Me: Writes post about overcoming perfectionism, starts by changing the title ten times in a row. I have perfectionist tendencies. For me, perfectionism means scrutinizing everything I do, say, and think, and rarely measuring up to my own standards. I think in black and white terms: good or bad, smart or stupid, perfect or unacceptable.…
Read MoreAll articles filed in inspiration
Adult Goals, Childlike Expectations
Whenever I had free time as a kid, which was often, I would craft or play music or write something. All that play is the foundation of the creative skills I have now. I have a burning desire to create everyday, although judging by how often I do it you wouldn’t think so. When I…
Read MoreGetting to the Good Part
I love painting. I hate drawing. In addition to writing, making art is a calling of mine. This means I can’t stop doing it, even though I go through phases of thinking I’m horrible at it. I took most of the art classes offered at my high school, I went to art college for a…
Read MoreI Don’t Want To
I’ve been confronting my laziness. Every time I find a shred of motivation, I tell myself: “I don’t feel like it yet.” “I’ve been having a hard time, I deserve a break.” It’s easy to give in to my impulse to take a break, to rest, but it never feels right. It never feels like…
Read MoreThe Subtly of Progress
I’m impatient. You’re impatient. We want to start doing something and immediately have it be the best thing that’s ever been done, no matter how firmly the logical parts of our brains tell us that isn’t going to happen. I looked up one day and I had written 20 blog posts. I looked up one…
Read MoreLowering My Expectations
When I decided to write Dark House (the working title of my book), I had some big plans. Some big, ridiculous plans. The first draft was supposed to be done by August 1st, giving me about four months to write it. That date has come and gone and I’m a little under halfway done with…
Read MoreRejection: Part 2
I’ve been gone (again), because I applied for another job I really wanted (again), had a good interview (again), and got rejected (again). Why do I stop writing when I’m stressed?! Why do I stop doing the one thing that makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something worthwhile? Even though I’ve stopped writing for my…
Read More
Ditch Your Outline
I started working on my novel again yesterday after a two week hiatus. It took me two whole weeks to figure out what was holding me back. I didn’t want to write what I had planned in my outline. The next section was supposed to be a little different than the previous chapters. I was…
Read More
How to Find Story Ideas
New ideas for fiction books pop into my head constantly (whether they are good ideas or not is another issue 😉 ). For example, I was at work the other week and suddenly thought, hospital…in space! Space hospital! Yes, that sounds ridiculous, but I promise the plot behind it could make for a great read. So I…
Read MoreHow to be Creative When You Don’t Feel Like It
I feel like garbage as I write this. Hot garbage. I woke up with a headache. I have three giant pimples on my chin that won’t go away. I have inventory at work this week, where my coworkers and I come into work at 6 a.m. to count a warehouse full of supplies, and then…
Read More
K. J. Cole 