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What I’m Learning from the 2nd Annual Brew Your Book Telesummit – Part 2

092016-bybsummitAs more and more people are getting excited about the summit, I’m getting more excited too! (And it doesn’t help that I’m finding all types of goodies to send to the early signups too!)

We start next week but you don’t want to wait to register for this event. I’m sending out all types of yummy bonuses (like coloring sheets!) to make sure you’re really excited and can get the most out of the event.

The event is being held live, September 27 – 29. That’s three FULL days of training, stories, and advice from published authors to help you go beyond percolating on your idea and FINALLY write your book.

Dreaming of writing a #book? The time is NOW. Start with the experts on the Brew Your Book Summit… Click To Tweet

I wanted to share a “sneak peek” with you – and invite you to register!

Did you see last week’s “sneak peek”? Check it out here!

Leonie Dawson

2-6leoniedawsonbIf you’ve ever thought, “I can’t write because I’m sick” then THIS is the interview you need to hear. Leonie Dawson shares how when she was very ill while pregnant with her second child (hyperemesis gravidarum) and was only NOT throwing up for a few hours a day she STILL managed to write over 50,000 words. Leonie brings her powerful Aussie wisdom to the Brew Your Book stage with no holds barred and lots of love, wisdom, and a powerful message.

 

2-7jonathanchristianJonathan Christian

Jonathan never learned to type AND his brain can move faster than his hand – so handwriting isn’t viable either! But he never let that stop him as he continues to write and share his story. Since Jonathan is also a social media expert, his interview is peppered with great tips for Facebook – to help you get more engagement and readers!

Hear book writing secrets from @jdgem on the Brew Your Book Summit starting 9/27! #BrewYourBook Click To Tweet

2-8bibapedronBiba Pedron

The story of how Biba was able to write her first book, while still running a very successful international business, shows that writing a book is doable no matter how busy you think you are. And remember, English isn’t Biba’s first language (she’s French) so she was also writing in a foreign tongue. She shares exactly how she created a plan to write her books and have it edited and structured so English-speaking natives could absorb the great information.

2-8mellissarempferMellissa Rempfer

Do you feel like you can’t write a book because you’re not a “writer”? Then THIS is the interview you need to listen to! Mellissa had an identity that said “I can’t write” – and she let her “identity” get in her way. It was self-identifying sabotage. She realized that if she’s writing status updates on Facebook, yes, she IS a writer. Find out exactly how she was able to re-write her mental story so her words could get onto the page and transform the readers.

 

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What I’m Learning from the 2nd Annual Brew Your Book Telesummit – Part 1

091316-bybsummitpromoIn 2015 I realized a HUGE goal of mine: to host a telesummit. It is a ton of work to get all the speakers lined up, the interviews scheduled, copy written, and making sure all the technology wants to play nice.

But it is oh-so-worth it!

The words of wisdom from my 13 experts have REALLY inspired me to step up my game – both professionally in my writing and also with making sure the WORLD knows about this event.

Dreaming of writing a #book? Find out how on Brew Your Book Summit starting 9/27! #BrewYourBook Click To Tweet
The summit is September 27 – 29, 2016. That’s three FULL days of training, stories, tips, and advice from published authors to help you STOP percolating on your book and FINALLY write it!

I wanted to share a “sneak peek” with you and invite you to register!

Esther Hatfield Miller

1-2estherhatfieldmillerEsther is a contributing author in an anthology (yes, that is STILL being a published author!) She wowed me when she mentioned she was able to write her chapter in just three days! Esther shares some powerful details about her writing practice – including writing longhand first. She goes deep into some must-know tips about shedding shame so you can write without fear. Not to mention how to not self-edit along the way!

 

Loren Fogelman1-3lorenfogelman

Loren used a ghostwriter to help her craft her book. Remember, it’s still YOUR message, even if it’s not YOUR fingers on the keys! She shares how writing her book – and using a ghostwriter – has really changed things for her personally and professionally. Loren’s transformation from writer to published author is moving and shows just how many lives can be touched through a book!

Learn how @lorenfogelman wrote a book for her business on the #BrewYourBook Summit.… Click To Tweet

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5 Ways to Beat Perfectionism in Your Writing

The author (left) in 4th grade with her best friend.When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher explain something I’d done to my parents with “Oh, Kim is such a perfectionist!” And all the adults nodded like this was the most logical thing in the world.

When I asked mom later what exactly did that mean, she said that a perfectionist always strives to be the best, to have everything perfect in her work.

And I thought to myself, “Of COURSE I want my work to be perfect! Of COURSE I want it to be my best! Who doesn’t want to be her best?”

Somewhere in my eight-year-old brain, it was like a lightbulb went on: I could be my best.

And then I spent the next decade of my schooling career striving to be the best, most perfect.

What's the difference between striving for excellence vs perfection? Click To Tweet

But here’s the thing…

I’m NOT a perfectionist in the real definition of the world. (Look it up!) Because what my mom said, and what my kiddo self, heard were different: It’s not about being The Best (as in, the best in the class, the school, the world) it’s about being the best ME.

5 reasons to beat perfectionism in your writingThere’s a huge difference between taking professional pride and striving for excellence (or perfection!) than about being somebody who falls apart when things don’t go perfectly. I’m the first to admit that flexible isn’t really a word used to describe me – I’m actually not exactly go with the flow, laid back, or spontaneous.

I love plans, deadlines, clear directions, and measurable goals.

But a lot of times people DO say I am laid back, go with the flow, and easy going.

Why?

Because I really don’t panic about having everything PERFECT.

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3 Tips for Writing Your First Draft

Writing a book – especially the first draft – seems like such a huge, daunting, overwhelming task with the biggest question being “How do I come up with all the content?”

Here are three quick and easy ways to generate the first-draft of your book.

1. Transcribe a class you’ve already taught.

083016-WritingMost business owners have some form of content already. Maybe it’s an audio or a video training, Or even just a series of PowerPoint slides. You can use this as the framework for a book. And you’ll find that BAM! A large portion of your content is already created for you.

A word of warning: Do NOT just publish a transcript! We speak very differently than good writing. Don’t believe me? Read a transcription without listening to the audio. It’s nearly impossible to follow what the speaker is talking about – especially if that speakers isn’t very articulate or practiced – or when she’s answering a question.

2. Start small

When writing your book - start small! With bite sized chunks you can manage without getting… Click To TweetWhen I first got started writing books, the idea of creating an entire book was completely overwhelming. So I started with what I knew: short fiction. My short fiction tends to be VERY short, like under 5 pages per story, so I knew that just one story wouldn’t be enough for an entire book. I was able to collect the stories I already had written, write a few more, and publish my first book – Scary and Silly Campfire Stories.

This works with articles too! Many of my books have their roots in articles I’d written over months or years.

3. Look to your backlist

Chances are you already have “stuff” you’ve written: blog posts, checklists, newsletter articles, white papers, etc. Don’t feel you have to start completely from scratch when writing your book! If you lay out all your articles you’ll find common themes running through them. Look for the patterns and use this as the framework for your book. You’ll have to fill in the gaps and write additional content but you’re not starting from scratch!

Now pay very close attention to what I’m going to tell you next:

This is your FIRST draft!

Don’t think you can just compile this content, format it as a book, and call it good! You’re still going to need to edit everything, make sure you’re being 100% clear, look for transitions (“In last week’s newsletter I said…”), and completely polish your book.

But this is enough to get you started and moving forward toward publishing your first book.

And remember that going it alone isn’t good either! I’m here to help – and more than happy to chat with you! All it takes is applying for a complimentary Writing Adventure Discovery Session.

Your Thoughts:
Where are you going to start? How will you be using your book?

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Video – The Magic of Writing Your First Draft

As somebody who has written and published 19 books – I know a thing or two about first drafts! And I can tell you, NONE of those books would have happened without writing a first draft – it’s where you’ve got to start!

And something magical happens when you’ve written (or started!) your 1st draft…

 



 

Don’t forget to leave me a comment – and to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

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Are You Stuck Writing the Beginning?

Momentum is a funny thing…

081616-RunningDownHillOnce you’re in motion – once the words are hitting the paper – there’s a feeling of running downhill, where each word falls out of your brain and onto the page easier, faster.

But getting those first few words onto the page so you can feel the benefits of momentum can be… tricky.

A friend of mine, Pamela Zimmer, was writing an article yesterday. She posted on Facebook, “So much to say… but can’t get those first few (perfect) words onto the page.”

And haven’t we all been there? When you can feel the story, the message, the words bubbling up but you can’t seem to get to the right pressure to have them actually bubble over. All too often, writers get frustrated in that moment and choose to walk away. They choose to not put words, any words, down onto the page.

So much to say but can't get those first few (perfect) words onto the page. What to do? Click To Tweet

Sound like anybody you know?

Are you so stuck with getting the beginning right that you forget about all the other things you want to express?

It’s something unique to non-fiction – and introduction. Really, in fiction (especially in short stories) the author doesn’t start at the beginning. She starts in the middle of the action. It’s not getting ready to shoot someone – the reader enters the story when the gun is in hand, finger on the trigger. In the MIDDLE of the moment.

So why do we abandon that when we’re writing non-fiction? Why the huge lead-ups, lengthy introductions? (BTW, this goes for books and articles!)

Keep Reading!

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3 Tips for Writing in the Face of Chaos

Put DOWN that panic button and step away from the meltdown!

080916-MeltDown

It’s 9:17 on a Monday morning and you already know it’s going to be one of those weeks. The type marked by too many meetings and deadlines, too many moments of rushing, stress, and worry. It’s a week marked by a huge schedule that’s out of your control – and you’re praying that there’s enough stuff in the fridge to create dinners because there’s no way in hell you’ve got the time, energy, or patience to deal with the grocery store.

And in it all, there’s that little voice that whispers…

What about your writing?

Take a deep breath, here are three tips to help you still move forward on your writing project even in the face of an overly-busy week.

080916-Relax1. Relax

This period of craziness is temporary – so just relax into it. If you’re anything like me, crazy breeds crazy. Suddenly, on an overly busy week, I can’t stand [fill in the blank] one more second and it MUST go on this week’s to do list. For me, that’s often some non-urgent task like pulling weeds in my driveway or needing to organize the pantry.

So relax. Take a deep breath (you do have time for that!) and remember that it’ll be okay.
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Guest Post: Kristen Nolan

Do you ever feel complete exhausted – even if you’re not physically active?

Me too! By 3 pm, I’m reaching for an afternoon cuppa (and maybe a nap) to get me through the rest of the day. And I’m always trying to manage my energy – especially my brain energy – to get through all the projects in my day.

I finally realized that knowing how to navigate movement, food, and brain power REALLY wasn’t my area of expertise. So I took my own advice and reached out for help!

That’s why I’m bringing you a special guest: Kristen Nolan of KristenNolan.com. She’s the High Performance Health Mentor – and a friend of mine! Kristen brings her list fantastic weekly tips (also on Tuesdays). One of my biggest challenges is setting myself up for success for long days at the computer: brain power, posture, drinking water, and not feeling like a slug by 3 pm!

This is a special video from Kristen to us – and she’s offering a great goodie to help you keep going too!

Here’s the link to your Free Snack List: 31Snacks.com

I personally just started working with Kristen so I’ll keep you posted on the transformation!

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Why Pay for Something You Can Do Yourself?

My folks were camping last week so I was going to their house twice a day to let their chickens in and out and to make sure the drip irrigation system for their garden was working. On one of those trips, I ran into their neighbor, J, who was doing the weeding. (Dad has a mini co-op going on with J’s family – they help with weeding and the two families share produce.)

Somehow, in the course of our conversation, I mentioned that I couldn’t WAIT to hire a housekeeper. (I’ve been saying this for MONTHS – but I haven’t taken the action yet.) I got a really strange look from J. She then shared that last week, when she’d been re-painting some exterior trim on her house, she told her daughter, “Never pay for something you can do yourself!”

When is the RIGHT time to DIY and when should you hire a professional? Click To Tweet

And I thought about that – I really have. On the SURFACE, it looks like great advice, right? It’s using the best helping hand you have – the one at the end of your own arm (a favorite saying of MY mom’s when I was growing up). But let’s look at this deeper:

Should you really be doing something because you CAN but that:

  • Isn’t your area of genius?
  • Is something you don’t like to do?
  • Is something you don’t do well?
  • Is something you’re not 100% qualified to do?

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Don’t Let Your Great Idea Pass You By!

071916-Pencil“I trust a short pencil more than a long memory.”

Do you ever have one of those amazing ideas – for a book, article, meme, or program – and you’re so certain you’ll remember it forever… only to realize that it’s lost?

Yep, me too!

Years ago, when I was involved with a network marketing company, the trainers would trot out that quote about a short pencil being better than a long memory – the underlying message being that writing things down would always trump thinking you’ll just remember.

Have you ever lost a great idea for a story or article? 10 ways to capture your ideas! #amwriting Click To Tweet

And after having a few amazing ideas slip away and only leaving the memory that there WAS an amazing idea, I finally took the hint! Now I write things down.

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