The Writer's Lens

The "Pens of Steel" Group Discussion Special: Competing In The Sea Of Voices

The Internet is a sea of voices and narratives. 

In part 2 of this group discussion special, the Pens continue the dialogue on "what is a digital voice" - while transitioning into another frequently asked question: how do we compete with so many other messages? Should we be focused on beating other voices? Or should we just focus on our own message? 

Jump back in with Part 2 and just in case you missed Part 1, you're in luck - you can click here to check it out and get back up to speed.

And for more info on the rest of the group, here are some links below: 

Brian Del Turco, owner / operator of LifeVoiceQuest

Website: http://www.lifevoicequest.com/

Podcast: http://www.jesussmart.com/

 

Willie Scott, co-founder of Better Than Blended and T.K.I. Publishing

Website: https://betterthanblended.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterthanblended/?hl=en

 

Brent Mclaughlin, writer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brent.mclaughlin

The "Pens of Steel" Group Discussion Special: What Is A Digital Voice? PART 1

Welcome to the Rise of Digital Voices! 

In case you didn't already know, the Internet is FILLED with competing messages. Thanks to the onset of social media platforms, more people than ever have the ability to share their unique voice with the rest of the world. And in doing so, can create online communities where similar minds (and interests) can congregate. To share ideas. To share insights. To share individual stories. 

This is the Age of Digital Voices - a time when the gatekeepers of information have been usurped by the end user. 

In this very special episode of The Writer's Lens, I sit down with three other creative voices: Brian Del Turco of Jesus Smart: The Podcast and owner/operator of LifeVoiceQuest; Willie Scott co-founder of Better Than Blended and TKI Publishing; and Brent Mclaughlin, aspiring writer. These three gentlemen make up our Cleveland creative group otherwise known as the "Pens of Steel" and for the first time, we are recording our conversation concerning this growing phenomenon of the social media landscape. 

This will be the first of a three-part discussion on the topic so stay tuned for more to follow in the coming weeks. 

And for more info on my fellow conversationalists, here are some links below: 

Brian Del Turco

Website: http://www.lifevoicequest.com/

Podcast: http://www.jesussmart.com/

 

Willie Scott

Website: https://betterthanblended.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterthanblended/?hl=en

 

Brent Mclaughlin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brent.mclaughlin

 

 

The Writer's Lens - E45: The Affirmation of Finished Work

What does it do for us when we finish what we start? If you're the type of person that struggles with unfinished projects, then maybe you are in need of a morale boost. Or a gentle reminder of what you feel strongly about. Something to kickstart the juices and make it to the finish line. 

Or perhaps on an even deeper level, maybe your unique message just isn't clear yet. 

In my case, finishing a book is what I aim to do. Not an easy task; not something one does in a weekend. For writing a book can feel like running a marathon. But here's something to remember: we aren't alone in our pursuits. 

In this episode, I talk in depth about the things we can learn about ourselves as we work through our passion projects. And how there's a unique voice each of us can cultivate by bringing that message to completion. 

Website: www.jclfaltot.com 

Facebook: J.C.L. Faltot

Instagram: The Writer's Lens 

 

The Writer's Lens - Interview 09: Kay Smith, How Can Art And Faith Work Together?

Kay Smith worked for 13 years at a reputable marketing firm in Cleveland, OH. And though she loved her work, Kay began to feel something tugging her in a new direction. A tug strong enough to make her consider leaving her established career behind and start anew - in art education.

But, it wasn't a completely foreign space. Kay had always held a strong interest in art, even as a little girl. And with some proper coaching and encouragement early in life, she fostered that passion. Kay is a wife and mother of four children so leaving a steady job was not an easy feat.

In this interview, I talk with Kay about her transition from her corporate office space to her new office space. And how her faith in God has enabled her to discover what it is that makes us all creative; how we can cultivate that creative spark; and ultimately use our gifts to help others.

For more on Kay, you can check out the links below:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/k.smith.art

Website: www.katherinesmithstudio.com

The Writer's Lens - E44: The Anxiety of Unfinished Work

Anxiety plagues more people today than ever, it seems. We live in a fast-paced society with ever advancing technology. And as complex and impressive as our brains are, we can only take so much. 

That's why the need to be focused and free of distraction is imperative - not just as a creative but as anyone who wants to be productive. In that way, we can work at our best. At our utmost capacity, which sounds like a simple thing to do. Actually executing it though? That's another battle entirely. 

This is the first half of a two-part discussion on anxiety. And how anxiety affects our creative pursuits. 

Website: www.jclfaltot.com

Books: here

 

The Writer's Lens - Interview 08: Brian Del Turco, Owner / Operator of LifeVoiceQuest - PART 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my conversation with Brian Del Turco, the voice of Jesus Smart: the Podcast, one-half the voice of SubstanceTV, and owner of LifeVoiceQuest Publishing.

Brian is a believer in emerging voices. He has a high interest in helping people find their voice in publishing, developing their own platforms and digging deeper into the #Narrative and #Content wars. Both of which are areas of major interest for me as well. 

You can find more of that in our first conversation.  

In the second half of our dialogue, Brian and I go deeper. This time we talk about how creative pursuits can foster not only our personal lives, but our relationships too. How we must guard our time wisely. And the importance of communicating our messages clearly; as a clear message commands presence. 

For more on Brian, you can check him out at the links below: 

LifeVoiceQuest website: http://www.lifevoicequest.com/ 

Jesus Smart: The Podcast: http://www.jesussmart.com/ 

SubstanceTV: https://www.substancetv.org/ 

The Writer's Lens - BONUS: Netflix Wants Its Viewers To Dictate Endings...Is That Good?

I ran across an article recently with an "interesting" announcement. The ever-growing entertainment giant, Netflix, has decided to give creative license to its viewers. In other words, Netflix will allow its viewers to control the endings of their favorite shows. 

How this is going to be done has yet to be released, but even so, I have my thoughts on this sort of thing. And I'm not overly optimistic. So, in this bonus episode for this week, I give my thoughts on what I think this shift in entertainment may mean for Netflix and its audience. 

Here's the article I'm discussing in this episode. 

The Writer's Lens - Interview 08: Brian Del Turco, Owner / Operator at LifeVoiceQuest - PART 1

Brian Del Turco is a fellow creative based in Cleveland who has a heart for emerging voices. His company, LifeVoiceQuest, works with aspiring authors who are looking to find their voice and project that voice into the world - a world that is constantly filling up with more and more voices by the moment. 

It's no secret by now that the Internet is filled with competing voices. And within those voices are content creators and big narratives. So it's easy to think we will lose ourselves in the midst of that storm. If we intend to fight with every cultural hot button or social movement, we'll get discouraged quickly. Then lose our voice altogether. 

In this discussion, Brian and I begin dialogue on the topic of #VoiceWars. What that might look like. How we have to be our own best advocates (especially when looking to make a dent in the marketplace of ideas). And why it's imperative to not let ourselves get lost in the vacuum. We need accountability. Even us crazy authors who work in solitude need a team, or at the very least, a group that can be our champions when we move forward. 

For more on Brian, you can check out the links to his work below. 

LifeVoiceQuest website: http://www.lifevoicequest.com/ 

Jesus Smart: The Podcast: http://www.jesussmart.com/ 

SubstanceTV: https://www.substancetv.org/ 

Enjoy part 1 of our discussion and like, share, comment and subscribe to stay up to date! 

The Writer's Lens - E43: The Incredible (And Mind-Numbing) Power Of Distraction

Distractions, distractions, distractions. They're everywhere. The battle for our attention is happening daily. Hour by hour. Minute by minute. 

Knowing this to be the case, how does anyone stay focused? And how does any one person stay focused long enough to finish what he starts? Especially when it comes to writing a book. 

This episode deals with distractions and how we might recognize them - telling the difference between what's a distraction and what's a priority. And how I'm doing with distractions myself (the good and the bad and the in-between). All on the road to publication #2, The Shadow Of Mars, of course.  

For more info, be sure to check out www.jclfaltot.com and enjoy! 

The Writer's Lens - E42: How Do I Get (Over) Writer's Block?

Writer's block to a writer is like a debilitating injury to a pro athlete. It sets you back. It keeps you from moving forward. And no matter how hard you try, you just can't "break out" of the funk you are in. 

In this episode, I press on through the process of publishing my second book, The Shadow Of Mars, by talking about my own struggle with that enemy of creativity, "writer's block." I talk the causes, ways to remedy writer's block, and what NOT to do in order to deal with those moments of uninspired, non-creative hell. 

And for the bulk of this episode, I'll be using author, speaker, and podcaster, Jeff Goins' methods as a template. Jeff has built a successful author platform over the years and I find his work to be top-notch so I'll be talking about his ways of dealing with writer's block along with adding my own to this episode. 

Lastly, there is a bit of a rant at the end of this episode, but I decided to keep it in. Understanding our priorities is another way of keeping our creative juices flowing. We are all creators in some regard. But, we also have other priorities we must attend to - school, work, family, relationships, God, etc. One way to become more productive is to put our priorities in line. So, I trust that my rant at the end of this episode ties back in the best way possible to what we can do to alleviate writer's block. 

Here is a link to Jeff Goins' blog post on Writer's Block: here.  Enjoy!