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Remember me? I am back, at least for now...and maybe for a whole new season of More Stories. Between now and March 15, 2017, I am seeking patrons and sponsors for the More Stories creative writing podcast. I have a minimum of twelve new episodes in the planning stages, but in order to have the time and resources to complete these episodes, I have set a goal of raising $1,200.00 by March 15th. Each episode of More Stories takes between three and five hours to write, record (and, often, re-record), edit, post, and share. Just purchasing the hosting services to allow for weekly or bi-weekly shows costs around $50.00 per month, which does not factor in web-hosting or my time. With this new season, my intention is to have audio, video, and full-transcript versions of each episode available so that More Stories fans will have access to the information in a variety of formats. There are several options for helping support the show. As a show PATRON you can choose to support More Stories in $12 increments. If you wish to pledge $1, $2, or $5 per show, for example, simply select 1, 2, or 5 units and that will be multiplied by 12 to give you your patronage total. You may also wish to contribute as a SPONSOR or as a PRODUCER. You can check out those details on their respective pages. ****PLEASE NOTE: The patronage pledge is made as a PRE ORDER so that your card will not be charged until enough pledges have come in to make the goal. In other words, if I do not get enough Patron, Sponsor, or Producer pledges to meet the goals I have set, I will not collect money from those of you who have already agreed to donate. If I DO get enough pledges to meet the goal, your card will be charged and I will begin production of the new season of More Stories immediately**** Visit MoreStoriesPodcast.com for a full transcript and more information!

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 3: Episode 6 - A Theory of Storytelling   A Theory of Storytelling: Written, literary storytelling is the act of the author translating a story into a text that can be consumed by a reader. I have worked with a LOT of new writers. By a LOT, I mean somewhere around 200, at this point, and by NEW what I mean is this: these are folks who have never attempted to write a story with the purpose of having someone else read it. Some of these new writers have been verbal storytellers their entire lives. Or they've been very successful writing for PR purposes, or academic purposes, or business reasons. Some of them just love reading, and think they have something to add. Others have said, "Someday I'll write a novel" or "someday I'll write down all these crazy events that happened in my life" and they are finally getting to their some day. The would-be writers I've worked with have all been smart, capable, interesting folks. They know how to write a sentence, and even if their grammar and punctuation skills are a little rusty, they aren't exactly slouches when it comes to communicating. But, to some extent or another, EVERY SINGLE WRITER runs up against this very simple truth: what you THINK you have written on the printed page is NOT what the reader reads on the page. In some senses, this is ALWAYS true. Even the greatest book ever (and you can insert your favorite book title into this place, and take a moment or two to think about how wonderful that book is......) Even the greatest book ever fails, in some ways, to adequately tell the story the author wanted to tell. Or, maybe it's better to say, even the greatest book will fail to impart the full story to every reader. My point is this: Really good books have only minor problems. Really good books more fully translate the complete story to the most readers, even if that translation isn't perfect. But what separates good writing from not-so-good writing often comes down to an inability of the author to translate the fullness of the story into text in a reader can understand.  At least, that's what I attempt to explain with this theory of storytelling. In this episode I also answer a question from listener Loretta Stephens about when to abandon old stories and focus on new ones, and how to deal with chronic “non-finishing” of literary endeavors.   Enjoy!!   I mention a few specific things in this podcast episode, and here are the links: Words Matter Creative Writing Facebook Group Words Matter Email Newsletter Signup (including a free PDF copy of my short story collection.) Lord of the Rings Trilogy Collected stories of Dorothy Parker (Amazon links are affiliate links, which means I receive a small advertising fee for any purchases, at no additional cost to you. You can help support More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast via those links, or by shopping at Amazon after following this link.)   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 3: Episode 5 - Elements of Narrative Creative Writing.   In order to improve our creative writing efforts, it helps us to understand the five basic elements of storytelling: Character, Plot, Setting, Dialogue, and Significant Detail.   If you’ve been writing for a while, starting to accumulate pages, you may find that you re-read your work, and it seems to be, well…not good. Things don't seem to be coming together. What you are producing doesn't feel like a story, it lacks cohesion, it maybe jest feels flat or lifeless or uninteresting. Somehow the writing doesn't feel complete.   Don't worry. If you find yourself in this place, you should know that most writers have been there. It is part of the growth and creative maturity process.   I believe that when you have gotten to a place where you've been piling up some pages of writing, but you just aren't happy with the overall quality of the writing, that is a good time to begin to apply some of the analytical knowledge you've accumulated to the writing process.   What I am suggesting, then, is that we learn how to breakdown and deconstruct writing that we admire, as a way of learning how to make our own work better. The best way to start doing this is to understand the five elements of narrative creative writing and begin to study how they interact and work together in great literature.   Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 3: Episode 4 - Finding Your Writing Voice   How do we develop a unique, literary voice in our writing?   When we start to realize that our writing is lacking a certain quality, often called authorial or literary voice, we may react in a couple of ways that aren’t helpful. We may try to be more “writerly” and the work comes off as stiff or over-done, and it won’t resonate with readers or editors. Or, we might just decide to give up.   But, with time and practice, you can nurture you written words and find your writing voice.   The authorial voice is a certain quality present in good writing which isn’t easily defined. It’s easy to see when a piece is lacking a strong voice because it seems clumsy, or it stalls, or it fails to capture us.   A strong writing voice reassures the reader that the writer is comfortable, competent, and confident with the written word. It helps gain the reader’s trust.   Voice is made up of rhythm, cadence, and tone. It is influenced by word choice and word order. It is related to the use and manipulation of syntax, grammar, punctuation, and writing conventions. It is about structure, and choices. And, any particular author’s literary voice is dependent on the writer’s experience, empathy, imagination, and ability to see things in a unique way.   Tips to improve authorial voice: Engage in the practice-feedback-revision loop, often. Be aggressive in identifying your own writing weaknesses. Engage in deep reading of good literature. Experiment   Put some of these tips into practice, and you will find your own writing voice will continue to develop.   I mention this in the episode: Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises http://amzn.to/1WLwn2T O’Connor: Complete Short Stories http://amzn.to/1hAY2DF Walls: The Glass Castle http://amzn.to/1h4blvp   (Affiliate links mean no additional cost to you, but help support this podcast!)   Anthology Submissions http://submissions.morestoriespodcast.com     Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 3: Episode  3 - Write What You Know! Sort of.   “Write what you know.”   This is common advice given to new writers: But, is it good advice? What does it even mean??   Write what you know cannot be taken to literally mean, “Only write about things you have directly experienced and completely understood and processed.” Otherwise, no fiction would ever be written except for thinly-disguised, fictional versions of the author’s real life. As if I were to write a story about Aaron Sherman White who drives across the skyway bridge only to realize halfway across that he’s forgotten the book he was hoping to have autographed at home and will have to turn around, thus paying the toll twice. Boring!   But KNOWING something is not limited to personally experiencing it.   The advice “write what you know” is meant to keep you from writing things that are unclear, inaccurate, or unconvincing because they lack the knowledge and detail to make it real to the reader.   In other words, the advice is really this: Don’t try to BS the reader. They have a Crap Detector and the sensitivity is set on HIGH.   How do we KNOW? Personal experience Experience of those close to us Experience of those we don’t know, but can learn about Research, study, interviewing, and increasing our knowledge Via our imagination and our cognition   WHAT do we KNOW? People Events Places Conversations Details   All of which are translated into the building blocks of writing and storytelling: Characters, Plot, Setting, Dialogue, Significant/Meaningful Details.   Three less-quantifiable ways we know: Emotions Senses Perceptions   And that is the real key to understanding this bit of advice for new writers. Write what you know, but you know more than you think.   I mention this in the episode:   Anthology Submissions http://submissions.morestoriespodcast.com     Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 3: Episode  2 - Creative Writing First Steps   Taking first steps in creative writing can be tough. Here are a few common misconceptions about writing, paired with some of the advice I give to new writers. I hope you find it helpful.   A few things I mention in this episode: Blog Post Making Progress with Your Writing http://www.WordsMatterESW.com/wp/blog Anthology Submissions http://submissions.morestoriespodcast.com Artist’s Way Study Group (Sarasota Florida class) http://www.WordsMatterESW.com/theway     Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter       

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 3: Episode  1 - Take Stock of Your Writing Life   You may have noticed the absence of this podcast for the last few weeks. It was an unplanned, but not unpleasant hiatus.   Now, though, I’m back, and ready to move forward.   In this episode, I talk a little about why I’ve been away from the podcasting microphone, what changes I’ve made in my work-creativity-personal life balance, and why the lessons we learn that make us better writers can sometimes make us better people, in general.   At the end of the podcast, I announce the opening of the submissions window for the first ever Words Matter Creative Writing Anthology. If you are a listener to this podcast, you are eligible to submit a creative work to this anthology.    Details are available at http://submissions.morestoriespodcast.com   Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 2: Episode  9 - The Harold, Meditation, and the Craft of Writing   If you dig too deeply into something before trying it, you might rob your joy and come to a conclusion that isn't accurate.   Truth in Comedy, by Halpern, Close, and Johnson 10% Happier, by Dan Harris Insight Meditation, by Joseph Goldstein   Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 2: Episode 8 - Be hard on yourself, and go easy on yourself.   Striking a balance between pushing ourselves creatively and knowing when (and how) to be gentle with ourselves is an important skill to keep in mind. Enjoy!!   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.  More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 2: Episode 7 - Overcoming Feedback Overload   Getting solid critique and feedback is an important part of improving our writing, but it comes with its share of dangers.   Enjoy!!       If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 2: Episode 6   Critique Groups and Writing Workshops   Being connected with a solid critique group or writing workshop is an important aspect of growing and maintaining a prolific writing life. Here are some thoughts on finding the right group for you.   Enjoy!!       If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 2: Episode 5   MFA Programs-Behind the Scenes.   This week I interview writer, professor, and MFA program co-director, David Hicks. We discuss writing, MFA programs in general, and some specific discussion of the program he has helped create and direct, the Mile High MFA through Regis University.   Enjoy!!   Mentioned Links: David Hicks Website Mile High MFA Website Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information. More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast  Season 2: Episode 4   Shake it up!   We can find new inspiration and creative momentum through the use of intentional and systematic changes to our writing process, and by being purposeful in filling our lives with a variety of creative stimuli.   Links: Pomodoro Technique/Method - http://pomodorotechnique.com The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron  The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry    If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/sponsor for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

More Stories: The Creative Writing Podcast Season 2: Episode 3   Tune In to Relevant Feedback   Whenever we open ourselves up to critique and feedback from readers, we are likely to get some feedback that is relevant and helpful, and other feedback which is detrimental to our work. Learning how to decipher which feedback is helpful comes with time, experience, and using the principles I discuss in this week’s podcast.   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

We all know from experience that life has moments of beauty and grace, but it also, inevitably, has moments of ugliness, hurt, disappointment, and failure. Those stories can be difficult for the writer: difficult to write, difficult to share, difficult to make public. These were the stories that had laid dormant for years, decades even. Some of them had never been told, except maybe to a psychologist or priest. We don't tell true stories, either fiction or nonfiction, by ignoring or downplaying the negative, ugly, disappointing parts of life. If we write and exclude the hard stories of our experience, we are robbing our writing of emotion. Not only for the reader (who will notice this, even if they don't realize it) but also for us. We will short-circuit our own work. We will lose interest. If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

Season 2, Episode 1 When you've lost the joy in your creative work, here are five ways to re-ignite your creative passion: 1. Find a way to ENJOY, play with, and experiment with language. 2. Find some mindless work, play, or a hobby. 3. Go adventuring, big or small! 4. Engage in Other creativity 5. Join a New Crew. Also, check out www.FloridaWildWriters for an announcement about a one-day writing retreat scheduled for March 25th, 2015.   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter   

I read the short story, Cop-Cop Cop, originally published in The First Line, in 2010. Check out The First Line magazine. Also, feel free to check out my short fiction collection: Five Stories by Eric Sheridan Wyatt, available via that link, or on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers. Thanks for listening. Season two will start soon!! Let me know if there is anything particular you'd like to see (or, uh, hear) in the coming weeks and months.   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information. More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

Episode 24: The Giant, Runaway Project   Sometimes, the words take over the story and turn it into something I hadn’t anticipated. And, I’m okay with that.   01:00 February has always been my least favorite month. It’s even cold here in Florida, this week. 02:08 This February hasn’t been so bad this year, for me. More of you are listening and connecting with me. Woohoo! 03:18 Another strange week for me: the second time in a row that I’ve told you that! This week started right on plan, but then something happened to change things. I had a blog post that just grew and grew, well beyond what I had anticipated. 05:25 I did the outline for the post on Monday, by Wednesday, it was clear the amount of writing I was doing was not conducive to having a blog post this week: I was writing way too much. 08:19 I decided to lay that essay aside, and write something else for my blog, because I have self-imposed deadlines, and because I wanted to give the essay time to rest, so I could better assess it later. 09:22 Sometimes the words of my writing take over. Usually this happens for me more in fiction writing than in non-fiction.  11:20 There are a few ways I address this our of control growth, when it happens. 1) Divide it up into independent sections/stories; 2) Write something that doesn’t fit normal “length” conventions. 13:30 I think I’m actually doing the more genuine work of my creative self, when the words surprise me and I haven’t pre-planned every single nuance of a story. 14:40 I do, however, have to guard against following unworthy tangents. Sometimes, the “surprising words” are just a distraction. 15:45 A special public thank you to Pilot Pens and Holly Houser. 17:16 This wraps Season One: if you have ideas for how the podcast can improve, please let me know as I’m contemplating and planning for Season Two, which will debut AFTER the In-Betweener Episode for next week. (I will read my story “Cop-Cop Cop” which was originally published in the magazine, The First Line, in 2010.)   The pens mentioned in this podcast: A silver Metropolitan Collection fountain pen The disposable Varsity fountain pen  Vanishing Point fountain pen   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

Having a routine and schedule is a great way to keep on track, creatively, but what do we do when the routine is disrupted?    Show Notes: 01:10 A little good news: My story, The Outlaw, was selected for an upcoming issue of Silk Road Review. 03:00 However, being published isn't an aspect of my career I actually have control over, so I don't consider publication as my measure of success. 04:35 I define success by how well I am keeping up with my macro, and micro, goals for 2015...the things I CAN influence or control. 06:10 Using the app IRUNURUN to keep track of seven area of my weekly routine and keep on top of creative balance and creative rhythm. 08:12 Our best-laid plans and finely-tuned systems sometimes aren't enough to keep us on track. (For example, there was no podcast last week...) Schedules and routines help, until they are interrupted.  11:20 My schedule was changed last week. 12:00 I had an audio recorder with me, and I started recording some pieces that I thought I could stitch together into a different KIND of podcast last week. Which I started to do. 14:56 I thought I could pull it off...but then more disruption came. 17:00 It turns out I was physically hurt enough that when I tried to record more bits and pieces throughout the day, I had no mental capacity to form coherent thoughts. 18:30 There are times when we can't do some of the things we want to do, and that's ok. Sometimes our routine is disrupted in a legitimate way. 20:13 We have to find ways to push through, even when the routine is trashed. Just because the routine is messed up, we shouldn't just throw in the towel and give up. 21:33 We are often able to talk ourselves into some very silly ideas and behaviors, when it comes to the creative life. I've learned this about myself, and because I know this, I can find ways to address it. 23:00 Unplanned for vs. Unanticipated. Planning ahead helps us preserver against interruptions to our normal routine and schedule. 24:55 Because I've thought about it in advance, I have methods to still accomplish things even when I'm not in my normal schedule. You can, too. 27:44 We do not require perfect circumstances to do our creative work. Believing that is just a form of resistance.     Links mentioned in the show: Silk Road Review IRunURun The First Line Podcast Episode 20 The video series about Five Stories   If you'd like to help support this podcast, my creative writing blog, and other endeavors, please consider a small contribution. Check out www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate for more information. More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook ▪Words Matter on Twitter 

Podcast Episode 22: You're Not Perfect, So Get Over It   Perfectionism is a kind of resistance that keeps us from creative progress.   00:56 There is a new way to support the podcast. See more at www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate 03:55 Teaching creative writing reminds me of things I need to apply to my own writing life, and that brings up the topic of perfectionism. 06:08 Tangents in our writing can be both beneficial and a drawback to our creative flow. 07:07 Being distracted by the next flashy thing can distract us. It threatens our ability to finish a work. 09:55 Find a way to keep track of tangents, so you can go back to them, but don't abandon the work in progress. 10:53 Being too focused on the current work can be a problem, too, though, if we fall into the trap of Perfectionism. It can also keep you from finishing, or sharing, your work. 12:50 If we are always improving (which we should be) we have to balance the idea of perfecting a story with the concept of "the best story I can write right now."  14:24 I shared a story on the podcast that is far from perfect, but it was the best story I could write at the time (20 years ago). If I allowed perfectionism to control me, I would have never submitted that story and had it published, and I certainly wouldn't share it now. 15:24 For newer writers, I suggest writing more and not being too focused on making a story perfect, or even better. Not yet anyway. 16:12 For newer writers, I think it is better to make progress and improvement and then go back and improve some of the first stories based on what they have learned. 17:10 Over time, we develop more ability to discern when we've done "all we can" for a particular piece. 18:20 Thoughts? Comments? Questions? I'd love to hear from you.   Learn more about supporting the podcast at www.WordsMatterESW.com/donate My book, Your Legacy of Words: The Workbook is a great gift for anyone in your life you wish would write down some of the stories of their lives.   More Stories Podcast Links: ▪www.MoreStoriesPodcast.com ▪Subscribe or listen via iTunes ▪Subscribe or listen via Stitcher ▪RSS feed, for those who use RSS to subscribe   Other Eric Sheridan Wyatt links: ▪My author page on Amazon. ▪My blog, Stories I Read, Stories I Tell ▪My homepage, Words Matter Creative Writing ▪Words Matter on Facebook   ▪Words Matter on Twitter