“After Leger,” (day 96, year 1) by devi laskar

I just created a new, free class in the form of a three-part guide to “Modeling Masters,” and I want to share with you some of the lessons I learned or remembered in the creation of this product.

1)   Pieces. Breaking down what you do intuitively into steps you can teach and transfer to someone else is a terrific challenge. I often encourage my writers to think about their own creative processes in this way. We can learn a lot from what we do—if we pay attention to it. But often the most important aspects are buried in instinctual gestures and habitual routines. Writing about these, articulating them, can help you harness extra power.

2)   Mentors. I was reminded anew of the treasury that we have at our fingertips as writers—essentially unlimited access to our favorite writers of all time, living or dead. I remember hearing the life spans of certain remarkable people, and realizing, “Oh, that person was alive when I was alive—even when I was reading her (or him)!” It’s always a little bit thrilling, isn’t it? But the truth is, we can continue the conversation—and the learning—through the books left behind, and that’s a privilege.

3)   Exercises. This product is about creating powerful exercises for yourself. Because I’m between projects, I’ve been giving myself exercises to do in my “morning pages,” and remember how much I love narrative—writing descriptive passages. Even describing my (new) living room or the café in which I am sitting to write brings out all kinds of details I wouldn’t have otherwise noticed or calls up memories I haven’t thought about it years. Sitting down to face the blank page is an exercise anyway—why not supplement it with some juicy, encouraging structure and material?

4)   Community. Writers are amazing, generous people. I noticed that when I was a young apprentice, and I notice it every week in the Book Writing World. Giving away a free class is my way of reaching out to a larger community than I’m able to work with and cheer on every week in my classes and the mentoring group. As a reader and as a writer, I’m grateful for everyone sweating away in front of a blank page.

5)   Focus and Tools. Writing down what you love and what you want to learn—two of the first assignments in the free class—are such great tools for focusing your brilliance and creativity on forwarding your own aims and ambitions. Lists don’t have to be just for groceries and endless “to do” items. Turning the power of your daily strategies for survival and turning the power of your focus onto YOUR creative writing life will propel you forward. You deserve creative support—and the world deserves the masterpieces you’ll produce when you have the structure, support, encouragement and guidance to keep you operating at your optimal power.

 YOU can take my free class, too—for free. Join here. Transform your writing life. Take your writing to the next level. Make your prose muscle-y strong.

And don’t forget to tell a friend. It’s a great way to say: your writing matters to me.