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My journey to connect with purpose and passion.

Taking the Leap! Episode 13: How to Hate Writing Less with Ann Handley

Show Notes

I am totally an adult-onset writer and Ann Handley's Everybody Writes totally turned my life around. I went from being deathly afraid of writing to actually writing and releasing my first book. Ann Handley's book made this totally possible for me. As artists, we have to learn how to market ourselves and our work and this often means writing – whether thats product listings, websites, scripts, brochures and more.

 

References

Everybody Writes, by Ann Handley, Wiley - the book!

AnnHandley.com - the woman!

FreakerUSA.com – beer koozies and more.

rev.com, speakright.com, speechpad.com – tools to take a verbal vomit draft and turn it into a word document.

The Music!

I fell in love with the Hollywood Drunks months ago but I kept waiting for a guest and topic where their hysterical lyrics and crazy style would be a fit. And then Ms. Handley's episode came into my queue and I just knew this was their time. You can find the Hollywood Drunks on iTunes, Magnatune and their website.

You heard:
You're Right by the Hollywood Drunks from their Swell album.
That Age by the Hollywood Drunks from their Swell album.

 

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Creative Commons License
Taking the Leap! podcast by Sean Howard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Taking the Leap! Episode 12: Experiencing and Facing Grief with Laura Packer

Show Notes

This week I am speaking to Laura Packer about experiencing and facing soul-crushing grief. We recorded this a few months before the one year anniversary of the loss of her soul-mate and husband Kevin. A date that just passed the week before this post went live.

I first came across Laura’s writing when I read a post on her blog about what not to say to someone who is grieving. I began to follow her on her journey and I can't thank her enough for being so open to sharing her vulnerability, wisdom and love with me.

Laura Packer References

Laura Packer: storyteller, writer, real-time dreamer

True Stories, Honest Lies: her soulfully addictive blog

Listening to the Story of Grief: Her post on the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation with tips on what to say to someone who is grieving.

A picture of Kevin and Laura.

The Music!

I had been listening to Robin Stine for a few weeks now and I felt she was the perfect fit for this episode. She weaves love and melancholy together so flawlessly. You can find her on iTunesMagnatune, and her website.

You heard:
Half My Heart by Robin Stine from her Daydream album.
For Me by Robin Stine from her Daydream album.

Please consider becoming a supporter of the show via Patreon!


Help change the world for less than a coffee a month!



Creative Commons License
Taking the Leap! podcast by Sean Howard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Staying Inspired?

I am excited to be participating in a blog carnival this week! A blog carnival is where a bunch of bloggers all do a story on a particular subject. In this case, the subject is, "How to stay creatively inspired" and you will be able to see all the awesome stories here

I think there are two parts to this topic. The stated objective of staying inspired and the implied task of staying active in our creative pursuits. The former being impossible and the latter feeling like an impossible or at least Herculean task.

Cue one of my favourite quotes on this topic.

“Amateurs look for inspiration; the rest of us just get up and go to work.” 
― Chuck Close

I don't mean to imply that inspiration doesn't exist or that it isn't important. I don't believe this was Chuck's intention either. What I am saying is that inspiration is not the force that sees us through. It does not motivate us to continue when the path becomes obscured or treacherous. It does not fuel us on those dreary days where we would rather just stay in bed for a few more hours. And it does nothing to help bring us back to that half finished piece discarded in a corner of our studio.

Inspiration is wonderful when it strikes and I am learning to capture its whims and fancies in a notebook for later reference or review.

But what keeps me moving forward is a dogged pursuit of something. It is the commitment to getting up two hours early each day to begin my daily creative ritual. It is found in the dedication of time every day to a creative pursuit or craft. 

It is the showing up and the getting down to work, no matter how cold, dreary or un-motivating the day feels, that keeps us moving forward.

The tools that I have found helpful in this pursuit are as follows. There are three.

  1. A written purpose or calling that I can devote my heart and soul to.
  2. A daily ritual. Creating that time and place every day where I show up to do the work.
  3. A splash of Naiveté. A touch of ignorance and youthful determination goes a long way. 

Artists are not formed of whimsy and fanciful notions. They are born out of a duty to something higher. They are born from the dedication to march forward, no matter how unqualified or insignificant they feel. They have been called and their choice is simple – answer the calling or turn away and hide.

If you want to explore this more, here are two short videos that might be of interest to you.

The One Secret to Success (3 min)
Purpose and Passion (3 min, 11 sec)