One issue about writing concerns energy. Allow me to borrow an equation from the computer industry: GIGO — garbage in, garbage out. In other words, if your code is bad going in, the results coming out will be garbage.

With writing, as with most actions in the universe, the amount of energy put into an activity will usually be rewarded by a return of energy, thus my formula: EOEI – Energy Out, Energy In. Translated, this equation means that the energy you put out to the world will be returned with energy back into your life.

Of course, we can block this return of energy (read: abundance), but that’s another topic.

Generally the energy transfer is circular. Energy goes out, and energy comes back in. Just thinking or praying about your writing project won’t generate much return, except the pleasure of the fantasy. You must put real action out before you can get any return.
ENERGY OUT

Energy Out involves the energy you exert on your writing projects, creating quality writing that helps readers, not just yourself. It includes doing research, connecting with others about your writing project, actually writing, and so on. All of this exerted energy goes into creating that piece of writing, whether it is a blog post or a book.

One last action: you must send the writing out to the universe, or marketplace, or whatever you want to call it, thus completing the circling of the energy. Energy Out is also proof of your valuing your writing talent and the energy you have exerted on the project.

This concluding action is one of my issues. I wonder why I don’t get the return; then I realize I haven’t sent anything out, so the recycling or transaction is incomplete. I guess I’m afraid of rejection, or maybe of success or failure. I’m still working on that one.

Doing this blog has helped me with this problem. The need to feed the blog on a fairly regular basis forces me to complete the transaction, to send my writing out to the world to help others. At least, I hope it helps others. Does it? Leave a comment. So my blog is one way I complete the Energy Out transaction.
ENERGY IN

Energy In refers to the amount of energy returned to you. This energy comes in many forms: your articles and books published, comments on your blog, money, connections to interested and interesting people, great ideas for existing and new projects, among others.

Don’t measure your EI only in terms of money. You never know if that new friend on Facebook or that person at the conference won’t eventually lead to more EI, in all its myriad forms.

This energy flow is circular. Energy In often results in more opportunities for Energy Out. A publisher takes your article and asks if you have more. A producer talks about your screenplay and reads a few of your other scripts. The opportunities will come as a result of your energy expended on your writing.

The amount of Energy Out will influence the amount of Energy In. If you write an hour a week, your return will be minimal. If you write a few hours a day, the return will be much more, assuming, that is, that you actually send it out.

One other point: your intention for the writing (for the Energy Out) also impacts the quality of the return energy, Energy In. If your intention in writing that short e-book is to “make a lot of money” but has little to do with actually helping your reader (like rehashing common wisdom and slapping a nifty title on it), then the energy returned will be tainted. You will be hit with energy requiring you to pay for stuff, in a mirror effect. If you think primarily of your readers, with an intention of serving others, then the energy returned will of service to you. You will find people helping you in many ways, including valuing your services by sending you money.

So when you’re thinking about your writing and the lack of any return (or perhaps your extraordinary success), think about this EOEI equation.

What do you think about this equation? Leave a comment.

Writing is a complicated process, and having someone hold your hand while creating something big, like a nonfiction book, can make the entire task that much easier.  My course (coming soon) WRITE THAT NONFICTION BOOK! The Process  by Katherine Ploeger does just that.  Check out ploegersservices.com for information. 

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Katherine Ploeger, MA, MFA, is a writer, editor, teacher, and writing coach and script consultant. She publishes practical, process-oriented information for nonfiction writers and screenwriters on her blog, Katie’s Writing Notes (katieploeger.wordpress.com).  Also check out her website at www.ploegersservices.com for courses, reference guides, and other materials for writers.