Working with a Writing Coach

Over at my author blog, gresik.ca, I've started a series about my work with writing coach Cynthia Morris from Original Impulse.

I'm very excited about getting some coaching for my writing life. I know that it will help me make significant progress on my current novel, and also establish a writing practice that fits my rhythms. The series will run for at least four months while I have biweekly sessions with Cynthia, so be sure to check in for updates.

Cynthia has a blog called Vive la Slink, where she shares coaching advice and thoughts from her own writing experience. I liked her recent post on napping, which I've been doing more of since I started getting up at 5 am to write:

The work of writing a novel is akin to digging a trench to China – I was pooped! I could have allowed my gremlin to give me grief about it. It tried, saying, how are you going to explain this? Later that evening, after an invigorating yoga class, I did some more work on the novel. At the end of the weekend, I felt great about how I showed up, and how I took care of myself. My yoga teacher, the esteemed Richard Freeman, reiterated his encouragement to us: “Bit by bit.”

Give yourself the benefits of self-care. You’ll know the difference between shirking and allowing yourself something that nurtures you and your creative process.

Here's to some satisfying naps over the holiday weekend!