What I Learned from Running My First Half Marathon

As of July the farthest I had run was 5 miles. And, let’s not get hasty, I had only done that a couple of times—once in 2014. Twice in 2015. Never any further. For context, I ran a 5K for the first time in 2011 and cried at the end because it was—in my mind—an unattainable accomplishment.

My training for that milestone literally began with jogging 30 seconds, then walking 30 seconds, then jogging 30 seconds, and so on.  I had never really run a full mile until that year. I had always thought some people were natural runners and some weren't. In PE classes growing up I would run/walk when they made us take laps throughout the neighborhood surrounding my school. I had never voluntarily run. Ever.

Then I got inspired by Freedom 424’s Run 4 Their Lives race in 2011. I did the whole couch to 5K thing and felt accomplished and then hung up my running shoes until fall of 2013. See, that was the year that I saw my husband and Dad run the Virginia 10 Miler and I became allured by the intoxication of Race Day Excitement.

Medals! Personal records! FREE PIZZA BEFORE 10AM! 

The next year I ran the 4 Miler (the 10 Miler’s more modest cousin) and during my training I hit that 5 mile peak I previously mentioned. That was a really big milestone. But then I got somewhat complacent during my first winter as a runner. After all, guys, it’s cold out there. And an outdoor runner does not a treadmill runner make. So by the time May 2015 came along I had to re-train to do the Run 4 Their Lives 5K again. Then I did the Humankind 5K a month later and that’s when I started thinking about a 10K. 

This summer I thought a 10K (just over 6 miles) was a somewhat attainable, yet very challenging goal, if I really stayed focused. July came and a race opportunity didn’t materialize, but I wasn’t ready for that distance anyway. I guess I didn’t train hard enough when we went overseas for 2 weeks in May (aka didn’t even bring my running shoes. Just wore my Sperrys and enjoyed lots of tapas.) 

Then I saw that at the click of a button I could get on a team and register for the Virginia 10 Miler for free.

Free things can be so motivating…

*Click.*

And that’s how the “if you give a mouse a cookie she’ll end up running a half marathon” metaphor happens.

I made a running schedule and began building up mileage from July-September. One more half mile this week. One more half mile the next week. Lots of hours pounding the pavement (literally) in the summer heat. As Dr. Prior pointed out really eloquently in my recent interview with her, this was really good medicine for my soul. So much of my work is in my head (blog posts, Facebook advertisements, interviews, typing, typing, favoriting, typing.) Doing something physical was exactly the balance I needed. So even though I sweated a lot and ran very slow, I loved it. I found a better headspace. Endorphins started doing their thing. Anxious thoughts began to calm. Slowly but surely I felt strong and capable. 

The last 6 weeks of 10-miler training also included choreography rehearsals for my latest musical project. Like 20-30 hours per week of dancing + 15 mile weeks. There was lots of cardio in my days and while learning the dances was intricate and challenging (and sometimes frustrating) for my brain at first, all that cardio was really, really wonderful. 

10 Miler Day came one sunrise after a 3-hour dance heavy show the night before and 3 hours before a 2-show day. But I came. I conquered. I ran 2 hours in the rain. 

But I didn’t care! I did it! For the first time in my life I ran ten whole miles! Talk about a “runner’s high.” Three months before I had never run more than half that distance! 

Preparation, little by little, day by day, {putting the time in} can add up to really meaningful impact.

So then after the Virginia 10 Miler—which, if you’re unfamiliar with the course is hills on hills on hills—I found myself thinking, “This is only three miles less than a half marathon. That is something I could do. And I could do it soon.” 

Backed up by affirmation from friends and again intoxicated by Race Day Excitement, medals, personal records, and pizza, I signed up for the Richmond Half Marathon that would occur 7 weeks later.

Because I apparently have to up the stakes on things like this I didn’t train all that well between the 10 Miler and the Half Marathon. Lots of weekend travel, rain, cold temperatures, etc etc, kept me from sticking with my plans to increase mileage between the 10 Miler and the Half Marathon. So if you happened to notice I didn’t have any “training day milestone selfies” posted, welp, you’re right! Didn’t post because they didn’t happen. 

This is all well and good except it got me worried about if I was going to be able to run the whole course. The furthest I ran over that seven week period was seven miles—and I only did that once. Could my body hang on to the endurance it had built up in prep for the 10 Miler? How long does it take before that kind of fitness wears off?

I’m always interested in the minimum effective dose but this time I didn’t *actually* know if I had kept running enough to stay in shape for the half or if I didn’t. 

Half marathon morning was the day I’d find that out. 

I was anxious about my lack of preparation and I was anxious about the cold. It would be quite a bit colder than any weather I’ve trained in the last few seasons. Would it be two and a half hours of misery? Would I have that horrible throat/chest pain that you sometimes get in cold weather running? I didn’t know. And then of course, I forgot my gloves. 

The morning of the race it was cold but I think my excitement overtook my anxious thoughts. I decided I wasn’t going for any specific time goals. I just wanted to finish. Slow and steady. No walking. That was the deal I made with myself. 

Over the course of the 13.1 mile tour of Richmond I had many a epiphanic thought. They hit me all along the course and I jotted down two or three word clues in my notes app on my iPhone while en route so I could further expound on them later. 

Here they are. 

What I Learned from Running My First Half Marathon

Names have power.
Throughout the course people had signs posted and were holding signs to encourage racers. Often the encouraging messages would be personalized. Names have such power. Why does a sign with your name on it encourage you more than a sign that is simply made for everyone—no specific name? Being called by your name is a reminder that you are seen. A message just for you in a sea of thousands is incredibly special. Some runners even made sure their names were on their backs so people—who didn’t actually know them—would call out their names and encourage them. They didn't care if those people really knew them. They just needed to hear the sweet sound of their own name. Names are powerful. 

Humor encourages in a way that inspiration, maybe, really can’t. (tweet that.)
This is another sign observation. When you’re doing something challenging, like a half marathon, and people encourage you through humor it is just wonderful. One that particularly made me laugh was a sign that said “Run? You thought they said ‘rum!’” Humor distracts from the pain and reminds us of universal humanity. You holding the sign and me over here running, we’re really the same. 

Having a partner that challenges you often can help you do and become something you never anticipated.
JuanCarlos didn’t transform me into a runner. But his example and his enthusiasm and his encouragement certainly contributed volumes. If JC hadn’t ever been very into running, I can guarantee you I wouldn’t have done a half marathon last week. Choosing a partner that makes you better and encourages you toward good things is a really wonderful thing. For those of you who haven't chosen yet--CHOOSE WISELY! (Yes, all caps.)

The endorphins are reason enough to run. Really.
This whole post isn’t meant to convince you to take up running, but seriously, endorphins are well worth the effort. This year I had more work and responsibility than ever before, and I noticed a marked difference in my ability to sleep well and live free of anxiety and stress (for the most part) because I have incorporated running into my regular routine. I wake up feeling different than I did during last winter when I was not running regularly. Running will not necessarily give you a sexy body (especially if you’re like a lot of runners who finish a run famished and then head for the nearest carb) but it will give you endorphins which are really, really worth it.

Races are awesome because you get to rub shoulders with elite runners—or at least see them do their crazy, lightning fast thing.
During the half marathon I got to see the lead female marathoner run by me (we had parallel courses for a portion of the race.) That was SO cool just to share the street with her. And also, all of us regular-paced half marathoners were so compelled to encourage her. Organized races are awesome because excellence and encouragement abounds. They are a happy and inspiring place.

I’m just like you.
Well, I’m just like you if you’re thinking “You are PSYCHO! I could quite literally, never do that!” I’m telling you right here, right now, the worst mile is the first. It gets easier. It gets more fun. It gets relaxing. It gets inspiring. It’s incredible how much you are capable of doing. Don’t spend time trying to “believe in yourself.” Stop thinking. Go do it. You can do it. You really, really can. (Tweet that.)

So these are my half marathon reflections, observations, and somewhat veiled attempts at persuasion. I hope you feel encouraged to get out there and do something you really didn’t think you could. I know that you can. To help you figure out what steps to take next, download the quarterly goal setting workbook for FREE below.

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3 Ways to Optimize Pinterest to Get Noticed and Gain Followers

It’s a first here on the blog! Today we get the pleasure of a guest post from Carrie Waller of Dream Green DIY. In my efforts to provide more valuable content to you guys, I’m including some guest posts that will help you up your game on social media. With almost 50,000 Pinterest followers, Carrie is the best person I know to share about how to grow a following on Pinterest. Welcome, Carrie! 

Thanks for the warm welcome, Hilary! I'm thrilled to be here and to share a few quick and easy tips for maximizing your reach and influence on Pinterest. This social platform is one of my favorites for a number of reasons (beautiful room photos, cute cat pictures—oh, my!), and because of this, it has actually been one of the easiest for me to grow in the past five years. All it takes is a little bit of authentic passion—which, I imagine, most of you already have—and some strategic planning as you pin. Read on for my tried and true tricks, but I'm also curious to hear your perspective, so do share your own strategies in the comments!

1. Choose your board covers with care. 

Although some of my boards are group boards and I don’t have access to customizations like board covers, switching out those lead images can do wonders for the overall look of your account. I go in about once a month to change the cover images on my boards because I think it adds freshness to the overall look of my feed.

Take care to choose an image that crops well, and think about the overall color scheme you want to show off to your followers. I like to treat my Pinterest feed like my Instagram—I only pin images that match my bright white/bright colors aesthetic so that I can create that “branded” look whether you’re looking at my Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook profiles. To change your cover photos, click on “Edit” at the bottom center of each board, and then click the “Change” button next to “Cover.” Scroll through the options with the arrow, and then click “Save Changes.”

2. Fill your about section with useful information.

Another piece of your profile to pay close attention to and to keep updated over time is your “About” section. This is the first place that prospective followers will check to figure out who the heck you are, so make sure to include the big ticket items: your name, your job title and blog name (if applicable), other identifying titles and places where people can find you, and your location. You can add your URL in a separate box in the profile editor, so you don’t need to worry about including that in your “About” paragraph.

I include my name, my blog name, plus all of the places where I contribute my freelance writing, and then finish with my city, and state. I also just recently added my email and Snapchat handle to encourage more engagement there.

To edit your profile, just click on the “Edit Profile” button in the top right corner and enter your info in the window that pops up. I like to sync up my various profile copy between Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter so that my collective profile descriptions feel cohesive. Oh, and don’t forget to add a smiling headshot to your profile, too, so that people can put a face to your name!

3. Don’t forget to pin your own content.

Like most creative bloggers and content creators, Pinterest is my top referrer for new readers. This is where my projects have the best chance of going “viral” thanks to the huge following that Pinterest garners, not to mention the search-ability (which I’ll cover in the next bullet item). So, as you work to create original, high-quality content on your blog or website, don’t forget to pin it to your own Pinterest feed! By strategically adding your projects to the mix, you have the opportunity to share it with, really, the entire world.

I see the most success with this methodology when I pin to shared boards. These special group boards feature a whole slew of creatives with their own followings, which exponentially increases the likelihood of a viral pin.

If you aren’t part of any group boards, I would encourage you to put yourself out there and search around for a group board that fits your niche and style, and then try reaching out to the board leader (shown in the first circle on the left). My favorite group boards are BHG’s Best DIY Ideas, Blogger’s Best DIY Ideas, and DIY Bloggers in case you want to follow along or see examples of this.

Are you all about Pinterest? What are your favorite uses for Pinterest? 

For more great tips from Carrie on maximizing the opportunity of Pinterest, check out her blog and read the full post here! She’s also written extensively on Snapchat. Check it out here and here. 

7 Surprising Ways to Use Hashtags

Hashtags have infiltrated the culture. In fact, there's a new generation that doesn't even see a pound sign. So, other than #liveauthentic and ironic quips, are hashtags actually useful? 

If you're building a brand and have a specific message to spread, then the answer is "yes."

Hashtags amplify messages and help to tell stories in ways that media hasn't previously seen. When paired with other tools like video and images, hashtags illuminate perspectives we most certainly never would have experienced. Think front row seats to not only your friend's wedding across the country but to global events like the Olympics.

So how can you use hashtags, in practical terms, today? Here are seven ways. 

7 Surprising Ways to Use Hashtags

1. Hashtags can be used to expose you to new audiences on Instagram. Hashtags can be used to find new images or to expose your work to a new, relevant audience.

2. Hashtags are integral to Twitter chats. Did you know there are tons of organized conversations on Twitter around specific topics on just about any subject? Twitter chats help you connect with others around a given topic. It’s a great way to grow your audience and contribute to relevant conversations. 

3. Show your audience more of your brand by adopting your own hashtag. This is a great way to not only brand each of your Instagram posts but also for your fans to get involved and share their photos of your product or event.

4. Use trending hashtags to increase views on your tweets. Do you have something relevant to add to a trending topic on Twitter? Using a hashtag that already has a lot of eyes on it means your tweet will be exposed to more people.

5. Encourage fans to use your hashtag. Build community with brand loyalists by encouraging them to adopt and own the hashtag. 

6. Use hashtags across social media channels, connecting your message across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and even YouTube.

7. Utilize hashtags for social listening. Determine which hashtags and keywords people are using when they are talking about a topic relevant to you. For example, in my work with Broadway shows, we regularly monitor hashtags and keywords that include names of our lead performers and alternate spellings of show titles. 

Social media, as a whole, affords pretty incredible opportunities to find and connect with people who are interested in what you have to offer. I encourage you to try using hashtags in a new way and see what kind of results you get. 

What's the biggest win you've experienced thus far using hashtags?

Mine are finding people with similar interests on Twitter because of Twitter chats + seeing my own wedding from about a hundred different angles. #Hilos1021 if you're curious. ;-)

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Conversation with a Creative: Meet Emily Landham

This month I sat down with Nashville-based actor and social entrepreneur Emily Landham to talk about her approach to creativity and art. I've known Emily almost all my life and probably wouldn't have guessed when we were small kids that we would have such unique yet similar career paths one day. I've been watching Emily from a bit of a distance the past few years and when I was brainstorming about who I wanted to interview, Emily was at the top of the list. I've been intrigued by her story of graduating at the top of her acting class at NYU, to immediately getting cast in a critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway show, and then somewhat abruptly moving to Nashville and starting over. Enjoy the conversation with Emily.

HS: What does creativity mean to you?

EL: I feel like every human being is innately creative. Some people don't necessarily have more of it [creativity] but they can’t get away from it. Some people are burdened with it rather than occasionally blessed by it. I fall into that category— “burdened by it.” Creativity belongs to everyone. I’m not a fan of the “select few” philosophy. It’s also a commitment. Creativity is dependent on the practical relationship between yourself and your instrument. How much are you willing to give it? It’s work. It’s a lot of work. 

HS: Can you tell me about how you were first drawn to acting?

EL: I was always very quiet. I was straight up shy. I think perhaps—healthy or not—acting was a way to connect in a formal way. It’s ultimately a very formal way of communication. It can seem chaotic but it was organized chaos. It felt safe. I showed up more when acting, when memorized, as opposed to human to human moments. I also love to play pretend. I love to imagine something that isn’t there until it almost is. The Tom Sawyer play was my first. I played the girl, Amy? I do think mostly my love of acting, is about my love to communicate, connect, work with people, and collaborate but I love doing it in a formal setting. 

HS: You studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and in other celebrated studios throughout the years. What is one of the greatest lessons you learned about creative expression in your training?

EL: The heart and soul of acting I learned from my childhood and from Wynn Handman. I learned professionalism, skill, and technique at NYU. Wynn helped me get the heart that I lost at NYU. It was about rigid expression. He does not teach technique, he demands honesty. He says incredible things like he wants to "help us find the agitation of the essence.” You go into the class thinking: “What the hell does that mean?” He’s not afraid to turn an actor into a child. Remember how easy it was to see things as a child? NYU is professional about acting. Wynn Hangman Studio is holy about acting. To them storytelling can save people and change the world. I can have the best British accent of anyone on that stage but unless I am meeting that with an absolute need to tell the story then what am I doing up there? That’s what he retrieved from me—to not be afraid to see the things that nobody else sees. Acting is not about being seen; it’s about seeing. And inviting the audience to see with you. Each material is like a human being. When you meet a new human, you have to gauge—are they a handshaker? A hugger? We adapt who we are to get to know someone and also maintain authenticity. You adapt your approach. That’s why he doesn’t like technique. Some plays he would say “just memorize the lines. and try not to think about it.” Other plays we need to do serious work and do backstory, etc. He was there to maintain the integrity and break all the rules. 

"Acting is not about being seen; it's about seeing."

HS: After graduating you booked a critically acclaimed production of CRIPPLE OF INISHMAN. You were headed for Broadway and no doubt, a film career. Not long after that you completely changed your gameplan: you relocated to Nashville and started Branded. Why the sudden huge change?

EL: I’m so glad I left. It was an interesting and tumultuous time for me. Right when I graduated I did have some big things happening and it was helpful and exciting. When I decided to leave, that was fueled by my finances. From the outside it looked like I was kicking butt, but there were way more “no’s” than “yesses.” I have a tendency to focus on the “no’s.” I was priming myself for disappointments. I wanted more Oscars than Kathryn Hepburn. When I came back [to Nashville] I was not intending to stay. I was home for the holidays. I was walking down 5th avenue by some homeless men who were laughing. On the right was a bus with a friend of mine on the side of it. I was jealous of the homeless men for laughing and the friend on the right for being successful. I didn’t know what I wanted. Success or die. I came back home and decided to stay home for two months then come back. I needed more time to not act. I needed to paint and live at home for awhile. Then Nashville Shakes was doing ROMEO AND JULIET. I thought ,”What the heck. I might as well try. Since then I’ve booked 8 or 9 shows here. And I’m booking some national commercials and films that are pretty big. In some ways it was grace. Who knows what would’ve happened if I had stayed. My weariness brought me home, and it just so happened that the south is kind of popping. It might be good “bigger fish in a smaller pond.” Staying in Nashville made me a better actor. Even if I wasn’t gonna do the huge roles and multimillion movies, NYC Is a city of specialities. I want to be an actor and run a social enterprise and write in the morning. Coincidentally or not coincidentally it makes me a better actor. I like that better. I’ve done the best performances of my life in Nashville. I’m southern through and through. I love the south and thrive in the south. 

HS: Tell us about the BRANDED Collective! How was it started and what does it do?

EL: The BRANDED Collective employs survivors of human trafficking from Nashville-based non-profit End Slavery Tennessee. The women work with local artisans to design and handcraft the jewelry collection. 25% of the profits go to the rescue and restoration of survivors.They’re in desperate need of work, money, and resume building. Most of them have criminal records. We train them in the art and craft of jewelry building. It’s a jewelry collection of beautiful different metal jewelry. Each piece contains a number that represents the practice of branding. 28 million people have been trafficked. Many victims of human trafficking are branded. Their captors physically mark them with a number or symbol. The process is often violent: a forced tattoo, a burn or knife cut. They’re branded like a cow. It strips them of their name. When you receive your item from the BRANDED Collective, you are BRANDED. Each piece contains a unique number that represents one of the millions trapped in the nightmare of trafficking. Become a number to restore a name. We have five that work with us—two at a time. End Slavery works very closely with the FBI. These women are definitely in the early stages of restoration.

HS: How do you balance running your company and still pursue acting and producing?

EL: I’m not sure I am making it work. (Laughs) I’m trying real hard. The dream is to act and run BRANDED. Neither of those make a consistent enough income. I’m also producing. And that is my day job. I still nanny every now and again. I’m learning I have to be able to say "no." When you’re starting a business, everyone wants to help, and have coffee, and share their good idea. If I don’t have time I need to say “no.” The other thing that I’m just now becoming aware of is “don’t f—- around.” One reason New York was hard for me, is that I want to please people when I ask for something. If you want to succeed just ask for something. Last week I got in touch with an agent in Atlanta. At some point she said “You are awfully aggressive.” I don’t need to waste time being too sweet or too careful or waiting for the right moment or hoping that I’m not bothering someone. Ask. If they don’t get back to me ask again. And then if they don’t get back ask again. I don’t have time to be timid anymore or even pleasant. (Laughs) Kidding. Do be pleasant. 

HS: What are your big crazy goals in your career(s)?

EL: I was such a goal-setter in college, I’m almost becoming less of a goal setter. Part of setting good goals is setting realistic goals. I’m not really good at setting realistic goals. I’m kind of in a goal sabbatical to learn realism. I do have the goal of BRANDED where we have salaries—me and my co-founder. I would love to be able to employ five survivors full time. I would love to give five women full time work. That’s a very lofty goal. I’m really impressed with how much we’ve done in just a few years. Acting, at this point in my career, those things have resulted in serious disappointment and prevented me from seeing the incredible opportunities that I have had. By setting lofty acting goals—which are very much out of our control—I’ve stolen some joy from myself.

HS: What is your advice to a young creative who wants to do more than one thing?

EL: Do it! I think it’s awesome. Know going into it that you will have to be particularly organized. You’re going to have to know how to say “no.” If you want to do that much and spend time with everybody and please everybody I just don’t think it’s going to work. I don’t think you can do everything. I want to write books and paint and play piano, but acting and BRANDED are really where I put my focus. There will have to be some prioritizing. If there are five careers you want then you may need to reconsider that. But if there’s two, I absolutely believe in multifaceted careers. But do be realistic about it. That will look different for everybody depending on what they’re looking at. I think there’s a book called Multiple Careers that’s really good. 

HS: Any parting thoughts?

EL: I do think that it's important to schedule in time for rest and fun, to watch a Netflix or go on a date. The moment that all the things that you’re pursuing means you’re not reading new books, working out, sleeping, seeing friends, then you are out of balance. I do think for someone who advocates saying “no”—things can be thriving but if I'm really irritable, not eating, not sleeping or working out or reading, for me, those things that fill you up and bring you pleasure, if you’re so busy you’re not doing those things, then stop viewing those successes as a good thing. Success is not worth your own self losing joy or becoming irritable. I also don’t think busyness is a sign of status. 

Read advice from Emily and other thriving creatives in my eBook “5 Minute Mentor for Creatives”. Grab your copy here.

If you liked this conversation with a creative you may want to go back and read the conversations with John, a filmmaker, and Karen, a writer. And if you really like the blog, well then it makes sense to just subscribe, right? Also, I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There's a lot of creative conversation to be had. 

5 Tips for Managing a Multi-Gig Life

Multi-gig friends, let’s have a heart to heart. You have multiple passions, multiple commitments. You thrive on variety and change. Your worst nightmare is being chained to a desk all day and netflixing away your evenings. I get it. 

But you’re also probably a little bit tired. It’s hard to stay on top of things like laundry, the dishes and even the mail. If it weren’t for calendars and to do lists you would always forget something. Even with calendars and to do lists you may still often forget things. 

Today I want to share a few reminders with you about how to manage and even excel in living that multi-gig hustle. Here’s a few things I’ve learned along my entrepreneur-actor-consultant-writer-committee chair-church volunteer-wife journey. 

5 Tips for Managing a Multi-Gig Life

1. Every so often do a gut check. Are your commitments worth it to you? If you feel like you’re struggling with keeping things in balance, the truth is, you probably are. So what can you let go of? What commitment isn’t holding up its end of the bargain when it comes to you values? Michael Hyatt views life like a closet. You can continually put new commitments and ventures (clothes, in this analogy) into your closet, but your closet is only so big. Some things will have to come out to make room for new items. You probably know what those things are. So do a gut check and determine what might need to go.

2. Get enough sleep. This is imperative. If you’re going to be switching gears throughout the week and wearing different hats you have to be as alert as possible. That means get the sleep you need. This is truly my secret weapon of managing my multi-gig life. How long would you sleep without an alarm? How long do you sleep when you wake up right before your alarm? That’s a good indicator of how much sleep is ideal for you. Protect your sleep! Protecting your sleep is truly protecting your brain. You need ever synapse firing throughout the day to do all you do.

3. Make time to exercise. This is especially important if many of your gigs are sedentary or use more of your brain power than physical power. A few weeks ago I talked with Dr. Karen Swallow Prior about how running brings balance to her life as a writer and academic. The same thing is so true for me. If your work has you typing away on a computer or writing in a notebook, you’ve especially got to prioritize exercise. And major bonus points if you can also make that exercise happen out in nature. 

4. Check in with your loved ones. Do the people who matter most to you think you’re overdoing it? Are they getting the quality time they need? Those closest to you probably have a really valuable perspective on your life and how you’re spending your time. Don’t let your relationships suffer because of your work. That trade-off is never worth it.  

5. Time activate your day. This is something that I learned back in high school when I learned about time management at a Stephen Covey seminar at Student Leadership University. Determine what is urgent, what is important, what is not urgent and what is not important. Prioritize accordingly. I typically have a pretty legitimate to do list each day. I have to plug each item on my list into a specific time within my schedule to ensure I accomplish what I need to accomplish. This keeps me on task and moving along. If I don’t account for each hour of my work day I will get distracted and think I have far more time than I do. I never have more time than I actually do. :-) For example, right now I’ve given myself 45 minutes to flesh out this blog post (disclaimer: the outline was already written). I better stay on task to make this happen. It’s my only opportunity today to work on it. 

These are a few strategies I use to make sure to keep life balanced. To be honest with you I don’t have the margin right now that I’d like to have. I’ll be chewing on that (when I can!) in the next few weeks and looking forward to the holidays when I can make some bigger changes for 2016. 

What are your secrets to balancing multiple commitments? Maybe you’ve got a day job and a passion project. I’d love to hear about your particular situation. So leave me a note in the comments here or on Facebook or Twitter! I’d love to hear from you.

Also if you’re interested in working with me on my multiple projects, I’m currently hiring interns for the spring! Full descriptions over here. 

5 Things Every Blogger Should Know About Social Media

Social media can and should be a blogger's best friend. But when you're juggling a blog AND Instagram AND Twitter AND Facebook AND Pinterest AND Snapchat AND Periscope and...it can be a little overwhelming. 

So today I want to share with you five things to remember about how to maximize the opportunity of social media as you grow your platform. 

5 Things Every Blogger Should Know About Social Media

1. Your blog is your home base. Social media are your outposts. Facebook will change its algorithm. Instagram will add more and more advertising. The only platform you have complete control over is your own. So when in doubt, put your primary focus there. Followers on a Facebook page are much less important than subscribers to your blog. 

2. The same content does not work on every platform. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just write something once and then copy/paste it to every other platform. While quality content stands the test of most any platform, we have to mold it to fit natively into each platform. Taking a screenshot of your blog or a status update and putting it on Instagram will not work. Pay attention to what works in each platform and adjust your content to fit that.

3. Every social network is not necessarily a good fit for you or worth your time. If there's a new up and coming social platform, for many bloggers, our first instinct is to jump right on. But it's better to give primary focus to two or three platforms. For this blog Facebook gets my primary attention. Secondary platforms are Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. I'm leaving Periscope and Snapchat alone (for now.) :-) 

4. Trying new things is not only a good idea, it's a necessity. You have an important story to be told. It's easy to fall in love with a certain platform (like Wordpress or Squarespace or Youtube) but we need to remember that all this technology will change. The story is what's most important. So be open to trying new things. Where would TV be without Netflix? Where would radio be without podcasts? Be open! 

5. Social media is an irreplaceable opportunity to build relationships. Your blog is the primary place where you build community. But social media gives you the opportunity to massage relationships and touch on lighter topics. Use Instagram to put a face to a name, use Facebook to share a helpful or humorous article. Ultimately the blogger/audience relationship is person to person.  

As overwhelming as all the social media management can be, never before have people who have a passion to share a message been able to quickly share it with so many people. I encourage you to take time every so often to look at your overall blog and social media strategy and see what is working, what isn't and what you may want to change. 

Which social platform have you seen be most helpful as you grow your readership? Where do you find community is being cultivated? 

Conversation with a Creative: Meet Dr. Karen Swallow Prior

Photo by Lashonda delivuk

Last month I started a new feature in which I interview creatives one by one, seeking to learn  their creative strategies and lifehacks, what creativity means to them and how they combat fear. You guys seemed to really be inspired by John Carl (if you missed it click that and catch up!). Today I'm thrilled to be back with my second creative conversation. Dr. Karen Swallow Prior is an author, professor, thought leader and let's be honest--mad cool fashionista. We sat down in August and talked about writing, running and trolls. Enjoy.

HS: What does creativity mean to you?

 KSP: Creativity is a human expression of being made in God’s image. But while God creates out of nothing we who are made in his image create out of materials. So for me creativity cannot be separated from the materials that we draw from. That’s why as an educator and a reader I think it’s important for creative people—people who want to be creative—to fill their stores with good material. I don’t labor under the illusion (that many do) that creativity is simply “inspired.” For me, as a writer, I think i’m going to be the best writer I can be by reading the best [writing] I can read. That [principle] applies to other arts as well. [It’s important] to learn from the artists who have gone before us, to continually refresh our stores with others’ works and ideas. We don’t create out of nothing; we create out of community.

HS: Can you further unpack that connection between creativity and community?

KSP: We don’t create out of nothing; we create out of the materials and ideas that have come before us. That’s a kind of community. Community can be physical— the people you’re surrounded by —but also community [can be experienced] from art that has gone before us. There’s influences to draw from and the influence we have on others. That’s part of community too.

HS: So what have you been reading lately? 

KSP: My reading is suffering from this digital age (laughs). I’m reading a lot more short pieces, blogs. Then I read the books that I teach for class. I really only read a few new books a year. So I do most of my pleasure reading in the summer. I’m finishing up now, a book I’ll be teaching, Imagining the Kingdom by James K Smith. It’s the second in a series. It has to do with how our habits and practices shape our thinking and desires.

HS: One thing I’ve noticed about your writing is that it is prolific. It seems like you’re publishing an essay every day. How do you do it?

KSP: I don’t feel like I’m ever “off.” I can’t shut off my brain. I run every day and that’s when I’m thinking about my writing or refining something I’ve been working on or I’m listening to audiobooks or podcasts. I run in the morning and then I’m writing or teaching in the afternoons and then writing more in the evenings. It has become a natural rhythm.

HS: Do you have any strategies for combating writer’s block?

KSP: I have too many ideas. That’s my problem! So I definitely have a problem with having too many ideas and not having time to write about what I want to write about. I don’t enjoy 80% of the writing. I enjoy having the ideas and I enjoy editing and revising. The actual creation of writing and getting the first draft down is painful and unpleasant. The researching part is easy because I can google (laughs). Shaping the work is really hard. Making the connections—I have to think really hard about making the connections. Sometimes something is intuitive to me and making it clear and articulate is difficult. Somewhere between the idea and putting it all together is the painful part. The polishing is the fun part. For example, the Cecil the Lion/Planned Parenthood article—my editor called. I said “I’m really busy, I don’t think I can, let me think about it. Let me think about it this morning.” I couldn’t see what I could say. I went running. And while I was running a phrase came to my mind. I texted my editor and i said “I think i have it” and we talked on the phone. The phrase was “willfull ignorance.” I had to run several miles before it came to me and then I had to run several more to flesh it out. As I was running another idea came to me. I had so many threads of thought it was hard to focus it. Back to community. The stereotypical writer/editor relationship is antagonistic. But I love my editors. I’m blessed to have good editors. i love being well-edited. The writer/editor relationship is one of the best examples of community and iron sharpening iron. I get to a point where I’m trying to make these connections. One of my editors will reorganize my paragraphs. Being well-edited is when someone takes my raw materials and makes it sharper and clearer. It makes my writing better. That’s one of the reasons I don’t want to have my own blog. As an academic we have the process of peer review and it’s very healthy for the most part. In popular publishing the editing process is the parallel. Someone else with perspective is balancing and proofing. They’re the gatekeepers, judgers and assessors that come into play before it goes out into the world.

my husband and i went to dr. prior's book signing of course. :)

HS: I was curious if there was a deep connection between your running habit and your writing. It sounds like there might be.

KSP: I really believe in balance. (That’s one reason I’m excited Liberty is hosting Bernie Sanders). So much of my life is in my head: teaching/reading/writing. I’m not an athlete, I’m not good at anything physical, but running gives me something physical. To be outside balances and takes away some of the stress of my brain. Same with taking care of the animals: the horses and the chickens and Ruby and Lucy (See her Instagram to see photo proof of all!).

HS: What does your writing routine look like?

KSP: It’s very, very unorganized. I’m working around teaching so it’s not the same schedule every day. During the semester I try to build my writing into it. I really need to be more organized.

HS: Your first book for non-academics came out in 2012. You’ve been a professor and academic for quite some time. Can you talk about the shift to becoming a sought after voice for Evangelicals and an author? How/why did this shift occur? Are these goals you had always wanted to achieve?

KSP: Since I was in college I wanted to be a syndicated columnist. I was inspired by George Will. This was before the Internet was invented (laughs). I always imagined being a columnist for a newspaper but that was before I went on to become a professor. This was when I was an undergrad english major writing for the student paper. I didn’t know I was going to go on and be a professor. When I began teaching my students helped me. Because of my approach to teaching—putting life and literature and my faith together—that began to be a driving message—how those things connect. Thus my Twitter handle: lovelifelitgod. Booked was inspired by students who asked me for reading recommendations. It was inspired by their desire to read more. It took several years to get a publisher for Booked. Right around the time that I got the publishing contract for Booked, I was contacted for a new christian women’s blog. It was a total coincidence. Social media has allowed this to happen for me. When I was trying to get a publisher I wasn’t on Twitter yet; I was writing notes on Facebook. A student encouraged me to join Twitter.

HS: And the rest is history! So on the topic of social media--you know, when you first dreamed of becoming a columnist you probably couldn’t have imagined the instantaneous feedback you get now on social media. And the trolling…what’s your approach to that?

KSP: Even though I never could’ve imagined trolling in social media form like we have today, it’s my academic studies that prepared me for it. My specialty is the 18th century english novel. The whole development of the english novel was trolling. A writer would write a novel like Pamela and then another writer would write their “anti-Pamela.” There were all of these spin-offs. This sort of thing has been in print culture since print culture was created. This antagonistic dialectical development of ideas—it’s the same thing on Twitter. Instead of 1000-page novels it’s 140 characters. So in terms of things that have happened to me, controversies and attacks, it’s not personal. They don’t even know me. When they don’t even know you, they’re basing some critique off of one thing you wrote. I don't take it personally. There’s real damage that can be done. But most of the damage is done to the people who do that sort of attacking.

HS: How was Booked conceived? Is it an idea you had in mind for a long time?

KSP: The idea for the book came to me from a book called How Movies Helped Save My Soul. Before the book came [in the mail] I was walking. I thought to myself, “how literature helped save my soul. I could write that book.” That goes back to the community. We’re all influenced by the things we surround ourselves with. That’s why it’s a good idea to surround ourselves with good things.

HS: What is your advice to a young aspiring memoirist?

KSP: The memoir genre is big now. A lot of people are saying it’s overdone. I would caution one to keep that in mind. It’s really important not to tell your story until you know how that story ends. I’m not a big fan of memoirs by really young people. It depends. There has to be a sense that that story in your life, that that story has ended before you write your memoir. It’s the same thing with like a Christian, radical, dramatic conversion. It’s dangerous to propel people out into leadership or on a platform before that story has been able to take root over time. Don’t be in a hurry to tell your story. The other advice I would give: every one’s story is a part of someone else’s story. it’s important when telling your story to handle other people’s stories with care.

HS: What is the best advice you’ve received in your career (and/or journey as a writer)?  

KSP: The best advice I received about writing a memoir, was to, in the drafting form, to tell more rather than less in drafting. You can always take stuff out. That changed Booked for me. When I handed in the draft my editor wanted me to tell more of my story. Be honest and vulnerable without being overbearing. I naturally would’ve been more reserved.

HS: Who are your mentors?

KSP: The early mentors in my life were pastors who cultivated my leadership skills when I didn’t know I had them. I have to give credit to two or three pastors who saw me doing things that I never would’ve seen: leading, speaking. Never would’ve ever! They get credit for seeing that in me.

HS: Any closing thoughts?

KSP: I would never want to have to rely on my writing as my livelihood. Not to say that other people couldn’t or shouldn’t do it--and even though time is always an issue. In talking with other writer friends who are trying to make their living from writing, I find it very freeing to not do that, to be able to write, as I want, in the limited time I have. I write out of passion rather than financial need. People criticize writers for constantly promoting, but it’s how they make a living. This is what they have to do. Whether you have a “day job” or write full time, there are going to be sacrifices you make. You have to choose which sacrifices.

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior is author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me and Fierce Convictions: the Extraordinary Life of Hannah More. Did something in this interview resonate with you? Share it in the comments! 

Social Media: Good vs Evil (or "It Might Be Time to Pull the Plug If…")

Social media. You crazy thing you.

Because of my access to you I’ve built a business, grown friendships, been confronted by a famous person, an acquaintance, and a stranger. I like you less when people use you to talk about politicians. I like you more when people use you to spread awareness about international crises and ways we can band together to make a difference. 

The truth is sometimes we need a breather from you—from your ever-present, all-access, overload of information. Sometimes people use you to complain, to be passive aggressive and to overshare. When we humans have a platform to share our thoughts it can get a little funny. So today I’m proposing ten reasons that we, your oh-so-faithful users, may need to take a break from you. (I’m going to move on to addressing the readers directly now. You may not want to listen…) 

It Might Be Time to Pull the Plug on Social Media If…

1. It makes you more angry than happy.

2. It makes you more jealous than happy.

3. You can’t resist the urge to lecture your friends and followers. 

4. You feel like your impulse control is waning. You check it at every opportunity. 

5. You spend a lot of time following people you don’t actually have relationships with in real life. 

6. You post content that you wouldn’t say out loud to a bunch of acquaintances. 

7. You can’t resist the urge to confront someone you know in real life on social media.

8. You can’t resist the urge to confront someone you don’t know in real life on social media. 

9. You feel guilty and voyeuristic about how you spend your time on social media. 

10. You’re so annoyed by the content that other people post that you volley back and post about your frustration. 

Perhaps you sense the common theme here. If social media draws out negative emotions in you more often than positive ones then maybe you should pull the plug. If you have trouble with boundaries and self-control on social media then maybe you should pull the plug. If using social media means you are observing life more than contributing to it maybe you should pull the plug. 

Social media is a mystifying animal. Just this week we Peanutized ourselves, raved about Ryan Adams’ 1989, and mourned the loss of Yogi Berra together online. We experience community with people we never would have had a meaningful conversation with at this point in our lives if it weren’t for social media. 

We can interact with like-minded people, learn from thought leaders, see our friends’ children grow up across the country, and even share a laugh together via social media. 

This vast landscape of online communication can be used for good and it can be used for evil. If social media brings up more negative feelings than positive ones, it may be time to shut it down for a little while or for a long while. 

Don’t forget that you ultimately hold the power. You are not held prisoner to any negativity that creeps into your life via social media. You can use the platform for good or you can opt out altogether. Just don’t be passive. That’s the big request here. Social media can be used for good or it can be used for evil. I encourage you, use it for good! 

Do you struggle with any (or many) of the items I listed above? What do you do to combat those tendencies? I’d love to hear about your strategy in the comments! 

10 Ways to Up Your Writing Game

If you have a message you’re passionate about conveying, you’ve probably already recognized the importance of good writing. As a social media and communication instructor I’ve been amazed at the array of writing levels I’ve come across in college classes. Some students (a very few) have such a challenging time getting the mechanics of writing correct, that I’m completely distracted from what they’re trying to convey to the reader. On the opposite end of the spectrum, writers like Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Harper Lee, and Shakespeare have changed the world through their excellent writing. If we ever want to convince anyone of anything, we have to be able to communicate well.

So back to you. You have a passion. You have a cause. You have a business. You want to promote something. 

What can you do now, in practical terms, to inspire others to support it? 

I want to encourage you to focus on improving your writing game. Here’s ten ways to do just that.

1. Do Morning Pages. One of my favorite books on creativity is Julie Cameron’s the Artist’s Way. Cameron’s book is chock full of wonderful ideas to get your creative juices flowing but her most formidable idea is to start each morning writing three full pages of unedited, stream of conscious writing. In her own words: “Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page…and then do three more pages tomorrow.” The more you write, the better you will get at writing.

2. Write 200 words a day. Make a habit of writing about aspects of your passion/work/message/thoughts/business every day. 200 words is a manageable goal (that’s about the length of a paragraph or two.) All it takes is about 200 words a day to begin to create a catalogue of content you can use for blog posts, social media updates, content papers, eBooks, workshop content, and eventually full-length books. A secret of creating great content consistently is that you don't have to reinvent the wheel each time you want to share your message with the world.

3. Use Hemingway Editor. Ever wish you had an editor who could look over your writing before you hit “publish?” The Hemingway app analyzes your writing and highlights text that can be improved by suggesting you use a simpler word, use active voice, simplify complex sentences, etc. Give it a whirl. In fact, when I’m done writing this post, I’ll use it myself. 

4. Read Bird by Bird. Anna Lamott’s classic writing book is practical and inspiring. It starts off like this: “Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he'd had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around mybrother's shoulder, and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.’”

5. Read On Writing Well. One of the most helpful texts I read in my journalism classes, Zinsser’s book has sold something like a million copies. Read it. You can start by reading my post celebrating his wonderful writing advice. 

6. Use active voice. Sometimes in our first swipe at writing something we have trouble getting to the point at the top of the sentence. Let me rephrase that. Get to the point at the top of the sentence. It can be hard but it makes for better writing. 

7. Draw readers in with an enticing introduction sentence. Make that first sentence pop. If you’re writing an article on a new coffeeshop write a first sentence that makes the reader feel like she is there. And if it’s a blog post make sure it clearly indicates what the reader can expect from the rest of the piece.

8. Edit ruthlessly. The quote has been attributed to William Faulkner, Stephen King and Allen Ginsberg. We don’t know who said it first but we do know it’s a hard truth. “Kill your darlings.” Some of the most beautiful passages have to go. Serve the story. Serve your audience. Don’t preserve text just because you like it. 

9. Write like a person. This is a piece of advice I’ve stood by for some time. This separates the good writing from the trying-to-be-good writing. Write the way you speak. Yes of course you can be more articulate, more well-edited, and more clear (isn’t that one of the perks of writing over speaking?) but be sure you don’t sound like a robot, or a rambler, or (God forbid) a telemarketer. 

10. Write what you want to write. Maria Popova of BrainPickings is a big advocate of this one. If you think the topic will be interesting or helpful to your audience but you're not into it then don't write about it. The spark starts with you! You'll write more and better if you write about things that interest you. So don't be swayed by what you think you should write. Write what you want to write. 

These are my ten tips to implement for more effective written communication. They can be summarized like this: write a lot, read a lot, edit a lot. 

Do you have writing advice of your own? I'd love to hear it in the comments! 

Conversation with a Creative: Meet John Carl

 I always get pretty excited to talk about creativity with anyone who wants to broach the subject. There's so much us creative-types can learn from one another: from strategies to battle the fear of rejection to the ways we get inspired. Today I'm starting a new regular feature in which I take these offline conversations online and share them with you.

First at bat: John Carl. 

John is a New York based videographer and filmmaker. We’ve been close friends since our college days and it’s been fascinating to witness John’s rise from computer lab assistant to director of photography for shoots with household names like Microsoft, Sharpie and Motorola. (Oh the places you'll go between 20 and 30!) John and I have had plenty of conversations about creativity, entrepreneurship, art and the lessons we’ve learned along the way. So today I wanted to kick off a new interview-style feature on the blog with this chat with John. 

HS: Can you share with us a little about your career trajectory? How did you arrive where you are now?

JC: Let’s see. Video by way of photography by way of graphic design by way of music by way of computers—a circuitous path. I never knew exactly where I was going but I wanted to keep my engine on. My cousin Davy says, “You can’t steer a parked car.” I just knew that if I kept doing what I loved that I would eventually find a way to turn it into a career. That’s the short answer.

The slightly longer answer is that I got a camera that could shoot video, a DSLR in 2009 and just started shooting video for fun. After posting a couple videos online, I got a call from Levis about a job and it was a bigger job so it seemed to be the right time to go freelance and start a company. I reached out to some friends and we started a company (DuckDuck Collective). The first year or two were very scrappy. We had to hustle a lot and accepted any work that came our way: weddings, senior portraits, events—not the most glamorous work in the grand scheme of the industry but we were paying our dues. Lynchburg was the perfect place to do that because it was so cheap to live here. Eventually clients wanted more video work and our numbers began to grow. Then on one of our bigger jobs in California we learned that the client had asked the agency why they were hiring “some kids from Virginia” as opposed to professionals from LA or New York. That was insightful and when I realized that even your zip code communicates something about your perceived level of skill. So we decided to move. I wanted to put off LA for as long as possible. It feels a little inevitable in this industry. So off to NYC we went and that’s where we are today. We have new office space, a new camera, lots of other new gear and some new services that aren’t announced yet but I’m very excited about. The business continues to grow.

HS: So why filmmaking? How did you find yourself there?

JC: Filmmaking is the only thing that incorporates all of my interests: cinematography, music, audio, people, technology and most importantly, story. And I get bored really, really quickly so I need something that keeps me moving between all those different disciplines. So I kind of feel like my whole life was leading up to filmmaking.

HS: What does creativity mean to you?

JC: Creativity is a way of turning ourselves inside out. [It’s] trying to share truth or create beauty to make something worthwhile that didn’t exist before. To rip off Dr. Prior, it’s our desire to imitate God. He creates so we want to create to be like Him. When we’re creating we’re most “god-like” in a sense. But I also view it as a struggle: there’s a real terror that comes from staring at the blank page. You have to push through the fear, make something, let it be substandard, then repeat and hope you improve in the process. And sometimes you do; sometimes you don’t. So there’s an anguish and joy that come from it.

HS: Tell me more about the joy.

JC: Well, my love language is words of affirmation so when someone praises something I’ve done I find a lot of joy in that. But the process is enjoyable too. There’s a joy in having done something well after working really hard on it. Sitting down to make a song, film, design, is super enjoyable. I mean, except the parts where you want to throw your keyboard out the window. But it’s mostly enjoyable. Plus I’m not good at anything else. (laughs) I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t create.

HS: How do you combat your tendency toward perfectionism?

JC: Poorly. (laughs) I have a dear friend who recommended this book to me called Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (And Rewards) of Artmaking. There’s a chapter on perfectionism and the author basically redefines perfectionism as fear. It’s essentially just overvaluing other people’s opinions and fearing their critique. So you wind up doing nothing. It’s not a good thing. So when I say I’m being a perfectionist about something what I’m actually saying is I’m fearful. Oof. Apparently I’m very fearful.

There’s a story in the book that was pretty transformational for me. It tells the story of a pottery professor who, on the first day, told everyone on the left side of the room that they would be graded based on the quantity of their work, and on the right, by the quality of their work. On the last day of class, he did find several perfect pots, but interestingly, they were all from the quantity side of the room. Those students didn’t concern themselves with being perfect, just with learning the process. So I’ve been trying to learn from that story by focusing on the process of creating to set myself free from the tyranny of perfection/fear.

All that said, there’s definitely a limit to discovering quality through quantity too. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. If you’re truly just focused on quantity that would be bad. You need time, occasionally, to focus on quality too, on making things without spiraling into perfectionism. Moderation and balance is the key. Give yourself permission to do both types of projects.

HS: Can you share a little about your creative process?

JC: Well. There’s what it has been and what it should be. What it has been is that it usually starts with feelings, when I’m feeling strongly about anything (happy/sad/angry/pensive, whatever). I haven’t been approaching it as a process; I’ve approached it with a product view. What do I want to end up with? Doing it that way it’s easy to go off the rails. For example I’ve recorded tons of songs that are half to two-thirds done but I haven’t shared them out of a fear of not being good enough. So I’m actually trying to learn to love the process or even develop one in the first place. Art & Fear talks about this. The author says your responsibility is not to make people love your art or gain approval. Your job as an artist is to love the process. Judge your value as an artist by how you’ve grown in the process. Give yourself permission to fail and you’ll get better. That’s hard. I’m learning to sacrifice my ego, be humble. I don’t know why I ever started believing I was the type of person that would only put out good work. That’s dumb. Focus on the process. Oh yeah, so back to the process. It generally starts with having an emotion or an idea, then there’s a “dark night of the soul” full of self-loathing, then giving up or nearly giving up, then pushing through, then eventually I like what I’ve wound up with (quasi). It’s about learning to love obstructions.

"I don’t know why I ever started believing I was the type of person that would only put out good work. That’s dumb. Focus on the process."

I saw a documentary by Lars von Trier, called the Five Obstructions. He asks a filmmaker to remake the same film with five different obstructions. And over the course of the film he learns to love the obstructions. It’s fascinating. When he “cheats” on one, Lars punishes him by assigning him to remake his film with no obstructions at all and the filmmaker hates it. The point is, we actually love and need obstructions. Even though it’s really fun to complain about them. Whatever the limitation is: money, time, right team, etc. The point is to not let any of it be an excuse to stop. Stopping is the enemy. Whatever the twist or obstruction is you have to embrace it and keep pushing.

HS: Do you ever feel creatively blocked? How do you power through that? Any strategies or techniques?

JC: Of course. All the time. The way I power through is just trying to get inspired by other people’s work, Pinterest, Vimeo, real life experience. For whatever reason my life is really dramatic so I have a lot of real world inspiration for creating things.

HS: What is your advice to a young creative who wants a career like yours?

JC: Do whatever it is that you want to do often and don’t wait for somebody else to come along and give you permission to do that thing. No one is coming. No one is coming to give you your big break. Big breaks are an illusion. Getting lucky is hard work. There’s an agency I do freelance at sometimes and on the wall when you walk in it says, “The harder I work the luckier I get.” I love that. I spent a long time being bitter about my college education. I was dissatisfied about all I was not getting taught about graphic design. But at the end of the day when you enter the “real world” no one is responsible for your success other than you. The greatest skill as a creative [can have] is to know how to teach yourself and acquire knowledge. Especially now, with the internet, there is no excuse for anyone to not know anything they want to know. Any information you want to learn, any creative skill set you want to acquire, you can find it online or in a book and often learn it faster and better than in an academic setting. Even if you’re going to an amazing school, the students who do well are the ones who are self-motivated and self-teaching. The ones who do poorly are the ones who are lazy and expect spoon feeding. I think one of the biggest predictors of success is how well you can teach yourself new things and how well you can motivate yourself to do that.

HS: Parting thoughts?

JC: I tried to have a full time job once and it was by far the most unhappy I’ve ever been. I was a tiny cog in a massive machine. I worked in a cubicle. We discussed things like “printer policies” and had to passive-aggressively label our lunches in the fridge. I hated my life. I took a risk though and quit. It has been, without a doubt, one of the best decisions I ever made. So to anyone thinking about going freelance: do it. DO IT. 

Read advice from John and other thriving creatives in my eBook “5 Minute Mentor for Creatives.” Grab your copy here.

John Carl is co-founder and president of Duck Duck Collective, a video production company based in Brooklyn, New York. Connect with him on Twitter @JohnCarl. Have something to add to this conversation? We'd love to hear from you. Just hit that "comment" button below. 

Hilary's Tuesday Social Media Tip 003: Why are you on social media?

This week I'm back with another quick video with a social media tip and a challenge! 

It's so easy to get bogged down and focused on things like number of likes, number of followers, or how often we are posting. But let's not get distracted.

The real name of the game is lead generation, growing our email list, increasing brand awareness, or fill in the blank with your goal of choice.

We'll never know if we hit it out of the park if we don't know what we're aiming for. Why are you on Linkedin? Instagram? Twitter? Facebook? Periscope? Having a lot of followers is great. Posting regularly is great. But do you know what you want to achieve? Get crystal clear on who you want to reach and what action you want them to take. That is Step 1 in achieving your goals on social media. 

Do you ever feel a little confused about your purpose on any given platform? 

5 Questions I Ask Every Client Before We Start Working Together

I love my consulting work. I thrive playing the role of outsider looking in, offering suggestions and solutions. Fun fact: I was in a club in 7th grade at school called "Future Problem Solvers of America." (Yes, that was a thing-- I guess?) I've always been energized by coming up with solutions to problems. I do this regularly with my clients who need a fresh set of eyes on their brand, social presence, or overall marketing strategy.

But before I say "yes" to an opportunity to come alongside another organization, I ask a few questions. They give me clarity to know if I'm a right fit, to know if the leaders know what they want, and they help me determine exactly how to support that organization. Here are five questions I ask before I start any consulting gig.

5 Questions I Ask Every Client Before We Start Working Together

1. What are your goals? Getting "big" on social media is never the ultimate goal. It's what that influence can achieve. Clients need to be able to articulate what they want to accomplish through social media. Brand awareness? Lead generation? High profile relationships? We will never be sure that we have succeeded if we don’t have concrete goals set at the very beginning. So make it clear what you want to accomplish. 

2. What are your pain points? As a consultant I need to know what your biggest problems are—this is likely why you called me in the first place. What aspects of a social media strategy make your head spin? Where do you want to make progress but the roadmap is a little fuzzy? What would you be happiest to outsource and never think of again? What keeps you up at night? 

3. What does success look like for you? How will you know that the mission has been accomplished? Is it hitting a certain number of followers? A certain percentage of email opens? What needs to be accomplished in order for you to know that working with me was the right choice?

4. Which platforms are you currently on? I have to know the details of which social platforms you are on, when you joined, what kind of activity you've had, and if you've done any advertising on those platforms. To present a clear strategy moving forward, I have to know where you're coming from.

5. Who are you trying to reach? You’ve heard that you can’t not be on social media but do you know who you are trying to reach there? What time does your audience get online? What kind of purchases do they make online? Which social platform do they prefer? You have to have a clear picture of your target audience in order for me to help you reach them. 

These are just a few of the questions I need answered up front in order to effectively help organizations maximize the potential that lies in social media and marketing online.

Do you have any questions you always ask potential clients or vendors? 

How To Get Stuff Done From a Home Office

So you have the option to work from home…but every time you go home to work you’re distracted by the mail, the dog, the messy kitchen, the laundry, the neighborhood drama, the tv, the dishes, the…you get the point.

How do you actually get stuff done from your home office? Is it possible to be at home and to not be focused on the things of home?

Yes I say!

I’ve been exclusively working out of a home office for about three years now and I believe that I get done in 1/3 to 1/2 a day what a lot of workers in offices get done in an 8-hour day. Of course the 20-second commute helps, but beyond that I've found some key aspects to make working from home work. 

Here are the elements of my work from home success:

1. Invoke a morning routine. I get up. I make the bed. I have breakfast. I go run. I shower. I’m at my desk. Same time every day. I don’t get distracted by morning television. I don’t decide each morning what I will do that day. I wake up. I invoke my routine. 

2. Ignore the doorbell. I can ignore texts, calls, emails, and other interruptions and a random sales person would never be able to interrupt my day at my desk on the 9th floor of a corporate office, so why should I let them interrupt my workflow in my home office? If I’m not expecting you at my front door, I will ignore you. 

3. Make a schedule and a to-do list the day before. In my work with Pursuant I make plans for the week ahead on Friday afternoons. I absolutely love this strategic planning. And each afternoon I take a look at the plans for the next day. That means I don’t waste precious brain power in the morning (when I’m thinking the most creatively and clear) figuring out how to order my day. 

4. Have a dedicated workspace. Whether it’s a corner of your bedroom or (better yet) an entire room that you can dedicate to your work, I encourage you to set aside a specific space that is just for work. When you enter that space your mind immediately clicks into “work mode.” And when you leave it, close the door, and enter other spaces in your home, you’ve mentally “left the office.”

5. Invest in a comfortable chair. You’re going to want to hop out of it non-stop throughout the day and head to other Rooms de Distraction if you don’t have a comfy spot to sit. So don’t go to Ikea and buy the cheapest thing. Trust me. Been there, did that. Learned my lesson. 

6. Make plans to get out of the house ahead of time. You’ll be most productive if you limit your offsite lunches to once a week or so. At the same time you need to connect socially, so prioritize getting friends and colleagues on the calendar. We all gotta eat, right? Determine ahead of time when you will go out to lunch and stick to that day of the week. It's easy to say "yes" to last minute offers that suck up our time when we don't have a plan in place.

7. Surround yourself with decor and office supplies that you enjoy. I have a framed print of Galatians 6:9 right above my desk. I love it. I also have Kate Spade office supplies for days and it makes me inexplicably happy. 

8. Listen to your body. You don’t always have to be rigid throughout the day with your breaks. For me, once I’m at my desk I don’t like to get up and take a break unless I’m leaving the house. So I don’t set a lunch time. I just go make lunch when I’m hungry and then I get back to my tasks. You’ll be more productive if you don’t ignore your need for mid-day sustenance.

9. Be intentional with social media. When you work from home you can keep literal tabs on social media all day. But that is a major distraction. If you need some support when it comes to ignoring Facebook I suggest the plugin Newsfeed Eradicator. I swear I got an hour back in my day when I installed it. 

10. Wear comfortable clothes but maybe not pajamas. Now this is controversial advice I give but I stand by it. For the past several months I have swapped my Pajamas And/Or Yoga Pants All Day uniform for comfy cotton sundresses. I swear I can attribute my energy and alertness in part to the fact that if a friend *did* drop by I wouldn’t be completely embarrassed to answer the door. Again, it’s a signal to yourself that you’re awake, you’re alert, and you’re at work. And don’t you just feel better when you’re a little bit put together? I know I do. 

These are my ten proven productive, successful work from home tips. I’m sure you’ve got your own tricks of the trade. Share em in the comments! 

10 Easy Ways to Add Creativity to Your Life Today

“Look and you will find it—what is unsought will go undetected.” —Sophocles

Is creativity something you admire and value but somehow you either don’t have the energy to do something creative daily or you’re so busy with your grind that you don’t feel like you have time for it? 

For a lot of us we associate “being creative” with some kind of impressive output: a painting, a book, a play, a performance. But the truth is, being creative doesn’t have to involve a phenomenal product or even anything that others see or experience. 

Being creative can make a massive impact on your quality of life. It’s energizing. So I challenge you today to take me up on one of the following ten ways to add creativity to your day in five minutes or less. 

Challenge accepted? Ok, here we go! 

10 Ways to Add Creativity to Your Day (in 5 minutes or less):

1. Take a different route to work.

2. Google “good questions.” Pick one. Post it as your Facebook status or as an Instagram caption. Enjoy the responses and new engagement with people. 

3. Turn on some music and make up a new dance move. Name it! 

4. Rearrange the furniture in a room in your house. (Ok, how about just the items on a surface in your house. [We’ve only got 5 minutes.])

5. Write down your dreams as soon as you wake up.

6. If your office is in a big building use a new entrance and walk across a floor you don’t usually visit.

7. Wake up 15 minutes earlier and take a walk around your neighborhood. Observe sights, sounds and smells.

8. Take a picture of something that you see every day in your house that you really love. Post it on Instagram and explain what it means to you. 

9. Look for beauty throughout your day, whether it is visual, auditory or a scent. Jot those things down in a notebook or a note on your smartphone. 

10. Sign up for a class in something new to you. Paint and Sip? Tap dancing? 

Julia Cameron said it so well in her book the Artist’s Way: “By holding lightly to an attitude of gentle exploration, we can begin to lean into creative expansion. By replacing ‘No way!’ with ‘Maybe,’ we open the door to mystery and to magic.” 

If you think of yourself as a “formerly creative person” or a person who admires creativity but “isn’t creative” it’s time to reverse your thinking and embrace the creative spirit within you. You’ve got to start somewhere. So start with five minutes. Who knows what may come next. 

Let’s start today. 

How to Create an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog

We bloggers are busy people. Blogging is something we love but it's far from our only focus. (Though that's the dream for a lot of us, right?!) So how can you make sure that your blog posts are topically on point and regularly showing up in your reader's inbox despite your busy schedule? Simplify things for yourself by creating an editorial calendar. Here's seven easy steps to knock out your editorial calendar and make sure your blog posts are getting written and you're hitting your goals. 

7 Steps to Creating an Editorial Calendar

1. Determine how often you will post. You've got to start here. What's a feasible goal for you? What is the minimum effective dose? Does your audience need to hear from you daily? Weekly? 2 times a week? 3? Determine how often you will post and which day of the week. 

2. Narrow down topics. Bloggers are people so naturally we like as much variety as anyone else! But your blog needs to be predictable to your audience. Giving your audience a survey of the Platforms of the Current Republican Presidential Candidates one week and then your Top 5 Reasons Hanson is the Best Band Ever the next week may seem fun and exciting but your audience likely won't trust you as an expert on both topics. And beyond that, they probably won't care about both topics. Remember: keep your audience in mind first! What is useful to them? 

3. Add contributors. Are you authoring your blog solo? Do you have a team? Plug your writers and their areas of expertise into your editorial concept. Make sure to communicate expectations to them and give them at least a week of cushion between their deadline and when you actually need to move forward with the post. 

4. Batch tasks. I take a half day every quarter to brainstorm blog post ideas for the next three months. Likely I've been reading and mulling over ideas that I can plug in right away. And another thing you can batch and knock out at once? A month's worth of posts. I prefer to write one at a time (I'm just a little ADD that way) but if you can sit down and knock out 4-8 blog posts in a day, you've potentially created content for a month or more. Avoid interruptions and knock out tasks all at once.  

5. Brainstorm headlines. When you are clear on the kinds of posts you will write--my post categories are around social media, writing, marketing, productivity, creativity and goals--you can begin to flesh out post ideas that fit within each category. Don't overthink it. Just, stream of conscious, write down as many post ideas as you can. Then review them and refine them to put them into words that are the most intriguing and "clickable." 

6. Plug headlines into your calendar. Once you have a good solid list of post ideas, plug those headlines into your calendar on the days you're committed to publishing new content. Be sure to spread out the types of posts throughout the month so there's a nice variety. I really like the Excel calendar template but you can also use a desk calendar, a planner or even your Outlook or Gmail calendar. 

7. Schedule weekly time to write. Habits are wonderful because they eliminate troublesome decision making. If you know that you write every Wednesday morning from 7:30-9:30, you don't have to look at your calendar each week and ask yourself "when am I going to write?" When Wednesday rolls around you don't have to ask yourself if you should make time for it. The decision has been made. Plug in meetings with yourself on your calendar. It's an unfortunate truth but blogs don't write themselves!

If you've ever been stumped at your laptop or just stared at your screen because you couldn't figure out what to write about, an editorial calendar may be the perfect solution to help guide you on the path to consistent blogging.

Do you already employ some tricks to make sure you blog regularly? Share em in the comments! 

4 Non-negotiables of a Quarterly Zoom Out

I live for milestones. 

I’ve always loved New Years Day. I’ve been guilty of making “June Resolutions” and finally last year (the year building up to the big 3-0) I started making monthly and quarterly goals. 

I’m a classic ENFP who’s constantly probing within. “Am I doing all I can? Am I being intentional enough? Am I spending time on things that matter? Will I have a lasting impact? Am I living up to my potential?”

It can get a little intense.

One of the most effective ways I’ve come to deal with this non-stop interrogative energy within is to stop everything once every quarter. 

On this day I shut down social media. Grab the books that I’m close to finishing. Open Pages in my MacBook. Pull up my latest list of goals. And just think.

Think. Write. Read. Think some more. Walk around. 

And think.

On this day that comes but four times a year I go back to what my big crazy goals were for the entire year. These are the things that I really want to contribute and achieve but let’s be honest, these things are hard. It’s much easier to get busy with the things that other people are expecting of me: the boss’ deadline, getting dinner on the table, volunteer commitments. 

But these big crazy goals, these bigger dreams involve research, time, figuring out complex ideas that take me a while to mull over. They also involve the possibility of facing rejection. (Yikes.) 

But after I’ve come away from the Quarterly Zoom Out (QZO is a fun acronym) I have greater clarity and a greater vision for the future. I’ve probably even ticked off a few nagging items from my goal list. 

I’m not the only one who vibes with QZO. Greg McKeown author of the New York Times bestseller Essentialism said:

“Sometimes we spend more time planning our vacation than planning our careers. One cure to this is to schedule a quarterly offsite. We can take a few hours every few months to think about the bigger picture questions: ‘If I can only achieve three things over the next three months what should they be?’ and ‘Where do I want to be five years from now?’ When we don’t take time to ask these more strategic questions we become a function of other people’s agendas. We are left to react to the latest email and can become rudderless; blown about by every wind of corporate change.”

To further map out what a QZO includes, here are my top four non-negotiables: 

1. Solitude. I can’t be in a public place where I’m bound to run into people I like and want to catch up with. I need to be somewhere where I can’t be found. 

2. A blank page. Now whether it is literal or digital doesn’t so much matter but I have to have a way to get my thoughts out and work through them. 

3. Time. It takes me a little while to settle into the zone and reflect on what’s been happening, decide what I want to make happen and write what needs to be written. A QZO only works for me if it is more than a four-hour stretch.

4. A break from routine. For me this means that I never have a QZO in my home office. It helps trigger my brain to get creative and approach the day differently than other days. I like to try and never do two QZOs in the same place. Although, I do have a favorite QZO location. 

QZOs are a refreshing opportunity to put daily work on pause and check in with yourself. If you sometimes feel like the urgent gets all of your energy and the important gets very little, consider implementing a QZO. Here's your challenge: implement the “rule of three.” Every 3 months take 3 hours to identify 3 things you want to accomplish over the next 3 months. 

Do you do something like this? Once a month? Once a quarter? I want to hear about what you do to reflect and recenter. 

Welcome to the New Site!

Welcome, welcome, WELCOME to the new and improved hybrid site where HilarySutton.com meets the HSL Creative BLOG! I'm so excited to finally do all my business in one place. I'm so thrilled with my redesign--can we even call it a redesign? It's a new site. 

I'm stoked and here's why:

1. Reinvention. I started the HSL Creative blog and the last iteration of HilarySutton.com in September of 2013. My career has moved massively since then (Spotco, SNHU, Blogging for Business Workshop, Pursuant, just to name a few) and my consulting and freelance work is totally different than when I started in this game. I need my site to reflect what I do best and what I want to put out into the world. Thus, time for a change. 

2. Clarity. Throughout the journey that was my 20s I knew there were things that I liked and things that I did well and I knew I wanted to do something I liked, that used my brain, that made a little dent in the world. I sifted through a lot to get to where I am now and now I know what I do best and what I have to offer the world and my community. This site shows that: consulting, speaking and writing. Boom. Boom. Boom. I no longer list 18 services like I did at one point. That was ridiculous. This is much more clear and simple. 

3. Singularity. I viewed my old website as just a hub for all things Hilary Sutton online. This was good for me and felt authentic but guess what--it wasn't good for my audience. People who came to the website looking for my acting work were surprised and distracted by my writing and social media work. People who came to the site for my writing and social media work maybe wondered if I was really focused on it and passionate about it or if it was just a backup career in case the acting thing didn't pan out. I have two passions and two identities. And now two different sites. Head over to hilarysutton.me to explore my flair for the dramatic.

Becoming who you want to be in the business and creative world starts with conveying who you are (and want to be) accurately online. That's probably the bottom line here. I want to make a difference through social media, writing and creativity. I do that through strategy, coaching, teaching, speaking and writing. And that's what this website is about. That crystal clear purpose is what gets me out of bed in the morning.

Now tell me--what gets you out of bed in the morning? And please jump in with this pleasant new comment system (thanks squarespace!) below. It's so easy and fun. Get into it! 

(And no need for a HilarySutton.com plug here at the bottom of the post anymore because you're already here! #winning) 

5 Lessons I Learned from Viewing 4000 Pieces of Picasso's Art

Me and "Picasso."

Well friends, JC and I returned to the states on Sunday after a little over a week in London and Barcelona. It was an incredible trip that was jam packed with tours, museums and imagining what life was like in the shoes of some pretty influential, awe-inspiring people. Our days in London and Barcelona had us pulling back the curtain on the lives of Winston Churchill, Paul McCartney (and the Beatles), Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, Pablo Picasso and Antoni Gaudí.

Today I want to share with you some of the lessons that stood out to me as I toured the Museu Picasso de Barcelona. The museum has a permanent collection of over 4000 pieces created by Pablo Picasso. The pieces are organized chronologically so we saw how Picasso's style evolved over the years, step by step. The first section was a collection of paintings Picasso created when he was about 14. The first thing I noticed?

1. You don't become a world class artist without starting with an unusual amount of natural talent. 

"Man in Beret" by Picasso, age 14

2. Talent must be cultivated. Picasso started formal artistic training with his father at age 7. He was enrolled at Barcelona's School of Fine Arts at age 13. And he never really stopped learning. In 1900 he moved to Paris, the art capital of Europe. He was influenced by many other artists and continued to grow.

3. Picasso was prolific. Picasso clearly did not just paint when he "felt" like it. While I saw some 4000 of his works at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, the total number of art works he created in his lifetime has been estimated at 50,000: 1,885 paintings; 1,228 sculptures; 2,880 ceramics, roughly 12,000 drawings, many thousands of prints, and tons of tapestries and rugs.

4. Evolution is integral. Picasso's style greatly evolved from the time of classical realistic paintings in his teens to his blue period (in which he only painted in blue shades for three years) to finally arriving at the cubism he is famous for creating. Change can be scary but it's important to grow.

"Science and Charity" by Picasso, age 16

Mother and Child, by Picasso age 23

5."Bad artists copy, good artists steal." -Picasso One of my favorite portions of the collection at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona was a series of 58 paintings Picasso worked on for an entire year in 1957. Picasso went deep analyzing and riffing on the famous painting Las Meninas by Diego Velásquez. Picasso donated the entire collection to the museum--the only complete collection in one place today.

This is what Picasso said about it: "If someone want to copy Las Meninas, entirely in good faith, for example, upon reaching a certain point and if that one was me, I would say..what if you put them a little more to the right or left? I'll try to do it my way, forgetting about Velázquez. The test would surely bring me to modify or change the light because of having changed the position of a character. So, little by little, that would be a detestable Meninas for a traditional painter, but would be my Meninas." -Picasso, 1950

Las Meninas by Velasquez, 1656

Las Meninas, by Picasso age 75

Creativity and contribution may not come from a completely original piece but rather a new take on something older. Maria Popova said it so well: “Creativity is combinatorial: Alive and awake to the world, we amass a collection of cross-disciplinary building blocks — knowledge, memories, bits of information, sparks of inspiration, and other existing ideas — that we then combine and recombine, mostly unconsciously, into something ‘new.’ From this vast and cross-disciplinary mental pool of resources beckons the infrastructure of what we call our ‘own’ ‘original’ ideas.”

I was awash with inspiration walking through the halls of these great museums seeing the work that has far outlasted the lifetimes of the people who brought these great creations to life. I've come back from vacation just a little more determined to leave something useful or inspiring behind one day. They certainly did life on purpose. I want to as well.

Have you ever encountered a performance, piece of art or history that made you want to take action yourself? I'd love to hear about it in the comments. 

Hilary's Social Media Tuesday Tip 002: Your 13-Second Hashtag Tutorial (Plus a Bonus!)

Hey guys! Back again with another Tuesday Tip! Today we're talking about hashtags and reach. If we're creating content for business we certainly want to reach as many people as possible. Are hashtags the way to go? Should you always slap on a hashtag just in case it helps expand your audience? It's important to know how hashtags work on each social platform. Here's a quick run-down of what you need to know.

1. Twitter. Hashtags can be very effective for growing your audience. I would encourage you to really only use them when they're highly appropriate for a certain audience. And more often than not add them on at the end. Because #nothing is more #annoying than a #tweet that looks like #this. #amiright?

2. Instagram. This is the place where you can really feel that hashtag freedom--especially if you put your hashtags in a comment below your caption rather than right in the caption. To each his own but I'm comfortable with seeing a good 9 or 10 hashtags if they are purposeful.

3. Linkedin. Leave your hashtags at home people because they don't do anything for you on this platform!

4. Facebook. This one is tricky guys. Hashtags do work on Facebook but they don't actually expand your reach. Facebook's algorithm actually punishes posts that include hashtags. So avoid, avoid!

And a bonus that didn't fit in my 13-second video:

5. Pinterest. Hashtags are only clickable in a pin description. Don't bother with them on boards or in your profile bio. Words without hashtags are just as searchable as words with hashtags on Pinterest. So unless you're creating a special hashtag just for your brand and you want consistency across Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, it may not be worth bothering.

I hope you've found this brief hashtag tutorial helpful. If you have any other hashtag questions feel free to throw them at me!

5 Lessons I Learned on Writing from William Zinsser

William Zinsser

This week one of my literary heroes, William Zinsser, passed away at age 92. He penned the definitive guide to writing nonfiction: On Writing Well. I first picked up the book in college when it was assigned by a journalism professor. Today I want to share with you five lessons I learned from Zinsser's work along with some of my favorite passages from that book. So much of it has impacted my writing style and influenced who I am as a writer today.

5 Lessons I Learned on Writing from William Zinsser

1. Edit. Edit. Edit. "Look for the clutter in your writing and prune it ruthlessly. Be grateful for everything you can throw away. Reexamine each sentence you put on paper. Is every word doing new work? Can any thought be expressed with more economy? Is anything pompous or pretentious or faddish? Are you hanging on to something useless just because you think it's beautiful? Simplify, simplify."

2. Don't get bogged down by worrying about what the reader will think of you. "If they doze off in the middle of your article because you have been careless about a technical detail, the fault is yours. But on the larger issue of whether the reader likes  you, or likes what you are saying or how you are saying it, or agrees with it, or feels an affinity for yoru sense of humor or your vision of life, don't give him a moment's worry. You are who you are, he is who he is, and either you'll get along or you won't."

3. Talk like a person. "Never say anything in writing that you wouldn't comfortably say in conversation. If you're not a person who says 'indeed' or 'moreover,' or who calls someone an individual ('he's a fine individual'), please don't write it.

4. Read good work. "Make a habit of reading what is being written today and what has been written by earlier masters. Writing is learned by imitation. If anyone asked me how I learned to write, I'd say I learned by reading the men and women who were doing the kind of writing I wanted to do and trying to figure out how they did it."

5. To be great you must be intrinsically motivated. "If you would like to write better than everybody else, you have to want to write better than everybody else. You must take an obsessive pride in the smallest details of your craft. And you must be willing to defend what you've written against the various middlemen--editors, agents and publishers--whose sights may be different from yours, whose standards not as high. Too many writers are browbeaten into settling for less than their best."

If you have an interest in growing as a writer I heartily recommend you read On Writing Well. These are just a few nuggets from a 300-page work. I'm so grateful that Zinsser took the time to write this book and that he will live on through his writing for generations to come.