In Her Own Ink

What is the most important thing a new author should focus on? This is a good question that we could debate all day. However, I'll discuss my top three elements to writing a book for new authors to digest and practice. In fact, we'll discuss these three components over the next few articles. Real quick; the last one is a no-brainer, or is it? First, we must be intentional by understanding our why. Why? Why do you deserve to publish? Believe it or not this approach is a very important step that I want to bring to the forefront. Trust me your reasons will better serve you throughout the process.  Create Urgency Recognizing your why will create an urgency. Believe it or not I record my reasons prior to diving into my book projects early on. In fact, I had 10 reasons for writing IN HER OWN INK. One of mine reasons might be on your list. For instance, 1) the idea was God-sent and is a part of my purpose, and 2) I want to empower others with the information. Yet, I'm not dictati...

"Yes, being an author has its challenges, but the greatest obstacle is yourself..." I wrote this on Facebook. This roadblock; lack of confidence is widespread and a real dream-killer. Stuck Before I published my first book, I was stuck but comfortable. Staying in one spot I told myself I had a story to share and will be an author; one day, some day. This idea repeatedly popped into my mind. I had the audacity to share my dream with others. Likewise, they agreed with me that I had a good story to tell. Nobody held me accountable and asked me when I would publish my book. I lacked the confidence to take a step. I never planned on doing anything about it. I was just sitting there. Waiting. Waiting for what? That someday. It wasn't until I met a self-published author who was willing to get me unstuck and out of my shell that I finally did something and made a move. Still, stuck I couldn't envision my name on the cover of a book. Frankly, I wasn't ready. Then God put m...

You have an outline and start writing but your originality has plummeted. The content is there but it's plain and dry. You need something to help revitalize your confidence and creativity. How can you replenish your innovative energy? How can you generate your imagination tactics? Let's dive in. Beyond utilizing a Thesaurus, consider the following approaches: Recognizing Analogies and Comparisons Reflecting on Journal Prompts Based on Events Referencing Popular Stories and Messages  Analogies. Produce comparisons and explain how that connection solidifies your main points. Having setbacks such as snacking on sweets despite the commitment to counting calories. Mastering a hurdle such as climbing a mountain. Standing firm like an anchor. Regaining focus to targeting goals like a sharpshooter. Once you've found an analogy paint the picture from start to finish to bring home the message and clarify how it relates to your narrative.  Journal Prompts. Another way to reset your c...

You've created an outline or an overview of how you want your chapters to look. Already, you began writing but you only write every once in a while. Still, you're excited about kicking off your book design. Yet, something continues to hold you back. It's not procrastination, confusion nor lack of motivation. You say to yourself: what's the issue now? I'm stuck! I'm writing but not getting enough results.  Develop a Writing Goal To keep the momentum going you must create a rhythm. Develop a system and make it work for you. There are lots of methods to creating a routine in order to get unstuck and dive into tunnel vision. One strategy to creating a specific writing goal is to consider meeting a word-count. Every time you sit down to produce a draft target a specific word-count. One page is about 500 words and a chapter is generally 2,000 words. Therefore, make a commitment to meet a certain word-count and witness your steady progress. Another approach to tackling...

You're excited about the book project. You have a title and idea for your book! You've even started writing. You're desire to write the book is more than fantasy. You've thought about writing this book for a long time. It's your godly-given assignment. However, you couldn't finish the thought - page, topic, chapter. Your project came to an abrupt halt. Your forward movement hit a roadblock and now your project is on hold.  Build a Solid Foundation Questioning yourself - confused and overwhelmed. What just happened? I had it all figured out but lost it. Yet, you won't abandon it. Therefore, we're still at the beginning of your writing journey. Before your pen hits the paper reflect on building a solid foundation.  How do we start a project of this magnitude? Where do we begin? I know one thing for sure - don't start writing your manuscript in chronological order. The challenge of writing your book from A to Z in order will devour you whole and you...