Category Archives: Blogging

Who Else Wants to Travel the World for Cheap?

Blogging, Creativity, Goals, Inspirations, Life, , ,

My wife had always wanted to visit Switzerland.

When her elementary school teacher asked her to do a research project, Switzerland was her subject. She was a fan of the book Heidi, which was set in the Swiss Alps. When she visited Lake Placid, New York, she loved to wander the aisles of a store that was all about Switzerland. She even has a fondness for fondue.

Problem is, Switzerland is a long way away from us in Michigan, right?

Hiking in the Swiss Alps near the Matterhorn.
Hiking in the Swiss Alps near the Matterhorn.

It turns out, it’s not so very far, after all.

The best part is our flights were very inexpensive (about $200 total), and so were our accommodations (about $600 for eight nights).

How did we do it? Following are the six steps we used to take this trip. You can use the same steps to go virtually anywhere in the world for cheap.

1. Start with a destination in mind.

This is an important step. Decide where you want to go. What’s your dream spot? This one was easy for us since my wife has always wanted to go to Switzerland.

2. Research the best airline for getting there.

This doesn’t take long at all with sites like Travelocity, Orbitz, or my personal favorite, Kayak.

3. Research the big-chain hotels in the country and other cheap ways to stay.

Big chains like Hilton, Marriott, Club Carlson, and IHG have hotels all over the world. Also research hostel, AirBnB, couchsurfing, and house swap options.

4. Develop a strategy for accruing the points you need for your flights and lodging.

If you travel at all, you can funnel your resources through the brands that will help you get to the destination of your dreams. But by far the quickest way to accrue points is with credit card bonuses.

Did I lose you?

Hang with me for a minute. I’m guessing I’m a lot like you. When I first heard from people like Chis Guillebeau and Brian Kelly that the best way to load up on massive amounts of points was from credit cards, I was tempted to tune out. But I’m so glad I didn’t.

One reason I was hesitant is because I assumed if I applied for a credit card, my credit rating would go down. I now can tell you from experience this simply isn’t true. As long as you don’t pick up a new credit card every month and as long as you pay off your credit cards right away, your score is more likely to go up.

A second reason I was hesitant is because I thought I’d be slammed with annual fees. In the vast majority of cases the first year’s annual fee is waived. When you see the annual fee a year later, assuming you keep the card that long, you can call the company and ask them to waive the fee again. If they don’t, you can cancel the card to avoid paying the fee.

That means you can get tens of thousands of points for both flights and hotels for free.

5. Access resources to be up on opportunities to bank serious points.

I’ll point to just a few resources to get you started.

– The first is Guillebeau’s credit card site: http://cardsfortravel.com/best-credit-cards/

– The second is Brian Kelly’s blog http://thepointsguy.com/

– Lastly, if you want to learn all the ins and outs of what some people call “travel hacking,” which is essentially the practice of accruing lots of miles/points to travel for cheap, check out the cleverly named Travel Hacking Cartel (AL). You can subscribe at the top level for 14 days for $1, then back off to the lowest level for $15/month, and it’s easy to stop your subscription. I highly recommend trying this for at least a couple months to see if it’s a good fit for you. At the very least you’ll learn a ton about hidden ways to load up on miles/points. The company guarantees four free plane tickets a year.

6. Go on the trip of your dreams.

The points are worth nothing unless you use them. Go and have fun!

So, I’m curious. If you could visit any place on earth (you can!), where would you go?

Tweetables

Who else wants to travel the world for cheap? This post will help you do just that! <Tweet this!>

Blogger @ChadRAllen took his wife to Switzerland for cheap. He tells you how here. <Tweet this!>

One Simple Secret for Success as a Writer

Blogging, Creativity, Life, Platform, Publishing, Work Habits, Writing, , ,

Sometimes it feels like nobody’s listening,” my writer friend groaned.

Can you relate? Have you ever poured your heart and soul into an article or proposal only to hear the cruel sound of silence? It’s frustrating.

So we just keep slogging away, right?

Well, yes, but there is a way of thinking about your writing that just might make all the difference in the world.

Courtesy of Unsplash

To illustrate, let me tell you about my inventor friends Al and Andy.

Al and Andy invented a device they call the “Nothin’ But Net Free Throw Trainer.” The purpose of this invention is to help basketball players become better free throw shooters, and it works. Nationally known coaches now use the device.

The product is simple. It’s a four-inch piece of yellow plastic that stands vertically on the front of a basketball hoop.

It’s the principle behind the device that’s so remarkable.

The idea is to focus on this little piece of plastic rather than making the shot. The Free Throw Trainer teaches the shooter to focus on the process of making the shot instead of the outcome.

Focusing on the process helps the shooter relax. Suddenly it’s not about adding points to the scoreboard. It’s about hitting that little piece of plastic.

Writers: it’s not about watching copies fly off the shelves or filling seats at a reading. It’s about filling your own seat.

[Tweet “One Simple Secret for Success as a Writer #askeditor #amwriting”]

The best writers focus on the process of writing rather than on the audience they hope to have.

Relax and keep hitting that yellow piece of plastic. If you keep doing that, the outcome will take care of itself.

What does the process actually look like? 

What’s the writing equivalent to the Free Throw Trainer? You know the fundamentals already: writing and reading. To become great writers, we have to spend significant time doing both. But to be honest, from there it varies.

The particulars of your process are less important than thinking about and deciding on a process that makes sense to you. Stick to it for a period of time and see how it goes, then reevaluate and make tweaks.

Do your best to fall in love with your process.

I don’t mean you’re always going to enjoy what you’re doing. It’s hard work. But if you trust that your writing is improving as you engage the process, you can push through. If you can keep doing that over time, you will build an audience.

Process over outcome. It’s not easy, but you can do it. And we need you to do it.

What’s your writing process? 

I designed a worksheet to help you get intentional about your writing process. It’s a fillable PDF so you can fill it out and print or save it for your reference. It’s completely free. To download your copy and begin customizing your writing process, click here.

[reminder]What did you find most helpful in this article?[/reminder]

Your First Step to Success

Blogging, Book Proposal, Goals, Life, Publishing, Work Habits, Writing, ,

Recently my six-year-old son won a slinky from Chuck E. Cheese.

It wasn’t long before we tried to do what they do in the commercials. That’s right—we headed for the top of the stairs.

photo credit: thomselomsen via photopin cc
photo credit: thomselomsen via photopin cc

We tried. And tried.

At best the slinky walked down a step or two, then died. Dead slinky. “Dang,” I thought, “Maybe this is something they do with CGI. Maybe it can’t happen in real life.”

But my son was determined.

Then it happened.

He grabbed the top ring of the slinky, slammed it down to the next step, and off it went. Live slinky!

Fifteen steps all by itself. I’m not kidding.

Now, hit the slow-motion button. My son and I are ecstatic. Eyes the size of pizzas, cheering, wild smiles. Utter elation. My son jumped. Now hit pause. See him? His hair is straight up. Mouth open. Hands in the air. Legs all over the place. Got that image?

That’s you too.

If you keep trying the first step.

My First Step

My first step is blogging every week. In a few weeks I will have kept it up a full year.

What’s the dream I want to realize? Eventually I would love to offer products and services via this blog that provide additional income.

It’s a long haul. I’m in touch with people who have experienced real success, and it’s easy to get discouraged. I compare what I’m doing to what they’re doing, and honestly I get depressed.

Then the alarm rings at 4:30AM, and I think, “Do I really want to do this? Again?” Happened this morning, in fact.

But something keeps drawing me here. I realize more than ever that I am called to this work. I can’t not do it. I may write shoddy stuff or otherwise screw up a million different ways, but I have to do this.

Blogosphere, you’re stuck with me.

What Is Your First Step?

What is the first step you need to keep trying?

Writing a weekly or daily blog post?

Asking some friends for advice?

Applying to that program?

Going to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?

Writing a chapter a month?

Connecting with so-and-so?

Buying a URL?

Writing a guest post?

Offering your speaking services?

Writing a book proposal?

Go ahead, share it. My first step is ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________ (comment below to fill in the blank)

This post is adapted from my book, DO YOUR ART: A Manifesto on Rejecting Apathy to Bring Your Best to the World. Pick up a free copy by subscribing to this blog below or in the sidebar.

~~~Tweetables~~~

What’s your first step to success? @ChadRAllen will help you figure it out… <Tweet this!>

Want to learn something profound from a 6-yr-old and his slinky? Check it out…<Tweet this!>

What do you and a Chuck E. Cheese slinky have in common? Thought you’d never ask…<Tweet this!>

Interview with Literary Agent Esther Fedorkevich, a Living Legend

Blogging, Book Proposal, Goals, Interviews, Living Legends, Platform, Publishing, Work Habits, Writing, ,

Esther FedorkevichI couldn’t be happier to be interviewing literary agent Esther Fedorkevich of The Fedd Agency. Esther is a first-generation American, the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants born in Argentina and China — and she has that indefatigable immigrant spirit in spades. After breaking records selling Bible studies for Lifeway and then working for The Lampo Group, she learned from one of the best, Dave Ramsey, and set her sights on starting her own agency. That was ten years ago. Today The Fedd Agency is a bustling firm serving some of the top authors in the CBA industry.

Esther is also the only agent I know who started a writers conference, Re:Write, which started last year in San Diego. Re:Write is an intimate conference with some of the best voices around. Definitely a highlight of my travel last year. This year Re:Write is in Esther’s hometown of Austin, taking place October 18-20, and it promises to be a powerful resource for writers, published or not. This year I look forward to speaking there!

As announced last week, The Fedd Agency and I have teamed up to offer $120 off the regular registration price. To take advantage of this offer, register via http://rewriteconference.com/ and when prompted enter promo code ALLEN2013. This offer has been extended to July 15, 2013.

Let’s get to the interview! I think you’ll enjoy hearing from Esther. And I’m very happy to ask her some of the questions that readers of this blog sent in.

Esther, tell us about The Fedd Agency. What types of books do you represent?

We represent all types of books, both fiction and non-fiction. The one common thread is that we always represent books that offer people hope and encouragement.

Would you describe how you view your role as an agent?

It’s more than just getting my clients a book deal. I work with my clients through the entire process and I love building and planning for a successful future in publishing. My greatest strength as an agent is really helping sell my author’s heart and passion and finding them champions with a publishing partner. I have this quote in my office from Mark Batterson: “WORK LIKE IT DEPENDS ON YOU and PRAY LIKE IT DEPENDS ON GOD.” I do that every day with my authors. My team and I, along with my authors, work 110 percent and then we pray like crazy. It’s a really great way to live your life, and I’m learning it is a great way to do business as well!

What are you looking for and what are you sick of seeing?

I am open to seeing everything, but I’m always looking for incredible stories – stories with impact, originality, and a new point of view. I really love working with authors that are great writers, which is something you cannot fake. As for what I’m sick of seeing, only one thing: really bad proposals. Please don’t send me a proposal that’s incomplete and not well thought out!

Pretend you’re an aspiring writer who knows her field but does not have contacts in the publishing industry. How would you pursue representation from a literary agent?

That’s a tough one, because it really depends on the size of your platform. If you are a first-time author who has no contacts in publishing, the best advice I can give you is to network, even (and especially) if it’s outside of your comfort zone. Meet people, talk to others, share your story, go to conferences like Re:Write, and connect with others that are trying to do the same thing you are doing. Networking is invaluable in the publishing industry; I can’t stress that enough.

Beyond that, there are always ways to get in front of an agent. You just need to make sure you’re prepared and that you really believe you have something unique. I once had an author be so intentional that she went out of her way to make contact with one of the pastors I represent in her city. She convinced the pastor to read her book and then asked him to introduce her to me. I thought that was really a smart way to go about it. That pastor called me and said, “Esther, I read this proposal and met with this new author and I really feel like it’s something you should look at.” I take those kinds of referrals seriously, because it’s all about relationships. It turns out the pastor was right. I ended up signing that author, who is now working on her third book. Pretty cool, eh?

What do you love about the work you do as an agent? What do you hate? 

I love talking to people. I’m on the phone 24-7. I’m BIG on relationships and I still believe you need to pick up the phone and talk with someone. I don’t hate any one thing about my job, but I’d say the most frustrating thing about my job is waiting on publishers. (Sorry Chad, but it’s true!)

A reader asked the following question: It can take as much time and energy to find an agent as it does to get the attention of a publisher directly. How should an aspiring writer discern whether to pursue an agent’s representation? 

I think you will know when you’re ready. Yes, it’s sometimes really tough to get an agent and, more importantly, to find the right one. If you have a good platform, have a solid proposal, and are ready to talk to an agent, I suggest researching agents that you think would be a good fit for you. Go to their websites and find out what types of projects they represent. It’s important you find someone who believes in you — someone you think will represent you well.

I had a first-time author that I passed on because they just didn’t have a big enough platform. I loved his idea, but gave him the advice to keep working on his platform, and to consider self-publishing an e-book and then get back to me in six months with his growth numbers. Well, six months later he showed me his e-book (which sold ten thousand copies!) and his blog numbers (50 percent growth!). So I signed him. It was clear the work ethic was there, that he really had “the want to.” If I was going to invest all of my time and energy into his project, I wanted to see that he was ready to be “all in,” and I was thrilled to see he was.

The industry and the marketplace have changed a lot over the years. What do you see as the most significant changes?

Social media has changed the way we can communicate with people. Use it to connect with your audience. Also, the obvious thing now more than ever, is that there are so many opportunities to self-publish your book. It’s amazing! Now is the time to be an author, and the power to do that is in your hands. It’s so exciting!

What do you think makes for the strongest author-publisher relationships?

Well, Chad, I will share a personal story of ours. It’s interesting; for years you have been a big fan of Mark Batterson, an author I represent. Every year, you make the effort to call and ask to meet with Mark, to grab a cup of coffee with him or just say hi. You always let him know how much you would love to publish him and how much you believe in his writing. You didn’t give up! I think we’ve been talking for four years about Mark. And it was because of your persistence and belief in him that when it was time to find a publisher, it was an easy choice. You invested in him. You showed him that you were going to be a great partner for him. That investment and belief make for the strongest author-publisher relationships. How did that story end? Mark signed with Baker and couldn’t be happier!

Why should writers come to your Re:Write Conference? What’s unique about it?

Re:Write was created with the author in mind. It’s not a flashy conference. It’s not big. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of those arena conferences you may have attended. But that was all intentional. We created Re:Write as an intimate gathering for authors to connect, network, and learn from successful authors who once struggled just like the rest of us – and often still do. Re:Write creates a space where authors can be real, honest, and vulnerable. They learn from one another, from writers who’ve “made it,” and from top publishing industry members who are happy to share their wisdom with authors they may just represent one day.

If you’re serious about your writing, attend Re:Write. If you’re struggling with whether to self-publish or traditionally publish, attend Re:Write. If you need help fully grasping the power and reach of social media and blogging, attend Re:Write. If you need encouragement and direction in your publishing journey, attend Re:Write. It’s an investment. But it’s one that will pay off. I guarantee it, and I hope to see each of you there this October!

If you had only one piece of advice for a writer who is just getting started, what would it be?

Never give up! If you are called to write and want to make a career with your writing, keep going. Don’t get discouraged. Whenever I start working with an author I always tell them: No one has ever gotten more rejections than me. I get rejected every day by publishers. My job is to keep going and find that one publisher who is the right fit for my client. I can’t give up or I will be out of business. And I don’t want my authors to give up either. When the time is right, it’s just right!

~~~~

Do you have questions for Esther? She’ll be checking in regularly to interact with you. 

Has this interview been helpful or illuminating to you in some way? If so I hope you’ll help me share it with others.

Literary agent Esther Fedorkevich talks about how to get published over here… <Tweet this!>

Listen in on a conversation between literary agent Esther Fedorkevich and editor @chadrallen… <Tweet this!>

Want to know how to secure representation with a literary agent? Listen to agent Esther Fedorkevich…<Tweet this!>

[callout]Bonus Content: The best way to start a nonfiction book project is by writing a book proposal. I’d love to give you a free copy of my Book Proposal Guidelines, used by countless authors to write their book proposals. [button href=”https://www.chadrallen.com/getbookproposalguidelines” primary=”true” centered=”true” newwindow=”false”]Download[/button][/callout]

 

 

 

Give Me Five Minutes—And I’ll Help You Become a Twitter Genius

Blogging, Platform, Publishing, Writing,
photo credit: wildphotons via photopin cc
photo credit: wildphotons via photopin cc

Whether you’re an author, speaker, employee, or blogger, Twitter is important. We know that. We’ve seen a single Tweet (from the right person) rocket an Amazon ranking. We’ve seen the retweet effect. We’ve seen large corporations like American Airlines respond dramatically to a viral tweet.

But it’s a strange medium, and we don’t want to appear amateurish. We’re afraid our tweets appear like so many dweebs on the Twitter playground. We’re self-conscious about our number of followers.

But anyone who has been an active Twitter user for a while will tell you: this is definitely a case of learning by doing. In other words, forget those self-conscious voices and dive in. This post is intended to help you do just that.

Following are eleven tips to help you become a Twitter genius. Enjoy!

1. Don’t limit yourself to one type of tweet.

Use a variety: quotes, retweets of others, interesting videos, insightful articles, promotions, questions, personal shout outs, pictures, the list goes on.

2. Preschedule your tweets.

Use BufferApp to preshedule your tweets. It’s easy! And if you use Chrome, add the BufferApp extension to your browser. Then all you have to do when you’re on a page you want to share is hit the button. BufferApp creates the tweet for you. (If you use this link to sign up, we’ll both increase our tweet capacity.)

3. When you really want the word to get out there, don’t be afraid to ask people to retweet.

The results of a simple request like “Please retweet” may surprise you.

4. Provide already composed tweets.

In your blog posts use clicktotweet.com to provide links that lead to already composed tweets. See the bottom of this post for examples.

5. Use hashtags.

Think of hashtags (examples: #write, #inspiration, #askeditor) as key words that link your tweet to others on the same topic. It’s a way to add your comment to a conversation that is already occurring.

6. Read and interact with others.

Remember that Twitter is a two-way conversation. As you add tweets to your queue or post tweets, take a minute to read some other tweets. Find one you think is interesting, and either reply or retweet it.

7. Make it easy for people to follow you.

If you have a blog or website, make sure your Twitter icon is easy to spot. On WordPress, search for a Plugin called “Social Media Icons.” It creates a widget you can drop into your sidebar. Super easy. See mine below my picture on the right there. Oh, and feel free to follow me!

8. Make sure your tweets are easily retweetable.

We all know that tweets can be 140 characters, but how many characters remain after “RT @yourusername.” Limit your tweets to this character count.

9. Spend some time on your bio.

When a potential follower is thinking about following you, often the first place she will go is your bio. Shoot for interesting and concise, even witty. Stay away from comprehensive.

10. Use a good headshot.

We all like to see who we’re following.

11. Pick a theme that reflects your tastes.

Go to “Settings,” select “Design.” Twitter provides several premade themes or the option to visit a site called Themeleon where you can browse and try out a bunch more. It’s fun!

How about you? What have you tried via Twitter that has worked well? Or, which of the above ideas do you plan to try?

~~~~

If you found this post helpful would you help me share it?

“Give Me Five Minutes—And I’ll Help You Become a Twitter Genius” <Tweet this!>

If you’re afraid your tweets look like so many dweebs on the Twitter playground, read this… <Tweet this!>

“Don’t limit yourself to one type of tweet” and other genius Twitter tips <Tweet this!>

 

 

Who Else Wants to Design Their Own Blog Header?

Blogging, Creativity, Publishing, , , , , , , , , , ,
medium_4523949373
photo credit: Genna G via photopin cc

We bloggers often pour a significant amount of time and energy into creating content. So of course we want that content to be presented in a visually appealing way. Any decent chef will tell you, presentation matters.

The problem is unless you’re a tech geek or a graphic artist, or have enough money to burn on such a person, you can feel trapped inside the templates WordPress or Blogger give you. You end up settling for a header that doesn’t really reflect you or your content.

The purpose of this post is to present one way to address this problem. Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on my blog header, scouring the Web for some non-tech ways to address this problem. Earlier this week I figured out a way to design a header with which, for now at least, I’m really pleased. It reflects who I am and what I want my blog to be about.

I thought I’d share what worked for me. I realize not all readers of this blog are bloggers, but enough are that I hope this is worthwhile.

Here are the steps I used to design my own blog header.

1. First, give yourself some time.

When I decided I wanted to upgrade the look of my blog, I thought I could just jump on the Web, find a solution, and be done with it. I realized quickly, and frustratingly, that it was going to take a bit more time. So go into it with that expectation. You can do this, but it’s probably going to take more than a few minutes. Think of it as character development. Or something.

2. Give some thought to the look you want.

What’s you? What mood do you want your header to create? What message do you want it to send? What images are emblematic of your blog’s purpose? What fonts resonate with you? It is important not to rush past this step. If you start browsing images or fonts without at least some idea of what you’re after, you’re not likely to be pleased with the result.

3. Watch this video tutorial on finding images for your blog with Photo Pin, and select an image or two for your header.

Amy Lynn Andrews of Blogging with Amy is a big-hearted lady who figures out the tough stuff and then shares it with the world. Love her blog! In this post you’ll learn how to use Photo Pin to search for images, find out about their licensing, and give proper attribution. Select an image or two for your header. Download them and save the attribution information.

4. Read this post on using PicMonkey to create your header.

I had never come across The Capital Carley before this, but this post is genius because it shows non-tech people like me how to design and customize a header. Read the post carefully, and follow the steps.

5. Include attribution information in your footer.

No one told me the footer is the place to include attribution information related to images in my header, but it just makes sense, right? Check out your WordPress widgets for a way to add text to your footer.

That’s it! Give it a try, and please share your experience in the comments here. If you have trouble along the way, drop a question in the comments, and I’ll do my best to help. In this way we’ll be helping others as they create their headers.  

Do you have other tips or tricks for creating a great header?

Goings-On, Write On, and So On

Blogging, Inspirations, Life, Publishing, Work Habits, Writing, , ,

I wanted to bring you up to speed on a few things and then just for fun share some videos that have caught my attention lately.

Goings-On

In terms of goings-on, here and there I’ll be cutting back to one post a week so I have time to work on some ebook projects and guest posts.

Write On

My hope is to release a free ebook manifesto in the coming months. I’m really excited about how it’s coming together. Keep an eye out!

I haven’t forgotten about all the input I received in response to my post “Which Book Should I Write?” I will keep working on this and hopefully publish it later this year. If you have any other ideas, drop me a line anytime.

I’ll be sure to let you know about guest posts and where they appear.

And So On!

And now for some videos!

Sir Ken Robinson is brilliant on the current state of education, and this is an entertaining way to hear some of what he has to say. Fascinating stuff.

Dr. Brene Brown is a storyteller and researcher who does a lot of work on shame. It’s beautiful stuff. Here’s part of an interview she did with Oprah.

And did you catch this? Billy Joel was playing some tunes and taking some questions at Vanderbilt University last month. One of the students had the guts to ask Joel if he could accompany him, and the results were awesome.

My Top Piece of Advice on How to Write Really Good Stuff

Blogging, Book Proposal, Publishing, Writing

At writers conferences I often receive questions like these:

 

  • Will publishers be interested in my book if it’s already been self-published? (Answer: Yes, as long as the self-published version sold well.)
  • I need to be published to get an agent; I need an agent to get published. What gives? (Answer: Do something to get an agent’s attention. For example, start a blog and build a readership.)
  • How do I write a book proposal? (Answer: read my series of posts on just this topic!)

But here’s a question I wish I received more often:

  • What’s your top piece of advice on writing excellent nonfiction?

The reason that’s a good question is because writing really good nonfiction is not only a good way to get a contract, it’s also a great way to build an audience. Unfortunately I have seen authors who write well go relatively unnoticed, but writers whose books perform well book after book after book rarely do so without excellent writing.

My Top Piece of Writing Advice

So here it is, my top piece of advice for writing great content: be concrete.

6213514019_23cc2b1abe_nImagine all writing exists on a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid is abstract writing, writing that may explain or teach but doesn’t show or engage the imagination. The bottom of the pyramid is concrete writing. It shows or illustrates. It does engage the imagination; it helps me see (or hear or smell or taste or touch) something.

The best communicators (I think this is probably true of speakers and writers) push as much of their content to the bottom of the pyramid as possible.

Now, are there exceptions? Yes. Sometimes a thought or an idea is so compelling that it can grab and hold a reader’s attention.

But more often than not the way to engage readers and hold their interest is to invite them into a scene.

Your job as a writer is to create an experience the reader doesn’t want to quit. Often the best way to do that is with concrete writing.

Examples of Concrete Writing

Following are some examples of concrete writing:

  • Stories
  • Metaphors
  • Illustrations
  • Dialogue
  • Images
  • Sensory writing (writing that engages the five senses)

When it comes to concrete writing, a key question is this: Is it filmable? If a piece of writing is filmable, you can be sure it’s concrete.

Or listen to how Natalie Goldberg in Writing Down the Bones puts it:

Several years ago I wrote down a story that someone had told me. My friends said it was boring. I couldn’t understand their reaction; I loved the story. What I realize now is that I wrote “about” the story, secondhand. I didn’t enter it and make friends with it. I was outside it; therefore, I couldn’t take anyone else into it. This does not mean you can’t write about something you did not actually experience firsthand; only make sure that you breathe life into it. Otherwise it is two times removed and you are not present.

In other words, get into the narrative. Write it from the inside so that others can experience it with you. Don’t just convey information. Get into it and invite readers to get into it with you.

More Tips for Concrete Writing

Stories work especially well at the beginnings of chapters. Grab them with a story, and they’re more likely to hang with you for the rest of the chapter. But feel free to use more stories throughout the chapter!

Do a story/image audit of a given chapter. Note the places where you go on for a while without a story or image or sound, and try to find ways to add them in. Even better: replace the non-narrative material with narrative material.

If you’re writing history, instead of recounting facts, try imagining a scene and bringing us into it. David Mccullough and Jeff Shaara have made a career of this.

Ask yourself, “Is there a way to unpack this principle with a story or metaphor or illustration?” A metaphor or image can do a lot of work for you.

As you shape your content to be more and more concrete, you’ll be creating an experience that readers relish.

[reminder]How have you used stories in your own writing to good effect? What nonfiction books have you read that make good use of story?[/reminder]

[callout]Bonus Content: The best way to start a nonfiction book project is by writing a book proposal. I’d love to give you a free copy of my Book Proposal Guidelines, used by countless authors to write their book proposals. [button href=”https://www.chadrallen.com/getbookproposalguidelines” primary=”true” centered=”true” newwindow=”false”]Download[/button][/callout]

The Three Essential Movements of Creativity

Blogging, Creativity, Goals, Inspirations, Life, Work Habits, ,

Pete the CatRecently it was “Be your favorite storybook character” day at my son’s school. Last night at dinner we talked about how best to embody Pete from Pete the Cat. Not one for makeup, my son opted for drawing a picture of Pete and pinning him to the canvas of a white T-shirt.

My son is six, and he must have spent a solid thirty minutes at the dinner table, getting his picture just right. At one point he got frustrated and asked me to write “Pete’s Lunch” on the feline’s lunchbox because he had trouble writing that small. But he got there. Later he walked the school halls proudly displaying a brilliantly colored Pete on his chest.

I loved the whole experience because it was creative—developing a vision and bringing it into reality.

We are naturally creative beings. That’s why we have cities and families and houses, art and architecture, businesses and products and charities. Creativity is who we are and who we were meant to be.

But we all know what it’s like to stand in front of our equivalent of a blank canvas and not have much to offer. The blank canvass can be a business presentation, a manuscript, a conversation, a gift for a loved one, or just life in general.

We know what it’s like to feel burned out, tired, and just empty or dead inside. When this happens, it’s not because we are not creative. It’s likely because we are trying to be outwardly creative without being inwardly creative.

Inward Creativity

Inward creativity is first and foremost about taking care of ourselves. It’s about eating well and sleeping well. It’s about a healthy rhythm between work and play. It’s about exercise and relaxation. It’s about time to oneself and rich time with others, family time and friend time. I don’t know about you, but the fortifying effects of a good time with a dear friend are better than any money can buy.

I don’t have to cite medical studies to convince you of how important this stuff is. We all know it. But we struggle at times. I certainly do. Other forces, both internal and external, run counter to healthy living, and sometimes our obligations prevent it. But being healthy is fundamental to becoming our best creative selves.

We could point to any number of artists who did not engage healthy lifestyle patterns yet were enormously creative. I wonder what they could have done if they had been healthy.

Inward creativity is also about intentionally engaging stimuli that will feed our outward creativity. The number of forms this can take is literally infinite, but we have to be intentional about it. It doesn’t just happen.

Today you will listen to or watch or read or experience all kinds of stimuli, but will these stimuli feed your creative potential? What practice can you incorporate that will help you be intentional with your stimuli? When will you engage them? During drive time? In the evening when you normally watch TV?

Sometimes just a few small changes, nothing dramatic, can make a huge difference.

Outward Creativity

Outward creativity is so much easier if you have done the work of inward creativity, but it is seldom easy in any case. We stare agape at people who say things like “It just came to me” because we all know how rare this is.

Outward creativity often requires getting our calendars to do what we want them to do. It’s so easy to be passive with our calendars, to let others dictate how we’re going to spend our time. And of course to some extent this is right and good, but probably to a larger extent than need be. My advice: force it to conform to your priorities and values.

Then do the work. Steven Pressfield uses the phrase “going pro” for adopting the mindset of a construction worker for one’s creative work. Construction workers rise early, grab their hard hats, lunch boxes, and go to the work site. That’s what creatives have to do if we are going to produce things of value.

The blank page I face on a regular basis is the one that faced me before writing this—the blogging page. What never ceases to amaze me is that when I wake up, show up, and sit down, things happen. Words come. “Eighty percent of success,” said Woody Allen, “is showing up.”

The Third Movement

The third movement of creativity is acceptance. Let me illustrate.

This week was absolutely nutty for me. I had a family funeral to attend in a different state and the work piled up in my absence. The result is that I stayed up until midnight one night and until 1 am another night. If you’re keeping score at home, that means I did not get enough sleep. And I didn’t have as much time as I like to have to engage nurturing stimuli and write.

I could beat myself up. I’m tempted to, honestly. That voice is there.

But what good would that do? “You’re okay, bud,” I’m better off telling myself. “Tough week, but you did as well as you could do, and today is a new day. You are worth your own acceptance. Take care of yourself.”

And then it’s so important to do this: Take. The. Next. Right. Step. My next right step is pushing “Publish” on this blog post. How about you?

Which Book Should I Write?

Blogging, Goals, Publishing, Writing

6287496195_551d4639ce_nEvery time I have taken a risk to engage this blog’s community, I have been pleased with the results. It always feels like leaping from a high dive and hoping for the best, but I’m doing that again today.

So here’s my question for you: Which book should I write?

For a while now I’ve been thinking about self-publishing an ebook. I want to do this because:

  • It’s been a long-time dream of mine to write a book.
  • I want to help people, particularly people who read this blog.
  • I want to prove to myself that I can (can you relate?).
  • I want to know more about self-publishing, and there’s no better way to learn than to do it.
  • I want to make enough extra money to fund a design update to this blog (amen?).

Don’t worry. I’m not asking you to pick a book idea out of thin air. I’ve narrowed it down to a list of how-to concepts that are based on themes I have been exploring here:

  • How to get published
  • How to write a book proposal
  • How to come up with a great book concept
  • How to market your book
  • How to write
  • How to nurture creativity
  • How to live well

These aren’t final titles, of course; but they’re enough to give you an idea. So, which of these themes is most appealing to you? Drop a comment or email me at chad@chadrallen.com

And thank you!