Born To Create

A few months ago, I left my job as a full-time college professor after doing that work for 17 years. Even though I had a fair amount of discretionary time in that job, and I also worked from home during the summers, it has been a big switch to go from having a college office to now being able to work from anywhere at any time. I've found myself working a lot more in coffee shops the last few months, which is enjoyable but has its challenges. On this episode, I thought it would be fun to share a few tips that have been helpful to me as I've learned to navigate some interesting dynamics of working in coffee shops, a location where a lot of writers do their work. Whether or not you write in a coffee shop, these tips can help you be more successful and productive in your writing. Also, if you’re interested in the music playlists that I listen to while I write and work, check out the links below: LoFi Beats Spotify Playlist Movies Scores Spotify Playlist *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, gener

One of the most pervasive ideas in Western culture is the concept of “finding your dreams.” No one knows for sure where this idea came from. The idea goes something like this: the main purpose of your life, vocationally speaking, is to find your dream. The dream is what you are meant to do. It’s granted by some otherworldly force or power. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to keep seeking and searching, defeating obstacles and naysayers, until the dream becomes a reality. On today's episode, you’ll discover that your dreams are things you actively create, not things that you passively wait for. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching

Do you struggle with being a perfectionist? Perfectionism is the tendency to get paralyzed by the idea that your work is never good enough. Perfectionists imagine there is a standard out there and they can never reach it. They have convinced themselves that they will be an utter failure unless they reach that unreachable standard. Therefore, they never take action and instead live in a perpetual state of frustration. On today's episode, Kent shares a strategy that can help you overcome perfectionism. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!     Connect with Kent:     https://DailyWriterLife.com     Faceb

One of the most helpful perspectives we can adopt as writers is understanding that we don’t have an objective view of reality. This is hard to hear because most of us naturally believe we see things as they are. We assume we can see ourselves and everyone else clearly, as they are. We trust that our perceptions about our giftedness and other people’s talent are basically on target. But that’s almost never the case. In truth, we tend to underestimate our own potential, while overestimating everyone else’s. We think everyone else deserves success while we don’t. LoFi Beats Spotify Playlist Movies Scores Spotify Playlist On today's episode, you’ll be reminded why success does not have anything to do with what you deserve, but with your actions. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brain

There is a common trait among successful writers, and it has nothing to do with skill, talent, genre, or style. Instead, it has everything to do with taking responsibility for your own life choices. Most people are passive observers of their own lives. They accept the choices that life hands to them. They assume what they see other people doing is what they should be doing also. They go along with the crowd, never rock the boat, and never achieve their dreams. On today's episode, you’ll be emboldened to take responsibility for your own life and stand out from the crowd. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and

Have you ever sat in a coffee shop and listened to the conversations happening around you? It’s fascinating. 99% of the time, people are only talking about themselves. Almost everyone in every social situation makes a conversation about them. It is rare to hear someone who is listening empathetically to the other person who is speaking. In fact, communication experts have told us for decades that there’s far more communication happening in the facial gestures and body language of people than there is in their words. To go even a step further, our words are sometimes even designed to hide what we are really thinking and feeling. On today's episode, Kent challenges us to become better communicators as we listen and learn from the conversations happening around us. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through cre

There are many keys to your success as a writer and author. Writing a great book is an important part of it, but there are other important things as well. One of those components is book marketing, which can seem like an intimidating and mysterious part of your business as a writer. While there can definitely be a lot of moving parts to marketing, it's important not to lose sight of the bigger picture, which is serving and connecting with readers. On today's episode, I want to share a recent call from our Daily Writer Community. One of our members is Vincent Pugliese, who is the author of the fantastic book, Freelance to Freedom. He also is the creator and leader of the amazing Total Life Freedom Community, a membership group that has had a radical impact on my mindset and success over the last couple of years. I can tell you unequivocally that I would not have been able to build a business and leave my day job without the encouragement of this community, particularly Vincent’s. One of the reasons Vincent is

Platform… it's one of those words that feels mysterious, intimidating, and maybe even confusing to many authors. You've heard that you need a platform and you're willing to do the work, but why do you need one and how do you build it? My friend Chad Allen is here on this episode to join me for a conversation about these questions and more. Chad is a writer, speaker, editor, and writing coach. As a twenty-year publishing professional, he served in acquisitions and directorial roles for Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, before going full-time with his own business. He has collaborated with numerous bestselling authors including Michael Hyatt, Jeff Goins, Mark Batterson, Phyllis Tickle, and many others. Chad is also the creator of Book Proposal Academy, an online course, and BookCamp, a mentoring and community hub for writers. His passion is helping writers get their books into the world. He blogs at ChadRAllen.com. Chad holds a B.A. in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an M.A.

We writers often talk about the reasons we write. But what are the reasons we don’t write? What keeps us from writing? Several things probably come to mind: procrastination, not enough time, and not feeling creative, among others. But at the end of the day, there is one main thing that keeps us from writing. The novelist Erica Jong hit the nail on the head when she said, “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged.” On this episode, Kent reminds us not to worry about who won’t like our writing, but to focus on those who will enjoy it. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social me

If you have ever worked on a deadline, you understand the frustration of writing conditions that are not ideal. This can be a challenge if you think you can only write in certain conditions. The weather has to be just right. It has to be the perfect time of day. You need to have a certain drink or snack. You can only use a certain type of pen. The right kind of music has to be playing. You're having a good hair day. Does it help when we have perfect conditions? Of course. But that's not how professionals work. They have work to do, and they find a way to get it done. On this episode, you’ll learn that the only thing stopping you from being productive is the limitation you put on yourself. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writ

Here is a question to consider: what activities actually produce writing? This is not a trick question, but a serious one. Why? Because it’s easy for us to fall under the spell of doing writing-related activities while secretly avoiding the hard work of writing. The list of things that help our writing is endless. But they don’t actually constitute writing. On today’s episode, Kent encourages us to focus on putting in the work of actually writing. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!     Connect with Kent:     https://DailyWriterLife.com     Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders     Instagram: 

We writers love to create stories. And why not? There is something fun about creating a fantasy world, living in it for a while, and inviting others to join us there. Sometimes these fantasies bleed over into the real world, where we don’t quite live in reality.  Here is one of the fantasies we love: We sit down to write, and all of a sudden, we feel magically inspired with an endless supply of motivation and great ideas. But it doesn’t always work that way. Most of the time, we sit down to write and don't feel the creative juices flow immediately.  On today’s episode, you’ll be reminded that you can’t always rely on inspiration to write—you need to put in the work and let inspiration come. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Wr

For new writers, one of the most surprising elements of the craft is how much editing and revision it takes to produce good work. Until you get into writing as a serious hobby or a career, it may seem like writing should just come out clean and ready to publish. But experienced writers know this is not the case at all. As writers, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to revise and change our writing. Yet, we rarely reflect on how our writing changes us. On today’s episode, you’ll be inspired to stay open to revising yourself as you revise your work. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!     Conne

I've talked about this a few times here on the podcast before. But, just in case you haven't heard, I left my teaching job at St. Louis Christian College this past summer in order to focus full-time on ghostwriting and running my Daily Writer membership community. Now that SLCC has announced it will be merging with another school at the end of this school year, I have been reflecting a lot on what I learned as a professor during the previous 17 years. One of the most important things I learned as a teacher is the value of assessment. "Assessment" is a broad term for a set of practices designed to help you see if you're reaching your goals. Most people in higher ed honestly hate assessment because it feels like a huge pain. It's time-consuming and often feels like busy work. However, being in this world taught me the value of taking a detailed, honest look at how you can improve. On today’s episode, Kent shares three critical things he learned as a college professor that can help us with our writing. *** Are y

I'm excited to be joined on this episode by my friend Mary Valloni, who is here to help us improve our mindset and develop a greater sense of abundance. That's such a critical element of our writing, because, without the proper mindset, we will always be limited by our own perception of what is possible. Mary is a fundraising coach and consultant who helps leaders with great causes raise more money with less pain. She has raised millions of dollars through her work as the development director of the American Cancer Society, the ALS Association, and the Special Olympics. Now, she teaches and trains individuals and organizations, big and small, how to fundraise with more freedom and less burnout. In this conversation, we dive into the reasons behind a scarcity mindset and how we can begin developing a more abundant mindset. I have to tell you, this is an absolutely critical topic because if we are going to have more and accomplish more, we must first have to be more. Before we dive into the conversation, I want

Has this ever happened to you? You block out time on your calendar, you get your pen or pencil—or computer—ready, and you sit down at your desk, ready to write. You’ve been looking forward to this time and can’t wait to get your creative juices flowing. So, you sit there, patiently waiting for the Muse to arrive and deliver the creativity straight to your brain. You’re ready to go, ready to transcribe. And… nothing. If you’ve had this experience, you’re not alone. Writers all over the world, from the beginning of time, have felt the creative well run dry. But wait a second. If that’s the case, how do we explain the world’s most prolific writers? What do we make of those authors who produce book after book for decades? On today’s episode, you’ll discover that the secret to producing content, even when you don’t feel creative. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out 

Let me ask you a simple, but profound question. Do you love to write? We’re not talking about whether you love having written. We’re talking about the actual work of writing. If the answer is “yes”—great! If the answer is “no” or “not so much,” consider the reason why. Is it because writing is hard or unpleasant? Is it because someone long ago said you weren’t a writer? Could it be that inner critic trying to convince you that you’re not worthy? On today’s episode, Kent shares the story of Citizen Kane to illustrate why it’s vital to remember the love you have for writing and how it benefits the world. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, so

Van Halen was one of the greatest rock bands of the 1970s and 80s. Although they had a number of popular songs and albums, they are probably best remembered for their song “Jump,” which was featured on what was arguably their best album, 1984. The word “jump” is not just a great title for a popular rock song. It’s also great advice as you consider your next step to success in your writing life. One of the defining qualities of successful people—no matter their industry—is that they take action now and figure it out as they go along. Go ahead and jump! On today’s episode, you’ll learn that the best thing you can do right now is take action. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for crea

We deal with a lot of obstacles as writers, but one of the biggest is rejection. Rejection can come in many forms, but whatever form it takes… it hurts. And let’s be honest, it can hurt pretty badly. Some writers never recover from it. So how can we deal with it? J. K. Rowling offers some great advice. She said, “Resilience and humility. These go hand-in-hand, because rejection and criticism are part of a writer’s life. Informed feedback is useful and necessary, but some of the greatest writers were rejected multiple times.” On today’s episode, Kent reminds us that all professionals get rejected at some point, but what makes them successful is that they never give up. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.      Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fan

If you’re of “a certain age,” you probably remember watching Bob Ross on his TV show “The Joy of Painting,” which he hosted on PBS from 1983-1994. If you’re a little younger, you’ve probably discovered him on the internet, where he has developed an even bigger following. Each week on his show, Bob painted a mesmerizing landscape in just half an hour. He was known for his soft-spoken style, his signature permed hair, and his uncanny ability to make you believe that just like him, you could paint a masterpiece. Every once in a while, Bob would make a tiny mistake and then repeat his signature phrase, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” Then he would either paint over the mistake or find a way to blend it into the scene. On today’s episode, you’ll be inspired that your mistakes, if learn from them, can provide a way for you create an even more beautiful life. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Ch