Tee Morris

Writer, podcaster. and streamer

motivation

You Got This. And Other Things You Already Knew.

When LinkedIn decided “We don’t want to be just a place where people can find a job. Want want to be more like Facebook…” I knew there was no way this was going to end well. And I was right, as my feed is now full of business contacts all sharing the latest moment of wisdom from the modern-day snake oil salesmen: Motivational Speakers.

Fuckit, I’m out…

If you ever take a closer look at these “inspirational wunderkinds” and look at where they are coming from professionally, you can get a good idea of their background. Many of them were involved with marketing at one point of their careers, so — sticking with what they know — they market in their webinars and IRL seminars “insight” on the secrets of success. I’ve seen one individual call herself a “Chief Inspirational Officer” (see what she did there?) while another posted “Do the thing for yourself not for others. When it’s for you, it’s passion. When it’s for others, it’s your job.”

Maybe they just need a hug.

When you’re in the moment with these Cults of Personality, I’ll admit it’s all incredible, awesome, and affirming; but stepping back and really looking at their “secrets” you’re paying top dollar to find out more about, you discover what they are selling: Common Fucking Sense. Live passionately! Set goals and then map yourself a path to those goals! Water is wet! Fire is hot! Put your pants on one leg at a time, you dumbass! Many of these gurus take Life 101 approaches and re-package them as “Life’s Secrets” which is ridiculous.

Actually, I take that back. What’s ridiculous is when these “Motivational Mavericks” (and yes, all of the titles I have seen before, and they hurt my brain…) attempt to work off-script. Then you see just how little they really know.

Step back in time with me for a moment…

[Read more…] about You Got This. And Other Things You Already Knew.

NaNoWriMo: It Should Be Your First Step, Not Your Excuse

 

18691SD2November is upon us, and with the close of Halloween and the beginning of a new month you might be seeing across various social media platforms “daily word counts” being posted, sudden concerns about productivity, or rants over applications like “Scrivener” or “Write or Die” when they unexpectedly crashes. If this is happening to you, I’d recommend stocking up on coffee for your friends and patience with yourself. November is the month of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month.

I’ve seen writers react both positively and negatively over the event. The positive sentiment usually constitutes cheerleading, tough love advice, and an overall celebration of hardcore, P90 X-style word-herding. The authors who loathe NaNoWriMo? They hate it with a passion, and don’t get the nay-sayers started on the NaNoWriMo instances that see publication. That’s some prime vitriol there. [Read more…] about NaNoWriMo: It Should Be Your First Step, Not Your Excuse

Something to send you into the weekend…

It’s been a weird April 1. I’ve been a bit distracted as I’ve been thinking a lot about my friend, Joe, stressing out over getting into the Dogfish Dash (I got in), and prepping for a big event in Vegas. I’ve just felt a little out of sync.

Then I found this quote. Makes me feel ready to face the weekend, and things to come…

  
Wise words indeed.

This weekend, embrace this gift we have been blessed with.

Live.

Villains and Why We Love Them

Peter Capaldi as Cardinal Richelieu in the BBC's The Musketeers.Last night, I was watching The Musketeers, the new BBC series featuring Peter Capaldi rocking the Van Dyke and redefining diabolical as Cardinal Richelieu. He’s pretty badass in The Musketeers, but not chewing the scenery or twirling his mustache (which I would imagine is hard to resist because dat stache!) kind of way. Capaldi is working the dialogue like a boss and creating a foil against our heroes that makes you sit up and take notice. There’s a mind and a motivation you connect with on a visceral level, and sometimes it’s difficult to take a side against Richelieu as he makes villainy look really, really good.

That and the wardrobe. And did I mention DAT STACHE?

Watching Capaldi in this role has me of late considering villains, what makes them compelling versus comical characters, and why they are so important in writing.

Your villains—or antagonists, if you want to use the fancier term for “bad guys”— are as high a priority to develop as your heroes. They need to resonate with you, lest they reduce themselves to nothing more than set dressing hell bent on destroying said set along with any major players that happen to be in the vicinity. [Read more…] about Villains and Why We Love Them

“You Can’t Give Up. You’re Not Allowed.”

I never like seeing friends stressed out. Whether it is intensely stressed out or just out of their groove, it just kills me. It is amplified more when I feel the bumpy ride of Life’s rougher patches. Last week, snapping back from what can only be described as an “emotionally charged night” between me and the World, I read up on a writer and friend I admire and hold dear. Turns out he was also hitting a rough patch of road.

Phil Rossi, the multitalented man with the flowing hair of awesome, began a series of posts called “Paralysis.” He’s working through a writer’s dry spell; and in “Part I: Stranded,” he went “All In” like the rock-and-roll badass that he is:

“Another truth–I’ve never been in this place before. I don’t recognize the countryside.  The air here is different—heavy and overwhelming. Talk about a wrong turn. In the past, I’ve been able to work through any creative block. This is different.”

It was in this passage from the second posting in this series entitled “Part II: Patience” where I felt like I clicked with Phil on the raw fear now gnawing away at him: [Read more…] about “You Can’t Give Up. You’re Not Allowed.”