By her own admission, author Cynthia Morris is a "serial executor" - a creative person who has managed to overcome the challenges of the creative process to get things done! For the past 14 years Cynthia, though her business Original Impulse, has loved coaching women writers on tapping into their creative juju and getting things done. Usually that means finishing their book, finding their writing voice, making writing a happy habit to name a few.
LA: The heading on your web site says, "Love your life as a creative adventure" - tell me more about that.
CYNTHIA: Creative people seek freedom to live life on their own terms. Our creativity is the source of our vitality and people who create, do it because they have to do it. Our whole life has to support it - whether writer, painter, musician or other type of artist, we pull ideas out of nowhere -- we make something out of nothing. But that's not always easy. Sometimes we need help breaking through a creative block or we need new inspiration, or guidance, or accountability with evolving an idea into fruition. That's where I come in.
A few years ago I took a year in Europe to live as a creative nomad - sort of an, "Eat, Pray, Love" meets "The 4-hour Work Week" kind of thing. I wanted to show that when you take a risk good things happen. So I faced my fears & took the leap. I know what it's like for my clients to take risks. I go through the same trials, fears & risk taking they do. The tools and techniques I've developed come out of my own challenges so I know they work.
LA: I've enjoyed your web marketing over the past few years. Your use of You Tube videos & on-line product sales has kept me coming back to your Original Impulse web site. How do you approach relationship building and marketing?
CYNTHIA: I send cards, host people in my home, share what others are doing, mention good books I'm reading, courses that look interesting. I try to be a good listener and to have a sense of humor.
LA: Yes! Xavier is my favorite! Where did he come from?
CYNTHIA: I was working on how to market one my writing courses and this crazy idea came to mind. I had to override my "that's too weird, CEO voice" in order to take the risk of doing him - to follow my original impulse. When marketing it helps to have some forethought with your brand & how people perceive it. But what's exciting to you will probably be exciting to others. People want to have fun and be entertained. I've found the result of play is often better and its important to just put things out there whether they're perfect or not. The people hiring you want to know that you have your own creative practice. The videos & characters allow me to share some of my creative practices with people.
LA: I know you are looking to evolve your business? Tell me, what's next.
CYNTHIA: I've been writing on my topics since 2001 and am feeling like I've done everything I can in that written format. So I'm looking to go more multi-media, use my drawings and characters and bring more of my work as a coach teams and groups on how to tap their creativity. I'm super excited about my recent novel, "Chasing Sylvia Beach" which took me 12 years to write. There were times when I wanted to give up but I took my own coaching advice and continued to connect with my motivation. I also got help when I needed it.
LA: I loved the book and so did my sisters! We all read it together on the beach in Mexico. Between your travel, your writing & coaching how do you continue to find inspiration while staying focused to get things done for yourself and your clients?
CYNTHIA: Travel is my personal growth boot camp. It fills my creative reservoir so when I return to Denver I'm inspired to create something new. There's such a deluge of information. With myself & my clients, I ask lots of questions: what's really worthwhile, what do I want for my clients and myself, what do I have to share & what's the most meaningful way. I like to go deep with people while continuing to develop my own creative edge, to read, to learn more about how to be better. Any time people spend with me I strive to make it meaningful for them & for me.
LA: From my experience you are extraordinarily successful at making encounters meaningful! Thanks for sharing so freely and for hosting the Thriving Artist Potluck next week!
LA: The heading on your web site says, "Love your life as a creative adventure" - tell me more about that.
CYNTHIA: Creative people seek freedom to live life on their own terms. Our creativity is the source of our vitality and people who create, do it because they have to do it. Our whole life has to support it - whether writer, painter, musician or other type of artist, we pull ideas out of nowhere -- we make something out of nothing. But that's not always easy. Sometimes we need help breaking through a creative block or we need new inspiration, or guidance, or accountability with evolving an idea into fruition. That's where I come in.
A few years ago I took a year in Europe to live as a creative nomad - sort of an, "Eat, Pray, Love" meets "The 4-hour Work Week" kind of thing. I wanted to show that when you take a risk good things happen. So I faced my fears & took the leap. I know what it's like for my clients to take risks. I go through the same trials, fears & risk taking they do. The tools and techniques I've developed come out of my own challenges so I know they work.
LA: I've enjoyed your web marketing over the past few years. Your use of You Tube videos & on-line product sales has kept me coming back to your Original Impulse web site. How do you approach relationship building and marketing?
CYNTHIA: I send cards, host people in my home, share what others are doing, mention good books I'm reading, courses that look interesting. I try to be a good listener and to have a sense of humor.
LA: Yes! Xavier is my favorite! Where did he come from?
CYNTHIA: I was working on how to market one my writing courses and this crazy idea came to mind. I had to override my "that's too weird, CEO voice" in order to take the risk of doing him - to follow my original impulse. When marketing it helps to have some forethought with your brand & how people perceive it. But what's exciting to you will probably be exciting to others. People want to have fun and be entertained. I've found the result of play is often better and its important to just put things out there whether they're perfect or not. The people hiring you want to know that you have your own creative practice. The videos & characters allow me to share some of my creative practices with people.
LA: I know you are looking to evolve your business? Tell me, what's next.
CYNTHIA: I've been writing on my topics since 2001 and am feeling like I've done everything I can in that written format. So I'm looking to go more multi-media, use my drawings and characters and bring more of my work as a coach teams and groups on how to tap their creativity. I'm super excited about my recent novel, "Chasing Sylvia Beach" which took me 12 years to write. There were times when I wanted to give up but I took my own coaching advice and continued to connect with my motivation. I also got help when I needed it.
LA: I loved the book and so did my sisters! We all read it together on the beach in Mexico. Between your travel, your writing & coaching how do you continue to find inspiration while staying focused to get things done for yourself and your clients?
CYNTHIA: Travel is my personal growth boot camp. It fills my creative reservoir so when I return to Denver I'm inspired to create something new. There's such a deluge of information. With myself & my clients, I ask lots of questions: what's really worthwhile, what do I want for my clients and myself, what do I have to share & what's the most meaningful way. I like to go deep with people while continuing to develop my own creative edge, to read, to learn more about how to be better. Any time people spend with me I strive to make it meaningful for them & for me.
LA: From my experience you are extraordinarily successful at making encounters meaningful! Thanks for sharing so freely and for hosting the Thriving Artist Potluck next week!
