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Hi Novelspotters:

Being a writer means rejection typically comes more often than acceptance--not the best situation for a person's psyche. Early in my career, I used motivational techniques to lift my mood and to focus on the positive. I believe these techniques are as important to a writer's success as learning to write an effective query letter.

During the late 1970s, I had extensive training in mediation and Integral yoga techniques, and read all the books showing saintly yogis sitting in contorted positions while achieving oneness. I used some of the same techniques for the mundane purpose of raising my acceptance of writing success. Twice a day, I relaxed on the bed, meditated, and imagined my short stories being picked up by a publisher or I imagined the phone ringing and being offered a technical writing assignment by a major corporation.

There's no way I can prove it was these techniques that made many of my dreams quickly come true. What I am certain of is they infused me with enough strength to tough it out and keep trying. When I was on the brink of giving up all efforts toward writing and instead selling real estate, I'd mediate and tell myself, "Just give it another week." I would come out of the meditation focused and energized.

I realized I couldn't climb in bed and meditate whenever I needed mental encouragement, so I turned to playing tapes. My all-time favorite is an inspirational tape by Lawrence Block, a well-known author. I don't know the title because the audio tape died and has long since been discarded. Luckily, I captured it as a wave file before it's physical demise. When I first heard Lawrence Block's voice saying inspirational things about my abilities, I laughed. The more I played it, the more I believed what he was saying. The more I believed, the better I became.

As soon as I knew my first article would be published, I began a "wall of success." I bought two of those boxy, clear plastic picture frames and hung them, though they were empty, over the desk in my studio apartment. When the first article was published, I pasted it inside and re-hung the frame. The desk wall being opposite my day bed, I stared at the framed article a lot. Soon the second frame was filled with another published article, then another frame and article, then another frame and article.

I was hired as a part-time graphic designer for the marketing department of an insurance company. The frames' contents became more interesting, more colorful. I ran out of wall and hung filled frames above the archway to the living room, then on the wall behind the bed. A neighbor told me the building manager was taking people into my apartment to show them my walls. No, I wasn't mad that he did that. I did make certain I never left the apartment with the bed unmade or dirty dishes in the sink.

Was it magic that helped me persevere and accomplish my goals? Or did the techniques simply pull me out of negativity and into a focused, positive, creative state?

'Till Tomorrow,
Carol