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June 10, 2011

Finding Writing Time and Working Smarter

The following was originally posted on March 28, 2010.

Reclaiming Writing Time From Busy Modern Life

I’m too busy. I have kids. I have to work. I can’t concentrate. I just can’t find time to write.

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

Not what you wanted to hear, is it? But let’s face it — modern life is busy. We have more obligations than time, and setting aside a little of that precious time to write seems frivolous at best and foolish at worst.

Guess what — too bad. You have to find the time. It’s cliché, but that award-winning  novel, brilliant blog post, or perfect poem floating around in your head for years won’t write itself. It’s going to take a little bit of patience, practice, and yes, time, but you can fit writing time into your daily life.
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Filed Under: Motivation, Writing Tagged With: , ,
May 2, 2011

Motivation Boards: A Visual Kick in the Pants

Photo: Perfecto Insecto | Flickr

As writers, few things that we face are more difficult to overcome than the simple act of finding motivation. We live in a world so full of distractions–good and bad–that it’s nearly impossible at times to shirk our responsibilities and say no to friends and family in order to sit down and focus on our craft.

But we must.

So, the question is–how? How do we find the motivation to write? We started a free, monthly writing motivation newsletter earlier this year just to help everyone with this all important quest. This month we thought we’d share the newsletter with everyone in the hopes that we can all get inspired!

Our suggestion for May is to create a visual reminder of all the reasons why you want to write. It can be digital (make it your desktop background to gain inspiration each time you open your computer) or an old-fashioned cut and paste board. Either way, it should be a personalized source of inspiration for you to reference on days when your motivational tank is running on empty.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Motivation Tagged With: ,
April 27, 2011

Indie Authors: Love What You Do and How You Do It [Guest Post]

The following is a guest post from author Evelyn Lafont. For more on Evelyn, visit her website or tweet @KeyboardHussy!

I’ve noticed a disturbing trend lately among some self-published, indie authors. Many of them seem to be unhappy about their decision to self-publish.

It’s true. There are self-published authors out there who are disparaging the process of self-publishing, while still—begrudgingly—trying to sell their own self-published book.

As someone who is embracing the indie author movement the same way she embraces dessert, I don’t get it. It seems like some of these folks are jumping on what they see as a self-publishing band wagon because they don’t want to miss out on what it might bring even though they don’t seem to even want what it brings. And like any self-fulfilling prophecy, many of these authors are posting sales stats that seem to prove their resistance right. After a few weeks or months of half-hearted marketing combined with negative comments about self-publishing, they show their low sales as if to say, “See? See how bad this is?”

Self-publishing is not like a one-size-fits-all Halloween costume. It’s not going to fit everyone. For some authors, the dream of being a writer includes having an agent and a publishing contract, and they won’t be happy unless that is what they have—even if they are selling books on an indie platform. And when they self-publish instead of following their dream and querying agents, they are doing themselves a huge disservice.

I remember when I was a kid and I lost a tooth, I’d put it under my pillow and go to sleep. The next day, I’d wake to find a fresh dollar bill, which went right into my Incredible Hulk piggy bank.

As a kid, I had no concept of the value of money. I understood that I could exchange it later for some kind of material object, but in the now—which is what mattered most to me—it didn’t bring any satisfaction. Now my neighbors, well, I thought the tooth fairy liked them better because she left each of them a piece of gum under their pillow instead of a stupid dollar.

A. Piece. Of. Gum.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Motivation, Publishing Tagged With:
April 6, 2011

How to Get Past Writer’s Block: Productivity Tips [Guest Post]

The following is a guest post by Maria Rainier. For more on Maria, check out her bio at the end of the post or visit her at First in Education.

Whether you’re writing your first paper or you’re an acclaimed novelist, you’ve almost certainly encountered the frustrating phenomenon of writer’s block. And you’ll encounter it again in the future. Depending on your circumstances, writer’s block can ruin an entire session of potential productivity – it’s easy to let procrastination take control. When you’re not feeling inspired, nothing seems right and it’s almost impossible to put words on the page.

The good news is that there are many ways to get around the dreaded writer’s block. You probably have some of your own strategies that work for you when your creative juices seem to run dry. These are a few of my favorite ways to court the muse and start writing again, so I hope they enhance your repertoire and offer you more approaches to solving the problem of writer’s block.

Surround Yourself with Writers

I know I feel more capable of writing for an extended period of time when I’m surrounded by like-minded people with the determination to keep writing, no matter what. Join a MeetUp group of writers, get some creative friends together, or search for writing groups on Craigslist. You might be surprised at what you can do when you’re in good (and productive) company.

Find an Inspiring Location & Set Up Shop

Think about the inspiring places you’ve been and see if you can figure out a way to start writing in some of those locations. Bringing a notebook and pen with you is permissible just about anywhere you go, and many places will allow you to bring a laptop if you prefer to type. Just stay aware of your laptop’s battery life if you’re working outdoors, unless you have a solar charger.

I like to write in the following places: art museums, botanical gardens, parks, theaters, local coffee shops, and my artist friend’s studio. Each of these locations inspires me to write even when I’m struggling to come up with a simple string of coherent thoughts. Try writing in the places you turn to for rejuvenation, relaxation, and creative inspiration.

Read Your Journal or Other Old Writing Pieces

I keep a journal that occasionally offers inspiring ideas or phrases, which can then be turned into “real” writing. You can often find something in your archives that’s worth expanding, so don’t hesitate to take a few minutes and read back over your past writings. If you find a striking idea that can be developed, you’ll gain self-confidence because the idea was yours all along – and that’s a great way to tap into your creativity.

Listen to Music

Listening to classical music helps me to stay relaxed and focused, which are two conditions that help me write well. Depending on my mood, I’ll choose something slow and soft to get myself into a creative state, or I’ll select a fast-paced instrumental number like Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro overture to wake up and start writing. Music has the power to affect your energy, creativity, and mood, so take advantage of it to improve the conditions that surround your writing process.

Relax with Breathing Exercises

Running into writer’s block often stresses me out, triggering anxiety and negative feelings. That state of mind is never conducive to any creative pursuit, so writing after hitting a wall tends to be unproductive unless I change my attitude and decrease the level of stress I’m feeling.

I usually relax with a few minutes of circular breathing, which is a simple exercise that you can try with almost no effort. Just close your eyes, exhale all of the air in your lungs, and use the thumb and fourth finger of your dominant hand to pinch your nostrils closed.  Wait a few seconds, then remove your thumb and inhale through the open nostril. Replace your thumb, closing the nostril, and hold your breath. Now, move your fourth finger away and exhale through the other nostril. Repeat this exercise as many times as you need to in order to feel refreshed and stress-free.

About Maria

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online degrees, and what it takes for adult students to succeed studying for an online post-grad degree from home. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Motivation, Writing Tagged With: , ,
February 21, 2011

Five (Easy) 5-Minute Marketing Ideas for the Unmotivated and/or Lazy Author

For more 5-minute marketing ideas, check out our 5-Minute Marketing Ideas Generator!

Photo: myphotosshare blogspot | Flickr

I know, I know — using the word lazy is bound to make me the recipient of more than a few nasty looks. I mean no offense, though! Honestly, we take ‘lazy’ as having a negative connotation, but I don’t agree. After all, who wouldn’t like to spend less time working on something and still have it yield a positive result? I call that being efficient!

Let’s face it, we’re all time-strapped and/or motivation-strapped every now and again. Even sparing just five minutes on marketing your book, however, can go a long way towards helping you meet your sales goals. Think of it this way: take just 5 or 10 minutes every day and you’ll quickly have something going!

With that in mind, here’s a few tips to turn even a quick five minutes into a productive marketing opportunity!

Five 5-Minute Marketing Ideas

  1. Find 10 fellow authors to follow on Twitter. Enter the #amwriting hash tag into Twitter’s search box for a great, easy way to connect with fellow authors! You can learn an amazing amount from observing them — how they interact with their readers, what they post on their blog, how they market themselves through Twitter. It’s free education!
  2. Post a contest on your blog. Whether the prize is a free autographed copy of your book, or even just a few items you’re looking to get rid of around the house, contests drive traffic (and potential readers) to your blog.
  3. Comment on a favorite topical blog. Choose a post that has inspired you recently and leave a comment. Be sure to include your blog/website address! Just speaking from personal experience, I often click on the websites of commenters who offer an interseting perspective on a topic.
  4. Complete a quick revision of your media kit. Read through each page, updating any information where necessary. Have you been featured in any media or won awards? Add this information to your author bio!
  5. Post a discussion question on your blog, Twitter or Facebook page. Interact with your fans/readers — it proves to them that you’re a real person and can help them feel more connected to you.

I know you’re all short on time, so go out now and put one of these tips into action! Do you have another quick marketing idea? Try out #3 and leave us a comment below!

Marketing Motivation

Shannon and I are always looking for ways to help you guys stay motivated toward your goals. This month, we’re introducing two new mailing lists to do just that. Last week we unveiled our Writing Motivation list and today we’re following suit with one for those of you in the marketing phase of your book’s lifespan by introducing our Marketing Motivation mailing list!

Signing up for the list is totally free, and each month you’ll receive an article like the one above to help you stay on track, links to other helpful resources and opportunities to connect with other authors in the same phase of the publishing process as you — kind of like a support group! Give it a try today and receive your first e-mail on March 1st (right around the corner)!

Filed Under: Marketing & Promotion, Motivation Tagged With: