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Understanding your THEME as a creative
Understanding the difference between your CONTENT and your THEME can make your creative product better, more focused, and can help you stand out
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8:56
Why you might be feeling lonely as a creative
Ever since I was a small child, I felt like I didn't fit in and like I didn't belong. I knew I was a “Black Sheep” before I knew what being a black sheep was, and if you are watching this video, then, chances are that you've felt the same way. I was told that I was "too much," "too sensitive," or "too emotional. And for the longest time, I thought that the problem was me. So, I tried changing myself. I tried awkwardly fitting myself into circles and environments that made me feel "othered." I thought that if I could make myself fit, if l would just put on my "I'm fine" mask and do what everyone else was doing, then I'd be happy. And so, when I gave up every part of me, some people in my life, did in fact accept me more. But I didn't actually feel happier. In fact, I felt even worse. I felt lonely, even when I was around other people. Especially when I was around certain people. Most people think that loneliness refers to social isolation, but that's not true. Although we might feel lonely when we are physically alone, some of us actually feel better when we spend some time by ourselves. This kind of a self-compassionate practice of intentionally spending time by ourselves is called solitude and it is very good for our mental health. Loneliness, on the other hand, refers to being refers to being unseen, unheard, and undervalued by others. And because most of us, creatives, are empaths, we are more sensitive and more intuitive than other people. In fact, most creatives are either highly sensitive people (comprising of 20% of the general population), or empaths (comprising of 2% of the world’s population). So, you see, the very thing you’ve been shamed about, ostracized for, and been made to feel bad about, isn’t a flaw. It’s a gift. It is your superpower. And the reason why you’ve been feeling lonely is likely because you’ve been made to think that you have to change this part of you. And as a result of being unseen for who you are, unheard about your experience, and undervalued for the magic that you bring in this world, you might have dimmed your own light to please others. Please know, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with you. If you've ever been made to feel lonely because you tried to ask someone to meet your needs only to be unheard and invalidated, or to be called “needy” or “too sensitive, then please know, you are not the problem. You were being made to feel unseen & unheard. And if you were shamed or bullied about your body, your appearance, your sexual orientation, your gender identity, your emotional needs, or about your disability, you were being undervalued. And I'm so sorry that happened to you. It wasn't okay and it shouldn't have happened and you deserve better. You always have. Those unique things about you that you thought you had to hide, they are the most magical part of you. They are what make you the amazing creative that you are. And I want you to know that I see you. I hear you. I value you. So, please don’t ever feel pressured to hide who you are just to appease others. Let your light shine bright, like it was meant to. Please know that who you are is important. YOU are important. You matter. You identity matters. What you want in this life matters. Your creative goals matter. And thank you for being wonderful.
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4:38
Three steps to overcome writer's blocks caused by perfectionism
Do you ever stare at a blank page, feeling both anxiety and shame and not having the right words to put down? Me too. I used to get so frustrated about what I thought was pure garbage I was typing that I'd either spent hours writing and editing a single paragraph. Hi, I'm Dr. Janina Scarlet, I'm a psychologist author, and a creativity coach, as well as a recovering perfectionist. For many years, I used to think that other writers simply sat down at their keyboard and wrote—beautiful prose or poetry that was ready to publish. And since that was never me, I thought that either I must not be a “good enough writer” or not an “educated enough” writer. And so, I took every writing course I could find from community college to Oxford. I read all the writing books l could get my hands on. And today, I want to share with you some of the best tips and tricks that I learned and put together over the past decade. These tips include how to overcome perfectionism that holds you back from writing. First, a little disclosure- every writer needs to edit their work, the good ones do, Anyway, the ones you look up to. No one writes the perfect first draft. But they have a different approach to it. And here are 3 steps you can take today to help you reduce perfectionism. What it means that each time you are working on your craft, you are either planning, writing, or editing. Only wear one of these hats at a time. Many of us try to squeeze into all 3 but that will only interfere with your creative flow. All 3 parts — planning, writing, and editing are necessary in writing, and we need to attend to each separately. In fact, we actually use a different area of our brain for each of these activities, just like trying to tap the top of your head and rub your belly at the same time. It’s not impossible, but you might be working harder than you need to. And so, if possible, try to only focus on one of these areas at a time —if you are planning and outlining, then focus on this that, and if you are writing, don’t edit.. It’s okay that it’s messy. A creative process is meant to be messy. That’s how we find what works. Step 2) Give yourself the permission to play. Julia Cameron, the author of the Artist’s Way, often says that we all have a creative inner child inside of us. And that child needs to play. There are different ways we can be playful. We can color, do a puzzle, dance in our chair. My favorite way to practice playfulness is within what I'm already writing. For example, if I'm working on a book and I feel stuck or am starting to feel the pull of perfectionism, I give myself the permission to write "badly" and also write a scene or two that definitely don't work. I might, for instance, write a really silly scene, where my protagonist all of the sudden turns into a sword-wielding snail in my fantasy book or come up with 10 ways to sneak kisses to your sleeping cat if I'm writing a self-help book. None of these will end up going into the book, but they can give us the playfulness and the distance that we need to get back to our writing. And finally, Step 3) is to remember your "Why," as in why you are writing this piece. Imagine one reader, your ideal reader, someone who really needs to read exactly what you're writing right now. Imagine just one person – imagine how old they might be, what they might look like, what they might be going through and how what you're writing is going to benefit them. When we focus on writing to please everyone, we miss our intended audience. When we write for specific people, they self-select to find our work and share it with others. And so, if you are struggling with perfectionism when it comes to your writing, remember these three steps: 1) Only wear one hat at a time 2) Give yourself the permission to be playful - write badly on purpose or write a silly scene even if you don't use it. 3) Write with only one person in mind - your ideal reader. You don't have to know them, just imagine them. If you found this information helpful, consider signing up for more helpful tips and tricks delivered right to your email. Check out https://www.creative-community.world/ There are even some free workbooks and guidelines on the website. Always remember that you matter and your creativity matters. Thanks so much for watching, and happy writing!
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5:56
How to write a non-fiction book proposal that will sell
Episode transcript: Hello, you wonderful creatives! A lot of people have been contacting me lately and asking me how to write a book proposal for a nonfiction book, such as a self-help book, or a memoir. And so today I’ve put this video together with some helpful tips about what a successful book proposal should include. I've also put together an electronic workbook of how to write a successful book proposal that will help you sell your book. I'm happy to email it to you absolutely free—my gift to you. If you'd like to get your workbook, simply go to https://www.creative-community.world/workbook-proposal and I'll email you your free copy right away. In my experience, most people have a skill that they can share with others or knowledge or legacy that they'd like to pass on to others. And I imagine that you have a book inside you that’s just bursting to get out. Chances are you've already written most of it in your mind but might not yet know how to start writing it out on paper or on your computer. Nearly a decade ago now, I had no idea how to write a book but I knew that I was meant to write one. I knew that before I die, l must get that book out otherwise, I would have regretted not even trying it. Except that I had no idea what I was doing, so I dove into all the books and all the courses I could find. It took me nearly two years, so a lot of time and money to figure this out. I don't believe that knowledge should be expensive or cumbersome and that’s exactly why I want to help you with what I’ve learned in terms of organizing the elements you need to structure a great book proposal. So, let’s begin. The first element you need to include in your book proposal is your title. For non-fiction books, either your title on your subtitle should deliver a promise as to what your book will be about. For example, my upcoming book is titled, "Unseen, Unheard, Undervalued: Managing Loneliness, Loss of Connection And Not Fitting In." This title, specifically, the subtitle, delivers a promise of helping you, the reader, to learn about what loneliness is and how to manage it. I usually recommend that you consider writing out anywhere between 5-10 title options and maybe run them by your friends, colleagues, or if possible, a focus group. The next section is the overview of your book, meaning what problem is your book going to solve. This is the "why" of your book—its heart and purpose. Spend some time on this. Don’t rush this section. It doesn't need to be long, a few paragraphs or a page will do, but it’s got to pack a punch enough to show the agent or the publisher that you've done your homework. It's also important to include who this book is for, meaning your target audience; for example, you might be writing a self-help book for teens coping with anxiety. So, then, teens with anxiety would be your target audience. Of course, ideally, everyone would just buy your book, and believe it or not, defining your target audience will actually help you to write your book, sell it, and market it better than if you make your target audience too broad. The next section you should include is the comps section, meaning the “comparable titles,” or books that exist already in the market. A lot of people are intimidated of writing this section, and I used to be too. I used to think that if there are other books out there with a similar topic to mine, then I won't be able to sell my book. I used to think that similar books were in competition with me. But that's actually not the case. These books aren't your competitors, they are your market. This means that readers who read books similar to the one you're writing will be hungry for more content like it, and that's where your book comes in. Demonstrating how successful similar books are can help you to show that there's a market for your work. You can mention how your book builds on the existing books out there by offering a unique element. For example, perhaps your book builds on the already successful market of self-help books for teens with anxiety and adds a focus on LGBTQIA youth. That would be very helpful and enticing for the publishers or the agents you’re pitching. Next, we should include your author bio. Don't be shy or modest here. Include your achievements or real-life experiences, especially if they are directly related to your book. Consider also including a promotion plan. Here, mention how you're planning to promote your book - for example, on your blog, at a local bookstore, on a friend's podcast, etc. This section doesn't have to be long. A few sentences or a couple of paragraphs 's fine. The last two sections include chapter summaries and chapter samples. Chapter summaries are a few sentences of a summary of each of your chapters just so that the agent or the publisher reviewing your manuscript will have an idea of the rough book outline. Finally, your proposal should include a minimum of one and a maximum of three sample chapters to show the agent or the publisher your writing style. I recommend that you write a few drafts of your sample chapters and your proposal before sending it out. Consider having a friend, a colleague, or a creativity coach look it over. The workbook I put together has examples of each of these sections and if you’d like to receive your free copy, go to https://www.creative-community.world/workbook-proposal and I’ll email you a free copy. And that's it—these are the basics of writing a non-fiction book proposal. If you'd like to get the free workbook I've put together, please go to. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more content to help you. Feel free to leave any questions you have or topics you're curious about in the comments. And whatever you do, remember this, you have a book inside of you, a story you were meant to tell. The world is waiting for exactly what you have to offer. Happy writing!
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8:03
3 Steps You Can Take Today To Start Writing Your Book
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: A lot of people tell me, “I've always wanted to write a book but I don't know where to start." And to be honest with you, nine years ago, I also wanted to start writing my ﬁrst book and I truly didn't know where and how to start. There are so many different resources out there and so much information, that most of us struggle to even narrow down our choices, let alone start taking steps toward putting a book together. And so, nine years ago, I told myself that I will ﬁgure it out and when I do, I will help other aspiring writers on this magical path of creativity. I’m Dr. Janina Scarlet, I’m a clinical psychologist, a creativity coach, and last week I was invited to write my twelfth book. If you're an aspiring writer, I'm here to tell you that not only is writing a book possible, but it is also more attainable than you might think. And so, today, I want to teach you 3 steps you can take right now toward writing your ﬁrst book: 1) the ﬁrst of these steps is the "Why" - as in "why do you want to write this book?" Many people jump directly into thinking about the contents of the book and that’s' important too. And if your creative muse is visiting you and giving you some amazing ideas, then by all means, treasure them and write them down. However, thinking about your "why" will give you the resilience to keep going even when the muse has left, even when you feel stuck or bored. Maybe you want to write your book as a way of speaking up for what you believe in, or, perhaps, you want to share your truth. Perhaps you want to write it to help other people who've had the same struggles as you and you want to inspire them. Or, maybe you want to write because you are a creative and being a writer is as important to you as breathing. These are all real and important reasons to write. Whatever your reasons are, think about them, and if possible, write them down and post them somewhere where you can regularly be reminded of them. Your "why" is what will allow you to remember your big reason for putting all your love, your mental, emotional, and physical energy into this book when you feel tired or overwhelmed with self-doubt, as we all get prior to starting and also at about the 60-70% mark. And, your “why” is what will ultimately help you to get to the ﬁnish line. 2) Once you've ﬁgured out your "why," the next step is to ﬁgure out your "What," as in what will your book be about and which genre you want to write in. For example, if your "why" in step one was to share your truth and to help others with your story, you may choose to write an autobiography, a self-help book, or perhaps write a science-ﬁction novel in which a ﬁctional character from another planet goes through a similar experience as you did as a way to share your perspective with your readers. So, in essence, the "what" refers the way in which you'd like to share your story. There is no wrong option, and there is no bad option here, it's just what works for you. And remember, that you can always change your mind or even combine genres and formats. For example, many self-help books nowadays feature a strong autobiographical component and many ﬁction books blend several elements together, such as fantasy and mystery. or sci-ﬁ and horror. So, pick your starting point in terms of your genre, but remember you're not stuck there. that you always have options. 3) Finally, you'll need to ﬁgure out how you are going to start the ﬁrst part of the ﬁrst draft. Some people really value having an outline, and we'll get a chance to talk about outlines in future videos. People like me who like to outline are called plotters. Other people prefer to dive right in and write intuitively. These people are called "pantsers" because it is said that they write “by the seat of their pants.” If you'd like to try the plotter method, you might need to spend some extra time writing an outline and preparing, but once you start, it will likely be easier to keep going. If you'd like to try the "Pantser" method, you can dive right in and have fun with it but you might get slowed down in the middle if your characters decide to take an unexpected turn. Please remember that both – plotting and pantsing are both good approaches, you just need to ﬁgure out what works for you. And so, if you are an aspiring writer and you don't know where to start, start with these three steps: 1) Think about why you want to write this book. Post your reasons as a reminder to keep going if you ever feel stuck. 2) Next, ﬁgure out what format and genre you'd like to implement for your book, 3) And then decide if you'd like to outline or jump right in. In the future episodes, we'll go into more depth with some of these processes, so be sure to like and subscribe for more tips to help you with your creative process. And if you have any speciﬁc questions or requests for future topics, please be sure to leave them in the comments. Happy Writing!
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