ericsheridanwyatt

This isn’t a normal episode. I experienced a very difficult few days in which I faced an existential crisis. I thought I would share that with you, with the hopes that my own creative struggles will encourage you when you find yourself in need of some hope. Link to the episode, Too Many Pieces, Too Little Time. https://youtu.be/ecEp2FPh7Ow Link to the episode, Am I Writing Too Loudly? https://youtu.be/5NXCygL6_FI ***** If you’d like to leave a tip, to show your support, you can do that here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

I don't ACTUALLY want to write a million words... When I set out to write one million words in one year, it sounded like a lofty goal to some of the people I mentioned it to. But here's a secret. My goal is not to write a million words. The Million Words Project isn't a goal, really. It's a tool I'm using to reach my goals. Stick around, and I'll explain what I mean. *** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words

I was ready to attack my revised plan for completing the Million Words challenge. And then, BOOM, everything changed. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

This week, I explain my recent absence from posting update videos for my year-long Million Words Project by giving you a peek behind the curtain…so to speak. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

After two years of personal and social upheaval, I was stuck in a creative lull in which I was sure I had been a real creative slacker. I was convinced I hadn't written nearly enough. On my worst days, I told my self I hadn't written at all. But how I FEEL about my creative life isn't always an accurate reflection of reality. The Million Words Project, week three update, plus overcoming a depressive creative spiral through giving myself the challenge to write one million new words in the next twelve months. A video to inspire, encourage, and inform writers, would-be writers, and other creatives, or anyone who has a BIG THING project they've been putting off for far too long.

This is the first update on my personal challenge to write one million words, in the next twelve months. Each episode of the Million Words Project will feature an update on my progress, along with topics of interest to writers, would-be writers, and other creatives. The Million Words Project has something for anyone who has a major project or life-long goal that sometimes seems too big to master. Find all of my links here: https://www.linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Rlv1N0 Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome!

Episode Notes The creative life can be mysterious. There are weeks when nothing goes right. Distractions are unavoidable. Unexpected detours throw me off course. Nothing quite works out the way it was planned, and EVEN WORSE, sometimes things just fall apart. And then there are weeks when things seem to come together in ways that were unanticipated, but in a good way. Things are humming along at a steady pace, and I get to the end of the week and think, "Wow. That was pretty good!" Good weeks. Bad weeks. The ups and downs are to be expected. After twenty years of maintaining a creative life to one degree or another, I'm kind of accustomed to it. But there is another kind of week that happens from time to time, and I still have difficulty dealing with it. Those are the weeks where from the outside, everything looks great. But inside, despite everything going right, I find myself facing a crisis of faith in my creative vision. I'll talk about that, and give you an update on my progress in this week's episode of The Million Words Project. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Check out: Getting Things Done: https://amzn.to/3g9GuT2 The Artist's Way: https://amzn.to/3hQSd9w Million Words Project Episode Page: (https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/about-1) ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

After the last few years, I found myself in a creative funk. Am I still even a writer? The one thing I've ALWAYS been? To snap out of my doldrums, I have given myself a challenge. And I'm inviting you along for the journey. This is the trailer for The Million Words Project. If you are a writer or other creative, or you just have a big project you've put on the back burner for too long, The Million Words Project series might just encourage you to tackle that BIG THING you've always wanted to do. Weekly updates start in September of 2022. Join me, won't you? My Website is www.WordsMatterESW.com, or you can find contact information at https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt

Since I'm in the middle of a year-long challenge that is focused on actually WRITING new words, I've had to wrestle with the idea that a lot of WRITING successfully doesn't necessarily involve actually WRITING. This week I look at that topic and give you an update on my Million Words Project challenge. Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words

In this week’s update, I talk about my own daily journaling practice, which is a modified version of Julia Cameron’s classic work, The Artist’s Way. (https://amzn.to/3NVQ5sN) And, I update you on my progress in my quest to write one million new words in twelve months. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

My goal is to write every morning, six times a week, in a journal like this one. Over the years, I've filled dozens of these books with the thoughts of a creative writer, and human being. Reviewing these journal volumes is a great way to look back at what was going on in life, recall lost ideas, and come to terms with things that once seemed incomprehensible. And, there were a couple times, when this... saved my life. I want to talk to you again this week about journaling, and give you an update on my progress toward writing one million words. ***** The title of today’s episode is a reference to a short story of the same name by Flannery O’Connor, in her short fiction collection: A Good Man is Hard to Find. Here is a link to Flannery O’Connor’s author page at Amazon*: https://amzn.to/3U5MieI ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

A few weeks ago, I talked a little bit about how I attempt to be intentional with my creative life. In that video, I spoke about my weekly planning date with myself, and my belief that by imposing some restrictions and guidelines on myself, I'm actually freeing myself up for creative tasks. Imposing limits seems like the opposite of the freedom found in creativity, but I firmly believe that it isn't good for my creative rhythm and artistic flow to just leave my creative life up to chance. The problem is, when I spoke about scheduling and planning, I only covered four of the key components of my method. I left out the very important Fifth Element. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

I have a secret. It's not really a secret. It's more like magic. Or a super power. There's this thing I do, and the more I do it with intention, the more it changes the course of my creative life. In fact, of all of the things I've learned about creativity, and art, and life in general, it's the ONE most important thing, and the ONE thing that most consistently influences my writing, my personal life, and my experience of living. I'll let you in on my secret weapon, and give you an update on my quest to write one million words in this week's episode of the Million Words Project Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words

Flannery O’Connor, the great southern gothic writer, once said, “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” This is true for me on multiple levels. I call it Writing Out Loud. I’ll share some thoughts about that, and give you an update on Week Seven of my challenge to write one million words. Won’t you join me on this week’s installment of…The Million Words Project. Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words

Plan is if you'll live forever. Act as if you'll die tomorrow. ***** If you like this content, consider using the “Buy Me a Coffee” account to leave a “tip” and support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

There is no perfect week. Inevitably, things go sideways. I have to get something done, anyway. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

This week, I explain my recent absence from posting update videos for my year-long Million Words Project by giving you a peek behind the curtain…so to speak. ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

There's a famous scene from the television sit-com, Friends, in which Chandler and Rachel are trying to help Ross save some money by moving a couch up the stairwell of his apartment building. Pivot! PIVOT! In my creative, business, and personal life, I've learned how important it is to pivot when I hit a wall, structuring my work environment to allow me the flexibility to change course when necessary, and how crucial it is to offer myself some grace and kindness when I don't measure up to my own expectations. I'll talk about all of this, AND give you an update on my progress in this week's episode of...The Million Words Project! Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words

As week thirteen slipped away and week fourteen started, I had a lot of things on my plate. And, I decided to really shake things up. I made the decision to blow up my workspace. ***** Here's a link to the book mentioned, Getting Things Done: https://amzn.to/3EKtKeT My update for week seven included the topic of Writing Out Loud. Check it out at my website: https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/do-i-write-too-loud ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

It could have been better. It could have been worse. This is starting to sound familiar...

Halfway through the fifty weeks of the Million Words Project, AND I had just finished a draft of a new book, AND it was my birthday! Let's celebrate! ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

Here's a quick quiz for you. Which of the following qualifies as writing: A) Researching which way of poisoning someone is the least likely to be found in an autopsy? B) Arranging the pile of quotes you've jotted on notecards into an order that will make the most sense in your research paper? C) Searching through a stock photo website to find someone who looks like the main hunk in the romance novel you've been dreaming of writing? or, D) Filling all twenty-seven of your fountain pens, rearranging your workspace, and ordering two new notebooks that will be here with tomorrow's Amazon sweep through your neighborhood? If you answered "None of the Above" You Win! The truth is, none of those activities are actually WRITING. And, since I'm in the middle of a year-long challenge that is focused on actually WRITING new words, I've had to wrestle with the idea that a lot of WRITING successfully doesn't necessarily involve actually WRITING. Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words

Sunday morning coffee date... ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

An experiment within the experiment! I decided to put FICTION first, and here's what happened! ***** I’ve recently added a “Buy Me a Cup of Coffee” account to my links. This allows you to leave a “tip” if you’d like to support my writing and other creative endeavors. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ericswyatt ***** Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon* Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words *Amazon links provided may be affiliate links that earn me commission, while adding no additional cost to you.

If you're anything like me, you have many more projects and ideas that you have time to devote to those projects and ideas. Whether it's creative goals, business goals, or anything big and meaningful in your life, prioritizing, evaluating, and taking action can get a bit overwhelming. If you're having trouble prioritizing, finding focus, or otherwise lacking motivation, this update may be for you! Find all of my links here: https://linktr.ee/ericswyatt My main website: www.WordsMatterESW.com My Amazon Author Page gives you quick access to my books: https://amzn.to/3Ux5X83 Interaction is important to independent artists! If you like a video, song, book, podcast, or other creation of an independent artist, please consider helping them (and me!) out by "liking," commenting, subscribing, and sharing. Feedback is important. Yours is welcome! Link to episode one, in case you're new to the Million Words Project. https://www.wordsmatteresw.com/post/i-challenge-myself-to-write-one-million-words