Note from Cathy: NaNoWriMo is coming soon, and the following post from Leo Babauta contains excellent advice for getting a lot done in a short time. Why not try a 'productive sprint' to get your next project done, whether for NaNoWriMo or any other time? In the past two weeks, I’ve written more than 45,000 words, including 10 posts for Zen Habits and Sea Change and 30 … [Read more...]
Setting Effective Writing Goals
One of the greatest challenges we face as writers is the lack of "structure" in our job. There's no one to tell us what to do, when to do it, how to do it -- or even whether we've done it well. (While acceptances are certainly a sign of success, rejections are not necessarily a sign of failure.) One way to overcome that challenge is to learn how to set goals. Goals, by the … [Read more...]
Passivity vs. Proactivity
What's the big secret of getting things done, of making things happen, of turning your dreams into realities? Right now we have a participant in the Marketing Mastery Program who is, as they say, "kicking butt and taking names." She's fine-tuning her marketing and selling activities, setting up appointments with qualified prospects and turning many of them into new … [Read more...]
Feeling Overwhelmed? Advice for Writers
At times the life of a writer can be overwhelming. You have one head and many hats, both professional and personal. You have to get your work done, juggling schedules across different clients, all of whom somehow conspire to set deadlines on the same day. You have to deal with the administration of your business, submitting invoices, paying bills and keeping up with … [Read more...]
Wake Up Productive, Every Day
When you get up in the morning, go through your regular routine and finally sit down to work...how effective and productive are you for that first half hour or so? Do you dive directly into high-value, profitable work? Or do you fumble around, figuring out what needs to be done first, checking through some papers on your desk and then finally getting started on … [Read more...]
Write Every Day
Writing is like any skill - it improves only with practice. The more you write, the better your chances of improvement. Be intentional with planning times for your writing - don’t try to just cram it in “when it suits” or when you are all caught up on everything else you need to do. Make it a priority. The secret that most people don’t know is if you write just one page a … [Read more...]
Writing Motivation – The Carrot or the Stick?
If you need some motivation to get writing, I have a couple of resources that could be just what you need. One offers a small carrot to encourage you to write, the other whacks you with a stick–-from a small branch to a large limb. First the carrot: Written? Kitten! displays a random cute kitten photo every time you hit your word goal. For example, if you set it at 100 … [Read more...]
Trying to Do It All: Priorities for Authors
Authors must promote their books to be successful, and the more they promote, the more likely success will come, but while the process can be exhilarating, it can also be exhausting. Here are some simple tips for authors to keep things in perspective and manage to enjoy rather than be overwhelmed by being an author. Recently, one of my fairly successful author friends said … [Read more...]
The Holiday Dead Zone
Note from Cathy: Many of us have free time right after the holiday, and without business demands on us it is easy to fritter it away. Like Robert, I find that there is much that can be accomplished without the demands of my normal work schedule, the telephone ringing, etc. Use this time wisely to get a jump on your next book, marketing plans for the new year, or projects you … [Read more...]
How to Write Faster and Get More Done
If you write for a living, your income will always be dependent, in part, on how fast you write. Putting aside physical elements, like your typing speed, much of your ability to write quickly comes down to preparation and focus. In other words, whether you are writing an article, a web page, a white paper, a report or an e-book – the time it takes to complete each task or … [Read more...]