The LAST Word

  Happy new year, fellow writers. I am often told by new authors that they think writing a book is too much work or too daunting a task, yet they always tell me that they think they should write a book. To start the new year, I thought it would be good to give some tips on reducing your stress over writing fiction. 1. Set Goals -- January is the perfect time to set goals for the year. This applies to all writers and business owners. You want the goals to be realistic. For example, "I will write every day." Set a date for when you want it completed. Set another date for editing and marketing . 2. Break Down the Project -- Before you start your work, break down the big project (a completed book) into smaller parts: outline, 10 pages a day or one chapter a week, first draft completed, edited draft, completed manuscript and published. This helps to make it not so daunting a task. Remember, a book is either 6x9 or 8.5x5.5, which means those 10 pages are really half ...

      January is a great time to start fresh on the year. I like to clean out my files on the computer that I no longer need, and I also move the file folders I don't need going forward in the new year. That gives me a new beginning for my writing and my business. I also re-evaluate what I do for marketing for the year. You can decide where to focus your marketing and what you can do differently. It always is a good idea to try something different in the new year. This is true whether you are an author, small business owner or employee. Although employees are told what to do every day, they do have to market themselves to land the job in the first place and to keep their job. Here are my tips for your market plans this year. 1. Do Video Marketing -- Authors often don't like being in front of the camera, but they should do some videos about their books. Having someone interview you on their podcast or YouTube channel would be great. Creating your own YouTube chan...

During this time, Americans are stuck at home. Even though many states are allowing stores and other businesses to open, people are not flocking to the gathering places. They are still afraid to catch a virus or disease. Many people are bored and trying to come up with things to do . Here are some tips for you. Home Projects Now is the perfect time to tackle those home projects. You could do spring cleaning and declutter your home. If your project involves more than cleaning, you also could order from Home Depot online or another retailer and get materials for your projects delivered to your door. If you want to put up new shelving in your closet, you could get the materials and begin hammering away. Just avoid making disasters in your home. Discover New Things So many videos are available online that you could learn almost anything while you are at home. You could learn a new language or a new skill. I want a patio for my back yard. I am not handy. Neither ...

In northern states, changing the clocks ahead allows for more light in the evenings, which makes people more productive in spring and summer. People in the north like to go out in the sunshine after spending winters locked indoors. Southern states don't have much of a winter. Although it might be cold, it doesn't snow and is not dark on a daily basis. They have sunshine all the time. I have lived in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Arizona and Florida. In Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, I felt the benefits of Daylight Savings Time although it still hindered my inspiration and writing. More on that later. Arizona doesn't change the clocks. It was great not having to worry about changing clocks, but I noticed no difference in the light without Daylight Savings Time. I don't agree that Florida should change clocks. The state has so much sunshine that it could be similar to Arizona and feel the same whether clocks are changed or not. Becomes False Benefi...

We are entering the last month of the year. That means that we are about to change to a new year and new life. People make resolutions, but they don't always embrace change in their lives. Now is the time to think about change and how to embrace it. Change is good for your psyche, business and writing. While everyone talks about the devastation caused by natural disasters, few talk about the good that comes from hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, etc. The changes in the environment is often good. Mother Nature has a way of fixing problems in the environment herself. For example, wildfires burn out the brush and thin the trees, so all the growing trees are more sustainable. Avalanches reshape mountains and bring much needed snowfall to valleys. Hurricanes wash out the dead algae, seaweed, fish, etc. They change the landscape and rivers. They get rid of dead branches on trees, so the trees remain healthy. Even though these natural disasters are devastating, they serve a purp...

You can find a lot of books about empowerment. Writer's block often is connected with low self-esteem. You might not feel qualified to write a book. You might feel that you have nothing to say. Therefore, you stare at the white page on the screen or in your hand. These feelings are normal. Remember, you are the expert in what you do. Write a first draft even if it is horrible, it is an accomplishment. It can be edited . Take this advice to feel empowered and avoid writer's block. Whether your goal is to inspire others or publish your fiction novel , you will need to be uplifted somewhere along the line. That's when you want to find those authors you prefer to help you remember that you are great at what you do. One person not liking your work is one compared with the hundreds who do . I will not let the setback get to me. You shouldn't either. Remember to keep plugging away at your writing. Otherwise, you will not want to finish it. Avoid Writers'...