Overwhelmed Writer Rescue by Colleen M. Story

Book Details:

Book Title: Overwhelmed Writer Rescue:

 Boost Productivity, Improve Time Management, 

  and Replenish the Creator Within

Author: Colleen M. Story

Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 280 pages

Genre: Self-help

Publisher: Midchannel Press

Release date: Sept 3, 2017

Tour dates: Sept 4 to 15, 2017

Content Rating: G

Book Description:

FIND THE TIME, ENERGY, AND CONFIDENCE TO MAKE YOUR CREATIVE DREAMS COME TRUE.

Do you feel like you’re always behind? Do less important tasks frequently flood your schedule and sink your creative motivation? Are you frustrated and out of touch with your inner artist?

After 20 years experience in the writing industry, author Colleen M. Story extends a lifeline to pull you out of the sinking swamp of “busyness” and back into the flourishing creative life you deserve.

Today’s demands on writers and other creative artists are overwhelming. Not only must you produce the work you love, but build and maintain a platform and market your finished products to the world—all while holding down a day job and/or caring for a family.

You teeter on the edge. What waits on the other side are burnout, exhaustion, and a complete loss of creative motivation.

"Overwhelmed Writer Rescue" provides practical, personalized solutions to help beginning and experienced writers and other creative artists escape the tyranny of the to-do list to nurture the genius within. You’ll find ways to boost productivity, improve time management, and restore your sanity while gaining insight into your unique creative nature and what it needs to thrive.

Ultimately, you’ll discover what may be holding you back from experiencing the true joy that a creative life can bring.

To read reviews, please visit Colleen M. Story's page on iRead Book Tours.

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How to Make Your Dreams Come True No Matter What Others Say

Our dreams are cherished things. We hold them close to the vest, and when we do dare to share them with others, we cringe a little bit, afraid that they won’t understand.

We’re lucky when we have supportive people around us who encourage us to face our fears and make our dreams come true. Unfortunately, the opposite often happens—others discourage us, either because they don’t understand the vision or desire, or simply because they’re not paying attention. Occasionally, others have their own agendas when it comes to responding to our dreams.

Most creative people have stories of discouragement—when someone they looked up to killed their dreams. Somewhere in your past, you may have been told that you weren’t that talented, your dreams weren’t practical, or your first attempts weren’t very good.

You may still be haunted by those voices, wondering if maybe they were right. Unfortunately, they may be stopping you from living up to your potential. Here’s how you can overcome past discouragements so you can again take action in the direction of your dreams.

Negative Voices Stick Like Velcro

Most of us know when we hear negative things from other people, it’s best not to take them to heart. But that’s a lot easier said than done.

It’s particularly difficult when you hear these things from people you’re close to. Those are the people who are supposed to care about you, and who should know you best. A negative comment from a stranger you can get over. One from a friend or loved one? That’s a lot tougher to forget.

Some creative people heard negative messages from their parents, teachers, or other authorities in their young lives. Such messages have a way of imprinting themselves on a developing mind, like tattoos. They become permanent scars, in a way, growing inflamed again and again whenever we doubt ourselves.

Others hear the messages later, from their peers, superiors, or in the comments of family and friends.

Wherever the messages come from, they are like Velcro, sticking to our beings where they can be easily resurrected. And come to life they do, particularly when we face new challenges.

Your Voices Have Power

When the ghosts of past negative voices visit you, you can tell yourself that you’ll “get over it,” but the truth is that the voices rarely go away, completely. Instead, you need real, practical methods of dealing with them when they whisper in your ear, as they will do from time to time.

Without these practical methods, you run the risk of allowing the negative voices to interfere with your progress.

It’s challenging enough to create something new—no matter whether it’s a book, a new business, a work of art, a musical composition, etc.—without a negative voice holding you back. As long as you allow them to continue to echo in your consciousness, you will find it difficult to live up to your creative potential.

3 Ways to Banish Negative Voices from Your Creative World

Over the years, I’ve found five practical methods that really work for reducing the influence negative voices have over you and your creative work. See if they might help you to overcome any voices that may be discouraging you.

1. Realize that what people say is a reflection of who they are.

This has been one of the single most helpful things I’ve ever learned in my life. I forget where I first heard it, but it’s out there in many forms. The idea is that what we see in the world and in the people around us is a reflection of ourselves and our unique points of view.

“Your perceptions of others reveal so much about your own personality,” said Dustin Wood, lead author of a 2010 study on the subject. He and his colleagues asked participants to each rate positive and negative characteristics of just three people. The resulting statements showed important information about the rater’s well-being, mental health, and social attitudes.

“Inevitably,” says author Lynn Marie Sager, “what people say about others says mountains about them…. the next time you feel upset by what someone says about you, remember that what people say about you is never an accurate reflection of you. What people say about you is really a reflection of them. When people complain about you, they are really saying something about who they are and what they believe.”

When those voices crop up in your head, try to identify whom they belong to. Then realize that the statements were most likely reflections of that person, and not accurate statements about you.

2. Focus on people who support and uplift you.

Creative people need the support of positive, uplifting people. When you get to feeling down about yourself and your work, a supportive friend or loved one can be invaluable. This is the person that reminds you of the progress you’ve made, of the positive comments that have come your way, and of the goals you’ve achieved.

This is the friend that helps you see the negative voices as just white noise. She easily pooh-poohs that critical review or negative critique. Just when you think your writing career is truly over, he helps you keep things in perspective.

If you don’t yet have anyone like this in your life, don’t despair. Join a group of people with the same interests as you. Attend a conference. Start interacting with other artists around you. Connect with them on social media. You will eventually find your tribe, and their positive encouragements will help silence those negative voices when they get too loud.

3. Refuse to give power to the voice by taking action.

The negative voices by themselves have no real power over you. It’s when you give them power that they grow and become more influential.

You may not even realize you’re doing it, but if you’re dwelling on something that someone said, you’re giving that someone too much power over your creative career. If you’re replaying the statement over and over in your mind, you’re essentially charging it up.

When an old voice comes into your head telling you you’re crazy to think you can make your dreams come true, wondering whether it’s true gives that voice power. When you’re thinking about your dream and you hear that voice telling you it’s a useless waste of time, stopping to listen honors its existence.

Instead, refuse to give these voices any power over you whatsoever. The best way I’ve found to do this is to get a little ticked off. Imagine the voice as another person who’s actually standing in the room trying to mess you up.

What would you do if someone was actually right there, saying to you, “What do you think you’re doing? That’s really stupid. You’re never going to make that happen, that’s for sure!”

Would you give this person the time of day? Most likely, you’d wonder what his problem was, and you’d either leave or demand that he leave. When you hear those voices in your head, imagine them as real people, and deal with them accordingly. After all, they came from real people to begin with—it’s time you stood up for yourself.

Bottom Line: Face Your Fears

Hopefully, these three tips will help, but no matter what, keep facing your fears. Remember that how you feel about your abilities is less important than what you actually do. Spend time working on your dream every day, and you will gradually improve and gain new skills. As you do, your confidence will grow, and those negative voices will begin to fade.

Source
Wake Forest University. “What you say about others says a lot about you, research shows.” ScienceDaily. August 3, 2010; https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802165441.htm.

If I could I would give this more than 5 stars. If you read only one self help book this year - grab this one! It is not just for writers. This book is very motivating and so easy to read quickly. I zipped through the first two sections in one sitting.

That said, I am going to go back and more slowly follow the suggestions and let the ideas and results sink in.

This book has valuable information and techniques for anyone who has a dream or feels there are not enough hours in a day. Don't give up your dreams! Make some small changes, decide what is most important to you and what actions will move you in the proper direction. No one says it will be easy. However it will be worth it and YOU CAN DO IT. 

Exceptionally well researched. Reading along and hearing the examples of others who have made changes and followed dreams, found more time in their days, you will feel motivated and supported. As if you have a friend by your side.

I did accept a copy of this book for review purposes but the opinions are my own. I am making changes already.

Boost productivity, improve time management, and restore your sanity while gaining insight into your unique creative nature and what it needs to thrive. Find practical, personalized solutions to help you overcome self-doubt and nurture the genius within in Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, available today at Amazon and all major book retailers. Enjoy your FREE chapter here!

About the Author:

Colleen M. Story has worked in the creative writing industry for over twenty years. Her novels include "Loreena’s Gift," an Idaho Author Awards first place winner, New Apple Solo Medalist winner, Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, Reader Views award finalist, and Best Book Awards finalist; and "Rise of the Sidenah," a North American Book Awards winner and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection.

As a health writer, she’s authored thousands of articles for publications like "Healthline" and "Women’s Health;" worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg’s; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She finds most rewarding her work as a motivational speaker and workshop leader, where she helps writers remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.

Colleen is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com), a motivational site helping writers and other creative artists maintain their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being throughout their careers. Sign up for your free weekly email containing tips for living your best creative life at: www.writingandwellness/newsletter.

To find more information on Colleen and her work, please see her website or follow her on Twitter. She loves to hear from readers—feel free to use the “contact” form on either her website or Writing and Wellness to get in touch with her.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter