Every writer fails, no matter how successful they are. In my book, Writing for Publication , I talk about failure, how it's inevitable and how to overcome it as a writer. Today, I'm sharing my second point on how to overcome failure and rejection as a writer. I think of this point as logic at work. Don't let rejection slow you down. Realize and accept that rejection is part of the job of writing for publication. If you accept this, it will not surprise you when it happens. It's a given, par for the course. It truly cannot be avoided. What you need to do is file the rejection away.... then keep writing without missing a beat. There will more on this in my next post and point 3 goes along with this point very well. I have been a regular writer for one publishing house for over 27 years, yet I still get rejected by them from time to time. I don't care. If one article is rejected by one arm of the company, I submit it to anothe...

I love my laptop and modern technology. Most of my writing is actually done in my head so by the time I get to the process of writing it down, I simply start with my laptop and type it out. I love the convenience of being able to see exactly how many words and pages I have. But, there are times when only pencil and paper will do. I recently fractured my thumb, making typing challenging. When a writing idea recently struck, I had no choice but to go to pencil and paper to write it down. Now, this writing project has become larger than I first anticipated and because I started it with pencil and paper, that's how I have to continue. And it has to be in pencil, not pen. And it has to be a mechanical pencil. And it has to be on a white legal pad. And it has to be in longhand, not printed. And it has to be on my giant, old wooden desk. As a writer, I guess this shows I have a few idiosyncrasies. What about you? Write often. Write well. Just write. ~Tricia

There's no reason you can't be the next wildly successful writer and my new e-book will show you how. I'm pretty excited about this new e-book and I hope you'll share my excitement by getting your copy now for the introductory price. Writing for Publication has been a long time coming in e-book form. I had published a shorter writing book, Write, then Publish. Today , but this new, revised version is the complete course, revised and updated just in time for the new year. This comprehensive course is an easy-to-read, to-the-point handbook for writers of all genres and all levels. As a private writing coach, I use these step-by-step methods in my coaching....and my students get published. From an 87-year-old great grandmother who wrote her first article in longhand on the back of a store ad, to a 14-year-old girl who wanted to enter a school writing contest, my students get published and win awards. I've coached pastors who wanted to be published in religious...

I recently met a woman with a story to tell. She found out I'm a writer and began to tell me her story, in a nutshell, and said she'd like to write a book about her story one day. Her story is interesting and intriguing. I asked, "Why not now?" She said she was going to wait till her children were out of college and didn't need her so much. Then I dropped a bombshell on her. I said, "It's too late to wait, you've already started," and when she looked at me in surprise, I explained that the thinking process of any book, article or blog post is part of the writing process. Yes, it's too late to wait; you've already started if you are so much as thinking about writing a book. Write often. Write well. Just write. ~Tricia

We all talk funny. The English language is full of idioms and words with double meanings. Different parts of the country use words differently as well. When we write for publication, however, we are writing for a much broader audience than most of us talk to. If we publish a blog post, it has potential to be read across the world, not just by the people in our state or county here in the USA. In light of this, I teach my writing students to never write how they talk. We have to write in a more uniform way in order to be understood by the most readers. We don't want our readers to have to work at reading our writing; it needs to flow effortlessly. If you write how you talk, it will not flow effortlessly for the reader, even if it seems to for you as the writer. The bottom line is that writing for publication means you write for others, not yourself. Your motivation does not have to change, you can still get your point across, but you need to do it in the best way possible. H...

Everyone writes, every day. Whether it's a Facebook status update, a tweet on twitter, a blog, a thank-you note, a recipe or a list, everyone I know writes and they do it daily. Did you know that writing for publication is different than any of this other writing? Writing for publication is different because you are suddenly writing for someone else, not just yourself. You switch from simply getting your point across or your information shared to making it sell, and that's an entirely different ball game. Learn how to write for publication with my e-book , Write, Then Publish. Today . You will learn why writing for publication is different and the steps you can take to make your writing appealing to publishers or e-readers. Click here to download the book today! Write often. Write well. Just write. ~Tricia

I read a few blogs on a regular basis. There are some things that immediately turn me away from some blogs, however, and I rarely read their content and there are a few reasons why. 1. I don't read content that is dotted with ALL CAPS. When text is in all caps, it is akin to shouting. It does not come across as simply emphasis; it comes across as shouting. I don't need to be shouted at and I do not listen to people who shout at me unless they are saving my life from imminent danger. If you have content that needs emphasis, try putting it in bold letters or italicize the words. 2. I don't read blogs that play music. I am often listening to my own music, or working along side my kids who are studying in our home school, so music suddenly blasting from a blog or website is highly disruptive and unwelcome. I exit immediately and don't read the content. 3. I don't read content that is filled with errors. A typo here and there is one thing; we all make mistakes, b...

There are many ways to improve as a writer. I've taught many ways myself. You can read to write better. You can write to write better. Did you know you can also edit to write better? Yep, it's true. I recently joined Fiverr as an editor and as I have gotten more and more gigs, I realized that what I'm learning by editing other people's work is actually helping my writing. That's a bonus I did not expect or plan on, but I am pleasantly surprised that it's making such a difference. Have you considered editing as a tool to improve your own writing? I recently blogged about how I like editing because I get to fix what's wrong. Today, I found another reason to like editing: it improves my own writing skill! I highly recommend editing as a tool to improve your writing. Happy Writing! ~Tricia

I have decided I really like editing. I recently joined Fiverr , offering quick editing for a penny a word. As the jobs started rolling in, I found that I was really enjoying editing and I figured out why. Editing gives me free reign to correct all the wrongs. I've mentally corrected people's emails, blogs, Facebook posts, church bulletins, signs on the highway, ads in stores, etc., yet I've never had the power to do anything about those wrongs. Editing jobs are different. It's my JOB to correct the wrongs. I have found editing to be very satisfying and gratifying. I love fixing what's wrong and delivering a better product in the end. Every writer needs an editor, whether they realize it or not. Fiverr is a quick, affordable way to get small editing jobs done for a fraction of what you'd pay elsewhere. I highly recommend editing for anyone who writes anything the public will see. Fiverr can be your go-to resource. Happy Writing! ~Tricia

Do you learn something as a writer every single day? I try to. I subscribe to a number of writing blogs as well as writing websites and try to learn from these other authors every day as part of my overall business plan. Today, I found this article, 5 Mistakes I've Made in Writing by Frank Viola to be very helpful as well as familiar. I've taught these things in my writing workshops and seminars. Read the article and learn what Frank Viola, and I, have learned from decades of being writers. Happy Writing. ~Tricia

Jeff Goins, one of my favorite writing bloggers, calls it the 5-Draft Method . I call it revision, but it's all the same thing. If you're going to write a book, you are going to write it more than once before it's written. Even then, when you think you're finished, you will probably second guess yourself about it, wondering if this or that could have used more revision. You will ask yourself if you should have had it edited at least one more time. This side of the writing process tends to surprise people. Be not surprised. Whatever you have written will need to be revised again and again. Revise to the end. Then, before you second guess yourself out of publishing altogether, just publish it and move on to your next project. There is much writing to do. ~Tricia

I had a deadline on a writing project this week. I often work under self-imposed deadlines, but this one was imposed by the editor of an international magazine and it felt very different from my usual self-imposed deadlines. The difference is, mine are always negotiable and highly flexible. Because I'm a free-lance writer, I have the luxury of setting my own priorities. My self-imposed deadlines are always subject to my family's needs. With such a large family as I have, this happens often, and that really works for me. I love the flexibility and freedom free-lancing allows me to have. I have worked under outside deadlines before, don't get me wrong, but they really are few and far between. I like being in control of my own schedule. But, this week was different. The editor in charge of this project said on Monday he wanted the finished product by Friday....of this same week. He was on a deadline to be sure. At first, it felt good. Then it felt intimidating. Then...

I never thought of myself as a writer. I wrote as a child, but that didn't translate into writing for anyone other than myself. I did the mandatory writing in school and always got good grades on what I wrote, but that didn't translate into becoming a writer. I wrote, however, a lot. I did far more than just the mandatory writing my teachers required.  I wrote lists.  I wrote observations.  I wrote expectations.  I wrote stories. I wrote. But, I didn't think of myself as a writer because all my writing was for myself. One comment from one college professor changed my writing. Upon returning a graded writing assignment to me, he commented, "Reading your writing is just like talking to you. You should write." He actually wrote those words at the top of that paper! I was astounded that my writing could impact someone else. That idea had not occurred to me. I got an "A" on that paper, and that'x exactly when I started writing for the e...

FACT: Reading improves our writing. What are you reading this summer? I'll give you my list: * The Heart of the Matter by Frank Hamrick is an older book, but deals with targeting people's hearts instead of their behavior. Aimed at Christian school, it's a great read for anyone in Christian leadership. * Alaska Bound, One man's dream....One woman's nightmare by Tammy Jones is a true-life account of an Alaskan adventure as told by a woman who lived it. I have not yet read this book, so it's risky to put it on my list here, but the title and description so intrigued me that I had to do a Kindle download asap. I'm looking forward to starting this one! * Baby Dust, A Novel about Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss by Deanna Roy is just what the title suggests. I chose this book because I, too, suffered the loss of a pregnancy through miscarriage. I totally love the title, Baby Dust, since it sums up the magnitude of this type of loss for those of us who hav...

I get inspired to write no matter where I am. I can have a conversation with someone at the grocery store and get inspired to write an article, title or even an entire book. A wait in the doctor's office often inspires an idea. I can get motivated to write while listening to a good sermon - and while listening to a bad sermon. Many of these writings never see publication, but that doesn't dissuade me from writing. I write volumes, making notes and writing down ideas every day. Get inspired. Look around you and make mental notes on what's happening. Stay inspired. Write. ~Tricia

If you're like me, you have a variety of resources you use for your writing. I thought today I would highlight a few of my favorites. Grammar Girl is first on my favorites list. She tackles every day grammar issues that all writers face and you can search her site for answers to all your grammar questions. Love Grammar Girl (Mignon Fogarty )! Find her on Facebook so you don't miss out on the best grammar tips around. LinkedIn is another favorite resource of mine. I have joined several writer's groups on LinkedIn and have found the conversations to be worthwhile, stimulating and very advantageous to my writing. There's nothing like having others read your writing or reading others' writing to add fuel to your own writing. SEO News is another of my favorites. I learn something every single time I go to their website. If you're going to write and publish on the internet, SEO News can help you learn the best way to use and optimize search engines for the b...

The three little words in this blog title perfectly sum up the start to my writing career. I was in college and had just turned in yet another research paper. I did my best work on the paper, turned it in on time and sighed with relief as I went on to my next class. I had no idea that the paper I'd just finished would change my life. Upon getting the graded paper back from my professor, I noted that he'd written a note at the top. It said, "Reading your writing is just like talking to you. You should write." The words were simple, their impact far-reaching. Three little words. I took them to heart for a number of reasons. First of all, I was not used to hearing positive feedback or any sort of compliment. Being raised in an abusive situation didn't lend itself to my siblings and I being built up in any way. I simply had never heard much positive reinforcement in my life, thus it was incredibly pleasant. Secondly, the professor was a professional, giving his ...

I read a few blogs regularly and those blogs often introduce me to new blogs. Today, a Facebook post led me to a fashion blog and it looked interesting and informative enough to click on. Fashion is important, to a point - the point where I don't go around looking like an idiot or dressing too young, etc. That can be challenging, though, since clothes in the junior department fit me best. It's not always convenient to be short. The fashion blog held a lot of useful information, but this young blogger desperately needs an editor. We can certainly look past a few typos, but this gal had no clue how to use the English language. She needs an editor. We all need an editor. I can't tell you how many times I've written a blog post, reread it several times, posted it, then came back and found typos or other errors! It happens to everyone. I'm not just irritated at poor, unedited writing. I'm also frustrated for the writer because, in the long run, it will affect ...

My new book, Writing for Publication (Book 1) will be available via Kindle and Kindle apps by the end of this week! I'm excited to have made this much progress since we're in the process of moving. Here's an excerpt from the book, a teaser: There are specific keys to overcoming the inevitable failure of being a writer. These few ideas can have a huge impact on your writing, and on your success as a writer.           Appreciate your own talent. If you know you are a good writer and you have something valid to say, appreciate that in yourself. Self appreciation comes across to others as confidence. Appreciating and having confidence in your talent is not boastful or prideful, it’s honest and real.          Don’t let rejection slow you down. Realize and accept that rejection is part of the job of writing for publication. If you accept this, it will not surprise you when it happens. It’s a given, par for the course. It truly...

Tip for the day for writers:   Stop using "that" as much as you possibly can.  I like to remind myself by saying, "That sounds flat." Here are a few samples which illustrate my point: Actually, this sentence is a perfect example. I could have said, "Here are a few samples that illustrate my point."  By choosing "which" instead of "that," the sentence flows better, sound more intelligent and helps the reader focus on the subject at hand, all which are benefits to any writer. Anything you do to ease the reading of your work will benefit you, as the writer, the most. Consider these examples: Change "I will vote for the candidate that most closely shares my view." to "I will vote for the candidate who most closely shares my view." Using "who" instead of "that" in this instance gives credibility to the writer's understanding of a candidate being a person and n...