If you’re like me, getting back into the swing of things can be difficult to do. I have to force myself to sit down and start typing, hoping that something (anything!) will come through my fingertips! Alas, some days are better than others.

I’ve decided to practice a writing exercise to get myself out of writer’s block mode and into writing a successful story! I invite you to join me in this challenge if you are fighting writer’s block as well.

Find three to five things in your house or office and describe them in detail. Personify them. Give them names. Create an environment for them. Imagine a scenario that involves these items. Whatever you do, you have to write for at least an hour about these items. Once you get your creative juices flowing, you may just find that story hiding inside of you!

Share your ideas with me! I would love to read your stories!

To your success,
Katie

I am so sorry I haven’t written in awhile! The holidays were quite busy for me and my family this year, and so my blog fell by the wayside. But enough excuses! It’s a new year and time to get back into the swing of things. I am excited what this year holds - both for my business and for my family. My husband and I are expecting our first child in March, and we are so excited!

In addition, I am considering adding a newsletter to my list of things to do. I can’t promise anything at this point, but I am brainstorming and developing new ideas every day. I am also trying to get back into my creative writing. Sometimes it seems the easiest route is to just accept the writing jobs that I know will bring in money and letting my own stories and poems fall by the wayside. Not this year!

I plan to enter several writing contests this year and (hopefully) to complete at least one of my stories! I’ll keep you abreast of my progress, and I hope you’ll let me know how you are coming on your new year’s resolutions!

It’s already the second week in January, so we better get started!

To your success,
Katie

Hello, Fellow Writers and Entrepreneurs!

Fall is in the air here in South Carolina, and the vibrant colors in the trees are inspiring to this writer. In fact, as I write this, I am looking out my window at a gorgeous maple tree in our backyard that is resplendent with golden hues! As our nights grow colder and our days longer, I am looking forward to our upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Can you believe 2007 is already drawing to a close?

Now is the time to re-assess the past year. What goals have you accomplished? Have you gained any new clients? How successful were you this year?

Write about your experiences this year and keep track of them every year so you can see your own progress. Whether you finally wrote that novel or short story or earned more money than you had projected, you are successful in everything you have accomplished.

To your success,
Katie

Hey! How are you doing this week? Are you getting back into the swing of things now that the kids are back in school? Can you believe that 2007 is almost over? It seems like it was Christmas just yesterday, and now it’s almost Christmas time again!

Writing is a hard job. You have to take the time to commit yourself to just sitting down and jotting your thoughts onto paper. Anyone who has experienced writer’s block can vouch that this career is definitely not for everyone! But if you’re one of the few who has the ability to write, then maybe you need some tips on getting started.

1. Set aside at least an hour each day to just sit and write. It doesn’t matter what you write. Just get the creative juices flowing. I have mentioned before that Roald Dahl, renowned children’s author of books such as The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Matilda, would set aside time each day to just sit and write about what he saw. As a result, he wrote many wonderful books that were created from things he noticed in his own yard.

2. Write about what you know. If you’ve never been to Europe, don’t try to write a book based on that culture (unless you plan on doing a lot of research!) Instead, write about things that are happening in your own neighborhood and add your own creative elements. Go to the mall and just observe people walking by. Everyone has a story, and you can usually create your own based on what you see people doing or wearing.

3. Don’t edit yourself. This is something I catch myself doing often. Just write your story. Once you’re done, then you can go back and do the rewrite. For now, just get your ideas down on paper. They don’t have to be perfect. After all, you’re the only one who is going to be reading them at this point in the game.

If you’re still having writer’s block, change your surroundings and try something new. You never know who or what will show up or what kind of story may develop.

To your success,

Katie

Hello, Fellow Writers!

I’m sorry I haven’t written all summer on my blog, but I have had my plate full with various projects (including growing my family), so it has been hard to focus on this blog! But I hope that you haven’t stopped writing while I’ve been silent. I haven’t. In fact, I have a new story in the works, which I hope to get published once it is completed. I have some publishing friends who are encouraging me along the way, and that is a key ingredient to any successful publication!

I know that it can become overwhelming to try and find your place in the writing world. It seems as though everybody and anybody believes they can write these days, especially celebrities (Ghost writers, consider increasing your rates at this point!) So how do you keep from getting lost in this dog-eat-dog industry? Submit, submit, submit!

But where do you start? Consider submitting short stories, poems, essays, or articles to various magazines and websites in order to “get your name out there.” If you have a manuscript ready for review, buy or borrow from your local library The Writer’s Market or any other writer’s guidebook to find out what publishers are accepting in terms of manuscripts these days. Don’t send your historical fiction manuscript to a publisher who specializes in science fiction! You are only setting yourself up for rejection.

Even if the first publisher rejects your work, keep sending it out to other prospective publishing houses. Don’t just choose the ones you are familiar with either! Some of the best books have been published by lesser-known houses because the manuscripts were simply lost in the “slush pile” at the larger, more well-known publishing house. Don’t be discouraged if you are rejected over and over again. Take each rejection as an incentive to go after the next publisher with even more fortitude. Believe in your workmanship!

If you feel that you have been rejected too many times to count, then perhaps you should seek an outside opinion. Allow someone you know to be an honest critic to give you advice on your manuscript. Take their advice and make those changes. Agents are also a really good source to let you know if you have a manuscript that is publishable. Most agents won’t charge you a fee until your work has been accepted to be published. Then submit, submit, and submit again!

Don’t give up! Just because celebrities make it look easy doesn’t mean that it actually is for most writers. That doesn’t mean your story’s not good. It just needs to be read by the right person at the right time. Visit www.writersdigest.com for help with your manuscript and feedback from editors and publishers.

Don’t give up! You have the drive to write, so keep writing!

To your success,

Katie

Well, my week has been so busy, this is the first time I have had a chance to sit down and type! Last weekend, my fellow classmates and I reunited for our 10-year high school reunion. It was so great to see everyone again. I graduated with a class of 28, so we were a pretty close-knit group. Thanks to everyone on the committee who helped plan the event!

As I was helping plan my reunion, I had the opportunity to look back through some of my old writings, including some essays I submitted for contests in high school. I was amazed at the ways my style has changed and at the ways it has stayed the same. In fact, I gleaned some new ideas from stories and poems I had written in my formative years.

What about you? Do you ever take the time to look back over what you have written in the past? How is it different from what you are writing today? Send me some of your work, and I will be happy to give you my unbiased opinion! Perhaps you can build on past work to get your writing juices flowing again!

While we’re talking about looking back, 2007 is halfway over already! How is your business doing? This is a good time of year to look at what you have accomplished since January and to re-evaluate your strategies for the rest of the year. July is a great time to offer a Christmas in July sale! Now is also a great time to be gathering ideas for Christmas. It’ll be here before you know it! Send me your ideas if you want some feedback.

To the Hampton Park Class of 1997 - Happy 10 Years!

To your success,
Katie

Just a quick post today, everyone! I just wanted to pay tribute to the men and women who have served our country in the past and who are serving our country today. Without these self-sacrificing heroes, our country would not be the incredible place of freedom it is today!

Thank you, service men and women and your families for dedicating your lives to protecting mine.

Have a great holiday, everybody!

Katie

Hey everyone!

I’m sorry I haven’t written in a while, but things have been crazy at my house with my birthday, Mother’s Day, baby showers (not mine), and weddings! May is definitely the month of activity. In addition, my sister and brother-in-law are moving with their two daughters, and I had to help babysit the kids.

What’s going on with you? I know there are several writing contests going on right now. Have you submitted anything? Honestly, I haven’t had the time to get anything together for any contests. Business has been booming around here lately, and I have had my hands full!

One thing to remember when trying to get published is to submit, submit, submit! You probably are not going to get published by the first publishing house to see your work. You may not even get published by the 50th publishing house to see your work. However, keep sending your manuscripts. Send them to everyone you possibly can. Someone is looking for your topic and your type of work.

The Writer’s Market is a good source for finding publishers, identifying the types of manuscripts they accept, receiving information on writing query letters, and learning facts on how much each publisher pays for your manuscript. Do your research before sending your manuscript because you don’t want to waste your time sending your work to a publisher who isn’t interested.

You should also consider joining writer’s forums in order to receive feedback on your work. Other writers will be more critical than your family and friends and will usually have helpful tips to improve your manuscript. In return, you can critique their work and examine manuscripts from an editor’s point of view.

Remember that writing is hard work. If you keep working towards your goals, you will be published before you know it!

To your success,

Katie

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend, even if it was a bit cold and windy here in the South! My sister-in-law and I sat out in the cold wind on Saturday morning, hosting our very first yard sale. It was so successful that I returned home with a whopping $6.75! Maybe the cold kept everyone away, or maybe we just weren’t offering the public what they needed.

Are you struggling with selling your goods or services? Perhaps you’re having the same trouble I had at my yard sale - you don’t have what your clients want or need. Maybe you’re not focusing on the right target group. Take a few minutes to jot down a few characteristics of your target group. Are they young? Old? Professionals? Corporations? Now create another list that identifies what you expect your goods or services can do for this market. If you’re stumped, then you might want to try a different market group. Don’t give up - just try something new!

If you’re convinced that you are targeting the right group, then you may want to reconsider your marketing strategy. Do they even know you exist? Seek out a few possible clients and deliver a packet of information to them about your company. Consider adding some sort of gimmick in your package, such as a calendar with your company logo, a pen with your contact information, or even a key chain with your company’s name on it. Do whatever you can to make them remember you. After a couple of months, drop them a reminder note in the mail to let them know that you are still in business.

It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, and you are going to have to try new and different techniques to grab your client’s attention. Keep working hard, and soon you will see success.

To your success,

Katie

Happy Easter, Everyone (a little late, I know)! I hope you all enjoyed the holiday and that you’re not too tired from your kids overdosing on chocolate!

My husband and I just returned from Disney World, the most magical place on earth! Some of the magic was lost on me, however, as I tried to push my way through a crowd of 40,000 people. Magic Kingdom actually reached its maximum capacity one day! If you have a choice, don’t go to Disney World during Easter week, the second busiest week of the year. Of course, since I was going with my in-laws, I had no choice about which week I visited Mickey Mouse.

As I stood in the long lines waiting for my turn on the rides, I noticed the different marketing techniques of Disney World. As soon as you enter the park, you are approached by vendors carrying large Mickey Mouse balloons. Every ride ends in a souvenir shop, next to a food vendor or restaurant. Of course, you have to stop to buy some little trinket to prove you have been to Disney World. In the evening, before the daily parade begins, Disney cast members dance down the street, adorned in various light-up gadgets to wave around in the parade. We even observed a line of little girls waiting at a boutique to be dressed as Disney princesses.

While I had to watch my pennies, I was still awed by the many different ways Disney has found to make money. I stopped to read about the life of Walt Disney, the founder, who started this massive, world-famous empire with just a mouse named Mickey. I was even amazed to discover that he had created Disney Land in order to have a fun place to take his children. He sunk every penny he had into the company, almost reaching bankruptcy during the Depression.

If you are feeling discouraged about your business, take a look into the life of Mr. Disney. You, too, can experience the kind of success he did with a little heart and ingenuity.

To your success,

Katie