The Daily Writer

The Daily Writer

By Kent SandersBusinessCareers
Download on the App Store

The Daily Writer episodes

  • Health, Fitness, Keto & Creativity (with Jessie Conley)

    This is the first week of 2019, so it’s very likely that you are thinking about changes you want to make in your life. If your goal is get healthier, more fit, or lose weight in 2019, this episode is for you. Today’s guest shares lots of great information and inspiration to help you become the best version of yourself. It’s time to get serious about your health!

    To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/health

    33 min
  • My 2018 Annual Review & 2019 Goals

    For as long as I can remember, I have set aside time at the end of December, or early January, to reflect on the previous year. However, it’s usually been somewhat of a haphazard process with no real direction. Over the last couple of years, I have started to do a more intentional annual review. Here are my thoughts on 2018 and what’s in store for 2019.

    To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/2018-annual-review

    21 min
  • Why You Should Read Classic Literature (with Anne Sheridan)

    When you hear the term “classic literature,” what comes to mind? Most people think of books that were written by a bunch of dead white guys and wonder how they are relevant to us today. Today’s guest will help you understand that the classics are much broader than that narrow definition, and why they are essential to your creative life today.

    I’m excited to bring you my conversation with Anne Sheridan, who is a professor and pianist. She holds degrees in piano, Biblical Studies, and English, and she also taught English and Literature for  several years at St. Louis Christian College, where I teach. Anne recently moved back to Iowa with her husband, Brent, a pastor, and their daughter, Louise. She enjoys British television and chocolate.

    Our conversation covers a wide range of topics, including what makes a classic a “classic,” why Gothic literature is popular, and Anne’s thoughts on The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and The Lord of the Rings. You’ll learn the best way to read Shakespeare, how to make time to read, and why it’s OK to watch mindless TV sometimes. I came away from this conversation feeling smarter and more motivated to dive into some of the classics, and I hope you do, as well.

    To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/literature. 

     

    52 min
  • What if George Bailey Had Dared to Dream Bigger?

    “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a heartwarming story of redemption that keeps our interest with a lot of twists and turns. But what if we add a twist of our own? What if George Bailey had dared to dream bigger dreams and left Bedford Falls?

    To read the full show notes, visit http://kentsanders.net/george. 

    5 min
  • Chasing Dreams in a Minivan (with Zech Newman)

    A dream is like a knife. It’s very powerful when you use it the right way. But if you’re careless with it, you can do a lot of harm to yourself and others. Today’s guest helps us view our dreams in the correct light so we can chase them in a God-honoring way that blesses our families and brings more value into the world.

    I’m excited today to be speaking with Zech Newman. He is a husband, father of three children, entrepreneur, author of Chasing Dreams in a Minivan, and a serial dreamer. Zech teaches others to chase their goals dreams in a healthy way. 

    On this episode, we focus on how to chase your dream in the correct way. Let’s face it—a lot of people who are “successful” end up losing their families. You’ll learn how to develop good habits, how to make your family a priority, and how to use your writing skills to expand your platform. Zech shares a massive amount of practical wisdom in this episode, and you’ll benefit from it no matter what type of creative work you do.

    Episode Highlights

    In this episode, you’ll discover:

    • Why Zech and his family hated his dream, and how that experience led to him writing Chasing Dreams in a Minivan.
    • How to know whether a dream is God-honoring or not.
    • Why so many kids believe their father loves their dreams more than he loves them.
    • What it means to “turtle up” by taking slow steps day after day.
    • Why Zech gets up at 4:30 a.m. to write, and what he is working on during the next two hours.
    • The benefits of running and exercise.
    • How men can start becoming more authentic and transparent.
    • The power of thinking about your goals over the long term.
    • How to expand your reach by writing for sites such as Entrepreneur, and how it can help you get speaking opportunities.
    • Why Zech creates daily 1-3 minute videos on his Facebook page

    Key Takeaways

     1. Getting up early can change your life. 

    I love Zach’s idea of setting an alarm in the evening to signal that it’s time to start getting ready for bed. He has made a list of all the positive things that will happen because he gets up early, as well as the negative things that will happen if he doesn’t. I’m also intrigued by the fact that he spend 90 days developing a flossing habit to help him build an evening routine. I confess that I’m a recovering night owl and need to be more intentional about getting up early.

     2. Don’t compare yourself to others. 

    Zech warned agains playing the comparison game with others. This is difficult for creative people (including me!). We see other people’s gifts, talents, and results, and we wonder why we don’t have the same thing. Instead of looking at others’ success and being jealous, or even actively trying to discredit them, we should learn from them.

    3. My favorite quote from the interview: "Action is a spiritual thing, just like prayer is.” 

    The more action we take, the more doors will open for us. It’s also easier to gain more momentum we we already have a little bit of it. Don’t discredit the value of small actions. What action can you take today to help you achieve your creative dreams? Maybe it’s writing a blog post, creating a video, or sending an email.

    Resources

    • ZechariahNewman.com
    • Chasing Dreams in a Minivan: For Men with Big Goals and the Women Who Put Up with Them by Zech Newman
    • FREE ebook: Finding Your Path: A Faith-Based Approach to Finding Your Way in This World by Zech Newman
    • Connect with Zech on Facebook
    • Connect with Zech on LinkedIn
    • Zech’s articles on Entrepreneur.com
    • Follow Zech on Twitter
    • The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian Moran
    • Addicted2Success.com

    Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google Play

    For more great resources to help unleash your creative powers, visit my site at KentSanders.net.

    Connect with me on social media:

    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

     

    54 min
  • How to Embrace a New Dream ... and Let Go of the Old One
    A number of years ago, the country group Rascal Flatts released a song called “These Days.” It tells the story of a guy in a small town who accidentally runs into an old flame. She has since moved on with her life, but he can’t stop dreaming about her.   In verse 1 he sings,   Yeah, life throws you curves, But you learned to swerve. Me, I swung and I missed and the next thing you know, I’m reminiscing. Dreaming old dreams, Wishing old wishes, Like you would be back again.   He has put his life on hold because he is still pining for her. Since there is no indication that she shares his feelings, he will forever be stuck in a time loop, wishing for a dream that will never become reality.   That can also be true in our creative lives. There are times when we want to embrace a new dream. But it’s impossible to move toward a new dream while we are still clinging to an old one.   How do you know the difference between an old dream and a new one? Here are a few guidelines:  
    1. An old dream represents something that will probably never happen. A new dream represents something that is possible. (That doesn’t mean it’s easy, just possible.)
    2. An old dream is rooted in the past. A new dream pulls you into the future.
    3. An old dream is familiar and comfortable. A new dream is fresh and exciting.
    4. An old dream distracts you from your current goals. A new dream pulls you toward your current goals.
    5. An old dream brings negative energy into your life because it represents a loss. A new dream brings positive energy into your life because it represents abundance.
    6. An old dream is all about something passively happening to you. (“I wish this would happen.”) A new dream is all about you taking action to achieve something. 
    If old dreams are so bad, why do we hang onto them?   We cling to old dreams because they are comfortable. They give us a sense of emotional security. We have fed them, nurtured them, journaled about them, talked about them, worried about them, and given them lots of attention.   When I was a kid, I had an imaginary friend. As I grew older and became more mature, I no longer needed the security the imaginary friend provided. When it comes to old dreams, sometimes we hang onto them well into adulthood. We can’t let go even though they don’t align with reality.   If you want to fully embrace a new dream for your life, you must first let go of the old one. You can only receive what God has for you with an open hand. If your fists are clenched because you’re holding onto an old dream, you can’t receive what God has for you.   Here are three actions you can take to help you let go of an old dream:   1. Let the old dream die.   There is a certain dream I have been holding onto for about twenty years. (It has nothing to do with my job as a college professor.) Over the last couple of years I have come to realize three things:  
    1. The dream is probably never going to happen.
    2. The dream is no longer relevant to my life. I don’t even really want it to happen, but am having trouble letting go.
    3. My emotional attachment to this dream is dragging me down.
      When an old dream is no longer serving our current or future goals, we have to let it go. It’s hard and it’s painful, but it’s necessary for our growth as artists.   2. Stop “driving by” your old dreams.   Brad Paisley has a great song called “Pressing on a Bruise.” It’s all about our tendency to keep poking at an old wound. As he is mourning a lost relationship, he sings,   I could start a new life, I could move on I could do a drive by and see if you’re home   It’s tempting to keep “driving by” the old dream. Have you ever spent hours journaling or talking to others about your old dream? It’s easy to devote hours to wondering why it hasn’t happened or trying to figure out what went wrong.   Have you spent time on Facebook stalking people who are connected to the old dream? Checking up on them? Wondering why it was them, and not you?   Are you having trouble moving on? Maybe it’s because you keep driving by the old dream “just to see” what is going on there.   3. Actively work on the new dream.   Do you want to write a book? Make a transition into a new career? Learn to paint? Start a business? If so, you must do the work to make your dream happen.   Dreams are like plants. They must be fed and nurtured. The way we feed and nurture them is by doing the consistent work that will bring success.   It can be difficult to find the time and emotional energy to work on our dreams. Here are a few resources to help you:
    • How to Make Time for Your Art: Track Your Time
    • Free book: 21 Time Hacks for Writers
    • 4 Unusual Ways to Get More Writing Done
    4. Surround yourself with people who will pull you toward the new dream.    What would happen if you love coffee but you are surrounded by people who can’t stand it? You will soon feel bad about loving coffee. On the other hand, if you hang around coffee people, you will fuel your passion and grow your expertise.   Whatever your dream is, you must find your “peeps” who are passionate about the same thing and have a similar perspective. The synergy of ideas and community will help you go faster and further than you could on your own.   Every Monday morning I meet with my mastermind group. These three guys are a key part of my support network as I work on my writing and life goals. I also have a couple of great writer friends whom I talk with on a regular basis.   A few months ago I joined the 48 Days Eagles Community. It has been a great source of inspiration and encouragement as well.   I’ve heard it said that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Who are these five people in your life, and are they taking you in the direction you want to go? When I was a kid, my grandfather would sometimes recruit me to help prune his apple trees. I learned at a young age that you have to remove some unnecessary limbs so the whole tree can be healthy.   It’s hard to let go of a dream we have nurtured for many years. But it’s a key part of the process of stepping into a new dream and becoming fully awake to the great things God wants to bring to life through your creative powers.   Have you ever had to let go of an old dream so you could fully pursue a new one?   Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google Play   For more great resources to help unleash your creative powers, visit my site at KentSanders.net.   Connect with me on social media:   LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram
    12 min
  • Should You Start a Podcast? (with Steve Stewart)

    I started listening to podcasts around 2006, when podcasting was still in its infancy. Now, well over ten years later, podcasting has exploded in popularity, with literally tens of thousands of podcasts to choose from. Maybe you have considered adding your voice to the mix and starting your own show. If so, this episode is for you!

    I’m thrilled today to bring you this conversation with my good friend Steve Stewart. He started a podcast in 2010 to help market his financial wellness coaching business. In 2016, he had to give the business up, and his podcast, when others began asking for help with the editing and production of their shows. He currently produces 25 shows, mostly for podcasters in the personal finance and investing space.

    On this episode, you’ll learn what makes podcasting different from other mediums, and how to answer the question, “Should I start a podcast?” Steve also shares how to avoid common podcasting mistakes, how to measure success as a podcaster, and why knowing your purpose is so critical to your podcasting success. Steve also goes into detail about a vital but often-neglected topic, which is how to write and format your episode titles correctly.

    Show Highlights

    In this episode, you’ll discover:

    • Steve’s journey with podcasting, and how he became a podcast producer.
    • What makes the podcasting platform unique as a communication medium.
    • The importance of keeping the listener engaged through storytelling and narrative.
    • How Steve releases his creativity through audio editing and serves clients.
    • Why podcast listeners, blog readers, and video watchers are three different audiences. 
    • Some of the common mistakes beginning podcasters make.
    • How to measure success as a podcaster and build an audience.
    • Why you can start a podcast without having it all figured out, but you cannot start a show without knowing your purpose.
    • How churches can use podcasts to support their mission.
    • How to title your podcast episodes.

    Key Takeaways

    1. Knowing your purpose and goals for the podcast is critical. 

    It’s not enough just to want to start a show. If you don’t have an over-arching purpose or message to share, you will quickly burn out because podcasting is time-consuming and often exhausting. Know up front why you want to do a show and what you want to get out of it.

    2. Decide in advance how you will measure your podcasting success. 

    This is critical because unless you are a celebrity, you will probably not have a lot of downloads immediately. Steve was absolutely right when he said that you measure success by audience engagement. You must play the long game with podcasting and work to grow your audience through providing consistently great content and building relationships.

    3. You must make the commitment to stick with it. 

    The “Born to Create” podcast is actually my third podcast. What you’re hearing now is the second iteration of the show. It’s easy to give up when the excitement of creating a new podcast has worn off, and all you have in front of you is the actual work. But if you stick with it, you will outlast many other people and build an audience over time.

    Resources

    • SteveStewart.me
    • The Stacking Benjamins Show
    • Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History Podcast
    • Connect with Steve on LinkedIn
    • Follow Steve on Twitter
    • Financial Grownup Podcast with Bobbi Rebell
    • ATR2100-USB Microphone
    • Harvester Christian Church (the church Steve and I both attend)

    Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google Play

    For more great resources to help unleash your creative powers, visit my site at KentSanders.net.

    55 min
  • Are You Pushing These 3 Boundaries as a Writer?
    In 2008, I almost got a Warner Bros. employee fired.   One day, a friend of mine from church called. He said a friend of his, John, had a daughter, Becky, who worked for Warner Bros. (John and Becky are not their real names.) Becky organized movie screenings for theater reps and asked her father if he knew anyone who might like to see Speed Racer before it was released in theaters.   John invited my friend, who in turn invited me. On the day of the screening, we met Becky at a local theater that was part of a regional chain. We were escorted through a back door and led through a long hallway showcasing all kinds of Hollywood memorabilia. I was in movie heaven!   Becky took us to a screening room that seated around fifty people. Aside from my friend and me, there were only a couple of other people in the room. They had notepads, so I assumed they were movie critics. Becky made sure we didn’t have any recording devices, and away she went. We didn’t see her again.   When the movie was over, it dawned on me that movie websites sometimes posted anonymous reviews from fans who had seen movies early. This was my first chance to “scoop” something, so I wrote up a detailed report of my movie screening experience and sent it to a popular movie news website, where it was quickly posted.   The next day, I received a frantic call from my friend at church. “Hey, I just wanted you to know that John is furious with you. Some people at Warner Bros. saw your movie review and Becky is in big trouble. She might get fired.”   I was totally confused and didn’t understand what the problem was. Then my friend explained that we were not supposed to talk or write about the movie because movie studios want to control when reviews are made public. (Big tentpole movies often have reviews embargoed until a week or two before the movie’s release.) When I wrote my review, I went into great detail about the theater we visited, so it was easy for the studio to track down the employee who had arranged the screening.   I felt horrible for the trouble I caused and shot off a frantic email to the people at the movie website, asking for my review to be taken down. They complied with my request and as far as I know, Becky was able to keep her job. (Needless to say, I was never invited back for another movie screening.)   I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had crossed a boundary as a writer. I had good intentions, but my ignorance about the movie review system almost cost someone their job.   3 Boundaries to Push   Things like this make us want to play it safe as writers and stay well within the boundaries. But the trick is knowing which boundaries to push.   Some boundaries are made to stay in place. They exist for our protection. When we push against boundaries such as ethics or honesty, we suffer the consequences and end up hurting people.   Other boundaries are made to be expanded. We should push against them if we want to grow in our creativity, influence, and impact. These are three boundaries we should push as writers:   1. The boundary of quantity   As a college professor, I assign a lot of writing in my courses. Whether it’s reflection papers, research papers, or other written projects, students almost perceive the amount of writing as “a lot.”   We all have a certain perception of what constitutes “a lot” of writing. In my experience, writing doesn’t actually take that long once you have an outline. You can easily write a draft of 1,000 words in an hour if you focus and concentrate.   Whatever you are currently producing, I bet you can do more. If you are currently not writing anything, shoot for 500 words a week. If you are writing 500 words a week, shoot for 1,000 words a week. Then consider having a daily word count of 500 or even 1,000 words.   I currently write about 500 words a day and am working towards 1,000 words a day. The actual amount is not important—it’s all about consistency that will produce results over time.   2. The boundary of transparency   In our Internet age, we see all kinds of people who share too much about their personal lives. But we can go to the other extreme of never sharing anything that others might mistake for a weakness or vulnerability.   There is a balance here. On the one hand, we want to be perceived as an authority on our topic. On the other hand, people want to relate to a real human being, not a robot who just cranks out content. The more open and honest I am, the more people relate to me as a person. When I share personal things from my life, I try to make sure it is in the service of helping someone else.   For example, I have written about my highly personal struggle with depression here and here. But it was for the greater purpose of trying to help others, not just airing the junk from my personal life. I challenge you to be more vulnerable and transparent in your own writing as you try to help others.   3. The boundary of community   You will be the same person five years from now except for the books you read and the people you meet. If you want to increase your creativity and influence, you must include more people in your community who can help you grow.   This can take many forms. My Monday morning mastermind is a key part of my growth. I also chat regularly with several writer friends who challenge me to be better. Other places and events such as local meetups, networking events, conferences, and even church can be great places to meet people who can contribute to your success.   I recently auditioned (and was accepted) as a drummer for our church worship team. I wasn’t doing it just to play drums. I was doing it so that I can spend more time with the creative leaders in our worship ministry. Drums were just my way in.   I challenge you to consider ways to push these three boundaries in your life: quantity of output, transparency, and community. Growth is hard. Something it hurts to stretch! But the result is totally worth it.   How are you currently pushing and expanding your boundaries?   Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google Play   For more great resources to help unleash your creative powers, visit my site at KentSanders.net.   Connect with me on social media:   LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram
    10 min
  • Learning to Ask Better Questions (with Dan Drake)

    It seems like we spend the first part of our lives learning to give all the correct answers. But what if the creative journey was less about giving the right answers and more about asking better questions? Today’s guest helps us navigate this tension between questions and answers, and also encourages us to explore our curiosity.

    Dan Drake is the co-host of the Better Questions Podcast, a show that aims to help people of faith find better questions that are more helpful to our faith and that bring unity to the church. 

    Dan is also a worship pastor and the Media Minister at Cornerstone Christian Church in Shiloh, Illinois. In addition, Dan is a gifted musician and songwriter, a filmmaker, a blogger, and most importantly, a husband and father. He’s a busy guy!

    Dan’s thoughts on art, faith, and life will challenge your thinking, help you find the divine in the mundane, and to ask better questions that lead to a more fulfilling life.

    Show Highlights

    In this episode, you’ll discover:

    • How Dan’s creative experiences led him to begin a podcast focused on questions.
    • Dan’s two “journeys,” both driven by questions: How do I use my creative gifts for God, and how do I use them to have fun? 
    • Why Dan doesn’t check his brain at the door.
    • How to find the divine in the mundane.
    • How turning thiry led Dan to think about his mortality more and the desire to “contribute a verse."
    • The story behind the color and design of the Better Questions Podcast logo.
    • What Dan and his co-hosts are trying to accomplish with the Better Questions podcast.
    • The value of asking questions that lead us to act on godly impulses rather than asking questions to prove what we already believe.
    • How parables convey deep truths in the context of stories.
    • Practical ways to begin asking better questions.
    • Why Dan studies film.

    Key Takeaways

    1. Curiosity is an indispensable part of your creative life. Dan talked about his need to follow his curiosity, and how it has led him to explore many different creative pursuits, including film, music, storytelling, podcasting, and other areas. If we want to create new things we must constantly explore our curiosity. What have you been reading, watching, listening to, or exploring lately?

    2. Movies are the language of modern culture. That may sound like an extreme statement, but I believe it’s true. You can go almost anywhere in the world and people will be familiar with Star Wars, the Avengers, Lord of the Rings, and many other movie worlds and franchises. Why? Because stories draw us in, and movies combine many art forms into one compelling format.

    I strongly encourage everyone to take a deeper dive and learn more about various aspects of storytelling, screenwriting, cinematography, film scoring, and any other areas of interest related to movies. You will not only be equipped with a greater knowledge of how to interpret movies, but also with the capacity to enjoy them more.

    And if you REALLY want to get serious about studying film, I recommend that you take a deep dive into the great film of all time: Citizen Kane.

    3. “The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.” Dan referenced this quote from Dead Poets Society, a fantastic film that has inspired artists of all kinds. But what does it mean? It means that you are not meant to compromise or settle—you are meant to do everything you can to be your authentic self and give the world the gift only you can give. Don’t let your time on earth end without contributing a verse to the eternal epic of human history.

    Resources

    • DanDrake333.com
    • Dan’s album “Home” on iTunes
    • Dan’s album “Home” on iTunes and Spotify
    • BetterQuestionsPodcast.com
    • Connect with Dan on Facebook
    • Follow Dan on Twitter
    • Follow Dan on Instagram
    • Damien Chazelle (Director of Whiplash, La La Land, and First Man)
    • Citizen Kane
    • Dead Poets Society

    Podcast Partners:

    • Chris Morris
    • Heidi Bender
    • Faye Ruch

    Looking for Christmas gift ideas? My book The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey is the perfect gift for the artist or creative person in your life (or even yourself! 

    Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google Play

    For more great resources to help unleash your creative powers, visit my site at KentSanders.net.

    Connect with me on social media:

    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    49 min
  • 3 Ways to Unleash Your Creativity

    I don’t know about you, but I often overthink the creative process. Sometimes we need a guide who can help us simplify things so we can get some traction and make forward progress. 

    In this post, Michael S. Rogers shares the lessons on creativity he learned while writing the novel Passing Lincoln. The book features a unique story about a 5-dollar bill that travels through the hands of various citizens in Beulah, Indiana.

    When I wrote Passing Lincoln, I wasn’t creating a different way to write a book. The format of the book was less a momentous epiphany and more a struggle to make something of my befuddled mind. I’d like to share what I learned along the way about the creative process.

    Between careers and between projects, a character spoke to me so clearly I knew her name, where she was, what she looked like, and how she acted. I know better than to fight that. I wrote her story.

    Here’s the problem: by the time I finished the scene, I had developed it into an epic tale of redemption and faith.

    I do it every time. I am inspired to write a short story, then turn it into an idea for a novel. It drives me crazy because I don’t write as well when I stretch the length of a story.

    It’s not for lack of trying. I’ve devoured books on plot and character. I’ve explored script-writing to incorporate things like the turning point in the first fifteen minutes of a movie. I’m practically a walking encyclopedia on The Process of All the Great Writers. 

    So I attacked my new novel idea with all my knowledge and dumped it into the same washing machine with my newly written scene, punched in the settings I’ve been taught will work, and let the machine do its thing.

    It never, ever works for me. Somehow, the machine always gets unbalanced and stops. I’ll back up and go through the rinse again with the manic hope it will go through the whole cycle.

    The machine stops every time. I just can’t make it work, and the first chapter of Passing Lincoln was no exception. Dejectedly, I threw that neat little scene of Dolores putting a five-dollar bill in the offering plate in my growing file of unused stories.  What else could I do? I’m a short story writer with epic ideas!

    Unless ...

    What if I took advantage of how my mind worked and wrote each chapter as a short story? 

    Imagining the possibilities, I asked myself how could work if it was the length of a novel. How could I give myself permission to use different points of view and tenses—really test my writing skills—and yet keep a story together?

    What if the main character was the five-dollar bill?

    Passing Lincoln was born. I wrote in first, second, and third person. I wrote in the present and past tense. I used different formats—prayer journal, online chat, text message, diary entry, email exchange.

    In other words, I used the strength of my short story writing to create a novel about redemption and faith. Along the way, I learned some valuable lessons about creativity that I can’t keep to myself.

    1. Learn all you can. Finding your own voice is less like discovering your inner self and more like your inner self unfolding in the presence of those who know better than you. Never, never, never stop learning. All that knowledge will make you a better creator.

    2. Play to your strengths. When you find out you can’t use the same structure as the latest successful artist, that’s a good thing. Now you know how it doesn’t work, which is just as informative as finding what does work. Your job isn’t to succeed doing it like Ernest Hemingway or Ansel Adams or the Beatles. Your job is to find ways to unleash the creativity built into you.

    3. Do it your way. Once you’ve learned all you can and failed all you can, find a way that brings out your best creative self and do that. Who knows? If you succeed, someone may ask you to befuddle the minds of those who come after you!

    Passing Lincoln has a legacy for me now. I learned how to write well, found my strengths, and created a new way that works for me. I hope your next project does the same for you.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts! What is a lesson that you have recently learned about creativity in your own life? Share in the comments!

    Michael S. Rogers is a Jesus follower, husband, father, preacher, author, and founder of Alive to Grace. His family is his first ministry, but he also currently pastors Faith Church of Christ in Burlington, Indiana. You can find him at his website, Amazon author page, and on Facebook.

    Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google Play

    For more great resources to help unleash your creative powers, visit my site at KentSanders.net.

    Connect with me on social media:

    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

     

    6 min

About The Daily Writer

From the publisher's feed

The Daily Writer is a podcast for writers who want to live a more intentional and creative life.


Hosted by author and ghostwriter Kent Sanders, each episode offers practical…

More shows like The Daily Writer

The Writing at the Red House Podcast by Kathi Lipp

The Writing at the Red House Podcast

69 Listeners