by J. Mercer Creating a book from start to finish can be an extraordinary feat, enough to make you forget that you are, in fact, a creator first and everything else second. In addition, you must field solicitations from companies promising to make your life easier—if only you pay them hundreds of dollars. If you’re an indie author and have been here and have wanted to pull your hair out, or if you’re newly venturing into the world of indie publishing, put your feet up and let me tell you about a few tools I’ve found on my journey that have made my life much easier. To help you prep: Google ..read more

November 7, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, As a writing coach, one of my gifts is helping people figure out why they are stuck. Often, writer’s come to me saying they’re blocked. But if you read my post last week, you know that writer’s block is almost always a symptom of something deeper. In this month’s workshop on writer’s block, I’ll be sharing how I help people diagnose their own writer’s block. I’ll also offer examples of common reasons people are blocked and how to address those. But that’s not all! My colleague, EFT expert Liesel Teversham, will be guiding you through a pr ..read more

October 31, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, Happy Halloween and Happy fifth Tuesday! Thank you to everyone who responded to my plea for help on my writer’s block class. Your comments have helped me a lot. If anyone else wants to let me know what causes writer’s block for you, please respond to this email with your thoughts. If you are one of those people who struggles with writer’s block, you might want to attend my new workshop. (If you are not one of those people, please forward this to a friend.) I’ll be teaching the class with EFT expert Liesel Teversham on how you can overcome ..read more

An Interview with Steve Woodruff by Rochelle Melander Welcome to the blog, Steve. Tell us about your new book, The Point. This book is the culmination of decades of in-the-trenches selling, marketing, consulting, and presenting. I’ve probably made every mistake known to the human race, but what I’ve learned is that there are simple, universal rules to crafting great communications that anyone can apply. This book explains that formula. Your book covers four rules and eight tools for good communication. What rules or tools helped you the most in writing the book?  The most vital rule ..read more

October 3, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, Happy October! As you know, I took on a teaching gig this fall. I’m learning tons and having a blast. But it’s taking lots of time. Between that, my editing, and the two coaching groups I run, I’m swamped. For that reason, I’m cutting back on this newsletter. I’ve published weekly since 2007. For the next three months, I am going to play around with publishing on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. I hope you’ll stick with me during the transition. And a surprise deal! MockUp Shots is having a sale again. Get book promo videos, meme ..read more

September 26, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, You’ve got just a day or so to sign up for the writing accountability group. It’s a small group dedicated to helping you set writing goals and overcome the obstacles that typically get in the way. Previous members have credited the group with helping them develop the habits they need to get their work done on their own. Today’s tip is an interview with my friend and fellow writer, Elise Seyfried about her brand new book, Nanamorphosis and her success as a freelance writer. Once you’re done reading the newsletter, check out the video trai ..read more

September 19, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, Summer’s almost over and it’s time to get back to work. I’m starting a teaching gig this week, working with young people at a local school. I’m also trying to finish up the projects I started this summer, including a new book that will help you structure and write your nonfiction book. When I get overwhelmed by my tasks or worry that I don’t have what it takes, I call one of my accountability partners. They remind me that I’ve done this before. I can do it again. The people in the two writing accountability groups I run do this for each ..read more

by Rochelle Melander You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. – John C. Maxwell At a conference, I heard a speaker instruct the audience to list their habitual tasks on their to-do lists so that they could experience the joy of crossing off items like brushing their teeth, showering, and eating. When was the last time you forgot to brush your teeth? If it’s a habit, you don’t. For most people, certain tasks are automatic. We don’t have to think about where to put our keys or what toothpaste to use—beca ..read more

September 5, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, I am on my way out of town for an end-of-summer break. I’m looking forward to a few days away from my computer and email, wandering around new neighborhoods and museums and thinking about the next writing project. I often want to start a new project in the fall. Something to do with school starting and all that! If you’re working on a writing project and need accountability, think about joining the Writing Accountability Group. We start at the end of September. For today’s tip, I interviewed Maria Parrott-Ryan, a friend and colleague wit ..read more

August 29, 2023 Note From Rochelle Dear writers, Today’s tip talks about how accountability can help you get more writing done—and introduces this fall’s writing accountability group. Happy writing, Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach Connect and Write More by Rochelle Melander The only good teachers for you are those friends who love you, who think you are interesting, or very important, or wonderfully funny; whose attitude is: “Tell me more.” —Brenda Ueland How do you stay accountable to your writing? During National Novel Writing Month, many people track their word count on the NaNo sit ..read more