Month: September 2023

Presented below is a thought from me on writing, a quote from someone else on writing, an excerpt from that writer, and a discipline/habit to implement… 

We will be focusing on tenacity today.

A Thought

“I highly appreciate the concept of tenacity in the realm of writing and creating. The ability to persevere despite the challenges, opinions of others, or limited resources is what truly defines us and the compelling songs or stories we share.”

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.”

– George Lucas (Creator of Star Wars)

An Excerpt

Lawrence Kasdan & Leigh Brackett & George Lucas (Writers of Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back)

INT. HOTH – REBEL BASE – ICE CORRIDOR

LEIA
Han!

Han stops in the corridor and turns to face Leia.

HAN
Yes, Your Highnessness?

LEIA
I thought you decided to stay.

HAN
Well, the bounty hunter we ran
into on Ord Mantell changed my
mind.

LEIA
Han, we need you!

HAN
We?

LEIA
Yes.

HAN
Oh, what about you need?

LEIA
(mystified)
I need? I don’t know what you’re
talking about.

HAN
(shakes his head,
fed up)
You probably don’t.

LEIA
And what precisely am I supposed
to know?

HAN
Come on! You want me to stay
because of the way you feel about
me.

LEIA
Yes. You’re a great help to us.
You’re a natural leader…

HAN
No! That’s not it. Come on.
Aahhh – uh huh! Come on.

Leia stares at him, understanding, then laughs.

LEIA
You’re imagining things.

HAN
Am I? Then why are you following
me? Afraid I was going to leave
without giving you a goodbye kiss?

LEIA
I’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

HAN
I can arrange that. You could use
a good kiss!

Angrily, Han strides down the corridor as Leia stares after him.

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

I appreciate George’s reminder at the end of his statement to “put blinders on”. It’s crucial to avoid comparing ourselves or our projects to others.

This week, let’s prioritize the discipline of maintaining focus through our tenacity, and here are three steps to help us achieve that:

1. Remember WHY your writing

Your WHY will define WHAT comes out of you.

2. Instead of looking outward, look inward

Use your past self as your measuring stick of progress.

3. Be a champion for others

Encourage and build other writers up and the same will be done to you.

Put Pen to Paper this week and have fun!

If you want to share this with other fellow writers, just copy and paste this link:

www.austinalford.com/Newsletter

Presented below is a thought from me on writing, a quote from someone else on writing, an excerpt from that writer, and a discipline/habit to implement… 

We will be focusing on failure today.

A Thought

“I want to continuously embrace failure as a writer throughout my entire life, relentlessly pushing the boundaries of my abilities by constantly picking myself up after each stumble.”

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“Failure isn’t a necessary evil. In fact, it isn’t evil at all. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new.”

– Ed Camtull (The Co-Founder of PIXAR)

An Excerpt

Ed Camtull (Author of Creativity Inc)

“You don’t have to work at Pixar to create a Braintrust. Every creative person can draft into service those around them who exhibit the right mixture of intelligence, insight, and grace. ‘You can and should make your own solution group,’ says Andrew, who has made a point of doing this on a smaller scale, separate from the official Braintrust, on each of his films.

‘Here are the qualifications: The people you choose must (a) make you think smarter and (b) put lots of solutions on the table in a short amount of time. I don’t care who it is, the janitor or the intern or one of your most-trusted lieutenants: If they can help you do that, they should be at the table.’

Believe me, you don’t want to be at a company where there is more candor in the hallways than in the rooms where fundamental ideas or policy are being hashed out. The best inoculation against this fate? Seek out people who are willing to level with you, and when you find them, hold them close.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Take a moment to create a dedicated space for taking notes, whether it’s a notes page, a journal, or any other designated place to record your learnings from creative failures.

Here are three important questions that you should honestly ask yourself and answer:

• What can I learn from this? 
• What could I have done differently? 
• Do I need to acquire or improve some skills? 

Test this out and let me know what you think!

Put Pen to Paper this week and have fun!

If you want to share this with other fellow writers, just copy and paste this link:

www.austinalford.com/Newsletter

Presented below is a thought from me on writing, a quote from someone else on writing, an excerpt from that writer, and a discipline/habit to implement… 

We will be focusing on discipline today.

A Thought

“It is through consistent discipline that one can truly bring their thoughts to life on paper, creating art that resonates with the hearts of people.”

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“The only difference between a writer and someone who wants to be a writer is discipline.”

– Ayelet Waldman (Author of Love and Treasure, Red Hook Road, & Daughter’s Keeper)

An Excerpt

Ayelet Waldman (Love & Treasure)

“In the end the real wealth of the Hungarian Jewish community had not been packed in crates and boxes and loaded onto that train.

What is the value to a daughter of a single pair of Sabbath candlesticks passed down from her mother and grandmother before her, generation behind generation, for a hundred, even a thousand, years? Beyond price, beyond measure. And what of ten thousand pairs of similar candlesticks, when all the grandmothers, mothers, and daughters are dead?

No more than the smelted weight of the silver. The wealth of the Jews of Hungary, of all of Europe, was to be found not in the laden boxcars of the Gold Train but in the grandmothers and mothers and daughters themselves, in the doctors and lawyers, the grain dealers and psychiatrists, the writers and artists who had created a culture of sophistication, of intellectual and artistic achievement. And that wealth, everything of real value, was all but extinguished.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Here are three effective and practical strategies to enhance your discipline as a writer… 

1. Write everyday or in regular scheduled writing sessions (I do more of the latter).
2. Read every day. 
3. Stop focusing solely on talent and comparison and let yourself enjoy the process (personally the hardest discipline to master). 

Let’s embrace these challenges. We are in this together!

Put Pen to Paper this week and have fun!

If you want to share this with other fellow writers, just copy and paste this link:

www.austinalford.com/Newsletter

Presented below is a thought from me on writing, a quote from someone else on writing, an excerpt from that writer, and a discipline/habit to implement… 

We will be focusing on entertainment today.

A Thought

If we are not entertained ourselves by what we are writing when crafting a story, then what is the purpose of writing it at all?

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“I just write what I wanted to write. I write what amuses me. It’s totally for myself. I never in my wildest dreams expected this popularity.”

– JK Rowling (Author of the Harry Potter series)

An Excerpt

JK Rowling (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

“Is it true that you shouted at Professor Umbridge?”

“Yes,” said Harry.

“You called her a liar?”

“Yes.”

“You told her He Who Must Not Be Named is back?”

“Yes.”

Professor McGonagall sat down behind her desk, watching Harry closely. Then she said, “Have a biscuit, Potter.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

When you sit down to write this week, take a moment to reflect on these three important questions:

• Am I genuinely being entertained by what I’m writing?
• Is this piece something that I would personally find engaging and worth reading or listening to?
• Am I writing to please others, which can ultimately hinder my creative expression?

I encourage you to challenge yourself and ask these questions during your next writing session!

Put Pen to Paper this week and have fun!

If you want to share this with other fellow writers, just copy and paste this link:

www.austinalford.com/Newsletter