Tag Archives: writing

7 Tips to See You Through the Arduous Writer’s Journey

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For most writers, the journey is extremely arduous – expenses can be outrageous, competition is steep, rewards are rare, and support is often low. So, what may seem like a small achievement to some, like my book Country Perks and Grit on the cover of a social media group (image below), is everything to a writer who has poured their heart and soul into their craft.

That moment of seeing your work displayed, shared, or a 5-star review or comment is a testament to the perseverance and dedication it took to create something from nothing but words and ideas, despite the challenges.

While the writing process can be arduous, there are strategies that can help smooth the path and make it enjoyable and productive. Here are some tips for writers of all levels:

1. Manage expectations. Understanding that the writer’s path is difficult can help prepare you mentally and emotionally for the challenges ahead. Don’t get discouraged – this is par for the course.

2. Develop a support system. Having people who believe in you and your work can provide much-needed motivation when you feel like giving up. Connect with other writers who understand what you’re going through.

3. Practice self-care. The creative process can be draining. Make time for activities that restore your mind, body and spirit. Eat well, exercise and get proper rest.

4. Remember, ALL writers experience ups and downs. Determination and a thick skin will keep you going.

5. Find affordable resources that will encourage and build you up. Facebooks’ writing community offers many free support groups.

6. Celebrate each milestone, small and large. Completing a chapter, learning a new grammar rule, landing an agent or getting published are all huge accomplishments worth savoring on this arduous path.

7. Never stop learning about the craft of writing through books, classes and practicing regularly. These will pump you up.

The life of a writer is not easy, but embracing the process and persisting through setbacks is the greatest key to eventual success.

Please share tips that have helped you in your writing journey so others may reap from them as well.

I especially love my book on the cover of this Facebook group because it’s next to my critique partner’s new release, Who is the Real Amanda?. Having our work showcased by one of my favorite online communities was an exciting and uplifting surprise.

To check out Sharing is Caring Ebook Covers by Dawn, click on the image.

Brew Creativity: Awaken Your Dream!

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A book launch is an exciting event, but it can also be overwhelming. As authors, we hope everyone who hears about our book will purchase it (after all, e-books are less than a cup of coffee), read it, love it, write a kind review, share it, talk it up, and even re-read it. One can’t do this with a cup of coffee!

If you are an author or creative artist, you can relate to this sentiment. Most importantly, you appreciate the desire to create something valuable, impactful, and inspiring. Therefore, marketing can feel unfamiliar and downright uncomfortable for many of us.

We aim to offer hope, a touch of kindness, and guidance based on our experiences and/or education, rather than focus on sales.

While writing Country Perks and Grit, I wanted to leave a lasting family legacy, and offer hope to others that they too can step out of their comfort zones in pursuit of their dreams. It doesn’t have to be a country lifestyle or growing and preserving your own vegetables. Maybe you want to be a nurse, live in a tiny house by the ocean, pass an exam, or write a song.

When we take action on something we’re meant to do, we find purpose.

Achieving your dreams isn’t a simple task. It requires dedication and perseverance. By diligently applying oneself and staying true to the path that God has laid out, a realm of incredible opportunities and unexpected surprises will unfold before you. Here are two that surprised me:

 Country Perks and Grit ranked

#1 New Release and #1 Best Seller!

 It received five 5-star reviews within five days of release!

After filling your cup with freshly brewed coffee, take the first step towards achieving your dream. If you need a little encouragement, pick up your copies today. Glean useful tips from Country Perks and Grit to help motivate your own path into reality. 

Do you have a dream you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to cheer you on.

Did you know Country Perks and Grit is now available in paperback?

It’s Finally Here!

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Country Perks and Grit is now available!

If you’re one of the many who preordered, look for it on your Kindle. The paperback version will be released soon.

I’m in ahh that so many of you supported me during the preorder. Because of you, my book remains on Amazon’s Best Seller List!

You’re incredible!

If you haven’t purchased it yet, you can do so here.

Country Perks and Grit is a true story, containing 33 chapters detailing the journey of embracing a personal dream (some scary, some funny) and a new lifestyle. Here are a few of them I think will interest you.

  • Big Mistake
  • Night Howl
  • Runaway Bull
  • The Great Race
  • Birth of a Rancher
  • One Thousand Trees

This book also includes insights and practical tips for those who dream of a change. No matter what your dream is, Country Perks and Grit offers something for everyone! On Facebook one follower commented:

“I ordered a Kindle just so I can read this!”

Thank you, everyone for making this an exceptional day!

HAPPY READING!

Join the Inner Circle: Book Launch Team Invitation

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I am thrilled to announce that my most cherished book, Country Perks and Grit, is almost here! This is a personal account in pursuing a dream to relocate and establish a life in the countryside, and the man who planted over one thousand trees. That would be my husband!

Country Perks and Grit will inspire you to live your dream too, no matter where that is!

I’d love for you to join me in sharing our journey.

There are a few spots available on my private Facebook, Book Launch Team. If this sounds like a book you’d love, and would like to support me, click the link below for more details. But first, here are the advantages you can gain as a valued member.

  • By joining, you will not only experience the joy that comes with helping an author, but also inspire others to read.
  • You will meet new team members, some of whom may even become lifelong friends.
  • Serving on a private book launch team also allows you to interact directly with the author and witness the results of the team’s collective efforts.
  • It only requires a few minutes of your time, yet the impact you make will leave you feeling great.
  • By participating, you play a crucial role in getting a book into the hands of readers.
  • By helping to launch a book, you become an integral part of the author’s dream, boost their confidence, and validate their hard work and dedication.
  • As an essential part of the launch, your contribution ensures that the author’s dream becomes a reality.

I hope you will join us. Here’s the link to sign up for my private FB Book Launch Team. We are a small, but impressive, friendly group.

https://diannemarieandre.com/dianne-marie-andres-street…

Storytelling is Simple, but Writing…

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Recently, I sat at one of the dining tables in my friend’s cozy B&B carriageway to discuss my sequel. Afterwards, she asked about my writing process: if my stories are composed at the computer or primarily longhand and if I sit down and start writing. I glanced sideways for a split second, thinking about storytelling. Looking back into my friend’s curious eyes and beautiful smile, I replied, “I write at the computer.”

She nodded and we moved on to another subject.

When I got home, I thought about how simple the process must have sounded. Storytelling is simple, but writing…well,

there are no keyboard strokes, mouse clicks or cursive exercises to make writing easy.

But, there is prayer. No matter how difficult a scene or an awkward sentence stumps me, prayer calms the anxiety within so I can hear the Holy Spirit deliver a solution.

God cares about every aspect of our lives.

He wants us to be the best we can to glorify Him through our endeavors. It’s through those diverse avenues and hard work that our faith and skills are oftentimes stretched. And boy, have my writing skills (and faith) been stretched.

After learning much about proper grammar usage, punctuation, sentence and paragraph length, befuddled sentences or sections, clarification, theme, tightening, plotting, twists, pacing, timeline and organization, point of view, hooks, transitions, dialogue and emotional tags, internal monologue, narrative flow, conflict, element of mystery and surprise, character creation, consistency and believability, fresh descriptions, setting, symbolism, clichés and repetitive usage, backstories, showing and telling, research, proofreading, and attending writing classes, workshops, webinars, finding a compatible critique partner and/or group, beta readers, and an editor followed by more rewrites…the writing process—and this is the short list—is catching up with the ease of storytelling. But it still isn’t as simple as sitting down and just writing.

Likewise, living a life for God isn’t always simple. But, if we stay on the right path, He gives us plenty of past victories to revisit, to encourage and keep us moving forward, assured that:

In time, our endeavors will be less challenging. Maybe even simple.