As a writer, there are many times when things just don’t go right. The plot takes a wrong turn. The agent doesn’t think your story is publish-worthy. Your dog eats your only hard copy of your manuscript. The writing life is full of disappointments. But it is also filled with glorious wins and blessings. As a writer, your words will reach untold numbers of people and will impact their lives in ways you can only imagine. Haven’t you read a book and thought, “I can only imagine what that character felt like”, or “I wonder if the author experienced that? How else could they write about that so deeply?” You can only write what you can imagine. And you can only imagine if you’ve felt that or something similar. Those […]
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About Reba J. Hoffman
Reba J. Hoffman is a natural encourager and Member Care Coach at My Book Therapy. She has a PhD in clinical counseling and is the founder and president of New Hope Institute of Counseling. Reba uses her gift of encouragement to help writers overcome negative emotions so they can live their dream of being a writer. Her works appear in publications such as Running for the Woman’s Soul by Road Runner Sports and The Good Fight by Donna Hicken. She is the author of Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal published by My Book Therapy. She also publishes a motivational and encouraging blog, FindingTrue North. Contact her at reba@mybooktherapy.com.Author Archive | Reba J. Hoffman
Lessons on the Writer’s Road
As I pedal through middle-America, I think of you. When I learn new truths, I know they apply to you and what you face. The lessons I’ve learned on the bicycle road are the same lessons on the writer’s road so I want to share some of them with you: Things will NEVER go according to plan. Even your best plans are altered by reality of what is found on the writer’s road. You don’t have the knowledge of what’s down each road, around each curve and over every hill. There is ALWAYS a reason when things don’t go according to plan. You just need to make sure we are open to that reason or we’ll miss an incredible blessing. Plans should only be guidelines. If you marry a specific […]
Read the RestNavigating the Writing Road
As most of you know, I’m currently in the middle of a cross country bicycle tour across America. I’ve seen some really beautiful country, navigated some treacherous roads and had some very interesting adventures. Along the way, I’ve learned so much about continuing the journey that I want to share with you. These things will help you when you’re navigating the writing road: You’re never lost. You may not know where you are in relation to somewhere else but wherever you are, that’s where you are! And you’re never alone as long as you’re there! The hills are worth the climb. When you finally get to the top, a whole new world opens up. You weren’t able to see it while you were digging in, grabbing anything you could to […]
Read the RestPlan Your Career, Then Roll With the Punches!
I know so many writers who set their sights on a particular genre, publisher, agent, editor. Their entire life surrounds that. While it’s good to plan—and you should definitely do it—if you aren’t flexible, you’re going to set yourself up for horrible disappointment. For example, I know someone very well who dreamed of publishing for one House. They worked feverously to prepare their manuscript for just that pub house. That’s great but they weren’t even considering any other avenue. They were so caught up with the desire to publish for one particular house, others never even hit their radar. Then the unthinkable happened. That pub house decided to not publish fiction any more. For me, it was just a piece of publishing news. For this individual, it was the end […]
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