This saying inspired me today. May it also encourage your own creative path. #keeponkeepingon
One-Year Book Birthday Giveaway!
February marks the one-year book birthday for my book, Writing It Real: Creating an Online Course for Fun and Profit! In celebration, I’m going to run a book giveaway to share this splendid book that’s packed with tips and insights aplenty on everything from brainstorming your class idea to crafting your syllabus to running your class and so much more to keep educators motivated and interactive with their students.
Between now and Wednesday, February 15th, 2023, if you’re interested in winning a free copy, just leave a comment at my Instagram @frompromisingtopublished99 or here at my website in the Comments section of the post, letting me know what type of course you’d love to create and teach.
Examples might include but are not limited to: science fiction, poetry, flash fiction, romance novels, photography, introductory figure study, pottery, creative nonfiction, memoir, journalism, you name it.
Feel free to add a detail or two of why this class idea interests you, if you’d like.
After the 15th, I’ll enter all names from the comments into a hat (‘cause I run old-school that way🥳) and pick some winners. 😊📔Good luck, and teach on!
Blog Tour: Review at Lesliesvoice.com & Many Thanks! 🎉
Such a pleasure to have a review of my book at Lesliesvoice.com!
An excerpt from Leslie’s thoughtful review: “Through anecdotes, metaphor, and humor, this author keeps the reader engaged and laughing throughout the book. Yet the serious part of publishing comes through loud and clear, and a brief exercise is given at the end of each chapter to drive home the content.
This book, From Promising to Published, came to me at the perfect time, just before I typed “The End” on my manuscript. I’ve made notes and scribbles throughout the book, a good sign that I’ll be coming back to it again and again. I’m in the middle of preparing all those things Melanie talks about: Author Bio, Cover Letters (including elements and examples), building a web and social media presence, and managing, and even planning for, rejection (something every writer needs). One of my goals for 2023 is to take more risks with my writing life. The author uses swimming as a metaphor for risk. I’m not a swimmer and, in fact, I’m terrified of deep water. But in writing, I’ve gone beyond the ‘toe-tip in the pool’ to mastering the ‘swan dive.’ Next up, the ‘butterfly stroke.’ I many never learn the ‘freestyle.’ To learn what each of those strokes represents in writing, take a deeper dive into this book, and enjoy the ripple effect of taking some risk.
From Promising to Published contains helpful information about identifying a target audience and submitting to literary journals. But beyond that are tips and tricks I haven’t found in other books on publishing; for example, courtesies and networking among authors, protecting my personal space, avoiding burnout through self-care, and my favorite…celebration! A few months ago, I bought a beautiful peace sign paper weight for myself and had it wrapped up as a gift at the store. After typing “The End” following the last chapter (about freedom and peace), I celebrated by opening my gift. It sits on my bookcase as a daily reminder that I was able to achieve a significant milestone in my writing life!”
Read the rest of the review at: clickety-click!
Check out more of Leslie’s wonderful writing and publications here (“Friday Speak Out!: The List-Maker,” here (“My Favorite Chair”), and here (“What I Would Teach My Children”). Also enjoy this great interview with Leslie from Women on Writing when Leslie’s work placed Runner Up in WOW!’s 2020 Creative Nonfiction Contest: clickety-click.
Many thanks to Leslie Cox for this beautiful review and for making the final stop of my blog tour so meaningful! 🎉
My sincere appreciation and thanks to all of the bloggers who hosted my book during the tour and wrote reviews; to Women on Writing for ongoing support, enthusiasm, and kindness; to Nicole Pyles for applying her amazing blog-tour creation skills to my tour and making this such a fun experience that I couldn’t have done on my own; and to each of YOU, dear readers, who have come along on the fun journey of this blog tour and offered marvelous feedback and messages and/or have purchased From Promising to Published.
May your muse continue to shine, and here’s to filling 2023 with wondrous words and publications aplenty! 🎉
Blog Tour: "How to Self-Motivate" 💡
The next stop on the Blog Tour is an article I had the joy of writing for Mari L. McCarthy’s CreateWriteNow.
Today’s article is all about self-motivation in your writing life, a topic particularly apt during this hectic holiday season. Enjoy! Clickety-click.
Also check out Mari’s wonderful books, such as Mindset Medicine and Journaling Power, along with motivating courses, beautiful music, and inspiring journaling podcast and videos.
One Week Until My Next Book Birthday & Signed Copies Available! 🎉
Just one week to go until this beauty drops. Woot! I had to break out the red lipstick today to celebrate.
Order today at Amazon: clickety-click!
Signed copies also available at WritePathProductions, my Etsy shop. Ta-da!
More details about the book:
Ever wanted to write a nonfiction reference book? Curious about how to organize and develop your topic into an inviting, easy-to-use manuscript? Look no further!
Packed with tips, this book will walk you through insights into planning, writing, editing, pre-publication, and marketing your reference book, from pre-writing to post-publication.
To sweeten the day even more, my box of copies arrived from my awesome publisher, Vine Leaves Press, and I got to hold my first printed copies of my May-releasing book, From Promising to Published: A Multi-Genre, Insider’s Guide to the Publication Process. Pre-order now open for this charming new addition to my book family.
A double delight, so I had to share. 😊📚 #authorlife
Upcoming Writing Class: Flash Writing! 📝
Super excited to offer my Flash Writing class this summer! Mark your calendars now, and I’d love to have you and a friend join me for this online workshop, starting Friday, July 1, 2022.
Sign-ups are now open.
More info: Featured Online Flash Writing Workshop: In a Flash!
I’ll be using the book I wrote on this topic, which is also available and handy-dandy for all writers, whether you’re in the market for a class or for a prompt-filled read to get those words flowing.
A Little Inspo for the Word Flow📝
Need a little inspo for the writing journey? I’ve got you.
Try: In a Flash!
Writing It Real: Creating an Online Course for Fun and Profit
The Portable Muse (prompt cards)
Writing It Real: Crafting a Reference Book That Sells (pre-order)
Writing Prompt with a Quote in It
Ever since I read this quote earlier this week, I’ve been thinking that it would make a perfect prompt for creating a character or journaling. 📝🍵
Relaunch: Renewed! 30 Affirmation Cards
After redesigning the box of my Portable Muse Cards this summer, I crafted a new box for a second printing of my Renewed! 30 Affirmation Cards, too. They’re now up for sale at my Etsy and all set for great new homes. Ta-da!
Get your cards and more info at: WritePathProductions (my Etsy store).
