Attract the creative life by writing free

Writing can be stressful, perplexing and overwhelming. Yep. Sorry to tell you, the writing life isn’t all java sipping, spectacle adjusting and clicking away at the keyboard. And, for some, just getting started can be daunting. How often have you heard — or said — something like this: “I can write that” or “I’d love to write, I just don’t have the time” or “I wish I could write for a living”?

The difference between writers who say such things and successful writers? Successful writers write. That’s it. They sit down and write. Why is that difficult to do? Because writing isn’t about filling a page with letters, it involves introspection, critical thinking, solitude and the ability to swallow criticism gracefully … among other things, like interviewing and research skills, imagination and more.  Some people don’t feel comfortable or practiced with one, or more, of those concepts or activities and, as soon as they sit down and stare the blank screen with it’s blinking cursor, they realize it. That doesn’t mean those skills can’t be honed through time and practice, but where to start?

In their book, Write Free: Attracting the Creative Life, Rebecca Lawton and Jordan E. Rosenfeld help writers bridge the gap between wanting to be a writer and becoming a successful, fulfilled — and, as importantly, published — author.

Though the book is only 163 pages, it isn’t a quick read. Think of this book as a guidebook, leading you along the trails of your unique journey toward your goals and ambitions. The pages ask you to clear a space for creativity to blossom, look into your soul and history for story ideas, be positive and allow yourself the freedom and opportunity to grow into the writer you always dreamed you could become. They also offer exercises, both written and literal (don’t be surprised when you’re instructed to get up and boogie), to help you unleash your muse.

Write Free takes the edge off by holding a mirror for its readers and helping them understand they are a writer — now, in this space exactly as they are — and that becoming a successful writer is as much about the wordsmith as it is about the end product. The pages of Write Free, full of earnest encouragement, feel like an embrace. So, it should also feel good to know the support doesn’t stop at the end of the book, the authors are so committed to helping other writers become successful that they offer newsletters, retreats and, recently, even an online workshop through their Website.

Available for under $15 on Amazon.com, Write Free is a must have for any one just starting out and it serves as a great return-to-your-roots reminder for those who’ve been writing for a while.