writing group – Molly Ovenden Creativity

7 Benefits of Joining a Creative Writing Membership

Memberships have become more and more of a common model and part of everyday life for so many of us. Whether it’s video streaming services, gym memberships, monthly food or hygiene delivery, or activity boxes for kids, there are memberships for pretty much everything you can think of. Creative Writing learning is no exception. From finding community of likeminded creatives to expert support to specific journey steps to guide you along your individual path for growth, there are myriad benefits of membership for those wanting to develop their creative writing lives and author careers.

Here are 7 reasons for you to consider:

Friendship
Doing any activity with friends is more fun. Learning with friends creates a shared experience which deepens your relationship. Some of the greatest writers we hear of were part of a circle of equally prolific friends. Writing and learning from friends promotes healthy peer pressure and friendly competition to help each other mutually improve. It’s not just any kind of friendship, though — it’s genuine relationships with writers who get it.
Colleagues
Creative writing life and an author career can be a really lonely path. It’s an odd sense of autonomy and independence. In some cases there are extended times of isolation. The separation from likeminded others can be demoralizing because those with whom you share daily life may not understand. A writing membership allows the opportunity for a community of professionals who understand the highs and lows, the motivations and the pains of the writing life, so they don’t need you to explain: they already all understand.

Inspiration
Being in community with creative individuals will fuel your inspiration. When there is a collection of individuals meeting together, each creative perspective bounces off the other and compounds the creative joy. Staring out the window brings a certain amount of creativity, but being able to speak aloud your ideas in the presence of someone else who will ask you questions to provoke the further development of creativity can be super helpful, too.
Momentum
There is a certain motivation that comes from belonging to a community with a monthly calendar. With a range of curated content such as accountability check ins, expert panelists, live Q&A sessions, or hot seat coaching sessions there is a rhythm to it. The rhythm of content inspires and perpetuates momentum. Done well, the membership content will be curated in a helpful pattern so as to help members take one step after the other, thus creating momentum, by keeping the learning and implementation in motion.
Curation
The best memberships are created with a focused progression of activities, learning, and insights to help members move forward. Usually three to five stages allow members to self-identify where in the process they are and at which stage. This self-identification aspect is really helpful to reduce overwhelm. Often an argument against memberships in learning environments is that all of the information is out there on the internet for free, so why would we pay for it? It’s true: there is a lot of good information out there, but it can be really overwhelming and time-consuming to sift through it all. A membership’s materials are in order and the most important pieces are selected for members to focus on and curated in the best order possible, minimizing overwhelm.

Support
Panels of experts are a tool to support your journey. For creative writing this can be one of the most significant parts of the membership journey because of the laser focus available. Memberships are often run by experts, but they are usually only experts in one or two fields. This is where panel interviews come in. The best memberships will listen to its members and schedule experts to address some of the widespread questions that will have a positive impact on the majority of the group. Members may encounter expert interviews on topics from daily habits to plot development, selecting an agent to cover design.
Answers
When you are writing at a new level of growth with uncertainty at to what lies ahead, chances are you have a lot of questions. Many creative writing memberships have an opportunity to get answers to your questions. Some may have an easy to access search function to see if someone else had your same question and others may have a monthly live Q&A session. You may be given the opportunity to ask questions ahead of time to allow the panelists or membership organizers time to prepare or it could all happen live. But, most importantly is that memberships can provide answers that you need precisely when you need them, tailored to your current stage of the writing and authoring journey.

There you have it. Those were seven real benefits for you today of how you could really put a stake in the ground in your creative writing life and author career. There is no reason that you should ever feel alone. We are made for community and creativity, so a creative writing community is a no brainer. I have always loved the groups I’ve been part of as they’ve propelled me forward and my confidence grew. If you are serious about finishing your manuscript, finally getting your brilliant idea from brain to page, let’s get you the help you need.

Hey! I’m Molly Ovenden! Creative Writing Coach, Author, Visual Artist, at your service!

BECOME the Writer paid membership exists to create and nurture a creative writing community for those who want to move forward in their writing lives and author careers. Get started and sign up today: click here.

10 Questions to Ask so You Can Habitually Finish Your Book(s)!

10 Questions to Ask so You Can Habitually Finish Your Book–or Books!

Is this you?

So many people loved writing when they were in school, but once adulthood set in, they believed they only had time for serious endeavors which don’t include writing.

So many people believe they’ve got a book in them, but they feel scared or uncertain about starting, or just can’t seem to find the time.

So many people have started writing a book, but haven’t finished because they’ve burnt out with perfectionism, fizzled out with fear about what others might think of them, or they procrastinated and ran out of time and motivation.

You don’t have to be one of these people.

The fact that you’re here, taking in these words, shows me that YOU ARE A BRILLIANT WRITER! You’ve got a desire to learn, to get your words from brain to page, and to truly make an epic and life-changingly positive impact on the world.

You CAN do this. You CAN write this book. You CAN get your book published and into the hands of those readers who will devour your words.

When you find yourself struggling to show up for your daily writing or you’re at the edge of the finish line, but dragging your feet, here are 10 lovingly convicting questions to ask yourself (perhaps via reflective journal entry) to find the courage you need to follow through.

1. Who are you as a writer?

Identity is so important when we write. If you don’t know who you are, it will be really challenging to write authentically. Often writers resist becoming authors, resisting publication, resisting the accountability for finishing what you said was important.

If you don’t know who you are, then you don’t have a certainty about whom you’re making this writing promise to, to finish your book. When you know who you are as a writer and creative and who you want to be, you begin to stand on a firmer foundation. You begin to live with more focus. Each action you take can bring you into life living as that person, or becoming someone else completely different.

Try this: I want to be a writer who (fill in the blank).

2. How does what you are actually writing resonate with who you are?

You might find that a reason you are struggling to make time every day for your creative writing habits is because it just doesn’t feel like you’re the one to write it. Are you writing something in the way you think it “should be written” or are you writing in a way that feels authentic to you personally and in your own voice? Do you actually need to write this? Or, is this writing something someone else could do instead of you?

Try this: Read a selection of your book out loud. How well does it read aloud? Take notes and make adjustments accordingly in revision time.

3. Who is your reader?

Think of a single person you are telling your story to. In your imagination, bring them into your room. Perhaps, if your ideal reader is a couple different people, set out metaphorical chairs in your writing room for these few people and then write like you’re speaking or reading to just them.

You may argue your book is for more than these couple of folks, or even that it’s for everyone. That’s great! You’ve got massive vision. But, it’s important you speak directly to these individuals so your readers know the story is for them. If you speak to the crowd, it all tends to get muddy and harder for your readers to connect with you and the stories you’re trying to share.

Try this: Imagine your ideal reader sat in the chair across from you. Pay attention to what they are doing or saying and allow them to react and respond while you read and write.

4. How does what you are actually writing help your reader?

Think of your actual ideal reader. How is what you’re writing for them bringing inspiration or helping them learn or entertaining them? It can be tempting to write for the agent or publisher or your 2nd grade teacher who told you you’d never write anything good.

But unless they are a picture of your ideal reader, don’t bring them into your living room to tell them your story. Writing can be a fight to get the words out. When you consider who your words will actually help, this can bring clarity and the second wind of endurance you need to finish strong.

Try this: As you already have your ideal reader sat in the chair across from you, read your words out loud to them. Think critically whether what you’ve written resonates with them. You may want to imagine their facial expressions. Even better could be to get your literal ideal reader together with you and ask them for focused feedback.

5. Why are you writing this book?

If you’re like most creative people, you’ve probably got heaps of inspiration and ideas mulling around in that imagination of yours. Knowing why you’ve chosen to write this particular one can be a gift of clarity to help you finish it.

There was one point when it seemed like the best idea in the world to work on this book right now. Take a moment to remember why this is important to you.

Also, think about some of the other books you would like to write. They won’t get written if you don’t finish this one. Use the promise of the next book you want to write to propel you onward. Perhaps you have a series in mind or a collection – those books need each other.

Try this: Make a list of reasons why you chose to write this book. Put the list somewhere you can see it regularly. Read it out loud to yourself as often as it takes.

6. What are you most excited about for this book?

If you’ve been working on this book for a while, it might have lost its sparkle from conception. Maybe you’re in the messy middle and it feels very messy and all you can think of is how much it’s going to take to clean it all up and make sense of all the mind mud.

Maybe you’ve been saying things like this for months (to yourself and others), “I’m very nearly finished…I just have the last little details to polish…just one last bit to sort out…” This can be demoralizing and prolong the finishing.

Try this: Make a list of 3-5 aspects of your book that excite you. You may refer to some pieces on your previous list. And, you may use future books as an incentive to get excited enough to propel you to the finish. Put your list somewhere you can read it and remember as often as it takes.

7. What would happen to your readers if you never finished this book?

The reality is that perhaps nothing would happen if you never finished writing this book. But, consider your readers again. If you feel compelled to write something, to persevere through actually finishing a bunch of words in book form and getting it out into the world, then it’s likely worth finishing.

It’s worth finishing because of who the words are for. Your readers may continue feeling sad and not knowing how to escape and if they don’t read your novel, they won’t learn about the magical land of Smorithinya and its mystical beings, the Carinchimpfs who can only fly with their eyes closed. If you don’t finish your book, your readers will never experience the connection they would have when they read your memoir – their feelings of being outcast and uninspired will remain. They will still be stuck in their issues and unsure how to go forward – even though your book, were you to finish it, would provide some answers.

Try this: Imagine: What would happen to your readers if you never finished this book?

8. What will it feel like to see people devouring your book?

You’ll never know the feeling of how your words impact the world in a positive way if you don’t finish writing your book and putting it out into the world. But to imagine how big of a rippling and far reaching impact that it could make? All of the potential it could have? If only you finished getting your words on the page and submitted.

But, how cool to watch the delight in young readers’ eyes. How cool to witness the transformation in a person when you walk them through the step-by-step process of how you overcame obstacles. How amazing it will feel to hear about how much your book meant to your readers.

Try this: Imagine: What will it feel like to see people devouring your book?

9. When are you writing?

The human mind and emotions and body and soul are complicated. These all play a role in our stick-to-it-ness of finishing the book, but also toward how you feel during your writing times.

Even though last season worked really well to write in the early morning, now the sun rises earlier and you find it too distracting to watch the sunrise. Perhaps you’ve changed your diet or exercise routine and now you need to make sure you eat before you write instead of after like you did last year. There are so many factors which it might be helpful to consider.

Try this: Take an honest assessment of the time of day, the length of time, the frequency each week. Assess what you’re doing before and after your writing time, too. Determine whether this is the best time and schedule for you to continue using. Make a change, if necessary.

10. What needs to happen for you to keep the momentum?

Sometimes life gets in the way and we need to restructure life and our writing schedule for them to work and play well together. Sometimes saying “no” to late nights with friends or family extras needs to happen for a season. Sometimes riding the wave of inspiration needs to happen even though it’s late into the night.

What habits are preventing you from moving forward to cross the finish line? What habits would help to slingshot you across the finish? What is something awesome (or not-so-awesome) that has actually been keeping you from finishing? Even good things can hold us back.

Try this: Consider what you could pause for a season that could help you finish your book. Then, have the conversation to get extra help. Buy noise canceling headphones. Put your writing pants on – whatever it takes, and keep the momentum.

That’s it. Those are the questions to ask so you can habitually finish your book–or, books!

Consider each of these questions as much as you need to, but please, don’t use trying to find the best answers for each question as another thing to prevent you from finishing your book. There are so many reasons which could prevent us from finishing. From health issues, to busy seasons at work, to creative blockages from fear, imposter syndrome, perfectionism. Whatever your “thing” is that’s preventing you from finishing, get some help.

Do the inner work yourself to be able to address it with these questions and then you’ve got a starting point to get the help you need. Depending on the topic, you could be experiencing resistance due to the highly emotional content or you could be experiencing resistance if you feel like you’re not the most qualified person to talk about this issue or teach this subject.

Perhaps interviewing an expert for your topic’s research could help. Maybe a session with a counselor could help un-pick what’s holding you back. An accountability writing group who meet regularly could be just the ticket. Enrolling in writing classes and hiring a creative writing coach could be just what you need.

Do what it takes. Tell a friend. Ask for help. Remind yourself of the writer you are and who you want to be. Remind yourself of who will miss out if you don’t finish. Get your words out from your brain to the page and into the hands of readers who will devour your book! Put the stake in the ground and write. You can totally do this. I believe in you!

Happy writing!

Hey, I’m Molly Ovenden. Author, Creative Writing Coach, Visual Artist, Perseverance Expert. Let’s talk to see if working with a Creative Writing Coach is your next best step. Schedule your free call now.

5 Actions That Help My Body Write

Writing is a purely intellectual pursuit. I strongly disagree with this statement. Of course a lot of writing requires thought processes, but I’ve found that there are a lot of physical processes that for me to find success during writing sessions. Longevity of my author career is really important to me so that I can reinforce who I believe I am made to be: someone who creates for a living…primarily through words.

Because I’ve realized that I want to have a creative career, I need both my mental and my emotional health in tip top shape. When I don’t sleep well and rely on coffee to fuel me or when I don’t leave the house (where I work in my in-home studio and writing space), my mental and emotional health suffer. Being physically active is hugely beneficial to my own writing life.

As a result, I regularly do things that impact my body in a positive way so I can write and bring entertaining, joy and hope-filled, educational words to readers around the world.

Here are five physical activities I regularly take part in to help my body write:

1. Run
I am a marathon runner. I began my running life in elementary school against my will having to suffer the mile run in gym class on rainy days and do laps in the sweaty gymnasium. When I reached my mid-twenties I began running to travel more quickly (my feet were my transportation and I was bored of walking). After a short while, I actually fell in love with running (I also used to think people who “love running” were lying to me).

When I run, I restore the connection between my mind and body. When I write or sit at my computer all day and “forget” or otherwise neglect to run, my mind has a tendency to run on its own in an unhealthy way. Running bring head, heart, body all together. Running is also a social time for me when I see people in my running group. I also find my awareness to my five senses is heightened. More awareness of my senses makes for better writing.

Since I am a distance runner, I find that there are so many parallels between the perseverance to physically run my 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon race, and respective training and the writing life–especially the book writing, publishing, marketing aspects. It’s all a long-game view and running provides a lot of writing material.

2. Yoga
Similar to running, yoga brings a reconnection to my mind, body, heart. When I am in the writing space, I can be far away from wherever “here” is when I write. But yoga requires me to focus my mind on what my body is doing, so my mind does a helpful reset. For me, yoga is also like running in that they are both spiritual practices.

Faith is really important to me and when I spend time running, stretching after running, or strengthening my core with yoga, I’m also connecting to God. I’m inviting the Holy Spirit into my day and moments of practice in the quiet and I’m asking my friend Jesus to run with me or to help my mind be at peace.

While yoga is meditative and a tool to help me let go in prayer and give God any anxious thoughts in exchange for His peaceful thoughts, there is also a pure physical process to yoga that really helps my body to write, too. Yoga strengthens and grows lean muscles and my core, too which is important for running efficiently (which helps my writing life), but also to sit properly at my desk, to sleep well for my mind to be clear, and to make space for creative thoughts.

3. Physical therapy

Physical therapy is something I began out of necessity because I had some balance issues we thought were my equilibrium, but ended up being a strain on my neck and shoulders. Yes, yoga is a pure physical improvement to my body. Sitting at a computer or bending my head over to write in a notebook can bring physical strains.

However, there are some exercises I turn to in the realm of yoga or pilates that were given to me by my physical therapist, massage therapist, and chiropractor. When I take time to stretch my wrists and hands, my forearms are healthier. When I take time to stretch my hips, my lower back is looser. When I take time to stretch my chest and shoulders, my neck is less strained.

When I don’t take time to stretch or do my physical therapy exercises because I feel too busy, I actually slow myself down and prevent myself from making the progress in my writing life that I want to make because it can become too painful, and actually physically stuck that it’s difficult to write.

4. Breathing

There are many physical benefits of breathing. We know this because it’s an involuntary action for most: breathing literally keeps us alive. There are other benefits, too. Deep and slow breathing increases lung capacity for oxygen which means blood cells have more oxygen to function and this increases the strength of our immune system.

Not only the immune system is improved, but also our muscles can be more relaxed with deep breathing. Sleep improves with intentional breathing practices because the involuntary breathing becomes more efficient. I’ve found that taking rhythmically slow, deep breaths, when I breathe out slowly I can reduce stress.

Intentional breathing also helps me to focus. Being distracted when I write means less productivity and less articulated in my writing. Breath work allows me to focus on my breath and also helps me reinforce the habit of focusing on whatever task is on hand. The practice of focusing on the sound of my inhales and exhales and how each movement of breath impacts my body increases my awareness to details. Noticing details allows writing with specificity, which results in writing more authentically.

5. Drinking water

Our bodies are made up of water, so if we don’t replenish what we use, things get sluggish and sticky. I know when I don’t drink enough water I get distracted by dry and chapped lips and I can get stomach aches and head aches from not being hydrated. This distraction prevents efficient writing.

Because dehydration is known for causing dizziness, fatigue, and memory loss (among other things), being sufficiently hydrated means creativity will improve. I know first hand how trying to force myself to be creative and productive tends to backfire when I don’t give myself the fuel needed.

My brain feels like it’s trudging sluggishly and no sparkles of creativity come out. And I think the biggest one that I notice when I am drinking sufficient quantities of water is that my memory improves and I don’t waste time trying to force myself to remember what’s going on.

In conclusion…

There are so many routines we can put in plan to ensure creativity and writing are completed in the most delightfully efficient manner. For me running, yoga, physical therapy, breathing, and drinking water are necessary basic needs I miss when I don’t make them each a priority.

Another way I choose to support my creativity is by being part of communities of people who are working toward a similar goal and lifestyle as I am. It’s immensely helpful to have a common goal and common understanding. In large part this comes from the support from not only my writing groups, but also my coaches and mentors.

Everyone benefits from working with a coach. That’s why I have coaches in various areas of my life and that’s why I am a coach. If you would like more information about what it’s like to work with me as your creative writing coach, get started today with a strategy call.

You may find you’re ready to write in community and have support in a group setting with other writers like you wanting to make significant progress, join the BECOME the Writer paid membership is great fun.

Happy writing!

How to Become an Audacious Writer

Audacious is a big word, one synonymous with outspoken, sometimes intimidating people. Yet, it’s also often synonymous with success, courage, seeing massive dreams come to fruition. Audacious, as defined by dictionary.com, means, “extremely bold or daring; recklessly brave; fearless: an audacious explorer.“

Those of us who’ve sat back and observed someone instead of taking action ourselves, we’ve have felt intimidated, offended, demoralized when watching someone with the audacity to succeed in doing the things we want to do (and usually not as well as we know we could do them). Yet, I didn’t take action. Other times, I’ve felt that I couldn’t measure up to achieve what I saw others doing.

When I finally resolved to take audacious action:
in spite of feeling afraid,
in spite of worrying about what people think of me,
in spite of knowing how to fully do what I want to be able to do,
I felt more like myself.

How do I become an audacious writer?
1. Write and share words even when I feel fear.
2. Write and let go of others’ thoughts about me.
3. Write and keep writing even when I don’t know how to finish or where I’m going.

Here are three lessons I’ve learned about how to become an audacious writer.

Lesson #1:
Fear Doesn’t Have Power to Hold Me Back, Unless I Give it Power.
Fear can be loud, dark, blaring, and in your face. It can chase you. It can whisper in your ear. Fear can be very persuasive.

But, fear has no power unless you give it over.

For me, fear has a very real spiritual aspect to it. Because I believe that Jesus is who He says He is in the Bible, giving into fear holds me back from receiving love, and I’m just not into that.

So, I know that I can take action in spite of the fear surrounding me because I know that I am loved. When I doubt that I am loved and accepted, cracks begin to form where fear can seep in and scare me off from completing my writing task. This gives fear permission to have power to push me down.

I will write and share words even when I feel fear.
Fear is part of reality. How I react to feeling fear determine whether I give it power over my life. The difference between feeling afraid and being afraid is massive.

When we feel afraid, it’s a condition outside of ourselves that we can choose how we respond in the midst of it.

When we are afraid, however, it’s a characteristic of our identity. While conditional, it is part of who I am. “I am afraid.” Being afraid means stopping in our tracks. Phrases like ‘paralyzed by fear’ cause us to take no action and live in a state of fear.

Simply feeling the fear is an awareness of the fear, but because it’s not part of our identity, we don’t have to respond to it. It has no power, because I’ve not attached it to my being.

As a result, I write words and I share them. Yep, there’s a ton of stuff that feels scary to me. That will likely always be the case that things feel scary, but it doesn’t always have to be the case that they really are scary.

So, while the unknowns, the doubts, the uncertainties can feel scary, I choose to write the words and get them out and not allow fear the delight of holding me back from becoming the audacious writer I’m made to be. I hope the same for you, too.

Lesson #2
Fear About What Others Think of Me is a Waste of Time.

It’s true that I actually spend more time worrying about myself and what I’m meant to do that I do thinking about other people. It’s selfish and normal and, dare I say (yes, I dare because I’m an audacious writer) freeing!

Most of us are stuck in our own minds. This is a topic for another post series, but the reality is that usually people simply aren’t as hyper focused on you and your choices as you are with your own.

When this comes to how to become the writer you’re made to be, allow yourself the ability to get words out. If people are concerned with or by your words, there’s an opportunity for a conversation where you can get to know each other more.

If you’re committed to being an afraid writer who doesn’t write, but simply thinks about writing, people will think of you the same amount that they will if you actually take that audacious step to get your words out, but they won’t have the opportunity to know you in the same way.

Sharing your words is an invitation.

I will write and let go of others’ thoughts about me.
When I write, I am being myself. I am a writer. I am a writer who writes thoughtfully. I am a writer who submits and publishes regularly. I am a writer who encourages and empowers others to become the writers they’re made to be.

The reality of publishing through contests, open calls for submissions to magazines or podcasts, traditional publishing methods means that there is a limited amount that can be published within each issue or episode or print catalog.

The reality of publishing means that sometimes your work doesn’t fit at this time for the publisher, purely from a logistics standpoint. Magazines, for instance, often have themes for each issue. If January’s theme is animal rescue stories and your overcoming cancer story gets rejected, it isn’t necessarily that the publishers think your story is garbage. It just doesn’t fit at this time.

Of course sometimes it can refer to the quality of my submitted work, but one way to ensure my work is of highest quality as possible is to…write! And, keep writing and let go of others’ thoughts about me.

I want to think this part goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. When I say I’m letting go of what other people think about me, I don’t mean that I can write mean things about people or lack regard for upholding someone’s character or reputation or that are outright mean. What I mean is that I’d rather write my words than not write words in case maybe somebody might not like them (because not everybody will always love everything you or I write–we’re too different to all love the same things).

Lesson #3
Fear of Not Knowing How to Do What I Want to Do Doesn’t Have to Hold Me Back.
When I was a kid I developed this messed up belief that turned into a massive fear I lived many years with. If I can’t do something perfectly the first time something is wrong with me and I shouldn’t try to do it.

This just isn’t true. If I’ve never done something before, of course I don’t know how to do it and of course I won’t be able to do it perfectly. Also, only God is perfect, so me trying to do things perfectly isn’t helpful.

When I’ve allowed the fear of not yet knowing how to do something hold me back, I’ve let go of the power of learning and education. I believe that we all have the capacity to learn and we can observe this human quality as we watch babies learn to walk and listen to them learn to talk. They aren’t afraid of making mistakes or scared because they don’t know how to do something yet. They just do the thing.

I will write and keep writing even when I don’t know how to finish or where I’m going.
It’s a choice to keep putting one word in front of the other. When I plan my writing with exact precision, I can get stuck and prevent creativity from flowing if as I write my ideas morph or change all together.

At the time of writing this (November 2021), I’m in my first draft of a novel. I know vaguely how it will end, but I really have no idea how it’s going to get there. I don’t know–yet–how to weave my main characters’ stories together into a cohesive narrative. I don’t know how to work with a particular editor, yet. I don’t know yet what the best method of publication for this story is yet.

Instead of stopping in fear before I even start the story, I’m committed to writing and allowing myself to learn and discover along the way. This adds fun to the process of creating, but it also allows freedom for me to meander and glean everything I can along the way.

When we do this, I think it makes us better writers, too. We’re not locked into the way it’s always been done. We’re not paralyzed and prevented from any forward motion. We can move forward with imperfection and it’s the process that’s most valuable.

As a creative writing coach, I’m committed to helping people become the writers they are made to be and I do that through courses, community, and coaching. If you’d like to learn more about how to become an audacious writer, I’d love to speak with you. Book a Discovery Call today.

10 Habits That Can Improve Your Creative Writing

Seeing your name on a website or on the spine of a book can truly be thrilling. It’s a real sense of accomplishment. It might be literal blood, sweat and tears. Blood from all the paper cuts, sweat from your apartment writing space which lacks air conditioning, and tears from asking yourself over and over, “Why did I think this was a good idea?!” But in order to actually get the end result, ultimately of being a writer and, for many of us, to be a published author, we have to put in the work. This means developing habits that will positively contribute to getting the words out.

Here are ten habits you can work with to improve your creative writing:

Photo by **Andrea Piacquadio** from **Pexels**

Write daily. Truly, in order to improve your creative writing, you need to do it with regularity. The regularity that you practice it may alter with seasons and priorities, but know that the best way to learn, improve and excel at something is by spending some time every day on it. Now, when we talk about writing daily, it does not mean that you have to work on your sci-fi novel, publish a how to blog post article, write a chapter of your book on migratory habits of house finches.

Writing daily as a habitual practice could be as simple as, every day, I will set the timer for ten minutes and, while I’m drinking my morning coffee or tea, I will write from a list of prompts. (Need some ideas? Click here.) Whether you write something for your current project or something simply for fun and silliness, it’s crucial to write regularly. This keeps the writing gears lubed up and freely moving to continue churning out creativity.

Even if you manage less than a five minute chunk of free writing, as long as you’ve written something, that will work for you. Moving slowly is still moving. And as long as you don’t stop, it’ll be easier to keep going and pick up the pace when you can.
Practice kindness. Is this you?: “I missed a day of my daily practice, so I might as well give up since I’m not literally writing daily.” That’s been me before with a myriad of habits from healthy eating to marathon training to creative writing. For instance, when I started a new set of thirty day prompts, I ended up missing Day 3 and Day 4! By Day 5, I felt like I was letting myself down. The reality is that I was feeling ill, the weather in my town was extra hot, and I had just moved to a different apartment.

While it would have been nice to robotically churn out words to meet my daily word count goals, it was kinder for me to do what I ended up doing. Oh, well. I’ll start again tomorrow. And it is crucial to start again tomorrow and not let too much time go by. I evaluated if the word count was too high or the prompts too difficult. Neither of those was the issue, but I simply needed to take a nap with the fan on and eat a salad later when I woke up. And, I had work deadlines I needed to meet, so I worked on those with the energy I had. And, it’s OK. I don’t need to evaluate or cast judgement on myself and send myself into a shame spiral for being human (I’ve done that before and the results aren’t encouraging).

Practicing kindness could look like lowering a word count goal or breaking up an hour-long session into 15 minute chunks (or a 15 minute session into 5 minute breaks throughout the day). Kindness toward your writer self could also look like writing about something fun for the pure silliness of it instead of writing the boring stuff that leaves you banging your head against the wall. Or, it could even look like simply skipping the “todays” of life that send us off track and choose to start again tomorrow.
Follow the prompt. One way I enjoy writing is by using a prompt to get me started. A prompt is literally that: to instigate movement. Something that my students can struggle with is not feeling that they can stick with the same prompt throughout a writing session. I explain that it’s not about only writing about “my favorite sunny day” but, it’s really about writing how you feel while you’re writing, a memory of your childhood unicorn floaty or the sensation of sticky, sandy ice cream dripping on your beach towel. Normally, this wouldn’t be classed as a favorite day out. Instead, it sounds the opposite.

But, in order to help your writing habits, you keep your pen moving and your keys clicking words out no matter how they come. Some days we will follow the prompt and get lost in the abyss of monkey butts, pineapple froyo and the hippie or hipster (hard to say sometimes) in the corner that’s all tattooed up and says he really loves the waves. Somedays what we write as we free write and follow the prompt, we allow the words to come out. We can use the joys of the editing process to sift out the golden goodness from a writing session when we’ve let the firehose of absurdity spray out from our pen. However, we have nothing to edit if we are too worried and particular about what we say and whether it’s precisely fitting in with the prompt exactly.
Breathe. Breathing is an involuntary reflex that healthy bodies do without thinking about it. It’s something that simply happens. Sometimes, though, when we are writing and we don’t like what we are writing because it’s off track, lacks perfection, or we’re struggling with actually saying what we want to say, we need to pause and take a breath.

Something that my coach continues to remind me to do when I’m feeling overwhelmed by so many projects and tasks is to do this, to pause to breathe, so I know that it can work.

Breathing in through your nose for four seconds and breathing out slowly from your nose, too, for six seconds can help calm you down and bring clarity to your thoughts. Sometimes you might need to slow down for a moment to see what is literally in front of you. Breathing out slowly literally slows our heart rates, which can help us physically calm down. Slowing our heart rate and helping make our bodies feel more at rest, will help us to be able to write more.

Try this: The next time I feel anxious or annoyed at myself or about my writing, I will pause and take three deep breaths in and out through my nose. You may find it helpful to close your eyes, too. Then, start writing again.
Redefine what writing is. Much of writing, especially at the start of a project, involves literal writing. However, when you are in the midst of a project, sometimes writing involves different practices which contribute to the end result. A place that some people can get stuck is by having a strict definition of what writing is.

Writing is about researching the occupational duties of your main character, about editing and refining your words to tighten a scene, about going with a free writing prompt wherever it takes you (even to a different city than where you’re writing about), about reading something someone else wrote in a similar genre or on the same topic.

Writing to get the words out is an essential part of the process, but it is not the only part of the process. If you want to be a writer, then you will spend time writing and that will be your primary focus to be a writer. But, if you want to be a published author (ghostwriting blog articles, writing a mini e-book on your favorite topic, writing a series of YA fantasy rom com novels), there is a lot more that counts toward writing time. And each of these additional tasks need to be part of your writerly schedule and habits.
Read widely. “I only like reading westerns by Louis L’Amour, though.” If you would like to improve your creative writing habits, you might have to break out of your usual reading niche nest and spread your writing genre wings. Reading widely can help you gain understanding and insight on a wide range of topics that will stimulate various parts of your brain that aren’t normally engaged. Reading widely can educate you about a different way of presenting information or saying something in an articulate manner. And, reading widely can help you break out of a rut. We can get so used to how something is that we forget that there’s a different way. Reading from a variety of authors and genres can offer alternative routines to train the formation of different pathways, that scientifically speaking, literally grows your brain.

Where can you find new genres? There are a ton of resources out there. I have a whole board on Pinterest called, “Books Worth Reading,” that you’re welcome to peruse. The pins there come from a variety of places and people. Some are actual lists of what some say are the best books that coming out in Summer 2021, while others are lists of ideas to find books to read (ex: read a book about an ex-convict, read a book with unicorns, read a book that takes place in Turkey, read a book that take place in the 1920s, etc.).

You might also talk to your local librarian or a local bookseller and they will be more than happen to recommend popular titles or titles they have recently enjoyed.
Read as a writer. Usually writers want to write because we enjoy reading. We want to give others that experience of producing a page-turner that will inform and entertain and pass time in a pleasant manner on a day off or when we need one, but can only escape for a few minutes at a time.

One habit to take on to improve your writing is not only to read widely and regularly, but also to read with a writer’s lens. Ask yourself questions about what you read to understand how it helps you write better.

Try questions like:
*How did the writer create tension in this scene?
*Why did the writer choose this word instead of a different one? How might the meaning or mood of this paragraph or page or chapter or book change were they to have used a different word?
*Which technique did the writer use to structure the plot or the develop the character in this instance?
*What would my dialogue interactions be like if I tried working with conversation like this writer has done, but for my own characters?
Take a creative writing class. I am a lifelong learner and I am a teacher, so I will always promote taking classes in whatever you choose to want to improve in. By investing time and money into a class, you’re proving to yourself and others around you that your creative writing craft is important and valuable to you.

Enrolling in a class can be really helpful for scheduling out regular time to devote to your creative writing habits. There is an accountability that comes with putting your money down, you have “skin in the game” we call it in the coaching and education industry. And, I know it’s true from my personal experience. I’ve made that monetary commitment, so I will make that time commitment, too. Plus, there are cool people who are also taking or teaching the class that you want to connect with about writing. It can all be very exciting.

We can use our excitement about someone else’s work to inspire our own, also. When we are in community, we have the opportunity to experience life in a different manner and in a varied context. Habitual learning in community in a safe space like a classroom, whether virtual or in-person, can really improve your creativity. I make it a habit to take classes to improve my creative pursuits and in seasons when I am working on something else, I’m more able to keep the concepts front of mind and remain in a creative mindset because of the learning, rather than getting stagnant because I don’t have time for it all.
Go for a walk. It’s a simple one, but the act of getting up from your chair and getting blood flowing in your legs and feet when you’ve been cramped up trying to knock out all of those words, can bring a new lease of life into your writing time.

Physically walking helps promote healthy circulation (including to your extremities: you need your little fingers to be able to type, but also to your brain, which you need to imagine all these amazing ideas to write down), but there are other benefits of walking when it comes to writing habits.

Going for a walk means you can engage all five senses without technology impeding them. Your eyes get a break from looking closely at a notebook or at your computer screen and they can take in all the colors. Walking so you feel the sensations of hitting your foot on the ground. Smell the seasonal air, a neighborhood bakery, that businessman’s cologne. Taste your gum or your need for it (maybe this triggers a story scene for an apocalyptic tale where clean water doesn’t exist anymore). Listen to birds chirping, the elderly neighbor shouting hello to the mail carrier, the motorcycles gearing up for the weekend ride.
Submit your writing. While submission can be a goal, it can be scary, and it can become a habit that doesn’t get held back by emotions and what ifs. There are countless online resources available for submission. Maybe you could post a blog daily, submit a short story to a contest once a week, send a query letter to an agent a couple times a month.

Practicing submitting not only trains your brain to work to deadlines, but also to be able to handle rejection. The fear of rejection can be a massive hurdle, but it doesn’t have to be. One of the ways to overcome rejection is to realize that it’s the writing piece, that has a life of its own, that is being rejected. This can happen for a whole host of reasons: the contest received so many submissions that only one of one thousand submissions could be chosen; the agent is currently at capacity and isn’t able to take on another author at this time (even though they loved your work); or the online e-zine has already received enough pieces in the genre you submitted, so they are actually looking for work in a different genre.

The practice of submission encourages a habit of completion, a habit of sharing, and a habit of writing something new. When you practice submitting writing you become resilient, audacious and prolific. You give yourself the change to actually become an effective writer because you put in the practice of showing up to the page.

Photo by **Tima Miroshnichenko** from **Pexels**

There are many other habits which can help us improve our writing, but I hope that these few above can help you grow into a brave and effective communicator through the written word. Which one of the above ten ideas will you try implementing this week? Let me know how it goes–comment below!

Happy Writing!

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SciFi Daily Prompt 3

This month, I’m participating in Camp NaNoWriMo. My goal? I have never written science fiction, but would like to because anything can happen! I think it’s really fun and the type I will be writing is silly and non-sensical…likely with made up science and technology because I’ve never understood that stuff very well. I am aiming to write 500 first thought words each day in the morning to put my own writing projects first and get all the creative juices flowing. I’ll be using my Science Fiction Prompts resource I created for my clients and students.

I’ll practice free writing so I will not be editing afterward or during. The only things I might change are if there are obvious spelling errors as I’m going along. Otherwise, this is purely straight from my wild mind and onto the page…eek!

Feel free to join me or follow along.

Day 2 Prompt: This gave a whole new meaning to garbage disposal.

Photo by **Tom Swinnen** from **Pexels**

Daily Goal: 500
Word Count: 584
**This gave a whole new meaning to garbage disposal.** The birds circled the area with increased lazy pursuit. They feigned a lack of interest when they were hungry for new garbage. Their own flesh and their own blood was no longer satisfying these cannibal black feathered monsters. They were bigger than the ravens on earth. Their eyes were beadier than those glassy, balck-eyed creatures. And their eyes were redder than the earthlings. These giant raven aliens’ feathers were broader and wider than those on earth. Their necks sagged with the gagaciousness gagging throat skin, hanging with that wretchedness of those of turkey vultures, but these seemed more demonic than the rubbish collectors on earth. Their eyes flitted and darted about the rows of houses, looking for a twitch, for a waft of a stench. There were few areas cleaner and tidier than Locklandaga, the major city on Noro’s largest moon, of the habitable moons, Newtein. Locklandaga held a special meaning to those who lived, or survived there. It was all about perspective. They were able to start fresh. These birds were part of that fresh start. The garbage was never collected in a refuse area or dumpsite, instead these giant birds would circle and prey on and clean up what was left over and these aviary magicians would make the clutter and disgusting ick disappear. For the Chorrupsi family, Locklandaga was a sign of promise, the black birds were signs of hope, signs to erase everything that was wrong about their previous lives before they came Newtein and trekked to find Locklandaga. So many things had passed in their minds as they meandered and miraged, held hands in fear of what mind come from behind a dune and rear their maggoty heads at them. The Chorrupsi family consisted of the mother and father, Lina and Tim and their five children, Corai, Newla, Nita, Seb and Trulobe, each named for gods on their home planet of Nextine. They had struggled once the new emperor, Nonthroganoshticoy had taken power. He had overthrown the, at the time, current infrastructure and enslaved some of the workers immediately. He hoped that they would submit to him right away and then convince the rest of the peoples of how beneficial it was to follow him. But, Nonthroganoshticoy was mistaken. There was a brutal battle waged by the initial group of enslavement. Lina and Tim took their whole Chorrupsis right away via escape vessels run by rebels to surrounding moons of nearby planets. Noro orbited Newtein in a chaotic and wobbly manner, often making the scientific groups question the trajectory of the moon, but they’d studied it for years and it always got back on a suitable course, so far at least. The Chorrupsis didn’t feel they had a choice. They simply had to get out. They felt tremendous gratitude for the pilots of the escape vessels. They were good people, the Chorrupsis and they felt like they deserved a fair chance to raise their girls in a place free from fear and whilst they felt afraid, they wanted to allow their girls an opportunity. Newtein was a place out of necessity that really did dispose of all of the garbage in the Chorrupsis lives. They wondered if it would always feel like a time of gratitude. They wondered if these birds would present a new sense of fear, but could it be that these large black birds could be like those on earth, symbolizing the embodiments of change and transformation?

SciFi Daily Prompt 2

Feel free to join me or follow along.

Day 2 Prompt: The orbs floated overhead, pausing above each guest. They were smelling them and…

Photo by **Josh Sorenson** from **Pexels**

Daily Goal: 500
Word Count: 431

The orbs floated overhead, pausing above each guest. They were smelling them and…with each sniff, it seems, they were sending signals back to the mother ship. The mother ship, if that is what you could really call it was a giant orb, blue in color so that it hid well in the sky of Pacific California. The sunshine glinted off of the orb, but in such a way that it created the classic sparkle of a California dreamin’ day, not in an eerie or unusual way. That in itself was rather eerie and unusual. However, these orbs were a new development that came in the span of time of the change of seasons. It was the season of spring and as the flowers bloomed, it was as though the pollen brought upon with it orbs. Just a few at first, like spring blossoms de-petaling and the pink petals flowing freely and then being able to let go of their own expectations, but instead it was the need to settle. These orbs took up the fragrance of others and encapsulated it. That must be what they were doing. To the residents of Jordan Heights, up in the cliff hills, they were oblivious at first, only the birdwatchers began to notice, but it was clear that nobody believed them for their odd tendencies to observe unidentifiable flying objects except with their high powered binoculars, but they did bring it upon themselves to write down all of the details of when they began seeing these orbs. They also were the ones who noticed the mothership blue orb first, too. Ornithologists are the people who might seem the least likely to adopt the ideals of alien life forms, but they can on occasion argue for the existence of dinosaurs in the modern era, which they assert are their two legged winged friends. So, they were willing to detect the change. Their birds’ migration habits are a little different from last year as they are returning from a winter down south where it was warmer for them. A few trickled in earlier than usual. And then there weren’t as many birds returning in mass. It seemed like the birds were coming in a flighty and trickly pattern, which is unusual. Everything was unusual. Everything was unusual except for Herpert. Herpert was in his element. And it was Herpert who was doing the collecting of smells from the orbs when they thought that it was on its way to the mother ship. Herpert had been able to redirect the scents in his scent collector which was…

SciFi Daily Prompt 1

Feel free to join me or follow along.

Day 1 Prompt: When the otter’s tail clicked into place with fine-tuned mechanical precision, I knew there was an issue.

Photo by **David Selbert** from **Pexels**

Daily Goal: 500
Word Count: 940

When the otter’s tail clicked into place with fine-tuned mechanical precision, I knew there was an issue.
I had seen an inappropriately large amount of otters since I had moved into the area, but I thought it was simply because of the widely wooded area with swampy rivers. They need trees to build their dams and they need water to dam, right? That’s what I thought, at least. I had been minding my own business on a Monday morning, whistling my way to work, you know how it is. And I got to seeing that these otters then seemed on their way to work, too, which I thought was cute at first. I hadn’t had my coffee, you know? And then, I watched as they started to simultaneously thump their tails in time with each other. I saw that each thump of their tails seemed to call more and more woodland creatures and wildlife to the river, but now I don’t think that these were the creatures they appeared to be. I think that they are, well, I think that they are robots. I don’t know who to talk to and I am afraid that they are recording my cell phone, so I don’t feel like it’s safe to call anyone or text anyone about this. It feels like they are watching me all the time now. It’s been five days so far and it’s really creepy. So, that’s why I am keeping this journal. I’m glad I kept my dad’s NASA pen, I never knew where he got it from, but it helps to be able to write wherever and on whatever I can. The idea is that if something happens to me that at least there will be a record. Although I don’t know if it’d ever be found, at least I can write underwater. Come to think of it, I probably could write underwater since these otters can’t really live in water since they appear to be robots. Well, now that I think about it, I see that I’ve gotten rather confused and carried away with my words. These aren’t otters, these are beavers. Well, robot beavers. I know otters will hold hands with each other while they are in a group and that’s really sweet, which is what I thought I saw these otters, I mean beavers, doing. But, I wonder if there is some sort of network where they have to make a physical connection to be able to do something to upload data. So, I watched them from my walk to work at the local gas station. And then I saw how they slapped their tails, their giant leathery paddles of tails, but then one of them started to twitch after slapping some mud. I had discovered they were building dams on the sides of the roads after a couple days. I thought it was odd, but you know, I’ve never been an animal person. I think this might be better if I talk into a battery operated, portable, old-fashioned tape recorder things like I had when I was little, so I’ll switch to that when I get a chance to find it. It’s probably in an old bag in the cedar closet. Well, you see, I saw one of the beaver tails get all twitchy and off to the side, like it got all out of joint location. Then, after it did a buzzing of shivering motions, it’s tail just clicked back into place and then, my own body starting those buzzing, shivering motions, but I’m no robot, I was terrified. I tried to like, avert my eyes as soon as I’d seen it. Because then it turned toward me where I’d been in the gas station window and it fixed its beady little red eyes onto me and I turned away and began rearranging the cigarettes above the registers. Luckily, so I was told, there’d been an issue with shoplifting, so we had mirrors that faced outside as well as inside so no matter where I stand in the little cashier area at the gas station, I can see pretty much anywhere. So, I watched this little guy, after his clunky, thumpy tail clicked into place and he seemed to go back to normal. But, for me, watching him do that with his tail, or her tail, I guess, I can’t tell the difference between a man and lady beaver, but are they even beavers anyway? Robot beavers? It looks so stupid even to write it. But, I know what I saw. Well, I know that I saw something ridiculous, too ridiculous that it had to be true. Too ridiculous. I wanted to tell a couple of my buddies from the club, but now I’m not sure who I can trust. I’m just keeping my eyes peeled and I’m laying low to see what else I notice over the next few days. I’ll try my best to keep a record of what I see and learn. But, if it’s not safe for me to write something down, I won’t. I might try an old-fashioned voice recorder like I said, butttttt……oh no. Oh, no. I can see there are more of them. And what is that? What is that glinting in the sky? All of the beavers have stood up on their hind legs and are walking toward me. They are all walking, waddling in unison. They are moving toward the gas station. I have to act natural. I’ll just be putting my notebook in my inner pocket of my shirt. So, this is not how I thought today would go, I…

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Happy Writing! Molly x

Is Your Inner Critic Affecting Your Creativity in Your Writing?

I am going to take a not-so-wild guess and say that your answer is “Yes!” The Inner Critic can be a loud jerk shouting mean words at us or it could be low frequency whisper that raise doubt and suspicion about our ability to write or, in extreme cases, our right to take up space. The Inner Critic is a shame-mongering champion cage fighter. I know this firsthand and deal with it as I write this blog post. I’ve read other writers’ accounts of their Inner Critic battles. I also have heard from writing students over the years how they struggle with it.

One student asked me for help, “I get criticism from family for prioritizing writing over household chores. It has gotten to the point that I often hear my Inner Editor saying that I should be doing chores instead of writing.”

I was so glad that this student reached out for help to get their writing going. These are really important issues that they have raised. Our Inner Critic can often become an imagined monster of a real human who has been in our lives who said something to us that hurt.

I can list several negative voices that have fueled my Inner Critic:
1. My kindergarten teacher told me I chose wrong during free choice time and that it was not my turn to paint, after all.
2. My dad told me to pursue any career that would make lots of money and he told me out of the blue one day that I would be a starving artist.
3. A mentor told me that I must be doing it all wrong because there’s no way that I’m selling as many paintings as I said that I am.

This all begs me to answer the questions, “Who is in your life?” and “What are you listening to?” Check out the post I wrote about asking yourself five questions to unlock creativity in your life. Read it here.

Some suggestions that I can give to encourage your writing habits:

1. Keep writing affirmations about your identity as a writer. You are at a fragile stage now when you need to continually remind yourself that writing is a great use of time and that it is a gift. Writing can also be a form of therapy for some people and crucial to one’s well-being. It can be as important for some as eating, going for a walk to exercise with fresh air, or meeting with a friend to chat so you remember that you’re loved and that you belong. Writing can be crucial in maintaining a healthy form of escapism as you create a world to live in for a break in your imagination. It can also be a way that you can journal and find out your beliefs–or that you discover how you feel about something based on how one of your characters reacts!

2. Do it afraid. Your Inner Critic and Editor is there all the time. I think it takes more than just ignoring it. I think it’s actually important to acknowledge that it’s there, but let it know that you’re choosing to write anyway and choosing to believe that you’re a writer. Perhaps redefining certain times and types of writing, too, could help. Maybe you designate morning times of writing for your playful freewriter to come out and have fun, and then in the afternoon or evening it’s the editor’s turn to comb through what you wrote that morning or last week.

3. Do your writing in secret, if you have to, for a season. Often when we make changes to our own lives it upsets the homeostasis of our environment and others around us can feel threatened by our change because change is hard for people. They may fear losing you, they may fear losing control over you as you gain freedom and identity and self-confidence in your writing, they may fear that they will be forced to change when they don’t want to. Your safety is important. Please make sure that you are safe in your home or that you seek help if you need it.
But, if it means that you loudly and visibly do your chores and then later you quietly retreat with your door closed (to a local coffee shop or bookstore) and ‘clean your room’ or ‘do some errands’ or ‘have quiet, alone time,’ then do that. Get up early, ‘go to bed’ early, write during meals (or instead of eating and then eat while you do something else).

4. Join a writing group. When we are in isolation the negative voices can be louder than ever because we don’t have other options to listen to or to drown it out. On healthy and strong days this might not be a problem, but on weak and tired and lonely days (I’ve had lots of those over the years), negativity can be a spitting tyrant refusing to be silenced. This is when the kind words, the community, compassion, connection with a writing group can be really beneficial. Take courage and join a group. There are many writing groups on Facebook or elsewhere online and there are likely groups in your local area, either in-person or meeting virtually. Some might have a membership fee and others might be free. Check your local library, community education catalog, or community center. Whatever the case, being in the company of other writers who “get it” truly is priceless.

Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

In the end, our Inner Critic will always be present. Whether or not we give weight to its words is a different story. Sometimes acknowledging the fear that is present in the Inner Critic’s words can be the key to growth and getting words on a page. Other times, you might be able to have a conversation with your family member or friend who has instigated the negative voices and given your Inner Critic the demoralizing script to read from–it won’t necessarily be easy, but it could be helpful to explain what writing means to you and why you want to prioritize it. Even other times it might simply be your best bet to take action and do what needs to get done and not worry about what other people think. I know this is not always the easiest and in fact, it can be quite challenging, but I think that it is worth it to get creative freedom!

What are some tricks you use to combat the incessant ramblings of the Inner Critic?
Leave me a comment, please! 🙂

Flash Fiction Just For Fun Prompt: “Today is Monday…”

This is a flash fiction piece of writing I did from a prompt in a creative writing online group I am part of. The group encourages short, daily writing by posing a prompt in the morning every day. The idea is that you write about 100-300 words (flash, or short) fiction in a few minutes of writing session and post your draft for accountability fun for others to read. The idea is to freewrite and get a mini-story out of your mind and onto paper. It doesn’t have to be perfect, merely out to live its own life.

This prompt was for the first line: “Today is a Monday and tomorrow will be Wednesday.”
Here is what I wrote…

“Today is a Monday and tomorrow will be Wednesday.” The loudspeaker crackled.

“Which particular Monday is it?” Gabby asked the air. “Because I really enjoyed the Monday when we took over the St. Louis Park Stellar Zone.”

The bowl of popcorn nearly fell out of Craig’s laugh–he’d been stuffing his face. His new diet, he wanted to let people know, starts on Tuesday. “Does this mean that I can keep eating?”

Gabby shook his head in her hands, trapping some popcorn crumbs between his puckered lips. “No, Craig. It means that we have to go to Master Cristoff to ask for the tagelator razor again.”

Craig’s eyes widened. “I don’t like the tagelator razor.”

“Neither do I, Craig. Neither do I,” said Gabby.

They stood up together, Gabby taking Craig’s dull, scaly hand in her reddened left paw, Wednesday clipboard in her reddened right paw, and they sluffed over to the door labeled, “Tomorrow.”

Just another day in the office.

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