Category: Pen to Paper 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 being a collector today.

A Thought

We should always be collecting ideas from the world around us. From what we hear, see, taste, smell, and touch. It is then, we will have a deep well to draw from when putting pen to paper. 

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“The artist is a collector. Not a hoarder, mind you, there’s a difference: Hoarders collect indiscriminately, artists collect selectively. They only collect things that they really love.”

– Austin Kleon (Author of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going)

An Excerpt

Austin Kleon (Page 13-14 of ‘Steal Like an Artist’)

“There’s an economic theory out there that if you take the incomes of your five closest friends and average them, the resulting number will be pretty close to your own income.

I think the same thing is true of our idea incomes. You’re only going to be as good as the stuff you surround yourself with. My mom used to say to me, ‘Garbage in, garbage out.’ It used to drive me nuts. But now I know what she meant.

Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Do you have a place or system to collect ideas?

A virtual notes page? 

An analog note book? 

The palm of your hand? (Don’t do that, not enough space!)

Choose your method and stick to it! Use it as your second brain, your external hard drive.

Don’t burden your brain to remember all the ideas that come to you. Have a method of collecting! And if you have one and it hasn’t worked, change it… switch it up…

Remember, your job is to collect ideas!

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 collaboration today.

A Thought

Finding a healthy balance between writing on your own and collaborating with others is key. Sometimes, we stumble upon deep gems in our own secret place, but they truly come to life when we let others breathe their magic on it.

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“You find a song with the door shut. But then you develop it with the door open.”

– Matt Redman (Worship Leader, Song-Writer)

An Excerpt

Matt Redman & Steve Angrisano (Collaboration!), ‘10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)’ part of the song…

[Verse 1]
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

[Verse 2]
You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Here’s a writing habit I’m currently working on, and you’re invited to join me!

Block out some time in your week for a solo writing session.

Plan a writing session with others during the same week.

Let’s aim for two writing sessions this week – one where you can dive deep into your own thoughts, and another where you can collaborate and bounce ideas off others! If you enjoy this rhythm, stick with it or share any other suggestions for finding the right balance.

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 being fascinated today.

A Thought

It’s crucial to always keep in mind the sheer beauty that surrounds us and resides within us. Embracing fascination paves the way for profound significance in everything you create.

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“Life is miraculous. Even when it’s disastrous, it’s still incredible. I’m fascinated with everything, life is fascinating. I’m fascinated by trees and dogs, but no one wants to hear me talk about it.”

– Chris Martin (Front man for Coldplay)

An Excerpt

Coldplay, lyrics of “Amazing Day”

We sat on a roof | Named every star

Shared every bruise and | Showed every scar

Hope has its proof | Your hand in mine, singing

Life has a beautiful, crazy design

And time seemed to say | Forget the world and its weight

And here I just want to stay | Amazing day, Amazing day

We sat on a roof | Named every star and

You showed me a place | Where you can be what you are

And the view | The whole Milky Way

In your eyes | I drifted away

And in your arms | I just want to sway

Amazing day, Amazing day | Amazing day, Amazing day

And I asked can the birds in poetry chime?

Can there be breaks in the chaos of the times?

Oh, thanks God

Must have heard when I prayed

‘Cause now I always want to feel this way

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

This is going to be more of a challenge than a discipline or habit.

I challenge you, including myself, to take a breather and get totally captivated by something for a few minutes.

It could be a majestic tree, a tiny bug on the ground, a sparkling star in the sky, a stunning painting, an interesting sound in a song, or anything that catches your senses.

Take a moment to really appreciate it and let yourself be fascinated. And then, ask yourself why? What made it so darn fascinating?

Leave a comment and let me know what it was and why!

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 creative margins today.

A Thought

We must fiercely defend our creative margin in today’s fast-paced world. Without it, we risk leaving behind a trail of unfinished projects, never truly achieving completion.

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.”

– Stephen R. Covey (author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, First Things First, Begin with the End in Mind)

An Excerpt

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey pg 76

“While the word proactivity is now fairly common in management literature, it is a word you won’t find in most dictionaries. It means more than merely taking initiative.

It means that as human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions. We can subordinate feelings to values. We have the initiative and the responsibility to make things happen.

Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior.

Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling. Because we are, by nature, proactive, if our lives are a function of conditioning and conditions, it is because we have, by conscious decision or by default, chosen to empower those things to control us. In making such a choice, we become reactive.

Reactive people are often affected by their physical environment. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn’t, it affects their attitude and their performance.

Proactive people can carry their own weather with them. Whether it rains or shines makes no difference to them. They are value driven; and if their value is to produce good quality work, it isn’t a function of whether the weather is conducive to it or not.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

How is your time and energy invested?

I constantly find myself pondering how I invest my time and energy. It’s an ongoing struggle to strike the right balance.

To tackle this challenge, I started scheduling at least 2 “deep focused work” sessions in my calendar each week for my creative pursuits. I’d do this right at the beginning of the week, so I’d have a clear plan and actually look forward to these sessions!

Let’s make this a simple and practical discipline to incorporate into your life. Before the start of each week, on Sunday night, plan 2 “Deep Focused Work” creative sessions. During these sessions, set a timer for 60-90 minutes on your phone (put the phone on the other side of the room), and let your creativity flow.

I assure you, you’ll witness amazing results! Hopefully, you’ll even have a finished story, song, poem, or script after several of these planned sessions.

Plan these creative margins and remember:

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” (Stephen Covey)

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 distractions today.

A Thought

Distractions have an annoying way of diverting our attention from what truly matters.

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“We are always falling in love or quarreling, looking for jobs or fearing to lose them, getting ill and recovering, following public affairs. If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work.”

– C.S Lewis (author of Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters)

An Excerpt

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S Lewis

A few mornings later Peter and Edmund were looking at the suit of armour and wondering if they could take it to bits when the two girls rushed into the room and said, “Look out! Here comes the Macready and a whole gang with her.”
“Sharp’s the word,” said Peter, and all four made off through the door at the far end of the room. But when they had got out into the Green Room and beyond it, into the Library, they suddenly heard voices ahead of them, and realized that Mrs Macready must be bringing her party of sightseers up the back stairs – instead of up the front stairs as they had expected.

And after that – whether it was that they lost their heads, or that Mrs Macready was trying to catch them, or that some magic in the house had come to life and was chasing them into Narnia they seemed to find themselves being followed everywhere, until at last Susan said, “Oh bother those trippers! Here – let’s get into the Wardrobe Room till they’ve passed. No one will follow us in there.”

But the moment they were inside they heard the voices in the passage – and then someone fumbling at the door – and then they saw the handle turning.
“Quick!” said Peter, “there’s nowhere else,” and flung open the wardrobe. All four of them bundled inside it and sat there, panting, in the dark. Peter held the door closed but did not shut it; for, of course, he remembered, as every sensible person does, that you should never never shut yourself up in a wardrobe.

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Distractions are lurking around every corner, just waiting to pounce on our productivity. It’s time to ask ourselves, “What is diverting our attention away from the task at hand?”

To combat these distractions, let’s adopt the “out of sight, out of mind” mantra. Take video games, for example. If you find yourself spending too much time gaming instead of writing, why not hide that gaming system away? (I’ve done it, it works!) Make it a hassle to set up and tear down, so you’ll only indulge when you genuinely want to play.

And let’s not forget about social media. Simply deleting those tempting apps from your phone and accessing them solely on your trusty laptop or computer can do wonders. Alternatively, you can hide the icon on your phone so it’s not constantly enticing you.

The secret here is to make what you need for writing more visible in your life. By doing so, you’ll naturally gravitate towards it more often than those other alluring distractions that aren’t as prominently displayed.

Give it a shot and comment to let me know if it works for 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… 

A Thought

Finding the perfect balance between starting small and dreaming big can be quite a challenge for writers.

The thought of tackling an entire book with 80,000 words may seem overwhelming, but when you break it down to just a page of 300 words, it suddenly becomes much more manageable.

So, let’s start small but keep our dreams big!

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my mind. If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it. We do not write in order to be understood, we write in order to understand.” 

– C.S Lewis (author of Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters)

An Excerpt

Mere Christianity, C.S Lewis 

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first/ perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. 

He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently He starts knowing the house about in a away that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. 

What on earth is He up to?

The explanations is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage; be He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Regardless of whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, it’s crucial to carve out some strategic alone time for yourself.

In a world full of distractions and technology constantly at our fingertips, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos.

That’s why it’s important to make it a habit to find moments in your day where you can just be with your thoughts.

Take 15 minutes to embrace boredom, and you might be surprised by the brilliant ideas your mind has been brewing.

– Austin Alford

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…

A Thought

Frisco TX, Central Park, 2023 of February

As I watched a couple leisurely strolling ahead of me along a walking path, it became apparent that the further we ventured, the more the path resembled a swampy, waterlogged mess.

Even around the bend, it seemed just as treacherous. They decided to turn back, realizing it would be uncomfortable and risky to walk through with their shoes.

However, driven by curiosity and determination, I pressed on. Just a few yards past the bend, the path miraculously cleared up, revealing a truly amazing sight ahead.

At this very moment, you might find yourself frustrated with your writing, feeling like it’s not convenient and yielding little return on the time you’ve invested in your projects. But I implore you to persevere and have faith that just around the bend, it will all be worth it. 

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“Our responsibility is to captivate you for however long we’ve asked for your attention. That said, there is tremendous drama to be gotten from the great, what you would say, heavy issues.”

– Aaron Sorkin (screenwriter of A Few Good Men, The West Wing, Moneyball)

An Excerpt

Moneyball (2011), screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, story by Stan Chervin, book by Michael Lewis

“Billy Beane: It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball. This kind of thing, it’s fun for the fans. It sells tickets and hot dogs. Doesn’t mean anything.

Peter Brand: Billy, we just won twenty games in a row.

Billy Beane: And what’s the point?

Peter Brand: We just got the record.

Billy Beane: Man, I’ve been doing this for… listen, man. I’ve been in this game a long time. I’m not in it for a record, I’ll tell you that. I’m not in it for a ring. That’s when people get hurt. If we don’t win the last game of the Series, they’ll dismiss us.

Peter Brand: Billy…

Billy Beane: I know these guys. I know the way they think, and they will erase us. And everything we’ve done here, none of it’ll matter. Any other team wins the World Series, good for them. They’re drinking champagne, they get a ring. But if we win, on our budget, with this team… we’ll have changed the game. And that’s what I want. I want it to mean something.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

When does your day start?

Well, it’s actually the night before!

Trust me, setting up your day in advance leads to an incredibly productive and successful day ahead.

So here’s my suggestion: every night, jot down at least 3 goals you want to accomplish in your writing for the next day.

Personally, I find Google Keep to be a fantastic tool for managing my various creative projects and planning my next steps. It helps me stay organized and focused.

Now here’s the interesting part: by writing down your goals the night before, your brain starts working on them while you’re sleeping. It’s like a magical subconscious preparation, where your mind pieces things together effortlessly.

And guess what?

When you wake up to the sound of your alarm, you’ll be bursting with enthusiasm to tackle what lies ahead! It’s an amazing feeling, trust me.

So go ahead, give it a shot and let me know how it works for you. I’m confident you’ll see some truly fruitful results.

– Austin Alford 

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…

Happy Independence Day!

A Thought

Putting pen to a blank paper, typing to a blank screen, or brush to a blank canvas, is one of the bravest actions you can take as a creative. 

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“A man is a fool not to put everything he has, at any given moment, into what he is creating.”

– Author Frank Herbert (writer of DUNE)

An Excerpt

Chapter 1, Pages 1-2 of DUNE, from Frank Herbert

In the week before their departure to Arrakis, when all the final scurrying about had reached a nearly unbearable frenzy, an old crone came to visit the mother of the boy, Paul.

    It was a warm night at Castle Caladan, and the ancient pile of stone that had served the Atreides family as home for twenty-six generations bore that cooled-sweat feeling it acquired before a change in the weather.

    The old woman was let in by the side door down the vaulted passage by Paul’s room and she was allowed a moment to peer in at him where he lay in his bed.

    By the half-light of a suspensor lamp, dimmed and hanging near the floor, the awakened boy could see a bulky female shape at his door, standing one step ahead of his mother. The old woman was a witch shadow—hair like matted spiderwebs, hooded ’round darkness of features, eyes like glittering jewels.

    “Is he not small forhis age, Jessica?” the old woman asked. Her voice wheezed and twanged like an untuned baliset.

    Paul’s mother answered in her soft contralto: “The Atreides are known to start late getting their growth, Your Reverence.”

    “So I’ve heard, so I’ve heard,” wheezed the old woman. “Yet he’s already fifteen.”

    “Yes, Your Reverence.”

    “He’s awake and listening to us,” said the old woman. “Sly little rascal.” She chuckled. “But royalty has need of slyness. And if he’s really the Kwisatz Haderach … well….”

    Within the shadows of his bed, Paul held his eyes open to mere slits. Two bird-bright ovals—the eyes of the old woman—seemed to expand and glow as they stared into his.

    “Sleep well, you sly little rascal,” said the old woman. “Tomorrow you’ll need all your faculties to meet my gom jabbar.”

A Discipline/Habit to Implement

Introducing the 5 Minute Rule!

Now, you might be wondering what on earth this is all about. Well, as writers, we often find ourselves fixated on how much time it takes to produce something truly remarkable.

Let’s say you’re getting ready to head off to work in just 15 minutes.

You’ve already completed your morning or afternoon routine to prepare for the day ahead.

Instead of wasting those precious moments scrolling through social media (not that everyone does this, of course), why not give the 5 Minute Rule a try?

Grab your trusty journal, a sheet of paper, or open up a Google Doc or Word Document, and set a timer for just 5 minutes. Immerse yourself in the mind of one of your characters and jot down something they would say or feel.

Alternatively, if you’re a songwriter, take a look at the chorus of your song and brainstorm ideas on how to enrich it with a captivating second verse.

Here’s the thing: you don’t need a massive chunk of time like 30, 60, 90, or even 120 minutes to create something extraordinary. By making the most of those small pockets of time you have, you can achieve incredible results!

So go ahead, give the 5 Minute Rule a shot. You won’t believe what you can accomplish in just a few short minutes!

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

-Austin Alford

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…

A Thought

“No matter how small, if you aren’t writing down your seedling ideas, how will they ever grow?” 

– Austin Alford

A Quote

“Every book you pick up has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones.”

– Author Stephen King

An Excerpt

“Love is a moment of life enchanting, let’s take that moment that tonight is granting.” 

– Songwriter Dean Martin, from Song: There’s No Tomorrow

A Discipline/Habit to Implement 

Drink a glass of water every morning after you wake up.

Your brain is made up of over 70% of water and we need to hydrate first thing in order for optimal performance for the day.

We need our brains pumping in order to be creative! 

When we are not hydrated, the Creators of the Berkey Water Filters say, “your brain operates on less fuel, and you can feel drained or even experience fatigue or mood fluctuations.”

Since 2020, I’ve applied having a tall glass ready for me in the morning to fill up and drink. Before drinking coffee, tea, eating, working out, whatever you typically do, I highly recommend applying this small but powerful discipline/habit into your life to accelerate your writing! 

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

– Austin Alford