Goals for Winning

Before you set goals, count your wins. Winning is the fuel that keeps you motivated on the road to achieving your goals. This is especially for long-form projects like novels, screenplays, and non-fiction books. 

On a recent GoalChatLive, I talked about winning with Aime Card, author of The Tigerbelles; Annie Korzen, 85-year-old TikTok influencer and author of The Book of Annie; and Liz Lachman, a filmmaker, whose documentary Susan Feniger FORKED is currently on the film festival circuit. 

All three have pursued projects that define what it means to win. 

Winning Words to Live By

• Aime: “I’m tired is not the time to quit.” 
• Annie: “Yeah, why not” 
• Liz: “Leave me alone”

Winning Goals

• Annie: Phone a friend who doesn’t realize you feel like they are neglecting you Aime: Get out of your comfort zone Liz: Literally jump for joy

Watch Our Conversation:

Final Thoughts

• Annie: To appreciate what you’ve got, make the best of what you’ve got 
• Aime: Gratitude goes a long way 
• Liz: Another therapist told me: Your head is the secretary. The gut is the boss. The gut says, here’s what I want to do. The brain makes it happen. Don’t confuse the two. Don’t let the brain start making the decisions

I hope you have a successful year full of joy and lots of progress, Start by counting your wins. And let that energy carry you through the ups and downs you face along the way. Happy New Year!

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin! 

* * *

What are your wins for 2023? What wins are you planning for 2024? Please share in the comments. 

* * *

Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; host of  #GoalChatLive aka The DEB Show podcast and Taste Buds with Deb. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

What Drives Your Publishing?

By Terry Whalin (@terrywhalin) 

Few people talk about this truth of publishing: it is hard. I’ve been doing it for decades and it is still hard. There is a reason it is called work. Yet thousands of new books are published every day. These books join the millions of books which are already in print. Yes the field involves lot of competition yet there are also huge opportunities for writers.

Since I was a small child, I have always loved and appreciated many different types of books. As I wrote about in the first chapter of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams, a high school English teacher pushed me toward joining my high school newspaper and beginning to write stories. It is a path I’ve walked for decades. I have spent (and continue to spend hours) learning the craft of storytelling. I study publications, publishers and agents to learn what they need then deliver it. I continue to build reader and audience connections. I care about the details of editing and understand the need to rewrite (especially if the editor needs something else). I’ve only given a few items in a lengthy list related to publishing. The reality is publishing is a complex business with many twists and turns. I’ve been continually studying it for decades.

As I’ve traveled the publishing journey, I’ve met incredible people and had remarkable experiences. For example, twice I’ve received six-figure advances from traditional publishers. I’ve also been fired and had book contracts cancelled.  I’ve experienced the thrill of success and the dismal feelings of rejection.  I’ve stayed at my computer sometimes all night to keep my fingers on the keyboard and meet a deadline.

Why do it? Why invest such effort into this challenging work which is filled with many “no thank yous” and rejection? My motivation is rooted in my personal experience from years ago. Books change lives and I know this fact firsthand because a book changed my life.  

For the first year and a half I attended Indiana University to study journalism, I rebelled from my Christian upbringing. You can read the details in this magazine article, Two Words ThatChanged My Life. During this period, I wandered in a Christian bookstore two blocks off the campus to look at their cards and posters. I found a book called Jesus the Revolutionary by H.S. Vigeveno (Regal Books). The title and cover caught my attention. This book changed my life and I saw a different side of Jesus than I had ever seen in church. I began a personal relationship with Jesus and changed the direction of my life. Instead of journalism, I spent ten years in linguistics and missionary work before eventually I returned to my writing and my first book was published in 1992. The printed page has the power to change lives and I know it from personal experience. These memories motivate me every day to be involved in some aspect of publishing.

Now that you know my motivation, I encourage you to spend some time thinking about your motivation. Can you capture it in sentence or two? Or maybe like my story, you have an experience about a changed life. Publishing is complicated and full of hard days as well as good one. My motivation to change lives is foundational as to why I fight through the hard experiences and keep on going. What motivates you? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

What drives you to publish? According to this prolific writer and editor,books change lives. Learn the details here: https://bit.ly/3sLhuEH #writinglife #pubtip (ClickToTweet)

________________________________________

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s recent book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets ToSpeed Your Success. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Featured Productivity Tool: Write Your Win List

Want a sure-fire to stay motivated ... and productive? Start tracking your wins.  

As writers, we constantly have multiple projects at various stages of development. Things take a long time to go from idea to published work. It's easy to lose steam ... and lose faith. 

Stop waiting to write "The End" before noting an accomplishment. Track all of your wins. And start celebrating ALL of your accomplishments. 

How and Where to Track Wins

One easy way to track your wins is via your electronic calendar. Whenever you have a writing appointment, include the time - and the activity - in your calendar. Then, at the end of the month, if you don't feel like you've done enough, you can easily prove yourself wrong. All your progress at a glance. 

You can also track progress by creating a Win List. You can do this in an actual notebook, on a Google or Word doc - whatever makes the most sense for you. Then, at the end of every day, put the date at the top and write out one to three wins. At the end of the week, review your list and celebrate your wins. You can also do this whenever you need a pick me up!

Win Starters

Are you having trouble claiming wins? Here is a fill-in-the-blank list to get you started. Hint: Anything and everything can be considered a win. It just needs to be meaningful to you.

• I journaled ## days/week 
• I wrote/created/published /launched/released [this] 
• I queried X agents/magazines/publishers
• I did [this nice thing] that helped [this person/community] 
• I did not complain about my neighbors
• I learned [this] 
• I read [that] 
• I reconnected with [this person] 
• I worked out ## days most weeks 
• I cooked/baked/gardened 
• I filled someone's expired parking meter
• I pursued information on [something] that has always interested me 
• I tried eating/drinking/watching something new
• I survived 

Final Thoughts 

Motivation and productivity go hand in hand. The more productive you are, the more motivated you are to keep going. Keep an eye on your goals, and celebrate every step along the way. Remember, you can do it!

* * * 

For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin! 

* * *

What's your biggest win this week? This month? Please share in the comments, so we can help celebrate you. 

* * *

Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

Techniques for Cultivating Creative Writing Ideas by Deborah Lyn

Make cultivating ideas part of your writing process. Creative writing needs inspiration—motivation will follow quickly to get that personal essay, story, or novel written!

“To stimulate creativity, one must develop the childlike inclination for play.” And
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein.

Whether we write fiction or non-fiction stories, growing our list of project ideas is vital. As our list grows and our process expands, we’ll foster descriptive writing techniques. We will use sense words—sight, sound, smell, taste & touch to enhance our writing.

So let’s get playful!

The “What If” game is great for exploring ideas outside the box.
“What if I could…?”
“What if my hero…”
“What if I had made a different _______________ choice?
“What if someone found out…?”
Continue to ask “What Ifs” to use now or later for inspiration.

Be curious with “Why” questions:
“Why a story instead of a poem?”
“Why set it in the country rather than a metropolis?” Rural vs City dwellers
“Why not write from a different perspective.
•    How would my favorite author describe this?
•    How would a four or five-year-old describe this scene?
•    Describe a scene from a fast-moving train or flying in a single-engine plane, or better yet, a helicopter.

•    Use story structure basics, then branch out to make it original, even inventive: A character struggles to overcome a problem, and meets with eventual success.
    -Jane Austen used this format to create great original variations. She borrowed and created new.
    -Heidi is another example: orphaned children journey to find a home
    -It’s a Wonderful Life, classic Christmas movie
    -Cinderella: cruelly and unfairly treated, in the end she’s the heroine

•    Try using TV listings, or movie synopsis as prompts to stimulate ideas
•    Magazine and online images can be great writing prompts, for story or free writing
•    Folktales retold your way
•    Coming of age struggles, confusion, and solutions
•    Contemporary prince or princess in love with a commoner
•    A school for superheroes to rescue ______________
Keep building your ideas list.
It’ll be hard to keep-up with the rush of thoughts!

Good practice points for a satisfying writing life:
•    Don’t wait for inspiration. Do something you love, it will spark ideas.
•    Set aside your best time to write for 20-30 minutes, make it an appointment and keep it.
•    Let go of perfectionism! It defeats playfulness.
     -Change things up—write by hand, write on scraps of paper, be messy, break rules, whatever works to stay playful!
     -Forget mistakes. You can fix them easy enough on the next draft.

Just Write!
Try Stuff, First Get It Written, Revise the Next Draft

See post: WOTM: 9.17.2021 Read Well, Creative Writing Resources, by Deborah Lyn Stanley

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her My Writer’s Life website at: https://deborahlynwriter.com/   

Visit her caregiver’s website: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/
Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love on Amazon

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Libraries: A Thing of the Past?

People sometimes hear that I work in a library and say, "That's a dying professions, isn't it?" or  "Libraries will all be gone within ten years."  or "Who goes to libraries anymore?"

Well, today was the grand opening of our new local library.  We had to stand in line for nearly an hour to even get in the building because there were so many people.  When we left, there was still a big line:  all sorts of ages, races, family configurations.  They were all so excited that this library we've been waiting for has finally opened.

Libraries aren't going out of style.  They're not just a place to check out books.  There are so many more resources:  culture passes, nature exploration kits, DVDs, seeds, study rooms, storytimes, book clubs, ESL classes, job hunting assistance, refuge from the elements, computer access, color printing, e-resources, writing classes, social events, cultural events, author appearances, safe spaces for teens, literacy support, etc. etc.

But...they're also a place to check out books.  And people DO check out books.  A lot of books. So, keep writing.  And keep supporting your local libraries.

Melinda Brasher's fiction appears most recently in Leading Edge (Volume 73) and Deep Magic (Spring 2019).  Her newest non-fiction book, Hiking Alaska from Cruise Ports is available on Amazon.    

She loves hiking and taking photographs of nature's small miracles.  

Visit her online at http://www.melindabrasher.com

Surviving January

Happy New Year!

The holidays are finally over, daily routines are back to what counts as "normal" in your home, and, even though vacation was nice, it's time to get back to work.

The problem: It seems like no one else feels that way. That query you sent out before Thanksgiving: Crickets. The prospect who promised to work with you the beginning of the year: Nada. That job you applied for that is due to be filled in January: Shouldn't they be interviewing by now?

Don't worry, this "priority timeline mismatch" - when you are ready to move forward on something that is not in the same stage for the other person - happens all the time. It just has more of an impact this time of year, since we are itching to get back into the swing of things. Freelancers, who've had more downtime than they'd like the last few weeks, feel it even more.

In a follow-up to last month's post on Surviving December, here are 10 things you can do to stay happy, productive, and less stressed in January, while you are waiting for others to catch up.

1. Write out your goals for the year. You may have done this already, but if not, write out three professional and three personal goals for the year. Then, when you are looking for something to pass the time, pick an action item you can do that will bring you closer to achieving one of those goals.

2. Organize your workspace. When was the last time you cleaned your deck? Purged your files? Archived old clients and projects? No time like the beginning of teh year to give yourself a fresh start.

3. Read through your "to read" file. Whether it's in a physical file or on a computer, everyone has a pile of articles set aside to read later when they have time. You have time now, so take advantage of it.

4. Write a book. National Novel Writing Month may be in November, but no one says it's the only month of the year for that type of challenge. You have the time, why not go for it? And it's much easier on the psyche than waiting around for someone to reply to a pitch or other request.

5. Reconnect. Send an email or a message to someone - or someones - with whom you've lost touch. Have a phone call, meet for coffee, go to events. Occupy yourself by expanding your network. You never know where your next connection may lead. 

6. Research publications. Is one of your goals to start writing for a new publication this year? Do some research and come up with a list of places to target in the new year.

7. Write some pitches. You've done you research (see above), so you might as well.

These last three were on the December list, although framed a different way. 

8. Eat healthy. This means cook more and snack less. Cooking is one of the best ways to combine creativity and meditation. And the reward is yummy food you made yourself.

9. Workout at least twice a week.  Don't let your resolution to workout fall by the wayside in week two of the year, as so many people do. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy, and as a result can commit to, and schedule time to do it on a regular basis.

10. Read a book. Cross off the goal of reading a book in 2019 early. You may even get on a roll and start reading a book a month or a week. Continuing education - whether it's non-fiction for self-improvement or fiction for "research" - is always a good thing.

It's okay to have downtime. Just be sure to enjoy you, since you'll be super-busy again before you know it!

How will you survive January? Please share your recommendations in the comments.

* * *

Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of The D*E*B Method: Goal Setting Simplified and Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group.  She is author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages, and host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat. Debra is an editor at Social Media Examiner and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

Are You Too Busy?

 

We've all been there . . . being too busy.

But, is your busyness constructive?

Or, is your busyness, just busyness?

If you're trying to build a writing career, you've got to be busy on things that will move your career forward.

Do you want to become an author?

Well, you've got to decide which niche you'll write in. And, then you'll need to learn the ropes and write until you reach your goal.

Do you want to build a freelance writing career? 

Again, you've got to decide on the niche you'll write in. Learn as much as you can about it and then jump. 

Do you want to market you and/or your books?

Yep. You've got to put in the work.

No matter what it is you want to do, make your busyness constructive. Make it move you forward to achieve your goals.

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author and children’s ghostwriter/ rewriter. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Writers on the Move and author online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing.

MORE ON WRITING

Traditional Book Publishing – Contract to Sales to Career

Writers Conferences - Two Awesome Tips on Why to Attend

Avoid These Common Mistakes in Creating Characters for Your Story

Pick Two Things and Do Them

Do you have a laundry list of writing and marketing things you've had to get done, but just haven't had the time?

Today is the day to start to tackle that list.

Just pick TWO things and WRITE THEM DOWN.

Maybe it's to do a video for your marketing.

Maybe it's to write a new blog post for your author website.

Whatever those two things are that you've picked, take care of them today!

Don't procrastinate.

Before you know it, your to-do list will be manageable.

3 Things You Can Do Right Now to Be More Creative

If you’re like me and you occasionally feel stuck creatively, you might be searching for ways to get those juices pumping again. Well, my fellow writing friend, you’ve found some great tips that you can do today.

1.       Infuse Your Diffuser—Are you in on the latest essential oil craze? I’m not here to sell you essential oils, but I can tell you that smells matter. Research has shown that smells stimulate your brain quicker because of the olfactory senses being so close to your brain. That’s why a smell can bring back a memory quicker than anything. Hmmm, I wonder if there’s been research with people who have Alzheimer’s? Anyway, I digress.

My point here is if you use a particular smell in the area where you write and use it consistently, it will trigger your brain to know this is our creative time and if you choose the smells that are associated with more alertness and stimulation, you’ll get a two-for-one deal. I like peppermint and cinnamon. Maybe I’m a foodie at heart. I’m still experimenting with my diffuser but you could use a room freshener. There are some really pretty plug-in’s I’ve seen lately. If you used scents to help you write, please let me know what scent is your favorite. I’d love to hear about it and give it a try myself.

2.       Less is More—Have you heard this? Well, I know it’s a great motto for living and leaving less of a carbon footprint and I’m on board with that, but for creativity, less is not more. You see, when we have nothing around us, no colors, no chachkies with sentimental value, no stuff—well, our brains just aren’t as creative. Our brains need, no crave, stimulation. If you’re in a boring bland empty colorless room, you’re going to get what you put it, nothing. You’ll be staring at a blank page quicker than a tick latches onto a hound dog. Now, I’m no friend of clutter. I grew up with an OCD (that’s obsessive compulsive disorder, for those non-psychology majors) mother who wanted everything in its’ place. I mean there was no clutter anywhere, not even our bedrooms, no closets stuffed with stuff, nothing hidden under our beds. I’ll stop before you start feeling sorry for me. She didn’t really have a disorder, she just didn’t like clutter so you can see why I don’t either. However, my writing office, it’s become, ahem, sorry Mom, cluttered. I have all kinds of article clippings (yes, I still do that) and stuffed shoved on shelves and actually spilling out onto the floor and bags hanging from hooks that are also stuffed with stuff and drawers filled to the brim.

Oh, and I have a problem with collecting pillows. I can’t seem to find just the right one, so I’ve bought quite a few. The guest bed in my writing office has become the holding pen for all the pillows I have rejected. It’s a great place to take a break from writing (which I never do because I’m a writing machine. LOL). But, I also have beautiful French doors that open onto my large porch and overlook our lush tropical backyard and pond brimming with life. This is a place of great inspiration for me; my writing “stuff,” my collection of pillows and the beautiful great outdoors. So, surround yourself with what you love—make it colorful, fun, whimsical is even better, and filled with whatever inspires you. Please share with me what things you like to have around you when you’re writing, I’d love to hear it.

3.       Computer typing or pen-holding writing?—I know we love our computers. I do too. I’m so productive. I can type really fast because I grew up in an age where we were taught typing. So, I don’t have to look at the keyboard and I don’t even think of letters, I think in whole words and my fingers know where to go. I, however, cannot type with my thumbs. We’ll leave that up to the younger generation. Wouldn’t it be funny if we grew extra thumbs to help us type more? Okay, okay, I know--a total digression. However, when you type, there is research that shows, you do not use your most creative part of your brain.

There are two sides to your brain—a right side and a wrong side, I mean left side. Your right side is the creative side and the left is your more rational side. When you type, you are using the left side of your brain. To stimulate the right side of your brain, the creative side, you need to use your hands. Research has shown that when you write, the act of transferring your thoughts to your hands and onto the paper actually stimulates the right side of your brain thus causing you to be more creative. If you haven’t actually hand written something in a while, I dare you to try it. You might just remember why you fell in love with writing in the first place. Please share with me your experience, I’d love to hear how this goes for you.

Wanda Luthman has her Masters of Arts in both Mental Health Counseling and Guidance Counseling from Rollins College located in beautiful Winter Park, Florida. She has worked at the local Community Mental Health Center, the local Community College, Hospice, and is currently a Guidance Counselor. Her calling in life is to help others be their best selves. She writes magical, whimsical, adventure books that delight and inspire children. She has always loved reading and writing and wrote many books and poems as a child growing up in Missouri. She presently resides in Brevard County Florida with her husband of 22 years and 2 dogs.

Follow her blog at Wanda Luthman’s Children’s Books (www.wandaluthman.wordpress.com)

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Think Your Way to Writing Success with Daily Affirmations
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A Gift From Writers on the Move to You

Another year is coming to a close and at this time we at Writers on the Move would like to THANK YOU for being a part of our online lives, for following our authors and writers, for commenting and sharing our work, and for subscribing to our site.

To show our appreciation, below are two ebooks to help guide you and motivate you toward writing and marketing success in the New Year. These are two regulars for our year end gifts. They're so helpful, they're worth re-giving!

And, as a bonus, you can share these ebooks. You can offer it as a gift in your newsletter, on your website, as a bonus to a gift or product you’re offering, or for some other incentive. Please though, be sure to them intact.

Click the links to download:

Achieve Your Goals with 3 Must-Have Psychological Assets

A Simple System to Achieve Your Goals

Next week, we'll have a very useful brand new gift - be sure to stop by!

Have a Happy, Healthy, and Safe
Holiday Season and New Year!

Pacemaker Press--a Word Count Graph

Last month I talked about the motivational power of NaNoWriMo's word count graph, but since it's only live in November, I decided to try another online word count tracker:  Pacemaker.

I don't find Pacemaker as satisfying or user-friendly as NaNoWriMo's site, but it's still a great tool for tracking progress.  I also really like its flexibility.  You can set up different types of goals, including editing/revising plans, and you can count by word, scene, chapter, etc.  I tried to set my December goal by counting scenes and ended up changing it to word count because it was easier to tally.  However, I think the scene idea might work in another situation.    

If you're looking for a progress tracker to help get your New Year's writing goals accomplished, try out Pacemaker and see how you like it.  

NOTE:  If you use Pacemaker, don't forget to click the green "save plan and progress" button after adding your progress, even though you've already clicked the "apply progress" button.  It's a seemingly unnecessary step, but it won't save if you don't.

See my original post:  The Magic of Word-Count Graphs  

Melinda Brasher currently teaches English as a second language in the beautiful Czech Republic.  She loves the sound of glaciers calving and the smell of old books.  Her travel articles and short fiction appear in Go Nomad, International Living, Electric Spec, Intergalactic Medicine Show, and others.  For an e-book collection of some of her favorite published pieces, check out Leaving Home.  For something a little more medieval, read her YA fantasy novel, Far-Knowing. Visit her online at http://www.melindabrasher.com.

Let Passion Fuel Your Writing Career

The Four Levels of Engagement & How to Use Them To Fuel Your Work

When you are looking to start a new writing project, here are some things to consider:

Level 1 Engagement: Lack of Enthusiasm: When you find you are lacking enthusiasm for your current writing project, many times this is because you are not following your passion, but that of another person. As a writer, we can all write a variety of things from non-fiction to short stories to novels, and we can choose from a wide range of topics. But when you find yourself writing something that doesn't seem to drive you toward your own goals, this lack of enthusiasm may cause you to stumble. Write what fuels your passion.

Level 2 Engagement: Inspired: Inspiration occurs when an idea manifests. Inspired people are more engaged in their project and may think and speak about the 'great idea' they have. Inspiration is important to fueling your writing, but inspiration alone is not enough. Talking about and thinking about what to write will not get words on a page.

Level 3 Engagement: Motivated: Motivation is an idea you can't put down. It won't let go of you, following you to the grocery store and to bed at night. But its more than just an idea, it's an idea that must, and I mean must, be acted on. Motivation means you will sit down at your desk and write. Being motivated will fuel your writing and provide you with a body of work.

Level 4 Engagement: Passion: Passion is when you have an idea, and it's one that won't let go of you and you writing this particular article or longer piece is part of your destiny, your path. This project will take you where you want to go with your writing career. It is the work you were meant to write to share with the world and it will show in your final product. Let passion fuel your work.

_______________________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, Flight from the Water Planet, Book 1 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

Borrowing from the Superheroes

My husband—sweetie that he is—brought me a copy of The Smithsonian from his dermatologist's office. So thanks to Lance and Dr. Mantel, I am now a diehard fan of the magazine.

One of the articles was inspired by the new movie, Man of Steel. They take up how "superhero origin stories inspire us to cope with adversity."

The elements that make superheroes so popular can work with characters in any kind of fiction you may write (or read). Here are the ones that Smithsonian writer Robin Rosenberg found in several of the most popular superhero tales. Check your stories and novels to see how these themes (or "life-altering experiences") might be capitalized on to further pique the interest of your readers.

~Destiny—is your character "chosen" in some way?
~Trauma—has your character suffered trauma that increased his strengths or weaknesses?
~Sheer chance—Sheer chance is usually not as compelling as an action that has been caused or motivated, but sometimes a writer just has to resort to it. If an author makes that choice, he or she should put more emphasis on how the character deals with it.
~Choosing "altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power."

My own takeaway from Rosenberg’s piece is that literary criticism of the last decade has relegated backstory in novels as pretty undesirable, something that should be minimized at all costs. In my gut, I've always disagreed. Of course, we can't let backstory get in the way of momentum, but backstory is often part of your hero’s path to character building so they very well may deserve more attention.  I’m also reading Wally Lamb’s new novel and I’m pretty sure from the evidence that he agrees with me—at least in regard to literary fiction.

Backstory helps your readers relate and find meaning in loss, and it provides models for coping. If you are a write of nonfiction, you may find ways to use superheroes' themes anecdotally in your work.

In either case, understanding the psychological underpinnings of why we are so affected may benefit us all by "tapping into our capacity for empathy, one of the greatest [super?] powers of all."

There’s one more that Rosenberg missed. I think we're all searching for connection—human to human. If that happens to be human-to-alien or human-to-superhero, so be it. It's part of what we all need as readers.

Note: Rosenberg, a clinical psychologist, has written several books about the psychology of superheroes. Search for her on Google.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .

Why Do You Write?

Don’t worry about the type of writing you do or how long you’ve had the creative bug. Focus on the reasons why. Some of you may feel an overwhelming need to express yourselves. Others feel a passion for the written word. In both cases, writing comes as naturally as drinking water to satisfy a thirst. You write because you must.

Perhaps you write for yourself, taking satisfaction from forming an idea into a finished piece. Perhaps you write for you family, preserving bits of history for future generations. Perhaps you write for publication, sharing your work with anyone willing to read beyond the first few lines.

What about money? Wouldn’t it be great to be paid for your work? A fiction teacher once told me to consider my reasons very carefully. If I sought fame and/or fortune, I ought to give up writing in favor of more practical skills.

Is it really that difficult to earn a living as a writer?

In the world of creative writing—particularly literary fiction and poetry—proper compensation seems like a half‐forgotten dream. A select few literary journals offer high fees, but competition among writers is fierce. Smaller and less established journals may offer little or no monetary compensation.

In order to earn a living, many writers turn to trade and specialty magazines for more lucrative deals. Feature articles tend to generate considerably more income than creative writing. However, most editors aren’t interested in reading unsolicited manuscripts. For the writer, that means extra time spent on research and crafting a convincing query letter. Why is your article unique? Why are you the best writer for the job? Why should the editor care?

Ultimately, you have to decide if the benefits outweigh your efforts. If you’re making good money but hate what you’re writing, you’ve probably gone off track somewhere along the way. On the other hand, an old adage suggests that if you do what you love, the money will follow.

Betty Dobson is an award-winning writer of short fiction, essays and poetry. She also writes newspaper and magazine articles but is still waiting for those awards to materialize. In the meantime, she continues to run InkSpotter Publishing, which has three new books available and several more in the works for 2012.

“Writing Down Goals and Objectives Can Keep You Focused,” by Mayra Calvani

I have kids, a husband, pets, a house, and many errands to run on a weekly basis. So how do I find the time to write? Well, first of all, I don’t find it. I make it. You know why? Because if you wait for the perfect time to write, it’ll never come: there never is a perfect time to write.

One method that has worked for me is to, first of all, 1) be clear about my goals and objectives and 2) write down my goals and objectives each day before I start working. I learned this powerful trick from Suzanne Lieurance, founder of The Working Writer’s Club.

After my kids are off to school and my hubby off to work, I go to my office with Amigo, my adorable golden retriever, and I sit down at the computer. Before I start working, however, I open my spiral notebook and write my schedule for the day. I use Google calendar for all my weekly and monthly goals and objectives, but I also like to keep this spiral notebook for my daily schedule. There is something extremely powerful about writing your goals and objectives each day before you sit down to write.

First, I write my 3 major yearly goals at the top of the page. Then I write down the objectives that I can take today in order to bring me closer to those 3 major goals. My goals are usually very broad, and my objectives very specific.

For example, if one of my 3 major goals is “to establish myself as an author,” then one of my objectives is:

9:00-11:00 AM – work on my novel.

Unless something unexpected comes up, I’ll usually keep this objective from Monday to Friday month after month until I have a complete manuscript that is ready to be submitted. If, for whatever reason, I can’t write that morning, I’ll try to allocate those two hours in the afternoon or at night—though not often, as my mind is fresher in the mornings.

A typical writing day will include one objective for each major goal, for a total of 3 objectives. Each objective must be related to its goal. If it isn’t, then I discard it. This is extremely helpful to help keep you focused and prevent ‘bright shiny objects’ to stir you away from what’s really important.

Of course I already know what my goals and objectives are, but the secret lies in writingthem down each day before I start working. This really helps keep me focused and productive. I love to tick items off as I complete them, so at the end of the day I usually feel like I’ve really accomplish something and that all my projects are progressing and getting somewhere. I started using this system this January and the results have been excellent.

If you’re feeling unfocused, unproductive and unmotivated, I encourage you to try this method!

About the Author:  Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer,Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, andBloomsbury Review, among many others. A reviewer for over a decade, she now offers online reviewing workshops. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Visit her website at www.MayraCalvani.com, join her mailing list, and automatically receive the free ebooks, Reviewers Talk about Their Craft and the first lesson from my Slippery Art of Book Reviewing Workshop.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/mcalvani

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayra-Calvanis-Fan-Page/162383023775888

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/272703.Mayra_Calvani

Writing Challenges for Picture Book Writers

Are you a picture book writer who is having trouble staying motivated?  Sometime we just need a little outside push to keep us working.  Having something to share with my critique group helps keep my but in the chair and keeps me writing. BUT…a good critique group can be hard to find and  a poor fit can cause more harm than good.  If you don’t have a critique group that works for you but need some outside motivation to keep you working, consider joining one of the following picture book challenges.

• 12 x 12 in2012 Challenge  - Write one new picture book each month in 2012.  You don’t have to come up with a final draft…but what good start.  To officially participate you need to join by January 29^th.

• Picture bookmarathon – Write 26 picture books in the month of February.   This is for someone who wants some serious butt kicking in February.   

• The annual Kidlit Picture Book Dummy Challenge has already begun, but you can still jump in.  The point of this challenge is to prepare one picture dummy for submission by July 1^st.   This is a great challenge for the writer-illustrator.  

• NationalPicture Book Writers Week  – Write 7 picture books in seven days.   Another great way to kick start some stories.

Many of these challenges are structured with community support through either emails or Facebook.  You can join the community or just work on your own.  The idea is not to necessarily end up with perfect manuscripts but to get you started working on the process of developing your story.  For other suggestions for children’s authors check out Starting a Career as a Children’s Writer by Annie from WOM.

Happy Writing!
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Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life strategist.  She helps clients push through their blocks, envision their path and take the necessary action to live their True North.

For more information check out  www.donorth.biz
or folllow her at:
http://theadvantagepoint.wordpress.com
http://www.helpingchidrencope.blogspot.com
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