Tag: Write 2 Be

No More Negative Nancy’s

jcladyluv

“Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.”

~Shirley MacLaine 

In life you tend to get back what you give out.  At least that is what most people will say about how a person should perceive things.  I was watching the news this morning and they have these motivational minutes where the guy will give a tip for success for the day.  Today’s tip, in so many words, was that in order to have and attract success in your life that you have to wipe out the negativity surrounding you and get rid of those thoughts of what you can’t do and what you don’t have and just focus on what you can do and what you do have.  

This ties into getting back what you give out because I suppose if all you hear is people around you telling you that you can’t do something, or that what you want to happen for yourself can’t happen, you start to believe it then you are putting out that negative energy.  In turn all you are going to get back is negative results.  This struck a nerve with me because it seems that the more positive I try to be about my circumstances, and about my dreams and what I want out of life, the more I get negative backlash from other people, one of whom happens to be my mother, who I should get the most support from.  

When people say that you have to cut out the negativity from your life in order to really make your way towards success you never want that to include family.  I am sadly realizing, or should I say accepting, that my mother is one of those people.  When I make the mistake of sharing my ambitions with her she never fails to tell me that she thinks my dreams are impossible and that I am not living in reality.  But if I only focus on what isn’t going right and what I have not managed to accomplish just yet then I would never move forward and enjoy all that I do have and the things that I have managed to achieve.  

It’s true that lately everything has not fallen in line the way that I wanted them to, especially within this last year.  However, no matter what, I will always keep pushing through and propelling myself towards accomplishing what it is I want.  A person’s dreams are not just going to magically come true overnight but complaining about the bumps along the road is not going to change things one way or the other, so why waste that time that could be better spent.  

There is always going to be that one person around you that will make sure to run down the list of the things that you can’t get done and rub in your face what you don’t have.  But instead of listening to them you have to ask yourself why it is that they feel the need to tear you down and what is it that they don’t have that they are trying so hard to take away from you.  Until the next time…try to enjoy the things that you have accomplished and keep building on those accomplishments!  

 

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

https://writetobe.wordpress.com/

http://unpleasantlyplump.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

www.lulu.com/ladybugpress

It’s All About Accountability

jcladyluv

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.”

~Moliere 

So today I had planned on working on so many different things pertaining to my writing and my many other ideas.  I even made a list for the week of the specific goals that I really want to get accomplished this week and my best friend made a list too in which we emailed to each other so that we can hold each other accountable for them.  

Now I know the week’s just gotten started and there is plenty of time during the week to actually accomplish those things but I guess I just thought that as excited as I was to get started this morning, I wouldn’t get stalled as soon as I sat down at the computer.  However, that is exactly what happened.  

So I decided to write this post because it is actually one of the only steps that I have made thus far today towards my goals for this week which include posting here at least 3 times this week.  I suppose you could say I used my lack of focus and concentration to my advantage specifically for this blog post.  That way if I do nothing else today then I have at least posted 1 of my 3 blog posts for the week.  

Now I am not completely giving up hope for producing something else over the course of the rest of the day but I really hope that tomorrow will be more eventful and more productive.  I have a very ambitious list for the week but I have the very best friend and motivator in the world, which happens to be one hell of a writer, with very high standards that will hold me accountable for anything that I do not get accomplished.  

On that note I guess I better go continue staring at the computer hoping that the words will somehow begin to flow and that my mind won’t continue to wonder.  Until next time…..How do you hold yourself accountable? 

 
Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

https://writetobe.wordpress.com/

http://unpleasantlyplump.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

www.lulu.com/ladybugpress

The Writer and Their Distractions

jcladyluv

“Work is hard. Distractions are plentiful. And time is short.”
~ Adam Hochschild 

I have come to realize and accept the fact that writing completely without distractions is essentially impossible.  From the television, to social media, and just life in general, distractions are just a part of anyone’s career path.  I’ve also discovered that there are in fact some distractions that are not really a distraction, simply background material for you next story, or inspiration for your next article.  When writers go to coffee shops to get some work done, most people would wonder how that is conducive to one’s writing because there is so much noise and so many different conversations going on at the same time around you.  What non-writers fail to realize is that those multiple conversations can work their way in to so much of your stories or inspire new one’s.  

Those aren’t the distractions that hinder me when it comes to my productivity.  One of the biggest distractions that can be my downfall, yet can also be my inspiration, is the television.  I try to escape it but there’s always something on it that intrigues me and gets the wheels in my mind turning and thinking of other ideas.  Now this would be good if I was struggling with coming up with ideas but the problem is I have way too many ideas.  But if I turn the television off then the complete silence becomes an even bigger distraction than the TV itself.  

I guess a writer can never really get away from their distractions completely.  There are many ways that they could probably limit or eliminate them in an effort to become more productive but maybe the key is in figuring out how to make the distractions work for you.  I haven’t quite mastered that part yet but I am working on it everyday.  I did manage to come up with a small list of a few things that hopefully will enable those writers who are having the same struggles with distractions that I’m having: 

  1. Write By Hand- This enables you to get away from the computer completely, and all of the distractions that the computer holds.  Also having to actually write out your words allows you to examine them as you go along and sometimes the words flow easier. 
  1. Turn off the Phone- No one can help but to look at their phone when it rings or when you get a text message and of course if you look at the phone when it rings then you are most likely going to answer it.  To avoid this timely distraction turn the cell phone off for the amount of your time that you decide to write. 
  1. Close out the window with the Internet- If you absolutely can not see yourself writing long-hand and must use the computer then be sure to close all other windows besides the one with your project.  While you are typing out your story, or whatever project you are working on, have no other screen up or minimized waiting on you to click on.  If you can see the other window (even minimized) you will want to click on it.  It almost sounds too simple but it really works! 
  1. Write every Morning- Getting up an hour earlier in the morning allows you time when the rest of the world, and your household, is still sleep and you can have complete concentration on your work before your day even really gets started.  Now this one is hard for me to do but I think I am even going to put more effort into making this one work for me. 
  1. Find your Place- Now some writers have certain places where they have to write.  They literally can not write anything if they are not in their special writing place.  So if there is a place that the words just flow easier and naturally then that’s where you should probably try to write all of the time.  I believe I am one of those writers but economically it just isn’t possible for me to go where I need to go everyday to write.  

If any of you writer’s out there has any tips and ideas on how I, or any other writer with this same problem, can minimize their distractions, or make them work for them, please feel free to share.  Until next time…I will be busy fighting off my current distraction, the TV!  

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

https://writetobe.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

In the Land of Writer’s Block

jcladyluv

For a long time I thought that writer’s block was simply a person being unable to write anything at all and unable to come up with ideas for things to write about.  While that is an aspect of the term writer’s block.  I didn’t think of the alternative which was that a person would be able to write, just not producing anything worth publishing. 

For a few months now I have been able to come up with ideas, research projects, and even create details for my writing projects for when I get back to actually writing.  The problem was that I wasn’t feeling motivated to actually write.  It was simply a bad case of letting life’s road blocks get in my way and affect my inspiration. 

Even as I am writing this and trying to get back into the swing of things I still feel somewhat blocked.  I mean I am beginning to feel more motivated and inspired to write and I am actually able to produce some wonderful work worth sharing when I get ready but I still feel that in many ways I am not back to my old self, full of inspiration and letting the muse take me on it’s many journey’s.  I still feel somewhat blocked. 

I am not sure which one is worse, being blocked in a way of not being able to create anything whatsoever, or being blocked in the sense of I can produce work but have it not be worth showcasing or up to your own expected standard of work.  I guess I’ll have to get back to you on that one once I figure it out.  Well I’m off to trying to be more productive today.  Until next time, be blessed!!! 

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

https://writetobe.wordpress.com/

http://unpleasantlyplump.wordpress.com/

http://spokenlikeaqueen.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

http://jayceedurant.wordpress.com/

www.lulu.com/ladybugpress

Write 2 Be Magazine…Coming in January!!!

jcladyluv

Okay I was going to try and come up with some profound and thought provoking blog post today but I am actually not feeling so blocked today and have been working on putting together the contents of my new project.  I am creating a new online magazine called Write 2 Be.  This magazine will be completely digital and available for free online only.  There will be print versions quarterly for subscribers who choose to receive them.  It will be designed to give writers and artists a broad platform to showcase their work and share their experiences in dealing with the ins and outs of both the creative and business side of writing and the publishing industry.  

I am currently looking for writers who would like to showcase their work, be it fiction or informative articles, artists who would like to display their artwork, spoken word artists who would like to share video clips of their performances, and author’s who would like to be interviewed and who would like their books to be featured in the magazine.  It is set to debut in January of 2012 and I am excited about what I feel it will bring and the knowledge that will be shared.  Anyone who would like more details or to share in this new venture please send an e-mail to write2bemagazine@yahoo.com.    

I am going to go ahead and get back to working on my new project before my motivation dies down and will provide further details at a later date.  I will be writing again soon.  Be blessed! 

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

https://writetobe.wordpress.com/

http://unpleasantlyplump.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

www.lulu.com/ladybugpress

Staying the Course

jcladyluv

“When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.”

~ Unknown

 Often times in life while trying to strive toward our dreams and make them come true we tend to get off track and stray from the course.  We start to lose momentum and seem to forget what matters the most.  We lose focus and let other things and people become more important and change the direction in which we are going.    So when do we reprioritize our lists of goals and finally get focused enough to turn them into the reality that we want them to be?  

Apart of staying focused on moving forward with your future involves letting go of certain things from your past.  Sometimes we don’t realize that we tend to hold onto what hinders us the most because we like what feels familiar and comfortable.  In order to stay focused you have to be willing to put other things that are not conducive to you achieving your ultimate goal aside.  You have to come to the realization that whether we want them to or not people and circumstances do change and the people that we re-route our lives for may not be going in the same direction. 

How our life ends up depends on how driven we are to get what we want out of it.  However that involves knowing exactly what it is that you want and what it’s going to take to get there.  Being focused takes practice and action and the process begins in the mind.  Once you’ve set your goal than all that’s left is putting it in motion and if you act like you already have what you want you’ll feel as if you’ve already succeeded.  You have to have the confidence that you will attain your dreams because without that confidence you’ll start to let in the doubt.  

Being focused is a journey in which you have to keep learning and practicing along the way.  You’re directions and paths may change and you may even get sidetracked from time to time but you can’t get distracted when what you’ve always wanted could be right within your reach.  Its hard to just throw caution to the wind and toss out all of the things that are familiar to you but if you want to get the best out of your life than you have to take action every day because there’s no time to waste. Actions speak louder than words, and nothing in life ever just happens. 

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

https://writetobe.wordpress.com/

http://jayceedurant.wordpress.com/

http://unpleasantlyplump.wordpress.com/

http://freemynd.wordpress.com/

http://spokenlikeaqueen.blogspot.com/ 

www.lulu.com/ladybugpress

www.authorsden.com/jimmettacarpenter

“Being Held Accountable”

jcladyluv

I love the idea of blogging and reading blogs.  Being able to see what other people are going through, other writers in particular, is in some ways therapeutic for me.  It is nice to know that my trials and tribulations are not as bad as they sometimes seem.  I have been working on one novel or another since I was in high school and at the age of twenty eight I still don’t have a finished novel to show for it.  Now I have four poetry books (only one published but not mainstream).  Well this year that will change.  I will finally release my first novel this spring and I am doing it all myself.  I have my own publishing company that I am trying to get off the ground so I am doing all of the work of publishing my book myself, and with no regular job that is not an easy feat.  Right now I am going through the extremely exhausting process of self-publishing my first novel (The Diary: Succession of Lies)  and it is so much more involved with self-publishing than I could have ever imagined.  The writing is done and for the most part so is the editing.  My cover is currently being designed and I already have my block of ISBN #’s so I am in some ways more ready than some would be.  Now the hard part is becoming the monetary part of trying to figure out a way to get the review copies and to actually get the books and the main part would be to try and throw together my book release party which I feel I so deserve for all of my hard work.  I know that my novel is good and I want more than anything to get it out there so the main thing I am focused on at this very moment, aside from pulling the money together, is marketing and trying to promote my book.  I have published an ezine since 2006 called Free Fall and I am now discovering that that can’t be the only thing I use to get my name out there.  That is one of the reasons I wanted to start this blog.  I wanted to get the word out there about me and about my book but I also needed this blog to keep me on track.  I feel as though sometimes I am not being my most productive self and in using this blog to track my progress on the road to becoming a published auther I am certain that it will help me to hold myself accountable.  So anyone reading this can feel free to post comments or ask questions and keep me remaining productive and hold me accountable.  And to all of the writers out there, keep writing.  I’ll write again soon.  Be blessed!

 

Jimmetta Carpenter

“The Diary: Succession of Lies” (Coming Late Spring)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

www.freefalllit.com

www.myspace.com/jcladyluv

www.lulu.com/ladybugpress

www.authorsden.com/jimmettacarpenter

journals.aol.com/jcladyluv/spoken-like-a-queen