Your Writing Mentor - Mary Knippel

[Friday Five-Minute Writing Prompt]Patience pays off …

October 19, 2018 By Mary E. Knippel Leave a Comment

Patience pays off…

Friday five-minute writing prompt

Take out a fresh sheet of paper. Natalie Goldberg uses a “fast-writing” pen. I suggest using your favorite writing instrument and an unlined piece of colored paper for fun. I use a fountain pen with purple ink. Some folks opt to use their computer. If that is your preferred method to write, then just open a new word document on your computer and go for it. The point is to keep your fingers moving for five minutes and not stop. I want you to experience how much writing can be accomplished in a short period.

If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – Patience pays off... or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes: this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and a spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, hum a tune, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment.

Photo credit: SherieCohenPhotography

Coulds…Possibilities…What ifs…

October 18, 2018 By Mary E. Knippel Leave a Comment

Yes, I admit it. I am guilty. I am a willing accomplice in grand theft!

No I’m not robbing banks, or pulling off jewelry heists, I’m talking about the precious minutes I waste every day when I allow procrastination to steal my valuable resources.

I suspect I am not alone.

The perfect day consists of 8 hours of rest, 8 hours of work, and 8 hours of play.” Benjamin Franklin

I have a deadline looming and avoid the computer by channel surfing, reading e-mail, or even cleaning. It doesn’t matter about the actual activity; I’m listening to the voice in my head telling me to wait.

Wait for inspiration. Wait until I’ve had a good night’s sleep. Wait for a full moon. Anything else before I choose to start the high priority task that deserves and needs my limited resources of precious time and energy instead of something I could easily do at another time (or if it really needed to be done – delegate it to someone else!).

You know what I mean. Saying “Yes” to a project or program and at the time being excited at the prospect of a new adventure, a new experience. Then, all of a sudden, it’s the first meeting of the program, or the project’s due date (which seemed so far in the distant future) is surprisingly near. It’s hard to dodge those comfortable crutches to evade the present moment when the world seems to be asking too much of us.

Many of us have procrastinated to some degree or another by putting off activities that were planned or scheduled, for activities that are of lesser importance. This behavior often involves feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and ultimately, stresses us out.

There is no magic wand, fairy dust to sprinkle or potion to drink to change behavior. However, there is magic in the power to plan, prioritize, and reward yourself with play.

Plan – Write it down – Take a piece of paper and do a brain dump of everything you need to accomplish and create a timeline of your key result areas or goals (specific, measurable, action based, realistic and timely)
Prioritize – Break large tasks up into incremental steps. Calendar exactly when you will do each task, how long you anticipate spending on that task and use a timer.
Reward Yourself – Celebrate your accomplishments: take a walk or a bike ride and get out in nature, sink into a bubble bath, get reacquainted with your favorite novelist (or find out whether you prefer mysteries to historical novels), make an appointment for a massage…you get the idea. Scheduling a treat for yourself and the anticipation of your reward will urge you to complete your task so you can PLAY!

photo credit: canva.com

Write Fast Tips from the Writer Unleashed [Book Review]

October 18, 2018 By Mary E. Knippel Leave a Comment

Hi! I’m so glad you could join me today as I share with you a strategy to Unleash the Writer in You!

I understand the little voice that sits down with you when you want to write.

The voice may say:

“Who do you think you are?”

“How does your story matter?”

“Where is the connection between your story and the world?”

Here’s a strategy for all you reluctant writers out there in answer to those questions that stop you from writing.

My tip to WRITE FAST is to focus on Books. What are you reading now? Write about what you love to read over and over. Write about why you think reading books is important rather than gleaning all your information from the scroll on your phone. Write about how the words help you think. Write about your favorite self-help book. Write about the places you have visited in books. Write about how your tastes have changed from the things you read as a kid to now…or how you still love the same books you discovered as a kid and now you have a totally different understanding of what the author was saying. And how it is fascinating that one book could appeal to so many people – across generations, across gender, across cultures!

Our ultimate goal is to connect with our readers. We know we’ve succeeded when the essence of the message is seen with the eyes and has an impact on the soul!

For more writing tips, please go to https://yourwritingmentor.com to join my mailing list.

Happy Writing!

[Friday Five-Minute Writing Prompt] I am changing…

October 12, 2018 By Mary E. Knippel Leave a Comment

I am changing…

Friday five-minute writing prompt

If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – I am changing... or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes: this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and a spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, hum a tune, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment.

Photo credit: SherieCohenPhotography

Unleash your creativity in pink

October 11, 2018 By Mary E. Knippel Leave a Comment

Are you noticing all the pink ribbons this month?

My heart goes out to everyone who experiences a health crisis, but I have a kinship with this month’s cause.

In 2001, I gathered my mail from the mailbox and among my birthday cards, bills, magazines, and assorted advertisements, was a white business envelope from the clinic. Curious, I opened it even before my birthday cards and was stunned to see a form letter telling me “an abnormality had been found and I needed to call the office as soon as possible.”

I stood in the kitchen staring at the red check mark next to that life-altering statement. Just three sentences, but with those words, I became a statistic. I became the one of one in eight women who to be diagnosed in their lifetime.

I feel that I am lucky.

Yes, I am lucky in more ways than one. I was diagnosed with D.C.I.S., ductal carcinoma in situ or intraductal carcinoma), the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. I didn’t need to have radiation or chemotherapy. However, three years later I became one of the 10 of 100 women who experience a reoccurrence of D.C.I.S. Again, I think I’m very, very lucky.

Yes, I’m healthy, but that’s not the only reason why I’m lucky. I view my breast cancer as a gift. It’s a blessing which has helped me step out into the world with my writing. It has allowed me to declare I am passionate about encouraging every woman I meet not to wait until you have a health crisis to take care of yourself. Don’t wait to make yourself a priority in your own life. Follow your dreams. Jump into your life and live!

Healing from breast cancer is an on-going process. The physical scars fade away, but the nagging fear that it could reoccur is always in the back of your mind. Fortunately, I know that my attitude plays an integral part in my course of treatment. When I gave myself permission to prescribe creative expression as a healing tool, everything shifted for me.

“A woman is like a tea bag, you don’t know how strong she is until you put them in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Well, I know that you can paddle awfully hard to keep your head above water while championing everyone else’s life only to end up feeling unfulfilled, ignored and silenced. Life is too short not to put yourself at the top of your To Do list.

The only hot water I want to be in is a bubble bath!

I’m loving my life and making my dreams come true. I’m helping reluctant writers demystify the writing process.

What state are you in?

Do you wear a pink ribbon…for yourself…for a loved one? Hop over to my Facebook page and tell me about it.

Thank you for sharing!

Photo credit: http://canva.com, http://dreamstime.com