City Living

As a staunch Type A personality, my interest in cleanliness goes beyond the pleasure of putting everything in it's place -- it's really about a state of mind. When my desk is clear, my mind is free from distraction; I have a sense of peace. But I have come to believe that at some point, the minimalist lifestyle can lead to a head that's clear only because it's empty.

It's the everyday things that make your life real, and that allow writing to breathe with your voice. So maybe stark white office furniture isn't as inspiring as it is austere at times.

That's exactly why my most recent vacation was very much in order. I just arrived home from Boston -- exhausted, broke and covered in chili from dinner on the road -- but also with a new appreciation for those little things that are just part of the element here in Detroit. I'm not suddenly disilusioned that this is anything like Boston...but there are clear differences.

One thing that was nice about being in the city -- and this is going to sound weird -- is that it was dirty and painful and public. In the privacy of loftier Detroit suburbs, life is about the comfort of your home and little subdivisions that bustle with children.

In Boston, it was city walking with a layer of impermeable dirt on your heels. It was EVERYTHING bustling EVERYWHERE. There is a sense of community in touching what a million hands have touched on the subway and suffering daily as you discover the discomfort of your shoes for the first time. There is a quaintness near the ocean as the buildings crammed into each other and overflowed into the street.

I have to admit that cities like Chicago and Boston have always felt dreamy to me. But like most others, it becomes difficult to just pick up life and go once you get rooted. But for all of us in that situation, I think that we can gain perspective on what our lives are about when we get a taste of the "greener grass." I enjoyed living a different life and the historical character for a few days. As a result I had a greater appreciation for my more stark,peaceful lifestyle at home.

Although the pull to "get everything together" is great, there is something spiritual about glistening hotly in the weather and getting lost for a while.

Screw up Once, Shame on You. Screw up Twice...DON'T.

People make mistakes. COMPUTERS make mistakes. It has to be okay to make mistakes.

Unfortunately, in the world of writing, a simple typo can cost companies a lot of money. Having that happen can be devastating. If you're anything like me -- a complete Type A personality -- mistakes feel you feel really dumb and a little sick, even when they're not all your fault.

But it is too easy to become paranoid. Don't begin over analyzing everything just because of one mistake. It all comes back to realizing what your weaknesses are and keeping an eye out for them. No writer can guarantee they won't forget a period or have a short-term lapse of dyslexia. But, when you stop trusting yourself, you will never be able to get out of your own way.

Instead, put your weaknesses on the front burner and keep them in mind while you write. There are few faster ways to lose the trust of a company than by making the same mistake twice.

Stepping Back

I don't want to count how many social media messages enter my life daily. Between the emails from Facebook and the text messages from Twitter, not to mention the time I actually spend navigating these sites, it's probably overkill.

But once in a while you come across something true enough to pay attention to. A few days ago, one of the blogs I follow posted this quote:

If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don't just stick there scowling at the problem. But don't make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people's words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.

HILARY MANTEL

True. As much as I procrastinate and allow time to get away from me, It's really the best thing I can do to get out of my office from time to time. Today marks one of my favorite times to get away: the annual Laabs trip to Traverse City. My entire extended family comes up, and we all love it here for different reasons. Aside from the obvious intention of spending time together, I love writing here.


I'm not in a box, I'm not trying to appease my anxious dog, I'm not trying to create just the right white noise to keep me focused, I'm not even looking at the time. As a writer who works largely from home, it's refreshing to hear other people murmur around me. And as a city girl, nothing is quite as restorative as the sound of the water.


I have only been here a few hours, but I already feel that switch click -- the one that associates writing with work -- and now I can get back to that sensation of writing for fun. Sometimes all it takes is that change of scenery.


Writing for a living is a true blessing, I can say without question that it's something I am happy doing. But once it's just you and the words, it's too easy to get in your own way. I know that I try new ways of finding my voice all the time, but sometimes all you need to do is sit in a new chair.


Try it.

DIY Editing: Learn your own weaknesses

In my experience, one of the harder tasks in writing is editing yourself.

For the majority of the writing process, we entrench ourselves in the topic -- either gathering enough information to assert ourselves as an expert or searching for the perfect creative inspiration. After all of the perspiration and punctuation, we have to step back and make sure everything is just as it should be.

Considering the adage that "you are your own worst critic," you'd think it would be easier to notice where you could do better. But most often, the things that need help aren't even necessarily wrong. In both the grammatical and developmental senses, many writers fall back on habit: a turn of phrase, organization...I have a well-developed fondness of commas, personally.  How are you supposed to look at your work and decide what changes will take it to the next level?

Well, no one can expect you to do it all alone in the beginning.

Certainly, your ability to self-edit will become invaluable. You will still need to comb your work carefully. But begin by making note of the mistakes you notice most often. Keep a list of them. Once you have done what you can, enlist a peer.

There is a reason that writers are so quick to form communities and working relationships: We need each other. Find a writer -- multiple writers even -- with different backgrounds, styles and perspectives. Find people whose talent you respect. Have them edit your work one more time and show you the changes they made. I am a believer in the tracking changes available on Microsoft Word or the commenting and cataloged document history on Google Docs.

You will probably find a different slew of suggestions, not all of which you have to take. After all, your unique voice as a writer is your product. But you will likely discover new things to work on. Keep that list handy and refer to it when you finish your next piece. Over time, you wont need that list so much anymore; many of these issues tend to resolve themselves once you become aware of them.

Working on your self-editing skill is a tool that pays off quickly with better quality writing. While honing your craft is a life-long process, having someplace to begin is something that most of us can be very grateful for.

Shedding Your Expectations

We all know that there are major benefits to exercising. Most of us have probably joined a gym at some point, bought a few workout routine DVDs -- only to have that $50 EFT mock us for staying home as we stare at the disk, which has collected so much dust you may as well use it as a coaster at this point.

I will admit I'm not a health nut. I am among the millions who try, and many times fail, to be better. But I decided enough was enough: I bought a treadmill and put it in the bedroom next to mine. I think about that machine every time I walk to my room. All I had to do was start.

That took about a week and a half. I got that terrible feeling of paralysis, but the dread of starting was actually worse than the exercising!

As a writer, it is easy to feel the same trepidation. What if, when you put the pen to paper, you don't arrive at the great American novel? What if it is the stupidest thing you have ever said?

The first thing you need to do is put aside any expectations. Write them on a post-it, or put them someplace you'll remember. But just as I cannot expect to begin exercising by running a 5k, no writer should put any pressure on themselves as they begin to exercise their writing muscle.

Start small: reflect on your day, do a freewrite, just get in the habit of putting words on a page. The pressure to begin writing can be enormous, so finding out how your writing process begins is one of the biggest steps you can make towards any of the goals you may have.

So kick the dread and just do 15 minutes of the hard stuff every day. Just like when exercising, you will grow stronger by making a commitment to your skills.