However, it can take a lot of time, effort, and even some of your own income to effectively market yourself. That being said, merchandising is a great marketing method. It can build your brand, generate revenue, and help you get noticed across the globe.

1. Optimize Your Book Covers

Talk to a successful chef, and they’ll tell you that people eat with their eyes first. While you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can certainly decide whether it catches your eye or not. 

Your book cover can be the central component of your marketing endeavors once it’s published. It can be used to create marketing merchandise like posters, shirts, buttons, and so much more. 

Luckily, you don’t have to be a graphic designer or artist to optimize your cover. However, you may want to outsource someone with that same gift. Some of the essential elements of an effective book cover design include:

• An intriguing title
• Unique typography
• A coherent design
• Captivating colors
• A well-placed biography

Don’t forget about the spine! If your book is on the shelf somewhere, the average reader will likely only see the spine first. Make sure it stands out and clearly states your name and the title of your book.

2. Create Accompanying Merchandise

While you likely didn’t get into writing to sell anything but your books, other merchandise can help you in that endeavor. It gives readers more avenues to connect with your book, and ultimately with you. 

When books become popular, fans often create their own merchandise and cosplay equipment. While this can be flattering, it also represents lost revenue and promotion and even a lack of control over your artistic image.

A couple of ideas for book merchandise might include:

• Mugs
• Glasses and shot glasses
• Keychains
• T-shirts & apparel
• Clothing and Cosplay accessories
• Posters, maps, and wall hangings

If you do end up creating extra merchandise to increase visibility, you can utilize these other steps in tandem to maximize your reach, such as utilizing social media.

3. Utilize Social Media

If you know you need to market your book (and yourself) but you’re on a tight budget, use social media to your advantage. You can not only use it to boost your book and its associated merchandise, but you can build more of a connection with your reader base.

If you use social platforms to boost your sales and visibility, post high-quality photographs and videos that make sense for your brand. Thanks to today’s technology, it’s easier than you might think to take high-quality photos. Use a clean background, understand the importance of composition, and make sure your photos look consistent so people will associate them with your brand.

You can take your creativity a step further by orchestrating a book trailer—yes, like a movie trailer for your book. It’s a unique way to capture more attention and further engage with your followers. Think of your book as an award-winning film, and make sure your trailer has a hook, an overall theme and feel, and a call to action for people to purchase and read it.

4. Manage Your Inventory

One of the hats you have to wear as an author is keeping track of your merchandise, including books and any marketing materials you choose to sell. On top of everything else you’re trying to take care of, this can sometimes feel a little overwhelming!

Thankfully, technology comes to the rescue once again. Nowadays, you can set up an online shop easily, and some platforms will effectively take care of inventory management for you. If you plan to sell your books in person or at different shops, however, it’s helpful to have a barcode system in place. Setting up your own barcode system and bringing a handheld scanner makes inventory management easier to track.

There are also barcode systems that connect with cloud-based software—you’ll be able to look at your sales and inventory at any given point. This will also make your inventory all the more accurate, and you’ll be able to determine how much you’ve sold and how much profit you’ve made each month.

5. Get Involved With Events

It can be tempting to be a “behind the screen” author. Today, anyone can write a book, self-publish it online, and build a digital following. While that can be an effective marketing strategy, nothing will ever beat connecting with people in person and holding a signing event. Some of the advantages of holding an in-person event include:

• Added value for your fans
• Signed books can’t be returned
• Better engagement and stronger relationships
• More opportunities to pull in new readers
• Shared publicity with signing locations

When you host or go to in-person events, bring more than just your books with you. Invest in marketing materials like flyers, banners, and even business cards you can hand out to fans with contact and social media information. 

When people see you in-person and get to know you on a more personal level, you’ll create more lifelong fans. You can also build network connections with word-of-mouth advertisers who will tell friends and family about your books.

Being an independent writer takes consistent work that goes well beyond telling great stories. Keep these tips in mind to boost your visibility and revenue, and to build a fanbase that will stick with you from book to book.

Indiana Lee is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest with a passion for covering workplace issues, social justice, environmental protection, and more. In her off time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs. You can follow her on Twitter @indianalee3, or reach her at indianaleewrites@gmail.com.

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Why? Because it demands a unique blend of creativity, craftsmanship, storytelling finesse, resilience, and the unwavering belief that you’re a literary genius, even when your words feel as lackluster as a soggy sandwich. 

It requires you to juggle plot, character arcs, and prose, all while navigating your own rollercoaster of emotions. 

It calls for unwavering motivation (potentially spanning years) in the face of exhaustion and burnout. It entails countless hours of writing, rewriting, and polishing until the words are etched into your brain, transforming into something unrecognizable.

That’s precisely why so few people actually complete and publish a novel, despite a whopping 81% of Americans believing they have a book within them, as revealed in the 2022 New York Times survey. But is there a way to make this arduous process more manageable?

Truth be told, there is: hire a book coach.

What Is a Book Coach?

If the term “book coach” is new to you, let me shed some light on who they are and what they do. 

You know how the world’s top athletes, like the legendary Serena Williams, work with personal coaches to enhance their skills in a particular sport? Well, a book coach fulfills a similar role, but for writers. They assist writers in developing the necessary skills, confidence, and mindset to navigate the chaos and frustration of novel writing. In essence, they keep writers invested in their projects, preventing them from throwing in the towel prematurely.

How do I know all this? Simple—I am a book coach myself, and I spend my days guiding writers through the treacherous pitfalls of novel writing. 

Also, I’m in the middle of writing my debut novel, and I wisely invested the time and money to work with a brilliant book coach who keeps me motivated and moving in the right direction every day. I have been working with her for several years now, and she is the only reason I finished the first draft of my novel and confidently began chugging through the second draft a few months ago. She also made me a far, far better writer. 

So, as you can see, I eat, sleep, and breathe book coaching, and I 100% believe in its power.

But for anyone who is still curious about how (exactly) a book coach can help a writer, let’s dig in. 

Five Reasons You Should Hire a Book Coach

1. A book coach is an experienced writing mentor who can help you improve your prose and storytelling abilities.

Book coaches are the superheroes of the writing world, equipped with the ability to spot exceptional writing and storytelling. They possess the expertise to help writers shape their narratives, ensuring the perfect blend of structure, logic, and cause-and-effect flow. And let’s not forget their mystical power to unlock the elusive Voice that mesmerizes readers and keeps them glued to the pages of a novel.

The best part? A book coach is like your personal story physician, armed with x-ray vision to peer into the depths of your tale and diagnose any lurking issues. They have the knack for identifying what’s not working in your novel and, most importantly, they provide precise guidance on how to fix it. No more wasting endless weeks, months, or years wrestling with small uncertainties and stumbling blocks.

During my weekly readings of my clients’ pages, I’m always on the hunt for opportunities to make their writing shine in my comments and editorial letters.

Believe me, a book coach is an unparalleled champion of your work. No one will ever scrutinize your writing with such precision and dedication. With their focused attention, you have the power to elevate your craft and create a novel that will enthrall readers from start to finish.

2. A book coach is a project manager & accountability partner who can help you stay focused, motivated, and moving in a productive direction.

I have the pleasure of working with writers at various stages of their journey, ranging from those who haven’t written a story in 20 years to bestselling authors in the traditional publishing world. And you know what? When it comes to taming their stubborn novels (at least in the initial stages), the process is pretty much the same across experience levels. Writers need assistance in organizing their ideas, shaping their plot, constructing their world building, developing their protagonist’s character arc, and establishing their priorities.

But here’s the secret sauce: They also need a solid deadline. They thrive when there’s someone eagerly awaiting the delivery of their pages on a specific date and time. Without that gentle push, the dreaded monster of procrastination can easily sabotage their chances of ever completing a novel.

By managing a client’s project, assisting them in prioritizing tasks, and gently holding them accountable for producing pages to be edited, a book coach becomes the driving force behind the transformation from a forgotten 30k document buried in a folder to a polished, completed novel.

3. A book coach is a brainstorming partner who can help you overcome plot and character challenges.

One of the best things about having a book coach is having a brainstorming partner. Fiction writers often face obstacles when developing their stories or characters, and a coach can help them overcome those creative blocks.

For example, I’m currently working with a (very successful) author who sought my help because she’s writing a fantasy novel and knew she would struggle with the intricate world building. She knew that if she tried to do it alone, she would probably give up before she got very far.

But guess what? After just a few months of working together, she completed the crucial first stage of world building and character arc development, and had plunged into the exciting realm of crafting the opening scene of her novel.

And let me tell you, she wrote an impressive scene. It had depth and resonance. And, best of all, she felt totally confident writing it!

Why? Because she understood the importance of brainstorming in the process of creating a novel, and she made the wise decision to find an experienced book coach to assist her in completing the task.

4. A book coach is a relentless cheerleader and a support system who can help you stay motivated and see the greatness in your own work.

Some days, the story flows through you like an electric current, sparking creativity onto the page. Other days, you’re convinced your novel is pure swill, questioning your skills as a writer and contemplating abandoning the whole vocation (for the sake of your mental health and readers’ innocent eyes).

That rollercoaster of emotions is all a part of the writer’s journey. Those feelings, unfortunately, are perfectly normal. However, they can tempt writers to give up on their novel.

Let’s face it, writing a novel is incredibly tough. It can be a lonely endeavor. Friends promise to read your work and provide feedback, but somehow they never quite get around to it. Or worse, they read it and only offer a noncommittal “it was great” without any constructive input.

But fear not, because a book coach is there to say, “I know this is hard. I truly understand. But you’re doing an amazing job!”

They say, “Page 38 had me laughing so hard…”

And they ask, “Did you celebrate finishing that first draft? That’s a tremendous accomplishment!”

They assure you, “Your future readers will adore this novel and be grateful you stuck with it!”

Speaking from personal experience, I look forward to every single session with my brilliant book coach. She understands the challenges, provides honest feedback, and helps me gain clarity when I’m ready to give up. Her encouragement keeps me motivated, knowing that when she praises a scene, she genuinely means it. Knowing that with her help, I will write the best novel I am capable of.

5. A book coach is an industry expert who can help you navigate pitching, publishing, and building an author platform.

After pouring your heart and soul into your novel, it’s undeniably reassuring to have a support system in place, particularly if you’re a first-time author navigating uncharted territory.

By working with a book coach, you’ll benefit from expert guidance in establishing an author platform. They’ll help you navigate the intricate decision of whether to pursue traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, or self-publishing, ensuring the best path for you and your novel.

And, if you decide on traditional publishing, they’ll help you select comp titles and provide you with invaluable resources on crafting a captivating query letter and synopsis. They’ll even assist you in editing and revising those crucial documents.

Finally, your book coach will offer valuable insights on determining the most suitable literary agents for your work.

Final Thoughts

Yes, finding a book coach that is a perfect fit for you might be challenging. And, yes, book coaching can be expensive. And, no, there is no guarantee that your novel will be picked up by a literary agent, published by one of the big five publishing houses, or make any bestseller list.

All those things might happen… or none of them might happen.

But I’m not convinced those are the most important things to writers, anyway. The real benefits of working with a book coach are much more profound and personal: you will learn how to be a better storyteller, and you will finish a manuscript you’re really proud of.

And to me, that’s what genuine success is all about, regardless of any accolades that may or may not come your way.

Dr. Heather Davis is a storyteller, Author Accelerator certified book coach, developmental editor, author platform expert, the founder of The Kreative Authorpreneur. She helps aspiring diversity authors from all over the world develop the skills and confidence they need to write powerful novels that turn casual readers into loyal fans.

Heather has studied under story experts Lisa Cron, Jennie Nash, and Ben Frahm. She is a contributor to Jane Friedman’s and DIY MFA’s popular writing blogs and has been featured on podcasts such as Editing Writing and Turning Readers into Writers. 

Heather lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where she loves slow trail running, sipping iced mocha lattes with too much whipped cream, and binging audiobooks like some people binge Netflix. 

Click here for Heather’s free 7-Step Guide to an Unputdownable First Chapter!

You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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The first thing I noticed is that culinary icon Julia Child isn’t perfect. She loses her train of thought, grabs the wrong ingredient, and forgets to set the timer. 

Instead, she’s entirely relatable, a quality that kept me watching well into writing time as she presented recipes with warmth and enthusiasm, fully confident that her viewers could do what she had learned to do. Cheerfulness, relatability, food. This is comfort TV. 

Maybe it was the way she delivered her culinary bon mots, but I found they related to writing as well. 

Here are five morsels of writing advice from The French Chef:

1. “The only way you learn how to flip things is to flip them.”

Julia is making a potato pancake in a skillet. She’s talking about having the courage of your convictions when it comes time to flip the pancake. She heaves the skillet, the pancake turns in the air, and half of it lands on the stove. She admits that she didn’t have the courage of her convictions. She then demonstrates the flip again. Parfait.

The fear of getting it wrong can be paralyzing. What if changing the POV doesn’t work? What if the battle scene falls flat? What if the potato pancake lands on my foot? Then it lands on my foot. But I won’t know where it will land if I never flip it. 

Julia knew that the antidote to fear is action, and in being willing to get it wrong she shows that it’s okay not to get it right. 

Maybe that battle scene will work, or maybe it will inexplicably turn into a beach party. It doesn’t matter. When I accept that it may not go to plan, I no longer have anything to lose and I’m free to take that all-important first step and let the potato pancake fly.

Recipe from The French Chef: equal measures courage and conviction; toss with gusto.

2. “It doesn’t taste good now at all because the wine is raw.”

Julia has added wine to the bœuf bourguignon. She tastes it, makes a sour face, then looks pleased. The wine needs time to cook, she explains, to blend with the meat and render its flavor. 

Julia says that tasting the food is a privilege of the cook. D’accord. But with that privilege comes the understanding of where you are in the process.

Too often I judge my work by unfair standards. I look at my freshly-stomped grapes and criticize them for not being prosecco. But recipes are more than their ingredients. They’re also a series of steps. Everything from roast to toast needs time to become what it will be (and no amount of hovering over the toaster makes it toast any faster). 

For me, writing a first draft is like scattering breadcrumbs over a waterfall. It’s a shocking, overwritten, underwritten, undulating mess. The ideas are there, but it’s chaos. And that’s okay. The work is raw, which is exactly what it’s supposed to be right now. I don’t have to like what it is right now, but knowing and trusting the process keeps me on track.

Recipe from The French Chef: one bottle of mindfulness; decant.

3. “And then you whack off the head.”

The kitchen is no place to be squeamish. Watching Julia prepare bouillabaisse and explaining how to peel an eel (I admit to momentary light-headedness), or dismember live lobster, or take defrosted frozen spinach “by the handfuls and just cruelly squeeze all the water possible out of it,” it’s clear she is a no-holds-barred cook. 

To get the work done, one must sometimes do unsavory things (such as watch the entire episode on sweetbreads and brains).

There are parts of being a writer that I love. And there are parts I love to avoid. I may think I have the upper hand by actively avoiding updating my website or revising a troubled story. But by delaying the inevitable, I’ve surrendered control to a bad habit and undermined my own authority. Quel dommage. 

When Julia whacks off the fish head, she is more than fearless. She is master of her kitchen, delighting in her skills and her ability to take on any job that needs doing. 

Clearly, it’s much more fun to take control than to be controlled.

Recipe from The French Chef: one unpleasant task; show it who’s boss.

4. “You don’t want people ever to taste something and say, ‘Oh, nutmeg.’”

Making the sauce for a spinach turnover, Julia uses “just a speck” of nutmeg, enough to take the dish to the next level, but never so much that it’s identifiable. Nutmeg is potent, but used correctly, it never announces itself. It hints, it suggests, it insinuates. Just a dash ensures that the spinach is the star of this turnover.

I love secret ingredients. 

Even in writing, there are tools, tricks, and techniques that give stories that je ne sais quoi readers love. But careful measures are key. Too heavy-handed, and it’s obvious I’m foreshadowing the mentor character, or planting a red herring, or that I know how to use the rule of three. 

And then there are all those interesting things I found in my research, even though they have absolutely nothing to do with the plot. 

If the writing elements upstage the story, the reader’s focus is on them. Just a pinch here and there, and the focus remains on the story.

Recipe from The French Chef: writer genius; sprinkle lightly.

5. “So let’s take a look at this terrifying monster, this mystery soufflé.”

“And what is it, after all? Well, it’s melted chocolate. We’ve done that before. It’s white sauce, we’ve done that. As a matter of fact, I’ve news for you. You’ve known how to make a chocolate soufflé all along.”

(Le gasp!) Quoi?! 

Julia drops this bombshell on her viewers at the end of the episode. The recipe is complicated, and with the looming danger of deflated egg whites, intimidating for first-time makers. But Julia lays it on the table; combine your knowledge base and voilà, chocolate soufflé.

From horror series to high fantasy to historical manga, it’s easy to think that some projects are just beyond me. Sometimes it’s the scope of the project, sometimes it’s the fact that I’ve never done it before that feels overwhelming and outside my skillset. 

But even a seemingly complicated project is a combination of basic skills. Reducing the monstrous undertaking to its bare components is a quick way to relieve pressure and deflate the terrifying beast. I may even find that I already know how to write heroic cookbooks.

Recipe from The French Chef: one overwhelming project; separate into friendly portions.

I hope these tidbits whet your appetite for some scrumptious writing sessions. Borrowing from Julia’s famous sign-off, bon appétit, les écrivains!

J. M. Kessler is the author of the children’s book, The Squirrelly Nut Gig, as well as short stories and plays. She has a BA in theatre, and is a classic film fan, Whovian, knitter, and nature lover.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram.

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The name MacGuffin originated in film, and was made popular by Alfred Hitchcock. Later, it began to be applied to similar devices used in novels and other storytelling forms.

In theory, a MacGuffin can be almost anything. After all, it isn’t what your characters really want—it’s just what they’re all fighting over until they work their way into the heart of your story. But some MacGuffins work better than others. Choose ones that will deepen your story, making it resonate in some way.

Here are a few possibilities. (NOTE: There are some spoilers for the cited films!) Choose MacGuffins that:

1. Support Your Theme

In National Treasure, the MacGuffin is the Declaration of Independence. The choice ties into the film’s themes, which include doing what you believe to be the right thing, despite what the law says. The writers could have chosen anything to serve as a treasure map (as the story really is about searching for lost treasure, which in turn represents dignity and respect, as the protagonist proves that his family aren’t just a bunch of crackpots). 

Imagine if a different document had been chosen. Would the deed to a historic home, or a historic marriage license have had the same effect? Not likely. 

Likewise, when you choose the MacGuffin that will draw readers into your story, think about it as a symbol. What does it stand for, outside of the reason the characters are fighting over it? How does it tie to what you want readers to remember about your book?

2. Connect to Specific Characters

In Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, George Lucas himself identified R2D2 as a MacGuffin. What was really important was the plans that R2 had been given, but the droid itself had quite the personality. 

Protagonist Luke bonds with R2, to the point where, at the end of the film, he refuses to fly with a different droid. We start to associate that friendship with Luke’s need for connection, as his only (then known) living relatives are killed at the start of the film, leaving him looking for somewhere to belong. It’s the beginning of Luke’s found family.

You don’t necessarily have to choose the protagonist as the character we connect with the MacGuffin. You could just as easily have the MacGuffin be something created by the antagonist that the protagonist wants so she can remove it from the world. Or it could tie in to a secondary character, foreshadowing how that character might have more importance later. (The Heart of Ta Fiti from Moana comes to mind for this aspect.)

3. Foreshadow Real Plot Issues

In Casablanca, the stolen travel papers are the MacGuffin. The story centers around Rick, a café owner who only looks out for himself, after having his heart broken during WWII. The girl who broke his heart, Ilsa, walks back into his life—along with her husband, whom she had previously believed was dead.  

Rick’s big choice is whether to hold onto Ilsa for himself or to let her leave Casablanca with her husband, using the stolen papers. The papers are introduced before the conflict, and serve to highlight how difficult it is to leave, setting up some of the large obstacles in the plot.  

The writers could have chosen to introduce money, to be used to bribe the necessary folks to cross borders, or gone in a different direction entirely. But it wouldn’t have tied things together nearly as neatly.

When you use a MacGuffin in this manner, something about it needs to be specifically relevant right away. The reader needs to be able to put the implications together, to have a specific worry in the back of their minds, before the plot reveals how this worry will come into play.

4. Capture the Reader’s Imagination

In the film Paycheck, the MacGuffin is an envelope of items that the protagonist gave to himself before having his memory wiped, because it is everything he supposedly needs to solve the plot problems and escape the antagonist’s grasp. That’s basically the whole movie.  

How is he going to use the items? Will they help him get the girl? Will the antagonists manage to get one of the key items away from him? What is the real plot, if this is the MacGuffin? It was enough to capture the viewer’s imagination, that that’s all they put in the movie trailer.

If your book has a MacGuffin that intrigues the reader just by what it is—a list that puts secret agents in jeopardy, a ring that corrupts whoever holds it, a priceless statue that will make whoever ends up with it rich—then that makes each character’s motivations clear, allowing the reader to follow along emotionally in the resulting tug-of-war.

5. Ease of Understanding

In Charade, protagonist Regina Lampert is pursued by thugs who are convinced that she has possession of a large sum of money left behind by her murdered husband. She spends most of the film trying to figure out where the money is—only at the end to realize that her husband had bought expensive stamps, and the fortune was on an envelope she had given to her friend’s stamp-collecting son. It’s a huge moment in the film—and once the twist is revealed, it is simple to understand.

Likewise, when you work a MacGuffin into your story, give a visceral meaning to it—money, love, power—so that readers won’t have to guess why everyone wants it.

You can learn more about MacGuffins in my Story Like a Journalist Workbook.

Amber Royer writes the Chocoverse comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series, and the Bean to Bar Mysteries. She is also the author of Story Like a Journalist: a Workbook for Novelists. She also teaches creative writing and is an author coach. Amber and her husband live in the DFW Area, where you can often find them hiking or taking landscape/architecture/wildlife photographs. If you are very nice to Amber, she might make you cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes, of course! 

Amber blogs about creative writing technique and all things chocolate at www.amberroyer.com. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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At first, it’s not quite clear that you’re in deep trouble. This happens all the time to a writer. Hills and valleys, rushes and pauses just like always. 

You’re just taking a breather. But you slump in your chair. 

Then you get out of your chair, your room, your house. Make another pot of coffee, let the dog out, answer the phone, read a few emails. You think you’ll answer just one. Or two of the most urgent ones (Right now they’re all urgent). Then back to the keyboard. You start a sentence, and it suddenly goes off a cliff. You watch it crash and burn.

Or. 

You’re into your first rough draft or your second or third, and suddenly, inexplicably, or perhaps predictably, you’ve just stopped. You get up the next day, determined to rise from the ashes of your own faltering self and begin again. But where exactly is that? 

For the life of you, writer that you are, you cannot figure out how to go forward. You look back and it’s all a mess. It was never a good idea to begin with. 

Despair descends like the proverbial brooding clouds. Suddenly your shoulders feel weighted, you find it hard to swallow, your eyes swim with tears. Your heart is thrumming. Your life is over (your writing life is over). There will never be another word from you, so why are you just sitting there? 

Or maybe it’s not as dramatic as all that. Maybe you just don’t show up for your next writing time. There is always something else to do. And then the next time becomes the next and the next and then you can’t imagine you ever lived a writer’s life. You put your head down. You say “help.”

Then healing of your despairing writer’s soul begins.

You start by havening. This is a self-soothing technique that calms the amygdala inside your head and tells you that all is well. You slide one palm over the other and back again. You shut your eyes. You stroke your arms from shoulder to elbow, then your face. You think of a wonderful thing you wrote.    

Then you move. You put on some jazzy music and move your body through the rhythm and beat of it. Oh, maybe five minutes or so. Shake, rattle and roll with it. You release all that trapped energy of despair and make room for a new thing.

Now you go from inside, where all those accumulated demons have taken hold, to outside. And focus intensely on what is outside the self by immersion into the five senses. 

It’s really helpful to have a kind of first-aid kit, if you will, so find a nice little box and put these things in it. 

Or you can just focus on the five senses, one at a time, with the things that are at hand. 

Either way, you want full concentration on the sensations before you.

Here’s what’s inside my writerly first-aid kit:

5 things to hold up to the light:

Amethyst crystal (protection, intuition, spirituality)
Citrine crystal (creative process, happiness, light)
Lepidolite crystal (healing, calming)
Norwegian glacier stone (eternity)
White crystal (enlightenment, guidance)

5 things to touch

Irish worry stone
Petosky stone
Shiny blue polished glass. The words: To Life.
Clear, smooth crystal
Smooth Pale opaque blue stone. The word: Imagine

5 things to hear (from soft to loud)

Bells on a string
Baby wind chimes
Single bell
Buddha bells
Buddha gong

5 things to smell

Jasmine
Lavender
Honeysuckle
Frankincense
Bookstore candle. Light it. It really does smell like a bookstore.

5 things to taste

Chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate

The sensory world has opened to everything. You are calm. You are not so much waiting, as ready. You can feel anticipation down to your fingertips. They yearn to touch the keys.

What you do now is embrace the arbitrary. Then make it inevitable. Get out of your logical, left-brain mind—it needs to be silent right now—and enter the right-brain: the intuitive, spontaneous side of you, and try these five things: You’re just playing around when no one’s looking. You don’t have to keep any of them.

1. Introduce an event that, on the face of it, has little to do with what you are writing. 

That is, make something improbable and unexpected happen. 

If you can’t think of anything, look at the props in the setting of the narrative you’re writing, or your life—your room, your house, your office. 

Something falls over, crashes, catches fire, slams shut, turns on, rings, pounds. Somebody screams, sighs, whimpers. Laughs. Why are they doing that? No matter, just describe them doing it. The phone rings. My God. What is the worst, the best it can be? 

Describe what can’t possibly happen, what shouldn’t happen, what positively won’t happen. Put these in a list. Surprise yourself with the outrageousness of it all. Ask yourself, but what if it did?

2. Introduce a new, totally unexpected character. 

Out of your dreams, back from the dead, out of the newspaper’s front pages. The mail arrives. It’s a letter you are afraid to open. The doorbell rings. Who is it? Somebody dead? A Celebrity? Who is the last person imaginable to walk on the set of the narrative of your life, your story? Someone you dread? Love? Fear?  

S/he’s already here. At the lawn, now at the door, the living room, the kitchen, yikes! into the bedroom. It’s your state senator, the mini-mart owner with buck teeth and a neck rash, Elvis Presley, Donald Trump, Oprah with a Sweepstakes check, the dead uncle with breath like stale radishes. He’s carrying an envelope. He shoves it at you.

3. Jump: If you can’t get from A to B, then jump to C or maybe V or Z. 

Jump in time, jump in space. See where you land. Breathe it in. There is some reason you’re here and not back there where you were lost and despairing. 

Try to imagine how this place or point in time is connected to the point in the narrative that had you stopped. It may be the heart of the story, only you don’t know it yet. It may be something you need to know more about but didn’t recognize until now. You look down this rabbit hole. You jump. 

Free-write for a minute or two about what you see.

4. Begin your narrative in a new place. 

Begin just before the end, then look back. Begin in the middle and flash forward. Begin just before everything falls apart.

5. Look at the ending, either one you’ve written or one you imagine.

Write three new opening lines that echo the ending, without repeating it. 

Read a poem. Underline three intriguing words. Write three opening sentences, each with one of those words in it.

Take a deep, cleansing breath that travels from head to toe. You’re back! Anything will do. Just a single, revelatory word will be all you need. Then just say “thank you.”

Ann Putnam is an internationally known Hemingway scholar who has made more than six trips to Cuba as part of the Ernest Hemingway International Colloquium. Her forthcoming novel, Cuban Quartermoon (June 2022), came, in part, from those trips, as well as a residency at Hedgebrook Writer’s Colony. She has published the memoir Full Moon at Noontide: A Daughter’s Last Goodbye (University of Iowa Press) and short stories in Nine by Three: Stories (Collins Press), among others. She holds a PhD from the University of Washington and has taught creative writing, gender studies, and American literature for many years. She has bred Alaskan Malamutes, which appear prominently in I Will Leave You Never. She currently lives in Gig Harbor, Washington.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

The post #5onFri: Five Ways to Beat Writer’s Block appeared first on DIY MFA.

One of my major worries pre-kids was how much less time I’d have to write, but as it turns out, I not only write more now that I’m a parent, but I also come up with more ideas. That includes the one for my upcoming book The Other Side of Infinity, which features a clairvoyant character inspired by my (mistaken) desire to quell anxiety by knowing everything that was coming when I had my second baby.

1. The Well of Emotion 

The first, the strongest: I prepared for the fact that parenthood would introduce me to all kinds of new feelings and emotions, but I did not prepare for exactly how deep I’d feel them. 

To my even bigger astonishment, as a writer, I felt emotions more deeply. I understood fear more once I became a parent. And despite my history with loss, I was wildly caught off guard by the newfound fear of losing my kid or my kid losing me.

To make matters even more emotional, I had to think about a tiny-but-growing person’s feelings in new ways, too. There’s a pipeline between helping your kid navigate feelings and emotion that has a resemblance to the way you help your characters navigate their feelings and reactions, too.

2. Patience 

If patience is a virtue, then I am virtue-deficient. I am not a patient person by nature, but it turns out being patient helps me enjoy things more. When I figured out that patience was extremely important for decent parenting, I decided to act as if I were patient, which has helped partially. 

Patience in publishing is an entirely different entity. Things are hurry up, wait, and then run. I’ll never forget pulling over to celebrate my first book deal . . . and then I did the math and figured out that my book would publish about two years later. 

Ideas come at their own pace, plot points materialize when they’re ready, and writing that first draft is nothing but chipping away at something bit-by-bit. An act of patience.

3. Time Management

My husband and I thankfully agree on many things, and one of them is that I am an unfortunate estimator of time. (A recent experience where I guessed it would take me two hours to paint a bedroom that then not only took fourteen, but also displaced us for two nights is a great example of this). 

I imagined this may get better with parenthood, but I imagined incorrectly. Parenting brought with it a whole new level of time sucking. A ten-minute rush out the door became a two-hour slog; naptimes are somehow both precious and limiting all at the same time. 

It’s really hard for me to turn writing on and off at scheduled times, but I learned to dictate my work into my phone during daycare (and now school) pickups and drop-offs. If a thought struck me while out for a walk or run with a stroller, I’d speak it directly into my Notes app. When I’m back at my computer, I can then copy/paste it directly into the document I’m working on and finesse it into something legible. Every single book I’ve completed has included dictation this way, and I’m so glad it’s part of my process.

4. Expect the Unexpected

I have to roll with the unexpected so much more often as a parent. I solve countless problems a day, sometimes before I get out of bed. I find missing underwear, I send extra soap into classrooms when I hear a classmate is out with a stomach bug, I navigate friend-hardships, hurt feelings, the act of sharing. I’m not just planning my life anymore, I’m steering the lives of those around me.

As a writer, I’ve always leaned plotter—I don’t start writing a book until I know how it’s going to end. The more I outline, the faster my experience in writing goes. 

Whether that comes from the amount of daily problem-solving I do or just through experience, I’m much better able to brainstorm ideas to solve problems I run into than I used to be. I’m also excellent at giving myself permission to deviate from what I’ve planned, which has led to some of the best scenes I’ve written. 

5. Reader first 

A huge part of writing is the not-writing part: the thinking, the brainstorming, the seeking of inspiration from all walks of life. 

Back when I was up nursing in the middle of the night, I noticed that I was reading a ton, which excited me because everyone said they had no time for reading once their kids were born. And then once my kids got into reading and bedtime included multiple board books, I played a silent game of predicting what would happen next in my kids’ stories. There’s a familiar cadence to storytelling, even when they’re board books. Beginnings, middles, and ends are universal. 

For me, at least, parenting is a self-study in character complexity. I know a lot of people who joke that they’re at their wit’s end by the end of the night, and then when their kids are finally asleep, they miss them. Choosing to parent was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m so relieved that it’s only aided my writing career. 

Whether or not you choose to parent, these lessons—practicing patience, reading a ton, rolling with what you can, re-strategizing your time, and working on stepping into other people’s shoes—can only aid you in your experience. Good luck!

Joan F. Smith is an author, dance instructor, and former associate dean of creative writing. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Joan lives and writes in Massachusetts, where she was the 2021 Writer-in-Residence at the Milton Public Library. When she’s not writing, she’s either wrangling her kids, embarking on a new hobby she will quickly abandon, or listening to podcasts on a run.

For more information, you can find her on her website.

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Well, fear not. You can’t be in this industry as long as I have without picking up a trick or two or five. Whether it takes you ten years, or you’re looking to write your next great novel in twenty-minute sprints while your baby naps, or you have all the time in the world, here are five tips that can help anyone get through that dreaded first draft.

1. Embrace the Weird

I list this first because it is the most important step. The number one thing that stops writers from even getting started with a first draft is the fear that their idea is “too out there.” “Nobody will read this.” “It’s weird.” 

Stop that right now. 

The best books in literary history would sound too weird or implausible on paper. A killer clown harassing a bunch of kids into adulthood? A serial killer who lives in a family’s walls? A magical chocolate factory? A little girl with psychic powers who devours books to escape her toxic family? 

If a publisher heard some of these elevator pitches, they would have told the author to take a hike. And indeed, there are about a million ways some of these concepts would have turned out incoherently. But it’s the execution that makes all the difference.

So, if you have an idea—whatever it may be—set aside the fear that nobody will want to read it, and ignore the eyebrow raises or indifferent shrugs you get when you excitedly relay it to your spouse or friend circle. 

The truth is that all you have right now is the idea, and once you start writing, you’ll be hit with ideas that you hadn’t even considered yet. Trust your brain to make it make sense. And remember that if we all stopped ourselves from getting too weird, fiction wouldn’t even be a thing.

2. Develop a Support System

Writing is—and I cannot stress this enough—very isolating. 

Maybe you’re not ready to share your idea yet. Maybe you want to get 50k down before you even tell your loved ones you’re working on a book. Or maybe the only way you can get through a first draft is to write in a vacuum. 

This is a sustainable model for a little while. But once that adrenaline rush that comes with a new idea dies down, you may find yourself floating in the middle of a waveless lake without a paddle. This is where many writers give up.

A big help is to find a small community of writers. The internet is great for this. You may also check the community boards at your local library or download some virtual meetup apps. 

When you have someone asking, “How’s the writing going today?” it makes all the difference. And be honest when you’re struggling. It may surprise you how many others relate, and the amazing advice they can offer.

3. Support Others

This goes hand-in-hand with the above item. Support is a two-way street (and I live in Connecticut, so I can tell you just how many construction problems are caused by one-way streets). 

When you build a small community of writers, artists, etc, it isn’t just about having someone to motivate you. It’s shocking just how healing and helpful it can be to also motivate and support others. Tell them the sorts of things you’re needing to hear yourself. Inspiration and motivation aren’t in finite supply. The more you give, the more you create.

Be mindful, also, of the type of support you’re giving. Writing is a fragile balance. Some days, you want someone to give it to you straight and tell you if your writing isn’t working or your idea isn’t coming together well. This gives you the practical mindset needed to fix it. But some days, when you’re feeling especially demoralized, you just need someone to tell you that you’re doing a great job, keep going, and it’s okay to take a little break. 

So before you respond to your peers’ pleas for help, ask them, “Are you wanting feedback today? Or would you just like some moral support?”

4. Give Yourself Some Compassion

In school, we’re trained to work hard and hard work becomes the standard. If you get a good grade, that’s the norm, and maybe you get a sticker. And if you get a substandard grade, you’re meant to feel like a failure. 

But here’s the good news: writing isn’t school. Here, you’re going at your own pace, and you’re only here if you want to be.

While tough love and discipline may get you through a lot of professional endeavors, writing is something that has to be done with some degree of love and willingness. Push yourself too hard, do too much too fast, and you’re asking for burnout. Think of The Tortoise and the Hare. 

Whether you like it or not, you’re going to have to be nice to yourself during the writing process, especially during a first draft.

5. Be Inspired

You may think that in order to be a successful writer, you have to read a lot. But inspiration can come from anywhere. Nice childhood memories, operas, art museums, death metal… 

Just because you’re writing a nonfiction field guide to butterfly mating patterns doesn’t mean you have to stare at butterflies all day. 

Just because you’re writing about Jack the Ripper doesn’t mean you can’t pop in some Miley Cyrus and jam while you’re outlining your chapter. 

In many cases, immersing yourself in your writing topic may feel like too much of a burden, and giving yourself an eclectic mix of inspiration can help you get out of your head and get more creative. 

Remember, some tears may be an inevitable part of making any art (especially the first draft), but fun is important in this process, and you’re here because you have an idea that you really believe in.

Ren DeStefano lives in Connecticut, where she was born and raised. When she’s not writing thrillers, she’s listening to true crime podcasts and crocheting way too many blankets.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram.

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Of course, your journey won’t look exactly like anyone else’s—and that’s just how it’s meant to be! But understanding the journey that successful writers often go on can help us take the next steps, and by knowing what lies ahead, we may gain a bit of confidence to keep going. 

I’ve worked with hundreds of writers at all different stages, and these are the five stages of a writer’s career I’ve noticed. Where are you on this journey?

1.  Aspiring Writer

If you’re an aspiring writer, you’re probably making the shift from reader to writer, falling in love with the creative process, and discovering who you are as an artist. 

You may spend long hours in the library. Hopefully you’re reading every day, maybe taking notes along the way. You might be experimenting with different techniques, habits, and rhythms. 

You might be in a critique group or have a critique partner, someone to share their work with and get feedback from. 

You’re at the beginning of the writer’s journey, hopeful, excited, full of questions. This is the time to notice what energizes you. Practice your craft. Write freely. Bring a playful, curious spirit to your creative process. Soon you will be creating good work that feels original and true to your vision. 

But it’s not enough to write. 

You must begin to live as a writer. Read with intention. Befriend other creatives. Observe the world. Make time to listen to your inner wisdom, so you can develop your own unique perspective. Start to share your work with trusted friends and teachers. Work on smaller projects that will help you gain confidence, clarity, and courage. Think about what you can work on that will be so important and life giving that you will keep going even when you’re discouraged or burnt out. 

It’s common to want to rush to the next phase, but there’s so much to be learned in this stage of the writer’s career. Once you’re farther along the path, you won’t be able to return to this safe cocoon, so enjoy this moment.

2.  Debut Writer

You’ve published a book. You’re sharing your voice with the world and learning what it means to have a larger audience for your work. This is an exciting time in your journey. You’ve put in the work and built something you can be proud of. 

You’re building a community of people who support your work. You’re connecting with readers and learning how to navigate the publishing industry. 

You have overcome challenges and committed to your craft. And there’s so much more to learn. 

This is the time to be bold and focus your energy on marketing, while being mindful of the kind of work you want to be known for. Soon you’ll return to the writing life and explore your creativity more deeply. 

You may worry about how to replicate your success, but if you’re writing, growing, and building relationships, it will be easier than you fear.

3. Established Writer

You have developed a reputation as a writer and have several more amazing projects planned. Your readers are excited for your next book. Reviewers, editors, and librarians are enthusiastic about your work. 

You have so much to be proud of! 

You are building a multidimensional career. Now is the time to write more books, teach classes, host events, and offer critiques and consults. 

You’re expanding your network, services, and audience. While growth is good, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with deadlines and obligations at this stage. 

Even as you build your writer’s career, you still deserve to feel creative. You didn’t work this long to just make widgets that sell. You may long to do something more experimental. Follow that instinct! 

Enjoying the process, protecting your vision, and honoring your creative process will help you grow in ways you can’t yet imagine.

4. Creative Leader

Your career is vibrant and your impact is potent. You are stepping into a powerful role, leading conversations and movements across genres and mediums. Writers, editors, agents, reviewers, and readers look to you for inspiration and wisdom. People respect your vision and ideas. 

You bring your whole self to your work, and people respond passionately. You set the tone and spark conversations. 

You’re working across mediums and genres to make this world a better place. You’re doing work only you can do and learning how to live a creative life that’s sustainable and energizing. 

You are a leader. Treat your time, energy, and vision accordingly.

5. Legacy Builder

You are building a legacy that your grandchildren will be proud of. You are doing the work you are meant to do and finding satisfaction in the creative process. You’re sharing your wisdom generously through publishing and beyond. You are a supernova. 

You have accomplished so much. I know the intense work and focus it has taken to get to this place. But the best is still yet to come! 

Now it’s time to enjoy the beauty you have created and use your influence to make an impact that will last for generations. 

Give yourself space to grow. Build a retreat. Protect your energy. Pace yourself. Experiment. Wander. Daydream. Pour your heart into your work. 

You’re in a special place. Don’t waste a second worrying about what to do with this time. 

You know. Your whole life has been building to this moment. 

Make magic. That’s what you’re here to do.

Looking for more guidance on how you can take your writing career to the next level? Download The Writer’s Way. This free ebook is filled with prompts, exercises, solutions, encouragement, practical steps, and resources designed for each stage of the writer’s career.

Writer and editor Heidi Fiedler has worked on hundreds of books for clients ranging from Chronicle to Bravery Magazine. She does the deep thinking that’s needed to turn an idea into a book that delights and inspires. Whether it’s a poetic picture book, a zippy chapter book, or a kid-friendly take on the physics of time travel, the books she works on are quirky, playful, highly visual, and often philosophical. She also teaches masterclasses and workshops, coaches writers, and offers manuscript critiques that help writers grow and move forward with confidence and ease.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram.

The post #5onFri: The Five Stages of a Writer’s Career appeared first on DIY MFA.

I am a storyteller, building worlds, creating characters who cry and laugh. I cut words, agonize over punctuation, and labor for hours to find just the right (optimum, perfect) word. Until finally, I triumphantly type “The End,” only to file my story away, afraid to share it with anyone.

I needed to get my stories out into the world and decided to send them to writing contests. Sometimes I would stumble upon a contest announcement in a newsletter or a writing-friend would mention a contest that they have seen or entered. 

Some had a theme or specific subject and I would say to myself, “Self, that story you wrote about ‘the person with the thing in the place,’ could work for this contest.” If it was a contest that provided a specific prompt I created new characters and places, a whole new story.

I needed to “get used to” nonacceptance letters, also known as NALs. (I refuse to use the word rejection ) I needed to “get used to” my writing being not quite ready, not quite right for that publication, or not quite [insert your own word here….but be positive].

I have sent stories to many, many contests and magazines over the past couple of years and I have received many, many NALs. To my dismay, I have not become “used to” receiving the NALs. They still sting; they will always sting. But I have learned a few things.

1. Writing contests come with deadlines

Be prepared to concentrate all your efforts on that story. You may have to set aside your other writing, especially 1-2 weeks/days/hours before the deadline. 

For one of my first contest submissions, I rushed to finish a story, submitting just minutes before the deadline. But alas, I clicked on the wrong file. I didn’t just send them the wrong version of the correct story, I sent the first draft of a different, unfinished manuscript. 

When I realized what I had done a few weeks later, it was too late to make any changes. (I am sure they appreciated my $$ donation to their association.)

I learned I needed a personal deadline, 1 or 2 days before the actual submission date. If there is time, I set the completed story aside for a few days and then come back and read it with fresh eyes. Some contests are not conducive to this, such as the NYC Midnight Challenges. They give you a prompt and a brisk turnaround time.

(FYI: Deadlines also apply to articles. For instance, I did not have enough time to submit this article to my support group. I know it would have been a much better article if they could have reviewed it with me. Which leads me to item #2…)

2. Support/Critique Groups

Use them! Let them know you have a deadline coming up. Ask them to read your story. Be sure that you give them ample time to provide proper feedback that you can implement.

During the last NYC Challenge I entered, I met with three other participants two days after we had received our prompts. We spent 15 minutes brainstorming each other’s ideas. Then, I submitted a draft of the “finished” story to my critique group, revised it from their feedback, then resubmitted, twice, to ONE person (from the same critique group), revised from the feedback, and FINALLY submitted to the contest. 

I did this over an eight-day time frame. It was extremely stressful and very rewarding. (I am still awaiting the results.) I cannot say enough about creating a great support system.

3. Read the formatting requirements carefully

Contest judges read many, many stories. No matter how good your story may be if they must squint or reformat your story, you are already at a disadvantage. Make sure that they can relax and enjoy your story. If you send it incorrectly spaced, with spelling errors or incorrect fonts, it could quickly be tossed into the digital trash can. 

Make sure your tenses are correct and you don’t slip out of the correct POV. One of the members of my support system is excellent at noticing this.

Watch the word count, maximum and minimum. I keep the number at the top of my manuscript. It is okay to be over the word count in the first couple of drafts. In fact, I recommend it. I find it way easier to reduce words than add them in. But for the final version, stick to the word count.

4. Enter writing contests that give feedback

It is very important to have a good critique group, but they know you and love you. They have read a lot of your stories and sometimes it is hard for them to be unbiased.

Some writing contests will give small critiques as an included perk. Other contests offer the service for a small reading fee. I have found feedback from someone who does not know my writing to be very insightful and eye-opening. 

A word to the wise: With all critiques, keep an open mind and use what works for you and your story.

5. Do not give up when you don’t win

I wrote a short story during a DIY MFA program and had it critiqued through the program, eventually filing it away and working on other projects. Then I stumbled upon a contest. “Self,” I said, “that story you wrote about Clara and the Savoy and a cat would work for this contest.” 

I opened the file, blew the virtual dust motes off, and rewrote it. I sent it to my critique group. We spent uncountable hours cutting and adding words, deleting characters, and changing locations.

I submitted the story to twelve writing contests and magazines. Some said, “no thank-you,” others told me they liked the story, but it was not a fit “at this time.” (What does that even mean?!) 

I got wonderful feedback from the contests. I paid for some; some were unsolicited. I received 11 NALs and they all stung. (Obviously something you never “get used to”) 

Never, ever give up.

One contest that I entered was the Writer’s Digest Short Story contest. It received an honorable mention. They did not wad my story into a tiny little ball and toss it in the trash. Someone liked it, maybe they didn’t love it, but they liked it.

Now what?!? I’m glad you asked. Carol Van Den Hende wrote a wonderful article that helps answer this very question.

Brenda loves writing short fiction and is working on her first novel. 2023 is the third year of her monthly newsletter – Thru the Window.

All her life she wanted to be a veterinarian and took all the right science classes in high school. But, her favorite class was English 300. The teacher was a poet, who loved Shakespeare, and gave funky, fun assignments for creative writing. She struggled through first-year university, her grades in organic chemistry were less than stellar, but her marks in Canadian Lit were awesome. It was suggested that she pursue an English degree and be a teacher. She quit university.

Fast forward. She signed up for a snail-mail writing course and wrote on and off, mostly stories about pets that had crossed the rainbow bridge. She got married, had two children and ran a successful consulting business with her husband.

Fast forward again. During a monster house move she wrote a blog with photos to send to people who wanted to know how the relocation was going. She found a Canadian self-directed writing course and then signed up for their mentored course.

Fast forward some more. She found DIY MFA 101 run by the awesome Gabriela Pereria and her team. She finished the self-directed course DIY MFA 101, signed up for P2P, and completed two sessions of the Small Group Coaching. She is a loyal “Word Nerd.”

Find more info on her website, or check out her newsletter.

The post #5onFri: Five Things I Learned by Entering Writing Contests appeared first on DIY MFA.

1. Write from the right state of mind 

Chances are the difficult subjects you’re writing about helped shape you into the resilient and inspirational person you are today. So, while the book is still just a thought in your mind, before you write your first word, sit for twenty minutes in meditative silence, thanking the antagonist for the role they played in your awakening. (I never thought I’d be able to do this exercise, but I did!) 

Sharing your story with awareness will guide your hand in writing a soul-stirring work of art as opposed to an angry, vindictive account of what happened to you.

2. Go deep, not wide 

Choose one or two specific people as your target audience and write with only them in mind. It’s paralyzing to be preoccupied with what to say or how to say it so that it lands with everyone. 

I wrote my memoir hoping to reach a good friend and her twenty-year-old daughter. For years I witnessed them struggling with distressing circumstances and dysfunctional relationships, and I knew from experience they were stuck in this pattern because they weren’t taking an honest look within. Because I was determined to connect with them on the deepest level, eager for them to see themselves in me, and hopeful they’d be inspired to heal, the words flowed through me with ease.

3. Lay it all out 

Don’t let fear or shame hold you back from writing difficult scenes in your early drafts. Putting it all down on the page will help illuminate important components of your story that are too significant to keep hidden in the dark. 

Vulnerability and universal human experience are at the intersection where we connect. There are readers out there who need your honesty to heal their pain. I avoided writing a particular scene in my memoir and it still haunts me. I should have written it out, even if I decided to cut it from the final draft. At the very least, it would have been therapeutic to process it. Stay tuned, it might turn up in future material.

4. Shake it off 

Trauma is stored in the body and writing a memoir can trigger old wounds. There were days I emerged from my office rattled by the experience. Worse, there were days I acted out from my pain. I needed a way to decompress, otherwise I risked creating a future just like my past. 

Long walks calmed my overactive nervous system and with each quickened step, I shed a layer of anguish. Brisk walks brought me peace and helped me write with a clear mind and healed heart. Dancing can be fun too! Or running (but not for me).

5. Submit selflessly 

Send your completed manuscript out in the world with the intention of helping others heal. Yes, it’s fun to imagine the best-seller list, the movie rights, or the interview with Oprah, but deep down you know that’s not the point. I submitted my memoir that covered difficult subjects with the hope that if only one reader could find peace from my story, then my purpose would be fulfilled. I believe it’s our inner light that gets the green light.

There’s power in your story. Use it to heal the world.

Francesca Miracola is the author of I Got It from Here: A Memoir of Awakening to the Power Within, She Writes Press, April 2023. Francesca is a Life Coach, and her practice is based on the principles of A Course in Miracles. She founded Protagonist Within, LLC because she believes in order to be the protagonist of your own story you must look within to heal. She is a wife, a best friend, and above all, a mother. 

You can find Francesca on her website.

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