A New Year Brings Changes

Every year around this time I begin thinking of what changes I can make in the new year that will lead to me being more productive. An idea I am pondering is consolidating this blog and making it part of The Book Connection.

I've always tried my best to keep my book promotion work and my own writing separate, but it is becoming harder and harder. I also don't feel it's fair to those of you who check in from time to time to find this blog not updated as frequently as it should.

If I simply maintain The Book Connection as my personal and book blog, then I could still post motivational quotes on the weekends because I only host clients on weekdays. In addition, I could really work on branding The Book Connection when I don't have to split time with another blog.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and feel free to vote in my survey in the sidebar. Thanks you for your support.

Cheryl

Motivational Quote #20

"If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes."--Andrew Carnegie

When I stumbled across this inspirational quote today, I knew I had to stop what I was doing and blog about it. Carnegie's words encapsulate what it means to be an aspiring author.

Doesn't the goal of being a published author command your thoughts no matter how hard you try to deny it? Don't you feel the energy pouring forth from you as you put pen to paper or tap upon the keyboard? Isn't it inspiring that your hopes and dreams may one day come true?

Allow yourself to be happy! Stop making excuses as to why it can't happen. Make it happen. Find a way. Ask your family and friends for support, delegate chores, set aside some writing time and make sure you keep it sacred.

My articles at Writer2Writer can help you do it, but you have to want it. I know you want it...so make it happen.

You have the power to make your dreams come true. Use it!

Motivational Quote #18

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."--Michelangelo

The aspiring author sets goals on a daily or weekly basis--at least if he takes his career seriously, he does. In my articles for Writer2Writer I speak about setting goals often. Setting realistic goals is vital to a writer's success and productivity.

But why don't we want to set goals that are easily reached? Won't that still provide us with a sense of accomplishment?

Well, if you're new to goal setting, it might be a good idea to set some easy goals that you know you can achieve. But what will motivate you to keep going? If you're always setting goals that you achieve without a great deal of effort, it's like being the A student in a C-level high school course--you won't be challenged and eventually it's no longer fun to keep trying.

That's why setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is so important to aspiring authors. A realistic goal is one that you should be able to achieve, but also one that requires you to put in some effort.

What are some of the S.M.A.R.T. goals that you have set for yourself this year?

Latest Writer2Writing Article Now Online

My article for the January issue of Writer2Writer is now available at their website. Stick to It: Tips to Help You Stick to Your Writing Goals will help you stay focused on your writing goals all year long.

While you're online, consider subscribing to Writer2Writer's monthly newsletter. It's free!

Motivational Quote #17

I thought I would try to be early this week. Time is so precious lately and I didn't want to disappoint anyone by not posting on Saturday.

In November 1855, Lincoln wrote a letter to Isham Reavis. In this short letter Lincoln advises Reavis to get the books (law) and read them until he understands them. The last line of this letter includes the quote below:

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."- Abraham Lincoln

The letter was then signed, "Very truly Your Friend A. Lincoln"

Lincoln's letter was in response to an earlier one from Reavis, who had requested a student's position in Lincoln's firm--which Lincoln declined because he was gone too much to be helpful to Reavis. In this letter Lincoln advises him to study on his own and is telling Reavis that his own determination to succeed is more important than anything else.

That can also be said of the aspiring author. Nothing can hold you back if you are determined to succeed. Now, that might mean you have to push yourself to ask for critiques from fellow writers. It might mean you have to actually submit your polished manuscript to an agent or publisher. It could also mean that you need to take some classes to hone your craft before you're ready to move any further.

But whatever it takes, you have the power to do it. And if you don't believe me, won't you at least take Lincoln's word for it?

Motivational Quote #16

"Long-range goals keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures."--James Cash Penney

Sometimes you get lucky and you stumble upon great quotes without really trying. Such was how I found this one. And with the coming of the new year and the thought of new goals, this quote is perfect.

Before sharing my thoughts on Penney's quote, however, I will have to admit my ignorance. I did not know that James Cash Penney--the son of a farmer and Baptist minister--founded J.C. Penney. Now, why that wasn't obvious to me, I don't know, but it showed me once again the amazing power of the Internet when I popped his name into Google and was led to a site about famous Missourians.

Now let's talk about Penney's quote. The topic of goals comes up often in my articles for Writer2Writer. Many of those articles discuss creating to-do lists and breaking down your goals into smaller, more manageable chunks.

But here Penny focuses on the reverse, praising the benefit of long-term goals. Just yesterday, I set my goals for the first quarter of 2009. I have a lot planned, even though I know I might need to make some changes if I have to return to working outside of my home.

Every week I write a to-do list based upon my long-term goals. This helps keep me focused on the big picture and allows me to feel a sense of accomplishment when I've checked off one of the items on my to-do list.

Do I beat myself up when I don't accomplish it all?

No, and this is exactly what Penney is getting at with his remarks. Having that long-term goal in sight allows us as aspiring authors not to get bogged down when by the end of the week we haven't accomplished everything we planned to. Unexpected things happen: our children get sick, we have to work an additional shift, the car breaks down, we're just too darn tired to handle one more thing; you name it, it can happen.

But by setting S.M.A.R.T. long-range goals, we don't need to worry about it when the unexpected happens.

To find out more about setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, visit my article at the Writer2Writer website. You'll find it here.

Speaking of successful long-range goals, in 2002, the J.C. Penney Company celebrated one hundred years in business. The company is still one of America's largest retailers.

Motivational Quote #6

I could not have picked this one any better if I tried. At the Muse Conference this week the members of the Organize Your Writing Life workshop have been talking about setting SMART goals, killing procrastination, ending distractions, organizing your writing space, setting priorities, using to-do lists, and streamlining.

One of the things I've continued to state this week is that each person has the power to achieve his or her dreams if he/she uses it. How fitting, then, that I would find this quote today:

"It's time to start living the life you've imagined." - Henry James

So, are you going to use the power you have to achieve your dreams?

Motivational Quote #3

Here's a quote that I found very interesting:

"Success doesn't come to you...you go to it." - Marva Collins

Persistence and perseverance are important to success. Even Stephen King dealt with rejection time and again. But he never stopped trying because he knew, like Marva Collins did, that success wasn't going to just happen; he had to make it happen.

What are you doing to ensure your success? How have you worked this week toward becoming a published author?

Motivational Quote #2

Well, it's Saturday once again. We attended a wedding for one of the cousin's daughters today. Gatherings like this are such great fodder for writers. We can just sit back and observe those around us and oftentimes something clicks and it becomes the basis for a story. Here's this week's motivational quote. It's a good one and it serves to remind the aspiring author that truly nothing is impossible.


"Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so." - Belva Davis

Procrastination

I'm in the process of reading Birthing the Elephant: The woman's go-for-it! guide to overcoming the big challenges of launching a business.

It's an excellent resource for aspiring woman entrepreneurs...and let's face it, if you're a woman who hopes to make a full-time career out of writing, then you qualify. As much as our creative side tries to deny it, writing for profit is a business. And while this book is focused on women, the advice authors Karen Abarbanel and Bruce Freeman share about procrastination is good for all aspiring authors.

"Beware of time wasters! Poor organization, misplaced perfectionism, unfocused networking, and unnecessary meetings can all fritter away your hours and days--and deflect your energy...Manage your time strategically, with an eye on both your mission and your bottom line."

Here are a couple of suggestions from the book that will help you stop procrastination in its tracks:

"Planning daily and weekly routines to ensure that you make the most of your time is key to survival..."

"Finding the work pattern that's best for you...is one of the instant benefits of working on your own...Settling on the right framework may take time--and trial and error...Whatever approach you adopt, creating a work structure to anchor your day, and also your week, is essential."

For more tips on how to kill procrastination, read my article found at Writer2Writer.

Motivational Quote #1

Hello all,

I often stumble upon quotes that I feel will work well for aspiring authors and I am going to do my best to share one a week with you. So, keep an eye for it each Saturday.

Here's one that I found a while back that reminds us we have to keep moving toward our writing goals and never give up.

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

- Conrad Hilton

Will You Participate in NaNoWriMO 2008?

Hard to believe but before you know it NaNoWriMo will be here. So, are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo this November? Why or why not? Have you participated in years past? Has this influenced whether you will be participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

Feel free to share your NaNoWriMo writing experiences here!

Latest Writer2Writer Article

You'll find my latest article at the Writer2Writer website. This one discusses how to use to-do lists effectively by setting priorities.

Enjoy!