We’re almost halfway through the year, so now is the appropriate time to hear about some of the methods authors use to unwind. A little self-care, a little stopping to smell the roses, and your writing productivity will thank you.
These are all tried and tested ways that writers relax. They’re reliable things to try if the breakneck pace of writing is wearing down your physical and mental health. They’re also science based*, so attempt them with confidence.
This is the way it is: if your book does not enjoy extensive publicity, it will not sell.
This is not a hard and fast rule, as miracles do happen through word of mouth, but the odds favor ads in this word of white noise that we live in. Sure, Moby Dick is a classic now, but it was a flop in Melville’s lifetime, even though he had already published two bestsellers!
Okay, perhaps it’s more of a tool than a trick, but journalists have been using the “Who-What-Where-When-Why-and-How” format on hard news pieces for well over a century (to judge by the sort of articles they write, where each of these items are addressed), and I’ve found the six questions are equally useful when writing a novel.
Joining a creative writing workshop can be scary, especially for beginners, because allowing others to read your writing means also allowing them to criticize your work as well (hopefully in a constructive way). However, I think that the pros by far outweigh the cons. Here are some of the major advantages of creative writing workshops I have identified so far from my own experience:
Congratulations. You’ve just finished a novel. You’ve taken some time to decompress and relax, away from the world of writing, but now you need to dive in and start getting your piece ready for publication.
The first edit. That’s a term I’ve mentioned before, even written a whole post about it. Though looking back on the process I went through then, I should have probably titled that blog post The First Rewrite. Because when it comes down to it, that’s what it really was.
There’s more to an idea than just a thought process.
Before I rebranded this blog in 2015, I thought long and hard about a name and tagline. Finally realizing I wanted this to be an informational and inspirational hub for writers to Do All The Writing Things — and not just me talking about myself all the time, ugh — helped me create my blog’s simultaneous tagline and purpose statement:
I’ve worked with a lot of writers over the past eight years and I can honestly say that there really is one thing that separates the writers who are going to make it from the writers who are not. I know, I know—there are many different variables at play. Believing in yourself, joining a supportive community, finding your audience. I’m not disputing that those factors influence a writer’s success. But the thing I’m talking about is way more basic than anything else.
It’s how a writer manages her time.
And yes, it is basic, but it’s also super difficult.
Becoming an established author is easier today than it has ever been in the past. That is thanks to services like Createspace and Lightning Source that enable anyone with the skills to self-publish their work in a print-on-demand format.
However, getting your books onto Amazon doesn’t guarantee anyone will buy or read your stories. With that in mind, this article will provide you with a short step-by-step guide you can use to ensure you get the best results from your efforts.
