Hello,

I am so pleased to have your subscription to A-Muse Letter! I hope you are enjoying receiving it.

As you know, each month I offer coaching tips, ideas and inspiration to support you in your writing, creativity and personal growth. Please send your comments and questions and I'll write back personally or respond in a future edition of A-Muse Letter.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 - COMPLIMENTARY MONTHLY TELESEMINARS

Join us each month for live teleseminars on support and tips for writing and creativity. Calls are at 12:00 noon, Pacific (1:00 pm Mountain, 2:00 pm Central and 3:00 pm Eastern).

Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 12:00 noon (Pacific time)

TOPIC: SIX MAGIC WORDS THAT WILL FOCUS EVERYTHING YOU WRITE!

Can 6 words focus everything you write? Yes! Find out how these magic words can get you unstuck and will will help organize any book, article or project!

You will learn to:

• Create fast, organized outlines for books and articles
  
  
• Develop characters and plots quickly and painlessly
  
  
• Take your journaling to a new, deeper level
  
  
• Create a never-ending flow of topics to write about

Can't make a seminar? No worries. Sign-up anyway and we'll send you a complimentary recording after the call.

Never been on a teleseminar? A teleseminar is a virtual classroom. Accessible by telephone, you simply sign-up beforehand then dial in at the appointed time. No travel, no hassle. Listen or be part of a seminar from anywhere in the world!

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT, NOW!

FRIDAY – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH & 11TH - Second Annual “Wellness & Writing Connection Conference in Atlanta, GA. Susan will present a workshop entitled: “Me, Myself & I: The Healing Power of Dialogue."

For more information on the conference, go to: http://www.wellnessandwritingconnections.com/

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25TH - (Private Event) "When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Memoir" in Los Altos, CA. Susan will present a keynote address at The Forum Press Club.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2008 - PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR NEW AND BEGINNING WRITERS Full-day workshop: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, De Anza College, Cupertino, California.

If you want to start writing and don't know how to begin, your writing has stalled, you are feeling out-of-focus or you simply want to bring more writing into your life, this is the seminar for you. Although publishing may be your eventual goal, emphasis will be on the process of writing. All genres and skill levels (including absolute beginners) welcome.

Included:

• Tips and tricks to get started writing and keep going
• Get moving again when your writing has stalled
• Get your writing organized!
• Keep track of your ideas
• Silence your inner critic
• Manage your resistance
• Break through writer's block
• Deal with rejection
  

To register, click this link: http://tinyurl.com/688t4a

If you are interested in finding out more about Susan Borkin's availability to speak to your group or organization, click here (http://www.susanborkin.com/speaking.htm or contact Susan at 408.973.7877)

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BOOKS TO STIMULATE YOUR WRITING AND CREATIVITY By Susan Borkin

Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth and Transformation When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing

Both books are available for previewing and ordering at www.susanborkin.com. Sample chapters are only available to preview.

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GRATIS CORNER

• Sign up for complimentary monthly teleseminars!

• If you have questions about your writing and creativity practice, contact me and request a GRATIS SESSION via phone or in person.

• Need some journaling tips? Send for your GRATIS BONUS ARTICLE, 'JUMPSTART YOUR JOURNALING'. Send an e-mail requesting the article by name.

• Have a question about writing or creativity? E-mail your question to Susan. She may use your questions in future issues of ' WRITE NOW! A-Muse Letter by Susan Borkin '.

Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to Susan at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

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SEVEN TIPS TO BEGIN WRITING - WRITE NOW!

Having trouble getting started with that writing project? If the thought of sitting down and beginning to write makes you suddenly feel this is the perfect time to alphabetize your spice drawer or CD collection, or you couldn't possibly begin writing until you sharpen the two dozen pencils in your desk drawer, you've run smack into writer's block. In fact writer's block itself may be a combination of several factors including fear, perfectionism, negative beliefs or past experiences about writing, or simply not understanding the creative process. Your block may be coming from any one or combination of these sources.

It may be that your fifth grade teacher told you couldn't write and you believed her. Or, you may think you have to write a perfect draft and so you don't even begin. Or, it may be that it just plain feels too hard because you don't have a clear cut plan of how to proceed.

Beginning your writing project may be a lot easier than you think. By following seven basic guidelines you can have an article up and running in no time.

WRITE FAST!

One of the best and fastest ways to begin to write is to write fast. Really. Think of it this way. Let's say your internal critic is cruising along at 35 miles an hour. So, you start writing at 50 miles an hour. That's right. Write so fast, you basically out run your critic. Here's how to do it. Set a little timer on your desk for ten minutes. Clear your mind and focus on the topic you want to write about. Then write as fast as you can, without stopping. You'll go faster than and be miles down the road before your critic catches up.

WRITE WHILE YOU SLEEP

Creativity coach Eric Maisel suggests in his book entitled Sleep Thinking, a method of priming the pump that will make writing easier. Here's how it works. Before you go to sleep, ask yourself a question about what you want to write. For example, if I were writing an article on seven tips to help people get started writing, I might ask myself "What are the most important points I want to make to help people get started writing?" Then, go to sleep. The next day, watch what happens when you are at the gym, eating breakfast, feeding the dog, or taking a morning walk. All of a sudden ideas are popping up everywhere.

WRITE TO ONE READER

Try putting a picture of your reader near your writing space. Choose a friend or someone you know well and are comfortable with. Write your words to her. Not at her, above her or below her. Picture your reader sitting beside you. Have a conversation with her on paper. Explain and say what you want to say in every day, common language.

WRITE AHEAD

Marcia Yudkin, a Boston-based marketing consultant writes ahead. Producing a weekly e-zine, she doesn't necessarily write one article at a time. Once she starts writing, if she's on a roll, Yudkin may write ahead several articles at one sitting. If ideas are coming to you, don't wait for later. Write them down now.

USE IN-BETWEEN TIME

Lynn Grodzki, a psychotherapist and business coach from Silver Spring, Maryland gathers ideas from in-between time. While relaxing or doing things other than work, Grodzki says ideas tend to pop up in what she calls Middle Time. It's not really focused work time, but your mind is free to wander and roam, letting ideas pop up freely. Make notes during your Middle Time and you won't be facing a blank screen later.

ALLOW YOUR FIRST DRAFT TO BE REALLY, REALLY BAD

Best-selling San Francisco Bay Area author Anne Lamott calls the first draft a "Shitty First Draft. " Its purpose is to just get it all down, no matter how poorly written. It's a lot easier to rewrite later. Giving yourself permission to write really poorly is tremendously freeing. It's actually quite a lot of fun and you will be surprised at how much you are actually able to produce.

SUIT UP

Show up for yourself. Make an appointment to begin and start. Turn on your computer, put your hands on the keyboard and start writing. The hardest step in writing anything is to begin. Once you've mastered that, you're well on your way to successful completion of your article.

Breakthrough writer's block using any or all of the seven tips listed above and you'll soon be moving through that project, write now!

Take good care,

If you find yourself needing help managing your seven tips to writing contact me and request a GRATIS SESSION via phone or in person. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

ABOUT SUSAN BORKIN

Susan Borkin, M.A. is a licensed psychotherapist, coach and writer. She is the founder of Write Now! a professional practice specializing in the use of writing for personal and professional growth. Susan specializes in helping people overcome creative blocks and achieve deep personal transformation through the use of writing. A personal growth writing teacher for more than twenty-five years, she is the author of When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing and Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth & Transformation.

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