What happens on a discovery call?

A discovery call is a thirty minute chat about what you need help with. It’s very informal, and is like having coffee with a friend.

What will we discuss on a coaching call?

We will talk about anything you like to do with your writing. I use my experience as a creative writing tutor to both offer possible solutions to issues, as well as coaching you to understand why you are experiencing the issue and how we can move forward. I also set tasks outside of our time together so that you can work toward your goals. All our conversations are confidential.

Can we meet in person?

During Covid I am happy to work with your time zone and meet you on Zoom.

Month: April 2022

Coaching Productivity

Mindfulness Techniques for Writers

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date April 28, 2022
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What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that can be practised at any time. It might be that you have heard people talk about eating ‘mindfully’, meaning that they focus on and are aware of what they are eating during that moment, and in many ways, this is the simplest way of describing it:

‘Mindfulness is being aware of yourself, others and the world around you.’ (Chaskalson, M and McMordie. M. Mindfulness for Coaches. New York, Routledge, 2018.)

You may not know this, but I have studied and practice mindfulness. This helps me every day, and I use it in my writing and coaching practice. Practising mindfulness involves focusing on your breathing, noticing thoughts without entirely giving in to them, and paying attention to the task at hand. Practising mindfulness has been proven to improve the ability to focus, regulate emotion and gain perspective. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

How can it help you write?

Mindfulness is all well and good, but if it weren’t linked in some way to writing, then I wouldn’t be talking about it! So, how can it actually help you write? It’s all linked to the act and process of writing. As we all know, sitting down to write is not always easy, and it can be stressful. Whether you feel pressure because of a deadline, don’t know what you should be focusing on next, or don’t know how you will fit writing into your busy week, practising mindfulness can help.

Why involve it in your Creative Writing practice?

Good question. The answer is because it can help move you forward. It can help with your mindset, allow you to have perspective, and offer you the ability to enjoy writing as a mindful process instead of one that potentially causes feelings of stress, comparison, and overwhelm. Just as a side note, these are totally normal feelings to have around writing. Why? Because it’s not as simple as sitting down and writing a fun story. Sometimes we feel stressed, and other times we can’t help but compare our writing or productivity to the highlight reel that is Instagram.

How to begin involving mindfulness in your process today:

If you are ready to give it a go, let’s start today. After all, if you’re being offered something that could improve your writing life, why not start as soon as possible? Here are some mindfulness techniques for writers:

Technique 1:
An excellent task to begin your mindful writing practice is to write for five minutes about your current surroundings. Five minutes is a short amount of time, so don’t feel that you are wasting time that could be spent on your work in progress – on the contrary, allowing yourself some time and space to warm up, embed yourself in the present, and notice the senses, will result in a happier writing experience. Why? Because you will feel calmer, and your mind will be more focused on the task at hand, having a similar result to task batching.

Technique 2:
Ring a bell. This is one of my favourite tasks because it helps me see when my mind has wandered from writing. Give it a go yourself, and see how it works for you. When writing your work in progress, keep a bell beside you. Every time you find that you have slipped from the narrative of your story and start thinking about something else – perhaps you begin to think about what you will have for dinner – ring the bell. This might sound strange, but what you are doing is practising paying attention to writing. You are being mindful of your practice. Ringing the bell is a physical activity that uses the senses, pulling you back into the present.

Technique 3:
Practice being present with your main character. You could do this in many ways, from writing a letter to them to hot seating them with interview type questions. One of my favourite ways of doing this is through drawing. You should know your character inside out, so spend some time with them. The better you know them, the better you will write them, and the easier it will be to focus purely on the act of telling their story.

Technique 4:
To get a first draft down on the page, it helps to push revision to one side. Why? Because you cannot edit a blank page. If you are someone who struggles with the idea of this and find yourself re-reading what you have written as you are writing, catch yourself. Take a breath, and think of the next part of your story. If you notice that you are thinking thoughts such as ‘That doesn’t sound good,’ or ‘That word isn’t quite right,’ label it as a thought. Ask yourself if spending your writing time searching for the right word is the best thing you could be doing right now or whether you could spend those ten minutes writing one hundred new words. Taking a deep breath and noticing our thoughts is a big part of getting to the next stage of our writing process – the edit. Revision can be done then, so allow yourself the grace to write now.

There are four ways to practice mindfulness in your writing life today. Give it a go, and see what happens.
If this has brought anything up for you and you want to talk about how you can move forward in your writing life, get in touch. I would love to help you prosper and write a novel you are proud of.

Tags creative writing, daily writing, mindful writing, mindfulness, Mindfulness techniques, writing, writing mindfully, writing techniques

Productivity

10 Ways to Limit Writing Overwhelm

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date April 21, 2022
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What is writing overwhelm? It is that sometimes familiar feeling of being overwhelmed by the vastness of the job at hand – writing. As we all know, writing is not an easy task all the time, and sometimes the sheer amount of work that needs to be done can weigh heavy on our minds. So, how do we overcome this, pausing the battle so we can get some words written down on the page? Here are ten ways to limit writing overwhelm.

1) Make it fun again.

Remember when you first started writing? What did it feel like to sit down and get to share a story that had been waiting inside your head? For me, it was pure joy. It was sitting at the computer after school, basking in a fantasy world that I just wanted to spend more time in. The words flew out of me because I had no expectations. All I wanted to get from my writing time was the pure joy of writing, of spending time with my characters. So, how can we make writing FUN again?

If you’re struggling to enjoy writing your novel, change what you’re doing. You could change your writing space, making it brighter, clearer, or simpler. Take a break from your book with a short story or a page of writing that has nothing to do with anything else. You could use a writing prompt, like the ones I send out every week to my subscribers. The main thing is to ask yourself HOW to make it fun again and think about the question. For me, fun comes from real-life research, cooking the foods I write about or visiting similar places. That gets me fired up and ready to write – so what works for you?

2) Separate research time from writing time.

I’ve previously written a blog post all about this – check it out here! Separating research and writing time can really help with limiting overwhelm. Why? Because when you sit down to write, take a minute to do some research and fall down a research rabbit hole (which happens at the best of times), you find that the time you had set aside for writing quickly disappears. Instead, try setting aside time for researching as one task and writing as another. Multi-tasking was invented for computers, not the human brain, so it makes sense that task batching would work better. Check out this post, all about task batching, to learn more. Being able to sit down and get some writing done helps limit that overwhelm because it focuses your mind on the task at hand.

3) Remove distractions.

Distractions are tricky when writing, and it is easy to be overwhelmed when there is so much going on. I often think about Dickens and wonder what distractions he had when working. Of course, it was nothing like today when the urge to check Instagram ‘just for a second’ is there while writing, but certainly, he must have had some. So, how can we limit distractions in this world of entertainment? The Forest App is excellent for this. It blocks websites of your choice for as long as you set a timer. Don’t want to download an app? Not a problem; try simply setting the stopwatch on your phone. You will find that each time you look at it, you see it counting up, giving you pause for thought. Realising that you are about to be distracted is often all you need to continue. Want to know more about limiting procrastination? Click here.

4) Set a timer.

Have you ever tried the Pomodoro technique? This time limiting technique asks you to set your timer at twenty minutes for a task. Sometimes you will find that twenty minutes is all you can spare, and at other times you might continue without noticing that the time is up. Setting a timer can help limit overwhelm because it lets you take the task in one small piece. Writing a novel is made up of those moments of writing, just one paragraph at a time.

5) Try a new perspective.

Not your perspective, a character perspective! It can really help you refocus on your story, and limit overwhelm to consider your characters’ feelings. Here’s a fun task: try writing a letter to your protagonist from the point of view of other characters. You might find that you learn something you didn’t already know.

6) Create a writing routine that works for YOU.

A writing routine that makes you feel overwhelmed is not the right one. Perhaps you are trying to write every day when you just don’t have the time. That’s okay – writing every day is for Stephen King, but certainly not for me, and it might not be for you either. If you are ready to create a writing routine that works for you, click here and read about how to do it.

7) Consider your expectations.

How much pressure are you putting on yourself to get this work done by a specific time, and is it realistic? Can you move the deadline, and what would happen if you did? Are you stressing about something like formatting your book when you could hire someone to do it for you? Consider what expectations you are having of yourself and how they play into your feelings of overwhelm. If you want to set effective goals, check out this post.

8) Journal.

I am a big fan of journaling because it helps you investigate your feelings and thoughts about a situation. I would always recommend doing it by hand if possible because it forces you to write slower, giving you the time to think about the overwhelm you are experiencing. You could also try meditation, or purely sitting in silence, and allowing yourself to think through the feelings. Time for yourself can work wonders.

9) Set boundaries with yourself and others.

Setting boundaries with other people is essential in writing. You need the time to create! It helps to tell other people that you are planning to write at a specific time and that you will need space to do so. If you find that the response is a little combative, try involving the other person in your plans and successes, such as sharing a reward when a thousand words have been written. This may make them more willing to give you that space and time you need to work and will show them how seriously you take it.
It’s also important to set boundaries with yourself. This means allowing yourself to find that time, to have that space, and invest in your craft. Writing isn’t easy, but it deserves your attention if it’s important to you. If you allow yourself the support of you, the feeling of overwhelm will be much easier to investigate.

10) Organise your writing area.

A tidy desk really does create a tidy mind. When our writing area is cluttered, it can make us feel overwhelmed purely by looking at it. So, take a moment before writing to clear the space in front of you and make it nicer to be in. Perhaps light a candle, and open a window for some fresh air. Making your space conducive to writing will help.

There you have it, ten ways to limit writing overwhelm! Want to chat about this further? Get in touch; I would love to tell you how coaching can help you move forward in your writing life.

Coaching

5 Questions to Ask a Potential Writing Coach

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date April 14, 2022
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Ready to hire a Writing Coach but don’t know what to ask on a Discovery Call? Don’t worry; I’ve got you.

Writing coaches (also called book coaches) are your personal trainer for writing, there to support you, help you through your writing issues, and give you the confidence to show up to the blank page. You may have considered hiring a writing coach but struggle to know who is best for you. First of all, here are some tips on finding a writing coach before we move on to what to ask them.

How To Find A Writing Coach

You can find a writing coach online. One sure-fire way to peruse the options is by searching ‘writing coach’ on Instagram. Any coach with that in their bio will show up, and you will be able to see what they’re about. As a writing coach myself, here are my tips:

Ensure the person is offering some type of ‘meet and greet’. This might look like a Discovery Call, like the ones I offer, an introduction over email, or even a coffee in the local area if you happen to be nearby. This is because you want to make sure you and your coach have a rapport. You will be having confidential sessions with your coach, so find someone you can talk to, open up to, trust, and like.
Check their experience. Do they have qualifications and happy previous clients?
When was the last time they posted? It might be best to look elsewhere if it’s been months because this signals that the person is no longer engaged in their business.

5 Questions to Ask a Potential Writing Coach

Once you have made some progress with your search and you’re ready to chat with a coach, here are some questions you can ask:

How would you help me with my writing issue? (This will help you understand if this is the best step for you.)
What are your values? (Having a coach whose values align with yours is important.)
Why are you the right coach for me? (This is a great question and will tell you whether you are a good client for them.)
Do you have your own coach? (A coach who is coached and invests in themselves believes in the value of coaching and works on their own mindset. This makes them a better coach.)
What is your feedback style? (If you’re looking for tough love and the coach you are talking to isn’t built that way, it’s okay. It just means that it might not be the best fit.)

There you have it, five questions to ask your potential writing coach! Do you have any questions that you would add? Let me know.

Looking for a writing coach? As a Certified Professional Coach, trained by an ICF company and with an ILM Level 2, you can trust that my coaching skills are tried and tested. As a writer with a PhD, MA and BA in Creative Writing, and over six years of lecturing in adult education and at universities, I’m a professional writer specialising in helping others find their way forward.

Any questions? Feel free to get in touch.

Want to read something similar? Check these out!

What is a Writing Coach?
4 Ways to Edit Your Own Writing

Coaching

How to Get Rid of Self-Limiting Writing Beliefs

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date April 7, 2022
No Comments on How to Get Rid of Self-Limiting Writing Beliefs

“I haven’t published a story, so I can’t call myself a writer.”

Many self-limiting beliefs can hold us back in the writing world, and that’s just an example of one of them.

I often compare writing to the art world. If someone paints, loves it, spends their spare time painting, is part of a painting community and thrives in it…there’s no question that they’re a painter. Whether they have had an exhibition of their artwork or not, they are still a painter.

Often when we tell other people we write, the first question that comes back is, “Have you written anything that I’d know?” Or “Are you published?” Or “Where can I find your work?”

I know this can lead to anxiety and can further that annoying self-limiting belief. So read on if this is something you struggle with because I am going to share a task to help you move forward when these thoughts appear.

Acknowledge.

What is the belief that’s holding you back? The first step is acknowledging its presence and taking note when it appears. Write it down and don’t let it get away without investigation – because if it’s holding you back in writing, then you have every right to show it who’s boss!

Question.

Ask yourself the following:

Do I actually believe this?
Why?
What’s my proof for this?
What advice would I give someone else who is feeling this way?

These questions will force you to really get to the heart of the belief and allow you to break down those self-limiting walls with proof and empathy for yourself.

Practice.
Every time you notice this pop up, remember that this is not necessarily what you believe. Remind yourself of what you have discovered, and keep working at moving past it!

If you struggle with this and want to chat more about it, get in touch! As a writing coach, I can help you investigate the issue and develop action points to move forward. Want to read more about self-limiting beliefs? Check this post out from The Open University.

You’ve got this, writer!