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Browse every published article connected to Joyce Shafer, Book Doctor, with exact attribution and full-archive search.
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Browse every published article connected to Joyce Shafer, Book Doctor, or search within this exact expert archive.
How gratifying it is to read a book that grabs your interest from the start and keeps you turning pages. Such books cause you to forget you’re reading; you become fully engaged with the story and characters. The movie in your mind is fluid. No matter the genre, such an experience is pure bliss for readers.
Morning stretched itself awake as I made my way down to the shore and joined the handful of early risers. Lacy edges of waves lapped gently over my feet and I scrunched my toes in warm sand. Good time to build a sand castle. It was modest, done mostly for relaxation and meditation, not something ...
Confucius said, “It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.” Some might consider the quote’s candle a metaphor for the word “hope.” It could be that. It could also be trust in whatever we believe is larger than ourselves; a small action taken on our behalf as opposed to ...
You are aware of some costs to you from being negative—too aware, likely. But there’s a new way it might cost you, and it’s not on the horizon, it’s happening now.
What does your block look like? How does it behave? Here are some tips to help you kick the “buts” about blocks. I don’t believe in writer’s block, just the fact that one or more questions need to be asked; and, relaxed patience is needed while the answer comes to you. When I attempted my first book, I went back and forth about how to present the information; and did this for two years. I made numerous lists of what I wanted in the content, mind-mapped, and used a lot of paper.
You experience life at both an inner and outer level. The inner level is about your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, perceptions, assumptions, etc. The outer level is where you take action based on what was just listed for the inner level. It’s also where you interact—or collide—with the results of ...
Someone emailed this comment to me: “They say live and learn, but I think we should just LIVE. Learning is overrated. We would never accomplish anything.” Do you agree or disagree? This comment gave me pause; and I could have chosen to go down a certain mental-emotional path of disagreement. But, I chose a different one because my primary focus, fun, and fulfillment is about and comes from learning.
I spoke with a friend who just started a new job she doesn’t like. She really wants to start her own business doing something she’s very good at and enjoys. It’s not a matter of figuring out what it may be, she already knows and has done it in the past. During our conversation, she wanted to ...
Is there really one question or method that can help you answer each or all three of these questions? Let’s find out. First, a few thoughts about each . . . Life Purpose
If you ever feel your focus is faulty, check your commitment. But, also look at what else is going on in your life.
Whatever you believe is involved in improvement or success, the power of a decision is key. It will help if you understand what this really means.
“You are old, Father William,” the young man said, “And your hair has become very white; and yet you incessantly stand on your head—do you think, at your age, it is right?” (From the works of Lewis Carroll) George Berkeley said, “Our youth we can have but today. We may always find time to grow ...
You may have a core “switch” set to keep you safe. What if self-sabotage is actually your switch doing its job? Maybe it’s time you give this a closer look. You can apply what follows to any area of your life where you feel attaining success is a struggle, but let’s start with money/wealth/abundance—whatever your word choice is . . . because money has such highly-charged emotional, self-worth, self-esteem attachments to it. Let’s imagine you don’t have the financial situation you’d prefer—but you really want it.
Is your tendency to believe greatness has to look a certain way? Does this belief hold you back from your true greatness? Your greatness is unique and reveals itself at the right time. You might as well be excellent until you’re great. But first, understand what this means. What your ...
You must fall in love with editing and rewriting or with your editor if you want what you write to be a good read for others. There really is no way around this. You can choose to improve your skills or you can choose to find a freelance editor you trust and work well with. Some new writers ...
Be perfect or be on purpose? Which one of these has been “driving your bus” so far? If you or someone you know struggles with perfectionism, can this hold you back from living on purpose? Ask someone to walk to the moon and you’ll hear, “Not realistic,” as a response. They wouldn’t have a problem giving that answer. Ask some people to be perfect and you can almost hear the inner and outer dialogue start — “You have no idea how hard I try to be just that.” What was the appropriate response to the second request?
Ever have one of those moments, events, or days when it appears if it can go wrong it seems to? Were you pleased with how you managed yourself, and the outcome? The event was one I not only looked forward to, but carefully planned for. My handouts, business cards, and artificial bonsai tree ...
Mark Twain said, “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.” Whatever you pursue in your outer life will never fill the inner void created by feeling inauthentic; you have to fill it yourself, and first.
Do you wake every day, move through your day, and go to bed with problems on your mind? Maybe you’d like to do something about that right now. What can you do that’s quick? Reframe the problem or your perceptions about it to make a difference, even if just a small shift at first. I listened to an interview with Marcia Wieder and she said something like, “Life is not meant to be just about addressing problems.” How often you might feel that your days are all about problems! Maybe thinking that way has become a habit.
I once heard the affirmation, “I am always in the right place at the right time.” I added “with right action” at the end. I used it for the travel aspect in making my transportation connections and in general over this past weekend when I visited a friend. I’d had a somewhat exhausting week and ...
What is your motivation to discover or define your life purpose? Is this influenced, in any way, by the opinions of others? Someone I believe to be in her forties, shared that amid the busyness of her life, she’s trying to figure out what to do for the rest of her life (I suspect she really ...
True prosperity represents well-being in all areas of our lives. We know men and women are different, but we didn’t know one particular difference affects their prosperity attraction quotient. Ellie Drake of BraveHeartWomen and Dr. Sugar Singleton hosted a teleconference that was as riveting as informative in its explanation of what they call the prosperity hormones of men and women. More information will be offered here, but one of the most obvious means to see and feel this difference is to compare marketing pieces you receive from men and from women.
We tend to think of time wasters as too much TV viewing, daydreaming, or anything that isn’t a productive use of minutes and hours. Here are a few you may not have considered. Gossip. What’s the point, really? Conveying needed information to the appropriate person or people is okay, but ...
We love a good story, told well, that entertains us. But there are some who use stories for a different purpose: Justification for why they aren’t in control of themselves and, therefore, their lives. I have a call scheduled with someone who wants to tell me her story. Basically, she hopes ...
Goals, Strategies, and Systems vs. Magnetic Visions. What thoughts are triggered when you consider this? Which one feels like a better “ride” for you? Wallace Wattles wrote in his book, The Science of Getting Rich — “Man is a thinking center, and can originate thought. All the forms that man fashions with his hands must first exist in his thought; he cannot shape a thing until he has thought that thing . . . .
There’s a lot involved in becoming a self-published or traditionally published author, but there’s nothing like seeing your efforts in a paperback or hardback copy you hold in your hands. Your dream becomes your reality, and it’s a feeling of accomplishment you don’t soon forget. But it’s also a process that involves many steps, as well as costs that new writers need to be aware of.
Recently, I read an article that was based on questions stated by two lead characters in a movie. The male lead was fretting over changes and pending changes in his life, and kept saying to his wife, “What if it all goes wrong?” Her response was always, “What if it all goes right?” I’d had a ...
We are souls in physical form, and we have an ego that is meant to serve us in specific ways. Frustration happens when we get their needs confused (or ignore them) rather than have them work together. Let’s look at some ways to differentiate between ego needs and soul needs.
Richard Bach said, “You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.” Are you working on your dream, or feel too stuck to move? There are three keys for goal setting and getting. When something other than achievement or accomplishment is the result, one or more keys have not been used to unlock a particular “door.” KEY 1 Do you acknowledge you have a dream or goal? Some never get that far. Some have a dream or goal but never start toward it. Some start and stop. Which applies to you?
Do you ever feel trying to be positive is more like one step forward and two or more steps back? There is a good reason you feel this way. You may believe you’re obligated to be positive 24/7; and that if you were, everything about your life you don’t like would shift to what you want. And, you’ve likely discovered that “Fake it till you make it” doesn’t work. It may even make you feel worse.
Trying to be positive when that’s not how you feel is kind of like being hungry with a plate of food in front of you, but allowing yourself only a few or no bites. And then there’s the guilt, right?
Ahhh...the confusion about Law of Attraction, affirmations, ask/don’t ask...these things do swirl around in our minds. Can you really get the hang of using this Law so it works for you, and release doubts and fears? Of course. What are some of the things we need to know or remember in ...
Is sharing information in a form smaller than a manuscript right up your alley? Here are some tips to help you easily get it going and into the marketplace. Decide on a topic. Successful e-books aim at a niche market that seeks specific information. The best combination is to know what you ...
A simple action sent me back, in memory, to the first time I became aware of attaching an untrue story to an experience. See if you recognize your own predilection or habit of doing this. I needed to open a new pint of Half & Half. The container had that opening that requires you pull the flaps just right to create the V-shaped spout. I started the pull and had a flashback. I don’t recall my age, but I was old enough to get myself ready for school without adult supervision (but still quite young). I needed to open a new half-gallon of milk for my cereal.
What makes suspense work in a novel? There’s quite a lot to know about this, but here are some highlights.
Do you ever say or get the response to the question about how things are going, “Same old, same old,” or something similar? What does this really mean? I woke and, still under the covers, said my statement of “Good morning. Thank you for another day.” My ego-mind followed with the thought, “More of the same.” I sat up quickly because another part of me said, “That’s impossible. Every moment is a new one. If anything is the same, it has to be you: your perceptions, thoughts, words, actions, and behaviors.” That got my attention because it rang, rather clanged loudly, of Truth.
My friend and I were to attend an event near her house, so I went to stay with her for that purpose and a mini-break. Another houseguest she met a month ago was there. I’d heard a bit about the guest, but wasn’t prepared for how over-the-top she is. I discovered the guest doesn’t have “soft” as ...
Do you carry the feeling of not being your authentic self or living authentically, and a fear of doing so? If your answer is yes, here are two significant causes for this you need to be aware of.
Your gift is what you do in your unique way. Ironically, you may do it so naturally, you don’t recognize it for what it is or realize what you might do with it. Whatever you do in life, you can have a more joyful, meaningful experience if you shine the light on and share what is unique about you. We sometimes assume the way we do something is how everyone does it. This isn’t necessarily, and usually isn’t, the case. This is why something you do that you don’t think is very special or unique might be seen as very special or unique by someone else.
Best-selling author James Michener said, “I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter.” Many writers impede their progress and stifle their creativity by not doing two particular “somethings” while writing their first draft and once their draft is completed—and waste time and energy by not doing them. Writing the Draft
Maybe what’s going on in the economy has nudged or forced you to consider how you can amp up every area of your business. Maybe this was on your mind before the shake-up, which has become a catalyst for shift sooner than later. You’ve probably heard some say that this is actually a time of new ...
Do you know the quote, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten?” A preacher’s wife restated this in a way that made me take notice. Once again, I woke and channel surfed to the early-mo ing religious program. A preacher interviewed his wife; and though I’ll ...
We all experience having a short fuse at times, though some seem to have this more often. What’s really going on; and can two simple methods make a difference? Thoughts that motivated my recent article, “Do You Experience Mixed Feelings About Being Patient and Tolerant?” didn’t stop when I typed the last word. I’d likened getting to the end of your patience or tolerance to a glass filling with liquid until it spills over. It’s the same with losing—or loosing—your temper.
I once wrote that beliefs change, Truths never do. But how can we know which is which; and, why should we conce ourselves with the difference?
All fiction writers have much to pay attention to in order to create a reader-worthy novel. Something significant new fiction writers sometimes forget to pay attention to are the details.
I wish I’d coined the phrase, “Success comes in Cans.” Its accuracy was on my mind as I spent time with two people in Can’t Mode. One of them was open to reframing thoughts and statements; the other was not. One is currently in a funk and has been paying rent to live in Funkville for a couple ...
Trees don’t try to keep their leaves when autumn arrives, nor do they resist new growth in the spring. But, that’s how we sometimes approach our lives. Life asks, insists really, that we engage a continuous shedding and new growth aspect. Maybe you’re trying to hang onto something it’s time to let go of or trying to change something not ready to shift just yet.
Could a lesson from Super Nanny apply to you and your personal and professional life? If you feel stressed and overwhelmed… yeah. The parents Super Nanny Jo Frost went to help were well-meaning—they wanted to give their children the best head start in life. Unfortunately, this meant not only school and homework hours for each child, but LOTS of additional activities to help them be well rounded individuals, as well. Super Nanny pointed out two things:r
Overwhelm blocks productivity, creativity, enjoyment… and even income! You can begin to improve this starting today. In my article, “What Does Feeling Overwhelmed Really Mean?”, I mentioned I’d created a mind map. Since then, I revisited my mind map and removed a few things listed there. They’re terrific ideas, but they don’t really “crank my tractor.” This is something you might keep in mind, too.
Let’s start with what is for some writers akin to a four-letter word: Outline. Yes, there are successful authors—and I do mean best-selling authors—whose practice is to let their fingers fly and write by the seat of their pants (known as pantsers), but they are few in number. These authors may seem like they’re winging it. They aren’t. They have years (or decades) of practice built upon a foundation of knowledge about technical and creative principles of the writing craft.