there are three elements your writing needs to cover in order to have the power of change: facts, thoughts, and feelings.

Making space for writing is making space for you.

The human soul does not crave productivity the way the human mind does.

A narrator can notice things that a protagonist cannot. They can notice patterns—the facts, thoughts, and feelings that repeat again and again and again.

Awareness changes things. It’s not only discipline or effort or willpower or efficiency or productivity that brings progress, but also a gentle noticing of yourself. Contemplation. Looking at a thing for a long time.

Writing down the elements of your life as if they are a story—and thinking of yourself as the hero of that story—gives you greater perspective.

One of the main reasons we struggle so much with creativity is that the culture we live in is obsessed with productivity.

The value of “write now, edit later” isn’t just that you’ll get more words down on paper, it’s that you’ll have more fun in both your writing and your life.

the best things in life grow slowly: relationships, children, careers, the oak tree in your backyard, and your writing practice.