This week the weather has developed a taste of fall. Classes are back in session. We devote Thursday and Friday nights to high school football games and the Harvest Moon illuminates the dark sky. Soon we will pick apples, select perfect pumpkins, and navigate through my favorite corn maze. It is the largest in the area and boasts ten miles of trails across twenty-eight acres of towering cornstalks. Later there is a hayride with spiced cider. If we are brave, we can dare the ghosts and goblins to scare us at a late-night haunted house.

While the leaves are still green, and daytime temps remind me of summer, in dawn’s early hours, steam rises from my coffee cup. In a few weeks, frost will greet my morning ritual. The chattering squirrels demand the peanuts they know I have in my pocket. They are greedy beggars, fighting for the best treasure only to debate the merits of eating it now or burying it in their cache. The birds also want my attention, before they allow me to settle in and open my book.

Everyone is happy. I relax, reveling in the warm sunshine, touched by a soft breeze I sip my coffee and let the novel’s words fill my head.

How do you kick off your weekend?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I get it, parents and teachers repeated it ad nauseam. “Share,” they preached. They forced me to practice during “Show and Tell.” Sharing is difficult. I would rather retreat to my dark cave and pursue passions which don’t require interaction with others. I relish spending hours alone reading, writing, and editing.  After I lovingly lock my latest WIP in the safe, its naptime.

My muse nudges me, divulging a secret, “Writers write to have their words read,” she says. I hate when she is right. There are great reasons for releasing our work to the scrutiny of an alpha reader. No matter how much we edit, we are blind to the flaws that will smack an editor between the eyes. We need them to expose the obvious.

Feedback is the catalyst for growth. Remember the saying about two heads being better than one? Experts challenge assumptions, question conclusions, and force us to strengthen our logic. With help, we buttress the story’s foundation and fix structural issues, so they support a stronger, more succinct, and robust narrative. It lets our confidence soar. The ultimate reward for facing fear and embracing criticism is you silence your inner critic.

Still, I love that new story smell.

What will you share today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I had an English teacher who taught grammar with song lyrics. She used printed copies and had the class parse the stanzas while the songs played in the classroom. Grammar was never my favorite subject but identifying parts of speech to popular tunes was not unpleasant.

There are many studies which suggest listening to music aids divergent thinking. It is a technique which uses free-flowing thoughts to generate ideas and solutions in a short time. One study reported that replaying a song multiple times blocks mind wandering and increases focus. Other benefits include reducing stress, improving sleep, reducing symptoms of depression, and raising IQ and academic performance in young children.

With that impressive list, I figured it was worth doing a few experiments. So, I queued my playlists and hit repeat as I composed stories. The results surprised me. While not scientific, I noticed words and thoughts seem to flow better, social media is less distracting and my productivity per session has increased. I have even experienced a phenomenon where the lyrics provided the exact word my mind is seeking.

While I’ve not determined if my stress levels are lower, the ability to get more accomplished in my scheduled writing sessions makes me a happy camper.

Do songs inspire your writing?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer