Hey Christian Indies!
Last week (EPISODE #118)This week we are going to focus on the second half of our business plan. I know what you’re thinking – “What?! ANOTHER episode about business plans?!” but, yes, this topic is so meaty we’ve had to spread it across several episodes!
[Read more…] about Episode 119: Writing as a business – Creating a Business Plan Part 2Hi there, Indies!
We’re well into 2021 and if you are anything like the ladies of the Podcast, you already feel like things are getting away from you, including your goals to advance your writing journey! If so, you might have already realized the need to slow down, and plot your writerly course more carefully.
[Read more…] about Episode 118: Writing as a Business: Creating a Business Plan #1If you’ve missed the podcast lately, you may have missed the big news – Tina Cattane has published her book, “Lost in the Land of the Midnight Sun!” That’s right; she has launched to rave reviews and has thrown a Launch Party to celebrate this momentous occasion.
This party has it all, folks, giveaways, surprises, snacks and more! If you can make it in person, check out the details on her facebook page.
Meanwhile, we’re getting together once again LIVE and IN PERSON to bring you a podcast episode chock full of advice for when your time comes to have a book launch party! Get out your notebook and get ready to learn what perils and pitfalls you should avoid when planning your perfect launch party!
See you there,
Jamie
Greetings, Christian Indies,
An author’s life is so great; we get to go on all sorts of adventures alongside characters we love, all without taking a single step out of doors. A writer could even exact revenge on her ex-boyfriend, all safely on paper, where she (mostly) won’t get herself into trouble.
Sadly, an author’s life isn’t only about getting the words down on paper. Sometimes, we have to step away from the writing and handle the “icky” part of being an Indie Writer – “The Business end of things.”
Merchandising is a part of that business – every writer gets to a place in her career where decisions about merchandise have to be made.
But don’t worry, just as we walk with you along every step of this publication journey, we are here to hold your hand through the murky world of merchandise.
So, whether you’ve already been fantasising about creating merchandise of your own, or whether you don’t even know what “merchandise” is, you’ll be sure to pick up a tip or two in this can’t miss episode.
See you there,
Jamie
Here’s your weekly dose of inspiration for Chirstian Writers. Enjoy!
Dear Chirstian Indies,
Q: Can you start NaNoWriMo Early?
A: No, but, you can PARTY until midnight the night before!
Even though National Novel Writing Month doesn’t officially begin until November 1, we wanted to come together this week with our podcast audience to strategize some goal setting and CRUSHING for National Novel Writing Month in November. So, we decided to treat today’s episode as if it were actually the day before NaNoWriMo – kind of like the “substitute” Thanksgiving you host on Wednesday when no one is available on the fourth Thursday of November.
If you’ve listened to us for any amount of time, you know that all of us are long-term NaNoWriMo participants. You may even remember staying up late with us on October 31, sharing tasty snacks and chatting and laughing, getting ready for the countdown to midnight and write, write WRITING when the timekeeper says, “go”!
Guess what?! The fun is back! That’s right – we’re once again having a NaNo Kickoff livestream! That’s right, tune in tomorrow (10/31/2020) for our LIVE NaNoWriMo kickoff! The girls and I are planning to come alongside you this year, whether you are taking on NaNo for the first time or are a more ‘seasoned’ participant, to stay motivated to write like the rest of us.
Be there or be square – Saturday, October 31st at 11pm ET. We will be live on YouTube and Facebook, so come join the fun and get your NaNo count rolling!
See you there,
Jamie
Here is your weekly dose of inspiration for Christian writers! Enjoy!
Hey there, Christian Indies,
The title of this episode is a lie. Well, not really, only sort of. Let me explain.
When we were planning the upcoming book, “30 Days to a Writing Sprint Habit,” I undertook the task of writing about that glorious time in a young author’s life when the birds are chirping, the sky is blue, and everything’s coming up roses. You’ve mastered word sprints and are writing like a maniac! You’re writing daily now, and instead of seeing the timer as a task-master, you are now seeing it as your friend, companion, and a sort of inanimate accountability partner.
But what happens when you find yourself outgrowing your writing sprint groups? Or maybe you’ve crafted an entire story in the twenty minutes you just spent writing, or realize that your regular sprinting has netted you enough words to create a short novel?
If this is where you find yourself, it may be time for you to move ‘beyond’ sprinting in the traditional sense and begin thinking about the ways you can be more intentional during your sprinting time. We’re not saying to unleash the inner editor, and undo all the hard work you did getting that nasty booger all tied up in the first place, but we are suggesting you take a moment, and consider with us the writing possibilities that await you beyond the word sprint.
See you there,
Jamie
Dear Wonderful Reader,
Until now, it’s been the elephant in the room.
We haven’t talked about it.
We’ve made a point NOT to talk about it…
But now, it seems the season has come – it is time for us to discuss the state of today’s world on the podcast.
We’ve already covered the basics of sprinting – we’ve told you WHY you should sprint (episode #106) and HOW you should sprint (episode #107), and next on the calendar is to discuss “WHERE” you should sprint.
I have to admit – this sort of thing would have been a lot easier to write back when the upcoming book we are promoting was being conceptualized. In a time we took for granted we gathered together, face to face, to share a coffee and a smile, and maybe even a hug, and to do this thing we call writing in a way that was just a little more bearable, because we had a warm drink and the warmth of fraternal love to keep us company.
I’m nostalgic for those times – yes, even me, the introvert of all introverts.
So perhaps this week will be a walk down memory lane for all of us – or maybe we can strategize for new and improved ways to get together with one another in this time of social distance. Who knows what we shenanigizing gals will come up with! We just hope that you’ll tune in this week as we support one another through this very peculiar portion of our journey.
See you there,
Jamie
Hey Christian Indies,
This episode reminds me of Christmas.
I know, I know, I’m rushing things; the leaves have barely started showing off in northern Michigan: but allow me to explain.
In our family, Christmas is a time to gather with family and share love and gifts. Unfortunately, there is so much to see and do (many families to visit) and we enjoy Christmas so much, our celebrations have spilled over into the day before. Now, we also have an enormous gathering on Christmas eve!
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo, or, “NaNo” for short,) is a bit like this. However, it is more than the excitement of writing a novel in just thirty days that causes people to start thinking about this event an entire month in advance! No, dear Indie, the truth of the matter is far more consequential: you NEED a plan for NaNo! That is, of course, unless you are the hardiest of the die-hard pantsers and like to open your cursor at midnight on November first and look at a blank screen and a flashing cursor! Zoikes!
Find more of our planning chats in Episode 85, 86 and 87.
Tune in this week and learn how to make the best of your October planning session for NaNoWriMo!
See you there,
Jamie
This week our encouragement for writers is all about making sure you are getting the work done. Tune in to the podcast each week for more encouragement for writers and self-publishing tips!
“I’ve been framed,” she said, casting her hand across her brow.
“What do you mean?” he asked, “do you mean someone put a rectangle of wood around you and hung you on the wall?”
“Of course not,” she snapped.
“Do you mean someone has nailed yo to two-by-fours and other wood in order to make the foundation of their future domicile?”
“Don’t be silly!”
Hey Christian Indies,
You’ll likely agree with me that this is a ridiculous premise. Still, when the topic of “framing your story” came up, all of us Co-hosts were not sure exactly what we should include in the episode. We all sort of scratched our heads and asked, “what do you mean?”
Well, Indies, we’ve since wrapped our minds a bit more around the concept, and we’ve determined that what each writer could use, on occasion, is a bit of a “refresher” on what actually makes a story stand as, well, a story.
So tune in and learn more about what it means to frame a story.
See you there,
Jamie
