Inspiration

Any writer who does this full-time can tell you that you always have to rev your engines. So we all go to various sources of inspiration. For me, it's Barbara DeMarco Barrett's book Pen on Fire, or Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. I just ordered a few new books written by writers for writers, and I'm particular intrigued by a quote I absorbed from one of them already: "Writers are like hunters, and so are entrepreneurs." It's partially true -- some days feel like I'm sitting in a tree in an expansive wooded area, with no one around, just waiting...and waiting. Minus the orange jacket. But is writing like hunting? If you sit in a tree and wait, the opportunity has to come to you. And you have to be quiet. Nah, writing is not like hunting...it's like going to cocktail party or a networking event. You show up excited, dressed to impress, and you survey the room, working each circle of guests, more of a person than a businessperson to be really successful. You bring a humor and human quality to your interactions, and it flows naturally. You just put yourself in the right place at the right time. And you keep on showing up. 90% of success is just showing up, right? Authority and accomplishment are best served subtly. Who wants to hang out at the party with the person who's blowing his or her own horn so hard that veins are throbbing in his or her forehead? So 90% of success is showing up at the computer, writing through a bad mood or a distracted thought pattern, doing the work to have some substance to your style. Then showing up in the right places to connect with those who can help you make things happen. Many people think that writing is a solitary, lonely job, but it's so not. It's all about connection. Sure, you spend many hours or days alone, so lost in your words that hours fly by, and I suppose that some writers do this job because they like to be alone. But writing is about connection. If you are seen and felt as a person by the decision-makers, you're golden.

Hmm....that book I ordered isn't even here yet, and it's already revved my engines. Not bad. Today I delve into the world of colored diamonds. Artifically and naturally. We've all seen the pink diamonds worn by celebrities, and I've seen a champagne colored diamond that was gorgeous. Black diamonds are the new big thing, and I can't wait to talk to the folks at the Natural Colored Diamond Association about the colors that are out there. Visit www.ncdia.com for more information when their site is updated, and www.gia.edu for the latest trend reports and educational guides they offer.

Time for interviews, and I'm sure I'll also be writing to my friend Jill for humorous plays on words about 'writing being like hunting.' Another key to being a successful writer: surround yourself with talented writers, artists and creative people. They rev the engines too, usually by making you laugh.