#WriterWednesday: 5 Tips to Get Your Book Done Quick

There’s this story burning inside of you. It’s a blistering kind of heat that you just can’t escape. However, you still haven’t completed your book. You’re somewhere between start and stuck. It’s time to move forward and get this book done quickly.

Use the 5 Tips I’m about to share with you so that you can go from start to finish. Because it’s time.

1. Sit your behind down and write. Stop thinking about writing. Stop talking about writing.Stop romanticizing writing, sit yourself in a chair and get to typing or writing.

2. Establish a concrete timeline for the publication of your book. The first thing I ask any of Publishing Pow-Wow clients is, “When would you like to see your book in the hands of the reader?” Defining this helps set all other goals. This timeline will become the basis and foundation for you to get things done quickly. When do you want to see your book on shelves–six months from now two months from now two years from now? This will inform your word count goal and the development of your marketing plan (yes, you have to market the book). Some say you have to write everyday and there are others who say it’s okay to take break between the words. This timeline will tell you whether or not you can afford to take a break.

3. Outline your book. I’m sure you’ve heard of the great debate by now–to plot or to pants. I am mostly a pantser. However, when you reach a point in your manuscript where you just can’t write, it’s time to put your pants on and plot it out. Here’s a lose plot formula you can follow:

Plot driven: Protagonist–goal+motivation+obstacle+pursuit+obstacle+motivation revisited+earth shattering obstacle/revelation+decision to fight or take flight+aftermath=the end

Character Driven: inciting incident +goal+flaw+confrontation or obstacle+character ignores flaw and keeps on going+confrontation or obstacle character admits flaw but doesn’t changes=death or change (the flaw begins to have a tremendous impact on character) it’s time for change or go down with sinking ship.

Resources for outlining your novel book:

–8 Ways to Outline a Novel

-11 Easy Steps to Outline Your Novel (this was way too much for me to absorb)

–Outline Your Novel in 30 Minutes (I really like this one)

–9 Questions for 25 Chapters (I’m going to try this one–I’m behind on several deadlines)

4. Use your technology to get it done. I get it you’re all over the place. You have kids. You have a full-time job or demanding career, so there’s very little time for playing with words, which is why you need to steal time and allow technology to work for you. If you don’t have time to sit down and write yet you see whole scenes in your head dictate it.

–Dragon Dictation

If you’re on the go a lot like me. Use the notes function, pages, or Evernote to type your story. I typed more than half of my second novel, Seasoned with Grace on my phone and I typed the draft of this blog post on my phone.

5. Deal with all of your contaminating thoughts.

When a river is polluted or contaminated nothing can grow there or live their. New life can’t be created (and all you science buff, who are thinking about mutations and all that jazz, don’t come for me save it for your book and let me just use this analogy). Your mind is the river and your book is the life form that is dying because of how polluted your thoughts are. This step is the most important, but had I started with this tip you wouldn’t believe me, because it’s not one of the things we really discuss when we discuss writing. Get out of your head and your feelings. Don’t let the fear of rejection block you or stop you. Rejection is going to come, “rejection is apart of the process”. Do not allow your credentials or lack thereof stop you either. For all the writing classes I’ve taken I have never taken a fiction writing class. That didn’t stop me from writing a novel and it better not stop you.

Get busy and if you need more help getting out of your head checkout the replay of the Working Writers Series Day 1.

If you’re interested in joining me for full on Working Writers’ Workshops please let me know in the comments.

 

Do you have any tips to help us get our books finished in a jiffy?

Drop them in the comments and fuel someone else’s greatness. 

#FridayFinds Love, Lies, & Consequences by Natasha D. Frazier

Okay, last week it was all about taking care of the teens and now let’s deal with some adult stuff, in Love, Lies, and Consequences by Natasha D. Frazier. 

Excerpt:

 

“Hold on, wait!” Tammy interrupted. “Now you know that you can’t give dude the cookie before you get engaged and then just decide to take it away,” Tammy said giggling. “I mean, seriously. You can’t blame him too much for getting upset about that. Here you were, having sex with him, get engaged to marry, then you snatch the cookie away as if you were using it as bait. Guys love sex, honey, and they generally feel like they’re moving backwards if you’re taking it away, even if you’re about to get married.” Tammy snapped her fingers to solidify her point.

Raegan’s stomach twisted into knots at Tammy’s reasoning because of how she’d let herself go with Rico. She was already feeling guilty enough about what happened between the two of them and now her friend was sitting here saying there was no going back. But Tammy wasn’t Rico, she thought.

Echoing Raegan’s thoughts, Michelle sat up straight on the couch and interjected, “Well hold on for a second now. So you’re saying that if a woman slips up and says yes once, twice or lots of times, then she can’t ever say no? What if she decides that it’s wrong and she wants to do the right thing by waiting until marriage? Then what?”

“A woman is certainly allowed to say no whenever she wants but you should understand that a guy may feel like he’s moving backwards and that usually doesn’t end well unless he agrees that the sex should wait until marriage,” Tammy said to clarify her point.

 “Can it really be serious enough to throw our relationship away?” Michelle asked as her eyes began to water, becoming frustrated again.

“I’m sorry honey, but I don’t make the rules. If you want to wait until you get married, you can’t give it up at all,” Tammy said as she moved over to sit next to Michelle. She could see that her words were really getting to her. Tammy rubbed Michelle’s back as the tears fell. Tammy continued, “Guys are like this. They simply want the cookies. If we give them up, they are going to expect to keep getting them. To them, they are receiving mixed signals if we give it up and then take it away. I know it’s hard to wait, but you have to make a choice. We’ve all had this conversation before. We want God’s blessings on our marriage whenever we get married, so we are trying to hold on to the cookies until then. Establish the boundaries up front and stick to them like our girl Rae over here,” she said as she winked at Rae.

Rae avoided making eye contact with any of them at that moment because she wasn’t sticking to her guns these days. Instead, she repositioned herself in the chair to help alleviate the awkwardness she felt in that moment.

To purchase Amazon kindle: http://amzn.to/2uvm8H5

To purchase an Autographed copy: http://bit.ly/2uQ3Was

 

From the Author: 

Why I write in this genre:

I write Christian fiction to inspire readers to grow closer to God. Through my characters, I want to encourage readers to develop a daily relationship with God and to let them know that even when they mess up, God’s love still covers us. Allow God’s love to lead you into being who you were called to be.

#MompreneurMonday 3 Self-care Tips to Increase Productivity

The nature of motherhood and the  conversation our culture has about motherhood is that self-care should be last on the list and your family first. The mom that wants to be a mogul at some point and time completely abandons self-care. But, ff you want make magic happen then you have to take care of the wand and that would be you. 

Here are 3 tips to incorporate self-care into your work routine and become more productive. 

Tip #1 Get Dressed Up

Polish your nails, paint your face, or get dressed up–even while you’re in the house. Yes, working from how has it’s perks like wearing pjs while taking a client call or uploading content to your blog, but when you look good you feel good. When you feel good you are more motivated to get stuff done. So, at least once a week dedicate some time to spicing up your look before dropping the kids off at school or tackle your to-do list in stellar pair of pumps and watch how quickly and smoothly you get things done. 

Tackling that To-Do List Like

Tip #2 Put the Donuts, Bacon, and Bread Down

No, not forever, but again at least once a week you need to cut out the salt, sugar, and the bad carbs. What are bad carbs? You know, the ones that make you feel so full you can’t get anything done after eating them.Swap out fresh fruits and veggies. If you’re like me short on time or just not the magic bullet kind of girl, run into your local grocer and grab a bottle of Bolthouse Smoothies. You won’t be disappointed and your energy levels will be through the roof. More energy equals more productivity. 

Tip #3 Go to Bed Early and Sleep Late

Sleep deprivation is not conducive to running a business especially if you are the business. You may have some super creative hours–like at one am your best idea may come to you, but if you’re not sleeping well you’re abusing your body and brain, both of which you need to function. If sleeping at regular intervals isn’t possible take a nap and then attack the to-do list. It will change the way you do business trust me. In my new book,  Pursuing Your Passion in a Godly Fashion, I discuss the devastating effects sleep deprivation and stretching myself too thin had on me. I wound up in the ER (you don’t want that). Rest that mind then capitalize on the new ideas that freely flowing. 

Now, those are just three ways I use self-care to increase my productivity, but I’m open to suggestions.

How do you use make time to care for yourself as a mompreneur? 

#MompreneurMonday Get Respect While Working From Home

R-E-S-P-E-C-T isn’t that what all small business owners want? Of course, but sometimes it can be really difficult for a mompreneur to get some respect while working from home.

Raise your hand if you know what I mean. You’ve got the kids running around, the husband making requests, and those pesky Facebook notifications can be downright disrespectful.

The only way to get respect is to demand it.

 

Not quite like this, even though that’s how you may feel.

What you have to do be firm and about your business. Just like you would at your 9 to 5 create an environment that demands every member of your household respects your mompreneur hustle. It might be a fight and difficult for them to see it and grasp it, but go for it.

Here are 3 tips to create an environment of respect for your home based business:

1. Set office hours. Sometimes your day will just run together, but realistically if you want people to respect what you do have to set the tone. Some of my early Periscope videos and live classes have traces of my children’s voices in the background. Then I finally sat them down and explained the seriousness of what I’m doing and now I have almost no background voices in my training. Put your foot down and explain it in a language that they understand. Just like your kids or husband can’t just pop up in the middle of a meeting at your office they can’t just pop up while you’re working at home.
2. Keep your working space a working space. I don’t care if you have a table top tray or full-fledged office (I’m IN between the two. I have a cubicle) keep all non-business related items out of your working space. Evict all the sippy cups, crayons, etc. Make your working space working space. As your family sees you respect your working space they will.
3. Quantify your contributions or  your potential contributions. Just like you would go before your boss for an annual review, sit down with the hubs or your partner and show them what your are earning and how those earnings have enhanced the household. If you’re just starting out–show your mate what the earning potential is and how much time you need to put to reach that point. Most men will be all for a few extra dollars coming in without you have to go out to get them.

Will it be easy? Absolutely not. You might have to struggle a little while to get into a routine that works for the family and has you feeling like the boss you are. Fight for it though. Your contribution is valuable and your dreams are worthy of respect.

Which one of these tips will you implement today? What tips to have for your fellow mompreneurs who are looking for some respect.

#WriterWednesday Publishing is a Business: Advice From Barbara Joe Williams

There are several words of advice I would like to share with new authors. However, I will begin with my main motto: Writing is a hobby, but publishing is a business. If you’re planning to have a long-term career in the publishing industry, you need to learn the business and master it. That means educating yourself and not just relying on your publisher or other authors for secondhand information.  You should do your own research via the internet and read publishing manuals from experienced authors who are succeeding in the business.

Another word of advice is to get a partner. Not a writing partner, but another writer you can share ideas with, proofread each other’s work, provide feedback, and keep each other motivated when your spirits are low. This is the one thing that has helped me tremendously over the years. My partner is honest with me and tells me when my writing sucks, and I tell her when to get off her butt and write something whether it sucks or not.

I also advise new authors to become part of a writer’s group or a local author’s network for professional development. There’s nothing like networking and sharing with a group of likeminded individuals. Instead of having one person to give you feedback, you will have a whole network of authors who can keep you motivated to write. Every writer’s group is not the same, so it may take some time for you to find one that fits or you might end up starting your own, like I did.

My final word of advice for beginning authors would be this: Don’t expect overnight success. I’ve seen many authors publish a book, promote it for two months, and then drop out of sight simply because they haven’t sold a thousand copies (or whatever number they had in mind). It takes time to build up a following of loyal readers, and it usually doesn’t come from just having one book on the market. Find your audience, market to them, and when the next book is released, they will find you.

Barbara Joe Williams is the author of ten novels, a novella, several nonfiction books and short stories. Her latest eBook is titled, A Cup of Barbara Joe: Things I’ve Learned about Life, Marriage, Motherhood & People.

Amazon page: http://goo.gl/hCOkBb

Website: www.barbarajoe.webs.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbara.williams.31105674

Thanks for the interview. My next nonfiction eBook release is February 5 titled, A-Z Marketing Tips: A Motivational Guide to Selling Your Products. And my next fiction eBook release is titled, Holiday Hotel 2: A Valentine’s Day story.

Quality books. All the time for $2.99 or less.