Building the Writing Muscle
It takes something to sit down at a blank screen daring you to be brilliant. My screen taunts me with an eerie and pervasive consistency for sure. Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who are alive.” ~Howard Thurman I think about writing all the time. I have inspired vignettes that pop in my mind, ideas I want to explore and client questions that would make the perfect blog post. Yet, I have gotten out of the habit. There is always something to move through as I sit down. Sometimes it feels like a thick fog, sometimes it has a subtle angsty feel. Sometimes it seems to be too much and I just don’t stick with it. Then, at some unpredictable...
A Day in the Life of a Writer. Me.
Plan: Begin writing at 8am. No checking email, no phone calls & no surfing the web – AT ALL! Actuality: Woke up at 8:07. Checked email “in case” any of my clients emailed me to tell me they were joining me in writing today… No one was. Sunny, gorgeous day. I can’t really blame them. Who wants to stay inside. On email already, I might as well clean my inbox. Deleted 30 emails – wow, that feels good! Then, answered a lengthy email from another writer – justified this was ok because he is a writer – so it’s connected to writing, right? Cleaned the kitchen – was necessary to clear the counter because that is where I was working! Noticed phone beeping telling me new messages came in. Yes, it was supposed to be off… ooops. Felt...
Finding Balance
We have all heard the term. We may even know (in a vague sense) what it is. But do we really practice it? In a life, where we value stretching, growing and expanding, where does balance fit in? Recently, I said ‘no’ to a great opportunity. In my already busy schedule, I often find myself saying ‘yes’ to things but not quite having the time to accomplish them. Sometimes under the pressure of the last minute, I am able to produce miracles. For this opportunity, I needed to submit a video of myself presenting to a group. I planned to get it done over the weekend. Yet, as I went through my weekend, I kept making other choices. I attended a family reunion (which hadn’t been in my schedule) and got to connect with people to whom I am related yet have...
The Right Time to Write
Many new authors often wonder – “Is this really the right time for me to write?” First of all, I empathize with the inquiry. And second of all, I say, “There will never be a ‘right’ time.” The right time will not magically appear. Most of us will still need to continue on with life and all the responsibilities that come with that. The phone will ring, the laundry will pile up, the boss will call, the bills will arrive, the children will cry, the spouse will wonder where we are… The right time is when you say it is the right time. If you are called to write, then write. Some days it may come easily. Some days it will definitely not. It boils down to commitment. We can honor our commitment when all else fails. ...
Making Peace with Platform
If you have hung around the world of books for any length of time you will have heard, “you gotta have platform!” What does this even mean? Bottom line is: Platform is your ability to reach your audience. Platform means: • The people who will recognize your name and care that you have a book coming out – and will buy it! • Your reach and range • Your followers and fans • Your mailing list • What you have done and are doing now that has you be out there in the world (relevant to your book) • Your speaking engagements, media appearances, articles you write etc. • Your online presence – Google placement, websites, blogsites, and social media The topic of Platform seems to be one of the most daunting for new authors. Reactions to range from...
The Wonderful World of Publishing
The publishing world is a mystery to many. It certainly was to me when I began my journey. In this article, we will go behind the scenes of the book world – to uncover the secrets, bust the myths and illuminate the truth of the wonderful world of publishing. I had the pleasure of interviewing my Publisher, David Hancock (founder of Morgan James Publishing) recently on my radio show. He began by sharing the essential ingredients for author success, which are: A good message An audience who will listen to it – this can be a Catch 22 because it’s challenging to get published without a platform but the book produces a platform… The ability and willingness to share your passion and message He gave some suggestions: Know what’s going on in your field,...
Life Is Too Short – Don’t Be Afraid to Suck
New authors are faced with all sorts of concerns as they begin the journey to and through the writing of their first book. Sadly, over and over, I see people buy into the concerns and stop along the way. There are all sorts of “reasons” they stop – not enough time to write, losing interest in the topic, never choosing a topic… I wonder if the main underlying concern is of “sucking”. The shadowy fears my clients share sound like: “What if I pour my heart and soul into my writing and no one ever reads it – or even worse – what if it sucks?” According to many great writers, no one sits down and writes brilliantly the first time. If you are a writer who does, power to you. For the rest of us, lets take comfort in the wise words of Anne Lamott...
About Kristen Moeller
Passionate about supporting authors in Authoring their Brilliance! Executive Publisher (Imbue Press), Author Coach, Best-Selling Author (Waiting for Jack)
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