Helena Long: Copywriter, Editor, Proofreader

(I immediately related to the message in this article.  It doesn’t matter what sort of writing you or I do, whether it is copywriting, self-help books, a novel, children’s books or even an essay for class — this post has valuable information for us all . . . . Helena)

Written April 18, 2011 by Lynne Klippel

Have you ever tried to work on your book while sitting at your kitchen table surrounded by dirty breakfast dishes and a crying toddler, while you worry about getting everyone out of the door to an appointment in thirty minutes?

What about the day when your to-do list is three pages long, you are anticipating an overdraft notice from your bank, and you just had a fight with your spouse?

Just reading these scenarios makes you feel stressed doesn’t it?

Writing is hard work at times. It requires concentration, creativity, and focus. When your brain is so rushed, frustrated, and worried, it is almost impossible to enjoy the process of writing your book AND write something that makes you proud.

So to succeed as a writer, you need a strong foundation, a supportive structure for your life, your business, your health, and your spirit. When you are supported by a strong
foundation, you are more at peace. A peaceful mind is more creative and clever.

Building that strong foundation takes time. These steps will help you strengthen your Author’s Foundation so that you can write more effectively:

1. Determine what you need in your environment to do your best writing. Do you need silence, a busy coffee shop, a candle burning, or soft jazz playing?

Your environment impacts your level of peace and ability to write well. Notice which environments support your best writing and then do your best to write in that supportive environment regularly.

2. Find your best time of day to write. Some authors do their best work first
thing in the morning. Others write late at night when the family is asleep. I find that I do my best writing from 10-3 each day, after I’ve handled any pressing business needs.

Discover your best time to write and schedule that time in your calendar. Treat that time as sacred and keep your writing appointments just as you would honor an appointment with your biggest client.

3. Reduce your stress. Stress can constipate your creativity. Find ways that help you reduce stress so that ideas can flow. Consider meditation, exercise, reading a good novel or mystery book, an art activity, or a long shower.

The important thing is to build a variety of stress reducing activities into your life on a daily basis. Unfortunately, you can’t go get a massage and eliminate all your stress forever. However, you can regularly spend time in nature, meditate or pray, dance, enjoy a great book, journal, and laugh so that you feel as peaceful as possible most of the time.

4. Look at your biggest problem and do something to fix it. What’s really getting to you? Is it your finances, your health, your schedule, your clients, your future, your past, or your relationships?

You have a lot on your plate, especially when you are writing a book. Examine the area that is bugging you the most and take a concrete action to improve it. Continue to take action steps until that situation is resolved, or at least it is not keeping you up at night. Action reduces stress. Once you start taking some proactive steps toward solving your biggest problem, you’ll have more bandwidth to devote to your writing.

5. Keep your passion high for your book. Because writing is a solitary activity,
you may forget that real people are waiting for your book to help them transform their lives. Take every opportunity to connect with people and share some of the wisdom in your book whether that is in a casual conversation, a workshop, Teleclass, or while networking at the Chamber of Commerce.

The most powerful books are written to serve the reader.By engaging with others and seeing their enthusiasm for your book, you will create a solid belief in the worth of your book and the importance of your message. That belief will support you all through the writing, publishing, and marketing of your book.

What’s your best tip for strengthening your Author’s Foundation? Share it below so that others can give it a try.

(Lynne Klippel is a best-selling author, publisher, and book coach who specializes in helping non-fiction authors write books that build their business and transform the world. For a f.r.e.e. assessment that will help you see your author strengths and opportunities, visit http://www.BusinessBuildingBooks.com)

Two words often misspelled or used interchangeably are: it’s and its.  I know they sound the same when you’re speaking, but each has its (ha, ha!) own unique meaning when you are writing.

It’s is a contraction, short for “it is”.  The best way I know to test to see if this is the spelling you want is to read your sentence out loud and substitute “it is” for “it’s” or “its”.

For example, “it’s time for lunch.”  “It is time for lunch” makes sense, so “it’s” is correct in this sentence, not “its”.

Its means belonging to.  So when I say, “each has its own unique meaning”, that is correct.  I’m talking about the meaning that belongs to each word.  On the other hand, “Each has it’s own unique meaning” would not be right, because it doesn’t make sense to say, “Each has it is own unique meaning.” 

Bonus tip:  Sometimes “it’s” will be short for “it has”, as in “it’s been snowing” meaning “it has been snowing”.  The simple test above, substituting “it is” for both “it’s” and “its” will usually tell you whether you are using the right spelling or not; but if “it is” does not make sense and you want to be sure you have the correct spelling, then also try substituting “it has,” just in case.