Cynthia Morris

You know the writing back burner. It could be crowded with ideas, things you insist you still want to write. They silently simmer in the background. I don’t think these sidelined projects are benign. I think they linger in the background until we set them aside or give them their due.

I speak from experience as a coach, and as a writer with my own crowded back burner.

I’ve got two books that have been on my back burner since at least 2014. I’ve done some work on them. I haven’t ever truly committed to finishing these books. 

But no matter how much I ignore them, they won’t disappear. Somehow this year feels different. I’m committed to these two books in a deep way. A knowing way. I know I will finish them. I also have the incredible (required) hubris to know that these books are going to make a big difference in the world. 

Gulp.

I’m shifting priorities to pull these books off the back burner. I am getting help to stay committed. Mostly, I am excited to learn and grow as I move into the real work of bringing these books to life.

Do you have a writing project that won’t leave you alone? I invite you to join me in committing to making great progress on them. 

Beyond just getting words on the page, we’ll work some magic on your inner resources, too. I bet you’d like to: 

• Build your self-trust
• Be true to yourself
• Channel your abundant ideas into projects you finish 
• Discard envy and resentment of accomplished writers. 

Let’s do this together. It will be a blast to finally be the writer you’ve wanted to be for far too long. 

I’m hosting a coaching group for writers that gives you the right amount of support you need to pull a project to the front burner. Write ON starts soon. All the details are here. 

The trend of writers enrolling paid subscribers is one I celebrate. As someone who has published a newsletter since 2001, I know how much work goes into producing content that people want to read. I’m happy to be able to contribute to these writers and honor their work. 

Secrets of Paris Heather Stimmler has been delving into the Paris we don’t always hear about for decades. I always open Secrets of Paris right away because there’s always news and information about the City of Light I wouldn’t find elsewhere. Heather, a friend of mine, always shares something useful to me and the creativity retreats I lead in Paris. Subscribe here. 

Paris by Mouth by Meg Zimbeck and Sara Garcia If you’re like me, you never want to have a bad meal. I will go the MILE to make sure the restaurants I eat at will produce a good experience. Good service, great food, lovely ambiance…it all adds up to a memorable experience, and I want that memory to be a good one, not a cringer. Paris by Mouth offers a thorough database of reviews for subscribers of restaurants and other foodie spots in Paris. You can search by type of establishment, by type of food, or by arrondissement. I happily pay for this curated information. They also do food tours. 

David Lebovitz I’ve been following David Lebovitz’s Paris food blog since 2005. When he moved to a subscription model, I was happy to put some moola in his pocket. David’s writing has gotten better and better over the years. I love his voice, his humor and his obvious passion for food in Paris. Reading his newsletter gives me insights about Paris and the French that make a difference in how I think about Paris and what I do when I am there. 

Department of Salad: Official Bulletin by Emily Nunn Who would think that food writing could be so funny? I love salad, of course, but Emily’s writing makes me pay to subscribe to this newsletter. She’s HILARIOUS. I feel like I have a really funny friend in the kitchen with me and I get lots of ideas, too.

Craig Mod I’m new to Craig’s world and so far I love what he’s doing. He’s crafted an interesting business model for a writer. He’s got several different newsletters which you can find here. Craig lives in Japan and writes essays and articles about walking in Japan and many other things. His members-only newsletter is called Special Projects. Craig also makes books, and sells limited editions of these photography and writing books. He both writes and makes videos.

One of the cool things he does are subscriber-paid Pop Up Newsletters. These are limited series newsletters around a topic. I got sucked into subscribing – willingly! – when he mentioned his Tokyo walk project. He’d walk for half the day and then go to his lodging and write a long newsletter about it. I have access to the archives as a subscriber, and I am fascinated by the project and the way he structured including subscribers in it. I was recently walking around London and this model for walking/traveling/writing came into my mind.

Not a paid newsletter, the Farm Share newsletter was a total delight this summer. It was fun and useful to get info each week on what the farm was producing and what to do with all that produce. Being a member of a local farm is one of my life’s greatest joys, and this newsletter added to that joy.

What newsletters do you pay to subscribe to? Leave a comment below! 

As you may know, I am endlessly curious about the forces at play in our creative process. My whole life is dedicated to this – conversations with coaching clients, writing books about it, and being an ardent student of my own process. 

The thing that fascinates me most is resistance. Why oh why do we resist the thing we say we want to do – write? I’ve got my theories about why, and as a coach, I’m actually more interested in what we do with it. We can ponder and wonder all day long, but unless that gets us into action, I’ve got limited time to just think about it. 

One thing that gets me into action is having social accountability. Writing my novel in November was a lot easier because I had told people I would do it. For me, this was an iron-clad promise not to others but to myself. 

Another thing that helps me show up is a recurring date. Every Thursday, I show up at 8:00 to write. It’s not that I am so structured and disciplined; again, it’s because others are meeting with me too. 

Last year, I hosted and participated in 45 Impulse Writing Club sessions. I had to miss two because of work travel, and the other five weeks were weeks off. 

When I set these sessions up in the fall of 2021, I had no idea how fun they would be. The simplicity of it – three timed writing sessions – made it easy to slip into the writing zone. I used the time to write various things: two book drafts, articles for my newsletter, personal journaling and more. Members of the Impulse Writing Club report these experiences after our sessions:

Of course, we all experience a range of things over the course of our 16 weeks of writing together. Overall, it’s quite a positive and productive time. 

If you want to write more this year, I think you’ll love the Impulse Writing Club. Please join us to write weekly. We start on January 12th. All the information is here. 

Leave your comments below

I’m going to start the new year with total transparency about why I teach and coach people to write. 

Because writing, well, it’s a fool’s journey. The work is difficult, chances at fame and monetary success are slim. Friends and family doubt why you spend so much time working on something that doesn’t pay you back. Even you sometimes wonder if you’re crazy. 

I know this. I’m not a pollyanna coach pretending ‘it’s all good’. I’m taking a stand for each and every one of us who wants to write. 

Because writing pays you back. I’ve seen it again and again. 

I believe if you have the impulse to write, you must follow it. Despite all evidence and advice against writing as a way to be a happy, sane person, I believe that giving in to the impulse to pen something is the very stuff of life itself. 

In my writing classes, I often give the prompt ‘I write because’. Writing for 15 minutes on this topic is often enough to plug someone into their motivation to write. A writing practice that is satisfying follows from there.

If you’re someone who has been sitting on her hands, hiding her voice and not writing, I offer nine reasons why you must write. 

Because it feels good. If you’ve ever caught the groove of the keyboard or pen across the page, you’ll know the breathless exhilaration writing can give. You can do that to yourself without spending any money?! Creative jollies for free! Who wouldn’t take that up?

Because you have something to say. Author Brenda Ueland says “Everyone is talented, original and has something important to say.” Believe it’s worth your time to get words on the page. 

Because you’re curious to see what emerges from your pen and heart. And that curiosity must be satisfied for you to feel right in the world.

Because writing introduces you to your true self. Writing offers a transformative process similar to sharing with a friend or counselor. When you write, you may feel a sense of being heard – by yourself, at least. And aren’t you the one you most need to know and trust? 

Because knowing yourself leads to positive changes in your life. You can’t help but notice the dusty corners of your psyche that need tidying up and the things you can no longer tolerate. Taking up the pen is taking up the sword in defense of a life you actually want to live.

Because it’s fun. Often in free writing, fictional stories will emerge from our pens. Free writing frees us to explore, play and enjoy a limitless freedom of our imagination. This is the giggly part of writing; not to be missed. 

Because you get to be free. You deserve to live without the weight of procrastination. Instead, you get to feel the exhilaration of your own creative flow. You get to move, and do things and share your world through your words. 

Because it’s good to express ourselves. I was in the audience at a conference when Brene Brown said “unexpressed creativity is not a benign force’. Tears flowed down my face. I’d known all along that our creativity is as vital to our health as is good food and exercise. To hear it validated by a researcher added wind to my wings.

Because you can. Freedom of speech is no small boon – take it and use it.  

Add your own tenth reason for writing. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and using the prompt I write because…write your heart out.