By Jennifer S. Wilkov, host of the “Your Book Is Your Hook!” Show on WomensRadio
www.yourbookisyourhook.com
As authors and writers, we’re always learning about resources and industry tools that we can use to improve our book project performance and the enjoyment of our writing and marketing experiences. Today let’s talk about why 2011 is your year to write.
Every year there are millions of people who say to themselves, this is my year to pursue my writing.
According to a Gallup Poll and quoted in the book, So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance by Gabriel Zaid and Natasha Wimmer, 81% of Americans want to write and publish a book.
Whether it is writing a book, starting a blog, joining a writing class or a discussion group, making plans to attend a writer’s conference or another form of kick-starting their efforts, somehow the goal of writing pops to the top for many – especially at the beginning of each year.
Funny though, seldom few grab onto this goal with gusto and really sink their teeth into it all year long. Their momentum somehow sputters and the flame that holds their passion and desire for writing burns out.
There are so many resources available to keep your writing spark alive all year. From magazines to blogs to in-person events and online teleseminars, there are a plethora of opportunities for you to find the support you need.
In fact, a quick search on Google for “writing resources” reveals 180,000,000 results including dictionaries, instructors, seminars, conferences, magazines, blogs and more.
When searching for “writing” by itself, 287,000,000 results return – providing so many opportunities for you to locate the information, instruction or reference you feel will best support you with your own writing ambitions.
So what’s holding you back?
Is it time? If this is your hiccup in your writing career, take 30 – 60 minutes of your television time 3 – 4 times a week and write instead.
Got a hectic schedule during the week? As noted in my post last year, The Humble Beginnings of Bestselling Authors & Encouragement for Your Writing Dreams, adopt a schedule similar to the one Nicholas Sparks kept when he wrote The Notebook where over a six-month period, from June of 1994 until January of 1995, he was writing in the evenings from nine until midnight, and working on it one day on the weekends.
If you choose to do this, you’ll certainly make progress on your project.
Is it money? Not sure how to get access to the resources you need? Nowadays, it’s easy to acquire so much information by simply searching the Internet! Articles, blogs, podcasts, and shows like “Your Book Is Your Hook!” all offer resources and interviews with experts where you can glean the insight and inspiration you need to keep on writing.
If you want to travel to a writer’s conference, take a peek at the ShawGuides Writers Conferences & Workshops website to find the event and location that fits within your budget, needs and focus.
For example, if you are looking for an opportunity to travel to New York to pitch your book to literary agents, combine your focus with an opportunity to expand your writing resources by attending the Writer’s Digest Conference and PitchSlam later this month.
Is it the subject matter and topic? Pick something you’re passionate about when you’re writing. Set yourself up for success so you can really sink your teeth into whatever you’re researching and writing about. This will make it so much more fun and interesting.
Take Marci Shimoff as a good example: she wanted to discover more about unconditional love so for her next book following her smash hit NY Times Bestseller Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out, she set out to write Love For No Reason: 7 Steps to Creating a Life of Unconditional Love.
Marci didn’t write it because she HAD to…she wrote it because she wanted to. She felt a compelling curiosity that tends to strike many successful writers and followed it. She did the research and found such amazing insights that she wanted to share with others.
If 2011 is your year to be a writer, you’ve got everything going for you. All you have to do is commit to writing what you love and what you’re passionate about, carve out the time you’re willing to dedicate to develop your craft and project, and GO! Do it! And not a second too soon!
For as I always like to say – and you know it’s true – you can’t use your book as your hook until you write a book.
So start today and let 2011 be the year you write yours.
Jennifer’s show can be heard every week on Tuesday mornings at 9am when it is broadcast on WomensRadio.com and syndicated on Google News and Live365.com. Each show is archived for replay listeners in different time zones and countries.
For more information on this Education Corner topic and others, please refer to www.YourBookIsYourHook.com/blog for more articles and resources to help you with your books.