NOW is the Power (or Living in the Moment)

Tip of the Day: Interested in reading novels that take place in video game worlds? For engrossing, try READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline; for cute, try HEIR APPARENT and DEADLY PINK by Vivian Vande Velde; and for creepy and British, try EREBOS by Ursual Poznanski.

I've been reading PRACTICING THE POWER OF NOW by Eckhart Tolle.

In addition to finding that the words in this book help me to quiet my mind, they also resonate with my writing.

Writing a novel cannot be about getting it published, or awarded, or earning a bestseller label because those are all future goals for the work that you are WRITING NOW. And you should be enjoying the NOW, and experiencing every part of it: the music or silence in the background as you write, the smell of coffee or tea brewing in the kitchen or coffee shop, even the feel of the keyboard/pen against your fingers. Soak it all in as part of the experience of NOW because NOW is really all that exists.

Likewise, if feelings of doubt come into your mind about the future of your writing, the future of your career or book, remember that your thoughts are NOT YOURSELF. You can overcome this doubt by picturing yourself over your head -- like an image of your face hovering -- watching your brain and seeing the negative thoughts passing by like on a close-captioned TV show. And you can decide, "Wow, this channel sucks. Time to change it!" and not listen to it/watch -- just tune it out.

And then tune back into the NOW and enjoy the work you are doing. Because it is you and you choose to do it. Because you love it and you would not be you without writing.

It is a challenge to do, to get into the NOW, just like writing is a challenge each and every time. But if any of this was too easy, we'd get bored.

Right?

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing