HELLO TO HELPFUL HABITS by Patti Jo Moore

Happy New Year, my friends! 😊 I will confess I began what is now this blog post as a reminder to myself. Sure, I can comment to my family and friends that I plan to_______ (fill in the blank---exercise more, drink more water instead of cokes, be more organized, etc.etc.) in the new year. And they will smile politely, likely thinking they’ve heard me say those exact words before. Every January.😉

This year, instead of simply commenting about my plans, or even making a list that gets tucked away in a random notebook, I decided to not only write my plans, but write them and post the list where I can’t miss seeing them. For me, that would be on my desk next to my computer. Yes, I know this is common-sense, but if you’re like me, sometimes we need those common-sense reminders. 😉

I recently thought about reasons I haven’t been getting more writing done on a daily basis, and the glaring, obvious truth couldn’t be ignored. Facebook and emails. Sure, I love reading my friends’ posts on Facebook, and who doesn’t love receiving a newsy email from a friend, but I’ve gotten into the (bad) habit of checking those first, after my Bible time and as soon as I start my computer each morning. Before I realize, the clock is showing it’s almost noon, and I’m still scrolling through Facebook posts (“Just one more, and then I’ll log out and open my WIP”). Truthfully, I do like to check for prayer requests, and consider it an honor to pray for my friends, but with so many photos, funny memes, etc. on Facebook, it’s too easy to get distracted. *Sigh*

If you are a naturally disciplined person, I applaud you. But for those of us who easily get sidetracked, we might need a visual reminder. So I’ve got a sheet of bright yellow paper, a permanent marker that’s a bold shade of pink, and I’m ready to list my plans. The goal is for these to become daily habits, keeping me on track so I can be more productive with my writing—and my days in general. Because when I’m productive, that gives me a happy feeling, which in turn makes for a better overall day. 😊

Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

Amazon Buy Link

Sadie's Dream

In a coastal Georgia town in 1900, a young woman prepares to serve as a missionary in Africa.

After being jilted the previous year, she's certain she's meant to remain single.

When she meets a handsome businessman from Savannah, she begins struggling with doubts.

Over time she learns that the Lord's plans are best, and dreams really can come true.

Patti Jo Moore is a retired kindergarten teacher and lifelong Georgia girl. She loves Jesus, her family, cats, and coffee, and is blessed to be published with Forget-Me-Not Romances. When she’s not spending time with her family (including her sweet grandbaby) or writing her “Sweet, Southern Stories” Patti Jo can be found feeding cats—her own six and local strays.

She loves connecting with readers and other writers, and can be found on Facebook at Author Patti Jo Moore or her personal blog at http://catmomscorner.blogspot.com

Weary of Writing? Put Down the Pen and Pick Up a Paintbrush by Jennifer Lamont Leo

There are times when it's helpful to step away from the computer and refresh our minds through another facet of creativity. Today, author Jennifer Lamont Leo shares her "refreshing" experience. -- Sandy

Jennifer: Eyes bleary and head aching, I shut down the computer, dissatisfied with the week's progress (or lack thereof) on my novel. Storyline snarls and a dulled creative spark had worn me down. My word count suffered as I deleted more sentences than I'd written.

The impetus for hitting "save" and shutting down was that I was heading off on a weekend retreat at a nearby campground. The retreat would be focused on paper arts--rubber stamping, card-making, and scrapbooking.

Now, I'm no artist. My talents are, shall we say, primitive. But I do enjoy making my own Christmas cards, and planned to use the retreat to get a jump-start on that rewarding but laborious process. It was already September, and time was a-wasting. However, this time I wearily considered begging off. After the lack of writing progress I'd been experiencing, how could I justify taking two whole days off to work on my Christmas cards?  I needed to be writing, writing, writing. (Cue crack of whip.)

In the end, I chose to go to the retreat, and I'm so glad I did. Although I did not write a single word the entire weekend, I made more progress on my novel than I had in weeks. How could this be?

(1) Visual art stimulates writing creativity by exercising a non-verbal part of the brain. To give words, sentences, paragraphs, and grammar a rest and focus instead on color, shape, and perspective helped me change my own perspective. The various aspects of my brain, estranged for some time, managed to reconnect in fresh ways.

(2) Working with one's hands helps the ideas flow. Once I was more or less forced to concentrate on something other than solving some hairy plot tangle, my brain went ahead and solved it without me, as if saying, "Get out of my way and let me work."

(3) To clumsily paraphrase John Lennon, creativity is what happens when you're making other art. In other words, ideas sometimes flow when you switch to working in a different medium. "Frankly, getting out of your comfort zone creatively will often lead to your most creative solutions," wrote Stefan Mamaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield in Caffeine for the Creative Mind. 

(4) Spending quality time among other creative people: priceless. Writing is a solitary journey. As an introvert by nature, I usually don't mind the isolation. But to be among artists in full working mode was invaluable for "catching" the creative bug myself. Being among so many talented people for a whole weekend opened my mind to new connections, observations, and ways of seeing that I never would have stumbled across on my own.

So if you find yourself mired in writer's block, try picking up a paintbrush...or a camera, a pair of knitting needles, a bottle of glitter glue, a skein of embroidery floss . . . and make magic happen. You'll be glad you did.

What's the "go-to" creative hobby that allows you to recharge your writing brain?

~~~~~~

Jennifer Lamont Leo writes from her home in the mountains of northern Idaho, where she lives with her husband, two cats, and as much wildlife as she can attract. Passionate about history, she volunteers at a local history museum and writes history-themed articles for regional publications. She is also a playwright, blogger, and marketing copywriter. You’re the Cream in My Coffee is her first novel. Visit her at http://jenniferlamontleo.com. She is also active on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.