Are You Ready To Take a Leap With Your Writing?

February 1, 2008 · by Joanna Paterson · in
by squacco on Flickr

by squacco on Flickr

“We must walk consciously only part way towards our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success”

(Thoreau)

Are you up for taking a leap with your writing this month?

I’m hoping it won’t be too much of a leap in the dark… perhaps a leap of faith… or maybe you’ll find when you leap that a net appears…

Inspired by the leap year – and the extra day this month – February’s theme at Confident Writing is leaps and bounds.

We’ll be looking at what it means to take a stretch and a leap with our writing – and just what happens when we do.

I’m hoping to take a few leaps with my own writing and blogging. I hope you’ll join me, and maybe take a few leaps with your writing too.

As a starter for the month ahead here are 5 things you could do to take a leap forward with your writing:

Learn from feedback

One of the things I do with my coaching clients is provide detailed writing critiques. It’s a great way to get a second opinion with constructive tips and suggestions about ways that you can:

  • clarify your message for a more powerful impact
  • structure your writing so it’s easier to follow
  • create rapport with your readers
  • cut out excess words
  • simplify your language

I’m now offering this as a stand-alone service – and am offering a 10% discount to all Confident Writing readers during February. Maybe it’s just the thing you need to kick start your writing?

Work with a writing mentor

There are times when we know we want to move out of our comfort zone – but just aren’t ready to leap. I’ve introduced a new writing mentoring programme, which is based on e-mentoring (it means we exchange e-mails!) for those times when you could do with someone who can

  • take a quick look at your work
  • give you some feedback
  • talk you through any writing fears and anxieties – and hopes and dreams
  • help you stick to your deadlines, meet your targets and achieve the goals that you’ve set yourself
  • give you the extra confidence to take a leap forward

It’s an affordable way to get the extra impetus to take that writing leap… and again I’m offering a 10% discount to all Confident Writing readers during February

Come to our Absorbing Writing workshop in Sardinia

Okay, we’re still debating whether it’s a workshop or a holiday… I think it might be both – a workshop within the context of a holiday… either way Absorbing Writing will be a fantastic opportunity to

  • learn new approaches to your writing
  • experiment with new writing styles
  • grow from constructive feedback
  • play with the possibilities of your own words
  • write with a burst of Italian confidence

You can find out more about the holiday at our Absorbing Writing blog

Take a stretch as a guest author

Writing as a guest author is a simple but most effective way to get out of your comfort zone. I’ve taken a stretch (not always comfortable!) each time I’ve done it – but learned, stretched and grown each time too. Guest writing is also a great way to showcase your work, and to build and consolidate relationships with other bloggers.

So what are you waiting for?

I’d love to have some more guest authors writing here in February – or return visitors of course. You know you’re always welcome. The theme is pretty open – you guessed it, some combination of “writing” and “leaps and bounds”.

If you’re interested just drop me a line at joanna@confidentwriting.com and we can take it from there.

Or maybe there’s another blog where you’ve always wanted to see your name in print? Then why not make February the month to make a leap – contact the blog owner, ask them what they think and how you could make it happen. What have you got to lose?

Join the Confident Writing community

Why? Well, it’s a chance to share writing tips and suggestions, learn from other writers and bloggers including many people who (like me) don’t think of themselves as ‘writers’ – just people who want to write.

I try and showcase the best writing tips at the end of the month as well as linking out to the work of readers and commenters – and spending time at their blogs.

It’s easy to keep in touch (by subscribing via RSS feed) – but even more fun if you join in with some comment and conversation.

I’d like to make February as interactive as possible – with some ideas in mind for a group writing project or some other activities. But maybe you’ve got your own ideas?

To kick start the month please do let me have any suggestions you’ve got for a ‘leap’ that we could take together here, or something I could cover that would help you take a leap of your own.

Photo credit: squacco

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