Writing | BAReed Writing, Business Writing

Understanding Your Muse

Writers can be born or created with great effort, it is determination that ultimately decides.

“There was a moment when I realised that great writing requires both clarity and imaginative embellishment in equal measure.”

~Greg Barron

Awareness, practice, and understanding plus dedicated time also play a part.

Limiting Fear of Failure

Of course we don’t want to put time and effort into something only to see it fall apart, but what do we save if we don’t make the attempt?

“When we can begin to take our failures nonseriously, it means we are ceasing to be afraid of them. It is of immense importance to learn to laugh at ourselves.”

~ Katherine Mansfield

We fail, we laugh, we learn and make a new and better attempt.

The Angle that We See

Business Writing, Writing August 16, 2013 Leave a comment

Writers get perspective. Perspective is most important.

“I spoke to all our heroes, and this they said to me
Don’t define us by our power, just the angle that you see
For each of us is a human so normal, behind our collective super face
And you don’t see who we are,
For the course that is par,
Of our feeling’s there’s never a trace”

The Writing Corp – Super Human

Alter or widen your perspective and change the whole story…

Get Out of Your Own Way

Business Writing, Writing August 14, 2013 Leave a comment

In responding to a fellow blogger, I wrote this below:

“So much of success depends upon our ability to disarm our unhelpful notions about life.”

~Me (Beth Anne Reed), responding to another blogger

Then I realized that this is a good point to consider in so many of the efforts that we undertake. ‘I want to do XYZ, but not the parts that I don’t like’ or some other thought or action often undermines our own goal.

The Cycle of Self-Creation

Business Writing, Writing August 12, 2013 Leave a comment

We need to have experiences in order to write. We need to process those experiences to be able to express them appropriately.

“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.”

~ Henri Bergson

Life gives us endless opportunities to renew this cycle.

Cultivating Courage

Business Writing, Writing August 9, 2013 Leave a comment

Staying within the lines of the familiar, our comfort zone is so seductive.

“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.”

~ Richard Lindquist

Make the draw of your dreams more powerful by cultivating your courage – surround yourself with things and people who encourage you to test the boundaries of your capabilities.

Planning Ahead or Just Worrying Ahead?

Business Writing, Writing August 7, 2013 Leave a comment

Someone, possibly our mothers, probably told us not to buy trouble by worrying about what might be.

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, but only saps today of its strength.”

~A.J. Cronin

We can focus on our strengths today, to do our best to be ready for tomorrow.

Define Yourself as an Artist

Business Writing, Writing August 5, 2013 Leave a comment

For some reason we fear defining ourselves as creative.

“An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity and boldness to challenge the status quo. And an artist takes it (all of it, the work, the process, the feedback from those we seek to connect with) personally.”

~ Seth Godin

Creativity is broader, deeper and more accessible than we seem to initially think. And adds just that extra something to a life.

Something to Think about with that Next Offer of Advice

Business Writing, Writing August 2, 2013 Leave a comment

You are talking about your plans, your hopes and the other person takes a breath and starts with, ‘what you ought to do is …’.

“As time passes we all get better at blazing a trail through the thicket of advice.”

~ Margot Bennett

Of course we can still listen politely and nod, ending with thank you.

Getting Back on Track

Business Writing, Writing July 31, 2013 Leave a comment

We write ourselves into a corner, our thinking goes off course and then what?

“If things go wrong, don’t go with them.”

~Roger Babson

We should spend a moment or two pondering whether the content that just came up has some validity, for now or later, and then start back at the point where we went wrong and get busy.