I am often asked how I manage to write a book (or more) a year with teaching, kids, and a healthy home life. Yes, sometimes I just want to curl up in fetal position and “make it all go away.” Eh, I’m human. But most days I move forward–even with a smile on my face. So this is what I do:

My Words of advice:

1. Write everyday (even if it is only a paragraph).

2. Read, read, and read.  If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.  Know what is happening in your genre–and feed your soul.

3. Guard your writing time.

4. Be consistent.

5. Spend a little time on social media each day.  Build a supportive community.  Be generous. Build a platform based on you and not a single book.

6. Have your work professionally edited–by more than one editor (content and line-by-line editors). Yes, it hurts spending money, but you cannot edit on your own. I am a professional English teacher by trade and training. I use at least two editors and a slew of beta readers on every single book.

HAVE YOUR BOOK PROFESSIONALLY EDITED–no arguing this point.

Some days you will fail, some you will succeed, and if you keep at it, you will get there.  Now go out an write. 🙂

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”  ― Stephen King