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4 Stressors Secretly Causing Writer’s Block
As a writer, you’ve probably dealt with writer’s block in some form or another - almost all of us have. It’s a frustrating and seemingly endless period that can bring about a whole lot of stress on its own. But did you know that stress can be what leads you to getting stuck in the first place? Learn about 4 sneaky stressors and what you can do to manage them!
As a writer, you’ve probably dealt with writer’s block in some form or another - almost all of us have. It’s a frustrating and seemingly endless period that can bring about a whole lot of stress on its own.
But did you know that stress can be what leads you to getting stuck in the first place? Once you understand what’s causing unnecessary stress in your life, it’ll be easier to manage it and in turn, avoid the dreaded writer’s block.
What the Heck is Stressor?
First things first, let’s discuss what exactly a stressor is. A quick Google search will tell you that a stressor is something that causes strain, tension, or...you guessed it, STRESS! There are so many stressors in your life that seem harmless, but can actually create a lot of stress in your life.
4 Sneaky Stressors Causing Writer’s Block
Instant Access News & Media Coverage
With access to laptops, phones, and tablets, you have the world at your fingertips - including the good, bad, and the ugly. Being able to constantly check your phone and see updates on the news and other kinds of media can be a HUGE stressor.
Most of the time, the news is not reporting on happy topics. Almost all media outlets tell you about the tragic accidents, extreme weather, disputes in politics, and more pressing issues. After all, “if it bleeds, it leads.”
Sometimes it’s important to take a step back from all of that information. Although it may feel like it, you don’t need to know every single detail of what happens in the world each day. It is important to stay informed, but news can easily become an obsession, which isn’t helpful for anyone. In fact, it often leads people to losing faith in humanity and brings a ton of stress into their lives.
Limit yourself to checking the news a few times per week and rest assured that if anything dire happens, you’ll be able to find out quickly. Limiting yourself will help bring more peace into your life, and get some writing done!
Social Media
This may or may not come as a surprise, but social media can drag even the best of us down if we’re not paying. It creates a stressful cycle where you find yourself stuck in a bubble where everyone’s lives are perfect and going just right...except yours. When you see perfectly curated content, it feels a lot like comparing yourself to a model in a magazine, and you find yourself lacking most times. It’s incredibly stressful (and unhealthy) to spend so much time comparing yourself to others, especially when you don’t really know what's happening behind the scenes.
After all, you’re only seeing what people want you to see. It’s important to remember that social media isn’t always what it seems. It’s much less important to get a lot of likes and comments than to forge actual relationships with people (even though it’s painful when you feel like you’ve posted the “right” stuff and no one seems to care.)
The other thing about social media is how much time people spend on it. According to the data, people in the U.S. spend more than 2 hours EVERY DAY on social media. Can you imagine how many other things (including writing) you could do with 2 more hours in your day if you limited your social media time?! And how much stress it could relieve if you spent that time enjoying your time instead of comparing or wishing your life was different? Or actually shaping your life into something you enjoy every day?
Turn off social media and put your phone away when you’re going to be writing. Don’t let yourself be drawn into the social media black hole that winds up eating all your time and taking your focus away from your creative ideas & writing.
Expectation Overwhelm
Once you announce that you’re writing something - a book, a story, an article, etc. - it comes with expectations. People will ask “How’s the book coming?” or “What are you writing about?” Even though most people are well-intentioned and simply curious to know what you’re working on, you’ll probably start to feel the pressure pretty quickly. It’s not just the questions that can cause stress, but also knowing they want to or even expect to read your work.
You might start to wonder: Will they like it? Will it be “good enough” for them? If they don’t like it, will they think less of me?
One simple way to avoid feeling too much pressure (unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid entirely) is to be vague when responding to these kinds of questions. When you don’t share much, they’ll ask less. It may seem harsh or strange, but can really help. If you want someone to bounce ideas off of, that’s fine - just make sure they’re someone who won’t judge your ideas.
You can also hold off on telling people you’re writing anything until you’re sure it’s something you’re going to put out in the world. Then, if you change your mind or decide to go a different route, you won’t have to explain yourself to anyone. It relieves some of the pressure and frees up your mind to just write.
Not Enough Physical Contact with the Outside World
Thanks to the pandemic, it’s become increasingly difficult to physically interact with the outside world. This can put a damper on your spirits and make it difficult to focus on writing projects. It seems like having to stay inside would help these projects, especially since many writers consider themselves introverts. But when you don’t have a choice, it can feel like a chore.
It’s important to take breaks, even if you can’t get out of the house, so you don’t start to dislike writing. As with anything, you can overdo it if you push yourself too hard or force yourself to write when you don’t want to.
Not only is getting out good for your mental health, it’s also good for inspiration. Without the interactions that were a part of your everyday life before, you might find yourself uninspired. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to find new ideas. You can still interact with nature, listen to music, or talk with friends and family on the phone. These are all great ways to spark your creativity when you can’t go out in public.
My challenge to you is to take a break from your phone for a day.
Do any of these stressors make an impact on your writing? How do you overcome writer’s block? Have you ever taken a break from social media or your phone for an extended period of time? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome
As a writer, something I have to contend with on more occasions than I care to admit, is imposter syndrome. This is something that affects most (if not all) writers at some point. It’s hard enough to be a writer without having to battle with your own inner self-doubt and worry. So, today I’m sharing how I deal with imposter syndrome.
By Holly Huntress, Living Through Writing
As a writer, something I have to contend with on more occasions than I care to admit, is imposter syndrome. This is something that affects most (if not all) writers at some point. It’s hard enough to be a writer without having to battle with your own inner self-doubt and worry. So, today I’m sharing how I deal with imposter syndrome.
What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter syndrome is the feeling you don’t belong. That you aren’t good enough. When it comes to writing, it makes you feel like you aren’t really a writer. When you experience imposter syndrome, it makes you doubt yourself and your abilities - you feel as if you’re an imposter. Imposter syndrome can happen in any field, not just writing. It can put a damper on your spirits and hinder your writing. So, what do you do when it takes over?
How I Deal with Imposter Syndrome
More often than not, I find myself being sucked into a spiral of self-deprecating thoughts regarding my writing. I’m not as good as… I could never write that well… I’ll never be considered a real author… The list goes on.
A lot of the time my imposter syndrome stems from making comparisons between my writing and a book I’m reading. Never compare your unfinished/unpolished writing to that of a published novel/work. The book you’re reading has been through multiple rounds of professional edits and beta reads. Your writing is still in its early stages. If you compare it to one of the books on your shelf, you’ll bring imposter syndrome on yourself in a heartbeat.
Even if you are comparing your own writing to someone else who hasn’t gone through the edits and beta reads, it’s still not fair to yourself to compare them. Everyone has a different writing style. If they didn’t, reading would become boring... fast. All books would read the same, and if you read one, you’d have read them all.
When imposter syndrome is creeping up on you, keep in mind that there’s someone out there who wants to hear what you have to say. It may not happen right away, but you will find your audience. In the meantime, imagine your ideal reader and write for them. They’ll be your biggest supporter and possibly your biggest critic as well. Don’t let the fear of those critiques hold you back or fuel your imposter syndrome.
Critiques help you grow as a writer. Don’t think of bad reviews as something negative. They’re there to help you discover what you need to work on. For example, if you have a review that mentions bad grammar or spelling, that's an easy fix! Simply make sure you have a more thorough editor helping you with your writing.
If someone says that they weren’t a fan of the character development, maybe spend a bit more time planning out your next character’s arc before diving in to make sure they’re a fully developed character. There are so many ways you can use your reviews to help yourself. It’s okay to be upset by bad reviews, but make sure you use them to the best of your ability. Don’t let them go to waste.
Another super helpful way I overcome Imposter syndrome is by reaching out to other writers in the writing community. I have mentioned writing communities before, and I will keep bringing it up! There are writing communities on every social media.
If you’re not sure how to find those writing communities you can learn more about writers on Instagram, or read about writers’ TikTok. Twitter and Facebook can be just as useful as long as you can find your writing community.
Whenever I feel down about my writing or need some help, I reach out to my writing community. I post a video on TikTok asking my question, or saying I need some help with whatever is bugging me, and people respond in the comments.
Or I post on Instagram, either to my Stories or to my page, and do the same thing. Pose a question and wait for the responses to come in. If I need more immediate help, I can always directly message (DM) some of the writers who I have become closer with and they’re always willing to help.
If you need an instant boost in your morale, go back and read some of your own writing. Sometimes it’s easy to forget your own abilities. I know I do since I’m not usually reading my writing.
Imposter syndrome is no fun and it can really make you feel crappy. But, with the right tools in your arsenal, you can snap back into reality and remember who you are: a writer. No matter who tries to tell you differently, even if it’s yourself, YOU ARE A WRITER. So do what you do best and write! Beat back the imposter syndrome and overcome your doubts.
How to Use Instagram to Build Your Own Writing Community
Need a new place to connect with writers? Or want to build your own writing community but aren't sure where to go? We've got just the place: Instagram.
There are many fun and exciting reasons why I love writing. A large part of what keeps me going and helps me to stay motivated is the writing community I’ve built for myself. There are many different social media platforms that you can use to do this, but one that I’ve found other writers are particularly engaging and active on is Instagram.
What is Instagram?
You’ve probably heard of Instagram, even if you don’t use it. Originally, Instagram was a photo-based platform where you could share photos with friends and interact with other peoples’ photos. It’s kind of like a simplified version of Facebook.
Though Instagram was originally a photo based platform, they’re shifting focus to become more video based, like TikTok. You can read more about writing and TikTok here.read more about writing and TikTok here
How does it work?
The main purpose of Instagram is to share photos or videos with your followers. To do this, you create posts using an image or video on your phone and add a caption with hashtags to go along with it. Then, people can interact with your post and engage with you.
Another way to share is by posting Stories. These are photos or videos you share that only last for a day before they disappear. You can save them to an archive if you don’t want them to disappear, but generally, Stories are meant to be used for quick updates that you don’t care to be permanent fixtures on your page.
You can also create Reels, which are a fairly new feature. This is how Instagram is transitioning into a video-based platform. These are videos that can be 30 seconds or less and shared with your followers. You can choose to have them appear on your regular feed for your followers or not. Videos can be anything from choreographed dancing to you just talking about your day. It all depends on what type of following you have and what content you decide to put out.
Stories and reels are similar in that they can both be videos. But, stories are less permanent - more of a quick update for your followers. Reels are permanent (unless you delete them), and tend to be more planned and/or scripted.
How to Connect with the Instagram Writing Community
Instagram is a great tool for writers who want to build themselves a writing community. It never hurts to have a support system behind you when you need an extra push with your writing, or if you have a question.
Here are some great ways to start connecting with other writers on Instagram:
Start by searching and using hashtags like #writingcommunity or #writersofinstagram. By searching the hashtags, you can see who is using them and follow those people if you like their content. This is a great way to find lots of writers to follow when you’re first starting on Instagram.
As you use Instagram more, you‘ll begin to see who you connect with and you can start reaching out to people you want to interact with on a regular basis.
By using the hashtags on your own posts, you’re helping other writers find you, too! The following game goes both ways. (At first, it will feel a bit like a game of tag, but eventually, your Instagram feed will be filled with awesome writers you can learn and grow with!)
You can get as specific as you want with the hashtags so you’re finding writers who will align with you. You can search #indieauthors, #selfpublished, #fictionauthors, #fantasywriter, or whatever subgenre you want. Remember, this is your writing community, fill it with people you want to interact with.
Another great way to find other writers on Instagram is by searching for “author” in the discover section. A lot of writers use “author” in their Instagram names. So, by using this search, you’ll be able to quickly discover many writers of all types.
Once you have people to follow, you can begin interacting with them. Engagement with a post helps increase the probability that Instagram will show that post to other people. So, just by commenting on someone's post, you’re helping them. If you start to engage with other people’s posts, they’re more likely to do the same for you. This is also a nice way to find friends to create writer groups with, or just to find people who are willing to help you when you have a question.
A writer group can be whatever you want it to be. I’m a part of one where we do Zoom meetings every week to update each other on goals, read over each other's writing samples, or just chat about basic writing questions. However, some writing groups only interact on Instagram, which can be just as helpful.
Don’t forget to follow people you already know too! If you’ve made writer friends through other social media accounts, chances are they also have an Instagram. Following them and checking out who they follow is an easy way to find new writer friends. You can follow the Capturing Your Confidence writers too! We love to connect with our readers and other writers. Follow us at these two accounts: Rachel (rachtindall) and Holly (livingthroughwriting).
If you aren’t sure what to post, try participating in writing challenges. These are fun interactive activities created by fellow writers. Find them by searching hashtags like #writingchallenge or #writingprompt. These are usually a week or month’s worth of post ideas someone comes up with and you can share your version of whatever it is they want you to share each day. This way you can connect with everyone else who is also partaking in the writing challenge.
An example of one would look something like this:
Day one: Share a line from your work in progress
Day two: What is your favorite genre to write and why?
Day three: Who is your favorite author?
For each of these days (you can participate in as many or as few as you want) you would post a picture that relates to whatever they’re asking and share your response. The response can either be included in the image or written in the description. Then, you tack on the hashtags that they request you use, like #augustwritingchallenge, and share the post!
It’s a fun and easy way to make content for people to interact with. You can even come up with a writing challenge yourself if you want. (If you want the Capturing Your Confidence team to create a writing challenge, DM us your idea!)
My challenge to you is to create an Instagram for your writing.
Have you built your writing community yet on Instagram? Do you prefer sharing pictures or videos? Which social media platform has been most helpful for you so far? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
7 Unexpected Ways Meditation Helps My Writing
Meditation, like self-care, is a hot topic right now. Or maybe it’s always been a hot topic and I just never noticed until I started doing it. I didn’t believe it would work, at least not at first...I didn’t pick it back up until early 2020 when the proverbial shit hit the fan and I HAD to figure out how to deal with my anxiety. I was willing to try pretty much anything. Enter: meditation.
Meditation, like self-care, is a hot topic right now. Or maybe it’s always been a hot topic and I just never noticed until I started doing it.
I didn’t believe it would work, at least not at first. I took a yoga class in college (because my college required a physical education class...gross), and I loved the yoga part.
We would also do meditations at the end of class each day, which was super uncomfortable the first few weeks. I mean, who really wants to lay on a yoga mat in an exercise studio with a bunch of people they don’t know and try to get zen?
It also freaked me out to seemingly give up control of my body for a little bit and actually relax. At the time, I hadn’t yet taken any steps to control my anxiety, so you can probably imagine how tense it was.
Just as I started to get used to it, though (and actually enjoy it), the class ended. Of course.
I didn’t pick it back up until early 2020 when the proverbial shit hit the fan and I HAD to figure out how to deal with my anxiety. There was so much going on, and although napping does help me (I’m super open about it - such a creative boost!), it was getting into the nap that was the problem.
Relaxing enough to shut my mind down even for 15 minutes was a huge problem, so I wracked my poor stressed out brain to figure out what to do. I was willing to try pretty much anything.
Enter: meditation.
What Do I Mean by Meditation?
Real quick, before we get to how meditation is pretty much a life (and business) saver for me, I wanted to touch on what I mean because there are different kinds of meditation. When I first learned about it, I kind of thought that only monks meditated - and maybe those who were hardcore yoga practitioners who were in it for the spiritual aspects. It was a super stereotypical assumption, and I’m happy to report that I was wrong!
Spiritual meditation is a popular practice, and there are a ton of great resources about it. That’s not the kind of meditation I do, though. I use guided imagery meditation. I also don’t meditate at 5 am before anyone is awake - I do it in the afternoon, typically after lunch or mid-afternoon when I look up from whatever project I’m working on and realize that my brain needs a break or a reset.
I have a couple of apps that I love, and there are lots of free audios to choose from. My favorite is Insight Timer, and I use it both for afternoon meditation and sleep stories at night before I go to bed. I don’t have the premium membership ($59.99/year), but that’s probably something I will purchase next year because I use and enjoy it so much.
Why I Meditate 3-4 Afternoons a Week
So here’s the fun part: all the reasons I meditate on the regular. My goal for August is actually to meditate 4 times a week, which is lofty. As you probably know, being busy makes your schedule a little unpredictable!
But this particular part of my day is SO worth it.
Part of my meditation practice is selfish...it helps puppy Maxwell take a nap in the afternoon. I don’t know if you have furry friends at home with you, but with 2 fur babies and myself at home almost all the time (because I work remotely), we NEED naptime in my house. By the afternoon, he’s ready, but fighting it because he has serious FOMO (which I’ve come to realize most little creatures do, human or animal) and he thinks that even though I’ve been massively boring to him and Charlie all day so far, I’m going to jump up and party without him or something. I’m not, but he doesn’t realize that. So when I get ready to meditate, I put him in his sleeping area and I lay in bed for about 15 minutes and get up while he’s still snoozing.
Amidst the quiet house, because Charlie is always willing to take a snooze no matter what time of day, I get up feeling refreshed and ready to create. The meditations that I do often involve an element of intentional breathing and mindfulness, so any kind of worry or anxiety that has crept into my subconscious is cleared out.
Sometimes this is a bigger deal than others, especially if I’ve been working on a tight deadline or stressful project. Meditation essentially offers me a reset button for my mind. When you weigh 15 minutes of refresh vs. 15 minutes of barely pushing yourself to write another paragraph, the refresh is obviously the better (and more logical choice).
When I’ve reset my mind and cleared out any worries, I’m always amazed at how clearly I can figure out what I need to do next. Also, it makes me hella creative because I don’t have to create past all that other crap - it’s almost like starting a brand new day halfway through the current day.
It’s a nice way to break things up, and I’m almost always excited to dive back into projects. The times I’m not, I can at least handle it maturely instead of sitting down to binge-watch nature documentaries on Disney+ for the rest of the day.
One of the best things about meditation is that it makes me excited about my own writing. If you follow me on social media, you’ll know that there have been a couple of rough patches with my personal writing in the last year (if you don’t, let’s connect!). As it turns out, when you write so much for other people, it can leave you drained of creative energy for your own projects no matter how much you love them. That’s also not great when you’re supposed to be helping other people write creatively.
“When I amped up my meditation practice this spring, I was surprised at how much of a boost it gave me. And how much clarity for what parts of my creativity I can lean into right now.”
So when I amped up my meditation practice this spring, I was surprised at how much of a boost it gave me. And how much clarity for what parts of my creativity I can lean into right now. I’m pleased to say that I actually have multiple creative projects going on right now, and I have a standing writing date with myself on Friday afternoons. That would be decidedly impossible without meditation and clearing my mind so much throughout the week.
I feel like I could talk about meditation all day long - I DO talk about it a lot! It’s made such a big impact on my life and creativity, and I think it could help you, too. You may not “get it” the first time or two. I definitely didn’t! But if you stick with it for a little while, I’m willing to bet you’ll start seeing some of these benefits, too.
My challenge to you is to try meditation - more than once because it’s a habit - and see how it could help you.
Do you meditate? What do you use for your meditations? How has meditation helped you? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
Self-Publishing My Book Was Easy. Here’s Why You Should Try It, Too.
As technology expands, self-publishing is on the rise. If you want more freedom in publishing your book, and more of the profits, consider using Amazon’s KDP self-publishing service. Here's what you need...
Opinion by Holly Huntress
The wonderful world of publishing is growing and changing all the time. With the ease of access to technology and everyone's growing presence online, it only makes sense that self-publishing is also on the rise. These days, there are many ways to self-publish.
I’ve tried the Barnes and Noble publishing service, which is called Barnes and Noble Press, and Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which is Amazon’s publishing service. KDP has been easier to work with, so I switched all of my books from Barnes and Noble to KDP.
There are also other ways to self-publish, like with IngramSpark and BookBaby, which both allow you to self-publish to channels other than just B&N or Amazon. But, I haven’t tried those services yet.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a great service for anyone who wants to publish a book and either doesn’t want to go the traditional route, or isn’t having luck with it. People who may have never been able to publish a book before now have the opportunity because of these amazing services, and you can do it, too!
Why Publish on Amazon?
A lot of authors choose the self-publishing route over traditional publishing because they want more control over the whole process. Often when you are picked up by a traditional publisher, you have to change things in your book that you may not want to change. You are beholden to your contract and that can be a daunting thought for a lot of people. When you’re self-publishing, you choose your own editor, book cover, and pricing. You have complete control over every step of the process.
Self-publishing through KDP can also be a great choice if you’re on a budget. If you don’t want to spend any money, you don’t have to. You can spend as much (or little) as you want! I choose to spend more in certain areas, like book cover design and editing, rather than marketing. I do marketing through social media while I save up enough to start doing ads. This way you don’t have to invest a large sum of money up front.
When using KDP you get to keep more of the profits. KDP does take a percentage to cover the costs of supplying your book, and printing costs if you sell hard copies, but there’s no other company standing behind you taking a percentage of what you earn.
When you’re setting the price for your book, KDP makes it clear how much you will actually earn from each sale. Offering ebooks is a great way to get a following because you can charge much less for the ebook versus the paperback since there are no printing costs.
Using KDP also eliminates the search for an agent. You don’t have to do any more querying! I know how much I dislike querying agents, and I assume many people feel the same way. You’re putting yourself out there over and over again, only to be rejected or ignored. By using KDP, you don’t have to deal with that anymore. For that reason alone KDP is worth it to me.
How to Self-Publish on Amazon: The Basics
What can you expect?
When publishing on KDP, there are instructions every step of the way. First, you create an account, and then you start uploading your books. KDP makes it super easy. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but if you do have any questions, there are a lot of guides and tips to help, or you can always reach out to customer service.
KDP has a downloadable program called Kindle Create that allows you to format your book as an eBook. This is also fairly simple to use, though it can take some playing around with to really understand all the options and tricks.
What do you need?
All you really need is a finished book! There are a few other things you should have as well, like a title, a blurb for the back of the book, and an author bio and picture. You don’t necessarily need a premade book cover, but I would recommend having one.
There are some book cover templates that KDP offers that all you need is a picture, so if that’s all you have, it can work. KDP will provide you with an ISBN if you don’t have one (that’s something I never would have thought of needing before I self-published for the first time!).
Where can you find help if you need it?
There is some formatting that goes into preparing your book for publishing, which can be tricky if you don’t know how to do it on your own. But, there are always people willing to help. You can find book formatters on websites like Fiverr, or KDP does have some resources and templates you can use if you’re tech savvy.
Don’t let the formatting piece of it all scare you away if you’re not tech savvy! You can always reach out to others who have self-published to ask how they formatted their books, or who they used to help them. You’re not alone! Most indie authors I know love to help and give other authors advice.
Plus, you can always reach out to KDP’s customer service if you need more help.
Self-publishing is a lot of fun and so worth it if you choose to go that route! There’s no right or wrong way to publish your work, so don’t stress over that too much. All that matters is that your writing is being shared with the world, whether that’s through a traditional publisher or by yourself on a site like KDP - it’s up to you!
My challenge to you is to check out Kindle Direct Publishing.
Have you thought about self-publishing? Have you used KDP or another self-publishing service? How‘d you like it? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
The Most Important Thing You Need to Know About Coaching Sessions
The other day I was nervously awaiting a meeting with a new client and I was trying to figure out why I was so nervous...I was nervous about what I didn’t know...I thought to myself that new coaching clients probably feel a lot like this, too...so if I demystified what a coaching session looks like, or at least what’s involved, it might allay some fears and get you excited instead of nervous...
The other day I was nervously awaiting a meeting with a new client and I was trying to figure out why I was so nervous. I mean, it wasn’t my meeting - I wasn’t going to be running it at least, and the whole purpose of my being there was to get information so I could work on a new project. Exciting!
After the meeting was over, I wasn’t nervous anymore. So, clearly, the nerves were about the meeting. I went on about my day, tooling around the house doing the dishes, working on some other writing projects - a pretty average day.
As I stood washing the pots and pans (one of the most common places for big realizations in my world), I managed to figure out what was going on. I was nervous about what I didn’t know. It wasn’t the work, or the scope of the project, or even meeting new people (although 8 people in a Zoom meeting with a new client is kind of a lot, even for me). It was the fact that I didn’t know what would happen or what was expected of me.
As I was standing there, I thought to myself that new coaching clients probably feel a lot like this, too. After all, you’re making an investment in yourself & your dreams, which is already kind of nerve-wracking, especially if it’s your first time.
I know I get nervous the first time talking to a new coach! Even when I love the work they do and they’re obviously a great fit for what I need. So I thought maybe if I demystified what a coaching session looks like, or at least what’s involved, it might allay some fears and get you excited instead of nervous - because the excited part of you is the one who should be making the decision, and the one who’s ready to get your book written!
The Gist
What we do in coaching is have conversations. Before we dive into strategy and working together on your writing, we first set goals. These goals are what help me create the best & most helpful sessions for YOU, because you’re what it’s all about.
Knowing that everything is centered around your personalized goals, there are several things we’ll talk about each time we meet. They vary in proportions depending on the day and what you need or ask to focus on.
We’ll talk about your project & your writing. I’ll ask how it’s going, what progress you’ve made, what questions you have - all the stuff that’s going on with you right now (even if you didn’t quite live up to your own high expectations - don’t worry, we’ve all been there). This sets a conversational tone for the session, which is how it works best so our time together stays relaxed and productive.
We’ll talk about where you’re stuck or what your blocks are. We all get stuck sometimes. It’s a when, not an if. Part of what makes this frustrating is that many times the reason is different each time! It’s not always easy to figure out why you were feeling extra creative on Thursday and completely blocked on Friday.
So we’ll talk about it - maybe it’s about what’s going on in your life or your business. Maybe it’s the part of the novel or book you’re working on. Maybe it’s that you’re kind of freaked out because you had a super powerful thought you’ve never had before (which is awesome, by the way). Whatever it is, we’ll find it.
We’ll talk about ways to get unstuck. I’m here to help you bust through your blocks like a writing ninja. Well, I’m really more like Bob Ross: paint your way out of your writing blocks with a happy little cloud (because let’s be honest, I’m definitely not a ninja).
Either way, once we figure out where you’re stuck, we’ll talk about ways to work through it. I’ll recommend some strategies for you to try between sessions - some of them (like having a conversation with the main character in your novel) might seem funky, but they work.
We’ll talk about your goals. Goal-setting and progress, no matter how small, is always top of mind. We’ll check in and see how your goals feel and your progress toward them. We don’t want goals that don’t feel good or don’t feel aligned with what you want to do.
If we need to adjust goals, we will. If you’re still feeling good about them (woohoo!), we’ll talk about the next steps you can take to achieve them - always keeping things doable, of course.
I’ll give you tasks to work on between sessions. Some people call this “homework.” As a teacher, I can tell you from experience that giving homework to an adult, especially a professional, doesn’t always sit well. After all, coaching isn’t school. I'm not your teacher, and I’m not there to grade you on how thoroughly you completed an assignment. During coaching, I’ll guide & mentor you (hopefully inspiring you to keep going!), but it’s collaborative, not a teacher/student relationship.
Everything we do is designed to help you based on your goals and what you’ve shared with me. I do give tasks between sessions to remind you of what you’re working toward when we’re not together, and to help you make progress. If you decide not to do them, that’s your choice; but, I think you’ll be intrigued enough to try them out (and you’ll be amazed when the weird stuff works).
The Most Important Thing
No matter what we do, or where the conversation leads, the 3 most important things that will happen in each session are that:
You’ll feel good about your project.
You’ll have action steps to take to move forward.
You’ll be more confident than when we started (even if it’s just a little).
Strategy does matter. Logistics and goals and all the things that you do to write your book - fiction or non - are important. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: you can already do those things. Sure, they might be a little less targeted or take longer. But you don’t need me to write your book - your brilliant ideas and your words will do that for you.
What you do need is to feel confident about being able to write that book. You need to believe in yourself enough to start even when you’re hesitant (or full out terrified) and work through it when you’re stuck. You need the best you to write your book, and that’s what I’m here to help show you.
Yes, I give you strategies because there are plenty of things you learn as a professional writer & writing teacher that might not occur to you to try if you're working in a different industry. But the best thing I can do for you is encourage you and show you how awesome you are so you can continue on your way. THAT’S what coaching sessions are really all about.
My challenge to you is book a session and see the amazing things we can do in just one hour.
Have you done a writing coaching session? How did it go? What would make you ecstatic to book a session TODAY? I’d love to hear about your experiences! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
Stop Avoiding TikTok, Your Book Will Thank You Later.
Is TikTok helpful for writers? The short answer is: yes. Read about the ways TikTok can help writers of all levels - including why BookTok is a great place to be with your writing!
First of all, what is TikTok?
TikTok is an app that came out in 2017, but has become wildly popular during the pandemic. It started mainly with musical creators and transformed into an app for all different types of creators - from crafters, to comedians, to authors, and more.
TikTok is ever-changing and the content is always growing. Users make fifteen second to about one minute videos based on the genre of whatever they’re interested in. It could be a video about how to cook a certain meal, someone lip syncing a song, or if you’re like me, a video talking about books and writing!
Then, just like any other social media site, people can view your content and like, comment, or share it.
Is it helpful for writers?
The short answer is: yes!
It can be helpful in many ways, but there are a few specific ways it’s helped me so far:
When I have a question for other authors. Sometimes when I’m in the midst of writing or editing, I have a question regarding my book or just writing in general. I can post a video asking this question of other authors or readers and they can respond by commenting to my video.
I like to use it for questions about other people’s preferences when it comes to writing or reading. This helps me figure out what people are looking for in a book so I can better cater to my audience.
Networking with other authors. Along with being able to ask other authors questions, I can follow them, too. We can get to know each other, support one another, or just reach out once in a while and say hi! It’s super helpful to be able to connect with other people who are in the same boat when you’re in a profession that requires a lot of alone time.
Many authors I’ve met are also self-published, but some are traditionally published. It’s great to be able to see both sides of the story and learn more about their individual journeys to publishing. It’s also nice to have people you can turn to when you need a sounding board. Most of the authors I’ve met on TikTok have been super helpful and friendly.
Market your books/writing. Once you’ve figured out your way around TikTok, you can start making videos to promote your writing! It’s a lot of fun. There are a couple of solid ways to go about it. One way is to just talk about your writing and show your books. Many authors have a generous following because of how they talk about their writing.
You can also use someone else’s sound to show your own work. A sound can be a song, or someone saying things like “if you’re an author, show me your favorite book you wrote, now show me the first book you wrote…” etc. Using sounds is easy to figure out once you are on TikTok.
No matter how you choose to show off your work, people will see it and (hopefully) interact with it. The goal is to build more awareness of your work so you can convert your followers into readers!
What about the readers?
TikTok is a great place to find and interact with people who could become readers for your writing. By making videos that showcase your writing and lay out what genre(s) you write, you can find readers who will enjoy your books.
For example, mentioning in a video that you write romance mixed with suspense lets readers know if they’ll be interested in reading your book. It’s a whole new way to draw in a new audience of readers and communicate with the people you’re writing for.
The readers’ side of TikTok is called “Booktok.” To find it, you can search for the hashtag #booktok in the discover section. Videos related to books will pop up! It’s such a fun place to learn more about what topics are trending and what genres are popular. Booktok can even bring older books back to popularity and kick off writing careers! There’s a lot of excitement and positive energy surrounding Booktok.
TikTok can be a lot of fun. There will always be some people who try to bring down the mood, but if you don’t interact with them, they’ll disappear from your feed. Interacting with videos is how you let TikTok know what you want to see.
So if you interact with fun, positive videos, that’s pretty much all you’ll see. The most important thing to remember is to be kind and have fun! Don’t stress over making content or watching all the videos. Just do your best and meet some great new people.
My challenge to you is to check out TikTok - specifically search for the hashtags #authortok and #booktok.
Do you use TikTok? Have you used it for networking or marketing your book? What other social media do you use to promote your work? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
Do These 7 Things and You’ll Be Writing Like a Pro by the End of Summer
With the warmer weather rolling in, sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on your writing. Summer brings more events, outdoor activities, and other fun occasions - especially this year! Through it all, it’s important to find techniques to center yourself and refocus on your writing. Here are 7 secrets to help you stay on task and be writing like a pro by the end of summer.
With the warmer weather rolling in, sometimes it’s hard to stay focused on your writing. Summer brings more events, outdoor activities, and other fun occasions - especially this year!
Through it all, it’s important to find techniques to center yourself and refocus on your writing. We’ve collected some secrets to help you stay on task and be writing like a pro by the end of summer.
Write Like a Pro with These 7 Secrets
Create a separate notebook/Word Doc for each new project.
Before I start writing, I make sure to have a notebook or, if I’m working on my computer, an open document prepared for my current project. Otherwise, everything becomes a jumbled mess and when I need to find something in my notes, it ends up taking way longer than necessary to find.
If you don’t have multiple notebooks, not a problem! Just separate your projects using tabs. Whatever works to keep you organized. It’s all about making your life easier. Writing is enough work as it is, there’s no reason to make the process more complicated.
If you start by keeping your notes, charts, outlines, etc. in one place, you’ll be thanking yourself when you need to go back to those pieces in the middle of a writing session! It’ll help you stay in the flow. If you need help on what to include in a writing notebook, read this!
Create a writing space.
Personally, this can be my bed, desk, or comfy chair. It helps if your writing place is the same every time, because your mind knows you’re going to write.
For example, when I set myself up at my desk, I know I mean business - serious writing is about to happen. If I’m in bed when I’m writing, I’m more likely to take a nap, read a book, or watch TV. None of these options are available to me at my desk.
Need help setting up your ideal writing space? Sign up for our free Organize Your Book course! (By the way, good writing can occur anywhere you have ideas. In the course, we talk about how you can make a writing space just about anywhere, though - from a spare bedroom to a closet, or even a corner of your studio apartment.)
Get comfortable in your writing space.
Making sure you’re physically comfortable while writing is helpful, especially when writing for long stretches.
There’s nothing worse than having to readjust your body every few minutes when trying to keep up with the flow of your thoughts. Or having to stop altogether to go get a pair of socks or something.
Create a comfortable space that will make sure you can settle in for the entire writing session without winding up with a sore neck or back. Comfy pillows and blankets are great, and an outfit that doesn’t distract you.
Ladies especially, you know the ones: the shirts that always ride up, the pants that always slide down or squeeze where you don’t want them to - avoid all of it for your writing sessions!
Find music you can write to/with.
Not everyone can write to music, but if you can, it’s really helpful to keep yourself in the writing zone. I tend to listen to Hans Zimmer radio on Pandora or 2Cellos on Spotify. Both are instrumental stations. Lyrics can sometimes be distracting when I’m trying to focus on coming up with my own words.
On occasion, though, lyrical music helps when you’re trying to set the tone for your writing if you listen to music that matches that tone. For instance, listening to sad music when writing a grieving character, or romantic music when writing more intimate scenes. These specific types of music can get your mind thinking about things in a different way than your average “everyday” mindset.
Whatever music inspires you, queue it up and let it play!
Ditch all distractions.
If you don’t need your phone, put it across the room or out of reach - and stay off social media! If you know you will end up online shopping or laughing at the latest video from your favorite YouTuber, turn off your internet on your computer (or only allow yourself to have one tab for your writing).
I sometimes find myself scrolling through TikTok when I hit a snag in my writing, and an hour later I realize I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole. We want to avoid that!
It’s a small inconvenience that will help deter you from easily accessing those distractions. If your phone is the culprit, you can use an app called Forest to help keep you on track.
Books, TV, or anything in the general vicinity that takes your attention away from writing can also be distracting. Sometimes, they’re unavoidable, especially if you have kids or pets. But, do your best to eliminate the distractions that aren’t a priority to ensure you’re maximizing the time you’re in the writing zone.
Have fun with your writing.
There’s a ton of planning and outlining that goes into writing, that sometimes you need to step away and just have some fun! If you want to write a particular scene but you haven’t reached that point in your book yet, skip ahead. You don’t need to write linearly (straight through the plot like you’d read in a finished book), write what excites you in the moment.
When you write this way - with what excites you - you won’t grow bored. If you’re constantly forcing yourself to write in order of events instead of skipping around to the scenes that you actually want to write at the time, then you may grow to resent your writing.
Don’t hype/freak yourself out. Just put your words on the page and don’t worry about whether they’re good. That’s something you can worry about later, if you find that you don’t like what you wrote.
Editing takes care of the silly mistakes and plot holes you overlooked when writing. Worrying about perfection is what keeps you from writing and actually having fun while you’re doing it.
Start Writing… Now!
Don’t wait for a “better” time. Now is the perfect time to start. No matter how much time, whether a few minutes or a few hours, you can put into your writing: just do it! (Thanks for that, Nike.)
Any progress is progress - steps in the right direction. You change your mind and completely rewrite your story later if you want, but at least you have a foundation.
My challenge to you is to utilize these 7 secrets with your latest writing project.
Is summer a less productive time for you? Have you tried any of these strategies? Do you have anything that gets you in the writing zone? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
How to Choose the Right Coach
Wondering how to choose the right coach when there are so many to choose from? It doesn’t have to be that complicated!
Wondering how to choose the right coach when there are so many to choose from?
It doesn’t have to be that complicated!
Notes on Choosing a Coach
Choosing a coach doesn’t have to be that complicated, but make sure you do your due diligence to know as much as you can about who you’d be working with.
It’s okay to “pick” someone and wait to work with them. Get involved with their content & community! Use it as an opportunity to learn from them before you work with them.
If you get any vibes that something isn’t right, whether that’s from copy, content, video, etc., choose another coach.
If you’re not sure about your first impression, read more about them. Interact with their content, wherever that is (blog, podcast, etc.)
Budget is important (obviously), but it shouldn’t be your only consideration.
More experience doesn’t always mean “better.” You need to be comfortable with their experience, whether than means education, years experience, or a specific kind of knowledge that you don’t have yet. Figure out what you will be comfortable with (whether they’re a few steps ahead of you or already doing your dream job) and remember that as you’re reading their copy.
4 Simple Steps to Choosing the Right Coach
Before you look for a coach:
Decide your main goal/purpose for getting a coach
When you’ve identified a possible coach:
Step 1: Read some of their recent content to see if it resonates with you.
Step 2: Find them on social media and see what they’re saying. Look at what others are saying about them & how they interact with their audience. Watch videos if they have any to see what they’re passionate about and how they speak to people.
Step 3: Look at their website and look further into their personality, experience, and prices. What are they promising? And how long will you work with the to see these results?
Step 4: If available, book a complimentary session with them to see how they converse with you. If they don’t have a free call, reach out to them or apply to coaching. NOTE: Only take this step when you’re ready to get started - you probably don’t want to get on a ton of calls with people if you already know they’re not a good fit.
Interested in Writing Coaching with Me?
Visit the coaching page to read more about how my coaching works (my promises & timeline from step 3).
Are You Making These 2 Deadly Mistakes with Your Next Book?
Being a writer comes with a lot of different expectations and perceptions. Everyone has an idea of what they think a writer should or shouldn’t do. Let's ignore all those other voices and focus on what’s important: writing your book. To do that, it’s important that you keep two things in mind - and avoid them at all costs.
Being a writer comes with a lot of different expectations and perceptions. Everyone has an idea of what they think a writer should or shouldn’t do. It can be overwhelming and sometimes disheartening reading all of the differing opinions.
Let's ignore all those other voices and focus on what’s important: writing your book.
In order to do that, it’s important that you keep two things in mind - and avoid them at all costs. Do that, and being a writer will be much more straightforward.
The First Deadly Mistake & How to Avoid It
As a writer, there are plenty of reasons and excuses to avoid starting a new book. Sometimes the task is too daunting, or I feel too busy. Thinking this way will only lead to putting off that book over and over again, though. This leads to the first and most critical deadly mistake you can make as a writer which is to not start.
Writing a book is daunting, and will take a lot of time and effort, but you can’t let that deter you from starting your project! The only way that your book will ever get written, is if you write it.
So, first things first - when you have an idea for a book write it down! Keep a notebook, Word Doc, or sticky notes handy so whenever you have an idea for a book, you can jot it down for later. This will help ensure you don’t forget what the heck you were thinking about when you actually sit down to write. If there are certain details that jump out at you for this idea, make sure to write those down too. You can always change your mind later.
You don’t have to dive right in and start writing the book. If it’s easier, plotting and planning is always a great way to begin. Make lists, character charts, outlines, timelines, or whatever else will help your book take form. These are all great tools to use and come back to if you get lost in your writing down the line (trust me, it happens all the time!).
If you want to create a writing notebook that will include all of these helpful tools, read about 5 pieces to include in your writing notebook - it’ll help you get started.
Once you’ve started, don’t stop! Taking breaks is essential, or you’ll get burned out. However, don’t take too long of breaks in between writing sessions or it will make it much harder for your writing to be cohesive. It can also be hard to get back into the story flow if you’re away for a while.
When I take too long of a break and I come back to my story, I have to take time to remind myself what’s going on, where I left off, and where I planned to go from there. It uses a lot of precious time that could be spent actually writing.
As writers, we’ve all experienced at one point or another a “writing slump.” This is normal! Don’t let it keep you from writing, though. If you’re stuck in a certain scene, skip it (for now). Write the next scene, or one you’re excited about instead. You can always go back to the other scene later when you have a better idea of what you want to happen.
If you need a break from writing your book, but still want to write, try a short story! Writing prompts are a fun way to come up with new ideas and try new forms of writing. If you want to learn more about how to use writing prompts, check this out.
The Second Deadly Mistake & Why You Don’t Need to Worry So Much
Without sounding like a buzzkill, no matter what your idea is, chances are, someone has already written something similar. This isn’t to say that your idea isn’t good, or unique! The second deadly mistake that you can make as a writer: feeling as if you need to write something completely new. It’s almost impossible to come up with a completely original story line, but what no one else has done is write it as you. You are what makes the idea unique.
For example, look how many Disney story retellings there are. I’ve read almost half a dozen Beauty and the Beast retellings and every one has a host of different characters, plots, and outcomes. It’s how you write the story and the details you choose to pull out that matter.
That being said, you definitely can’t plagiarize someone else’s work. But you don’t have to worry so much about whether your idea is original or not. If you’re excited about it and think it will be a great story, then write it!
The Moral of the Story: It’s Better to Start and Suck Than Not Start At All
If you’re worried about your writing not being your best work (or making you look like someone who can barely hold a thought, let alone write a book) - don’t be! That’s what editing and editors are for.
Don’t let the fear of sucking hold you back. Editing & rewriting come after you finish your first draft and can do wonders for your words. You can do a lot of these edits yourself, and/or you can hire professionals to help you.
It’s best to have more than one set of eyes on your work to ensure someone is catching things you miss, and that you aren’t accidentally overlooking your own biases.
Wondering how the heck to get started?
Remember - write down your ideas - get them on paper so you don’t forget them.
Take this free 10 day course to help organize your book (in less than 2 weeks). You don’t even have to have a work in progress yet!
Write the book. Do whatever you need to get that book started, whether that’s planning or jumping right in.
My challenge to you is to start writing or planning your book.
Have you been putting off writing? Do you have a book idea you’ve been wanting to write? What helps you get started on a new idea? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.
Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.
