Black Friday Extravaganza–my books + courses on sale this weekend

Happiness is good stuff on sale, amiright?

And I have some marvelous stuff on sale for you!

First off, did you know I just published a self-help book for creatives? It’s called Positively Creative ~ harness the magic of a positive mindset for joyful creative living. I wrote it during quarantine, when creativity was the way I coped with all the difficulties in the world.

I also created a deck of affirmation cards (titled Positively Creative), which work nicely with the book but also are a great tool on their own. Kind of like pizza—pairs well with other foods but also perfectly fine on its own. But I digress…

You can learn more about my two latest products here at this link here on my site >>>Positively Creative.

Both of these products are on sale this weekend! They make great gifts for you or someone you love!!

OTHER MARVELOUS PRODUCTS + SERVICES ON SALE THIS WEEKEND

• My digital writing guides (which you can find on my site at the page My Bookstore) are on sale at 50% off or FREE, so definitely grab your copies now.
• Online courses are all 50% off. You can look them up here on Teachable

Did you know that for every purchase of any of my products and services, I donate 10% to organizations that protect the planet and all of her amazing species? You can feel good knowing that your purchase will lend a hand in keeping our natural home safe and well cared for. Thank you!

Writing Prompt Challenge

Hey there, Writers!

Swinging through with a special announcement! I’m running a writing prompt challenge this week along with my good friend and excellent writer, Mayumi Hirtzel, author of Number Seven and the Life Left Behind.

The purpose of this challenge is to encourage you to write without fear or pressure to perform. To simply write because you love to write.

But Mayumi and I also want to sweeten the deal with a prize!

The challenge  will run from Tuesday May 26, 2020 to Monday June 1, 2020.  Mayumi came up with two writing prompt options (below). You can submit as many pieces as you like (each one no longer than 250 words) and submit  to any of the following sites:

Here–in the comment section below

FACEBOOK (biz page)

TEAM WRITER (my free writing group)

Instagram

Winners will be drawn randomly—so there is no need to worry about quality of your writing. This is all about encouraging you to write anything, without the pressure of performance. To enjoy the process and the journey!

Winners will be announced on June 2, 2020 through a live name-pulling-out-of-the-hat on IG and FB. I’ll also contact winners directly.

Prizes—each winner will receive 30 minutes of coaching or editing from me. Depending on the needs of each winner, this could take place via Zoom, a phone call, or an email exchange.

There are two prompts that you can choose from. Please submit pieces no longer than 250 words. You may title your submission if you like. You can also enter as many times as you like, using either or both of the prompts!

Ready for the prompts…?

Full sentence prompt: “You’ll never lose if you don’t play. But you’ll never win, either.”

One-word prompt: Jackpot!

You can submit your piece in the comment section below, or at any of the social media links I provided above. Any questions? Just ask below!

Have a writerly day!

Is Your Inciting Incident Strong Enough?

The Inciting Incident is the first major turning point of a story, and it usually occurs around the 10% mark. Otherwise known as a Catalyst, this big event must be life-changing for your protagonist. If this turning point is fraught with loopholes, then your protagonist can avoid the Call to Action, and thus remain in their Current World. The story will fizzle out if that happens.

Think of the Inciting Incident as the one-way door from your protagonist’s Current World to their New World. No matter what your protagonist does, they cannot return to the status quo. This event is a game-changer.

Remember, your protagonist will be resistant to change. So any kind of event that gets him thinking he has to change his ways he will avoid like the plague. This is why your Inciting Incident has to be S T R O N G. If your protagonist can kick it to the curb he will, unless …

>>>READ MORE<<<

Four Ways to Decide if You Should Show or Tell

Show, don’t Tell is a common guideline authors hear over and over. But does this mean you should never “tell”? No, of course not, but it does mean we have to figure out the best places in our writing where “telling” is better than “showing” and vice versa.

In this article, I’m going to break down the differences between Show and Tell, why you would choose one over the other, techniques for both, and four ways to decide if you should use Show or Tell in your writing.

>>>read on here<<<

Two Steps to Get to Know Your Story

Before you get started writing your book, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with the story you want to tell. Now, I will say that this might feel anti-climactic for you spontaneous pantsers out there, but just hear me out.

Knowing the story you want to write does not mean you can’t still dive headfirst into the story world with no plan, no plot, no strategy. I’m not talking about outlining or plotting or anything that will constrain you from freely exploring your ideas.

This particular advice won’t affect your pantsing proclivities, but it will offer you solid footing as you first step into your world. From there, it’s going to be up to you and the process you choose to write the story. Regardless, clarity and focus at the start of your journey can go a long way in helping you stay reasonably on track with your story, thus enhancing your enjoyment.

STEP ONE . . .

<<<READ MORE>>>