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Strategies For Winning Your Race: Practical Tips on Book-Writing

Publishing books is like running a cross country race. We aim to not only build stamina to pace ourselves for the distance, but to compete with our past performances and run our best times.  Resiliency at Work I ran cross country for three years in college. Yet, out of all of my races, there was one in particular which stood out. Not because I won first or second place either. In fact, I was late for the meet. Despite watching everybody start the race from the parking lot, I was determined to overcome my obstacles. Surprisingly, I landed third place among my team mates. Again, I was the last runner to start, but not the last to finish. Let’s Go! Do you have a solid foundation? Are you behind on your book? Still, highly resilient, you hold the willpower to go the extra mile. Awesome! Let’s reposition ourselves to finish stronger.  As you know, writing books requires self-motivation and discipline. However, what specifically does that entail? Going the distance and maintaining m...
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How to Trigger Your Motivation

Getting back on the horse is not easy, especially when it comes to completing a project such as a book. However, authors find ways to create their motivation to write. Here we’ll discuss practical strategies to trigger your motivation. Setting the Atmosphere I encourage you to produce a conducive environment to develop your craft. That could look like clearing your workstation. Playing your beast mode jam and getting your favorite drink to ignite laser focus. Activate Your Passion Stirring your emotions to put one foot in front of the other might look like reflecting on affirmations, listening to motivational talks and reflecting on specific songs and performances. For me this looks like reviewing certain clips that are moving. I focus on the person, audience and show. I gather the energy and get ready to move.  Keep Moving Also, consider an active routine. Exercising helps boost energy while relieving stress. I use walking as a way to transition into my next activity. Conclusion ...

How to Avoid a False Start

A false start is whenever an individual is gung-ho about their book. Initially, they’re unstoppable, ignoring the naysayers and pressing forward no matter what. However, life throws curve balls and the author gets off track and their goals steadily slip into distant dreams.  We’ve all been there! At least I know I have several times. Here we’ll discuss contributing factors but also techniques to get back on course. Creating A Solid Foundation Whenever I had a false start, it was because I didn't have a system in place. I did things that landed me in the dark over and over again. I dived into my book chronologically. I would write the introduction and a couple of chapters or so and then get overwhelmed. Through my excitement I just started writing my book off of the top of my head! Then I wondered how I got trapped into writer’s block. First, go hard on creating a solid foundation. Develop a good outline. This starts with having specific objectives and messages for our readers. I re...

Press Release: Newly Released Book Answers the Underlying Question and Delivers in May's Mental Health Awareness Month

For Immediate Release May 24, 2026 Newly Released Book Answers the Underlying Question and Delivers in May’s Mental Health Awareness Month Atlanta, Georgia— May 24, 2026— Author Elisa Norman published her book, Stop Calling Me Jesus! My Triumph Over Mental Illness, during Mental Health Awareness Month. Delivering a powerful message and fighting the stigma of mental illness. This insightful memoir is available on Amazon. May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. Mental Health America established this nationwide observance in 1949. The 2026 theme is “More Good Days, Together.” There are countless individuals who possess noteworthy stories but few attempt to share them. Still, Elisa Norman dares to make her recovery story known. Answering the question: what goes on in a psychiatric hospital? She articulates her day-by-day experience for 11 days… Elisa is a mental health advocate, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) leader, and a lived experience expert on managing ...

Newly Released Book From Indie Author

Elisa Norman recently published her first book, Stop Calling Me Jesus! My Triumph Over Mental Illness. Her book is a memoir based on a period in her life on her recovery journey.  She partnered with IN HER OWN INK for support on self-publishing services. Now her book is available on Amazon. Based on her publishing win, she strongly endorsed the company.  This is what she said about working with Ashley Smith: “In Her Own Ink Publishing LLC is amazing. I'm so thankful. Ashley is very professional in the way she guides you throughout the process. I really appreciate the care and time she took with my project. I recommend this company to anyone thinking about publishing a book." Show your support and purchase a copy of Elisa’s book. Make sure you leave a terrific review. Buy Now. Have you been sitting on your book? Don’t know how to finish? Stay fixated on publishing in 2026. Collaborate with IN HER OWN INK now to reap positive literary results. At IN HER OWN INK we guide indep...

Polished

What makes a book look polished? How can we avoid the telltale signs of a self-published book based on appearance? We’ll explore the front matter of the book, editing tips and other rules to follow.  I published a few nonfiction material over the years, and realized I overlooked some details. Likewise, you may have overlooked key features in your first publication. Thus, here are some practices to incorporate in your next book. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel  Currently, I’m developing another book project. I’m not reinventing the wheel. Throughout my process I refer to my favorite books for comparison on presentation. I continue to study and incorporate those aspects of the book which improves its overall appearance. I encourage you to review select copies from your bookshelf. As I examine different books I notice the commonalities which are easy to overlook. Now I recognize the small things which enhance the aesthetics of the printed copy. Like you, I strive to uphold finishing tou...

Achieve It Scared

Ashley Smith, Book Coach Have you published your book?  That was the question which rekindled my fears to get started. For years I shared my dream of writing a book. And, for years others asked me about it. If this sounds similar to your reality, you’ve hit the jackpot.       Therefore, let’s dismantle the energy of your naysayers. Your self-doubts and aim higher to fulfill your purpose, which is to write that book. Are you ready? Collaboration With a Book Coach      My name is Ashley Smith. I’ve published eight books on Amazon. My goal is to work with aspiring authors to empower them with the tools to meet their dreams. Motivating individuals like yourself to get a handle on your calling and to finish the book.      IN HER OWN INK offers guidance on self-publishing; book coaching, interior book design, and steps to finishing your draft and getting published online. With emphasis on nonfiction, specializing in mental health and rec...