Karinwritesdangerously

A bouquet of lovely thoughts for the New Year:

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called ‘Opportunity’ and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” Edith Lovejoy Pierce, twentieth-century poet

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” Rainer Maria Rilke

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering,’It will be happier.’” Alfred Lord Tennyson

“Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source — a Sower of Dreams — just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true.” Sarah Breathnach

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. Neil Gaiman

“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties”.
Helen Keller

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

 May the coming year bring you every blessing and joy — and
wild and wonderful success in your work. Write on!

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“Words of encouragement fan the sparks of genius into the flame of achievement. Legend tells us that Lincoln’s dying mother called her small son to her bedside and whispered, ‘Be somebody, Abe!’”
Wilfred Peterson, The Art of Living Treasure Chest

Writing isn’t the easiest game in the world — no wonder it’s easy to become discouraged about the progress you’re not making or the wrong turn your story has taken. When this happens, what you say to yourself and what others say to you about where you are can make a huge difference in how and whether you push on or fold your tent. 

Here’s what we all need to keep going: encouragement counselors!

These are the people in your life whose helping hearts you can count on to rev you up and keep you going. These are not mindless cheerleaders, but mindful champions of your writing: They understand how hard you work and how much your work means to you.

They may not know the nuts and bolts of the obstacles you’re facing — internal or external — and they don’t really need to. All they need to do is to believe in you. By this simple yet life-changing act, they can renew your ability to believe in yourself. 

So, when you hit a snag or feel muddled or unequal to the task before you, don’t slip into the Slough of Despond and get bogged down in it. That’s just a waste of time and energy. Instead, reach for the phone or send an email to one of your encouragement counselors and let them give you a boost. And make sure you let them know that you’ll do the same for them the next time they need it.

And never forget that you are the best, most effective encouragement counselor you have on tap. If you can keep your self-talk positive even when you hit a roadblock, then you can pull yourself out of a tight spot hand over hand without even having to call in the troops. Why beat yourself up when you can just as easily boost yourself up? 

Why not have a stuck-in-the-mud strategy you can put into play as soon as you see you’re getting off track? It can be as simple as saying to yourself, “I’ve got everything I need already inside me” and continuing to write. Or, if you can’t find just the right phrase, saying “It will come to me,” and continuing to write. Or “The right words are waiting for me,” and continuing to write. 

So often, we let ourselves get bogged down by doubt and confusion when we could easily write our way out of them and into a stunning sentence and a thrilling paragraph. What we need is waiting for us, clamoring to be heard. All we have to do is choose to move forward instead of standing still as we all write on!

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« It is a law of the universe: Assistance must always be given to
those who request it. » Oprah Winfrey

Frank Somma is a highly successful salesman, a motivational speaker, and a good friend of my good friend and mentor, Dr. Rob Gilbert (check out Rob’s Success Hotline: 973.743.4690). Frank shares inspiring, insights on his site: FrankSomma.com. For each new year, Frank has created a new motto that is a touchstone for the next 12 months.

What a wonderful motivational tool! Frank’s idea has inspired me to ponder a personal writing motto for this upcoming year — an intention that I want to keep front and center throughout 2026

Here’s the touchstone phrase I came up for myself for one year: A Passion for Completion.  This year, I thinking of a new motto—Magical Manifestation. I love this, because it reminds me that words have power and we can use them to envision the future we want to create. I’m going to write this on a card and where I’ll see it every day.

I’ve found that setting an intention, whether it’s for a meditation session or a writing session, can be very powerful: It’s amazing how a simple tool like this can help focus and galvanize you. And, given the power of words, putting your intention in writing gives it greater strength: To me, it’s a way of asking the universe for assistance.

How about you? Why not come up with a writing motto of your own — one that will inspire and motivate you to achieve your major goal over the next 12 months and put it where you’ll see it every day—on your computer, your desk, your iPhone, in your wallet?

Or here’s a simpler idea: just pick one word that inspires you. Creativity, Abundance, Joy — whatever quality you want to bring to your writing over the next year—sum it up in a single word and use it as your personal touchstone.

If you think of a word or motto and want to share it, I’d love to hear from you. Write on!

A wish for us all, this season of hope and holiday renewal:

Little Tree

John Greenleaf Whittier

Little silent Christmas tree
You are so little
You are more like a flower

Who found you in the green forest
And were you very sorry to come away?
See I will comfort you.
Because you smell so sweetly

I will kiss your cool bark
And hug you safe and tight
Just as your mother would
Only don’t be afraid.

Look the spangles
That sleep all year in the dark box
Dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine
The balls the red and gold the fluffy threads

Put up your little arms
And I will give them all to you to hold
Every finger shall have its ring
And there won’t be a single place dark or unhappy

When you are quite dressed
You’ll stand in the window for everyone to see
And how they’ll stare
Oh but you will be very proud

And my little sister and I will take hands
And looking at our beautiful tree
We’ll dance and sing.
E.E. Cummings

Somehow not only for Christmas
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.

And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart’s possessing
Returns to make you glad.

May peace and joy be yours, now and always. Write on.

We all fantasize about having large blocks of time to court our muses, often this isn’t an option. Finding or making time to write on a regular basis can be challenging, especially as the holidays roll around. With planning, shopping, and family get-togethers, writing time can easily slip away. A few strategies for keeping your creative juices brewing: e

Revisit your schedule: Take a close look at your day. It’s more than likely that you can squeeze a little more writing time here and there. One possibility: cutting down on time spent checking email and social media. This tends to be a black hole. Some writers check on a regular schedule: Once in the morning, once after lunch, and once at the end of the day. This structured approach often frees up valuable time. 

Work in 10-minute sessions: Fitness experts tout the advantages of exercising for 10-minute intervals several times a day. Why not borrow this approach? You can “trick yourself into finding writing time” by just pulling out a pen and letting your thoughts flow for ten minutes at a time. Find three 10-minute slots in a day and you’ll have found half-an-hour of writing time. Over five days in a week, that adds up to 2-1/2 hours; over six, days, you’ll have put in 3 hours. 

Take creativity breaks: When you find your attention lagging on a project unrelated to writing, why not give yourself a short creativity break and focus on your writing for 15 minutes or so, then return to the project at hand? You may find yourself refreshed and energized. 

Use idle time: While waiting for a doctor’s appointment, picking up a prescription, or even watching a sports event, have a paper and pen handy. You can jot down a couple of ideas, make a list of scenes you need to fix or capture colorful bits of conversation you hear. Even quick moments like these can prove fruitful.

Pursue prompts: If your time is limited, you can exercise your writing muscles by writing to a prompt, just as you might in a workshop. This technique can be both fun and revealing. Even if you write only a paragraph or two, it can give your creativity a lift and perhaps even spotlight a great idea that’s been simmering below the surface. 

The more often you write, the more you’ll accomplish and the better you’ll feel about nurturing your creative life. Write on!

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« It is a law of the universe. Assistance must always be given to those who request it. » Oprah Winfrey

Wouldn’t it be wonderful — absolutely fabulous, in fact — if you could somehow magically conjure up vital information for a project you’re working on? Well it may not be as far fetched an idea as it sounds. Not if you invoke the “Magic Folder” principle. Here’s how it works:

First, you simply find an empty Manila folder or if you’re a paper lover like me, a jazzy one with William Morris flowers on it. Then you label it with the title of what you need: “Healing herbs from the Middle Ages” or “Daring Escapes of World War II” or even something highly specific to a novel or story you’re writing, like “Five Possible Subplots.” Then you just carry it around with you everywhere and see what happens.

According to my friend and mentor Dr. Rob Gilbert,* you’ll start accumulating material almost instantly, When he first used this principle to research a paper he was writing, it worked like a charm. The first day, his mother gave him a helpful “Reader’s Digest” article she’d come across; then a friend told him about a TV program related to his subject — and on and on. I’ve had similar experiences, so I’m definitely a fan of this approach. Why does this work?

You’re announcing your intention: There’s nothing more powerful than a clearly stated intention backed up by action. When you write down what you’re looking for and create an empty folder waiting to be filled, you are signaling to yourself, everyone around you, and the universe at large that you are focusing your attention and energy on a goal.

You’re asking for help: As Oprah says so well, when you request help sincerely and in good faith, you invoke a “law of the universe” — “assistance must always be given.” I’m a firm believer in this — asking for help brings it to you.

You’re opening yourself to receive: When you open yourself up to new ideas and fresh approaches, you’re clearing the wave lengths, cosmically speaking, and allowing new avenues of information to open up and flow freely to you — often in unexpected ways. You’ll be amazed at where and when tidbits of information will arrive!

So, it you need a boost, why not use the “Magic Folder” technique? If it works for you, I’d love to hear about it as we all write on!

* This powerful tool comes to us via Rob’s wonderful Success Hotline: 973.743.4690.

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« Be bigger than your fears. »
Dorothy

My mom darling mom Dorothy’s birthday is tomorrow — December 20. She passed away of pancreatic cancer in 2004. Since then, my beautiful sister Stephanie and I often get together to celebrate her birthday by going to a cozy restaurant in Manhattan not far from where my mom lived for lunch. They serve great cheeseburgers there — one of my mom’s all-time favorite meals. And so Steph and I have burgers and fries in her honor. We also hoist a glass — either a gin & tonic or a Bloody Mary, depending on how we feel. My mom was a gin & tonic gal, but she also enjoyed a good Bloody Mary now and then.

As I sit here feeling sad and missing my mom, I’m surrounded by many reminders of her. They’re all over my office. There’s a beautiful picture of her when she was young on my desk and other pictures of her holding my son Alex when he was little. She adored him and he felt the same about her. “Dot, I need you!” he would call out when he wanted help with a button or tying his shoes.

I also have all sorts of knickknacks from my mom’s apartment — a silver wizard standing atop a huge amethyst stone is my favorite. Nestled by it I have a Fortune cookie slip that says: “You should be able to undertake and complete anything.” The two are perfect together, because my mom really believed that about the people she loved. She believed that we could do anything we set our minds to.

Anything! Whenever I was discouraged about my writing, I could call her up and she’d give me a pep talk. She was always in my corner. She had a tough life in many ways, but she was a Sagittarius and like the Archer, she was always outward bound and optimistic, young at heart and adventurous.

« Be bigger than your fears, » she said to me once. Great advice for all of us. So today, in her honor, I’m passing it on. “I need you, Dot!” That’s what Alex used to say when he was little. So now, I’m saying it, too: “I need you, Dot!”

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« Advice from a HORSE” — this headline, emblazoned on a fire-engine red T-shirt, caught my eye and I bought it. Before giving it to a friend, pondered the gems of advice printed below a dashing, prancing stallion — and realized that they apply, not just to life, but to writing as well:

“Take life’s hurdles in stride” — Always a good idea. We’re going to have good days and rough days, good times and hard times. We’re going to face thorny plot points, rejection, rebellious characters, and dry spells. If we take whatever comes our way in stride, we’ll stay in the saddle.

“Loosen the reins” — When we hold the reins too tightly and try too hard, our creative juices often stop flowing. “Efforting” feels just like what it sounds like: effort. When we loosen our grip, we let go of our reliance on results and outcomes.

“Be free spirited” — My favorite Yogi teabag quote: “A relaxed mind is a creative mind.” When we’re free spirited, we’re alive to adventure, to fresh ideas, to new ways of thinking.

“Keep the burrs from under your saddle” — Little annoyances and distractions can irritate us and drain away our energy. So let’s take every opportunity to simplify our days.

“Carry your friends when they need it” — We may write alone, but we all need fellow travelers to help us on our way. Let’s « carry” each other. Let’s support and encourage and embolden and inspirit each other.

“Keep stable” — Let’s meet whatever comes our way with poise and equanimity. Let’s root ourselves into the earth like the trees. When we’re well balanced, even the roughest wind won’t break us.

“Spur yourself onto greatness!” — Let’s spur ourselves and each other on! Let’s do more than expected. Let’s surpass ourselves. Let’s go for greatness — and all write on!

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“The moment we give close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world unto itself.” Henry Miller 

A blade of grass — a magnificent world. Now, that’s a writer paying close attention! Isn’t that one of our biggest gifts as writers — attending to what most people ignore or miss? But isn’t it also one of our biggest challenges? 

Seeing, really seeing, takes time and energy. It takes an open heart and an unfettered mind—one that’s willing to go anywhere. 

It’s so easy to look for what we want or expect to find, isn’t it? But seeing— giving close attention to the world around us and in us — is an art — a craft we can cultivate. And what rewards it offers!

When we give close attention, we concentrate our mind — we aim and focus it, strengthening our ability to screen out distractions.

When we give close attention, we see what others miss. We find our way into the heart of a character we’re creating or connecting with.

When we give close attention, we notice the qualities that make someone or something unique.

When we pay close attention, we begin to appreciate how “mysterious” and “magnificent” what we’re attending to really is.

As writers we conjure up whole worlds or discover them or recover them for our readers. We bring them the gift of seeing something they might have missed or forgotten or even pushed away — and then help them see it as well. And when writer and reader attend closely together, what magnificent worlds are revealed! So let’s pay close attention. Let’s see, really see, as we all write on!

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“There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.” Jane Austen

Today, December 16, is the divine Jane Austen’s birthday. She was born in 1775. Her most famous book, the wonderful Pride and Prejudice, has sold more than 20 million copies since it was first published in 1813. A gathering of her wit and wisdom to inspire us 

“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.”

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

“Men have had every advantage of us in telling their own story. Educations has been theirs in so much higher a degree; the pen has been in their hands. I will not allow books to prove anything.”

“Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken.”

“They are much to be pitied who have not been given a taste for nature early in life.”

“Oh! Do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch.”

“What wild imaginations one forms when dear self is concerned! How sure to be mistaken!”

“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.”

“What is right cannot be done too soon.”

“Nobody minds having what is too good for them.”

“An artist cannot do anything slovenly.”

And now, entertained and emboldened, let’s all write on!

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