Winston Zhang’s Post

Whenever I notice something in the air that feels like a common thread of meaning, I feel compelled to share it with y'all. Here is what I have for you today: I listen to a lot of motivational and mental health-themed podcasts. Today, it happened to be Mel Robbins and John Moe's Depresh Mode, with guest Felicia Day (love her!). Here is what stood out: The pandemic gave people a MUCH-needed chance to pull back and reflect on their own patterns. Sounds obvious, right? Sure. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't pay attention. I think this phenomenon is worth pondering a little bit more. Like many other ghostwriters I know, 2020 and 2021 were busy years for me. Very busy. Clients had the chance to reflect on their lives, and they wanted to share what they had learned. Isn't that beautiful? It was (is) a form of love, in my opinion. In Felicia Day's case, the pandemic gave her the opportunity to slow down and take a look at some of the extreme hustling she was doing to prove her own worth. She was once a child prodigy (violin) and was stuck in a pattern of looking to the outside world -- and to more and more personal achievements -- for internal validation. Turns out a long break from all of that (and a low dose of Lexapro) helped interrupt the cycle for her and *greatly* reduced her relentless driving anxiety and dread. She's in a better place today, parenting her daughter with more intention as a result. My wish for all of us, then, is that we give ourselves breaks more often to reflect and reassess. I understand that this will not always involve hiring a ghostwriter like me to create a Life Lessons book. But when it does, I am here to help. What life lesson did you learn recently? Are you willing to share? I hope so! Happy Monday, friends. <3 #writing #reflection #lifelessons #depreshmode #melrobbins #books #ghostwriter #ghostwriting #growthmindset #patterns

Two reasons why I haven’t published much lately and what I did about it: Firstly, my kids fell sick one after another, each with different illnesses. This affected my wife the most, as she took care of them. Both of us have been getting very little sleep because of this. Due to the lack of sleep, my mind became unclear. Secondly, finding time to write has been a challenge. Each day felt like a struggle to get things done before one of the kids woke up or felt worse. I always believed that I simply didn't have enough time to write, but I was mistaken. Having ideas is essential for writing. The time I needed wasn't for writing, but for reading. I couldn't come up with any content ideas because I didn't have the time to read or consume valuable content myself. To ensure that my content creation doesn't suffer like this in the future, here's what I plan to do: - Whenever I have a spare minute, I will make an effort to read, even if it's just one page. - I will utilize the time in the evening during kitchen cleanup to watch informative videos on YouTube or listen to podcasts. - Once I have some ideas, I will quickly jot them down as bullet points in my note-taking system. I hope that by following these steps, I will avoid going without creating any content for several days. If you have any strategies for managing this, let me know in the comments section. Thank you for your time. daniel #productivity #writing Image: Matias North on Unsplash

Today I was invited to talk about "deep listening" on a podcast (I'll share the link here when it's live), and arrived at the following conclusions: Deep listening is: A dying art. On social media, everyone's talking--in soundbites--and no one's really listening. We've become less adept, perhaps, at both sharing our perspectives and receiving others' in meaningful ways. But that's a ghostwriter's job: listening for the story, the speaker's values, the formative events that shaped a person's worldview. Hard work. The listener, especially if s/he is an empath, runs the risk of taking on the storyteller's pain, anger, trauma, etc. and must create a container for that emotional energy. For a ghostwriter, this container is the client's book. A gift. When you listen to someone, you create space for, and validate, their thoughts, their voice, their very existence. Ghostwriters who then put these thoughts and this voice into book form ensure that person's story will outlive them--allowing them to set down the burden of carrying it all bottled up inside. Who can you listen to today? ## Hi, I'm Jess. Cider Spoon Stories, LLC is Austin's premier ghostwriting and memoir-coaching company.

Why do we like reading or watching series instead of one-off posts, articles or programs? 🗞 📺 I wanted to find out more about that knowing my series found decent followers so far. My #42coffees meetings in and around Sydney seem to be in nice demand, too. According to an article by Mason Sabre, a series is a collection of books that can stand alone while a serial is a story that goes across many books. Both is valid for posts and articles, too. An insightful post on the Squarespace blog by Annie Zaleski reveals the advantage for #socialmedia writers: “A social media content series is a great way to grow your audience.” Many readers like to read the same topic at the same weekday as often as they can - especially when they can skip an episode and still feel part of it - unlike a soap opera where missing one or two episodes can disrupt a lot. A famous example is Justin Welsh’s "Saturday Solopreneur" newsletter coming every Saturday morning across US timezones - with one tip to put into practice every single week. He already published 127 episodes despite not showing the number anymore in the email subject line. An Australian example is Natalie Tran's "Transition with Purpose Podcast" with inspiring stories and practical tips to help align your passion and connect to your purpose, already in episode 43. Other writers call their series by a theme without a week number like Belle van den Hout’s posts starting with the lines "Monday Mindfulness" or "Wednesday Wellness", mostly supported by well arranged nature photos illustrating a good mood for the day to come. We all started small - welcome to episode 10 of my Casual Coffee Catchup on my Substack blog "Writing in Cafés" sharing more about using series: https://lnkd.in/gv8qbcNd Which series do you like to read week by week? #blogging #writing #personaldevelopment

I want to help you change the way you see writer's block. To do so, I've enlisted the help of 3 remarkable writers. But first, a hard truth: Writer's block doesn't exist. It's the least-understood, most-rampant Maker Monster around -- and in this story, featuring Mark Schaefer, Mia Quagliarello, and Beth Dunn, we aim to take you inside the process of 3 writers grappling with the beast and help you feel seen like you've never felt seen before on this topic. But... writer's block doesn't exist. It's not real. Of course, since we perceive it as real, it very much IS real, because what is "real" if not what we perceive with our senses? (Boy, if you really disliked that line, you're gonna hate this episode...) Here's the deal: Writer's block isn't a medical condition. It's a story we tell ourselves. And we can CHANGE that story, and while that sounds flippant, the journey towards doing so is anything but. In this episode, you'll hear the trials and tribulations of three incredible writers at three different stages in their bodies of work. Mia only recently launched her public platform. She podcasts for her employer, Flipboard, and writes her own newsletter. Beth has been writing for years, with a book under her belt and countless articles and talks helping other writers, and she recently launched her next writing project, a newsletter meant to give you a pep in your creative step. But what happens when Beth isn't feeling peppy? And Mark has written nearly a dozen books, worked in marketing for 30+ years, and has been trusted by brands like Pfizer, adidas, and Microsoft to advise them. We land in an interesting place that will change the way you see writer's block forever. Find this latest "Maker Monster" episode wherever you get your podcasts. It's our fourth in the series as part of my show, Unthinkable -- the others are linked on the page too. All relevant links are here: https://lnkd.in/e4Cx-ZNW Thank you to Mark, Mia, and Beth for their creativity and generosity, and thank YOU for doing the work you do! I hope Maker Monsters #4 -- and the entire series -- can help you overcome internal barriers to shipping valuable, original work that only YOU can create. Keep making what matters.

After much thoughtful deliberation I’ve come to the conclusion that it's time for me to start sharing. Just this Monday as I was listening to one of Steven Bartlett's many fantastic podcasts on Diary of a CEO , I found myself purchasing his recently released book ‘The 33 Laws of Business and Life’. My Mum Suzanne Hume and I ( her especially) are huge advocates for Steven's podcasts, which never fail to amaze us episode after episode. Each of which triggers stimulating conversation and thought provoking ideas which often make me re assess and adjust my existing behavioural patterns, thought processes and outlooks across an array of topics. After reading the first few chapters on my weekly commute I can confidently say that the book feels like a cheat code for life and I could not urge all of you to read it more. As you'd expect I have continued to devour the book over the past few days. Although, there was one law of the 33 that has particularly stuck with me… Law 2: To master it you must make an obligation to teach it. Essentially the main concept is too ‘learn more, simplify more and share more.’ However, The Feynman Technique in particular is what grabbed my attention. ‘If you want to master something do it publicly and do it consistently’ Steven talks of his own journey as he began regularly posting his ideas across social media platforms which has in turn taught him that publishing your ideas brings you to learn more often and write more clearly. And after a long few hours of thought and a couple of nights sleep on it I’ve decided to take action on this idea. I have been writing for years now, almost 99.9% of which will never see the light of day, which is the complete opposition to Stevens' recommendations. Growing up, writing was a way to process and digest my thoughts surrounding my own personal experiences, the world around me and the people whom I have met along the way. Writing was more recently also a key component of what earned me my current job, as I exposed myself very openly and honestly to Niamh Macdonald and Livvy Moore at This Here, and that was my first experience of the real impact and power that my writing could have on my life. And now in an industry where I will spend a lot more time writing and sharing my ideas, I'm attempting to look forward and help myself by growing these skills for the goals I want to reach in the future. So I want to try something new, by writing some of these thoughts and ideas out publicly for you and anyone who finds them to read. I am challenging myself to share my writing and open up my thoughts, ideas and knowledge for people to read and respond to as a step in the right direction in beginning to master the art of written words, and maybe even some of the topics that I cover along the way. Please feel free to challenge, feedback on and share any of my writing, It’ll only help me grow. 

Hey champs👋 Your waiting doesn't have to be unproductive. It's an excellent opportunity to catch up on reading, listen to podcasts, writing composing songs, and creating things. Manage your time efficiently use your waiting time to achieve valuable skill. Waiting is an integral part of the human experience it's an opportunity for personal growth, reflection, and connection, The more you wait, the longer your destination. We are waiting for you STOP wasting. #waiting #wasting #timemanagement #makegoodchoices #theimisilight

How do you deal with writer's block? Comment below👇🏻👇🏻 And if you're waiting for some tips from me, we'll I'm at your service 😉😉 Here's my 3-step process to overcoming even the worst writer's block on earth! 🍍🍍STEP 1:🍍🍍 Create a rough "idea outline." For example, if I have a blog heading in mind and a rough idea of what I'd like to talk about... However rough the idea may be, I note everything in my head at the time so I don't forget later. 🍍🍍STEP 2:🍍🍍 Walk away! If you don't want to literally walk away, close the tab (and that's important! You need to tell your brain that you're actively moving on to another task.) Dance/ watch Netflix/ listen to a podcast/ do something creative. Because this break's when your brain finds a new way to connect the dots. 🍍🍍STEP 3:🍍🍍 Revisit your work Now that you have a fresh perspective, start with an outline of how you'd like to "connect the dots" from Step 2. Eh, Voila! You have your flow, and now, watch the words flow on 😉 That's how an experienced copywriter deals with writer's block when she's writing a blog. Now, I'm curious to learn from you. What's your go-to method for overcoming your writer's block? Comment below👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 ____________ Hey You, I'm Risha🙋🏻♀️ I'm on a mission to support mental health advocates with their content requirements! So, if you're a coach/ therapist looking for support with your 🪔🪔Blogs | Sales Pages | Welcome Funnels🪔🪔 Send me a message, and I'll help you steal back the time you spend on content 💌💌 ____________ #coacheshelpingcoaches#therapistbusiness#mentalhealthblogs#leadgenerationtips#learnmarketingskills#copywritingservices#copywritingforcoaches#contentwriterforhire#therapybusiness

This is the time of year where I get super introspective - looking back, looking forward, assessing everything, deciding what gets left in this past year and what comes with me into the next. I purge things that no longer serve me and welcome in those that do. Podcasts, clothes, books, Instagram accounts, habits, practices. And often, I over commit on the back of my reflections, because I take on too much, I try too many things, I need things to begin perfectly in January in order to have a perfect year. And so I have softened my commitments on the back of the introversion in the past few years. The reflection time is helpful but now I decide on one thing to do that would change the course of my journey for the better. Just one thing. This year, it’s writing. I have been through different stages with writing over the years. I’ve dabbled, forgotten about, dived into, obsessed over… what I’ve never done is develop a healthy and consistent writing practice. So this year, I’m going to write. I’m going to write every day. I’m going to write from a place of my deepest values - authenticity, honesty, hope, bringing change. And I’m going to see what it looks like to allow writing to become part of my daily life. To see what could happen in me and in my words if I give myself to developing this craft. Writing scares me - because it feels like one of those things you are either good at or bad at. And I don’t want to be a bad writer. And as with so many other things, the fear of starting has stopped me from being better. So this year I’m going to worry less about being a bad writer and more about being better. And this, I hope, will be the game changer. Is there one thing that you could give yourself to this next year that you sense could be a game changer?

Writing consistently is easier when your subconscious workshops ideas for you. Here is how you do it. 1️⃣ Create a content calendar of topics. I use a pretty basic excel where I brain dump very general ideas. Ideally you have some content pillars or standard topics you talk about. To stay consistent, make sure you are actually interested in the topics instead of thinking it's what you "should" write about. 2️⃣ Go for walks to let the default mode network kick in. The default mode network is the part of your brain that solves problems and connects ideas when you're daydreaming. It's literally the idea you have in the shower. The problem is most people overstimulate their brain with podcasts and shows, and rarely give themselves quiet time to let their subconscious work. 3️⃣ Take notes. Your subconscious will make connections throughout the week. Make sure you are capturing the ideas. Creating topics in advanced has me helped exponentially with my consistency of writing. I don't always use the topics, but my mind is always writing in the background. Have you experienced anything like this?