific. For example, should this person critique the organization or tone of your piece? Does the idea make sense or need more evidence to support what you’re saying, or more examples to be better understood? Press When you ask for someone to press, you want the reviewer or editor to press into your work at all levels, offering constructive criticism to help the project improve in any way, from idea and organizational levels down to later concerns such as grammar and punctuation. Again, when someone presses your work, he can bless your work, as well as assess specific concerns you might throw out. If you don’t ask for a specific level, you might be hoping for someone to address your work, giving high-level organizational input, only to see that person press your work, offering a sea of red ink focused on placement of commas and semicolons. Writer: Thank the Reviewer When you receive the reviewer’s input, remember this person has taken time to read and respond and provide the input you requested. Someone is investing in your writing life—someone believes in you. Thank them. Maybe take them out to lunch! You can more easily ask for follow-up input on a revision when you have professional arrangements that include more give and take—for example, this kind of second-round review process could be built into a class, a writing group’s workshop process, a writing partnership, or a writing coach and client relationship. Reviewer: Ask the Writer What Level Input to Provide You can also use these three levels if you’ve been asked to give input. Confirm with the writer, “Do you want me to bless, address, or press your piece?” If the writer has never heard of these terms, you can introduce the ideas, providing a common language and understanding. Do your best to stick with that level of feedback, remembering that good writing requires a level of risk—writers are putting themselves out there when they produce something and ask for input. So if you’re reviewing at the address or press level, remember to bless them, too. Like I’ve said before, show them where they shine. Related resource: NWP Writing and Technology: A Professional Writing Retreat Guidelines for Response Groups * * * Listen for the full podcast (6:13 mins). You can subscribe to The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker with iTunes and Stitcher. You can also sign up to receive content for creat...

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription. Also, this episode is about 6 minutes long.] In the last episode, I encouraged anyone who is in a position read and respond to a writer’s work to affirm, affirm, affirm what’s working. I’m not talking about a formal reviewer online or at a newspaper who is reviewing a book. I’m thinking of someone in a writing group who's workshopping a short story or a someone giving a friend feedback about a poem. If you’re in that kind of situation—helping steer someone and encourage their growth as a writer—I recommended you err in the direction of honest affirmation. Honest affirmation is kind of like clicker training for writers. It works especially well when you have the luxury of taking a long-range view, trusting that over time, the writer will self-correct the more confident he grows from knowing what he does well. Sometimes, though, we don’t get that much time and have to point out a few things that would ideally be changed, eliminated, tweaked or rearranged to improve a writing project.  The next best thing to rewarding the good with positive input and ignoring what’s not working is to put into place a 6 to 1 ratio of positive vs. negative feedback. Related resources: Positive Reinforcement: Reward What Works (Ignore the Rest)  The Writing Life Podcast - Affirm, Affirm, Affirm Bethany Rohde's comment about ideally offering a balance of both critique and affirmation  Can You Cope with Criticism at Work? What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage * * * Listen for the full podcast (6:22). You can subscribe to The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker with iTunes and Stitcher. You can also connect with me on Twitter and Facebook, where I'm always sharing ideas to help us be more curious, creative, and productive.

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription] As a coach, editor, workshop leader, and writing instructor, I’ve given a lot of feedback to writers at all levels. For several years I taught composition and creative writing to high school students. Working with students reminded me to deal tenderly with developing writers. Encourage them. Gently help them grow. Affirm in as many ways as possible. Because it’s so easy as a teacher to focus on correction and minimize affirmation but I learned I got far better results when I showed them what worked well in any given project. If I focused too much on what needed revision, they grew discouraged. So I tried to affirm, affirm, affirm. I’ve also worked with adult writers for over 20 years, giving input on their work, and I have come to realize adults can be as tender as teens. Writers producing any kind of writing—from a poem or personal narrative to a comedy sketch or brochure—they all need affirmation. Writers at every stage and every age need tons of affirmation to build confidence that they’re on the right track. Writers do need to develop thick skin to withstand the red pen and rejections we’ll get along this writing journey, and we must not mislead or lie about someone’s work; however, along the way, writers need to know what aspect of their writing is going well and what their strengths are. We can be a voice of health and life and energy to another writer. * * * Listen for the full podcast (4:22). You can subscribe to The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker with iTunes and Stitcher. You can also connect with me on Twitter and Facebook, where I'm always sharing ideas to help us be more curious, creative, and productive. https://twitter.com/annkroeker/status/641409382803185664

[The following is only a glimpse of the topic … not a transcription] A heads up: At over 13 minutes, this episode is significantly longer than my usual 3-6 minute podcast episodes. You sit down to write only to realize you've got a long list of tasks necessary to the work of writing, but after you check them off your list, you haven’t the word count to show for it. Let’s call these: “Non-writing Writing Tasks.”     If you’ve never really thought about this category of tasks or planned for them, you’ve probably felt frustrated. Even though this kind of work is a support or extension of our writing, we can resent it or feel like we’re wasting valuable time. But if we’re going to be the least bit serious about our writing, we’re going to have to do some non-writing, writing tasks. It’s part of the work. It’s actually good news: You’re a writer—you have non-writing tasks to do associated with your projects and goals and deadlines!   How to approach non-writing writing tasks: Acknowledge them Accept them Record them Attack them Actually write If you wonder what are some of your non-writing writing tasks, I offer ideas. In fact, one reason this episode got long is because I review a list of non-writing writing tasks for you to listen through and decide which belong on your own master to-do list. It’s a long list. Grab a pen and paper.  Some of the resources mentioned in this podcast: 5 Non-Writing Tasks Writers Need to Master 5 Strategies for Writers to Manage Non-Writing Tasks Todoist.com for creating a master list Bullet Journal You can subscribe to The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker with iTunes and Stitcher.

[Please listen for the full message. The following is only a glimpse of the topic ... not a transcription] It’s about progress, not perfection. A friend of mine said that to me and I thought, wow, what a great concept for the writing life. I found out it's a phrase used in 12 step programs, so I'm borrowing it today for us, for writers. I’ve discovered I've accomplished far more the times I've attempted to execute a plan and fallen short than the times I didn’t bother making a plan in the first place. If I set a goal and don’t meet it, I can still look back and see I’ve covered a lot of ground. I made progress, even though I didn’t achieve perfection. Let's say you dutifully sat in front of the computer at the designated time and worked for 45 minutes instead of the hour you intended, because your dad called with a pressing need. You abandon the work, your plans foiled. Maybe you planned to complete all three of Julia Cameron's Morning Pages but you only managed to finish one before you got distracted thinking about a phone call you have to make, and then you saw a text come through and you just gave up. Or perhaps you were aiming for the goal of 500 words each day, but you started feeling sick and thought you'd better lie down, so today you ended up with only 268. You didn't hit your goal—you didn't achieve perfection—but you did make progress. Congratulations, friend! Some people don't write a single word. What do they have to show for it? Nothing. But you? You have 45 minutes of work, one page of freewriting, or 268 words. And tomorrow you can write more. If, as a writer, you do something, that’s growth. You’re a little further down the road. Celebrate progress. Because progress is how you get the work done. Word by word by word. Some of the resources mentioned in this podcast: Scrivener, Google Docs and Microsoft Word Julia Cameron's Morning Pages Pomodoro Technique * * * I'm happy to announce The Writing Life with Ann Kroeker podcast is available on iTunes and Stitcher if you'd like to subscribe. "Progress, Not Perfection" image created by Isabelle Kroeker. 

In this short podcast, I encourage writers to introduce at least three senses into their writing, whether they are working on fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Don't rely completely on the way things look. There's also the way things sound, smell, taste and feel. Pick three. Bring your writing to life. One, two, three ... and you're done. [If you received this as an email, please click over to the website to listen.] The workshop leader I mentioned referenced Flannery O'Connor, paraphrasing a section of "The Nature and Aim of Fiction" from Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose: A lady who writes, and whom I admire very much, wrote me that she had learned from Flaubert that it takes at least three activated sensuous strokes to make an object real; and she believes that this is connected with our having five senses. If you're deprived of any of them, you're in a bad way, but if you're deprived of more than two at once, you almost aren't present. (Emphasis mine.) For a scene to really come alive, include at least three senses. * * *

In this 5:40 podcast, I talk about the paradox of rest leading to increased productivity. If you're reading this in an email, click through to the website to hear the podcast. Here's a glimpse of what we'll cover: It seems like a contradiction. A paradox. It seems impossible that more rest would result in greater productivity, but so we’re being told by study after study. Regular rest and renewal gives us the focus and energy we need to get our work done more efficiently and effectively. ... One answer is the formula for the perfect balance of rest and productivity. A 2014 Atlantic article by Derek Thompson says the numbers are precise: Work for 52 minutes, break for 17. ... I doubt there’s a perfect number for everyone—there may not even be a perfect number for you yourself. I mean, you could try a Pomodoro 25/5 cycle, Pomodoro Plus at 52/17, and then attempt a 90-minute chunk followed by a break, just to see. But in the end, as my friend Jenne Fromm would say, it’s about managing our energy more than it is our time, because that’s how we get our work done—with energy. Whether we’re talking about mental, psychological, or physical energy, low energy results in less work, or lower-quality work. Listen for the full presentation. Resources mentioned in the podcast: Why Summer Vacations and the Internet Make You More Productive A Formula For Perfect Productivity: Work for 52 Minutes, Break for 17 The Exact Amount of Time You Should Work Every Day Relax! You'll Be More Productive Manage Energy, Not Time Pomodoro Technique Pomodoro Countdown Timer Pomodoro Countdown App 5217 Pomodoro Plus App Rest - A Gift from the Sea

  In this 4:16 podcast, I talk about importance of learning the vocabulary—the lingo—of the writing world. The following is not exactly a transcript, but gives an idea of what's recorded. Every industry has its own lingo—insider words that leaves outsiders feeling ignorant when they simply haven’t learned the terms and acronyms and phrases associated with that particular business. The publishing world is like that, too. Whether we’re talking about traditional publishing or the online writing world, lingo abounds. And writers are expected to navigate both arenas and understand the accompanying lingo. A lot of the writers I work with as a writing coach feel frustrated because they’ve got writing talent, skills, and experience, they’re trying to sell a book or start a blog or submit to an online magazine and end up confused and frustrated, lost in the lingo. Don’t be afraid. Learn the lingo. Type a new word into Google or Bing and read articles about it. Subscribe to relevant blogs. Watch YouTube tutorials to hear the word pronounced and see how experts explain it. Inform yourself. Start saying the words out loud and asking friends who know more about them to explain how things work. As you learn one word, you’ll hear five more new unfamiliar words, so keep a list and work your way through. If you do this work, I promise you that slowly, the unfamiliar will become more familiar, and you’ll have a base to build on. In time, you’ll learn the lingo and start to feel less like a foreigner and more like an insider. You’ll feel more comfortable and confident engaging in this online writing and publishing world. Before long, you’ll be tossing around those terms like an expert. The more you understand what the lingo means, the more you’ll understand how things work. And then, the more confident you’ll feel diving into this world to do the writing you wanted to do all along. * * * On Being a Writer “This brand-new book is a must-have for career writers, whether seasoned or just starting out.” — from “10 Great Books for a Writer’s Wish List” on Huffington Post NOW AVAILABLE   “A genial marriage of practice and theory. For writers new and seasoned. This book is a winner.” —Philip Gulley, author of Front Porch Tales “Ann Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig show—wisely and winsomely—how the habits of writing are inextricably connected to the habits of being.” —Karen Swallow Prior, author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me ~~~

A writer—well, just about anyone—needs a focused, alert mind operating at its highest cognitive potential. Writers need to tap into their memory to make connections as they work. Writers need maximum brainpower. Listen for more about brain food for writers.

It's been a while since my last Writing Life podcast. Day after day I kept looking at that item on my to-do list and finally resolved, even in the midst of life's complications, to start up again. Because I've learned that no matter how far you fall behind, you can get back in the game. Simply start where you are.

In this week’s podcast (3:36) I explain the impact of my dad's health crisis on my writing life, and how I adjusted my work. It looked like I’d have to give up on my writing life. And I did have to step back from some responsibilities for a while until we figured out what this was going to look like. I stayed flexible and worked late and was able to continue with several commitments as we rode the roller coaster of my dad’s crisis. Eventually, it appeared I’d be able to continue with most of my existing work if I learned to stay calm and get creative. We never know what a day will bring, so keep calm and, as much as possible, carry on. Learn more: A Prison of His Own Fears and Rediscovering Community: With a Little Help from My Friends Keep Calm image by Stefany via Flickr through Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.   * * * Online Workshop On Being a Writer: 12 Simple Habits for a Writing Life That Lasts March 2 - May 22, 2015 8 Weeks or 12 Weeks Limit 10 participants Are you waiting for your writing life to begin? Have you wondered when you’ll discover the magic formula for getting inspired, improving your skills, getting published, and being part of a real writing community? The On Being a Writer workshop is for you. Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever it is you are doing, you can begin now. MORE INFO/ REGISTRATION REQUIRED

In this week’s podcast (3:25) I share insight from a speaker who encouraged me to eliminate filler words from formal talks I give as well as from everyday conversation. I'm encouraging writers to do the same with their written work: search and destroy the filler words that distract from the meat of the message. Examples of filler words that show up in our speaking: um and uh like you know so… Examples of filler words in our writing: but and so and so very really that In the podcast, I mention the "search" function in Word or Google docs, which is more accurately the "find" feature. Learn more about how this works in Word and Google docs.   * * * On Being a Writer "This brand-new book is a must-have for career writers, whether seasoned or just starting out." — from "10 Great Books for a Writer's Wish List" on Huffington Post NOW AVAILABLE “A genial marriage of practice and theory. For writers new and seasoned. This book is a winner.” —Philip Gulley, author of Front Porch Tales

  (If you’re a subscriber reading this in email, please click to the website to use the audio player.) In this week’s four-ish minute podcast, you'll learn how I use one tip from the GTD productivity approach to break big writing projects into manageable chunks, prioritizing and ordering them as I go.   Resources mentioned in the podcast: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott (story told in the podcast found on pages 18-19 in the Anchor Books, Doubleday, edition) Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen   * * * On Being a Writer "This brand-new book is a must-have for career writers, whether seasoned or just starting out." — from "10 Great Books for a Writer's Wish List" on Huffington Post NOW AVAILABLE “A genial marriage of practice and theory. For writers new and seasoned. This book is a winner.” —Philip Gulley, author of Front Porch Tales

(If you’re a subscriber reading this in email, please click to website to use the audio player.) In this week’s three-and-a-half minute podcast, you'll hear about the conditions and circumstances under which E. B. White wrote—and those under which Glynn Young and Ann Kroeker continue to write. I allude to a passage from Stephen King's memoir On Writing that I read years ago. It awoke in me a jealous and obsessive craving for an office door: The [writing] space can be humble (probably should be, as I think I have already suggested), and it really needs only one thing: a door which you are willing to shut. The closed door is your way of telling the world and yourself that you mean business; you have made a serious commitment to write and intend to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. (King 151, Pocket Books - a div. of Simon & Schuster, NY, copyright 2000, personal copy) I longed for a door. A door, I thought, would help me become a productive, efficient writer. I had a writing space. I just needed a door. Yes, a door ... to shut. If only I had a door, I could write. Websites and resources mentioned in the podcast: "The Daily Routines of Famous Writers" (Maria Popova, Brain Pickings) with E. B. White's reflections on imperfect conditions. "On Being a Writer: Writing" (Glynn Young, Faith, Fiction, Friends) On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (Stephen King) Note: Amazon link does not match personal copy from which I quote, so pagination may be different   * * * On Being a Writer "This brand-new book is a must-have for career writers, whether seasoned or just starting out." — from "10 Great Books for a Writer's Wish List" on Huffington Post NOW AVAILABLE “A genial marriage of practice and theory. For writers new and seasoned. This book is a winner.” —Philip Gulley, author of Front Porch Tales