Imagine Writing and Loving Every Minute of It
There are many writers who get into a deep valley of writer’s block. They put aside their writing and never pick it up again.
We don’t want that to happen.
I am here with Lauren Barker, who will share with us her journey as a writer in the Writing Gym.
Before the Writing Gym, Lauren stated she had a hard time finishing a book that she had been working on for many years.
“I was really getting frustrated about not finishing it and not getting it where I wanted it to be. Every time I get momentum, I waste so much time nitpicking and worrying myself to death around how to get my elbow to my nose and so on and so forth.”
As much as writing makes her happy, Lauren was scared of the idea of sitting down and not knowing what to write–like “walking down a dark hallway without a flashlight” as Lauren described.
For many years, she wasted time and money on different writing programs and articles online telling her how to write.
“I’m not gonna say that I didn’t get anything out of all of those things. It’s just that none of them did for me what has happened for me in the Writing Gym. It has totally revolutionized my writing. It is, by far, the most productive and helpful writing resource I have ever used.”
At the Writing Gym, two of the many things we offer are one-on-one meetings and writing salons. During one-on-one meetings, Lauren was able to get into the right mindset before writing. She worked with our personal trainer, Gretchen, on weekly modules that build up over one another. This helps writers progress.
Writing salons are Lauren’s favorite thing to do. During these meetings, writers from the Writing Gym get together for about an hour, and write for only 20 minutes.
“20 minutes sound extremely tiny,” Lauren exclaimed, “but it is so that our inner critic does not get in the way of our writing.”
After the 20 minutes are up, we immediately give the writers positive feedback. With these, writers can hone their strengths instead of beating themselves over the head with what was negative or what could be improved.
Salon is also a great way to make positive relationships with other writers. Indeed, we boast a strong writing community.
“Being at the Writing Gym has been really helpful for me,” she continued, “because I can work with other writers who are further down the line than I currently am. I am able to see what’s working for them in their writing, and I also become encouraged as I see their successes. I keep thinking that if they can do it, so can I. And these writers are all really sweet people.”
At the Writing Gym, we are very welcoming of the kind of writer you are.
Lauren first came to the Writing Gym as an outliner. Now, she thinks that she can both be an outlier and a pantser: “Being both has always been seen as a good thing and it’s always been a gentle encouragement at every step.”
Our personal philosophy at the Writing Gym is: to find your best writer.
Lauren’s last words to you writers who may be falling out of love with your writing: “Number one, talk to Annalisa because she has done wonders for me. Number two, don’t give up. You love writing because you love writing. Don’t let all of the bad feedback and conflicting advice and the scary things take that away from you.”
We love having Lauren at the Writing Gym. We hope to see you there too.
To find out where you are, where you’d like to go, and how you can get there, put yourself on my calendar.
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