Motivation – McKenzie Lynn Tozan

Happy Tuesday, friends—and Happy October 1st! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and a great start to your week.

We’re officially in my favorite month of the year. Fall is in full swing, both of my kids are having birthdays, and there is also Halloween! Seriously, the best season of them all.

The other tremendous news for all writers out there is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which begins one month from today.

NaNoWriMo originated as a challenge for fiction writers to complete one novel in the month of November, but I’ve seen non-fiction writers use it as an opportunity to work on non-fiction projects, as well, and poets converting it to a daily poem challenge. It’s a great platform for everyone!

So the question I have for you is this—Are you ready to write your first book? Is this your year?

Technically, any year, any month, any day could be your time. You just have to make the decision to sit down and start (and eventually, finish!).

But I want to challenge you to make NOW your time.

Just like having children, starting an exercise routine, or moving to a new place, there is never a “good time” to do it. If you look hard enough, there will always be obstacles standing in the way of your success. But if you look hard enough in the other direction, you’ll be able to find the time, energy, and inspiration you need to start working on your book.

Just imagine: You start working on this new, scary project in November, and by the end of the month or the beginning of the New Year, you have a draft in your hands. Think of that. You composed an entire book, and now it’s time to revise it and decide how you want to put it out into the world.

I want you to experience that great feeling of accomplishment now, not next year or ten years from now.

I am a testament to this. I’ve drafted out several books, but they didn’t turned out to be books that I wanted to share with the world. Maybe my feelings about them will change with time, and I’ll go back, significantly revise them, and then seek out a publisher. But the feelings I have about the two books I’m working on right now? These are going to be my first and second novels that the world gets to see. I’ve decided that, and I’m fighting for them. I’m finishing at least one of them during NaNoWriMo, and I’m aiming to finish both of them by the entrance of the New Year.

I want you to fight for your work, too!

I hope that you’ll join me for this NaNoWriMo, whether you use the NaNo platform or work in Google Docs or wherever else you work best.

So much so—I have a few opportunities to share with you.

First of all, I’ve enjoyed the experiences I’ve had as a writing coach, and I’m always open to working with new writers. You could have a few books under your belt like I do, and this is the first one that you’re taking seriously. You could be brand new to this, and you’re not entirely sure what all this “novel-writing business” entails. You could even be a seasoned author who likes a second pair of eyes on their work. I’ve worked with all these different author “character types,” and I’ve loved working with them all.

That’s the first opportunity. If you’re worried about approaching your first novel, staying on-task, being able to fit all this writing into your schedule, fully fleshing out a plot, etc., I’m here for you.

I’m also giving out a few writing resources, closer to the end of the month, as part of my celebration of Halloween. There are going to be three resources, and there’s going to be a “trick-or-treat” option.

I don’t want to give away all the fun yet, but these resources are going to help you plan for your novel, even last-minute, so that you have a sense of what you’ll be writing about going into the month of November. There will be useful information contained in these resources, as well as writing prompts and outlining models that will carry through the Fall to the final lines of your novel draft.

I’m so excited for this month! I’ll be sharing stories of birthdays and apple-picking and poetry reading, for sure. I hope to hear from some of you about working together this NaNoWriMo, too—and I can’t wait to share these resources with you when they go live.

Happy Fall, everyone! Happy October 1st!

Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend, and a good jumpstart on Monday for the new week!

I’ve been asked why I save my Motivation posts for Tuesdays—however few and far-between they’ve been—and my answer is pretty simple. I’ve always seen Monday as the sort of “getting into the groove” day: deciding exactly what you want to do with your week, catching up on what you left behind on Friday, confronting problems that may have introduced themselves over the weekend. Monday is really about progress. It’s about repair and rhythm.

Tuesday, for me, is where it’s at: I make a point of doing something on Tuesday mornings that really gives me that motivation and jumpstart I need to make the rest of my week successful. And every week, that looks a little different. Sometimes, all I need is a cup of coffee or a nice walk; other weeks, I need to watch my favorite movie or listen to a podcast to get my mind in the right place.

But by Tuesday afternoon, I feel good, because I’ve checked a few items off of my to-do list for the week, and I know I’m heading in the right direction. So I like to check in with my writing family and friends in the afternoon on Tuesdays, to see if you’re heading in the direction you need for the week.

So, where are you? Are you happy with what you’ve accomplished so far this week?

If not, what can you do with the rest of your Tuesday to reset your week?

I’ve discussed with many writers the struggles they’re facing in their work, and one of the leading issues I’m seeing is the belief that there isn’t enough work to go around. And this belief doesn’t appear to be exclusive: I’ve spoken to freelance writers and creative writers who feel this way.

Which brings me to the manifest mindset, or manifestation.

(Give me a chance to explain; I promise not to get all “woo woo” on you by suggesting you put your thoughts out into the universe and wait.)

I haven’t really bought into the idea that, if we put an idea out into the universe and wait patiently, that the sum of our thoughts will eventually appear to us. That suggests complacency to me, and becoming complacent is the last thing I want.

Rather, what I think can be true is that there are opportunities for everyone, if they’re prepared to work hard for them.

Statistically, there are more than enough jobs for freelance writers; it’s just a matter of finding work in your niche and pricing bracket to suit you. Also, in the next ten years, freelance or remote positions are expected to become the primary mode of employment, as more and more businesses move from the tradition brick-and-mortar to nomad-style. (AKA: Going freelance now is actually preparing you for the new employment horizon of the future.)

I’m not suggesting it will be easy. But I am saying it’s possible for you if this is a lifestyle you want.

Know what you have to offer. Know which niche you’re most passionate and knowledgeable about. Then look for other freelancers who feel the same way, as well as businesses and organizations in those niches who could need a writer like you, and start talking. You don’t need to always be selling yourself. You don’t always need to point out what you’re good at. You just need to introduce yourself and get to know these businesses as more than businesses: they are a collection of people with personal needs.

I think real manifestation is about connecting, not waiting. Sometimes that means connecting to new people, and sometimes that means connecting yourself to something else: more knowledge, a new skill, a leader in your industry’s business model. This work leads to opportunities, which can lead to the goals that you set for yourself.

The only door you need to close is the door that says, “That person said ‘no’ to you, which means you’re going to receive a ‘no’ from everyone forever.” When you receive a ‘no,’ there was a reason behind it that will lead you on to the next opportunity. We’re all human, we’re learning, and we’ll do better next time. That’s true for you, too.

I hope everyone reading this will find a way to connect themselves to something new this week: a new person, a new skill, etc. Open yourself up to those opportunities, and think about how they could carry you one step closer to the goals you have.

Those goals may not be as far away as you think.

If you have questions, I’m always happy to discuss. Feel free to connect with me this week, and we can discuss coaching and collaboration.

Best of Luck, and Happy Tuesday!

Tag: Motivation

Tuesday Motivation: Is This Your Year to Write Your First Book?

Tuesday Motivation: How Can We Keep a “Manifest Mindset” in the World of Freelance?