Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published
Crafting vivid story settings is all about making your readers feel like they’re actually there! But how does a writer accomplish that? I do great with dialog, never an issue coming up with things for people to say, but I still struggle with description. I have to work at it (usually in the self-editing stage), so don’t fret if you find yourself on the ship with me.
That said, let’s dive in.
[Read more…] about Crafting Vivid Story Settings
Change. Sometimes we willing embrace it—like getting a new computer. Sometimes it’s forced on us—like getting downsized. Either way, it’s rarely easy. Why is that?
Because we prefer to stay in our comfort zone, no matter how uncomfortable we are with what’s in our comfort zone. But like a caterpillar to a butterfly, change is essential to our growth.
I put off buying a new computer for more than a year, even though I knew full well I needed one. I put up with the glitches and the slow speeds because that was easier than the work involved in getting a new one up and running with all my special programs and my files transferred from my hard drive. (Transition made in late December 2024 and no, it wasn’t easy, though my IT-savvy son made it possible!)
[Read more…] about Embrace ChangeAs promised, here is a list of posts about marketing for writers I’ve done that you might have missed if you’re new to my blog. Clearly, I don’t have as many posts on marketing as I do writing. That’s because I’m a writer, not a marketer. But like all writers, marketing is a task I need to learn and do.
“Do You Have a Strategy or Just a Plan?”
“How to Brainstorm a Marketing Plan”
“6 Lessons I Learned about Marketing Strategy from Playing Board Games”
“Marketing Your Book to Local and Regional Businesses”
“What’s a One Sheet? Plus a free downloadable template”
“Marketing, Keywords, and Publisher Rocket, Oh My!”
Because marketing tactics change almost as regularly as a mother changes her baby’s diaper, I’ve kept these posts mostly limited to the methods rather than specific tactics. These will provide a basic information to help you develop your marketing skills during the holiday season and beyond.
I’m kicking back a bit this month to relax and get focused on my next book. At this writing, I still haven’t figured out what will come next.
There’s more than a decade’s worth of posts on this blog, and unless you utilize the search box in the right side bar, you’re missing out on some fantastically helpful posts.
With this post, I thought I’d offer a list of posts I’ve written geared toward developing your writing skills. And next time, a list on marketing.
[Read more…] about From the Archive – Writing SkillsWith Thanksgiving next week, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers. You’re the reason I’m here writing blogs each month and weekly emails so I can help you on your writing journey, be it with writing tips or simply encouragement and motivation.
My first foray into the blogging world was with a site I called Glory and Strength. It was an outreach of my book Help! My Husband Has Sexually Abused my Daughter (the second edition is titled Carried by Grace). I don’t know what year that site began, but I published the book in early 2007, so I guess I started blogging in 2007 or 2008.
I’ve learned many things over the years and shifted my focus to writers. I’ve been blogging about writing since 2012 and love it. I started freelance editing in 2010, and somewhere around 2014/2015 began learning about book interior and cover design. I love doing it all.
But I can spend hours writing and not notice the time slipping by. Now that I’ve launched my 3rd fiction book, I’m searching for my next project.
Last month, my blog TheMotivationalEditor.com was named in the Top 50+ Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024 on Shelley Hitz’s website TrainingAuthors.com.
Wow! Such an honor and I have you, my readers, to thank for that.
I love being able to share my knowledge and expertise to guide others. We’re on the same writing path; I’m simply a little ahead of you and glad to shed some light for you on the many aspects of writing.
I may take a break from blogging during December, though at this writing, I haven’t fully decided yet. My Tuesday Tips will still go out, and I’ll let you know there.
Thank you, all, from the bottom of my heart for making The Motivational Editor what it is. Without you there would be no reason for me to blog.
Updated November 4, 2024.
Knowing your target audience or ideal reader—today’s term is avatar—is important in many ways. As the term implies, you are aiming at a target, so knowing as much as you can about it will enable you to hit the bull’s-eye.
Often the message you hope to convey through your fiction or nonfiction dictates a lot about who the audience is. For example, I wrote Carried by Grace because I wanted to help women…who were Christian…with children…who had been sexually abused. Additionally, I narrowed the age range to mothers who were 28 to 40.
Before you start to write, gain as much clarity about your ideal reader as possible, all the way down to their needs and struggles (this is critical if you blog). People read to meet a need in their life. What need are you meeting?
[Read more…] about How Much Do You Know About Your Ideal Reader?Let’s face it, coming up with email ideas to engage our subscribers is often a hurdle for writers, especially fiction writers. So today, I’ve got some ideas to share for both fiction and nonfiction writers.
Writing mails can generate a sense of dread for many writers. Maybe they see it as marketing. It is, but it is essential to building a following and is much more than “selling.”
The typical questions include, What do I write about? How long should it be? How often should I send one? What if they unsubscribe? The list goes on, but if you don’t get past asking questions, you’ll never get any emails written.
Make the decision to write emails and the how and ideas will show up.
So let’s look at things you can do to reduce your apprehension and dread about the task.
[Read more…] about 8 Steps to Overcome the Dread of Writing Emails