Ease Lessons for Writers
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
Ease Lessons for Writers
Heather J. Patel (Episode 3/3)
About today's conversation:
This is my third conversation with Heather J. Patel, a writer currently editing her debut memoir - an intimate portrayal of the toll family secrets and shame have on early identity. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, son, and sweet rescue dog. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley.
Thank you, Heather, for this conversation.
Follow Heather:
Instagram: hjpatelwrites
Website: HJPatelWrites.com
Heather's homework invitations from Episode 2:
1. You had asked about placing more space between your inner critic and your writing self. Please ask yourself, "How can I love this part of me?" What does it look like to love our harshest critic? How might you do that? How might/would your critic respond to that love?
2. Write a letter, prayer or blessing to your discomfort.
3. Make a list of all the things that writing gives you or provides for you.
4. Make yourself a small-ish (10-15 card) Jason Cheerleading Deck of Writing Inspiration. These might be quotes or kind words from friends or something your father has said to you.
5. Consider how you'd like to show up online as a writer. You get to do this in The Divine Heather Way ~ whatever that looks like for you. Possibilities include a website, a one page landing page, starting a newsletter and creating a first Instagram post on hjpatelwrites.
Our conversation includes references to the following:
- Turning the (In)Visibility Cloak into a Cape
- Exercise in which you remember other areas in which you've been successful, had setbacks and kept going ~ from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Vulnerability Hangover (a term popularized by Brene Brown)
- Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos
- Heather attended a reading by Ashley C. Ford, author of Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir
- Keeping a binder/collection of notes of encouragement from readers (including beloved readers)
- "You learn from the part of the story you focus on.” — Hannah Gadsby, Nanette
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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license
Editor: Damien Pitter
Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon: where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid
