More sleep, less stress

What has helped my writing is that I got some sleep, and my stress level is way down. When I do not get enough sleep my brain is foggy and does not work at peak performance. When I am stressed, my brain is preoccupied with whatever is stressing me. Both conditions contribute to not being able to write very much. The past couple of days I was not able to write much. Today has been the complete opposite. Maybe that will be something to keep in mind. I will try to get more sleep, and I will try to reduce the amount of stress in my life somehow.

What do you think?

Motif

In music the concept of a motif is that of a short little chunk of music that you use to create a whole piece. It could be a short Melody, I read them, the chord progression, are just about anything else and music. You can hear this in the music of Beethoven and especially in his fifth Symphony. The first four notes are the motif that the rest of the piece is built from.

You can use the concept of motif in writing as well. Just start with the little chunk of writing and build from it. Example you can start from a word. you can start from a sentence. You can start for main topic. Just take a small chunk of riding and expanded, add to it, play with it, do whatever you think you can with it.

Using a motif is also a great way to come up with ideas. Find a chunk and play with it. Find a word and play with that. Pick a topic and see where it leads you. Hey, if it worked for Beethoven it'll work for you.

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Is diversity a good thing?

I think diversity is a good thing because it creates more possibilities for ideas. When everything is the same, then you just get the same ideas. But when there is diversity, it creates diverse ideas. Obviously this applies to people, but it also applies to books, music, art, media, and a host of many other things. So seek to diversify in as many parts of your life as possible. Meet and get to know as many different people as possible. Read from a diversity of sources. Change the music you listen to on occasion. watch something different on TV. Visit a new web site instead of the ones you always go to. Change things up and diversify as much as possible and you will be amazed at all the new ideas you will get.

What do you think?

Finding what you look for

I have noticed in my life that I usually find what I look for. For example, if I look for what is wrong, I usually find it. If I look for the negative, I find it. If I look for what is right, I also find that. If I look for what is positive, that I also find. So I have come to this conclusion. Since I find what I'm looking for, why not look for something intentionally. In other words, look for something on purpose. Why not look for what is right, look for what is good, look for what works, look for what is positive? That way when you do find what you're looking for, it is a good thing.

What do you think?

Taking a break

No, I am not taking a break from writing in my blog. What I would like to write about today is taking a break so that you can get more ideas. Our brains have a curious function. Sometimes when we work very hard at trying to find an idea, our brains can't do it. But, if we take a break and go do something else, magically our brains come up with an idea. So, if you find yourself stuck without being able to move forward, take a break. Go do something else. Go do a little bit of cleaning, go wash the dishes, take a short walk, call a friend and have a nice discussion about something else. Take a break and go do something else and you will see that your brain will come up with an idea. That always works well for me. In fact that is how I came up with this blog post.

What do you think?

Choosing

We make thousands of choices every day. So you would think that making a choice would come easy to us. I have found that it is not the case. Making choices is actually very difficult. This is especially true when it comes to things that are important to us. I find that it is also true when we are creating. For some reason our minds invest a lot of emotional energy into those things we make. That makes choosing more difficult for us. How do you overcome this tendency? You force yourself to make a choice. Quickly pick A or pick B. Without thinking too much about it follow one path or the other. The only way to get better at choosing, is by making choices. So get started right now. Start making a choice now. What if you make the wrong choice? Actually, I don't think there are wrong choices. There are only choices that did not work as well as you expected, so you go back and do the other one. Also, just make the best choice you can as soon as possible. You will find that as you make more and more choices that it will become easier to make choices.

What do you think?

Finding ideas

Finding ideas is not difficult. Why? Because they are all around you. All you have to do is open your eyes and look for them. In fact there are millions of them. The hard part is not finding them, it is picking one of them. That's right, the hardest thing is actually choosing which idea you want to use. That is where most people end up getting blocked. The solution is just choose already. Just pick something and go with it. The worst that can happen is that you don't use it. Choose something, and start to play with it in some fashion. Then, if it feels right, and looks good, finish it and publish. That's how you find ideas, and it works, because that's how I find ideas.

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The creative process

The process of creating seems like a mystery to some. It is not though. It is actually quite mundane. Just like a bricklayer lays one brick on top of another to build the wall, so it is with creating something. You just keep putting things together till you have something you want. For example, in writing you just keep putting words up on the page. In composing music you just keep putting notes together. In painting you just keep adding paint. It is all the same process. Granted writing words, composing music, or painting on canvas takes more skill than laying bricks, the process is the same. If you want to create, start building and it will all come together.

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First create, then edit

When you are writing something that is going to be published in some form, it is very tempting to edit as you write. Many times as I write things that will be published I am tempted to do this. I am tempted because it feels like a shortcut and a timesaver, but it is just a way to make sure that what you write is bland and boring. It is also a great way to make sure you do not write very much because if you edit as you write, it'll stop you from putting words on the page. It'll stop the flow. Writing should always be a two-step process. First throw the words on the page as fast as possible. Then, come back later and fix it. That's how you create good stuff for your readers. It's also the best way to make sure that you keep putting words up on the page without impediment.

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Creatively lazy

I am basically a lazy person, but I have found ways to be very productive. I have done so by being a little bit creative. For example, I have done all I can to create a job for myself in which I do as much of the things I enjoy during the day. Now, there are plenty of things I do not enjoy doing during the day but I have minimized them as much as I possibly can. I did so on purpose. It is interesting how you can do this in just about any field. I did it by creating a program from scratch in music in public education. If I can do that in public education you could probably do it in just about any place. Just add some creativity, decide what you would like to do, and then slowly but surely work your way to make it happen.

What do you think?

Just get started

How do you go about creating more things? How do you write a book? How do you write a piece of music? How do you write a blog post? The first thing you need to do is just get started. In fact, I have found that to be the hardest part of creating anything. Once you get started, the rest is much easier. It's like getting a large ship moving. You have to use a lot of energy at the beginning, but once it's moving, all you have to do is steer it in the right direction (stopping is also difficult - just look at the Titanic). Creating is very similar. You have to use a lot of energy and focus to get started, but once you do, it's much easier to keep going. Do you have something you need to get done or something you want to create? Just get started and the rest will begin to fall into place.

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Leap year

Today is a unique day. Today is February 29 which we don't get to see but every four years. Sure it is going to be just like any other day, but at least it is something unique. The best aspect of having something unique like this is that it moves you out of your comfort zone, if at least for just a little bit. When something unique happens it is also a great way to get new ideas. Why? Because it at least makes you think differently. It is when we think differently that new ideas appear. So for this leap year day may you at least have a few more new ideas.

What do you think?

Ideas - write them down

Ideas are all around us. All you have to do is keep looking for them and you will find them. Ideas are also fleeting. They come in an instant and then there are gone. So, if you want to make sure you have them at your disposal, you have to write them down some how. I have used several methods over the past few years to help me do that. One thing I try to do is to make sure I have something to write on and to write with at all times. Currently I like carrying index cards and a pen with me and I use them to jot down the ideas I get. I also use my iPhone. I have a document in my notes application which is dedicated just to ideas. So when I get an idea, I just open up the document and write down what is crossing my mind. Actually, since I discovered the dictation function on my iPhone, I just talk to my iPhone. That is actually working well for me at the moment. In fact, that is where the idea for this blog post came from. I had the idea a couple of days ago, so I wrote it down. Then today I just looked through my list of ideas, and this one popped out as one I wanted to use. Then I wrote this post. Ideas are always there if you go looking for them, but you also have to write them down or they disappear.

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You find what you seek

No matter what you think of him, you have to admit that in some things he was right. Jesus said "seek and you will find". I have come to believe he was exactly right. You always find what you look for. If you go looking for trouble, you will find it. If you go looking for love, you will find it. If you go looking for a "few good men" you will find them (and possibly the movie as well). If you go looking for ideas, you will find them. I read recently that the number one reason bloggers fail is because they run out of idea. I have come to believe that the only time you run out of ideas is when you stop looking for them. If you keep seeking ideas, you will always find them (and sometimes they will find you.

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Focus

Creating stuff is all about focus. The reason being is that everything that is created first begins in the mind. In order for something to become real it first has to be thought of in the mind. You have to make it up in your head first. Focus is how you do it. In order to start the process of creating something you need to bring your mind to think about only the thing you're creating. You need to aim your thinking on just the specifics regarding what you want to create. That's how you actually make stuff up, which is what creating is all about. Focusing your mind is not easy. What is easy is to let your mind drift off in a million directions. It is also easy to become distracted with things that keep you from creating. It also doesn't help that we have thousands of things we can go and do that will keep us distracted. If you want to create, work on focusing your mind.

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Dealing with criticism

I have been a musician for 40 years. I have been a composer and arranger her for 30 years. I have been a music teacher for over 20 years. I have also been involved in quite a number of varied pursuits. The one thing I am constantly reminded of is that no matter what you do someone is not going to like it. Unfortunately when you put yourself out there in some form someone's going to come back and tell you what you doing wrong. Sometimes criticism is necessary. Maybe you do need to do something different. Maybe you do need to be made of where of something. Maybe you need to do something better. Sometimes though, is just a kick in the gut. Well, if you are going to take any kind of artistic risk, or any risk at all, be prepared to be criticized. It is just the way things are. It is the way the world works. Learn to take it with a grain of salt. Look at it as a way to improve when you are criticized. But also realize that sometimes it's just noise. Do the best work you can and leave it at that. If it is not good enough for somebody, screw them. There is an anything else you can do.

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Losing my passion

Lately I feel as if I have lost my passion for writing music. How can I regain my passion for writing music? First, how did I lose it? I think I lost my passion for writing music when it became a "have to". Somehow when something becomes something you have to do, it loses its ability to drive your passion. How do I regain my passion? I think all I would need to do is make it a "want to" once again. How do I do that? Well, I think it first starts with how I talk to myself. If I keep saying I "have to" do something then to become something I have to do. If I keep saying it is something I "want to" do then it becomes something I want to do. That's so simple isn't it? Next, I need to remember why I started writing music in the first place. When we go back to why we began something, we remember what it was that excited us in the first place. That's what I need to do. I need to go back to the beginning. Why did I start writing music? Finally, I just need to have fun with writing music. When something is fun then you want to do more of it. When he becomes a chore that's when you avoid it.

What do you think?

Quantity versus quality

When it comes to doing something creative should you focus on quality, or should you seek for quantity? I have discovered that if you want to produce quality work the best way to do it is through quantity. In other words, the more you create the better you create. Why? Because when you do a lot of something you end up practicing. The consequence of practicing is that you get better at it. When you are better at something you produce quality work. So you want to make great things? Then make a lot of it. Write more. Sing more. Paint more. Create create create. When it comes to creating, quantity leads to quality.

What do you think?

Finding your niche

I believe that finding your niche is much like finding your passion. In other words, you have to look at your life and find those things that interest you. What do you like doing? What do you like reading? What do you like watching on TV? How do you spend your free time? If money wasn't a concern, what would you do? If you won the lottery, how would you spend your time? Answering these types of questions will help you find your passion and your niche. My passion is in writing, the news, and the economy. I am passionate about blogging, creativity, the Internet, and finding a way to make money on the Internet. So that is what I write about. It is also where I will find my niche.

What do you think?

Note: I am thinking of moving my blog. Check my new site out

http://waltersthinking.blog.com/

Finding something to write about

Though sometimes I struggle to find things to write about, The reality is that I always find something. That brings me to the conclusion that there is always something to write about even if it's the most mundane and simple thing. You just have to keep putting words up on the page and then pick something and write about it. It is all about the making choices. Sometimes the choices produce great things. Sometimes the choices just produce words, but you are still making progress. It is all about making progress.
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