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18 Goals for 2018
Instead of a Top 10 List for today’s “Top 10 Tuesday” post, I’ve got 8 additional items on my list. That’s right: it’s time for my “18 in 2018” goals! Let’s jump right in, shall we? Here are my 18 goals for 2018: EDUCATIONAL Read 1 nonfiction book per month Read 1 children’s book per week Finish my SCBWI class with a manuscript I can start pitching CAREER Publish 3 issues of Black Heart Create 12 “Buttontapper Challenge” ideas and post daily on social media Create a class around my existing ebooks Travel to Chicago to add material to Chicago from A to Z Land an agent Secure a book…
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A writer’s holiday wishlist for 2017
Remember when you used to write up your wishlist for Santa as a kid? I used to go through the Sears Wish Book (which they’ve brought back online for 2017), highlighting the stuff I most wanted and then distilling it into a list that fit onto one piece of paper (recycled from my dad’s office). Usually it’d be a list of toys and clothes, but sometimes there were some oddball requests. Like the rock tumbler I asked for year after year, until I finally got one… and the damn thing just ground all my rocks into dust, instead of polishing them into beautiful agates like I expected it to. What a…
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30 Days to My Best Me Challenge: Top 10 Takeaways
Today is the last day in the Day Designer “30 Days To Your Best You” Challenge. I’ve been checking in with notes on how I’ve been doing, each week, and now it’s time to explore what I’ve learned. Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from this challenge! But first… the full 30 days’ worth of tips: 10 – Water water everywhere Many people seem to be very concerned with their water intake. Indeed, have used this exact same water image THREE TIMES during this challenge, to emphasize the point. Personally, water intake is not something I track. But I do carry a water bottle with me most everywhere, particularly when…
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Top 10 Takeaways: Diane Hinds
Last night I attended the monthly meeting of the San Diego Writers and Editors Guild. The guest speaker was Diane Hinds, a PR expert from the UK. She spoke to the group about how to promote your book as an independent author, and gave us lots of great information – including tips for contacting the media. Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from her speech: 10 – Indie Authors Lack Respect Unfortunately, as Jennifer McCartney quotes IndieReader’s Amy Edelman in this Publisher’s Weekly article, “Self-published authors still face a huge lack of respect, both from readers and consumer media.” Indeed, Diane mentioned an author from the UK, Rachel Abbott, who has…
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Top 10 Takeaways: Christina Alexandra
Last night I attended the monthly meeting of the San Diego Writers and Editors Guild. The guest speaker was Christina Alexandra, a romance writer and California Dreamin’ writers conference organizer from Orange County. She spoke to the group about writing and publishing romance, and gave us lots of information about the industry and its authors. Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from her speech: 10 – Romance is for everyone Romance includes every genre – and it’s more than just heaving bosoms! This is a stereotype that romance writers fight against, constantly. Romance is, in fact, the biggest seller for ALL of the Big Five publishers. Approximately 49% of all…
