After finishing the first draft of a nonfiction book, let the manuscript sit for a couple of days or a week. I know you can’t wait to get it done, but there is a reason. Waiting allows your brain to process and make sense of the information. You can distance yourself from the words themselves and get a clearer picture of the project as a whole. Looking at it with fresh eyes reveals inconsistencies and errors you may otherwise overlook. The time away also allows you renew your enthusiasm and passion in an often arduous process of editing. So, catch your breath and then forge ahead.

Read the entire manuscript in as short a time span as possible to most fully connect with the tone and flow of the content. You are looking for an overall sense of how you constructed and organized the manuscript. At this point, it is best not to stop to fix a typo, rewrite a sentence or decide on the perfect chapter title. There will be plenty of time for detail work in the next rounds of edits.

Look for gaps in content. Did you jump from one topic to another without an appropriate segue or explanation? Make sure you don’t assume a reader comes with the same understanding as you or same background knowledge.

Look for logical organization. Although a reader may jump skip chapters or jump around to glean particular information in some kinds of books, assume that most readers will read your book from beginning to end. Even nonfiction books need to have a defined story arc or tell a story in a logical way for the reader to follow.

Look for consistent voice. Because you don’t write a book in a single sitting (I hope you don’t), your mood may be different from day to day and chapter to chapter. If you are writing in an analytical way, a humorous chapter may jar the reader. Your voice should be the underlying feeling of the book and shouldn’t jump out and bite the reader.

Look for consistent content. Your vision for the project may have changed from day one and Chapter 10 is more inspired than Chapter 1. Or, you may have been in such a rush to finish that you skimped on content, insight or extras toward the end. Ask yourself if you fully developed each chapter throughout the book.

Look for places the book gets bogged down. Is there too much information or too many examples, stories, quotes or technical background information that interferes with the reader experience? As hard as it is to chop your precious words, sometimes it is just the thing to free your best writing. There is no need to delete the words from your life. Park them in a separate file for another project whether that is a book, seminar, blog article or social media post.

Look for repetition of words or phrases. Variety makes the world and your writing a beautiful thing. If you found a clever phrase or unique way of describing something, use it sparingly. Watch for individual words or sentences that jump out in your writing. If you suspect you are overusing words or phrases, use the find feature in your word processing program to sniff them out. There will undoubtedly be some words you use over and over about a particular subject, but, when used with care, will blend seamlessly into your writing.

Look for variety in sentence structure and length. Like varying your choice of words, vary the sentences to make your book interesting and engaging. Read your work aloud and pay attention to the rhythm of your words. Note how you start each sentence. Particularly in a memoir-style book, watch for overuse of “I” or “my” as a sentence starter.

As mentioned at the beginning, the best practice in editing at this level is to make note of needed changes, but refrain rewriting and fixing problems to avoid getting bogged down. Plow through from beginning to the end in this first round of edits. Two tools I use at this stage are the highlight and comment features in Microsoft Word. The highlight feature is on the Home tab and can be activated by highlighting (clicking and dragging over text to be changed) and then clicking on the colored highlighter. The comment feature is found in the Review tab. Place your cursor where changes are needed and select New Comment from the Word ribbon.

Once you’ve read the entire manuscript for readability and content, reflect on your project as a whole. Ask yourself these additional questions:

Does it speak to your ideal reader?

Does it deliver on your promise to the reader to solve their problem?

Is it presented in a way that achieves your business and/or personal objectives?

Use content editing to keep your promise to your ideal reader. #amwriting #editing
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Finally, use the insight gained from your first pass through the book to begin making changes. It makes sense to avoid focusing on details of grammar and punctuation until the general layout of the content is complete. You may eventually delete or change some content. I hate doing double work. Don’t you?

How many times you need to repeat this level of editing depends on how much editing was required in the first round. If your manuscript required major changes, repeat this process again until broad changes are no longer needed. Once complete, narrow your focus to the details of grammar and punctuation and other sentence level changes to make your book shine.

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As we turn the page to another year and shake off the late night festivities, it’s time to look ahead to your goals, large and small, for 2016. Besides the perennial lose weight, go to the gym and save the world resolutions, make this the year you break out as a writer. Make room in your life for what you have on your heart. Make room for writing with these resolutions this year.

Make a writing schedule

Like making a doctor’s appointment or picking your kids up from school, scheduling time for writing ensures, or at least makes room for writing. You aren’t making it the gym if you only went when you felt like it. The same goes for writing. Something always comes up to steal time unless you hold it captive under lock and key. Whether you write during your morning coffee break, get up an hour early, hunker down late at night or barricade yourself on a weekend, put it on the calendar and make it your sacred time and space. Let those around you know your writing goals and that your writing time is non-negotiable. I know the last part was the hardest part for me, but when it was clear to my family how important writing was to me and my goals, they respected my time and usher me off without a word (almost).

Hold your writing time captive so no on steals it from you. #amwriting #writing
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Explore your writing goals

What do you want to accomplish this year in terms of writing? Do you want to finish a manuscript, publish a book, publish 100 blog posts or something else? Make a plan for the year or the first 6 months and plot out word count, blog count or some other quantitative goal. Break you goal down into manageable chunks and give yourself mile-markers during the year. If you want to write a 50,000-word manuscript, that’s approximately 1000 words a week. If you scheduled 4 writing days a week, you need to write 250 words per day. That’s manageable. You can definitely do that. Look at the big picture and work down to the little steps. You don’t need to write a book today. You just need to write a little morsel.

Make a plan for writing

How many times have you sat at the computer and thought, what am going to write today? If it takes you a while to get going, you aren’t alone. Writer’s block, or its insidious cousin procrastination, can stop your momentum and cause you to abandon the plan. Many times, our detours can be averted with advanced planning. It’s great to know that you need to write 250 words today, but only if you know what to write.

If you are a blogger, set one day aside to create a content calendar. With your goals in mind, decide what to offer your readers and when. There may be changes along the way, but you have an overall idea of how to reach your readers in a way that’s not random and haphazard. Then, each week or month, outline each blog post and do a little background research while gathering links, so when you sit down to write, all you need to do is write.

If you are writing a book, you may follow the same road map using your book outline to guide you. As you fill out your outline to include subheadings and bullet points, use the opportunity to create a book and and a blog post simultaneously. Each week, pull a section of the outline and separate it into blog posts, filling in details prior to writing each week. As you go through each week, you’ll have a completed chapter and a couple of blog posts. Once written, twice served.

Network with other writers and readers

It’s lonely out there. You work hard on your writing and it’s harder when no one seems to notice. Make this the year you network with fellow writers, fellow readers, potential clients and customers. Read and comment on other blogs. Join groups on Facebook  and LinkedIn and really become a part of the group. Don’t just post your stuff. Listen. Encourage. Tell people how much you enjoyed, learned or laughed at what they shared. Go to business networking events or writers’ Meetups. Listen and you will be heard.

Don't talk at people. Network with other writers and readers to make real connections.…
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Learn the craft of writing

There are writers and then there are writers that readers are drawn to. You’ve read those books. You know from the first sentence you want to devour every page. Great writing doesn’t just happen. Great writers learn the craft of writing. They read. A lot. Read books in your genre and books from the best writers on any subject. Subscribe to magazines like Writer’s Digest and The Writer with a laptop by your side for taking notes. Take a class at a local college or arts organization. Then, pack your personal library with books on the craft of writing from the best of the best like:

On Writing Well, William Zissner

On Writing, Stephen King

Writing Down the Bones, Natalie Goldberg

Bird By Bird, Anne Lamott

The Elements of Style, William Strunk and E.B. White

There is no quick way to writing better except to keep learning and keep writing. Set a goal to learn something new each week. By the end of the year, you WILL be better at the craft.

There is no quick way to writing better except to keep learning and keep writing. #writing…
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Learn the business of writing

For many of us, as much as we love the act of writing, the tapping of the keyboard, the pot of steaming coffee and the pouring out of thought and emotion, we strive to make a living (or some money) by writing. Whether you are a blogger, novelist, business professional or poet, knowing the business side of writing affords you the opportunity to find markets for your writing, increase sales of your book or increase your business income because you wrote a book.

Set a goal to learn more about the business side of writing this year. Explore how to monetize your blog, get speaking engagements, use a book giveaway to increase sales, maximize your book launch among many, many other opportunities. Subscribe to blogs that can help you make the most of work you are already doing. Start with these sites:

The Happy Self-Publisher (that’s me!)

Where Writers Win

The Creative Penn

Mostly Blogging

Goins, Writer

Seth Godin

These sites are filled with practical information and writing inspiration to keep you motivated and on track this year.

Set a publication date

You’ve been thinking about writing a book or maybe you’ve already started. Set a publication date. Not just in your head. Write the name of your book and the publication date (month or season, like Fall 2016) into the bio on your website and on all of your social media channels. Tell your friends and family and anyone that will listen that this is the year your book WILL be published.

You don’t have to go it alone. Get hooked up with local critique groups or online writing groups to help perfect your work. Find a writing partner to share the ups and downs of the writing journey. Or, seek out the help of a writing or publishing coach to help guide you to publication.

You can do this! Let’s make 2016 the year to stand in your greatness!

What are your plans?

The post New Year’s Resolutions for Writers appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

“A writer is a world trapped in a person.”

~ Victor Hugo

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As an author or aspiring author, you know that being successful requires you to treat your writing like a business because it IS a business. Before you decide on whether the book you want to write is viable and marketable, evaluate the project. You will dedicate a lot of time to creating and perfecting it, so it better be worth your time, right? One of the tools used to understand you and your potential book better is a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. All four are present whether you are a multi-national company or an authorpreneur and whether you want to admit it, or not.

The purpose of a SWOT analysis, sometimes called a SWOT matrix, is to determine both internal and external factors that make a business or project feasible. It helps you to proactively consider what you are good at and the opportunities in the market for your book. At the same time, you a get realistic view of what you aren’t so good at and the external factors working against you. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors that are true for you and your team, if you are currently working with one. Opportunities and threats are external factors relating to the market or your competition.

I work with a lot of coaches who set out to write a book to build their business. Let’s look at a scenario of one life coach’s SWOT analysis to help you visualize what this means:

Strengths: great writer, good at communicating complex issues for average person to understand, passion for the topic, burning desire to help people, has a vision for the future

Weaknesses: not great at details (like grammar and punctuation), distracted, has trouble prioritizing, limited understanding of marketing

Opportunities: market fluctuation has many people seeking clarity in job and life, speaking engagements abound in local area, self-publishing has low barriers to entry

Threats: many life coaches in local area, same market fluctuation may cause people to hold onto money, numerous books on the market for similar topics.

Armed with that knowledge, what do you take away from it?

I would encourage this coach to build on the strengths and opportunities that are presented here. A great writer with a passion for sharing her knowledge and an opportunity to share that book with people who need it is a great start. BUT, this coach may need a team to help with business and publishing details like scheduling and editing. If there are many coaches and many books about coaching, this coach needs to find a niche that differentiates her from other coaches and her book from other books.

A SWOT analysis helps writers discover if a book is worth writing. #bookmarketing #authorpreneur
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This method works for writing a book or running a business. It gives you a framework to consider what you have and don’t have as well as zeroing in on the market and competition to make better decisions about how and when to proceed. You may find that it isn’t worth pursuing OR you may discover that you are the perfect person to deliver the message RIGHT NOW.

Now it’s your turn. Get your SWOT analysis template here. What did you discover?

The post SWOT Analysis for Aspiring Authors appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

As a writer, author and content creator, I spend A LOT of time staring at my computer. I bang away at the keys day after day hoping for a brilliant thought or a least a helpful bit of information for you, my readers. But, as the weather kept me inside last week on the East Coast, I felt the urge to get out of my space and into the world in search of creative inspiration.

I’m a fan of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and have written about her recommendation for periodic “artist dates.” I took her up on it this weekend with a trip to the Delaware Art Museum. It’s not the Louvre, but it is close to home, free on Sundays and it provided me with exactly what I needed — creative inspiration.

I’m not an art aficionado and I don’t know enough about art to pick out the intricacies, but I can relate to the feeling it brings. The featured exhibit this month was Pre-Raphaelite art named such because of the artists’ fondness for style focused on simplicity while a railing against intrusions of the industrial revolution. Of course, that’s not as important as what I read about the artists and the artwork itself. There are three things I took away from my visit.

Community

The Pre-Raphaelite artists formed a community, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They worked together and supported each other, even when the larger artistic community was against them. Although many forms of art are solitary pursuits, these artists found a common bond and succeeded to developing a unique style.

How often to we stay in our own space, afraid or unwilling to gather with others who share our common interests? How much better would it be if we found a community and supported each other on our journey? I thrive in places that focus on shared success. Maybe you do, too. I belong to several organizations and groups both online and in my community like NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and Delaware Writers Network among others.

Sense of Purpose

The Pre-Raphaelites were driven by a perceived undoing of art and society and set out to use their talents to influence others. They felt that artistic style was on the wrong track with the coming of artists like Raphael and the emergence of the Renaissance. They also saw the Industrial Revolution as a harmful to the natural world. Their art was a throwback to a simpler time and place. (Sound familiar?)

I’m not suggesting you should rail against cell phones and the undoing of society (whatever that means to you). I’m suggesting that we approach our work, our writing with a sense of purpose to make life better, leave a legacy and make our mark on the world. Money is not a clear enough motivator for me and I can ‘t change all of the ills in the world. But, I need to know that what I do makes a difference in people’s lives. That helping people find their words, develop their voice and share it with the world drives me to succeed. Empowering others empowers me.

Does what you do make a difference in people's lives? #purpose #writing
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Mentorship

The third thing I found again and again in descriptions of the artwork was a note about who the artist studied under. The artists didn’t become great on their own. They found a teacher, a mentor to show them the finer points of the craft and support them through the process.

I used to try to do it all alone. If I only worked harder. If I only read more. If I only…. But, the reality is, it is hard to do it alone. I have a business mentor who looks out for me and guides me and keeps me on track. I have someone who I can look to for support and who I can look up to. Donna Duffy is successful in her own right and is there for me so I can find my success, too.

And, I pass that along to my clients. I know how hard it is to write a book. I know how hard it is to battle the distractions and uncertainty of the long process. I want to help writers find their success.

Who do you lean on for support? Do you have a mentor, coach or accountability partner? Do you have a community that makes you feel like you are part of something bigger? I would love to hear from you.

If you writing a book and are in search of a mentor or publishing coach, let’s talk! Click Here to Sign Upfor a complimentary 30-Minute Discovery Session and find out how we can work together to bring your book to life.

Click Here to Sign Up

The post In Search of Creative Inspiration appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20.

The post Don’t compare your writing appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Find a writing partner, a critique group, or a publishing coach to encourage you on your writing journey.

The post Publishing Tip #7 appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

I’m thrilled to have author, speaker and entrepreneur Donna Duffy as our guest blogger today. Donna recently published Embracing Autumn: A Motivational Field Guide for Midlife Women Entrepreneurs. This is her take on the experience.

Writing a book has been on my heart and on my bucket list for years.  To have checked that off in 2015 brought a deep sense of pride and accomplishment.  The endeavor brought with it insight and lessons about self and what I value and hold dear. As a result, though my book has not flown off the shelves or gained me a spot on a national talk show, it has added to my contribution to the business world and to my community of followers and colleagues.

Three key takeaways made the experience and transition from writer to author rich, memorable and life-changing.

Process

Embracing Autumn: A Motivational Field Guide for Midlife Women Entrepreneurs

I think this one is my favorite. The act of willingly putting myself under construction, while I forged ahead, taking imperfect action and writing freely without judgement, criticism or edits, was something I would not trade. By allowing myself the opportunity to just dump my heart and head on the pages, it became a cathartic exercise in self-awareness. I learned so much about what I truly believe and hold dear as the core values and guiding principles of my life and business.  In my attempt to articulate to other midlife women the trials and triumphs of growing a vibrant business, I came nose-to-nose with where I truly stand and it helped me craft a manifesto for my life work.

Presence

This one is multi-faceted. In the process of writing to myself and women like me, I found myself gaining access and entry to our world with keen awareness and insight.  The joy, privilege and responsibility of being a participant-observer, ushered me into a place of representing us, of being a voice for savvy, 50+, dynamos and I felt proud to hold that space for us and I still do.  Though years of chronicling my journey may have made me no stranger to see my thoughts and words on paper, knowing other women, my entrepreneurial sisterhood, would be reading it raised the bar and the stakes and I rose up to meet them.

Positioning

Now with all of that behind me, and a published book in my hands and on the bedside tables and Kindles of women everywhere, I know that what I have shared, as candidly as I could, has given me a platform and has more solidly established me as a credible expert in my field. It took courage to push myself past my inhibitions and my fears and to step full in to the task of writing and saying I know this to be true. It has not only opened opportunities for me, but has been integral in bolstering greater trust and influence in the marketplace and is helping me to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other midlife entrepreneurial women as we breath in the beauty and bounty of the season and embrace autumn.

Donna Duffy is the CEO/Founder of 3E Marketing Solutions.  She is the current president of NAWBO Delaware and is the 2015 New Castle County Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year. In October 2015, she self-published her first book, Embracing Autumn: A Motivational Field Guide for Midlife Women Entrepreneurs. 

In Embracing Autumn, you discover:

• Why your mid-life entrepreneurial journey is an unprecedented time of courage, growth and reinvention.
• How your years of wisdom, strength, insight and experience perfectly position you for success in life and business.
• How creating your own manifesto helps you on your quest toward transformation and change in yourself and the world around you.
• How resolve and tenacity keep you steadfast as you pursue your vision and achieve your dreams.
• Why collaboration, partnership and sisterhood bonds create greater abundance and opportunity.

The post Process, Presence and Positioning—My Journey from Writer to Author appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Nonfiction takes many forms. There are how-to books with step-by-by instructions, guidebooks with questions and spaces for answers, biographies, historical portraits, inspirational and motivational guides, personal memoirs, creative nonfiction, travelogues, books that cast a vision for society, cookbooks, photo books, political satire and more. While there are many different types of nonfiction, the most powerful writing includes a human element. They engage the reader with stories that dig beyond the surface of the subject to get to the essence of people – how they think and feel and act in the world. Use the human element to give your writing life and meaning.

How do you achieve that feeling?

Weave interviews or vignettes throughout the book from others in your field, users of your product or service or people who have a problem you are solving. Give them your perspective and experience. Share not only your successes, but your failures, as well. Your readers hear themselves through stories in the book and see themselves overcoming the obstacles and achieving the solution. Our readers are moved into action and engaged in the book when facts are made real with stories.

Readers are moved into action and engaged in the book when facts are made real with stories.…
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Universal truths

When writing a memoir or an inspirational book, focus on a single purpose. Find a thread to weave throughout the book to create continuity and meaning for the reader. It may not reveal itself easily at first. In order to find the thread or theme of your book, bestselling author Julia Scheeres suggests:

Tell someone your story. Note which parts arouse their curiosity and the questions they ask. The more you talk about your memoir, the clearer your theme will become in your mind.

In an Writer’s Digest guest post, Ember Reichgott Junge speaks to the importance of connecting the main points in our books with values. She uses the backdrop of trying to pass legislation in Congress to illustrate her point. She notes that facts and figures don’t sway people. By creating an emotional connection with her fellow legislators and the public she gained support and understanding.

Key values might be opportunity, equality, leadership, compassion, community, abundance, inclusivity, integrity, or excellence.The root values are pretty clear. Choice. Opportunity. Empowerment. Innovation. Partnership. Collaboration.  Persistence. Independence.

Successful memoirs and other nonfiction link to a universal truth or a common understanding. According to Tony Robbins, we all have six universal needs: Certainty (to gain pleasure or avoid pain), Uncertainty (to keep it interesting), Significance (be important in some way), Connection (love), Growth (of knowledge or ability), Contribution (make the world better).

Successful memoirs link to a universal truth or a common understanding. #memoir #writing
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The spoken memoir

Constructing memoirs and TED (and TED-like talks) are similar. I recently did a talk titled “Juggling in the Business World” (I am also a professional juggler). The theme was overcoming obstacles to find success. I weaved the qualities of successful entrepreneurs and business professionals throughout the talk. The purpose was to inform, entertain and motivate attendees to tap into these qualities to break through the obstacles we face in order to help our businesses grow.

I recounted the failures of my first juggling performance and how I could have and maybe should have quit. I talked about pushing through the distractions of an otherwise full life in order to consistently practice and the doubt I had after a dreadful start. I used what I know about juggling too many things, balancing work and life and dropping the ball to create a talk that was uniquely me, but on a topic about which every business owner could relate.

My stories supported the purpose of the talk, but the talk focused on a theme of particular importance to my audience. The same is true for how we write our books. Themes make sense of the stories and leave your readers with a satisfying takeaway. Read titles of TED talks and watch several videos to gain understanding about how these speakers soften science, numbers and research with stories.

Paint me a picture and I’ll stick with you until the end. 

To experience stories in action, read well-written articles in magazines like The New Yorker as examples of presenting the human side of a story and in books like On Writing Well by William Zissner to experience it for yourself.

How are you using your story to support your theme?

The post The Human Side of Nonfiction appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Do you want more mileage from your ebook? Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) gives you several tools to help you promote your ebook and get more readers. Here are 5 easy tools you can use today.

Kindle Instant Book Previews

Kindle Instant Book Previews allow you to share a link of your book in an email or embed a preview on your website. Go to your book page on Amazon and look on the right column for the pricing and purchase button. Scroll to the bottom to find the embed code link.

Here is the magnified view of the embed link at the bottom of the buy panel on your book’s Amazon page.

When you click on <Embed>, it brings you to a screen where you can choose to embed a link or embed on your website. Include your Amazon Associate account number or sign up to earn a little extra on each book you sell through the link. https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/.

Here is what my book preview looks like for The Self-Publishing Roadmap:

Kindle Free Promotions

When you enroll in KDP, you have the opportunity to offer your ebook for free. Why give your book away? More readers equal more exposure to your work and more reviews. More reviews drive sales. KDP Select books are eligible for a free promotion for 5 days in a 90-day enrollment period.

From your KDP Bookshelf, click on Promote and Advertise.

You have the choice to run a Free Book Promotion or a Kindle Countdown Deal (which I’ll explain in the next section). Select the radio button for Free Book Promotion and click the button to select the dates you’d like it to run.

Kindle Countdown Deals

You can access Kindle Countdown Deals from the same window. Kindle Countdown Deals allow you to offer an increasing sales price for your ebook to encourage readers to buy before the price increases. From this screen, you can select the marketplace (Amazon.com or Amazon.uk), dates of the promotion (up to 7 days), the starting price, and incremental increases in price (i.e. $.99, $1.49, $1.99, $2.49).

Kindle Pre-Orders

A great benefit of publishing your ebook with KDP is the ability to offer pre-sales. Pre-sales are available for any new ebook. You may offer your ebook for pre-sale up to 30 days in advance of your launch. You must upload a copy of your book prior to signing up for pre-order and upload a final copy up to 10 days before it is scheduled for release. Your book will be reviewed for compliance with their terms as they do with all ebooks. After review, Amazon generates a book page.

Get a jump on #ebook sales with Kindle Pre-Orders. #bookpromotion
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That means you can promote your Amazon book page on your website, on Amazon’s Author Central, on Goodreads, and all of your social media channels up to 30 days prior to your launch. That fuels your sales numbers and early reviews.

This feature is available on the ebook setup page on KDP.

Advertise with KDP Select

A benefit of using KDP Select is your ability to advertise your ebook. You can target readers based on interest or product. If you target based on interest, Amazon shows your ad based on a subject, like gardening or marketing. Ads targeted based on interest get shown on Kindle devices, as well.

Ads targeted based on product are shown when a specific product is shown. For example, if you wrote a motivational book, you can target books penned by Tony Robbins. When someone searches for books by Tony Robbins, your ad is shown on his page. You know you have someone specifically looking for the topic you are selling.

You can select a budget for the ad with a minimum of $100. You can also select your price per click (PPC). Try manipulating the campaign or using multiple campaigns to test which ad works best and produces the highest sales. The ad will lead readers to your book. The cover and ultimately the reviews will compel them to buy.

Access the advertising feature from your Bookshelf and click on Promote and Advertise next to the book you want to advertise.

You get a lot of features to promote your ebook and even more options when you enroll in KDP Select. Vary your promotions to reach more readers and get your book in to more readers’ hands.

The post 5 Tools to Promote Your Ebook using KDP appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Drum roll please…

I just received the proof of my new book, Write a Book Grow Your Business: Build credibility, establish expertise and develop trust with your ideal client. I couldn’t be more excited! After 15 months of researching, writing, editing, and production, the book finally came to life. There are a few more steps before I hand it over to the Amazon gods and many more hours of marketing and promotion ahead of me. For now, I’ll relish the accomplishment of realizing another goal­—my third book.

You might wonder if finishing a third book is as joyful as the first. Athletes are often asked how winning a second or third Super Bowl compares to the first if they are lucky enough to be in that position.

Each book starts with a vision for what it might be, for what impact it might have on the reader. With the experience from the previous books, I know better what I need to say and how I need to say it and I have the challenge to make it more relevant and more useful.

The first draft is always the most fun.

I love brainstorming and visioning. Organizing my thoughts about a subject is a like composing a painting. There isn’t really a right or wrong, but some ways work better than others. I like the creative freedom that comes with writing the first draft, even for a work of nonfiction. I engage the right brain and send the left brain on sabbatical.

Even so, consistently writing with focus is a challenge at times. A bad night’s sleep, a to-do list the length of a stretch Hummer, or a mundane (but necessary) part of the book can make it hard to crank out 500 or a 1000 words on any given day.

But I push through.

Getting the idea right is the first task. Getting the words right is the second. Week after week, the book gets filled out with facts and stories, guidance and inspiration. Each sentence is a piece of me. There are other books written about writing and publishing, but none are written through my experience or my particular viewpoint. I care deeply how my writing impacts the reader. As painful as editing may be, the left brain is called back home with a red pen and an eraser cutting precious words to make room for even better ones.

Each sentence you write contains a piece of you. #amwriting
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So, yes. The publishing the third book is every bit as satisfying as the first.

Writing a good book is hard work. It takes sacrifice. It takes determination. I wish that for you, dear reader. I hope you experience the joy of holding your book in your hands for the very first time. I hope you feel the deep satisfaction of working hard at something that is on your heart to do and finally, finally realizing your vision.

So here is a little bit about MY vision.

Write a Book Grow Your Business:

Business moves fast and gaining social proof is just too slow. You are tired of yelling to be heard in a crowded marketplace and feel like people don’t know or appreciate your knowledge or expertise. You want to make a difference in people’s lives and struggle to get help to the people who really need you. There has to be a better way to get customers, the ones that are best served by the work you do and the ones that best serve your business. The advent of self-publishing opened the doors to entrepreneurs at every stage and to business professionals at any level who have knowledge to share or a unique view of their area of expertise to unleash on the world. Find out how writing a book will help you grow your business.

The official release date is May 2^nd. For my local friends and followers, the Write a Book Grow Your Business Book Launch Celebration is Wednesday, May 11^th. I would love to have you there to celebrate with me! Find more details about the book launch here.

Here’s to YOUR vision!

The post Write a Book Grow Your Business Unveiled appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

It’s release day for my new book Write a Book Grow Your Business: Build credibility, establish expertise, and develop trust with your ideal client! It’s been in the works for a long time and I’m so thrilled that my vision is finally a reality. But, as much as I am excited about my achievement, the whole reason I wrote this book is to help YOU achieve it, too.

It is not just a guide to get your from first idea to printed book (or ebook). Just like a flower needs water, sunshine, and rich soil to flourish, this book will give the inspiration and encouragement to grow you AND your business.  My goal is to help you recognize the seeds of information and experience that you already have and transform them into words that will entertain, engage, or help others in return.

And while this book is directed at business professionals, the steps necessary to develop a marketable book are the same. The who, what, where, how, why, and when questions will be there for you to answer regardless of the kind of book you write and how you write it.

I NEED YOUR HELP! 

I want to help more writers to become authors and more aspiring writers to put their thoughts on the page. Please share this post on social media using the social share buttons or email the link to friends or business colleagues. It would really mean a lot.

Buy Write a Book Grow Your Business on Amazon now!

Business moves fast and gaining social proof is just too slow. You are tired of yelling to be heard in a crowded marketplace and feel like people don’t know or appreciate your knowledge or expertise. You want to make a difference in people’s lives and struggle to get help to the people who really need you. There has to be a better way to get customers, the ones that are best served by the work you do and the ones that best serve your business. The advent of self-publishing opened the doors to entrepreneurs at every stage and to business professionals at any level who have knowledge to share or a unique view of their area of expertise to unleash on the world. Find out how writing a book will help you grow your business.

Your business is about to change for the better. #marketing
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Have a happy day!

The post Write a Book Grow Your Business Book Release! appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

For those who find typing a challenge or who, like me, have handwriting that makes hieroglyphics seem legible, you can talk your book instead. Some may find this method less intimidating than writing. Others of us are great talkers, gifted with better oral skills than written ones.

It is a way to get your writing started and get thoughts out of your head quickly. Even if typing or writing it out is your preferred method, it may be the perfect solution if you are stuck on a chapter or section. It uses different parts of your brain and your results may surprise you. Although it may not be perfectly typed as dictated, I find it easy to clean up the writing manually. In any case, it is at least worth the time to experiment. Regardless of the app used for dictation, they all get better the more you use it.

Talk your book to get it written and published faster. #writing
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On a computer

To set up the dictation tools on a Mac follow these instructions from the Apple support page:

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Dictation & Speech. Turn on Dictation, then choose from these Dictation options:

• Choose whether to use Enhanced Dictation.
• Choose your language and dialect. Some languages, such as English, have multiple dialects.
• Choose the keyboard shortcut you will use to signal that you’re ready to start dictating.
• Choose your preferred microphone from the pop-up menu below the microphone icon.

I’m using the dictation tools now to write this sentence. On a Mac, click the “fn” key twice and a microphone appears. Begin speaking into the microphone and the words automatically type on the screen. (Say “period” at the end of each sentence.) Click done or the “fn” key twice when you are finished. Find additional voice commands to enhance your writing here. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202584

The Windows-based speech recognition software requires a few more steps. In the search box on the taskbar, type Speech Recognition, and select Windows Speech Recognition. They suggest using an external microphone for the best quality in dictation. Set up the microphone and program the software to recognize your voice. Once you complete these steps you can begin using the software or take a tutorial to learn more about using it. Get more details about using Windows speech recognition here. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/getstarted-use-speech-recognition

Portable Devices

One of the beautiful things about voice recognition is its portability. Anytime, anywhere you have a thought just pull out your phone or grab your tablet and capture it. Whether you are on a long car ride, in the line at the grocery store, or are hit by creative genius in the middle of the night, you won’t miss a word.

On an iPhone, open the Notes app. Click on the microphone and begin speaking. Click “done” on either the bottom or top of the screen when you are finished. You have the option of sending this note via email to yourself to copy and paste into your word processing program using the icon at the bottom of the Notes window.

There is a native dictation tool on an Android device, as well. Open any note taking app on your phone. When you reveal the keyboard, tap the microphone next to the spacebar and begin speaking similar to the Mac. While this feature has some editing limitations, the whole point is to get your thoughts out of your head into a form you can use later for molding into your own creation.

Other Apps

Two popular apps for note taking are Evernote and One Note. I’m a One Note fan and use it for everything from project planning, book outlining, course development, and to-do lists. One Note is a free app for phone, tablet, and computer and syncs across platforms. Evernote has similar features and has their own band of raving fans.

Both apps allow you to dictate notes and give you added features you won’t find in native note taking apps. The fact that I can dictate a note on my phone and have it available on my computer when I get home is invaluable.

Use dictation features in Evernote and OneNote to capture thoughts on the fly. #amwriting
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So, pull out your phone and talk away. See what thoughts emerge and how your brain works differently. It may take a little time to get used to speaking your ideas, but once you know you can capture inspiration whenever you find it, you’ll start to look for it more often.

Let me know what you discovered!

The post Talk your book appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

When I first got the urge to write, it was far from a habit. I thought about it a lot, but I wrote when I “had time.” HA!

Then I met Margie, a fellow writer. Her  writing habit, or lack of it, looked like mine and we both wanted to write more.

We started small. We met once a week for two hours. As my brain and my family got used to me abandoning “real life” for my dream of being an author, it became natural and expected. I looked forward to it and so did my writing partner. We counted on each other. Over time, I added an extra day and then another day after that. And now, unless I have a networking event or an appointment, I write five days a week.

Most mornings are spent at Panera – my office. I know that I can get a hot cup of coffee and a corner table with just enough activity to engage my brain without the distractions from home. I’m happy to chat with my fellow “officemates,” but the other regulars know that when I’m banging out words on the keyboard, it’s best to save the conversation for another time. I’ve trained my brain to respond to the atmosphere, the coffee, and the time of day. I go to Panera with only one task – write.

Others I know use different devices other than just a familiar space. Some light candles, some make tea, and some cuddle up with a favorite pet by their side. Others meditate, go for a run, or use some token to symbolize their writing time (like a rock). Use whatever it takes to make your space inviting so you want to go back again and again and a use ritual to denote the event. Whatever that means to you it’s OK. If it makes you feel like writing, you’ve found it!

Because the butt-in-seat writing lifestyle can lead to a bigger butt in the seat, I’ve started walking in the mornings before I write. That does two things: I think better and more creatively with more oxygen to the brain. I also record my thoughts on my phone as I’m walking. So by the time I get home I have lots of notes to get started. It was either start exercising or give up ice cream. All hail Ben & Jerry’s! I won’t give up that habit!

The problem is, of course, starting a new habit often creates the need to break an old one. I used to do other things instead of getting to it. Necessary things, but not necessary for advancing my writing career. I didn’t sit around and watch TV all morning, but I used to occupy my time with tasks like folding the laundry or reading my email. I needed to break the habit of avoidance. Folding laundry is easier. I don’t have to think or be perfect or get judged. Writing is harder and I often put it off until I had “enough time” or the “right idea.”

I’m sure you’ve heard that if you want to get something done you ask a busy person. I find that I actually get more done in a day than I used to because I have to manage my time better. I don’t put to-do’s off until later because the time is already filled. If you’re like me, it is an adjustment. But I feel SO much better about all that I can accomplish in a day now that I’ve prioritized my time.

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Make a realistic goal for yourself. Don’t start off writing five days a week if that’s unrealistic for your current lifestyle. If you work full-time or have kids to shuffle around, maybe it’s just fifteen minutes a day while they’re taking a nap or when you have a coffee break in the afternoon. Put it on your calendar. You automatically set expectations for yourself if you give it the same priority status as a doctor’s appointment. Make a schedule for the first month and then reevaluate at the end of the month. You’ll see what obstacles get in the way.

Along with scheduling the time, set word count goals for the month. It will not only keep you motivated, you will also be thrilled with your results. Here is a worksheet to help you envision the month ahead.

Set Your Writing Goals

You might find that you didn’t get as much done as you thought, but you’ll see where you need to make adjustments in your life. You may need to ask others to do more chores or stay a little later at work to squeeze in that extra half hour of writing time before you get home to the craziness of life. As we go through the dance of changing the status quo with ourselves and/or the people around us, you may feel some push back. It’s a natural occurrence in the face of change. Talk about it, write about it, scribble it on your mirror: I WANT TO BE A WRITER!

Let me know what you do or what you will do to get into the writing habit.

The post The Writing Habit appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Of all of the steps it takes to successfully write a book, these are my top five things you must consider.

Clarify why you are writing it

The most important part of writing a book comes long before you’ve penned a single word—finding your why. There are many reasons people write: to gain credibility, establish expertise, express their views, heal, inspire, promote, entertain, among a multitude of other reasons. Your first job is to determine exactly why you are writing it. If your goal is to make sense of your struggles or share a family history, your approach to writing and subsequent marketing efforts will be different than if you are using it as a marketing tool to promote your business. Clarifying your why will determine your budget for the project instead of letting your budget determine the final product.

Pinpoint your target readership

The next factor in a successful book project is determining your target reader. Like a successful marketing plan, honing in on your target reader for the book will help readers identify with the message and get more out of it. Your goal is for your reader to feel that you’ve written the book just for them. While you may feel that anyone would like the message in the book or be entertained by the stories you share, closer examination will reveal that your target isn’t everyone. Determine who is at the center of the bullseye. Write to solve their specific problem so they raise their hands and say, “That’s me!”

Connect with readers early

Perhaps the biggest issue writers face is obscurity. The time to market your book is not after you publish it. The best time to start building readership for your book is right now. Your first interaction with readers should not be BUY MY BOOK! Give advice, information, inspiration, or entertain your audience. Spend time connecting with readers on social media, on sites like Goodreads, and in your community. Take them through the journey with you so by the time you publish, they will cheer for you and be your crucial first readers and reviewers. Let them help you sell your book by telling their friends and followers how you solved their problem.

Learn the craft of writing

Of course, your success is only possible if your book is well written. A poorly constructed book fails to brand you as an expert. In fact, it could do the opposite. If you aren’t a fan of reading books on grammar and writing, there are LOTS of websites which provide you nuggets of information just at your point of need. For an all-in-one spot for fabulous writing blogs, check out 100 Websites for Writers. It’s compiled each year with the best writing and publishing information on the web. Click Here to Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly tips, tools, and information to keep you informed with the latest trends in writing, publishing, and book marketing.

Seek out professionals if you aren’t an expert

If you’ve set your sights on commercial success, a professional product is essential. If you aren’t an expert in writing, editing, design, publicity, events, or book marketing, there are people who have your back. No one is great at everything! Create a budget for preparing and marketing your book. It’s important to factor your return on investment, not just the investment itself. Would you buy your book? If the answer is no or maybe, seek out professionals to make it a definitive YES!

The most successful authors invest in themselves and their books. Through increased knowledge, effort, and expert assistance you create a book you can be proud to bear your name. Readers, in turn, will seek it out and share with their friends.

If you are struggling with finding a place to start, sign up for a Complimentary 30-Minute Discovery Session to talk about where you are and what help you need to get your book written and published.

Click Here to Sign Up

The post 5 Keys to Successfully Write a Book appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

Quotes about writing are always the most popular posts on my social media platforms. Here are 25 of my favorites to inform, motivate, and inspire your writing:

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” 
― Toni Morrison

“The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say.” 
― Anaïs Nin

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” 
― Anton Chekhov

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” 
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” 
― Louis L’Amour

“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” 
― Thomas Mann, Essays of Three Decades

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.”― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” 
― Beatrix Potter

“Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got.” 
― Philip José Farmer

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” 
― Jack London

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” 
― Nathaniel Hawthorne

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” 
― Pablo Picasso

“In writing, you must kill all your darlings.” 
― William Faulkner

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” 
― Thomas Jefferson

“I write for the same reason I breathe – because if I didn’t, I would die.” 
― Isaac Asimov

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” 
― Ray Bradbury

“If you want to be a writer-stop talking about it and sit down and write!” 
― Jackie Collins

“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” 
― Martin Luther

“One should use common words to say uncommon things” 
― Arthur Schopenhauer

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” 
― Richard Bach

“Writing is the only thing that when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else.” 
― Gloria Steinem

“To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it’s about, but the music the words make.” 
― Truman Capote, Truman Capote: Conversations

“I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” 
― Steven Wright

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” 
― Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

“You can make anything by writing.” 
― C.S. Lewis

25 quotes about writing to inform, motivate, and inspire your #writing. Share the love.
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Which quotes about writing are your favorites?

The post 25 Quotes About Writing appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

If you aren’t published yet, there are a few things to overcome in order to get it done. Let me first say, you aren’t alone. Here are some obstacles and solutions to problems many writers face.

Knowledge

The most successful writers do a few things over and over again to be the best they can be. They suck up knowledge from all sources and arm themselves with the gifts of the writing world. Here are some things you can do to increase your knowledge about writing and publishing.

Read

Learn the craft of writing from the best in the business. Before you go to bed each night or as soon as you wake up in the morning, absorb some wisdom from writers like Stephen King (On Writing Well), William Zinnser (On Writing), or Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones). Pick a wide range of topics to keep it interesting and broaden your knowledge over time. If you want to read about being more creative, try Elizabeth Gilbert (Big Magic). If you need to brush up on the technical aspects of writing try William Strunk (Elements of Style). Get subscriptions to literary magazines like Writer’s Digest, The Writer, or Poets and Writers for fresh topics every month. If you’re more of a blog post reader, get lots of great writing blogs listed in The WriteLife Blog, The 100 Best Blogs for Writers.

Take classes

You don’t need an MFA to be a writer. With that said, learning the craft of writing from experienced writers will help you be a better writer. Try a variety of classes from a one-shot writing workshop to a week-long writing retreat to inform and energize your writing. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one. You are worth it and so is your writing. Whether you like the personal feel of a live workshop or the convenience of online classes, there is something to fit exactly what you need right now to make you a better writer.

Like perfecting any other skill, writing takes practice. #justwrite
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Write

Seems simple enough, right? The more you write, the better you’ll be. Regardless of your pursuit, practice is the key to success. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell explains the 10,000-hour rule. If you spend 10,000 hours on something, anything, you will find success. It’s not hard to imagine. That’s how Bill Gates did it. He’s smart, yes. But he also worked day and night to practice and develop his craft. You might not be there yet. Every hour is a step in that direction.

Get involved

Part of success with writing is finding a supportive community to push you, inspire you, and provide valuable feedback. This can be online or in person or both. Get involved in local critique groups or start one on your own through local arts organizations or through your library. Spread the word through MeetUp or use the old-fashioned way on local bulletin boards. If online groups are more your thing, try Writers Helping Writers on Facebook or start your own group.

Time

Have you heard yourself say, “I don’t have enough time?” There are a few things that will help you get the most from your time even when you don’t have much of it.

Set goals

Many writers hope to write “more.” They hope to get a book published and then be an author “someday.” What does that mean, really? Think about what that looks like or how you’ll feel once you’re done. You’ve heard the saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” If you don’t know when you want to publish and what awaits you at the other side, you might find yourself aimlessly wandering toward a nebulous something.

Start with setting SMART goals for your writing and you’ll have a visual for what you are really working toward.  Set word count goals and publishing goals. Consider what being an author will be to you personally or professionally and then you’ll have a road map to guide you.

Set a schedule

Once you have your road map, you need a schedule. On your calendar. Even if it is 15 minutes at lunch on Tuesday or 25 minutes before your head hits the pillow on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, get it on your calendar with specifics about time and place. You set your expectation and your intention with word-count goals or words-edited goals and watch your productivity soar. There are a lot of calendar apps, but Google calendar is free and allows you to color-code different priorities in your schedule.

Prepare for obstacles

In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg stresses the importance of creating a cycle of habit with cues (like putting it on your calendar) and rewards (like going to bed or having lunch). He also points to the necessity of planning for the obstacles to your plan. Is someone going to want to watch the game with you or are you going to be too hungry to write before lunch? Find a solution to the problems you know you will face and you’ll be prepared to face them or avoid them altogether. Having a conversation about your writing priorities with significant people in your life goes a long way to eliminating guilt or conflict from derailing your dream.

Prepare for obstacles in your writing life & make a plan to overcome them before they derail…
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Confidence

Often lack of progress with writing or publishing is a matter of confidence. Some of that can be negated by gaining more knowledge about writing and practicing writing, as stated above. You can also build confidence in these ways:

Get help

Find a writing partner or critique group who can read your work and provide feedback. Reading what others write does tremendous good for your writing, as you articulate suggestions for making their writing better. Jane Friedman offers suggestions about how to find the right writing partner or critique group for you. The second way to get feedback is to hire a book coach or editor. An editor’s job is to help writer’s organize thought and get a manuscript ready for public viewing. Once you know it’s gone past the eyes of a professional, you feel more confident in releasing your “baby” to the world.

Positive self-talk

Artists of all stripes are notoriously hard on themselves and devalue what they create. It’s especially important to feed your psyche affirming messages about your worth as a creative being. The fact that you’re writing at all puts you way above all who only dream of “someday.” Try the affirmations here to put you in the right frame of mind.  Finally, surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dream.

Money

Uh-oh. There’s that dirty word…money. Although you don’t need money to write a book, you may need money to publish it. Even if you are just in the process of writing, you may use money, or lack of it, to put off your dream. Whether you really don’t have the money or don’t want to spend the money, much of the money discussion leads back to some of the other issues.

Taking a class is making an investment in your future as a writer. If you don’t have the money or don’t choose to spend it, there are always books to read from the library. If you don’t have the money to invest in a professionally designed cover, you can learn how to do it yourself. You can barter for services with friends or colleagues that need what you have (e.g. writing skills) to get your book published. Do a little soul-searching to determine if you don’t really have the money or you don’t believe that your dream is a worthy investment.

Will

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather is a lack of will.” ~ Vince Lombardi

This may be the most compelling of all of the reasons people struggle to finish and publish their books. The will to succeed is the overarching attitude in publishing a book. You must find the will to finish, the will to find time, to learn things, and to find the money to overcome your challenges.

Find the WILL to publish a book and watch great things happen. #pubtip
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I recently heard a story about a couple who went on vacation every year for 10 years will six other couples. None had the money to take their families, year after year, to places across the country and around the world, but they made a commitment to each other that they would. They formed two impromptu companies: Bags with Rags and Jakes with Rakes. They came together and cleaned houses, did gardening work, catered events, and did whatever they needed to do to raise money to go on those trips.

They could have made lots of excuses as to why they couldn’t go or why they couldn’t do the work that was needed. They made a decision and made it a priority. In exchange, they had 10 years of memories with their family and good friends that they’ll cherish forever.

The will to do whatever it takes to write and perfect and put your work in front of people is no small feat. You might have to miss free time with your family or friends, skip relaxing at the end of a long day, get less sleep, give up pizza Fridays or binge-watching House of Cards, and open yourself up to doubt both internal and external.

Yet, writing a book is worth pursuing. The process and product are transformative, not just for your writing, but in other areas of your life, as well. The commitment and sacrifice shapes who you are now and who you will become. That sounds worth it, right?

Let me throw down this challenge…are you ready to be an author?

The post Why Aren’t You Published Yet? appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

You are a gift to the world, my fellow writer. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, moving testimonials or light-hearted poetry, you’ve brought forth the courage to put your thoughts, dreams, and aspirations on “paper.” The very act of creating something from your mind’s eye is an exemplary act of faith. Kudos to you.

It takes even more courage to share your work. But, that’s where the magic happens. If you dare to share your writing with even one person, you allow your gifts to be opened. There is a bond between writer and reader. You set part of yourself free to enlighten, entertain, amuse, or inspire the reader knowing their world will change, even if just a nudge. They see the world through your eyes and experience it through your heart.

As a writer, you seek to understand our common humanity, our aspirations and our fears. Sometimes, we just need to know that someone hears us. You expand our minds and help us think outside of ourselves to know we aren’t alone. There is hope of a better tomorrow, brighter, stronger, more inspired.

At the age of 80, my dad sat down to write. He didn’t set out to write the great American novel or be the next Steven Covey. He wrote down his thoughts. About everything. He wrote about politics, baseball, his love of words, the family, one-liners, his work, New Jersey, and whatever was on his mind. Ten years later, at the age of 90, my dad just finished his eleventh book.

I don’t tell you this to brag about my dad (well, maybe a little).

He’s shared these books only with close friends and family. No fame for him. His gift was to us. He made us laugh, made us think, and helped us remember things from our past. He told us about his life long before we came into the world and his aspirations for what life will be long after we’re all gone. Most importantly, his gift will be with us when he isn’t.

Here is a challenge for you, fellow writer. Send a handwritten note this year in your holiday card or finally share your poetry at a slam. Write a book or a blog post and let the world inside your head. You might be surprised at the gift you are giving.

Writing is a gift. What are you giving this year?

The post Writing is a Gift appeared first on The Happy Self-Publisher.

I admit it. I’m a learning junkie. I love to find out more about so many things it’s hard to narrow my focus. As someone living with a ravenous curiosity, I make it my mission to learn something, anything every day.

In New Year’s Resolutions for Writers, one of the goals for the year is to learn more about the craft of writing. There are lots of ways to do this from quick and free to long-term and costly. You hear me say this a lot, but what you choose depends on your goals. The investment of time and money is dictated by whether you want to make writing a career, if writing is part of growing your business, or if you’re simply passionate about your hobby. If you’re not sure how to go about goal setting, check out this post on exploring and setting writing goals.

What do you want to learn?

First, figure out what you want to learn more about. We’ll start with broad categories and narrow down to topics. I obviously haven’t included everything there is to learn about writing, but give you a framework for exploring on your own.

Nonfiction

• Voice – find and develop your unique voice that readers will cling to book after book
• Style – combined with voice, learn to develop a unique way you deliver the message
• Incorporating back story – learn when and how much to use
• Using researched materials – find how to use your research to create a richer story
• Brainstorming – explore the different methods to find the best route for your book

Fiction

• Plot – learn tricks to make your story compelling from first word to last
• Dialog – learn to write realistic conversations that engage and move the story forward
• Character development – make your characters come to life
• Story arc – learn to weave your story through a structure to support your plot
• Setting – learn how to describe the setting, no, transport your readers into the setting

Blogging

• Blog structure – learn to how to construct a blog post to keep readers engaged
• Find your target audience – learn what to say to your ideal reader
• Tone – discover how to deliver your message to resonate with your target audience
• Writing great headlines – explore the tricks of the trade to compel readers to read

Grammar and Punctuation

Need I say more?

Of course, the list goes on.

Where to Learn the Craft of Writing

Now that you know what you want to learn, here are some of the endless resources for learning, practicing, and dare I say, perfecting your craft.

Writing conferences

These websites compile lists of writing conferences around the nation and world. In addition to these, explore your particular genre for additional opportunities. Google “conferences for romance writers” or other specific writing areas of your choice.

• https://www.awpwriter.org/wcc/directory_conferences_centers
• http://www.newpages.com/writers-resources/writing-conferences-events
• For children’s writers http://www.scbwi.org/events-home/

Writing Retreats

If you need to get away from your harried existence in order to concentrate on writing or focus best when there are no distractions, check out these writing retreats.

https://thewritelife.com/writing-retreats/

Master of Fine Arts

You don’t need to have an MFA to be a great writer. But, if you REALLY want an intensive experience, it may be the thing for you. Before you do, read this.

Local writing workshops

If you’d rather keep it local, there are lots of places to start.

• Community colleges
• Arts organizations
• Writers groups
• Libraries
• Meetup.com – search for writing workshops and classes in your area
• Eventbrite.com – ditto for Eventbrite

If you’re local to Delaware, here are some of my writing workshops.

Books

Check out the library, local bookstore, or Amazon for these perennial bestsellers on the craft of writing:

• How to Write a Novel, by Nathan Bransford
• Breaking Ground on Your Memoir, by Brooke Warner and Linda Joy Myers
• On Writing, by Stephen King
• Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Craft of Research, by Wayne C. Book and Gregory G. Colomb
• Write a Book, Grow Your Business, that’s mine!

Want to be a better writer? Find the resources you need to be successful. #writingtip #amwriting
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Online

Here’s a list of some free and paid online writing courses. Look for reviews and feedback from other participants to get a feel for what you will learn and how students react to the instructor.

• http://thejohnfox.com/2016/07/online-creative-writing-courses/
• Udemy offers thousands of courses on various subjects
• Online courses from colleges and universities http://study.com/articles/10_Universities_Offering_Free_Writing_Courses_Online.html

If you still can’t find a venue which matches your style or needs or want a direct route to perfecting your book, look to an editor or book coach to guide you through each step and answer all your questions as you have them. Look for someone who has expertise in your area of writing and delivers help in the way you want to receive it.

Does this feel overwhelming?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, set writing goals for what you want to learn, how you want to learn it, when you want to receive the information, and prioritize the courses which will benefit your writing the most.

If you need a place to start, I’ve got just the thing. And, the best thing…it’s FREE!

Try the 14-Day Writing Challenge to expand your mind and discover writing from all angles. Explore different writing styles in your own time, in your own way. There are no tests and you don’t need to share your writing…unless that drives you.

I invite you to the relaunched Facebook “Challenge” group to interact with other writers. That’s optional, too. BUT, in my experience, writers learn faster, write more, and are more successful when they surround themselves with other writers.

Are you in?

Click Here to Sign Up!

Now it’s your turn. What do you want to learn?

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