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Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity
Do you struggle to:
+Find time to write and create
+Ditch distractions
+Overcome self-doubt and fear
+Believe in your strengths
+Silence the inner critic
+Stop procrastinating and write
+Focus on your work
What if you could find a simple solution to every one of these challenges?
In this book, you’ll discover YOUR perfect solutions. In our guru-obsessed culture, it’s tempting to think that if we follow the routines of successful creatives, we’ll be just as prolific as they are. But when it comes to creative productivity, a pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all guide can’t help everyone. Each person has distinct needs and deserves a unique solution.
In Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination, and Increase Productivity, you’ll tackle quests to help you discover your ideal work rhythms, design a life that supports your productivity, and overcome any obstacle you face. Instead of playing someone else’s game, you get to design the game, create your own playbook, define the rewards, and reap them all! You’ll also adopt a secret identity, recruit allies, identify villains, and celebrate your epic wins. Because you’ll be using a gameful approach to shaping your creative life, taking on these quests won’t be a chore. You’ll relish investigating your life and playing with possibilities.
+Find time to write and create
+Ditch distractions
+Overcome self-doubt and fear
+Believe in your strengths
+Silence the inner critic
+Stop procrastinating and write
+Focus on your work
What if you could find a simple solution to every one of these challenges?
In this book, you’ll discover YOUR perfect solutions. In our guru-obsessed culture, it’s tempting to think that if we follow the routines of successful creatives, we’ll be just as prolific as they are. But when it comes to creative productivity, a pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all guide can’t help everyone. Each person has distinct needs and deserves a unique solution.
In Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination, and Increase Productivity, you’ll tackle quests to help you discover your ideal work rhythms, design a life that supports your productivity, and overcome any obstacle you face. Instead of playing someone else’s game, you get to design the game, create your own playbook, define the rewards, and reap them all! You’ll also adopt a secret identity, recruit allies, identify villains, and celebrate your epic wins. Because you’ll be using a gameful approach to shaping your creative life, taking on these quests won’t be a chore. You’ll relish investigating your life and playing with possibilities.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2019
62 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Rochelle Melander
42 books85 followersRochelle Melander, the Write Now! Coach, is the author of 10 books, a certified professional coach, and a popular speaker. Melander teaches professionals how to write fast, get published, establish credibility, and navigate the new world of social media.
Rochelle's newest book Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) teaches writers how to train for and successfully conquer writing marathons like National Novel Writing Month. Her book A Generous Presence: Spiritual Leadership and the Art of Coaching (2006), was named one of the 50 best spiritual books of 2006.
In 2006, Rochelle founded Dream Keepers Creative Writing Workshop, a program that teaches writing to at-risk tweens and teens in the inner city. Rochelle Melander is a member of the International Coach Federation and the American Society for Journalists and Authors. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her husband, the writer Harold Eppley, and their two children.
Rochelle's newest book Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About It) teaches writers how to train for and successfully conquer writing marathons like National Novel Writing Month. Her book A Generous Presence: Spiritual Leadership and the Art of Coaching (2006), was named one of the 50 best spiritual books of 2006.
In 2006, Rochelle founded Dream Keepers Creative Writing Workshop, a program that teaches writing to at-risk tweens and teens in the inner city. Rochelle Melander is a member of the International Coach Federation and the American Society for Journalists and Authors. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her husband, the writer Harold Eppley, and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 15, 2019
Writing is life. Life is writing. To do either well, we must learn to do both. Rochelle Melander’s insightful challenges for “leveling up” are ultimately about encouraging all of us to be all that we can be--as both writers and humans.
April 18, 2019
I’ve just started to go through this book, but I’m really impressed with what I’ve tried so far. Melander offers a ton of writing insight and really gets a ton of content into one little book. There are a lot of “quests” (basically writing challenges and thought exercises), which you can do in order, or you can hop around and just do the ones that seem like they’d be useful for your situation. I liked the ones focusing on procrastination and ways to get around mental blocks, because that’s something I’ve struggled with in my own writing lately. But Melander has something for everyone and clearly has a lot of experience with this topic and how to convey these ideas effectively. Think of this as a workbook and a guide. You don’t read it once and put it away—it’s a tool. I’m looking forward to doing more of the quests.
June 28, 2020
One of the things I really enjoyed and appreciated about this book were the writing challenges at the end of every section. I'm a big fan of actionable advice, so the fact that the author took the time to develop exercises to help readers develop their mindset and habits was really useful.
It was also useful that the content was broken down into small, bite-sized chapters, and those chapters were organized into sections that dealt with different aspects of creativity like planning, implementing, avoiding distractions, etc.
I've been reading a lot of books on writing and publishing lately, and this is one of the more helpful and informative books in the bunch. Definitely recommended for anyone who has trouble with procrastination or lack of productivity and is looking for a step-by-step guide to start to build up better practices and get their writing goals on track.
It was also useful that the content was broken down into small, bite-sized chapters, and those chapters were organized into sections that dealt with different aspects of creativity like planning, implementing, avoiding distractions, etc.
I've been reading a lot of books on writing and publishing lately, and this is one of the more helpful and informative books in the bunch. Definitely recommended for anyone who has trouble with procrastination or lack of productivity and is looking for a step-by-step guide to start to build up better practices and get their writing goals on track.
October 14, 2019
Rochelle Melander wears many caps. She is a writing coach with experience in support of individual, spiritual, and professional development. She has multiple books to her credit, including Write-A-Thon. She brings a wealth of life and professional experience to this new project, a book that is both playful and play-full, jam-packed with solid guidance, plenty of smiles, and nods if recognition for anyone interested in making the most of their creative potential. The QUEST she set for herself in this book was to offer both new and familiar tools in a way that is not just useful, but FUN!
And she succeeded.
Melander mentions early in the introduction that much of her language will refer to writers and writing challenges, but her advice will transfer readily to those interested in launching a business, engaging in visual or other arts, or contemplating any complex creative task.
Although I absorbed most of her advice from the perspective of a writer, it felt obvious to me that the strategies she offers are, indeed, suitable across the board. I pictured friends and family who are crafters, antique car rebuilders, home-based caterers, all of whom are talented and productive. Those creators often also grump and grumble about getting behind schedule, juggling so much that important balls are dropped, or otherwise feel less than successful in their chosen creative pursuits than they believe they could be.
Melander’s title reflects the language of digital game play, while the subtitle makes clear exactly who the “players” are and what the book will offer. The premise of her approach is twofold: first, there is NO WAY that any piece(s) of advice will suit every creator, every time, in every way; and, second, in order to succeed, creators would benefit from being able to access and use the best advice at the right time and place.
Those points may appear to be in conflict with each other, and perhaps with the very idea of a book labeling itself as a “guide”. And yet Melander has found a clever way to make a very powerful point (and tool) to integrate those two truths. She has written this as a gaming insider guide, beginning with the advice to take a big picture overview before beginning. By doing so, readers will see a comprehensive table of contents, a useful and precisely worded index, a useful “power up” resource, and will quickly identify the way each two-to-three page “chapter” is organized.
Beginning with the table of contents, Melander has identified five areas of struggle for creatives: visioning and planning an ideal creative life; discovering and implementing your own best practices; mastering your mindset; ditching distractions; and overcoming obstacles.
If you’ve done any reading or attended workshops, webinars, or conferences, you will recognize these topics as frequent (and well-attended) program targets.
What Melander has done, playfully and effectively, is to treat the many elements within each broad topic as gaming tips. Each coaching tip is simply labeled, often as a skill or strategy, followed by a BRIEF focusing introduction. Next she frames the skill as a QUEST, indicating the tools, shortcuts, locations, and steps to achieve and measure the activity or approach. She then provides GAME PLAY TIPS, noting pitfalls to avoid and shortcuts that may help, as well as ideas about modifying tasks to make the QUEST more achievable in your own circumstances. Finally, She defines FOR THE WIN, indicating ways to measure success and recognize how achieving the quest will move you toward your much larger goals.
This simple framing of information that so often feels overwhelming, confusing, unrealistic, redundant, or otherwise undoable puts the game control into the hands of the player- allowing full control to attempt, to skip over, to return to, or to ignore as best suits that player at that time, in that project. This consistent framing also turns a massive and valuable trove of information into “modules” that need not all be read or processed or used sequentially or according to some master plan.
Because I was reading this material to review, I did “play through” from start to finish. Along the way I quickly noticed Melander stating clear permission to dip in and out, to utilize the chapter titles, index, and other well organized tools to troubleshoot current issues in creativity or productivity. For novices or someone with lifelong experience, there is value in both approaches. Speaking for myself, I found my head nodding in recognition of many QUESTS and GAME PLAY TIPS, I discovered new approaches, and noted many areas of my own life for which the QUESTS were well established but not currently in use. Others, though, made me eager to give them a try and felt ideally suited to an ongoing or back-burner project.
Melander’s clever and original approach makes the overwhelming challenge of independent creativity and productivity feel not just doable, but FUN! As an admitted quote-collector, I was in awe of the many and varied sources on which the author drew to launch a QUEST, illustrate a point, inspire, amuse, and empathize throughout these many topics. These words of wisdom are not randomly inserted nor quoted as directives or authorities. Rather, each quote feels like a collaboration with a fellow human, one who also struggles, ponders, succeeds, and fails. By underscoring the range and universality of the obstacles and efforts that characterize complex lives, these quotes made what can be a very isolated pursuit feel shared. Characteristic of the effective structure of every part of this book, there is a comprehensive listing of each quote’s source in the back matter.
From concept to implementation to actual book, Melander has created a one-of-a-kind resource that I highly recommend. I read this via advance PDF, but intend to purchase a paper copy as soon as it is available. Using my own best strategies, I’ll insert sticky note tabs and jot quick reminders, making it as useful and dependable as a favorite cookbook. And, just as with my favorite cookbooks, there are some QUESTS/recipes I will follow exactly, some I will modify to suit my taste and interests, and some that will simply remind me of my own helpful strategies from the past.
Despite being someone with NO experience with or interest in digital game play, I found the premise, format, and task-labeling to be effective and appealing. I have no doubt that would not be the case were it not for Melander’s powerful organization, exhaustive expertise, and writing quality that shine through and elevate this work. I appreciate learning new approaches and strategies, but I feel I was learning even more by the example of her writing: attention to detail, voice, and awareness of audience. It’s easy to recommend this book highly for everyone to read and use. My advice is not to shelve it after finishing, but to keep it handy for ready access throughout a lifetime of projects.
And she succeeded.
Melander mentions early in the introduction that much of her language will refer to writers and writing challenges, but her advice will transfer readily to those interested in launching a business, engaging in visual or other arts, or contemplating any complex creative task.
Although I absorbed most of her advice from the perspective of a writer, it felt obvious to me that the strategies she offers are, indeed, suitable across the board. I pictured friends and family who are crafters, antique car rebuilders, home-based caterers, all of whom are talented and productive. Those creators often also grump and grumble about getting behind schedule, juggling so much that important balls are dropped, or otherwise feel less than successful in their chosen creative pursuits than they believe they could be.
Melander’s title reflects the language of digital game play, while the subtitle makes clear exactly who the “players” are and what the book will offer. The premise of her approach is twofold: first, there is NO WAY that any piece(s) of advice will suit every creator, every time, in every way; and, second, in order to succeed, creators would benefit from being able to access and use the best advice at the right time and place.
Those points may appear to be in conflict with each other, and perhaps with the very idea of a book labeling itself as a “guide”. And yet Melander has found a clever way to make a very powerful point (and tool) to integrate those two truths. She has written this as a gaming insider guide, beginning with the advice to take a big picture overview before beginning. By doing so, readers will see a comprehensive table of contents, a useful and precisely worded index, a useful “power up” resource, and will quickly identify the way each two-to-three page “chapter” is organized.
Beginning with the table of contents, Melander has identified five areas of struggle for creatives: visioning and planning an ideal creative life; discovering and implementing your own best practices; mastering your mindset; ditching distractions; and overcoming obstacles.
If you’ve done any reading or attended workshops, webinars, or conferences, you will recognize these topics as frequent (and well-attended) program targets.
What Melander has done, playfully and effectively, is to treat the many elements within each broad topic as gaming tips. Each coaching tip is simply labeled, often as a skill or strategy, followed by a BRIEF focusing introduction. Next she frames the skill as a QUEST, indicating the tools, shortcuts, locations, and steps to achieve and measure the activity or approach. She then provides GAME PLAY TIPS, noting pitfalls to avoid and shortcuts that may help, as well as ideas about modifying tasks to make the QUEST more achievable in your own circumstances. Finally, She defines FOR THE WIN, indicating ways to measure success and recognize how achieving the quest will move you toward your much larger goals.
This simple framing of information that so often feels overwhelming, confusing, unrealistic, redundant, or otherwise undoable puts the game control into the hands of the player- allowing full control to attempt, to skip over, to return to, or to ignore as best suits that player at that time, in that project. This consistent framing also turns a massive and valuable trove of information into “modules” that need not all be read or processed or used sequentially or according to some master plan.
Because I was reading this material to review, I did “play through” from start to finish. Along the way I quickly noticed Melander stating clear permission to dip in and out, to utilize the chapter titles, index, and other well organized tools to troubleshoot current issues in creativity or productivity. For novices or someone with lifelong experience, there is value in both approaches. Speaking for myself, I found my head nodding in recognition of many QUESTS and GAME PLAY TIPS, I discovered new approaches, and noted many areas of my own life for which the QUESTS were well established but not currently in use. Others, though, made me eager to give them a try and felt ideally suited to an ongoing or back-burner project.
Melander’s clever and original approach makes the overwhelming challenge of independent creativity and productivity feel not just doable, but FUN! As an admitted quote-collector, I was in awe of the many and varied sources on which the author drew to launch a QUEST, illustrate a point, inspire, amuse, and empathize throughout these many topics. These words of wisdom are not randomly inserted nor quoted as directives or authorities. Rather, each quote feels like a collaboration with a fellow human, one who also struggles, ponders, succeeds, and fails. By underscoring the range and universality of the obstacles and efforts that characterize complex lives, these quotes made what can be a very isolated pursuit feel shared. Characteristic of the effective structure of every part of this book, there is a comprehensive listing of each quote’s source in the back matter.
From concept to implementation to actual book, Melander has created a one-of-a-kind resource that I highly recommend. I read this via advance PDF, but intend to purchase a paper copy as soon as it is available. Using my own best strategies, I’ll insert sticky note tabs and jot quick reminders, making it as useful and dependable as a favorite cookbook. And, just as with my favorite cookbooks, there are some QUESTS/recipes I will follow exactly, some I will modify to suit my taste and interests, and some that will simply remind me of my own helpful strategies from the past.
Despite being someone with NO experience with or interest in digital game play, I found the premise, format, and task-labeling to be effective and appealing. I have no doubt that would not be the case were it not for Melander’s powerful organization, exhaustive expertise, and writing quality that shine through and elevate this work. I appreciate learning new approaches and strategies, but I feel I was learning even more by the example of her writing: attention to detail, voice, and awareness of audience. It’s easy to recommend this book highly for everyone to read and use. My advice is not to shelve it after finishing, but to keep it handy for ready access throughout a lifetime of projects.
Read
August 22, 2019Working through Level Up is like having a personal writing coach you carry with you in a book. Rather than describe her program for writing productively and encourage other writers to follow it, Rochelle Melander invites writers and other creatives on quests to examine our personalities, connect with our passions, and explore our world as we determine our own best path. Writers who are either beginning their journeys or looking for a general overhaul will find it helpful to follow the book's logical sequence. It starts with foundational quests for developing vision and determining priorities, then offers strategies for conquering the inner critic before moving on to ditching distractions and overcoming obstacles. Advanced writers wanting to tackle specific challenges such as perfectionism or rejection can choose from the eclectic list of 78 quests, including Finding Your Where and Reframe Rejection. Level UP presents even seemingly mundane tasks such as Organize Your Office and Cluster Tasks with a playful twist.
I've never been good at following someone else's program, but I have struggled trying to chart my own course as a writer. I have been frustrated with many projects started, but few completed. Working through the quests in Level Up is providing me with the support I need to develop habits and strategies that fit the writer God created me to be. It has given me the freedom and confidence to develop habits and strategies to get organized and stay organized, to write productively following my personal rhythms of energy and creativity, and to have fun on the journey. It has inspired me to dream big and to follow through on my dreams with completed manuscripts and submissions.
I've never been good at following someone else's program, but I have struggled trying to chart my own course as a writer. I have been frustrated with many projects started, but few completed. Working through the quests in Level Up is providing me with the support I need to develop habits and strategies that fit the writer God created me to be. It has given me the freedom and confidence to develop habits and strategies to get organized and stay organized, to write productively following my personal rhythms of energy and creativity, and to have fun on the journey. It has inspired me to dream big and to follow through on my dreams with completed manuscripts and submissions.
November 21, 2019
I planned to read through this book before writing a review. But this is not a “read through” kind of book. It’s a “work through,” a guide to help you develop in your field, whatever field includes writing as part of the job.
The Introduction states the book is for those who take on projects, then feel overwhelmed or get derailed from the task. Melander writes: “This book will help you discover your vision, detect your strengths, focus on your work, overcome obstacles, and accomplish more than you ever thought possible.”
The book is composed of 77 short chapters that include: Introductory material; “The Quest,” which challenges you to consider and evaluate your current practices; “Game Play Tips,” which guides you into a better way of approaching a task; and “For the Win,” which solidifies what you’ve learned in that chapter.
Chapters are organized in five parts: Vision and Plan Your Ideal Writing Life; Discover and Implement Your Best Practices; Master Your Mindset; Ditch Distractions; and Overcome Obstacles.
End matter includes an Appendix with tips to help you meet your goal in working through the book. Endnotes include 111 references, and an Index helps you find information on particular issues such as Balance, Inspiration, Monkey Mind, Priorities, etc. The 255 pages of the book are packed with information.
This is not an easy read, but it may well hold the key to success for writers serious about discovering the best approach to become more productive.
The Introduction states the book is for those who take on projects, then feel overwhelmed or get derailed from the task. Melander writes: “This book will help you discover your vision, detect your strengths, focus on your work, overcome obstacles, and accomplish more than you ever thought possible.”
The book is composed of 77 short chapters that include: Introductory material; “The Quest,” which challenges you to consider and evaluate your current practices; “Game Play Tips,” which guides you into a better way of approaching a task; and “For the Win,” which solidifies what you’ve learned in that chapter.
Chapters are organized in five parts: Vision and Plan Your Ideal Writing Life; Discover and Implement Your Best Practices; Master Your Mindset; Ditch Distractions; and Overcome Obstacles.
End matter includes an Appendix with tips to help you meet your goal in working through the book. Endnotes include 111 references, and an Index helps you find information on particular issues such as Balance, Inspiration, Monkey Mind, Priorities, etc. The 255 pages of the book are packed with information.
This is not an easy read, but it may well hold the key to success for writers serious about discovering the best approach to become more productive.
September 18, 2019
Rochelle Melander wrote a book of fun challenges to encourage writers to try a different tack and see what improvements result.
I enjoyed the quotes that started the quests. Several times I experienced the particular pleasure of recognizing the name of the person quoted.
I started doing the first quest when I was treating myself to a meal out. The multi-tasking of eating and writing was a challenge, and as I read over my list of ideal circumstances in my future life, I recognized actions outnumbered descriptions. Rochelle helped me be honest. I want to know what happens more than I want to know how the scene looks.
The short chapters gave me a sense of accomplishment from a quick read, and the activities Rochelle suggested stretched me beyond my comfort zone but not beyond belief. I thought I might be able to involve children in the activity using waiting time in a pediatrician’s office. Maybe I could model for the next generation what productive waiting makes possible. Hint: check the index for quests on Productivity.
The endnotes provided the entire bibliographic entry, so I didn’t need to look back to get all the information when a particular reference appeared more than once.
This book provides guided opportunities to make a difference in myself, the only person I can really change. Thanks, Rochelle, for such a positive offering!
I enjoyed the quotes that started the quests. Several times I experienced the particular pleasure of recognizing the name of the person quoted.
I started doing the first quest when I was treating myself to a meal out. The multi-tasking of eating and writing was a challenge, and as I read over my list of ideal circumstances in my future life, I recognized actions outnumbered descriptions. Rochelle helped me be honest. I want to know what happens more than I want to know how the scene looks.
The short chapters gave me a sense of accomplishment from a quick read, and the activities Rochelle suggested stretched me beyond my comfort zone but not beyond belief. I thought I might be able to involve children in the activity using waiting time in a pediatrician’s office. Maybe I could model for the next generation what productive waiting makes possible. Hint: check the index for quests on Productivity.
The endnotes provided the entire bibliographic entry, so I didn’t need to look back to get all the information when a particular reference appeared more than once.
This book provides guided opportunities to make a difference in myself, the only person I can really change. Thanks, Rochelle, for such a positive offering!
October 15, 2019
I love that Rochelle has written this Choose-your-Adventure book for writers! Indeed, there is no one fixed path to success for all writers, entrepeneurs and creatives. There are 78 quests to choose from and to conquer. Though I have yet to finish the whole book, I appreciate the insights and the long stream of tips and ideas to bust through my current problems. I appreciate how Rochelle has made this so personable as she described some of her own challenges and how she worked through them. The Quest on "Learn from Envy" was extremely insightful for me, and through this quest I got to have more clarity on what I really desire in life!
This is a wonderful resource that I will keep referring to over and over again and to share with my other friends so we can be accountability partners on conquering these exciting quests too.
This is a wonderful resource that I will keep referring to over and over again and to share with my other friends so we can be accountability partners on conquering these exciting quests too.
Read
September 15, 2021This beautiful, accessible collection of mini-biographies celebrates an incredible variety of people who have taken action through writing. I learned something new on every page--about people I'd never heard of as well as those I've long admired. I hope Melander's book will inspire readers to use their own words for good!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews