Finding your voice is an answer to the question “Who is your reader?” Is this person looking for something serious, suspenseful, authoritative, humorous, spiritual, entertaining, dark, deep, light-hearted, or something else, that you may find parallels in a category on the booksellers’ shelves? Regardless of the central thread, your voice is uniquely you. It’s ironic how your […]
Archive | The Author’s Journey
Building Your Street Team
The phrase street team was a new one for me when I first embarked on the publishing journey. I had to ask a couple of seasoned authors what it meant, and though I received varying definitions, I got the gist. A “street team” is the group of people who act as ambassadors for your book and […]
Writing When You Don’t Want to Write
I laugh when I think about my history with schoolwork. Though I was a decent student, I was never keen on homework. Instead, I would write all sorts of fictional stories and journal entries (I still have many of them). Literally, I would avoid homework to write. But now I write full time for clients […]
How to Combat Lonely Writer’s Syndrome
Anyone that works remote, especially alone in home office, may experience feelings of isolation. While there’s plenty to do, and maybe you have a pet, kids, and several calls or virtual meetings, you’re still pretty much alone. Isolated. Possibly longing for adult conversation and the vibration and headiness of a bustling team atmosphere. While there […]
The Benefits of Having a Literary Agent
Last year, I was blessed to land a literary agent for my Mistaken Identity book, the first in the SAT Security and Investigation Series. But due to personal challenges, my agent needed to tailor back her workload. But I was blessed again. The head of the literary agency asked if she could represent my work. […]
Fantastic Online Courses for Authors and Writers
The busy life of a writer and author leaves little time for learning. Still, continuous improvement and professional development is critical in any professional endeavor. It’s important that authors interact with their fans, friends, fellows, and industry professionals. But it’s not always easy. Conferences, signings, and other events take a toll. Time away from family, […]
Why Having a Mentor Changes Everything
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a mentor. At least one, but in some cases, more than one. In my previous life, as a career professional then business owner for sixteen years, mentoring was critical for survival and success. But mentoring isn’t just for business. It’s a success strategy for excelling in […]
Awesome Professional Associations for Authors and Writers
Have you ever joined a professional association hoping to gain the secret sauce for success? I have. In my lifetime, and over decades of professional pursuits, I’ve been a member of more associations than I can count. Sometimes, the industry licensure or employer require certain memberships and so you pay the fee, read the literature, […]
Nourishing Seeds of Inspiration
We are inspired all the time by actions we take, mistakes we made, things we observe, people we meet, and well, life. These seeds of inspiration are often the impetus of a fascinating story. All authors weave personal experiences into their books, and many write entire tomes around these experiences. It’s funny how my interest […]
Imposter’s Syndrome
Am I good enough? Should I be doing this? Will anyone like what I’ve created? Ahh, Imposter Syndrome. The inner critic dialogue triggered by self-doubt and criticism. We all experience it, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I recently was asked to speak on a topic near and dear to my heart—writing. Afterwards, I […]