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

Whether you write horror, fantasy, self-help or cookbooks, the process doesn't have to scare you. If you trust your abilities and your instincts, you could create the perfect book without being frightened. Here are tips on publishing so you are not scared this Halloween when writing. What to Say If you feel like you need to write a book, you also will know what to say. For example, you want to inform readers of a new technique and believe you need to write a short book about the technique. After you have done your research, your mind will help you organize your thoughts into the book. If you are writing fiction, you will hear the characters' voices in your head as you sit down to write. Your writing coach will guide you on what is important to say and what you should eliminate.  What Art to Use All books, fiction and nonfiction, print and electronic, must have a professionally designed cover. In your mind, you know what art would

 I did a video last night about fall colors and change . It is important that in business you change your thinking and do something new. When you change your plans, it puts new life and new energy into your business. Fall is perfect time to think about changing how you market your writing business for the next year. It is the last quarter. You know what was successful and what might need tweaking. So, I was thinking about my blog topic . To emphasize that change is never scary, I decided to write something new this time. By my calculations, my church needs about $200,000. I might be underestimating the amount, but that is a good number for now. The church needs a new air conditioning system, a new roof, a new sound system, a new sprinkler system and a new refrigerator. These are not things the church can pay with its weekly gifts . So I asked myself, "How can I help raise money for my church?" The answer was sell my books. Between now and Christmas, I am setting a goal to

Most people tend to look at the new year as a way to start fresh. They begin new diets, exercise more, plan vacations they’ve always wanted to take or invest in opportunities to be smarter with their finances. But what about your business? Have you ever thought of trying something new, but didn’t know exactly how to start? Have you ever wanted to motivate your employees, have closer relationships with your customers or learn to use social media to your advantage, but didn’t know where to begin? While I can't help with many of those issues, I could show you how to promote book events this year. Many business owners and authors believe all events should be promoted the same way, but as there are different types of events, there are different ways to promote them. Some examples of events are: online events, meetings, grand openings or book launches , seminars and workshops, conferences, book signings, book-selling opportunities and networking events. Now, how do you go

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

Not too long ago, getting a book published was an accomplishment that many people didn't do. It was to be congratulated and celebrated. Today, because of the explosion of self-published books, getting a book published is not celebrated as an accomplishment. However, I say that people still should congratulate new authors and celebrate their success. Even a self-published book is an accomplishment. It takes hard work to complete a book or novel. You should count it as a blessing happening right now in your life. Ways to Celebrate Your Book Throw a Party – Although it still is done sometimes, especially for best-selling authors, book launch parties are not as popular as they once were. In the past, traditional publishers would throw a party the day a book was released to the public. This did two things. First, it allowed friends and family to get a copy of the book without going to a store. Second, it began a marketing buzz. Even if you self-publish or use pr