Ease Lessons for Writers

Monna McDiarmid
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In your writing life, no matter how hard you work or how well you plan, things won't always unfold the way you'd hoped. In Ease Lessons for Writers, we explore what gets in the way of our writing, why that happens, and why it matters. Together we learn how to make our writing easier and more joyful.  I'm your host, Monna McDiarmid, a writer and coach based in Japan and Nova Scotia. Website: monnamcdiarmid.com/ | Newsletter: monnamcdiarmid.com/subscribe/ | Instagram: @monnamcdiarmidwrites/ | Patreon: @MonnaMcDiarmid

  1. 28/09/2022

    36. Caroline Donahue (Season 3, Episode 3/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: CAROLINE DONAHUE As a book-loving Writing and Book Coach, Caroline doesn't believe there is any force more powerful in this world than writing. With a Masters in Psychology and Expressive Arts, and a subsequent career in the book world that began with working in a bookshop, progressing through editing and producing a thrice annual auction catalogue, to proofreading for a prominent ad agency, she has apprenticed herself to writing for over ten years. In 2016, she launched The Secret Library Podcast and has since interviewed over 100 writers, editors, agents, and publishers to get to the bottom of what it takes to write a book. She is currently writing her own novel and co-editing the anthology, I Wrote it Anyway. Homework Invitations for Conversation 3: 1. Conceive of a simple and elegant ritual (purple velvet gown optional) to begin your writing sessions. 2. Read Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. 3. Talk with a writer (or two) about the idea of making MORE of your living as a writer through the books themselves. Where to find Caroline: Website: https://www.carolinedonahue.com/ Podcast: https://www.secretlibrarypodcast.com/ ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    1h 13m

  2. 20/09/2022

    35. Caroline Donahue (Season 3, Episode 2/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: CAROLINE DONAHUE As a book-loving Writing and Book Coach, Caroline doesn't believe there is any force more powerful in this world than writing. With a Masters in Psychology and Expressive Arts, and a subsequent career in the book world that began with working in a bookshop, progressing through editing and producing a thrice annual auction catalogue, to proofreading for a prominent ad agency, she has apprenticed herself to writing for over ten years. In 2016, she launched The Secret Library Podcast and has since interviewed over 100 writers, editors, agents, and publishers to get to the bottom of what it takes to write a book. She is currently writing her own novel and co-editing the anthology, I Wrote it Anyway. Homework Invitations for Conversation 3: 1. Conceive of a simple and elegant ritual (purple velvet gown optional) to begin your writing sessions. 2. Read Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. 3. Talk with a writer (or two) about the idea of making MORE of your living as a writer through the books themselves. Where to find Caroline: Website: https://www.carolinedonahue.com/ Podcast: https://www.secretlibrarypodcast.com/ ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    1h 2m

  3. 14/09/2022

    34. Caroline Donahue (Season 3, Episode 1/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: CAROLINE DONAHUE As a book-loving Writing and Book Coach, Caroline doesn't believe there is any force more powerful in this world than writing. With a Masters in Psychology and Expressive Arts, and a subsequent career in the book world that began with working in a bookshop, progressing through editing and producing a thrice annual auction catalogue, to proofreading for a prominent ad agency, she has apprenticed herself to writing for over ten years. In 2016, she launched The Secret Library Podcast and has since interviewed over 100 writers, editors, agents, and publishers to get to the bottom of what it takes to write a book. She is currently writing her own novel and co-editing the anthology, I Wrote it Anyway. HOMEWORK INVITATIONS : 1. Field Notes on experiments with time and time boxes Conduct a set of gentle experiments about your writing times. Write at different times of the day. Try writing before you check your calendar for the day and between appointments. Make notes on writing experiments re: how you feel in your body, how much spaciousness or resistance you feel, and how playful the writing time feels to you. You're tracking your own ease. 2. Tarot for The Writer Try pulling cards as a gift to you, the writer. What do you not know yet that would be of tremendous help to your future self? (Your future self who has no money or novels published.) 3. Email to a Student Think of a writing student or client who might come to you with a similar issue. They run an online business and have created the life and schedule they've always yearned for but find it increasingly difficult to find or make time for their writing. The issue isn't insufficient time but rather that your student keeps prioritizing those activities that are in service of other people and that make money. She is genuinely perplexed. You write her an email of encouragement and support, and share some tips on how she might think differently about her situation in order to help her ease back into her writing chair. b) Talk with a couple of students or colleagues whom you trust and request their wisdom. 4. Permission What is the simplest statement of permission you need to give yourself? What is the essence of this permission slip? You could: allow it to be messy or awkward or uncomfortable. (I am LEARNING how to own a business that sustains me while writing.)make your own writing the most important work that you do (Come up with a method by which you pay yourself for the time you spend writing!)allow yourself to fall in love again with your writing process. (I believe it was Elizabeth Gilbert who referred to this as having an affair with her writing)take a break from writingwrite three days a week instead of fiveb) Display your slip and/or create a ritual to let the Universe know where you'd like some help. Where to find Caroline: Website: https://www.carolinedonahue.com/ Podcast: https://www.secretlibrarypodcast.com/ ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    56 min

  4. 06/09/2022

    33. Michelle (Season 3, Episode 3/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: MICHELLE Today's episode is my third and final conversation with Michelle, a mom of two and an attorney who prefers storytelling to legalese, as well as an open heart over the analytical mind. She believes that when her heart and mind work as one, that's where the magic happens, and she has been on a lifelong journey to connect them both. She received her first tarot card deck at age thirteen and Reiki certifications at age sixteen. After that she earned certification after certification in Astrology, Spiritual Bathing, Life Coaching and Mindfulness Education amongst many others. Meanwhile, Michelle never believed she was “special enough” to be an author, and instead worked as Senior Associate at the largest employment law firm in the world for over ten years. In February, she left her law career and is finally learning to just be. She plans to self publish her first spiritual novel in 2022 under a pen name.   Thanks for this conversation, Michelle. HOMEWORK INVITATIONS FROM OUR SECOND CONVERSATION: 1. Problem party | Form a group with one or two other people in which you talk about your writing in much the way that we did in Rachel‘s hot seats. This is a group of people who will support your writing and for whom you will also be a support.  2. Medium | Give yourself a publish date for this piece, a date that allows for the writing logistics as well as being prepared for people's comments and judgment. 3. Time blocking | This is where you create a new writing schedule in which you don’t push yourself too hard but you keep moving forward with regularity. You can think of this as a writing promise to yourself. One idea is to have a 2 to 3 hour chunk of writing every week during which a babysitter cares for your children. READ ABOUT MICHELLE AND HER BOOK: Website:  www.violetdeluna.com Medium: My husband cheated on me 8 years ago, when I was pregnant and after I gave birth ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    43 min

  5. 30/08/2022

    32. Michelle (Season 3, Episode 2/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: MICHELLE Today's episode is my second conversation with Michelle, a mom of two and an attorney who prefers storytelling to legalese, as well as an open heart over the analytical mind. She believes that when her heart and mind work as one, that's where the magic happens, and she has been on a lifelong journey to connect them both. She received her first tarot card deck at age thirteen and Reiki certifications at age sixteen. After that she earned certification after certification in Astrology, Spiritual Bathing, Life Coaching and Mindfulness Education amongst many others. Meanwhile, Michelle never believed she was “special enough” to be an author, and instead worked as Senior Associate at the largest employment law firm in the world for over ten years. In February, she left her law career and is finally learning to just be. She plans to self publish her first spiritual fiction novel in 2022 under a pen name.   Thanks for this conversation, Michelle. HOMEWORK INVITATIONS FROM OUR SECOND CONVERSATION: 1. Problem party | Form a group with one or two other people in which you talk about your writing in much the way that we did in Rachel‘s hot seats. This is a group of people who will support your writing and for whom you will also be a support.  2. Medium | Give yourself a publish date for this piece, a date that allows for the writing logistics as well as being prepared for people's comments and judgment. 3. Time blocking | This is where you create a new writing schedule in which you don’t push yourself too hard but you keep moving forward with regularity. You can think of this as a writing promise to yourself. One idea is to have a 2 to 3 hour chunk of writing every week during which a babysitter cares for your children. READ ABOUT MICHELLE AND HER BOOK: Website:  www.violetdeluna.com Medium: My husband cheated on me 8 years ago, when I was pregnant and after I gave birth ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    56 min

  6. 23/08/2022

    31. Michelle (Season 3, Episode 1/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: MICHELLE Today's episode is my first conversation with Michelle, a mom of two and an attorney who prefers storytelling to legalese, as well as an open heart over the analytical mind. She believes that when her heart and mind work as one, that's where the magic happens, and she has been on a lifelong journey to connect them both. She received her first tarot card deck at age thirteen and Reiki certifications at age sixteen. After that she earned certification after certification in Astrology, Spiritual Bathing, Life Coaching and Mindfulness Education amongst many others. Meanwhile, Michelle never believed she was “special enough” to be an author, and instead worked as Senior Associate at the largest employment law firm in the world for over ten years. In February, she left her law career and is finally learning to just be. She plans to self publish her first spiritual fiction novel in 2022 under a pen name.   Thanks for this conversation, Michelle. HOMEWORK INVITATIONS FROM OUR FIRST CONVERSATION: 1. Community | Think about your community of writers. Choose two or three people you like, trust and respect. Reach out to them and invite this group to a zoom call in which you get their support as a writer. It’s also important that they have a chance to congratulate you on the amazing progress you’ve already made. 2. Thank You Letter | Imagine the experience of a person who is going through infidelity in their relationship. They search online for some resources and find your book. After they finished reading it, they reached out to you to thank you. What do they write? Please write this letter. 3. Pen Name | As you have already created a pen name for your book, devise an opportunity to try it out. You might write a piece that is connected to your novel's theme of infidelity and publish it on the website you’ve created, as an Instagram post, or on a platform like Medium. How does it feel to have a piece of your writing associated with this pen name? 4. Freedom and Shame | Write about the relationship between freedom and shame. READ ABOUT MICHELLE AND HER BOOK: Website:  www.violetdeluna.com Medium: My husband cheated on me 8 years ago, when I was pregnant and after I gave birth ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    34 min

  7. 16/08/2022

    30. Lala Hulse (Season 3, Episode 3/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: LALA HULSE Today's episode is my third conversation with Lala Hulse, an artist and musician who is trying to get her creative life back together after moving halfway around the world during a pandemic. She believes everyone can draw and everyone can sing. Thanks for this conversation, Lala. HOMEWORK INVITATIONS FROM OUR SECOND CONVERSATION 1. Setting the stage a) Think more about the logistics of your office space. b) Think more deeply about this question of setting the stage including the idea of "starting your day again" before making art. 2. Artist Dates Put weekly artist dates in your calendar. If it's helpful, share the dates with your wife. 3. Make Art Spend some time contemplating how you can allow yourself to make art rather than feeling pressure to make good art. How would art-making (and life) be lovelier if you let go of that pressure? ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    43 min

  8. 09/08/2022

    29. Lala Hulse (Season 3, Episode 2/3)

    TODAY'S GUEST: LALA HULSE Today's episode is my second conversation with Lala Hulse, an artist and musician who is trying to get her creative life back together after moving halfway around the world during a pandemic. She believes everyone can draw and everyone can sing. Thanks for this conversation, Lala. HOMEWORK INVITATIONS FROM TODAY'S CONVERSATION 1. Setting the stage a) Think more about the logistics of your office space. b) Think more deeply about this question of setting the stage including the idea of "starting your day again" before making art. 2. Artist Dates Put weekly artist dates in your calendar. If it's helpful, share the dates with your wife. 3. Make Art Spend some time contemplating how you can allow yourself to make art rather than feeling pressure to make good art. How would art-making (and life) be lovelier if you let go of that pressure? ***** ABOUT EASE LESSONS: Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license Editor: Damien Pitter Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Writer, Coach and Counselor Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com Newsletter: The Sunday Reader Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

    46 min
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About

In your writing life, no matter how hard you work or how well you plan, things won't always unfold the way you'd hoped. In Ease Lessons for Writers, we explore what gets in the way of our writing, why that happens, and why it matters. Together we learn how to make our writing easier and more joyful.  I'm your host, Monna McDiarmid, a writer and coach based in Japan and Nova Scotia. Website: monnamcdiarmid.com/ | Newsletter: monnamcdiarmid.com/subscribe/ | Instagram: @monnamcdiarmidwrites/ | Patreon: @MonnaMcDiarmid

Information

  • Creator
    Monna McDiarmid
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2022
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Ease Lessons for Writers
  • Show Website
    Ease Lessons for Writers