Test Your Writing Prompts & Exercises BEFORE You Send them Out Into the World! I love coming up with writing prompts and exercises to help people get their books written and make a living doing what they love. That's heaven to me. Over the years, I've discovered how essential it is to test every prompt and exercise myself before publishing them, whether in a blog post or a book. Why? Because what feels like a helpful idea when I'm in the bliss of inspiration may not actually take people on the journey I want them to take. So many times, when I've experimented with a prompt myself, I've realized that something else was needed to inspire the insight or transformation I wanted for my readers or students. Or, it just didn't work. It's SO EASY to create writing prompts and exercises that seem right but need tweaking to take people on a truly transformational journey. The only way to know if a prompt will help people see what you want them to see is to actually use it yourself first, at least. And, if you're creating a full journal or workbook, definitely get some beta testers. Because what's clear to you might not be clear to others. In self-help nonfiction, whether in the business or personal development arena, we want to help people grow, heal, and succeed in whatever area our readers value. As a developmental editor and book coach, I pay close attention to the exercises authors I work with create because I know that the mind that makes a prompt understands it. It's important to remember that your readers aren't you. You not only need to test your exercises to make sure they "work," but you also want to make sure your readers will understand where you're going with it. You might need to build a bridge to help people understand the journey you’re inviting them on. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerscommunity #nonfiction #writers

I haven't baked a yam in YEARS! I usually just cut them up and cook them on the stovetop with my veggies. Today, I actually baked a yam (served with less butter than this online pic), and it was DELICIOUS!!! I had forgotten how wonderful they are when you bake them. Ambrosia.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SET YOURSELF FREE FROM? This came to me while I was journaling this morning. What fear, what limiting belief, what outgrown way of being are you ready to set yourself free from? Got it? Good. Now... WRITE it away! #journaling #amwriting #setmefree

IS PERFECTIONISM GETTING IN THE WAY OF YOUR GETTING YOUR WRITING DONE AND OUT INTO THE WORLD? If it is, you're not alone. Perfectionism gets in the way of our writing because we know our writing will be seen by others, and we want to present ourselves in the best possible light. That's very human, but so is the desire to connect. So how do we marry the two? I think the answer is to accept that nobody's perfect, and nothing can change that. My next thought was to say, "Just do your best." But I realized that can easily lead to perfectionism, too. So, what I'm left with is... be real. I'm not saying "be transparent" in the way some people on social media interpret it. People who feel compelled to spill every flaw and bit of information about their messy life (that we all have), which is often received by others as TMI, and when used in sales copy sometimes comes across as manipulative. Just be yourself. Be real. Yes, try to do the best you can in the moment, but don't stress about it or strive for perfection. Because real perfection is in fully accepting and being yourself and being willing to shine your imperfect/perfectly you light in the world. And when you view what you shared today, perhaps tomorrow, or next week, or next year, and realize it could have been so much better (to the current you's perception)... just know that you did the best you could at the time and appreciate yourself for putting yourself out there, connecting with others, and taking steps to live your best life. #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerslife

IS "WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW" GOOD ADVICE??? So many writing teachers will say, "write what you know," but is that necessary? It's certainly good advice for beginning writers. It takes a lot of the pressure off if you're confident about the subject you're writing about. But it should never be considered a requirement. There are so many reasons that we write. It could simply be a desire to express yourself. I know that I tend to write what I'm exploring or struggling with or want to learn. You might want to write to share a particular message or share a topic you're passionate about. Perhaps you're taking a walk, and have an inspiration that moves you so deeply that you want to write about it, even though you've never even thought about it before. Writing is a journey of discovery, even when you're writing "what you know." What lights you on fire to write can change from book to book, article to article, or story to story. I think most writers have one general motivation, but specific projects can come from other motivations. So, what's your general writing style? Do you like to write what you know, what you're learning, or whatever inspiration has struck you recently? #amwriting #writerscommunity #writerslife

"2 MINUTES CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE" On America's (and Britain's) Got Talent, Simon Cowell often reminds contestants to "Remember, 2 minutes can change your life." Well, I want to say to authors, coaches, and course creators, it's true!!! 2 minutes really can change your life. Often, the hardest thing about getting our content creation or marketing done is getting started. Procrastination reigns supreme. What if... you knew you only had to work for 2 minutes? Would that make it easier to sit down and get started? Of course, once you get started, you often keep going. Yet, even if you only write or market for two minutes, whether that's writing a paragraph, doing some brainstorming, or posting on social media, you're creating a momentum that will make it a little bit easier to get started tomorrow. Even 2 2 2 2 2 adds up over time. So, let go of "I need to work for an hour" and grab hold of "I only have to work for 2 minutes" and see what happens. What would you most like to work for 2 minutes on today? #writer #writing #writerscommunity #bookmarketing #amwriting

WHAT CAN YOU CREATE IF YOU WRITE 500 WORDS A DAY?? I was looking through some old files and found this. I created it about 15 years ago. Do the math. 500 words a day for a year = 182,500 words. An average nonfiction book is about 35,000 - 40,000 words. An average novel is about about 80,000 words. That leaves lots of extra words lying around the house. Even if you only write 200 words a day, that's 73,000 words in a year. Either way, you can miss a few days and still get a book done. And so much more beyond that. Yes, AI can probably write 182,500 words in 2 minutes a day for about a week. But I'm talking about a book written in YOUR UNIQUE VOICE, which is your personal gold mine. When I first started out, I remember hearing the advice to "study success" over and over. But the real reason for a book's success is not its subject matter or its structure, although those do contribute to it, the real reason for a book's success is the author's unique voice and take on the subject. With the onslaught of AI-written books, that has already started and is just going to grow and grow over the years, it's more important now than ever to write from YOUR perspective, experience, and voice. WHAT DAILY WRITING GOAL ARE YOU WILLING TO COMMIT TO?

It's time for this shy writer to put myself out into the world. Care to join me? More and more, this is a video-based world, and putting your face and energy out to your potential audience in a video not only helps sell books but supports your book-to-biz success by attracting coaching clients, students for your book-based classes, and speaking gigs. As they say, done is better than perfect. So here's my "done." #writerscommunity #writerslife #writer

I got a new car battery about 6 weeks ago and when it died, I thought... either it's a dud, and they'll have to replace it, or they didn't tighten something that came loose. I knew it couldn't have been me because the last time I drove it was the middle of the day, so I didn't leave my headlights on. But when AAA jumped my battery this afternoon, one of those tiny lights above the rearview mirror came on. I have no memory of turning it on, but I must have. Oops! My bad. At least it didn't cost me any money to fix, and I'm happy about that. Oh, well. Back to work.

If you want to sell more nonfiction books, do this... #amwriting #bookpromotion #bookmarketing #writerscommunity

PASSION DRIVES ACTION, INCLUDING WRITING Even when we love to write, it can sometimes be hard to muster the energy and focus to write. That's why it's important not just to love "writing" but to LOVE the specific book you're writing. If you're passionate about your book's topic or the transformation your readers will receive (nonfiction) or the story you want to share (fiction), you won't have trouble starting to write... you'll have trouble stopping. When you write with passion, your readers feel it--and they catch on fire. Then they'll want your other books, and your courses, and your coaching services, and they'll book you to speak. And if there's a project that you want to write for a good reason, but you're only 50% on fire for it, then find an aspect of it that truly lights you up. * It can be the transformation you know it will bring to your readers. * It can be a book you almost completed a few years back and can finish quickly, which will fulfill a promise you made to yourself. Honoring yourself can feel absolutely amazing and propel you forward. Find anything that will change your energy from "I have to" to "I want to." If you can't, move on. Because if you don't want to write the book, people won't want to read it. You've probably heard the saying, "garbage in, garbage out." With your book, think of it this way, "passion in, passion out." #amwriting #writingtips #writinglife #writerscommunity

OFFER SOMETHING NEW by being absolutely YOU! I've been saying this for over 10 years, and it's now more true than ever because of AI. What makes your writing unique is YOU! Your perspective, stories, language and so much more. AI is great for brainstorming and can give you a great start, but YOUR VOICE is what will make your writing stand out. #amwriting #writerscommunity