Writing Success

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Creative Writing Strategies

In my Creative Writing Exercise Workbook I teach several ways to help you accelerate your search for what type of writing you prefer and help you get started.There are 57 exercises which allow you to try different types of writing to see which ones appeal to you. I encourage you to try all of them.

If you would like to find out more about writing which can help you realize your dream to become an author, you can find that information in this material.

You may be surprised when you try a type of writing you had not considered before only to discover you really want to do that type of writing which is called a genre (john-rah).

Communicating through writing will give you a complete understanding of how to use a step by step process to start and sustain your writing.

You can preview the book below.

Featured

Welcome to Writing Success

Learn to Write Easily

Fulfill your dream to become a writer. Decide to get started and begin.

If you have considered writing, you might want to research genres (categories or different types of writing) to see which area you would enjoy. You can write in more than one genre.

For a description of many genres visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_writing_genres?

There are many advantages to learning to write. Publishing is an option, but not required for you to be successful as a writer.

The key is to get started and to have fun.

Amy

We invite you to visit the author page for this exciting new book on Amazon. It is a true story. The book is filled with lots of details about the Trinity. The Father, Jesus, and the Holly Ghost (Holy Spirit). Use this link to go to the author page. Be sure to get a download of the puzzles. The information is on the last page of the book.

Highly Compassionate People-Three Top Habits

Three Habits of Highly Compassionate People

Most folks associate compassionate people as soft or weak.

However, compassionate people have an amazing superpower – they know how to use compassion, not as a weakness but as strength.

Everyday habits of a compassionate person.

1. They do not Take Things Personally

People with this trait have learned not to take things personally.

No focus on how much of a failure they are or how stupid they feel. They merely focus on the problem and do not internalize it as being about themselves. Focus allows them to take the next step.

2. Rebound and Move Forward Quickly

When compassionate people practice self-compassion and compassion for others, they can move forward and do so very quickly.

They do not make things about them the problem, mistake, or situation.

There is less worrying, contemplating, and talking about their problems. The focus is on moving forward and coming up with creative solutions.

3. They Come up with Solutions to Problems

Rather than contemplating, they come up with creative solutions to complex problems. People who have compassion can feel what it is like for someone else to experience pain, almost as if they were the ones experiencing it. This skill offers them a unique vantage point for problem-solving.

A compassionate person can feel into and see others’ pain points. This skill gives them a definite advantage when working to help others solve their problems.

This one quality has many benefits:

In a relationship, compassionate people can empathize with others and are better able to problem-solve.
Skills in business, compassionate people can identify and feel the client’s pain points, communicate with them with empathy, and help clients find and implement creative ideas and solutions.
In Social environments, compassionate people invite others to be vulnerable due to their trustworthy and empathic qualities.
Compassionate people have a superpower in being able to effectively listen to what people are saying and even if they are holding back, as well.

Common Traits of Compassionate People

Compassionate people have an uncanny sense of other people. This skill enables them to feel, see, and hear what others are experiencing. Compassion is an attractive quality. These people can draw near to the people who need their gifts, skills, and talents. This skill allows them to succeed and to excel in business settings and personal relationships as well.

The compassionate personality trait is not one of weakness. It is one of personal strength. Maintaining a balance between compassion and having firm boundaries is a winning combination.

Where in your life can you find ways to be more compassionate to yourself? How can you be more compassionate to others?

Follow the Series

A series of being compassionate stories are published to help those to become better at developing these skills or better at writing and/or creating characters. Incorporate the three habits into your life. See the other parts of the compassion series below.

Compassion Part 1

Explore Part 2

Review Part 3

Compassion Part 4

Why Being Compassionate is So Important

Why Compassion is So Important

Being compassionate is important because we live in a very busy world.

Everywhere you go, you hear about either:

being more

doing more

buying more

With our family members either going to school or working, the new normal is “busy.”

Self-care can fall to the bottom of our list.

Spending time with others is very minimal at best, and worst of all

Compassion becomes a luxury and not a necessity.

Learning The Benefits of Having Compassion

Compassion boosts your health and well-being. There are significant benefits to taking on being compassionate both for yourself and, equally as necessary, for others:

Having Compassion For Yourself

Feel good about yourself.
Exude more confidence.
Have a softer, gentler, kinder demeanor.
Attract more positive people, experiences, and situations in your life.
Health improvement brings more energy and better sleep

Having Compassion For Others

You can contribute to others
You can encourage them they are not doing life alone.
Other people can reap the rewards of feeling understood, related, and is full of hope.
Others who are also kind and compassionate will come near you.

You Are a Role Model

For others about how to treat you and themselves.
On how they can improve their relationships.
You can create a ripple of compassion that positively affects many people.

How Being More Compassionate Changes Your Life

Being compassionate to yourself is a new way of bringing small and significant improvements to areas of your life. When you are compassionate to yourself, you will reap the benefits and the rewards.

Self-Compassion allows you to take care of your needs by being gentle and kind to yourself when you experience falling short.

As humans

we all fall short

we do not reach our goal

the actions of others might impact us negatively

We might make mistakes

Forget things

Lose our cool

Overreact

Understanding that we are human allows us

to be kind

compassionate

ask ourselves what we learned

Being compassionate is a better use of energy.

We can take time to self-soothe.

Self-soothing can have many great benefits.

We can move forward more quickly.

Not get stuck on our mistakes.

We can

learn
grow
keep moving forward

When we show compassion to ourselves, we train others to do the same. If we beat ourselves up, we are permitting others to do the same. When we offer ourselves compassion, we model how we expect others to treat us, as well.

The Impact of Compassion on Your Relationships

We are all interested in making our lives better.

What about the impact compassion has on our relationships?

Taking responsibility for our actions

Navigate many relationships within

families
work
socially

Showing compassion offers us the chance to contribute to someone else’s life. People want to know we understand and that we will be there for them. Loving and supporting others is our encouragement for helping them through the rough times of their life. What could be better than being a contributing factor to changing someone else’s life? Now that is very powerful!

When we give compassion to others, we feel good about ourselves and make a difference to them. We both win.

These are a few reasons why being compassionate is so important.

Review

Here is Part 1

Part 2 to refresh your memory

Check out Part 3

Three Myths About Having Self-Compassion

We hear a lot about having self-compassion these days, but, for most, the concept is foreign to them. Not long ago, the feeling was that life was tough, and that was all we could look forward to having. Men and sometimes women worked day and night. Some women tended to the home and family. People woke and got up in the morning to the rooster crowing sound and then went to sleep when the sun set. They did this repeatedly day in and day out with very little or no time taken for the family or themselves.

Myth One: Self-compassion is only a Fad

Today we are more self-aware than ever. Humanity is more evolved, and we are conscious creators of our lives, intending to make a difference in the lives of others, too. Self-improvement and self-help have gone from being a little experienced luxury to being included in our regular daily routine.

Extensive research being done in the fields of personal development and psychology show the long-term benefits of experiencing self-compassion. When taking on the practice of self-compassion, there are many benefits, but here are the top two:

1) Being compassionate to ourselves helps us feel better, work better, play better.

2) Being compassionate to ourselves in life’s daily moments helps us take the burden off expecting others to do it for us.

Myth Two: Self-compassion is So Selfish

For many people, doing things just for themselves makes them happy, and when that does not include others, it can feel so selfish. When we do something for ourselves, we often bring ourselves joy. Take some time to journal during the day and see how many times you are hard on yourself. When you take on the determination of self-compassion, there can be many benefits:

A positive, optimistic attitude
Less angst, bitterness, or resentment
You are more pleasant to be around
You present a role model to others
A happier, more empathic attitude means
a happier and healthier
body
mind
spirit

We take the burden off of others to always be the ones who need to:

soothe us

nurture us

take care of us

We all have the need of others in our lives when life throws us a curveball.

We all have an overactive inner critic, and when we use the practice of self-compassion to challenge those thoughts, we help ourselves and those around us.

Myth Three: Self-Compassion is only for the Spiritual Folks

Self-compassion is not about being spiritual or religious.

Having self-compassion creates results. Imagine being in a meeting or part of a project, and something goes awry. Taking the time, energy, and most importantly, the focus off of yourself and onto troubleshooting and problem-solving changes the course of the project. Not only does it change the course, but it also can change the outcome.

Asking the inner critic these questions helps improve your life:

Is this helpful?
Is this inner criticism a fact?
Am I a mistake
Did I make a mistake?
Can I learn and grow from this?
How can I use this to rebound quickly?
Can I use this to make a better decision?

As you can see, self-compassion can come from a logical place when we challenge that inner critic.

Look and see where you can, in your life, challenge the inner critic, dispel these myths, and make a difference. Learn about having self-compassion.

You can review Compassion Part 1 and Compassion 2

Compassion and Empathy Are Not Interchangeable

Compassion vs. Empathy: What is the Difference?

Compassion and empathy are not interchangeable.

Compassion means having concern or sympathy for someone else’s suffering and wanting to go alongside them on their journey.

Empathy is defined more by relating to and understanding their feelings.

Compassion

Having compassion means showing sympathy and concern for someone or something.

Compassion is driven by:

Wanting to see a change in that person’s life
Standing with them as they suffer
Suffering along with them
Being there as they go through a difficult time
Being supportive in words, thoughts, and actions.
Giving words of comfort (condolences along with positive words of encouragement)
Being an effective listener.
Sharing with someone they are in your thoughts and prayers is a way of offering encouragement. It shows support during their difficult situation.
Thinking of them
Praying for them
Holding space to listen
Being there for them

Compassion in action

Taking action steps to take care of things while someone is experiencing difficulty in life shows compassion in action.

For example: Picking up a friend’s child from school while she is visiting her husband at the hospital.

Taking care of a home
Cooking a meal
Making phone calls
Helping organize paperwork

Empathy

You understand what they are going through
A relatable experience, you have previously undergone
Feeling what they are going through
Sharing thoughts and emotions with someone else
Understanding how someone else is feeling
Empathy uses emotional intelligence to

Relate to someone else’s feelings

Understand
Feel

How You can be More Compassionate

Start with yourself

When the inner critic tries to take over

Think kinder, gentler thoughts
Act more compassionate toward you
Tell yourself you are worthy of receiving
leave any guilt behind

Once compassion for yourself is an established habit, you can take on sharing that with others.

Fill your compassion cup, and then you can share compassion.

How you can be a More Empathetic person

Listen without judgment
without the desire to respond.
Without thinking a million other thoughts
Relate

Understand

what it might feel like
to have their experience
to be that person

Be Real

show up as raw and vulnerable
let your own guard down

These are the significant differences between compassion and empathy. Learn how to implement more of each throughout the day. Remember compassion and empathy are not interchangeable.

Learn more in part 1

Increase Your Ability to be Compassionate Part 1

You can find many people who are compassionate. How can they could do that? Or how you could become more compassionate? Learn how to increase your ability to be compassionate.

You can learn ways to increase your ability to be compassionate. You can observe ways in others and apply them to your situation.

Compassion is learned with practice. Like learning a new habit, it takes practice until you can see that behavior appear more naturally in your life.

Start with self-compassion. Decide to experience that for your life. It is a good thing to learn a different way for how to treat yourself. Practice a new way to speak about and to yourself.

How to Practice your self-compassion

Talk back to every negative voice in your head
Replace every thought that is negative with a positive one.
Release accomplishing guilt.
Take mini-breaks.
Be your best.
Speak to yourself in new ways
Treat yourself like you would a good friend.
Make up your personal reward system.

Your self-compassion needs to be practiced every day. You can give again only after your cup is full and overflowing. To have self-compassion is not a selfish thing. It is essential and necessary to have so you can give back to others.

Compassion to Others

Take time to notice, and even journal, throughout the day each time someone is compassionate to you.
Join an accountability group to create the new habit of being compassionate to self and others
Take time throughout your busy day and pause – ask yourself where and how I can show compassion in this situation.
Avoid reacting to anyone else’s negative mood, just ask them if they are okay. Chances are their negative mindset is a cry for help, for someone to listen, or for someone to ask!

Compassion as a Habit

Being aware of where, how, and when you can apply compassion to both oneself and others is the perfect way to create compassion as a habit.

Practice self-compassion
Ask where, how, and when you can offer compassion to others
Notice compassion

Take on these practices, and before you know it, compassion will become a natural part of your life.

Continue to learn how to increase your ability to be compassionate.

The Most Successful Plants-Fun Facts Revealed About Dandelions

Here are some fun facts revealed about dandelions-the most successful plants that exist. We have seen them as we walk by yards, open fields and along streets. They do remind us of the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon and the stars. Dandelions are survival masters worldwide.

The Stages of the Dandelion

The sun: the yellow flower when it is open fully

The moon: the white seed pods just before being carried away by the breeze

The stars: the stem and seeds as they float in the breeze look like tiny parachutes and can travel up to five miles away from the main plant.

Coarsely toothed leaves-easily recognized.

This flower opens each morning and each evening closes.

Dandelion Uses

Uses for this flower are food, medicine, and dye for coloring. All parts of the flower, stem and leaves can be used, even the roots. Dandelions start to bloom early in the spring and continue their blooming until late summer.

In early centuries they grew along with other beneficial “weeds” like chickweed, malva, and chamomile. Discouraged in modern day lawns.

The tiny parachute can go as far as five miles plus from the home plant.

Insects, butterflies, and birds consume nectar or eat the seeds of dandelion. Here is a Cabbage White Butterfly on a Dandelion.

Dandelion flowers form seeds without pollination.

Dandelion uses in the production of wine and root beer. Some used roots from the dandelion as a substitute for coffee.

Known in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome and found in the Chinese formulas in traditional medicine for over a thousand years.

Dandelion can treat infections and liver disorders. The tea made of dandelion can act as a diuretic.

The most successful plants that exist

Avoid the dandelions growing back on a shorter stem after you mow them by not mowing.

Dandelions are survival masters worldwide. They are the most successful plants that exist.

Negative facts about dandelions are that every year countries spend millions on lawn pesticides.

Hope you have enjoyed some fun facts revealed about dandelions-the most successful plants that exist. Add determination to your writing.

The Mystery about Being in Love

How to find a perfect story plot? Write about the mystery about being in love.

All about Being in Love

Use this outline as the way to set up your romance story plot. It is fun and a fast way to cove the points and phases needed to give your story extra punch.

How will I know if I’ve ever experienced love? Many people argue that although being in love with someone is non-tangible, there is absolutely no doubt in their mind of it existing. If you are questioning at all whether or not you are or might be in love, then you are most certainly not.

While there is no doubt of the existence of being in love, even for a second (I am still one of those sad individuals yet to experience it), I am somewhat perplexed over our perception of what constitutes humanity’s most sought-after experience.

Decision time

For me, the decision to fall in love with someone is based on the successful matching of one’s predetermined criteria or preferences.

Phase one

I refer to the very first phase as the preliminary stage of any partner selection fondly as the ‘terminator glasses’ phase since the process filters through a potential mate’s attributes and matches them off against my unique preferences.

On New Year’s Eve just passed, I met friends at a party to celebrate. While waiting at the door with my friend, I saw HIM for the very first time. I did a quick terminator scan:

Terminator Scan

Height: Around 6 feet. That’s a MATCH.
Build: Not too skinny, not too buff, not too fat. That’s a MATCH.
Hair: Dark brown. Not over the top. That’s a MATCH.
Complexion: Dark olive. That’s a MATCH.
Lips: Plump. That’s a MATCH.
Smile: Oh my God. That’s a MATCH.
Eyes: Brown, Big, expressive, with long thick lashes. That’s a MATCH!
Stance: Gentle, not cocky. That’s a MATCH.
Nationality: Probably Brazilian. That’s a MATCH.

Terminator glasses

With my terminator glasses still in place, the confirmed Brazilian was permitted to move onto the second part of phase one: interaction. The initial meeting is often the fatal part of any potential relationship. Each sentence uttered, every look given, and every movement put through the terminator glasses filter.

Any miss-match can lead to a premature relationship death. In this part, little is forgiven, mostly if one’s program is set at ‘long term mate’. But it is my favorite part of the process because it is often the most fun. I see it as playing a game we both know we’re playing but refuse to acknowledge as existing. Write about the mystery about being in love from this perspective.

One can withdraw from the game any time with no repercussion (that is, when both parties are working under and following the same list of rules.) When this is not the real case, there may be a few unwanted phone numbers, with a few very awkward conversations. Depending on how weak you are ? unwanted dates followed by a few unwanted kisses.

Phase two

Phase two, ‘the rose-colored glasses’ phase, is risky and not often approached with caution by either person. Looking at the impact of stage one, bombs warning’ relationship doom’ could be dropped right in front of one’s eyes, yet getting let go unnoticed. Everything usually appears and is, invariably, totally workable.

Phase two is more exciting than the terminator phase, albeit being laced with the fear of it all ending. The premature ‘I love you’ could escape one’s mouth, falling to the ground. The stakes are relatively high but could also pay off and continue you on to phase three. Or maybe not.

Phase three

Declaring the title of phase three can be challenging. The truth is, I’m not sure what to call it because I find I’m often on the way to the green exit sign above the fire escape before they can say ‘marry me.’ Continue to write about the mystery about being in love.- using this angle.

My experience with phase three is that I usually recognize Mr. Perfect as a human. I typically resist accepting him the way he is and often try to point out where he might be or is lacking (he is usually not so open to my constructive criticism.) Of course, it does not lead him to change his ways but firmly ground himself in them (and resent me in the process).

Swap love and commitment with fear and dependence.
Some stay to the bitter end.
Many head straight for the green exit light.

People claim at this point that they have fallen ?out of love.’ My argument is that they were never in love in the first? place. One of my favorite movies, ‘Moulin Rouge,’ melodically states,

“The greatest thing you will ever learn in your life is just to love, and be loved in return.” ~ Moulin Rouge

I believe this is what we think being in love is all about. Yet being loved in return implies that there is a condition to your giving love. So romantic love is conditional love. If romantic love only goes one-way, it is termed unrequited love or even ‘desperate.’

True love could only be unconditional. And inside of that, true love can only mean 100% acceptance of the subject, just the way they are and just the way they’re not. What if love, real love, is just loving?

Apply these steps “Write about the mystery about being in love” to your character plot and come up with a good romance.

What Is The Leonardo Trait of Creativity In Action

In the book “Leonardo Da Vinci” by Walter Isaacson, the author says that “Da Vinci’s era wasn’t interested in creativity, but he was able to do things no one else could do.” What did Leonardo Da Vinci know that others didn’t? What is the Leonardo trait of creativity in action?

It wasn’t knowledge about science or history or how to take advantage of people. It’s something he had a knack for doing.

Many people don’t know what being creative means and hesitate to call themselves creative. They know that the “creative” paints and draws or about the creative who writes and composes music. They might say they’re not creative because they can’t paint or draw. Or play an instrument.

But when you read the definition of creativity, it refers to using one’s imagination to create different outcomes or new solutions to problems. Creativity is about stepping outside of your comfort zone and not being afraid to express yourself in unusual ways.

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”– Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle.

Those who consider themselves to be in the creative field are equally creative. After all, if you can dream it, you can do it.

No matter what kind of work you’re in

you can use your imagination to create new outcomes for improving your job, customers’ or clients’ satisfaction
or just plain having more fun.

I have two speeds. One is to stop. One is to go.

I can’t work on one project. I have to have more.

Of the twelve projects I have open, I?ll slowly get them finished.

I don?t know which order it will be in, so I have to work on all twelve until I figure it out.

I can’t settle on one thing I want to do. Right now, I’m learning more about marketing, setting up membership sites, and learning how to do my illustrations for my characters while writing a book.

In that era there was no interest in creativity, but he was able to do things no one else could do. What is the Leonardo trait of creativity in action?

I like to think that if Leonardo Da Vinci were alive today, people would be calling him “weird.” They would be encouraging him to “finish what you start” and?my favorite?referring to him as “jack of all trades and master of none.” Then I like to think of those people suddenly realizing who they?ve been criticizing.

You know? Wouldn?t that be fun?

Well, of course, it’s not going to happen, but what can happen is that you and I can recognize the Leonardo Trait in ourselves and each other and let up on ourselves. No other person is going to do it for us.

Give yourself a break, Leonardo.

Focus on Your Breathing Unleashing the Peace Within-Part 2

Focus on Your Breathing

Now that we have the elements needed to meditate, time for you to try these techniques. If you sit in a chair, spread your leg apart a little and place your hands on your knees open palms up. Begin by starting to focus on your breathing.

The next step towards peace is to close your eyes and breathe in deeply and then slowly exhale the air. You need to repeat this process consistently, but you are doing a few important things while doing this. When first starting to meditate, you might find that as you relax, the things that bothered you during the day will begin to resurface and come to the forefront of your mind. Stop this during your meditation period to reduce stress. Say to your mind, I?ll take care of that later. While you are breathing, clear your mind chatter.

While breathing in slowly, concentrate in your mind’s eye on the number one and focus on the number as you exhale. When taking your next breath, change to a number two. Focus on the number two as you exhale. Each inhale, focus on the next number. If your focus gets away from you and you ?start thinking about making dinner or what you will do tomorrow, restart from number one. After a while, you will find that using this process will help you maintain that focus and bring out that inner peace more quickly.

If you are having difficulty sleeping, using the counting process and breathing helps a lot. Once again, it takes time to master the technique, but the more you practice, the better you will get.

Clearing Your Mind

The next step is to clear your mind. Clearing your mind can take a little bit of work and take a while to conquer. You will experience inner peace when you do achieve it. To clear your mind, you will not think of anything. The key is to focus on the space around you without thinking about it.

When you do this, a sense of peace will come over you. You will find that the endorphins in your body will give you a tingling feeling throughout the body, and you will be extremely calm. As time goes on, you will find that you can turn the tingling on at your own will, but that comes with practice.

Feel the Rush of Peace

While it can take a lifetime to achieve peace, when you let go of your surroundings, you are at peace. It feels like a whole new world when you are not being stressed. You can get to that place quickly anytime by moving your focus to your breathing.

When you feel that your time for meditation is over, slowly allow your mind to start to think. You will find that it is a lot easier than you think. Then slowly open your eyes and become more aware of your surroundings. Give yourself a good five minutes before you rush to get up, but when you do, you will feel more of a sense of peace and calm around your body, mind, and soul.

For part 1 read here.