The Creative Penn

Writing, self-publishing, book marketing, making a living with your writing

How To Stay Creative In Difficult Times With Mark McGuinness

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How do you deal with fear and uncertainty during these difficult times? How can you craft a new creative routine when life is so disrupted? How can you make the most of an online business now and build for the future? I discuss all this and more with Mark McGuinness on today's show.

In the introduction, I talk about how my writing is going after Mark helped me with a breakthrough — it's time to create a new routine now this lockdown life is the new normal. Plus, the growing adoption of ebooks and digital audio in Europe and what that might mean for the future of publishing [The New Publishing Standard].

Findaway Voices

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Mark McGuinness is an award-winning poet, a nonfiction author, a creative coach, podcaster, and international professional speaker. His books for authors include Resilience, Motivation for Creative People, and 21 Insights for the 21st-Century Creative. Mark spent many years as a practicing psychotherapist and now coaches creative professionals.

You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.

Show Notes

  • How to acknowledge our fears and also deal with them in a healthy way
  • The importance of spending time in practices that are restorative
  • Dealing with uncertainty
  • What to do if you’re struggling to be creative
  • Making new creativity rituals to replace those that have been broken
  • Thinking about what assets you have in place and what ones you can create
  • What the future might look like for creatives
  • How this current crisis might actually work to empower authors and other creatives

You can find Mark McGuinness at LateralAction.com and on Twitter @markmcguinness

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3 Key Strategies for Thriving in the Ever-Changing World of Being an Author

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Every day we hear of new strategies for writing faster or book marketing, we learn of a new tool that could help our author business, or we listen to a podcast that gives us more ideas.

surviving changeThe To Do list doesn't ever get shorter, and the world will not stop changing around us.

We have to keep up, and enjoy keeping up, if we want to thrive in an industry of constant change.

When I was still at my day job back in 2009 and just starting a fledgling business online, I met Clare Edwards at National Speakers Association in Brisbane, Australia. Over coffee one day, I said that I struggled with my energy as a speaker. She tilted her head to one side and said, “It's because you're an introvert.” That comment changed my life because it helped me embrace my introversion and manage it so much better.

So I'm thrilled to bring Clare to you today, because she is incredibly perceptive and smart around what it takes to thrive in a time of change.

Change – sometimes you love it and at other times it feels like your arch enemy.

carouselDo you ever feel like you’re in the midst of a carousel of chaos spinning out of control and just want to get off?

There are some direct correlations between being a writer or author and the world of change and transition. These are:

  1. There is no such thing as certainty
  2. The world can feel like a lonely place
  1. Staying true to your goal can sometimes feel like dancing the fine line between persistence and stupidity (and we rarely if ever know which side we are on!).

Let’s take each in turn and find some strategies for minimizing stress and maximizing calm.

(1) There is no such thing as certainty … so find it for yourself

Our brains crave certainty. It’s an inbuilt need from our earliest evolution. For example, if we didn’t know where the enemy tribe was lurking or where the lion had its lair we would soon be transitioning from looking for lunch to being lunch.

We can override this instinctual need by aiming to focus on what IS certain in our lives and this very process can help calm down our emotional and stressful responses to uncertainty.

Making a list of what’s predictable at this moment in time such as where we are living, who our family and friends are, any hobbies or interests (outside of writing) that we are pursuing, all help the brain to come back to balance which is really important for our role as writers (see later in the post under WHY).

(2) The world can feel like a lonely place … so stay connected

Writing, more often than not, is a solitary function. The challenge with this is, regardless of whether we are introvert or extravert, the brain is a social organ and needs to connect with other brains to feel secure, reduce stress and create options and ideas.

Often writers lock themselves away which is great when in the throes of an inspired, creative streak, and not so helpful when wanting to build resilience levels and feel in control of change.

friends with coffeeWork by Martin Seligman, the founder of the Positive Psychology Movement has shown that being active in our support network is the strongest contributor to dealing with challenge and change.

Even more important than our need for connection, our ability to contribute and to help others is neurologically twice as rewarding as receiving so you can think of staying isolated as being a tad selfish!

(3) Staying true to your goal can sometimes feel like dancing the fine line between persistence and stupidity … so get context

My life as a facilitator, trainer and speaker is not so different from that of a writer who has decided to take the plunge and make a living out of what they are passionate about.

The reality is that it can take a while to get to that critical point of your passion becoming your income 100%.

Many people I speak to feel as if they have failed if they are struggling to make ends meet from writing and that returning to paid work from other sources is a step down, a defeating compromise. My best advice would be that you can still stay true to your goal, in fact never ever give up on your goal AND at the same time make sure that your bills are paid, so if that means getting some casual or part time work whilst you build your wealth and fame, then so be it – it’s all part of you building your change and resilience story.

So WHY are Finding Certainty, Staying Connected and Getting Context so Important?

Welcome to Neuroscience 101

brainWhen we are struggling with challenge and change there’s an old part of our brain called the amygdala that fires off and stimulates the creation of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.

The amygdala is found in the limbic system, the emotional centre of our brain, and it’s responsible for our fight or flight response. This is great if we need to run from a sabre tooth tigers or enemy tribesman, but not so useful today when our major threat is less obvious (like worrying if you can pay next month’s mortgage or waiting for your first book review).

The Prefrontal Cortex or PFC is the brain’s executive function or CEO, responsible for planning, analysis, evaluation and all the functions lesser mammals have not yet developed.

This is the crux of the problem – when our amygdala is firing, our PFC and other cortical regions responsible for creativity and innovation cannot operate effectively – critical functions for a writer, would you not agree?

The three strategies I have outlined in this article help to dampen down our instinctive fight or flight response and transfer processing to the higher functioning cortex, especially the Prefrontal Cortex.

This then leaves us able to think more clearly, rationally, calmly and also to slow down our brain waves from beta to alpha facilitating creativity, innovation and the firing of our imagination.

“The only constant is change.” Heraclitus (535 BCE – 475 BCE)

The merry-go-round is not going to slow down but we can train our brains to be less stressed, more in control of the rational and learn to enjoy the ride.

Do you struggle to cope with the ever-changing landscape of the author business? Have you found strategies that help you cope? Please do leave a comment or a question below and join the conversation.

clare edwardsClare Edwards is the Director of BrainSmart, an Anglo-Australian organisation dedicated to helping people thrive in change by understanding their amazing brains. www.brain-smart.com.

If you would like to move from surviving and coping to thriving in challenge and change then please visit our highly acclaimed course on Udemy Dealing with Change and Building Resilience using discount code JFPENN2017

On Writing And Mindset For Indie Authors With Susan Kaye Quinn

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 57:57 — 46.6MB)

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So much of becoming a successful author, indie or otherwise, is about mindset.

Today I talk to Susan Kaye Quinn about some of the biggest issues we all have as writers: self doubt, fear of judgement and comparisonitis. We also go into branding and tips on organizing your marketing.

on writing and mindsetIn the intro, I mention some time critical info, plus my fantastic night at CrimeInTheCourt – you can see the pics here on my author FB page – the launch of How to Make a Living with your Writing, and the audiobooks of Gates of Hell and One Day in New York. It's been a big week!

99designs-logo-750x200pxThis podcast episode is sponsored by 99 Designs, where you can get all kinds of designs for your author business including book covers, merchandising, branding and business cards, illustrations and artwork and much more. You can get a Powerpack upgrade which gives your project more chance of getting noticed by going to: 99Designs.com/joanna

SusanKayeQuinnSusan Kaye Quinn is a former rocket scientist now bestselling speculative fiction author and today we're talking about her super book, The Indie Author Survival Guide.

You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher, watch the video or read the notes and links below.

  • On the journey from rocket science to writing books.
  • On making a living as a writer and the indie-author revolution that the mid-listers are spearheading.
  • IndieAuthorBookOn the toxicity of comparisonitis and setting reasonable and personal writing goals and objectives.
  • The big lie of traditional publishing and the areas of validation and approval, as well as writers' mission statements, and the personal reasons why we write, which can help with decision making in our writing careers.
  • ForLoveOrMoneyOn experimenting with what works for us and what doesn't in our writing careers. Also fear of judgment and how it can hold us back from fully expressing ourselves in our work, and what we can do to deal with that. Susan has a video on dealing with fear on her site here.
  • Susan's top recommendations for book marketing including the three key elements. What to do if your books aren't selling and knowing your target market.
  • The longevity of writing careers, the long tail of book sales and the possible cycles of sales through a writer's lifetime.
  • Using Scrivener for organizing book marketing materials and how this serves to keep marketing in a separate mental space from writing. [I also recommend the Learn Scrivener Fast training for getting the most out of Scrivener.]
  • The differences between writing for love or for money. The speed with which writers can now bring new works to market and the gap that is rapidly closing between writers and readers.

You can find Susan at SusanKayeQuinn.com and her books,, The Indie Author Survival Guide and For Love or Money: Crafting an Indie Author Career, on all online stores.Continue Reading

Self Development. We All Need Mentors At Different Points In The Journey.

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I love to learn, and I've been sharing what I learn on this blog for almost 6 years now!

still learningI had an email from a lady the other week and she asked me, “How do you continue when things are tough?” This could be about writing, or just life in general, but for me, it's about constantly learning from others and changing based on what I learn.

When I first started this site, my mentors were people making a full-time living online and the mindset of entrepreneurship – which helped me escape my day job.

Then I learned about writing books and non-fiction, and then about writing fiction and deeper creativity. I feel like I circle around these topics, learning new things from new people all the time. I devour books every week, writing copious notes in my many Moleskine notebooks. I'm a learning junkie, but I also try to put things into action, and this keeps me constantly motivated.

There have been some key mentors in my life, but all their teaching has come from books, seminars and online programs, not from 1:1 discussion.

These people put their knowledge out in multiple formats to help a broader spectrum at one time, and I now try to do the same. When people email me asking to be mentored, I say ‘go read my books, read this blog, listen to the podcasts, or come and hear me speak' that's how I pass on the mentoring relationship. I hope you will do the same with what you learn.

Our mentors change over time, so I wanted to highlight some of mine at the moment.

Robert McKee STORY conference

storyI've just returned from the 4 day intensive STORY course taught by Robert McKee, and it was absolutely mind-blowing.

I've now written 8 fiction books – from short stories, to novellas and novels, and I felt that this was exactly the right time for me to learn what he had to teach. I was going to blog about what I learned but seriously, I have 130 pages of notes and it was way too deep to try and capture in sound-bites. I'm also going to be processing for a few weeks before trying to incorporate it all into my 2015 creative works. It's not about screenwriting, so much as story itself and how that resonates through people for maximum human impact.

If you want to check out this stuff, read the book STORY, and if you are serious about investing in your creative writing career, then take the multi-day seminar. He also has an online video program, Storylogue, but to be honest, I think the live experience is far superior (but obviously more expensive!)

Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch

perfectionDean and Kris have 30+ years as full-time writers and they've seen the full spectrum of what the publishing industry can offer – from trad pub deals, to indie, to owning their own publishing company and physical bookstore.

Their advice is completely devoid of any hype or short term tactics, it's all about creating a long-term successful career as an author. They are also both prolific writers and incredibly humble, plus they're fun, and seem to have a good marriage 🙂 What better mentors to have!

I've read all their various non-fiction books and taken a number of courses. The ones that have particularly helped me are:

Steven Pressfield

Turning Pro Steven PressfieldTurning Pro is the only book I own in print, ebook and audiobook. Pressfield kicks my ass every time I read or listen to it, and I make sure to read it every January to assess whether or not I am closer to being a ‘pro.'

When I interviewed Steve earlier this year on my podcast, it was a true pinnacle, because talking to someone who had been a mentor to me for years was very special. You'll hear it in my voice – I am a little star-struck!

I've been listening to the audiobook of Turning Pro in the last few weeks, trying to up my creative game. Pressfield's books are really about mindset and what really matters, leaving behind the ephemeral to get to the heart of why we do what we do.

His quote from Krishna is particularly important to me right now: “You have the right to your labor, not the fruits of your labor.” Think on that before moaning about book sales!

Tony Robbins

money tony robbinsI've said before that I was so inspired by Tony's self-help books and information that my aim was to become a professional speaker like him, and change people's lives in the way he does. His book, Awaken the Giant Within, helped me to overcome a lot of mindset issues and start to create, another pivotal moment in my move from IT consultant to creativity. I've never been to one of his live events, although that is on my list for the next couple of years.

But Tony makes my list again at the moment because of his new book, Money: Master the Game. It's his first book in many years and comes from his anger over the 2008 global financial crisis and how the lack of financial education costs people far more than they could imagine. I consider myself a decent enough business-woman, but I have made my share of financial mistakes, both in business and in property. I've been reading this book slowly, and will continue to re-read until I understand it and have made the changes necessary to my own financial setup. It's incredibly value packed and may change your life! I have bought the print edition as well as digital as it is the kind of book you need to digest slowly.

Various podcasts

podcastI listen to podcasts when I do chores or go to the gym, or travel and I find it's a great way to learn about new things and discover lessons learned from people in all walks of life. I'm loving the Tim Ferriss show at the moment and particularly enjoyed this episode with Kevin Kelly. I also like the James Altucher show, particularly this episode with Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame.

In terms of self-publishing and related topics, I also listen to the Self-Publishing Podcast (for laughs NSFW), the Sell More Books show (for news and marketing tips), the Rocking Self Publishing Podcast (for deeper interviews with top self-publishers), and I've just started listening to the Author Biz, about author-entrepreneurship.

Put away your self-development inner cynic!

I hope I don't have too many cynics in my audience – after all, my relentless positivity would probably put you off over time! The world I live is in brimming with possibilities and exciting projects and a never-ending stream of learning and creating. If your world doesn't feel that way, then you need a kick in the creative rear!

These are just a few of my mentors at the moment who help me push the boundaries of what I can achieve in my week, my year and my life. You will need to find your own mentors for what you need to learn, but DO find them. After all, if you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room!

I'd love to hear about some of your mentors, now or in the past, preferably from books/seminars/courses so others can benefit. Please do leave a comment below and join the conversation.

Flickr Creative Commons: still learning by Anne Davies

Why The Writing Journey Is Just Like Skiing

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Everybody wants to know the best way to write, to publish, to market.

Why the writing journey is just like skiingBut although there are tracks to follow and experts to emulate, there really is no single right way to do anything in the author life. We will all have a different journey.

Imagine that you want to ski down a hill.

Even if you don't ski, hopefully you've seen enough Bond movies to know how it works! It's similar to our journey through life and also applies to writing, marketing and any kind of business or career.

Here's why.

(1) Your path is not a straight line. You have to zigzag.

Even though you know the general direction you want to head in, you can't direct yourself straight down the mountain, or you will certainly have an accident.

Even pros have to change direction and turn their skis across the slope. There is no direct path, so don't expect there to be.

There's also not just one path – everyone has a different route to get down, so you can try to follow other people's example but you will end up carving your own path. In my book, Career Change, I talk about all my various failed businesses before I found my true path as an author. It's a zigzag journey for us all.

(2) It's easier to turn once you're moving.

You need some momentum in order to turn on skis, so you actually have to get moving before you try.

In the same way, you actually have to start writing in order to have something to edit and improve. You have to start with a crappy website so you can learn how to make it better.

You have to start marketing somehow so you can learn what works for you and improve over time.

(3) You can't learn it all from books: you have to get on the slope.

You can't be a great skier by reading about it or going to seminars or watching YouTube videos. You actually have to put in the hours skiing.

The same applies to writing, publishing and marketing. People often assume that I have some kind of degree in marketing, but I don't. I've just been out there every day for five years learning on the slopes – emulating the pros, yes – but mainly doing it for myself.

(4) You're going to fall over and it's going to hurt. But you get better over time.

If you're afraid of falling over, you will never be a good skier. Because you will fall, it happens a lot and it has to happen if you're going to push yourself to get better and go on more advanced runs. So be prepared to fall, to fail, and to just get up again. Keep writing, keep putting your words out and keep experimenting with marketing.

(5) Some days, the weather is perfect and you can see for miles and the sun is shining and it's amazing!

This is meant to be fun!

Yes, being an author can be a career and an income, but it's also a passion. The reason we keep going back to skiing, keep going back up the slope, is that there is exhilaration and joy in the process, not just the outcome of getting to the bottom.

Some days, the weather will be perfect and we will have amazing runs on pristine, soft snow. Other days, the icy cold will make us grit our teeth to even manage one run and we wish we hadn't bothered. But we keep going back because we love it, and those amazing days when it all falls into place make it worth it!

What do you think about this? Does a zigzag journey accurately reflect your writing life? Please do leave a comment and join the conversation below.

Top image: Flickr Creative Commons ruapehu skiing by Airflore

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