BARBARA CONELLI, GUEST AUTHOR

Please welcome Barbara Conelli, author of CHIQUE SECRETS OF DOLCE VITA. Barb lives between New York and Milan, and as a real globetrotter, she's always on the move, accompanied by her adorable and very spoiled beagle. To her, writing is like breathing, and she's currently working on her new book.

Barbara Conelli, Author

What To Do When Your Muse Goes On A Vacation


As an author, you know that creeping, uncomfortable feeling. Every now and then, it comes uninvited and becomes your unwelcome yet very persistent guest. It haunts you. It confuses you. And then it hits you: Your muse has decided to take a few days off without your permission, leaving you stuck in the middle of your future masterpiece.

You don't get new writing ideas, or you do but you seem unable to turn your ideas into sentences, paragraphs, chapters. You feel that your writing is going nowhere, you are going nowhere, and you start questioning your own talent and skills.
Before you throw the computer out of the window and renounce writing forever, try these simple steps. Believe me, they work. Guaranteed! (Actually, you may find out that you don't really need your spoiled, capricious muse after all.)

1. Don't obsess about it.

Okay, so maybe you've planned to write a certain number of pages or words every day and now you're falling behind the schedule. So what? Relax. When things get better, you will soon and easily make up for the lost time. Writing is a creative process that should be allowed to flow naturally. You cannot (and you mustn't) force yourself to write at all costs when you don't feel like it. Writing is fun and you should find pleasure in it. Let's face it, if you don't write with passion, the result will be flat anyway. So stop worrying about it; a short break will do you good.

2. Get out of your comfort zone.

Look for new experiences. It doesn't matter what you do, and it doesn't need to be related to your book. Just get out of the house and have fun. Go away for the weekend, try a new exciting activity, go to a concert, meet new people. New experiences bring new waves of energy into your life and wake up your tired brain. Forget about your writing for a couple of days and focus on new, fun stuff instead. You will see that new ideas will start popping up in your head in no time and you will find joy in writing again.


3. Create a writing ritual.

Barbar's book, available at
www.Amazon.com

Create your personal writing ritual. Some writers have their own "writing corner" where they don't do anything else but write. Others have "writing clothes" that they wear only when they work on their book. You can have your personal "writing tea", "writing food" or "writing scent". Such rituals get you in the mood for writing and send a clear signal to your brain telling it that now it's time to be creative. If possible, set a specific time for writing every day. Switch off the cell phone and tell your family and friends not to disturb you, unless it's a question of life and death. Stick to your writing rituals and indulge in your writing routine. You will grow to love it.


When your muse leaves, it is your chance to experience new things, come up with fresh ideas and eventually become a better writer. So don't fear your muse's vacation time: You know you can write another great chapter of your masterpiece without her.

Thank you, Barbara. You can learn more about Barbara from the following sites. She hosts her Chique Show blogtalk radio at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/barbaraconelli
E-mail: radio@barbaraconelli.com 
or barb@barbaraconelli.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/barbaraconelli


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/barbaraconelli
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaraconelli
Website: http://www.barbaraconelli.com/

Please join me Friday when I host an interview with my friend Goldie Browning. She'll share her life and an excerpt of her new paranormal romantic suspense, NIGHT JOURNEY.