Relax, Reflect, Recharge
Keep reading to receive a special discount only for Simply Write readers who enroll in an essay writing class with an award-winning essayist.
I don’t worry about grammar or sentence structure. We, writers, need a free space to explore and slop and think without an editor crashing in—especially our own inner critic.
Nobody is going to see this work. It’s just for me. A way to get my head right for the year ahead.
And I write on these three questions.
What did I overcome and accomplish? The good and the bad, because it’s in the difficult moments that we learn what we are capable of—so, so much—and in the satisfying moments of accomplishment we learn what’s possible. I don’t hit everything, I just write to the things that rise, while I’m sitting quietly.
This prompt reminds me that life is full of contrasts and it’s only because of the contrast that we can truly appreciate the light. It also reminds me that most often we hold both the highs and lows and the same time.
Where did I succeed? Grew the podcast and this column. Drafted a fiction project. Opened a new revenue stream. Met some great writers. What worked for you? Mark some of the highlights by celebrating them on the page. Give special attention to the feelings you experience, the sense of accomplishment.
What’s Your Pie-in-the-Sky? I talked about this in the end-of-the-year checklist. If you are like me, you’ll likely have some goals you want to achieve with your writing next year. That’s important. Make them specific and attainable.
But don’t forget your Pie-in-the-Sky dream. The big thing. The big, unlikely, can-you-believe-it goal that maybe could happen if everything goes just right and the Universe shows up to help. What would it look like if the big thing happened? Imagine it. Fantasize. Play. Our fantasies seed the possibilities and that is where every success starts—in our minds.
So, those are the things I’m journaling about this next week as I relax and regroup. I think they’ll be a good way to recharge and feel inspired for the year ahead.
P.S, My most recent book, You, Recharged, came out of the exercise above and the realizations it spurred. One reviewer says the book is “better than vitamins” if you want to elevate your life and feel inspired, healthier, and happier. And it makes a great holiday gift.
Want to Publish Essays? Enroll Now.
Mention Simply, Write for this Special Discount
It’s not only smart, to keep learning and practicing our craft, but it’s fun to expand into different areas. So, I signed up for Amy Paturel’s essay writing class and she’s offering a discount to Simply Write readers.
Amy is an award-winning essayist and career writer, and Just. So. Knowledgeable. You probably heard her on the Simply Write w/Polly podcast Ep. 120.
Amy’s essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Wired, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications.
Want to get in on her class? See details below. She keeps the class small so enroll now to get a spot. I will see you there.
Essay Writing: How to Find the Story in You – and Sell It
SIX-WEEK PERSONAL ESSAY WRITING WORKSHOP – JANUARY 22, 2024
COST FOR THE PREMIUM COURSE WITH FEEDBACK: $475
Do you have ideas stuck in your head instead of on the page, or piles of unfinished essays hibernating on your hard drive? It’s time to unearth those gems and get them published!
This six-week online course will guide you through every step, from essay idea to salable piece. You’ll learn how to:
Grab readers (and editors!)
Journal your way to essay ideas
Identify the critical elements of a salable essay
Critique your own essays and incorporate feedback from others
Pitch and submit essays
A parting gift: a loaded spreadsheet with more than 130 relevant markets, including editor contacts. Former students have landed essays in The New York Times, Washington Post, Parents, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, and others.
The course is loaded with tools for structuring a compelling essay and important questions to ask yourself before you submit your piece to a targeted market. You’ll even learn how to craft a pitch so an editor takes notice.
Have questions before you buy? Contact Amy here and mention Simply Write for a $20 discount. Still on the fence? Read a detailed review of her course here.
What’s in the Desk?
On the Simp;y Write w/Polly podcast, we discuss writing craft and crafting a writer’s life and we talk about our favorite pens, trinkets, and tools writers like to have around when they write in the What’s in the Desk segment.
So, what’s in my desk today?
Santa Mug. I’m rarely without my morning coffee, but this time of year I drink it in my Santa mug. The little things that break up the routine add fun to the job.
What’s in your desk—or on your desk? What do you like to have around when you write? Drop me a comment or note or shoot me a pic and I will include it in an upcoming newsletter.
Listen to This. Missing Pages
Book banning is a far more subversive and disturbing trend than most realize. It is also totally absurd. It infuriates me and if you write anything all, it should anger you too. This episode hosted by the great book reviewer and writer Bethanne Patrick is enlightening and author Jodi Picoult, is articulate and smart. I learned a lot and this episode is a must listen.
But, did you know, that it’s a small coalition of less than a dozen people who are influencing what the rest of us can read?
Yeah. Neither did I. Listen to Picoult and Patrick on this fantastic episode of Missing Pages from Podglomerate —the entire podcast is a great listen too.
Alright. It’s time to get to work.
Sit down and simply write.
-p
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”
– William Wordsworth