How to Lose 10 Pounds Without Dieting

Boxes of old papers to be recycledReady for the secret to weight loss without dieting? Here it is. 

Clean out your desk. 

I spent 2.5  days going through every single file folder in both my desk and my credenza. Old research for articles long since published? Toss. Book marketing and promotion info I tore out of magazines and printed off-line then lovingly stuck in a three-ring binder for future reference and then neglected to ever look at? Gone. Papers on old classes I took, workshops I taught and random bits of intriguing info I stuck away in the hopes I'd return to them later? Gone, gone, gone!

The feeling of releasing all the old stuff is really quite freeing. Over the years, I've kept client files on everyone I've ever worked with, which isn't a bad idea if you think you'll work with them again in the future. But I sat down this holiday season and had a nice heart-to-heart with myself and what I decided is that all of the stuff I threw out represents not the writer I want to be, but the writer I guilt myself into thinking I should be. The one who takes on assignments because she's scared she won't be able to make money doing what she really loves, which is writing books.

So I ditched it all. I decided that every scrap of paper or file folder I Plus, paper only used on 1-side that I can resusehold on to that doesn't relate to authoring books serves the unhappy purpose of reminding me who I am NOT. Instead, I'm choosing to surround myself only with those things that remind me of who I want to be. 

The top drawer of my file folder credenza is now filled with the novels and stories and book ideas I've pushed to the back over the years. The notes for the young adult novel I've had stewing in my mind for six months are out on the writing desk, alongside fresh sheets of notebook paper and an array of pens. Having lost all that was unnecessary, unimportant, or draining to the psyche, I literally feel ten pounds lighter. 

How about you? What are you holding onto due to fear or guilt that maybe, just maybe, you could let go of? 

Here's to a lighter New Year!

Yeah, I Snagged the Poster

Is it egotistical to frame and hang the poster from your first Barnes & Noble book signing event on your office wall? If so, too bad. I nabbed the poster you see in this picture and have it framed and hanging over my file folders at home. Thanks to Melody Watson for thinking to bring a camera to the event!! ☺

WMMM signing at Greensboro, NC Barnes & Noble

Hanging Out With Writers

Spent the weekend in White Plains, New York at the annual Cat Writer's Conference. Laugh if you will (and many do) but this is a serious group of writers. Most have medical knowledge to rival any veterinarian. Many are on the front lines of legal battles to protect animals in their state and across the nation. And many of these wonderful people do more rescue work in a week than I can ever hope to accomplish in a lifetime. I am astounded, and grateful, for the work they do. You just would not believe the horror stories of the animals they rescue. Would. Not. Believe them. 

Aside from being amazed that this group of people not only lets me hang out with them but actually present to them, I love the fact that returning from a writer's conference always gets me jazzed up to do more with my writing.

Aside from Who Moved My Mouse?, I've done no pet writing this year. No columns, no magazine articles, nada. Which got me thinking that I've done very little magazine writing this year, period. A few articles for local and regional publications, but most of my efforts this year went toward my book, a ghostwriting project, and corporate work. Nothing wrong with any of that, but hearing everyone at the conference talk about their articles and pitching editors got me to missing it a bit. I'm going to spend some time coming up with some article ideas that are pet/cat based and dip my toes back in the water. 

I'm open to ideas and suggestions. Any pet related ideas you'd like to see explored?  Send 'em my way!