Tag: goals - Mala Naidoo’s Book World

Creative Equanimity

After a frenzied holiday season with the comings and goings and the excessiveness of all things gustatory, it takes a few days, or longer, if there’s a dalliance that thwarts getting back in flow. Restoring equanimity invites the sweet melody of the creative muse again. This requires diligent commitment.

Slow it down to get back behind the creative wheel

When one’s attention veers in directions that divert from the words on a page, it is easy to remain in that mode beyond the holidays. If one does not challenge or coerce oneself to empower a creative mood, there is the risk of it not returning.

Equanimity is the balance, the serenity of mind that ceases all noisy thinking to allow voices from unfinished stories or new stories seeking creative attention to emerge.

Moments of equanimity increase with practice

Morning flow practice, or at any time of the day, invites the creative zone. Added to flow practice is what Orna Ross, Irish poet, author, and founder of The Alliance of Independent Authors, coined as F.R.E. E (Fast, Raw, Exact, Easy) writing, and Julia Cameron, American teacher, author, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, best known for her book, The Artist’s Way, as Morning pages. This is the cathartic clearing of mind clutter by unleashing baggage that has infiltrated mind space.

Handwrite whatever arrives for the deliberate act of decluttering. This makes perfect sense when we toss noisy, disruptive thoughts to allow spaciousness for creative energy to flow. To restore equanimity, flow practice, and F.R.E. E writing, or Morning Pages are necessary to kick start the creative process.

Start slow, in bite-size time allocations, fifteen to thirty minutes at a time. Take a walk outdoors or play soothing music, sounds of nature, or cool jazz as I choose, to get back to the writing session as soon as possible.

Avoid reacting to situations that trigger negative emotions and let the self slide into a mode of quiet acceptance to heighten creative energy. Being still, open, and present in one’s immediate environment has the benefit of opening the door to creative space. Light a candle, or incense stick, open a door for a breeze to waft in and allow whatever comes to mind without resisting or judging its arrival.

Everything in life requires practice and commitment…

Find your daily routine. It is a ritual. It takes time and effort. Surround yourself with that which brings inner calm, including the people you invite into your space, and watch creative magic unfold.

May 2023 be the year in which the vastness of your creative potential arises and remains afloat.

Happy Reading, Happy Creating.

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Discerning Choices

Is there ever too much in a writing life?

A full-time writer lives and breathes, creating fresh stories, poetry, and essays. Nothing is ever too much for the creative.

When starting out as a writer, passion draws one to all things writing, from social media, literary associations, events both live and online and a plethora of books on how to write and publish. FOMO consumes the early years, but on the flip side, it can erode creative time.

Over time, whittle down to those activities that create the time and space for the creative process together with growing an author brand and business. There is much to gain from trying different groups and associations to test what fits your values and the type of writer you hope to be.

Be unique, select memberships wisely

Don’t strive to be someone else. Readers appreciate authenticity.

While exploring the creative cyber space, books, groups, and associations, you realise, over time, what adds value to your work.

It is vital to look for integrity when seeking to find where you belong as an artist in what can be an overwhelming space if trying to fit in with more than you can humanly manage.

Passion and FOMO drive the need to be a part of all and more

Give priority to the innate reason for choosing a creative life. This will guide your understanding of where to invest your time and growth. Running your own creative business is a mammoth task before investment in virtual assistants.

In the initial stages of a creative life, creatives might manage a day job and fit in a creative life after hours, besides managing rest and domesticity.

To ensure you give adequate creative time to your work, divvy up time to at least two associations that echo your values. An authentic organisation such as ALLi guarantees professional development, keeps you informed of current writing and publishing trends. Podcasts and FB live monthly advice sharing, and a Self-PubCon offer advice not to be missed. A directory of vetted services available to ALLi members is where you will find cover designers, editors, and many other services you require as a creative in publishing.

Depending on where you live in the world, you might hook up with a local association and join a Facebook Group or two for the quality of the experience. It is easy to slip down the rabbit-hole chasing after what appears bigger and better. Over time, this will steal valuable time from your ultimate purpose: to write and write more.

Sharing across author platforms is a great way to promote your work to different readers while helping promote the work of writers you enjoy and admire to your supporters. This garners support from grateful creatives who return the respect by promoting your work.

The creative space is generous and supportive. Find your authentic niche and belong to grow your creative works.

Please share the platforms you enjoy in the comment box below to help fellow aspiring writers make discerning creative choices.

Happy Writing, Happy Learning!

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Creative Courage

The past year of profound change where retreating was not a choice but a necessity, turned the eye inward in this time of social incarceration—a springboard for creative pursuits.

Poetry, stories, art, music, new skills in any area of the vastness of possibilities, bring courage to those who stand in the shadows, voiceless and afraid to be seen or heard.

With the external locked out to preserve life, the inner voice raises its head, looks around and mulls over hidden possibilities. Heed the message. We need action to claim the creative possibility within grasp.

Embrace the stillness to find what a fast-paced life has stymied. With materialistic desires placed on the back-burner, an almost magical transformation emerges.

Simplicity grows courage and innovativeness

We learn from our forebears who with flintstones created fire, almost two million years ago. Today we have so much more at our fingertips.

Complacency kills creativity

Learn More

The past spent bemoaning being time-poor is a state of mind. Creating space, both in time and place, waters the creative spirit with a thirst to innovate—encourage the spirit, and mind to seek something new.

Tip in a toe, test the waters by reading more and much more, find your tribe to encourage confidence, dive in, one stroke at a time! Feel the warmth of submersion generated from praise and acknowledgement.

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties ~ Erich Fromm

Planning is paramount and being flexible with the plan is equally important. Creativity flows freely when intentions are set, then the ground-work seeps in. Like the earth requires conditions to grow—sun, soil, and water, so too the creative prepares the way forward, add in basic equipment needed, one step at a time.

The indisputable thing with creativity is that once begun, ink, paint or music flows in generous abundance if invited in.

In a time of retreating from global, awaken the creative spirit by the choices made.

What will we let go to allow the creative muse to take up residence with us?

Know our passions, doggedly pursue them, and find the healing in creative pursuits.

May 2021 be the year of finding or growing and deepening our creative wells.

Happy Creating.

Stay Safe.

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What are your thoughts on inviting creative space into our lives?

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Creativity: Flex and Extend

Routine is necessary to accomplish a finished product. The creative benefits from a routine that maximises goals and intentions.

Rote, however, harms creative growth when curiosity is denied in favour of robotic daily ‘doing’ that limits the capacity and capabilities of the mind. Rote erodes enjoyment, takes the fun out of creativity if allowed to fester in mindlessness.

Once we relinquish the act of questioning, debating, and learning alternative ways, the creative quest goes down the rabbit-hole

Open to what others are doing successfully in their creative pursuits. Debate with the self, first, to test how to improve our creative patterns and when we observe or flex to alternative methods, before embracing them, then we are on the route to extending the creative mind.

What we read is as significant as what we write. As a fiction writer, it is essential for me to move beyond restricting myself to only reading fiction.

Get out of the box – mind the bog

It is imperative that we read judiciously selected, respected successful forerunners of the craft of fiction—past and present—for inspiration on the ways in which we can flex the mind. Engaging with the information gathered is the actual flexing—then question what does not sit well. Argue why this is so, look for alternatives to the arguments that have surfaced. Never ignore your internal unrest without asking why and how. Why am I unsettled by this? How should I address why I feel this way? We learn to flex and extend our skills from observing first and then listening to what is around us. The inner well is deep, but testing the waters from the ocean of talent available deepens and brightens the path ahead.

The choice to extend ourselves is within our grasp to refresh or radicalise how we create. Flex to invite minor changes, analyse what is working for you, and incrementally extend to achieve more.

Like muscles that face a new physical challenge which is overcome by gradual flexing and extending, achieved through the art/act of trying—not rote, but being open to challenging the self, so too, the creative mind grows.

Photo Credit: My Life Through a Lens (Unsplash)

Creative and Critical

As creatives, we ought to be critical thinking beings—not cynical but critical. Herein is the source for debate to generate fresh waves of thinking and doing.

Watching a documentary, for example, on an unfamiliar topic that holds some interest is beneficial for starting the mindset extension with exposure to new knowledge. This opens inner and external debates that arise from the observation phase to grow the knowledge base and experience on the subject/topic.

Extend listening skills to enhance creative growth without visual distractions by listening to podcasts that present new knowledge to stimulate thinking without the bias of the visual effect. The brain rain received generates novel ways of thinking or questioning how we can reinvent old patterns.

Never stop asking why, how or what can I gain from this?

As fiction writers, we should seek to understand the values that differ from our own to invite creative ideas to emerge from this openness to what lies outside of our inner workings.

I ground my novels in, in our angst and joy we are one under the sky of humanity.’ Inclusivity is my pre-wired emotional mindset because I have lived my formative years under South Africa’s apartheid regime’s divisive rule.

Suggested Reading

Try reading all or extracts from the following non-fiction books to open new vistas of understanding, or to deepen your understanding of human relations, justice, and politics, if this is of interest.

Essays – George Orwell

The Source of Self-Regard– Toni Morrison

The End of Imagination – Arundhati Roy

Caste – The lies that Divide Us – Isabel Wilkinson

Pick up, or do something different—something you have never read or done before and observe, reflect and note by writing what it stirs within. Get past the initial discomfort then decide if you want to extend what you do and how you do it.

When we flex the mind in a new direction, there’s discomfort at first, when extended, it fuels passion and ignites creativity

How do you flex and extend the mind in your creative pursuits?

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Writing For Success

In my first post on the prolific and inspirational Trinidadian author and poet Brenda Mohammed, we got a glimpse into her writing journey. Brenda has written twenty-five publications — her passion and dedication to literature is phenomenal.

Today we chat to Brenda Mohammed to catch up on her rapidly growing and expanding writing life and the scoop on her latest writing venture!

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a former Bank Manager of a leading bank in Trinidad and Tobago. Later in life, I moved into the Insurance field and excelled there also. I always loved dealing with finance, and never dreamed that I would fall in love with Literature.

When did you start writing?

Actually, I was always a very good writer in my school days and won the top English Language prize when I graduated from High school at sixteen years of age.

When I joined the bank my superiors at the bank were always impressed with my ability to learn quickly, my efficiency in every department I was assigned, and also my writing skills.

When I was promoted to the job of Assistant Manager Credit I had to prepare detailed financial proposals for the Manager’s signature to be sent to the bank’s Head Office for approval. The Manager rarely changed a word, and the Bank’s Head Office always approved the proposals without any questions.

The Banking term for that was “clean sanctions,” something other Managers wished they could achieve. Later on, when I was appointed as Manager I continued with that skill and moved on to Senior Managerial positions. Yet, writing books never crossed my mind and I moved into Insurance where I also excelled, qualifying for membership in the Million Dollar Round Table, The Premier Association for Financial Professionals, {the name pertains to sales achieved and not earnings}, until I was struck by cancer and told by my doctor in Trinidad that she could do nothing for me.

To make a long story short, I survived and wrote the book, I am Cancer Free, which became a bestseller, and gave me the encouragement to write twenty-four more books.

You wrote twenty-five books. Can you tell us the genre of those books?

I write both fiction and non-fiction. The genres include Memoirs, Romance, Mystery, Poetry, Children, Science Fiction and Self Help.

Tell us something about your multi-award-winning book Zeeka Chronicles.

Zeeka Chronicles is about a vengeful man who misuses science in the year 2036 to create havoc in a small exotic island named Gosh. He is angry for two reasons. After his former lover jilted him, he married another on the rebound. His wife contracted the zika virus when she was pregnant. His child was born deformed as a result, and she died. He blamed the hospital for her death and his deformed child. This vengeful man kidnapped the son of his former lover and the story evolves thereafter.

The story is set in the year 2036 when there is great advancement in medical and information technology. It is a high-tech world.

Skillful robots are used as home helpers, and police use high tech weaponry, electric cars, and smartphones. The hospitals are well equipped with state of the art equipment and doctors and scientists are making significant breakthroughs and inventing cures for patients with critical illnesses.

Yet, in this high-tech world, the minds of some human beings remain evil.

Can Mankind ever achieve a sinless state? Will human beings forever continue to foster greed, malice, anger, jealousy, and the desire to control and take revenge?

I wrote this book to highlight the fact that material things can never improve the minds of some individuals.

Today, in spite of all the new and advanced developments, crime has increased to unstoppable levels. What will change humanity?

The benefits to readers are the underlying lessons to be learnt from the content, especially in light of the situation the world is experiencing today with COVID 19.

Who are the primary readers of your books?

My books are for both mature audiences and young adults and the children books are, of course for children.

What are you working on now?

I am working on the third story in a Mystery series – Barry Holmes Mysteries

What happened to Mary Loo has elements of romance, mystery and suspense. It will be a short story and should be ready for publishing by the end of May.

The book cover was designed by Mary L Schmidt.

Can you leave us with a valuable quote on Writing?

Writing is a mysterious journey of thoughts that can unravel the strangest imaginary plots.

Writing for me was exploring a new milestone.

What are your social accounts if people want to connect with you?

I am on Linked In, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, where I have nine author pages for each genre in which I write, and a personal page.

They are – Poetry to Enlighten, Zeeka Stories, Banker turns Writer, Romance Stories, Children’s Corner, Barry Holmes Mysteries, Brenda’s Video trailers, Fascinating Memoirs and Brenda’s Publications.

I am also available as the Founder of How to Write for Success Literary Forum.

Brenda Mohammed a former Bank Manager from Trinidad is a multi-award-winning author of 25 books, and Founder of the Literary Forums How to Write for Success, Poems for Suicide Prevention, Library of How to Write for Success, and Poems against Domestic Violence. Her award-winning book HOW TO WRITE FOR SUCCESS is popular amongst writers and University students.

She recently published three best-selling Anthologies – A Spark of Hope Volumes I and II, co-authored by 49 and 64 authors respectively, and Break the Silence: An Anthology against Domestic Violence by 87 authors. All three topped the charts on Amazon as Bestsellers No 1.

In November 2018 Brenda received two awards from Readers Favorite International at an award ceremony at the Regency Hotel in Miami for two of her books, ZEEKA CHRONICLES and I AM CANCER FREE.

She was inducted into the Indie Author’s Wall of Fame in January 2020.

Brenda was also honoured on 22nd February 2020 by the Peru Government for Excellence in Literature, and in August 2019 by the Seychelles Government for her Literary skills.

You can connect with Brenda Mohammed through the links above.

I wish Brenda everything of the very best in her writing success.

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End Bell

As the year draws to a close in the blink of the year bowing out, it is a time to reflect on where we are, where we’ve come from and of course where we’re heading to.

Gratitude

My gratitude for a writing life is the blessing of the creative gift to tell the stories of forgotten or unheard voices and the passion to sustain this. I am indebted to the people I’ve met along the way who support my creativity by reading my books and inspiring and supporting my desire to write more.

ALLi guides my ethical author status by providing up-to-the-minute publishing and marketing advice through podcasts, publications, members’ forums and Orna Ross’ weekly, Maker, Manager, and Marketer accountability for creatives.

The vibrant How to Write for Success FB group supports seasoned and novice writers in a nurturing, inspirational forum and is a space to create and showcase some of my pieces while supporting writers on their creations in a constructive, non-judgmental forum.

Joanna Francis Penn’s Travel and Books Podcast and Mark Dawson’s SPS Podcasts are informative, entertaining and inspirational.

Writers no longer work in isolation. Seclusion is necessary for the creative process and networking creates visibility

Publishing

The third novel in the Souls Of Her Daughters Collection was completed, titled What Change May Come and a collection of short stories, Life’s Seasons was published this year. It has been a year of many things on all of life’s fronts with life experience extending understanding and the capacity to live my passion.

2020 – Onwards and Upwards

Currently, a new novel series/trilogy is in the making with the first draft complete and chilling for a month before several rounds of editing and reworking to be born into the world in the first quarter of next year.

Poetry is a calling that intensifies as evident in the post, Poetry Educates Prose. It was a joy to have my poem, ‘Listen,’ published in the December edition of the literary journal SIPAY. Coleridge, Wordsworth, Byron, Keats, Yeats and Orna Ross are poets I enjoy reading.

Additionally, supporting rising poets brings joy to my creative space.

What more…

Lots more writing and possibly looking at non-fiction and poetry publications while teaching, learning and growing.

A writing life, like reading, is the breath and pulse of life.

Have you signed up for my monthly or bi-monthly newsletters for special offers/ free books/stories and updates on new publications? Join the community here to enter and receive two free short stories.

As the year closes this chapter, I look forward with a glad and grateful heart.

Happy Reading, Happy Writing and Publishing this holiday season.

Season’s Greetings, may 2020 bring you the very best in peace, joy, good health, enhanced creative productivity, and abundant success in all your endeavours.

What are you grateful for as 2019 draws to a close?

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What have you done with your days?

It’s the summer of December 2017. Eleven months of the year are done and perhaps not quite dusted yet as we tie up loose ends to set us free for the holidays.

Do you take stock of the year in your business of life? Do you tick off all that you have achieved and create another list of goals yet to be achieved?

The final month of a year is time to step back, think over and set the bar further for a host of things that will drive your passion into the next year.

Here are some suggestions to consider although your life plans may differ:

Mark ‘you’ time in your calendar for a balanced life
Make time for those important people in your life
Toss toxic relationships
Avoid pulling down others – ‘live and let live’
Set goals desired for 2018
Address that which was not achieved in 2017
Search for and befriend influencers in your line of work/life experience
Lend a helping hand to those less fortunate – every little bit counts
Clear out the clutter that has not delivered as expected in 2017
Surround yourself with positive energy
Take a holiday once a year, go someplace you’ve never been to before.
Nurture your spirit
Look at yourself in the mirror- what ‘face’ are you presenting to the world? – SMILE!
Keep a gratitude journal, write one affirmation each day no matter how small it may seem to you
Ask yourself, ‘what would I like to change about myself for 2018?’ – again this could be a minor change
Remain authentic and steadfast to your life goals

It may seem like a long list, but all areas are within our grasp. Let’s take stock of what matters to us the most.

My stocktake revealed:

A reconsideration of balance
Time management considerations: to fulfill and extend my writing and reading aims
Making time for relationships that matter
Saying ‘no’ to some demands
To make a difference in what I do and how I do it
To get in more hours of sleep for a healthier me
And then some…always a WIP!

List your dreams for 2018, pin them up on your fridge, above your desk, on the dashboard of your car, your wallpaper on your phone, slip a page with your goals/dreams inside your favourite book. Create a five-year time capsule, bury it in the garden or a pot plant. (This was done in collaboration with a friend and looking back it’s amazing how most of the goals have been realised or are in the process of being realised.

Inking rather than just thinking the dream is closer to claiming it!

Dig up the buried time capsule when the time is right, and you’ll be surprised!

Wishing you an insightful stocktake of the self in this final month of 2017.

Add your tips on how to clear the decks for the New Year with an action plan for an enhanced life in the message box below.

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