It also has a downside: jealousy and bad feelings from seeing all the wins that other writers are having. We don’t see the struggle, failure, or heartaches that went into creating those wins.

That’s why you need to celebrate every inch of progress you’re making as a writer.

Did you write some words today? That’s a win.

Did you learn something about publishing? That’s a win.

Did you attend a session for your writing group? That’s a win.

Did you have lunch or set up a chat with another writer? That’s a win.

Did you talk to an editor or graphic designer about your next book project? That’s a win.

Did you spend some time marketing? That’s a win.

Whatever you did today to further your writing and author business, you won. Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare? The tortoise won because he kept plodding along, making constant progress.

Slow and steady wins the race. The only person you need to keep score against is the person you were yesterday. All progress is progress!

Today’s Challenge: Find an author who has recently posted a win on social media and congratulate them on making consistent progress and getting a cool win. Then, see what you can learn from them.

The post All Progress is Progress appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

One day, the threads will run out and your life will be over. When your friends and loved ones reflect on your final tapestry, what will they see? Will they see shadows and a hint of greatness that was never fulfilled? Or will they stand in awe at the bold shapes and bright colors that helped them see they could create a beautiful tapestry, too?

Which picture will they see? The choice is up to you.

Your words are the most powerful tool you will ever own. Don’t let another day slip away without using them to weave a better future for yourself and those you care about.

A master craftsman weaves one thread at a time. When you stand back and look at the complicated pattern, you wonder how in the world they managed to create something so complex and beautiful. How did they do it?

One thread at a time.

Years from now, people will wonder how you achieved so much with your writing. But it won’t be a mystery. Like a master artist who weaves a tapestry, you used each day as a thread to weave a life and legacy of words.

You will have done it because you were a Daily Writer.

Question: Are you using today—THIS DAY—to weave a beautiful tapestry with your words?

The post Weave an Epic Tapestry appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

The song is great for many reasons, including its catchy lyrics, great drum fills, and of course Eddie Van Halen‘s amazing guitar licks. But who could forget the music video for “Jump,” which featured the band running around on stage in spandex and massive early 80s hairstyles?

The word “jump” is not just a great title for a popular rock song. It’s also great advice as you consider your next step to success in your writing life.

As you are considering that next project or next step, you’re probably dreading it a little bit. You’re not sure how you’re going to get it done. You feel intimidated and scared.

One of the defining qualities of successful people, no matter their industry, is that they take action now and figure it out as they go along.

The famous science fiction writer Ray Bradbury said, “First you jump off the cliff, and you grow your wings on the way down.”

So don’t wait around doing analysis for the next six months. Figure out your next step and take it in the next 24 hours. You’ll be energized by some forward momentum.

Six months from now, you will be amazed at your progress if you keep on taking that leap, knowing you will figure it out as you go along.

Go ahead and jump!

Question: What could your life be like six months from now if you just take the leap?

The post Van Halen’s Advice for Writers appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

There’s something that has been bothering you. It’s like a pebble in your shoe that irritates you just enough that you think about it all the time. It intimidates you, taunts you, and won’t let you stop thinking about it.

It might be a phone call or email that you’re too afraid to send because you might be rejected. It might be a book that you’re afraid to start writing because you don’t know how it will be received. It might be the writing business that seems too daunting because you’ve never done this before.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” If you have something that intimidates you and is weighing on your mind, you must do it. You must stare it in the face and declare that it has no power over you. You’ve got to face it head-on and just get it done.

There is no other way. You will be blocked and cannot move forward until you tackle this task. It is the only pathway forward.

Daily Question: What is the one thing you think you cannot do? What are you going to do about it today?

The post The Pebble in Your Shoe appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Have you ever felt stuck by writer’s block? If so, you’re in good company.

That’s exactly the state the members of the legendary rock group Guns N’ Roses found themselves in one day in 1987. They were recording songs for their album Appetite for Destruction and had been working on their song “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” They had written the verses and chorus, so they had a complete song on their hands. However, producer Spencer Proffer suggested they add a breakdown at the end of the song.

As he was listening to a loop of the demo, lead singer Axl Rose began singing “Where do we go now?” as a filler lyric. However, it soon caught on and the band recorded the breakdown with these lyrics. The song was released in 1988 as the third single from the album, and was named by Billboard magazine as the #5 single that year.

When you feel stuck in your writing and you’re asking yourself “Where do I go now?” … do what Axl did. He incorporated his question into his lyrics.

Maybe you feel frustrated. Lost. Scared. Intimidated. Confused. Tired. Observe what you are thinking and feeling, and use that data to give you insights to get you unstuck.

When you don’t know where to go, go inside yourself and you’ll find your pathway forward.

The post Where Do I Go Now? appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

We all know that perfectionism can be debilitating. It can rob you of the joy of writing and cause you to waste endless amounts of time fidgeting with your material.

Just like a rainbow, perfection is an illusion. You can chase a rainbow but you will never find the end of it. In the same way, you can chase perfection but you’ll never reach it. As author Neil Gaiman said, “Perfection is like chasing the horizon. Keep moving.”

Here is a simple cure: pretend you have one year to live. With this knowledge, would you continue to work on this piece or would you move on to the next thing?

Perfectionism tells us the lie that we have all the time in the world. The reality is, you don’t. Your life has an expiration date. But unlike the food products in your house that have an expiration date, you don’t know when yours is.

It’s never a bad thing to maintain a sense of urgency about life. If it were all over a year from now, how would that change your writing?

The post The One Year to Live Test appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Van Halen was one of the greatest rock bands of the 1970s and 80s. Although they had a number of popular songs and albums, they are probably best remembered for their song “Jump,” which was featured on what was arguably their best album, 1984.

The song is great for many reasons, including its catchy lyrics, great drum fills, and, of course, Eddie Van Halen‘s amazing guitar licks. But who could forget the music video for “Jump,” which featured the band running around on stage in spandex and massive early 80’s hairstyles?

The word “jump” is not just a great title for a popular rock song. It’s also great advice as you consider your next step to success in your writing life.

As you are considering that next project or next step, you’re probably dreading it a little bit. You’re not sure how you’re going to get it done. You feel intimidated and scared.

One of the defining qualities of successful people—no matter their industry—is that they take action now and figure it out as they go along.

The famous science fiction writer Ray Bradbury said, “First you jump off the cliff, and you grow your wings on the way down.”

So don’t wait around doing analysis for the next six months. Figure out your next step and take it in the next 24 hours. You’ll be energized by some forward momentum.

Six months from now, you will be amazed at your progress if you keep on taking that leap, knowing you will figure it out as you go along.

Go ahead and jump!

The post Go Ahead and Jump appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Think about some of the most important achievements in human history. These would include such feats as Amelia Earhart flying solo from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbing Mount Everest, Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon, Magellan setting sail around the world, and many thousands of others who faced their fears and took action anyway.

You and I are no different. We have challenges and scary things staring us right in the face every single day. You can probably think of something that intimidates you as a writer. Is it setting up a website? Publishing a book? Pitching an article to a large publication? Writing and publishing a short story?

Whatever is it, run toward it. If you want to do it, but you feel scared, that is your subconscious mind telling you it must be done, no matter how you feel about it.

If you only do what feels comfortable, you won’t make any progress. You won’t grow. Progress and growth are predicated on the act of doing what scares you. So put on your big boy or big girl pants and start moving forward. You’ll figure it out as you go along. And as soon as you overcome this challenge, there will be a bigger one waiting just behind it. But this time, you’ll be better equipped to face your fears head-on.

The post Doing What Scares You appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.