Quarterly check-in and business planning prep

Vol. 4 in the Jorja Matthews
mystery series - get your copy here

We’ve said goodbye to summer with a warm welcome offered to fall and while we are still being treated to some beautiful autumn days, we accept that the season, and soon our weather, will change. And with the move into a new season, I’ve been working on my own preparations for change.

Change is necessary in order to avoid becoming stagnant. I’m learning that, bit by stubborn bit, as I continue to learn more about the craft of writing and the business of marketing my books. What works, what doesn’t, what I enjoy, what I don’t…it all begins in unknown territory and has a huge learning curve. I take solace in the fact that I’m not alone. I’ve enjoyed the number of webinars I’ve taken part in and the conferences and events I’ve been able to attend this year where I’ve learned some great tips and tricks of the trade from other authors and business entrepreneurs.

Thankfully, the business of writing is somewhat forgiving. If something about the process doesn’t go quite as planned, you can move on and begin again with the next book or marketing plan and hope for better results while avoiding prior mistakes. What’s great about the business of writing is that there are so many authors out there who have gone through this process, have learned from it and are willing to share their experiences so that others can learn from them. What’s frustrating about the business of writing is that it’s constantly changing and it can be somewhat difficult to keep up when you consider what you learn today may be slightly obsolete tomorrow.

It can be a challenge but if it were easy, as the saying goes, everyone would do it.

Recently published nonfiction book is
now available on Amazon

I was reviewing my business plan, now that we’re moving into the last quarter of the year, and once I finalized my plan through the end of this year, I realized I actually enjoy this task. I first wrote about business plans in May, when I finally got around to drafting my first plan. All the authors I follow and the books I’ve read about the business of writing stress the need for a business plan, but it just seemed too daunting, and too serious. Problem is…I guess that’s the problem with writers (and anyone else who sells what they love to do); we don't enjoy treating our craft like a business. I finally had to relent to the task once I acknowledged it was necessary to take writing seriously by treating it like a business. The artist in me doesn’t like it, but the entrepreneur in me understands. And whether or not I’m able to reach all the goals I have mapped out in my business plan, at least I begin the quarter with a feeling of accomplishment once I have the plan complete.

The trick, for me, when it comes to what I want to complete in the coming quarter is not expecting too much of myself, while choosing the right tasks to keep the momentum going. This is another area with a big learning curve and since this is only the second quarter since I began using a business plan, I expect it won’t work out perfectly.

But that’s okay...perfection would mean no room for improvement, and would take away all the fun.

My plan for the remainder of the year involves writing, having some fun with marketing and taking steps necessary to work toward additional marketing and platform building to build on after the first of the year. Some items may be easy, while others are taking me out of my comfort zone.

I'll just need to keep this quote in mind:

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” 

~Neale Donald Walsch~

Until next time, read on and carry on. 

“No Mother of Mine” Book Giveaway!

I realize it’s only been a few days since I last posted, but I wanted to share the fact that there is currently an Amazon Giveaway contest currently running for No Mother of Mine, the first book in the Jorja Matthews mystery series. You can take part in the giveaway contest by using the link below for a chance to win a copy of the book (in paperback). Even if you already have a copy, take a shot at winning the giveaway if you know someone else who enjoys reading mysteries and who might like to receive a copy of the book from you as a gift.

Use this link in order to enter: 

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/6d7413148e36d5de

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Requirements for participation include 18+ years of age and resident of the United States or District of Columbia. For complete information and Official Rules please check out: http://amzn.to/GArules.

The giveaway ends when all prizes are claimed or by September 17, 2018 11:59 PM PDT.

Good luck!

When summer collapses into fall

Saying goodbye to summer isn’t always fun, but because fall is one of my favorite seasons…actually, I’ll say it is my favorite season, so I’m only slightly sad to see summer go. I’ll miss going barefoot but I look forward to green grass again and saying goodbye to fire danger. I’ll miss the beautiful t-shirt weather, but I look forward to cozy days wrapped in sweaters with a cup of tea. And, I always look forward to the holiday season, especially with Halloween right around the corner and the multiple choices of spiced hot drinks that never fail to brighten a rainy fall day.

While our days are still somewhat nice, we’ve lost the high temps, we’ve actually been treated to some rain, and I’ve noticed the past few days that the wind has really been kicking in every once in awhile. The seasons are beginning the shift. 

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall." ~Oscar Wilde~

Jozee, such a happy girl

The last month of summer as well as the first week of this September has been a busy time for me, but also quite enjoyable. Since my last post where I shared about extra outings with Jozee and the expected release of my next book, I’ve enjoyed more hikes with Jozee and more time at the beach…

Cape Disappointment State Park 

…a visit to my favorite bookstore in Portland (Powell’s books)…

…a road trip to Montana and Wyoming…

…we celebrated my grandmother’s 89^th birthday, I attended a writer’s conference and…I released my latest book!

Available in paperback and as an eBook on Amazon

Here’s the blurb to give you an idea of what it’s about:

Note to My Author Self is a compilation of notes the author hopes will inspire others so that following their dreams doesn’t become buried by a busy or stressful life. The notes begin from the author’s initial writing journey after she realized her passion was to write and her purpose was to share her stories and inspire others. She shares her experiences during her journey while she navigates writing and publishing as a new author and when she finds herself desperately searching for inspiration as she attempts to continue writing during some of the most difficult years in her personal life.

Note to My Author Self includes motivational thoughts from the author about realizing the dream, living a creative life and avoiding the act of just existing but rather, actually living in a way that brings each of us joy.

Speaking of my grandmother, I dedicated this particular book to her. She doesn’t know it yet because I’m waiting to share a final copy with her, and it has been difficult keeping this fact from her but I’d rather she have the final printed version in her hands when I tell her about it. It wasn’t a difficult decision to dedicate this book to her. I have a chapter in the book titled, “Remain Unique and Unstoppable,” and she is, without a doubt, the most unique and unstoppable woman I’ve known. I can’t wait to share the news of this book with her.

Note to My Author Self is nonfiction, as I noted before, and a completely different experience from writing fiction, obviously. I expect I may try more nonfiction in the future but for now, I look forward to giving my full attention to the fictional world of Jorja and her mysteries, as well as the young adult book I’m still working on. If you happen to buy Note to My Author Self, I’d really appreciate hearing feedback, or would really appreciate receiving reviews on Amazon.

Now that summer is over, my plan is to get back to blogging more often; at least every other week, if I’m not able to manage once a week. We’ll see how it goes. For now, though, I hope you enjoyed the remainder of your summer days and are also ready to fall into fall. J

The dog days of summer

Jozee is people watching

As I prepared to write this post, I was actually startled to look at the date and realize August is almost half over. It seemed like yesterday when I shared a photo on Instagram about the hay bales in the field and how that usually marks the end of the beginning of summer for me. Suddenly, it’s been almost two weeks since then and now we’re really not that far away from entering the next season.

It happens every time; the rapid end of summer, but it surprises me each time, nonetheless.

This summer has been a hot one, with temps in the 90’s more often than we’re use to in the PNW, and apparently with more on the way. Today I’m enjoying the fact that I can work comfortably in my office with temps in the low 70’s after a huge amount of rain yesterday. The rain was certainly a welcome sight considering how dry everything has been and the constant threat of fire in too many areas at this point.

Happy Dog graduate

This summer has also been a busy one, especially since my last post, with family gatherings, small-town festivals, and multiple visits to the beach and various parks around our state in order to get out more to explore with Jozee. I love taking her on walks and hikes and we meet so many nice people who are also dog lovers. Jozee was also in her first training class this summer and she graduated the end of July after having a great time proving she’s a bright pup. I’m a little biased, of course, but I guess you can’t blame me. J

But summer hasn’t kept me away from working on my writing…

In fact, I just completed another book that will soon be published. I’m excited and nervous about this publication, because it’s personal, it’s non-fiction, and its purpose is to be motivational. When authors talk about dealing with imposter syndrome, I really hadn’t understood it, until now. Until now I’ve been writing fiction and I just haven’t been inclined to believe there’s any reason why I shouldn’t be writing and sharing my stories. I always hope readers will enjoy my books but I know not to take it personally if they don’t. However, now that I’ve ventured into the world of non-fiction, and with a book that’s so personal, I believe I can finally understand. While the book expresses my own thoughts, which is enough to make anyone nervous, what I’m anxious about is whether readers will accept and understand what I’m sharing due to my underlying need to fulfill my desire to inspire others. And beyond that, whether they’ll believe I’m equipped with the experience to inspire them.

As with all things, only time will tell.

So whether I sweat from the high summer temps during the remainder of our dog days of summer, or from nervousness as I wait for feedback and reviews, I’ll hope for the best and continue moving forward. The most recently completed book is in the final stages and if all goes according to plan, it should be available by the end of August. I’ll definitely share the news and the links once it’s available. In the meantime, I’m back to working on the next book in my series, as well as a young adult novel I’ve been working on, so it’s back to the fictional world full time for me. And I’m okay with that.

I’ll share a post when the next book is available so until then, enjoy the remainder of your summer, stay safe and stay cool!

Bi-yearly check in – pat on the back or kick in the pants?

I’m staring at a blank page today, having some difficulty when it comes to what I want to say. That’s interesting, considering a check in doesn’t take much effort when I’m just looking back at what I’ve accomplished the first half of this year.

While it’s easy enough to go back through the past six months to take stock in what I’ve completed and make note of what projects I’m in the middle of, my focus is a bit…distracted. Funny enough, I don’t think I can put into words exactly what I’m distracted about.

I guess it’s just one of those days. It’s probably also the perfect time for me to do some free writing – might help me dig up what’s vying for my attention and figure out what I need to do about it.

But first, this post…

The first half of this year has gone fairly well, as I moved in to a new routine after finally deciding to give up the day job so that I could have more time to focus on my writing. I may have mentioned a change in circumstances and my schedule, but I have yet to really discuss what prompted the change or how it has been since I made the decision. It was not a decision I made lightly and has been quite a transition mixed with both uncertainty and excitement in what the future holds.

My distraction today may actually have something to do with my taking stock in what I’ve been able to accomplish these past six months. It means either giving myself a pat on the back for a job well done so far, or a kick in the pants for not being further along than I expected at this point. It means using the past six months as a gauge, and whether or not I’ll be happy with what the gauge represents.

 

When I look at the past six months, I see forward movement and that’s what matters most. I published my sixth book (4th in the series), took part in two events where I spoke about my books and my writing journey so far, attended a women’s business conference, took part in a number of online webinars relating to writing and the business of marketing, most recently which included a 12-day series for women entrepreneurs, and have continued to work on multiple book projects I plan to publish later this year and early next year.

Writing, researching, reading, learning – it all goes hand in hand and it’s what will help me continue to move forward. What I continue to learn, about myself and from others, gives me the ability to stay on task because I’m able to:

•        set clear goals,
•     ground myself daily,
•     commit to moving forward,
•     remain confident,
•     have clarity,
•     stay consistent,
•     manage my expectations,
•     be intentional,
•     inspire others, and
•     find balance between daily to-do lists and self care.

My favorite saying I heard most recently during the entrepreneur series was “where attention goes, energy flows.”

My attention has been focused on quite a few things, certainly, but each involve forward movement in my writing journey so for that, I’ll give myself a pat on the back.

How to generate character and story ideas…just walk the dog.

It’s the time of year again when the calendar days fill up so quickly, it may become difficult to carve out your own free time. It’s a busy time with graduations and graduation parties (us included, with our youngest graduating from college), mixed in with birthdays, weddings and babies (we are expecting a great niece the end of the month 😊), in between work and family responsibilities. 

Visit to Budd Inlet, Olympia

I sit enough during the day while I work on writing projects so when I carve out free time, it doesn’t usually mean time to relax. It means getting out, walking, checking out a new trail, finding a new park, or finding new sights that I can enjoy and photograph. 

Getting out benefits more than just myself, since it means I can explore with my almost six-month-old puppy, Jozee. I’m not sure I’d get out as often if it weren’t for her, so I’ll give her credit when it comes to keeping me moving more regularly. Walking, getting some fresh air, discovering new places…the combination is not only good for a growing puppy, but also for my health and my creativity.

It’s been fun the past couple of months to find ways to get out and explore the sights with Jozee. We take walks around our property or at the local city park, which is fine when I only want to take a limited break from a project, but when we can take half a day or a whole day, my husband also joins us and we’ve had fun visiting old haunts (so that Jozee can see them for the first time) or exploring new places. Part of the fun is mapping out where we’re going to go next, what trails we might hike or which parks and beaches we can visit. Whether we’re visiting local parks or areas an hour or two away, the sights, people we meet and the adventure as a whole provide me the break I need and also food for thought when I’m mapping out new story or character ideas.

Visit to Pacific Beach

And meeting new people is a never-ending feature these days. One thing I’ve noticed now that I’m out and about with Jozee is how many new people you meet when you have a dog. It’s so easy to remain introverted and isolated when you’re by yourself; but when you have a dog with you, especially a puppy, the number of new acquaintances you meet is quite high, as most are dog-lovers who won’t hesitate to strike up a conversation. 

Being a self-proclaimed introvert, I’m still getting used to randomly having conversations with strangers at any given moment in a pet store, on a city sidewalk, on a rural trail, at the beach or even while visiting a rest area. On the plus side, meeting so many different people during various types of situations gives me a larger deposit of character and story ideas when I’m open to receiving them.

Visit to the Witch's Castle in Portland

Case in point is a woman we met last weekend at a rural rest area on our way back from Portland. She had a little white dog and we got to talking while her dog and Jozee got to know each other. She was from Portland and was heading up to Seattle to see her daughter while her husband was on the east coast at a business meeting. We were just getting ready to leave when I walked by her vehicle and she told me that she had accidentally locked her keys, her phone, and her dog inside her vehicle. One of the volunteers working at the rest area let her use their phone to call a couple of locksmiths, but she learned the soonest anyone could get to the rest area wouldn’t be for another four hours. Four hours! It was already around 8:00 p.m. at the time she called them. She was at a loss. She couldn’t call her daughter to say she’d be (really) late because she didn’t know the number by heart; she couldn’t call her neighbor to ask them to bring her the extra key because again, she didn’t know the neighbor’s phone number by heart. She could call her husband, a number she did remember, and ask him to call their daughter and their neighbor, but he was three hours ahead of us, could already be asleep and she didn’t want to call him and worry him if it wasn’t necessary. One of the rest stop volunteers tried to jimmy the lock, but that didn’t work. Finally, she used my cell phone after we discussed contacting the state patrol, to see if they’d be willing to figure out how she might be able to get help in a shorter period of time. The 9-1-1 dispatch operator put her through to the state patrol operator, who then said she would do what she could. Since we had no idea if or when she’d receive help, we stayed with her to keep her company. It was maybe a half hour later when a tow truck operator arrived, having been sent by the state patrol to assist. It was wonderful to see him drive up and save the day, and the dog! A quick stop at a rest area for Jozee’s potty break turned in to hanging out with a complete stranger for a few hours. It was completely out of the norm, as far as what we’d expect at a rest area, but as we left that day, my mind wandered… What if…? There are so many ways this ordeal could have worked out differently, and there are many endings I could attach to it, but for now what I like to think about are the number of characters I can attribute to this visit at the rest area. Each played their part and the end result was a good one. 

If we had left before knowing how things worked out, my mind would have wandered, leaving me with thoughts about the many “what if” endings my imagination could come up with. And I probably wouldn’t have been able to get to sleep because of it. 

Instead, when we finally left the rest area that evening and drove the rest of the way home, it was with the satisfaction of knowing that the woman and her little dog were safely on their way to Seattle. And I was able to sleep very well.

A good ending all around. 😊

Practice Makes Perfect

I don’t believe “perfect” is the correct word…because I’ll never assume to be perfect, but practice does make us better. Case in point, author events where I’m not just showing up to meet readers and sign books, but to stand in front of a group to discuss my writing and publishing process and my journey as an author so far.

I attended this type of event last weekend, and I had such a good time. I enjoy meeting people who genuinely take pleasure in reading my books; again, it’s the surreal part of this process, the fact that others appreciate and enjoy the stories I come up with. But with practice, I’ve also learned to enjoy talking about my writing journey and my stories, so that I’m able to feel more confident in myself when speaking in front of a group.

Flashback to high school, when I had to take the most dreaded class of all: speech.  I wasn’t alone; I can’t remember knowing even a handful of other students who actually liked the class and what it required from us. It’s a necessary (evil) and useful class, I can admit as an adult, but as a teen I was fairly shy when speaking in front of even a small number of people, so the class was torture. Part of it was due to my shyness, while the other part was due to the fact that the subject matters we had to speak about felt forced.

Fast forward quite a few years later, when I was working as a private investigator, I was a member of a legal investigator association and I moved up from member, to board member and eventually to president. For a year in that position I ran almost monthly meetings near Seattle and had to put aside my introvert tendencies to speak in front of the members who attended the meetings and to introduce special guest speakers we lined up for each meeting. While I still had issues with speaking to large groups, this process was a great learning tool for me.

Stepping stones in life prepare us for what’s to come…

Now, I get to attend author events, I’m introduced as the guest speaker and I enjoy myself because I’m able to discuss a subject matter I’m extremely interested in and excited about. I’ve come full circle when I look back at my teenage self and how much I’ve grown when it comes to making speeches in front of large groups. I certainly enjoy myself now and I hope that my excitement about my stories and my writing journey give those who attend an enjoyable experience. I also learn from each event, so that I can make changes as needed to make the next event better, for myself and for those who attend.

But really, my favorite part of these author events goes beyond the preparation, the butterflies I still feel beforehand no matter how confident I think I am, the time I spend talking or the time I spend signing books. My favorite part is meeting new people, finding new readers who are willing to give my books a shot, and having a good time in general with like-minded individuals who just love books. Take a look at some of my older posts, where I offer a few stories: whether I’m attending a book signing, an author event, a book club meeting, or a fair, there’s no end to the interesting people I get to meet.

Meeting interesting people is a key highlight on a long list of highlights when it comes to what’s so wonderful about being a writer. Why would I ever want to do anything else?  J