Last week we talked about the first step to springing into action: Planting Seeds Now that those seeds are in the ground, let’s talk about the second step: Watering Those Seeds. Back in the old days, farmers planted when they had the best chance of getting the rain to water the seeds. They depended totally on nature and had no control over it whatsoever. Fortunately for them, today they have extensive irrigation systems. During the dry season when no rain is in the forecast, they can still turn out the most beautiful sod or green vegetables. So it is with your own life. You have at your disposal massive irrigation techniques to make sure those seeds of success you just planted get the proper nourishment. Things like: 1) The pipe. A good irrigation system begins with […]
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One Thing Marketing … Writer’s Mission Statement
Welcome to this week’s One Thing Marketing your “One Thing” you can do this week to buildyour platform, connect with readers/reviewers, and garner some exposure for you and your latest book or WIP. Last week I talked about Finding Your Why. How did you do with the evaluation questions? This week we’ll be using those answers to craft your mission statement. The definition of a Mission Statement (as defined by Wikipedia) is a statement of the purpose of a company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making. It provides the framework or context within which the company’s strategies are formulated. This is what every author should start with before they decide on writing projects, accept assignments, or begin marketing […]
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A Love Affair with Your Writing Dream, Part Four: Keep the Love Alive
For decades I’ve counseled with couples who started off their relationship with a flame as hot as lava in a volcano. Time and neglect cooled the fire, until all that remained was a few embers begging for a breath of air to fan the flame that long ago flickered out. It’s sad, really, especially when it doesn’t have to happen. Scientists say our sun will eventually burn out and there’s nothing we can do about it. I don’t know whether that’s true but I do know that our love is a choice and we have complete control over whether the flame burns bright or is extinguished altogether. The same is true with this love affair with our writing dream we’ve been talking about all month. We’re driving the relationship. Publishers, […]
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A Love Affair with Your Writing Dream, Part Three: Dance the Night Away!
I used to love going to the barn dances at the end of the harvest season. Everyone had worked hard to harvest the crops. The cattle had been driven to market and the year was coming to an end. The nip in the air signaled the end of one very long, back-breaking season. It was time to let our hair down and enjoy the fruits of our labor. A country music band (sorry, I’m from Texas) played Cotton Eyed Joe while we did the Texas Two Step. We laughed and retold stories of comedy and calamity the year had brought. We rekindled relationships that had flickered during the season, separated by miles of cattle country. All too soon for any of us, the night came to an end. We’d literally […]
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