“October is #NaNoPrepMo” Write Now Columbus – October 2020

by | Oct 3, 2020 | Blog, Write Now Columbus Essay Archives

 

Write Now Columbus – October 2020

Hi Writers:

With colleges back in session and groups and bookstores figuring out how to host online events, the central Ohio writing event scene is abundant. I posted 43 events on the calendar. Much of the world has headed to zoom. This makes competition for attendees greater than ever. I hope you’ll continue to “attend” central Ohio events.

I don’t usually post contests, but as a board member of the Women’s National Book Association of San Francisco, I’m honor bound to tell you about the . Submissions are open. I wrote a bit here about how contests are a sometimes overlooked path to publication.

Writing Articles

If you’re not (yet) following me on your favorite social media channel, you won’t know that I’ve begun to post writing-related information and articles at 7pm every evening. Here’s a sample of recent posts:

“Getting in The Right Zone To Write” by Greta Solomon

New podcast! Word Matters | Merriam-Webster – NEPM Podcasts

The Anonymous Lawyer Behind @nyttypos

Artist Relief Organization Extends COVID-19 Grants to End of 2020

Writing Prompts

Each day at noon on my social media channels, I continue to post a writing prompt using the hashtag #tenminutesgo. Here are a few from last month:

A time when everything mattered . . .
A time when nothing mattered . . .
My big dream . . .
A time I stayed quiet . . .
This time I’m going tell the truth . . .

If you write fiction, write these from the point of view of one of your characters. Set that timer, “Ten minutes. Go!”

NaNoWriMo

Speaking of fiction, it’s October which makes it #NaNoPrepMo, time to prepare for National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo.) I’ve written about my love of NaNoWriMo on my blog. I’ll spare you a repeat. For those of you not aware, it’s a writing challenge that begins November 1st. Like most things, it will be virtual this year. So no write-ins at Colin’s Coffee. *sadface* But the challenge lives. We plan now. In November, we write like mad!

Intern

If you know of a college student looking for an internship, my intern graduated and I could use a new one! The lucky candidate can add “intern to award-winning author” to her LinkedIn profile. Reply to this email for details.

My Activities

This month has been lovely busy with many “featured ins” which you can find here, and several workshops.

I was also surprised and honored to be invited to join this panel on “” on The Writing Cooperative’s “This Week in Writing” podcast.

Thursday I’m giving a webinar at the Columbus Bar Association. It is open to anyone, but there is a fee. Lawyers are eligible for CLE. I’m always grateful for these opportunities.

Thank you!

I’ll close with some much-needed levity from this piece in McSweeney’s, “.”

Thank you for subscribing to Write Now Columbus. Please tell your friends!

Take care and please, for the future of us all, wear a mask!

~ Nita

Nita Sweeney
(c)Nita Sweeney, 2020, all rights reserved

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Don’t Just Write. Sit! Meditation improves creative thinking and focus

by | Sep 16, 2020 | Blog

 

Don’t Just Write. Sit! Meditation Improves Creative Thinking and Focus

I sometimes surprise my students when I ask them to try meditation during my adult writing classes. “What’s meditation have to do with writing?” more than one has asked over the twenty years I’ve taught. When I first began to teach, meditation was seen as a hippie, woo woo, new age thing. Some students even feared it might interfere with their religion.

But things have changed.

Now, most students are at least familiar with some meditation technique and many have a regular practice. I find that encouraging, especially as evidence through scientific study continues to show temporary and lasting physical, emotional, and creative benefits.

In  the article “30 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Meditation” Patrick Zeis organizes his list into those categories. I read the piece as part of the 200-Hour Meditation Leader training I’m taking through Sage Institute for Creativity and Consciousness. I joined this intensive training so I might offer a more thorough meditative experience to all types of creative people, not just writers.

While the benefits listed in the article inspired me to deepen my own practice, two stood out as especially helpful to writers and other creative people.

First, meditation improves creative thinking skills.

People seek me out when stuck. They want to tell their stories but can’t find the deep well of creativity inside. I offer meditation as part of the solution. Zeis writes, “Science has shown how untapped creative resources can undoubtedly be found within us all.” It builds creative thinking skills needed to do this work.

The article cites a study from Leiden University in the Netherlands. The research found that “practicing open monitoring meditation techniques resulted in higher divergent thinking test scores.” And practicing “focused attention meditation techniques resulted in higher convergent thinking scores.”

I offer different meditation practices to boost the mind’s natural ability. These same methods enable me to complete projects and helped me find a publisher.

Second, meditation increases focus and productivity.

A vast majority of my clients lament their lack of focus. Some can’t finish projects or get started at all. Zeis explains that a University of Washington study showed the effectiveness of meditation. Participants who meditated as part of the study could concentrate longer without being distracted. Meditation improves the skills needed for doing this work.

Since meditation improves creative thinking and focus, I will continue to use it in my classes. If you haven’t considered meditation, add it to your writing toolkit. The results might amaze you!

The original version of this article appeared in The Innovation.

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