Cynthia Morris

Writers are lucky – we don’t require a lot of tools for the job. We can use a simple notebook or an app like Word, Google docs, or Evernote. 

Yet there are more complex systems out there for writing. I have avoided things like Scrivener. Most people I know who use it are fairly savvy when it comes to using complex apps. The trouble comes when people spend more time learning how to use the system than doing the writing. I have seen this happen, and it’s a shame to waste so much time setting up the ops. I get suspicious that the helpful app is functioning more as a procrastination ally. 

But with my current novel in progress, this time I needed to lay out the scenes in a different way than index cards. I leaned toward Scrivener. Then the learning curve loomed. What do I already have that could work, I thought? 

Notion! I have Notion, and have invested considerable time and energy into using it to run my business. I poked around and found a template online ($10). It took less than 3 hours to set up my scenes and chapters. Scriborg is simple yet has everything you would need to organize your novel. It has a lot of features I don’t use for productivity. But seeing the three acts of my novel laid out, with each scene having its own card, is so useful.

Do you use an app or program other than basic word processing for your novel? Leave a comment below! 

I hadn’t been much interested in AI. I know it’s here, I know it’s going to change everything. Focused on my projects, I haven’t wanted to go down the rabbit hole of learning and assessing AI as a tool for work and writing. 

But when LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman mentioned ‘research assistant’ on a podcast, I rushed right over to the computer and got my ‘assistant’ to work. 

In a book proposal, you have to make a claim, evidenced by stats, that there is a large market for your book. I am terrible at researching this kind of thing. I had done several Google searches. But when I used AI to research, I got much more specific results. Granted, the information doesn’t go past 2021, but I can live with that. I also have to fact-check the AI results, but still, it’s helpful.

I have used ChatGBT to help me with my writing projects: 

Comparative titles:

• Searching for any I missed
• Getting summaries to see if I missed anything in what I already wrote 

Alternative titles for my book

It was fun to see some words I wasn’t using that could be considered more mainstream. For instance, I don’t necessarily use ‘creative potential,’ but I liked it when it popped up in an alternative title. It speaks to what I want for us all – that we live up to our potential as people and creators. 

I’ve pointed clients to how to use AI for their book proposals, and one even got a new title for her book using it. 

I played with ‘book launch ideas’ to help brainstorm new ideas for my marketing section in the proposal. I pretty much knew all of them already, which was more validating than informative.. 

Not sure how to use it for my novel-writing, but one day, I had an idea. I strive to write in a certain style. I hope to write in a lyrical way, a way that emphasizes saying something in a beautiful, original way. I say striving because I feel far from achieving that.

I copied a paragraph of my novel into AI and asked it to describe the style of writing. This is what I got back: 

The writing style of this fiction is descriptive and uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of the scene and the emotions of the characters. The author also uses internal dialogue to give insight into the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings. The language is informal and uses slang, creating a sense of intimacy and authenticity. The author also employs metaphors and clichés to add depth to the character’s observations and to convey the physical sensations of the experience. The overall tone is sensual and romantic, with an emphasis on the physical pleasure and emotional connection between the characters.

That made me feel like I was getting closer to the kind of writing I want. Not totally there yet. And clichés? OY! Not so great. It sent me into the paragraph to hunt down what could be cliché and eliminate it. 

I feel ethical about how I have used AI. I’m not getting it to write my paragraphs for me. Having a better research tool is super helpful, especially in the promotion/launch phase of a book.

Have you used AI for your writing? Share how by leaving a comment below!

Typically, I wouldn’t be working on more than one major project at a time. I am happiest when I have a behemoth to work on. 

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of how it’s working for me to juggle two beasts, let me confess this: I rarely FEEL like working on these projects. Both of them carry a lot of emotional baggage. Both of them feel just beyond my skill set. 

I wrote in a recent article about the feelings we think we need to do a project. Instead of thinking I need a certain feeling to start the work, I go for the feeling I want to have after I’ve written. I’ve achieved that consistently. After work on my projects, I feel:

• empowered
• in integrity
• a triumphant sense of progress 
• greater confidence. 

It’s hard to describe, but I also feel a wholeness when doing these projects. As I’ve said before, they’ve both been on my list for years, and giving them the space they deserve just makes me feel better about life. 

It helps to keep a separate notebook for each project. I use the Hahnemühle Diary Flex because it’s small and easy to take everywhere. I do my reflective writing about my process in them. I make notes during meetings and also capture ideas and insights. More about how I use an ‘author notebook’ here. 

Specific deadlines make all the difference for me. I use the structure of my coaching group, Write ON, to have a weekly agenda for writing. These fluctuate according to what else is on my calendar. Having to declare what I will do by Friday makes it easier to keep on track every single week. 

External deadlines like working with an editor and going on a trip help me stay focused. This is especially helpful when I don’t ‘feel’ like doing the work. I want to feel free and at ease when I go away, knowing I’ve set myself up to come back easily to the project. 

In March, I was taking a class for the book proposal. I wanted to get as much done as I could during that time, so that creativity chastity belt helped me stay with it every day. I had to devise my own deadlines after that. 

I often wake up between 3 and 4 am, and it takes a while to get back to sleep. This is when thoughts of the novel float in. I get insights. It’s like this quiet, dark, liminal space allows me to see more and get ideas. Luckily, I remember them and write them down in my novel’s notebook. 

Most days (except weekends), I do a bit on each project. A book proposal is vastly different than a novel. When it gets hard, and I get squirmy, switching to the novel feels easy. I like variety in my days, always have. I call this ‘mode switch’, where I am able to get things done by moving among disparate tasks and projects.

I always want to do more. There never feels like enough time in the day. But I also know that writing is a sloooooooooow medium. Patience and persistence win the day. I love the feeling I have from working on both of these books. I am eager to finish them and get them into your hands because while these are my passion projects and I gain a lot from doing them, I am writing these for you.

What about you? How do you juggle more than one big project at once? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below! 

What’s inspiring me

My friend Constance started a new podcast this year. Dear Constance is a wonderful accompaniment to my morning coffee-making. Her episodes are short and inspirational. I feel like I’m getting wisdom and love from a cool New York friend. You might like it too!

Sea Wife by Amity Gaige was such a good read. I love her writing and how she creates dramatic tension. This book made me want to write. I even drafted some things late one night on vacation because I was so inspired by this book.

Lastly, have I told you about The Bookcase? Forgive me if I have already raved about it, but I just love it. This is the best book-related podcast I have heard. I love the host’s banter, and interviews with authors and booksellers. Plus it’s got a great theme song. It’s where I heard about Amity Gaige. I marched right to the library to get Sea Wife when they raved about it. I think you’ll love it!

Leave a comment below! 

What kind of feelings do we need to commit to a project? Does it have to be WOO HOOO!!!! Or can it be something else? 

I just realized that for me, I don’t need to feel WOW THIS IS GOING TO BE SO GREAT I AM SO EXCITED TO WRITE THIS. It doesn’t have to be a sparkly rainbow party kind of energy. 

It can be a different level of commitment. Right now I feel committed, curious, a bit scared but mostly inspired to write this story. I have a range of feelings that are motivating me. These emotions run underneath every decision we make. 

Most of the external stuff – when, where to write – is easy enough. The emotional undercurrents require a bit more tending. 

When these feelings threaten to force me to the sidelines, I lean in on curiosity. I can’t live with this possibility. I must live with the effort to see this story to its conclusion. In an exercise from Story Genius, we’re asked to write the point of the story. Here’s the point of my Portugal novel: 

Taking big risks is worth it even when it’s scary, hard, or doesn’t turn out the way you hoped it would. 

This point underpins everything I believe about creativity and life. It’s what I want for you and for everyone. 

I am curious to see what happens when I take on this project that’s been on my list for almost a decade. 

I wonder about you. What energy/feeling/vibe do you feel is required to commit to a project? Does it have to be bright and shiny? Or can it also be a bit of something else? 

I’m curious to know. Share your thoughts about what emotions you require to commit to a project below.

Leave a comment below! 

You’re working on a book, and it’s not quite working. You know you need help, but what kind? Some kind of editing?

There are many kinds of editing, each required at different phases of book writing. Developmental editing, content editing, line editing, and proofreading are types of editing we all need.

As a book coach, I help authors in a couple of ways.

• I orient them to their motivation and vision for the book. This helps writers stay on track when the work gets tough.
• I bring typical coaching skills of sounding board, accountability, and cheerleading to my clients.
• I help people manage their time, their projects, and their emotions.

I also help with developmental editing. I love helping writers sculpt their ideas into a book. Each book has its unique blueprint and style and will reflect the author’s deeply held point of view and voice. As a coach of over twenty years, I use my reservoir of great questions to help authors pinpoint the purpose and structure of the book.

As a businesswoman, I know how to help writers craft a book that meets their goals. Identifying the reader and the reader’s needs right away is essential. Clarifying a vision for the book and its impact is also vital to understanding how to write the book.

When you need a developmental editor

Most authors need some sort of developmental editor help. It’s hard to imagine someone crystal clear about their concepts would need help putting them together in a book. But all books benefit from a caring outside perspective to bring it to coherence and cohesion. Here’s when to get help with designing your book’s contents:

• You’ve written some pieces but feel all over the place. Your manuscript is a chaotic mess.
• You haven’t started writing yet, but have a bunch of ideas. You don’t know how to put them together.
• You don’t know if your ideas cohere, make sense or are complete.
• You don’t yet know the shape, style, or organizational structure of your book.

A book is its own beast

Pulling ideas into a book form is a much bigger project than just writing one-off articles or blogs. Most of my clients are writers and have written articles and course curricula.

No matter how smart or accomplished my clients are, they still suffer from these inner challenges. Writers are often:

• blind to what’s there, both on content and quality levels.
• uncertain about how to make their book different than ones in their genre
• insecure about their voice or writing style
• done with an outline but keep veering away from it and returning to the uncertainty that plagues everyone at the starting line.

Helping people sort all these things out so they can write their book or book proposal is my total joy. I’m honored to be in on such a profound creative project with them.

I work with clients for six or twelve months to get all this hammered out. By the end of six months, most people have a blueprint for their book. They also have a committed practice and know how to stay on track and avoid getting derailed by insecurities or life’s challenges.

If you’re stuck with your book and need help organizing your time and structuring your content, reach out. I’m a pro at helping navigate the inner and outer challenges at the beginning of getting our book brain on.

Schedule a call with me to see how we can work together to bring your book to life. 

 

 

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.