Unlock the Magical Creator Within – A Workshop for Fiction Writers with Joseph Sale
Unlock The Magical Creator Within is a workshop designed to help unleash your full creative potential using a mixture of psychological, spiritual, and most importantly practical techniques.
In this session you will explore the history of the “Muse”, the divine source of inspiration, and the first principles of establishing contact with the Muse; going back to early childhood experiences of beauty and how we can harness this in the now; practical exercises from yogic mudras (hand positions) to breathing techniques that centre the mind and open the channels of creative thought; and much much more.
Unlock The Magical Creator Within is your ticket to writing your best-ever story, one that is not only entertaining but also healing.
Your instructor: Joseph Sale
Joseph Sale is an editor and writing coach who’s published more than 30 books, including the acclaimed novel Dark Hilarity, the epic poem Virtue’s End, as well as ghost-written best-selling autobiographies and non-fiction books. As an editor, his clients have been nominated for the Bram Stoker and Splatterpunk Awards, been finalists in the National Indie Excellence and Eric Hoffer Awards, and even submitted to the Pulitzers.
Now, Joseph Sale is on a quest to manifest the beautiful and divine in the world, and wants to show other creators, editors, and writers how to do just that. This workshop is based on his new release, THE DIVINE: Unlocking the magical creator within.
Workshop Includes:
Free Paperback or eBook copy of The Divine: Unlocking the Magical Creator Within(Paperback options depend on Amazon shipping options to participant’s location. Shipping is free.)
A seat at the live Zoom Class on Monday, October 3rd, 2022
Unlimited access to replay and workshop follow-up notes
Access to instructor for private questions
Workshop Outline:
0. First Principle of the Muse
An overview of what the Muse is and why we need the Muse.
1. Early Experiences of Beauty
Why is Beauty important how does it influence us?
2. Invoking The Muse
Practical exercises to draw down the dew of inspiration.
3. The Cave of Ideas & Wonder
Journey into the hidden depths of your subconscious and find your cave of ideas and wonder.
4. The Shadow Self
Learn how to harness your Shadow Self to produce greater art.
5. Becoming Magical
Changing your creative practice will change you.
Details
Zoom link will be sent via email on day of event
Access to replays will be sent after the event
Books will be sent out upon registration. An email will be sent within 24 hours to confirm shipping details. (Shipping is free)
If paperback book cannot be delivered to participant within one week of the class, the eBook format will be sent.
One of the most difficult parts of writing is figuring out when and where to squeeze it into our busy lives. But writing spaces are crucial, and there is a reason for this. As animals, we like to fall into the groove of routine. It makes things easier on our brains. A habit drops us into mode and eliminates the need to waste energy on making decisions.
A writing space may be a particular corner of the house, a Starbucks, or a closet. Wherever it may be, if you write there frequently, you will notice that once you get there, you are more likely to be ready to write (or ready as you’ll ever be when it comes to writing).
At this time last year, I was on my seventh month of being stuck in Florida due to COVID airport closures. I didn’t know when or if I would ever get home. This sense of waiting spilled over into my writing. Psychologically, everything was on pause. I was blocked creatively until life flowed freely again.
During that time, I began Zoom Write-Ins at the Writers’ Mastermind. Zoom Write-Ins are live meetings where writers from all over the world get together online for an hour of undistracted writing time. Afterward, we all stay for a quick chat and to trade resources and advice.
This write-in ritual gave me the routine my brain needed. When working alongside fellow writers in this virtual space, I felt motivated and inspired. These meetings have become my new “writing place.”
I know many writers struggle to carve out time to write, and the new normal is still restrictive. We wonder when or if life will get back to the way it used to be.
Claiming a writing space is an effective way to get our heads in the game, no matter how crazy the world is.
We may have to squeeze it in on the train, or in the middle of the night, or on lunch break or in a noisy household. We have to be adaptable and write wherever we can and make the most of what we got.
If we wait until conditions are perfect, we may wait forever.
It’s up to us to actively design a safe place for the muses to land and for creativity to flourish.
10 Tips to Create Your Writing Space
How can you make the most of your current situation?
What can you do to remove distractions and feel safe from interruptions?
How can you change the atmosphere or shape your environment to cue you creatively? Plants, paint colors, incense or essential oils
How can you ritualize your routine and transform whatever spot you’re in into your writing place?
Can you team up with other writers to hold yourself accountable?
Change the lighting–close the shades, brighten the lights, light a candle
Attach writing to another habit—start with the first cup of tea, after a workout, before bedtime
Cover your walls with inspiration—your favorite quotes, pictures of your writing heroes, artwork that stirs you
Cue your brain with sound—classical music, a writing playlist, or white/brown/pink noise
Wear a writing “uniform”—a favorite robe, a special pair of reading glasses, a lucky T-shirt
Where is the most unusual place you’ve written?
What is the best time and place for you to write?
What tip do you have for creating a writing space?
Every other Monday, we introduce you to a writer from the Writers’ Mastermind. Today we are excited to present Sara Cristia H.J.. She is a storyteller and freelance writer who was born in Venezuela and lives in Lebanon.
Sara writes historical and contemporary dramas with touches of surrealism, the paranormal, and fantasy. She also creates blog content for websites and is now in the editing process of her first fiction novel.
You have seen her reading an excerpt of her story, The Witch’s Amulet, in the Writers Mastermind Mash Up. Learn more about her rich Caribbean/Mediterranean life and her dreams for the future.
Tell us a bit of yourself. Where are you from? Where are you now? What has your life been like?
My background is a mix of Caribbean and Mediterranean. I was born in Venezuela to Lebanese parents who raised my siblings and me there for the first ten years of my life. Then, my father thought it would be best for us to grow among our relatives and culture. So we moved to Lebanon, where my interest in historical, religious, and esoteric topics caught my genuine interest.
Afterward, we were constantly moving or traveling from Lebanon to Venezuela and vice versa. This caused me some gaps in the three languages I know. Though I manage them fluently, except for Arabic, which I know at a medium level, I still needed to improve my writing skills. I realized that the only way to do so was by reading.
Today, I live in Lebanon with my husband, three lovely and smart daughters, and my spoiled mini-toy poodle, Lassie. Life has been a bit of a challenge in every aspect, and I still don’t feel like settling here for a long time. Yet, what helps me to carry on with the tedious routine is my constant learning. I’m so grateful for the online education to find something new to upgrade my skills.
My life has been a mixture of adventure, freedom, adaptations, drawbacks, up-scaling, self-growth, and excitement with a bit of the Caribbean warmth and the traditional Mediterranean freshness. I consider life a journey that we have to travel as positively and thrilled as possible, taking the challenges and lessons for our benefit and enjoying every detail of it.
What kind of stories do you write?
I write historical and contemporary romantic dramas. I’m editing my first novel, which is a stand-alone but also the first in a series. The story revolves around two lovers who find each other in the late Austro-Hungarian Empire, but a fatal incident and mysterious events separate them. They’ll meet, however, in another lifetime where sharper challenges will dare them to stay together. I’ll treat diverse topics in this series, such as emotional abuse, anxiety, reincarnation, Latin American corruption, etc.
I also write short stories with bits of surrealism, paranormal, and real-life events.
More recently, I decided to give my creative writing a break while exploring the objective world of freelance writing. I must say I am most satisfied since I consider myself a logic-thinker, and I love researching and writing about various topics that defy my intellect and skills.
What sets you apart from other writers in your space?
Each writer has their unique spark. I think what sets me apart from other fellow writers is that I like to treat subtly real-life facts and conditions through fantasy and fiction.
My perseverance in upgrading my writing skills, despite all the educational challenges I had when I was younger, and consistency are also keys to my writing. I don’t like the words “give up,” so I try to do my best to find my way and show others that if I can do it, they certainly can, too.
Writing fiction not only liberates our creativity but also provides us with endless ways to see and treat life’s events. We can entertain, enlighten, and guide people through our stories and make them reflect on the different facets of life.
Sara Cristia H.J.
What drives your writing? What do you mean to accomplish with your stories?
We can achieve so much through the written word. You can say the world’s most significant truths through the beautiful lies of fiction and state life’s facts through well-crafted and researched articles. You can influence a generation with your opinion and stories, soothe the depressed, and guide the one who seeks the light. This and more is what I want to accomplish with my writings.
Who are your favorite writers and books? What are your other creative influences?
I have a bunch of favorite writers and books that have influenced my writing. Among those I most enjoyed reading and learning from are: The Lord of the Rings books; Pachinko, by Lee Min Jin; almost every Jane Austen’s book and Lara Temple’s too; The Thorn Birds; Three Daughters of Eve, by Elif Shafak; and books of Paulo Coelho and Gibran Khalil Gibran.
Some of my favorite non-fiction books are: You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay; the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series, by Robert Kiyosaki; The Giant Within, by Tony Robins; Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. I also love Dan Brown’s style.
There are certainly more, especially among indie books, such as Through Her Eyes, by Sophie Fahy; Murder at MacBeth, by Samantha Goodwin; The Seven Lives of Grace, by Elena Shelest; That Truthful Place, by Patty Lesser; The Last Nautch Girl, by C. Phillip; Lilia, by Linda Ganzini; Seeker of Time series by, J. M. Buckler; and Behold the Dawn, by K. M. Weiland. Now, I look forward to exploring more indie jewels, like those of Joe Sale, Christa Wojciechowski, Clennell Anthony, and Bia Bella Baker.
Do you write in silence? Background noise? Or music? What kind?
It depends on the scene’s mood. If it’s an action or mental health issue, you will find me writing with some metallic or gothic rock in the background, such as Poets of the Fall, Nightwish, Disturbed, or Within Temptation. If I’m writing a rough-love scene, I’ll listen to Lady Gaga, Allan Walker, or Demi Lovato. Otherwise, I’ll be listening to softer and more classic melodies, like Beethoven, Chopin, BrunuhVille, Sade, Jazz music with rain, or coffee shop background sounds (my favorite when I want to chill out), etc.
As you see, my music list is as eclectic as my readings.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing?
I think I don’t have that much free time. When I’m not writing or researching, I’m with my girls, helping them with their studies or watching a movie together. I have to attend to my house chores and my online learning. But I would much prefer to have a fixed time to go for a walk or hiking. I also love gardening and reading, of course.
Who is your current celebrity crush?
Celebrity crush? Not now, lol! But when I was younger, I liked Johnathan Brandis, the first time when I watched The NeverEnding Story and then SeaQuest DSV.
I also loved Gerard Butler’s role in The Phantom of the Opera.
Why do you think it’s important to write fiction?
Writing fiction not only liberates our creativity but also provides us with endless ways to see and treat life’s events. We can entertain, enlighten, and guide people through our stories and make them reflect on the different facets of life. Storytelling is such a powerful tool to plant the seed for a better future.
Who would be the best writer, alive or dead, to tell the story of your life?
I have never thought of this, but I think I’d like Paulo Coelho to write the story of my life for his magical and surrealistic style and his vast exploration of the Mediterranean and South American lifestyles.
What are you working on right now?
My creative/fiction writing is somehow slow-paced now because I’m more dedicated to my freelance writing and internship at the Digital Nomad Writing Club. However, I always spare some time for my editing, mainly because my characters don’t give me peace of mind.
Besides, I’m building my portfolio with a variety of topics, though I’m niching down to more specific themes on B2B strategies, emotional and mental wellness, self-growth, and productivity. I’m also completing my specialization in SEO which will serve my blogging skills greatly.
Thank you for sharing your fascinating writing life with us, Sara!
Do you feel stuck and unsure as a writer? Are you not getting acceptances, not making sales, not writing to your full potential? How can you break through the self-doubt and noise to start carving out your unique space in the world of fiction?
Ross Jeffery is joining us for a Live ZOOM chat this Thursday to talk about his experience.
Ross is the Executive Director of STORGY literary magazine and its Head of Books. He is also the Bram Stoker Award Nominated Author of Tome, Juniper, and Tethered.
It’s hard to believe that Ross had given up on writing for seven years. Yes, 7 years! Now he is exploding in the dark fiction scene, and he is going to join us on Zoom to talk about how to break through as a writer.
What You’ll Learn – How to Break Through as a Writer with Ross Jeffery
Why Ross gave up writing for so long and what made him start again
What drives his dark, disturbing stories
The breakthrough moment in his writing career that got his momentum going
How writers can approach other authors for blurbs
How writers can position themselves to be nominated for awards
Ross’ advice for all those writers who have given up, are thinking of given up, or haven’t even started
Have you ever asked yourself this question and truly answered it?
This is important to define for yourself, the quality of your work. The past few years have been filled with chaos, fear, and upheaval. As things normalize, it’s the perfect time to let the dust settle and get laser-like focus on why you write and how you’re going to get your words into the world.
It’s not easy to be an aspiring writer. Just tell someone you want to become a successful fiction author and their reaction will be something like:
Laughs awkwardly until they realize you’re serious.Shows concern about your mental healthSays, “Really? Uhhh… Good luck with that.”
It’s the same look adults gave you when you were six years old and you told them you wanted to grow up to be a pegasus.
That’s because writing fiction is a time and energy-intensive pursuit that never guarantees a big material reward.
As a marketing strategist for authors, I see many writers approaching their writing career with a “lottery mindset.” They scribble out a book, feverishly upload it to Amazon, and wait for overnight success.
When they don’t wake up on the bestsellers list, they give up.
This the paradox:
Only by NOT writing for money or fame will you possibly become a successful author because once you begin writing for sales, your words will lose their magic.
You must have a deeper reason than to become wealthy and famous. You need to think about who you’re writing for and how you want them to think and feel after reading your work. Either that, or writing must be so satisfying for you that it is its own reward.
Maybe you write because it’s therapeutic, allowing you to express yourself and make meaning of your experiences. Maybe you want to make people laugh and forget their worries. Maybe you just want to scare the hell out of them.
Whatever the reason, I suggest you create your own writing manifesto that states your big-picture reason for writing. Rewrite it till it’s powerful and succinct. Read it each day before you begin working on your stories. Click here for an example of how powerful a writing manifesto can be.
Not only will a writing manifesto help you on the hard days when nothing is working, keeping your mission in mind will inspire you to produce stories that will impact your readers and the world.
