Bethany Henry: Writing & Wellness

We made it, guys! The year is almost over and a brand-new fresh year is right around the corner. That means, of course, that it’s traditionally the time to talk about goals (one of my favorite things!) but instead today we’re pausing to take time to reflect. Reflection and personal introspection is a vital part of goals and life in general. It’s how we know who we are, where we’ve been, and what we want. So here are some questions for us to ponder. Take some time to sit with them if you can. Pour yourself some hot coco and slow down for a few minutes. Journal if that’s your thing (and maybe even if it isn’t). Don’t rush ahead without thinking about where it is we are now. We have a few weeks before January 1st comes along and gives us a blank calendar to fill in. For now let’s try to take a few breathes amongst the holiday busyness and pause to reflect. Year-End Reflection Questions What did I like about this past year? What were my top 5-10 moments? What is something I’m glad I did? W...

Quotes on creativity and art can provide a glimpse into new outlooks on life and writing and can inspire our own thoughts and work. From everyday moments to the mysteries of the galaxy, art is part of it all! So enjoy these quotes, be inspired, and go make something! Whatever your writing and life journey looks like today, happy creating and best of luck to you 🙂 Creative Quotes “Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it who makes a difference.” Nolan Bushnell “If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to ­music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don’t just stick there scowling at the problem. But don’t make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people’s words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.” Hilary Mantel “Don’t think about making art, just get it don...

Thanksgiving is coming which means it’s time to pull our our pumpkins and start thinking of answers to the classic “what are you thankful for” dinner-table question! But here’s a thought: What what if we asked this question daily instead of just once a year? It’s well worth our time.  Thanksgiving is a discipline that, when practiced, leads to a rich and creative life. 5 Ways Thanksgiving Is A Creative Practice Giving thanks can look like lots of different things! One of my favorite practices is to keep a simple, ongoing list of one thing I am thankful for everyday. These items can anything, big or small! My morning coffee or tea frequently makes the list 🙂 Regardless of what our habits of giving thanks may look like, it can have several positive impacts. 1. Having an attitude of plenty allows us to trust our muse. Thanksgiving is the practice of recognizing good in our lives. There are times when we feel like we have a limited number of ideas, that we need to protect our creativi...

There’s this idea of the suffering artist. Of all the work that needs to be done, the sleepless nights, and the sacrifices. The miserable, miserable work work work that it takes to succeed. This is a myth. Don’t get me wrong- there is certainly something to be said for hard work. For perseverance and not giving up. For paying our bills, being responsible, and showing up to put our butts in the chair every day. But sometimes… even often, dare I say? Sometimes it can be fun. It’s  supposed  to be fun. In her wonderful book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron talks about our inner artists as a child that just needs to be nurtured and set free. Play can be valuable and magical. It allows us to see the world with wonder and to unlock our creativity and the art within. Because there  is  art within us, great stories and dreams and brilliance! But sometimes we bury ourselves and our art under work. Maybe we stop ourselves from making art because we’re too busy making ...

I hope you’ve had the giddy and almost magical experience of reading a book that makes you literally laugh out loud. Finding humor in our fiction is a wonderful thing! However, often this is easier said than done. Telling ourselves to “write funny” doesn’t usually work and when a joke falls flat or the humor feels forced, well, that doesn’t do our writing any favors. Today we’re going to look at different types of humor in writing, some common pitfalls, and 5 strategies for including humor in our own writing. Writing Humor Well Types of Humor There are several different ways a story can be funny! Recognizing what types of humor fit into to our stories and personal writing style can help us lean towards our strengths. Here are are a few different types of humor with examples- if you think of others feel free to comment below! Absurdism The comic absurd style is filled with random ridiculousness. Maybe you will go to smell a flower and find it is actually an alligator, maybe the sky is f...

Kids can be lovely but do you know what isn’t lovely? When we see children in books or movies and they’re just… eh. Writing children in fiction is a tricky thing to do well. And when it’s not done well it can be distracting to the reader and ultimately hurt the story. Thankfully, we’re brave and bold writers who are always up for a challenge! Writing child characters is totally doable. Today we’re going to look at 3 aspects of writing child characters in our fiction as well as some common pitfalls to look out for. Writing Children In Fiction 1. Know Our Audience Are we writing a book for children, teens, or adults? This will shape how we portray the children in our stories. While a book for teens or adults may strive to portray child characters in a fairly realistic light, a story for children will often portray child characters as the main character and will likely include more wish fulfillment aspects, such as the child being royalty, a spy who can travel independently through the to...