A writer friend recently confided in me that when he's having a low or unproductive writing day he asks himself ? what did I do today that will move my writing career forward? And, he said, he's usually surprised to find that he did a whole lot more than he gives himself credit for. To paraphrase somebody ? most of life is spent standing in line for something. But if it weren't for sometimes tiny, pixilated steps, the larger picture can never come into focus. Five areas of your writing life that could just collectively bring a career to fruition are:
Write Promote Network Learn Live well
That's right: WPNLL ? pronounced ? wipnill?
So consider adding the following to your daily regimen:
WRITE every day. You might have more than one project you're working on; tend to at least one of them. And yes, generating ideas and spitballing is most productive and falls under this category, absolutely.
PROMOTE your material. Write and send query letters, enter screenwriting or prose competitions, follow up on calls, meetings and queries. Stay very on top of who has your material, when you'll hear back and what new opportunities have since cropped up.
NETWORK both with other writers and with professionals where possible. If you belong to a message board about writing or screenwriting, visit it daily seeking to build relationships. If you blog or read blogs, visit and comment. Keep building those relationships. Are you signed up for a class? How about a one hour Learning Annex course? Perhaps there is a community film festival or book faire happening? Sign up. Continually seek opportunities large and small to create, sustain and nurture relationships with other writers and filmmaking aspirants of any stripe. Networking is a powerful tool. It is impossible to overstate that fundamental truth.
LEARN more about the craft and the business constantly. Follow the trades. If the Hollywood Reporter or Variety are too much to absorb regularly, read Entertainment Weekly ? a quasi-trade with pull-quotes, box office and celebrity news. Subscribe to Creative Screenwriting, Script Magazine or Written By. Sign up for classes, read books and see a lot of movies. Prose writers should subscript to Poets & Writers or Writer's Digest.
LIVE WELL by taking care of your essential core. We writers are sensitive souls. We pour our hearts out every day. So be sure to exercise, get enough sleep, meditate or in some way return to your creative, essential self so that you can sustain and nurture the energy required to do steps one through four above. This one cannot be overstated or over-emphasized either. A burnt out writer doesn't produce good material and isn't fun to hang around with. Put your wellbeing before all else because everything you produce flows outward from that.
Know that life is good and writing is joyful. If this feels like work ? well, it should, there's no candy-coating that ? but it shouldn't feel like drudgery. Remember, nothing worth having comes easily. Any writer who makes a living at it is one who has worked long and hard for the privilege.
Real life moves much more slowly than the stories or screenplays we write. Try it. Tackle just one task that is productive today. Maybe it's that you just read this. Maybe you went hiking and had a great idea and stopped to write it down. Creation is the highest form of human expression. Tend it well.
Write, Promote, Network, Learn and Live well daily. Wipnill?.
Side effects may include: productivity, career opportunities, dizziness and wealth.
Copyright (c) 2007 Julie Gray
Foods
The truth is that many foods that are very rich in vitamins that your body needs everyday are available for your consumption on the go. And with some minor changes, even your fast foods can be healthy choices when you're considering vitamins. With all that is available today, there is no excuse not to eat healthy.
Make or keep a wide variety of healthy foods ready at home to be eaten as snacks. Try to eat as many whole foods as you can as opposed to processed foods.
The reason processed foods are enriched in the first place is because their process has stripped them of virtually all their vital nutrients. By eating natural foods instead of processed you allow your body to have the nutrients it needs to fight disease and allow you to live a longer, healthier life.
If you are the parent of a baby, keep in mind that the first year of solid foods is a very important time for establishing your child's eating habits. Your child is constantly enticed towards foods that are appealing and not necessarily nutritious. By forming good eating habits from the beginning, they are more likely to accept a healthier diet throughout their growing years and beyond.
Exercise
Starting a family fitness routine is a great way to set up your kids with a lifetime love of fitness and exercise, not to mention that it's good for your health and waistline as well.
Although most of us know the importance of exercise and physical fitness, life often gets in the way and exercise is often the last thing on your mind. How many times have you tried to adopt an exercise program, tried to quit smoking or lose weight, or give up junk food.
You don't have to be a professional athlete - just make time for 15-20 minutes of exercise daily. That's the key.
Sleep
Besides exercise you need to have good sleep and rest in order to be healthy. The trick is to receive 7-9 hours of sleep each night as opposed to a few nights out of the week. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night can extend your life.
Water
Drinking enough water every day is extremely important. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Research has shown you can speed up your metabolism by 1/3 by drinking several glasses of ice water each day. There are at least a dozen ways water aids different parts of your body, including your heart, skin and digestive system.
Get Rid of Bad Habits
Do you have any bad habits that keep you from achieving better health? Overeating, smoking, or watching TV for hours each day can lead to many health disorders such as high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer.
Ask your doctor, healthcare provider, friends and family members how you can overcome your existing bad habits and replace them with new ones.
Conclusion
These are basic areas that need to be followed to achieve good health. Exercise, diet, adequate water, enough sleep, and ridding yourself of bad habits such as smoking and overeating will greatly increase your chances of fighting off disease and living a long and full life.
Both Julie Gray & Carol Stack are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Julie Gray has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Writing and Writing. Julie Gray is a mother, writer and story analyst living in Los Angeles, CA.