First, you can self-publish your books, which means you assume all the risks, responsibilities, and rewards. Second, you can work with a hybrid publisher, which usually means you pay for their help with specific services, and they provide some of the functions of a traditional publisher. The third option, and the one most familiar to everyone, is traditional publishing. In this scenario, you sell your book to a publisher in exchange for an advance. They own the book but also take all the risk of producing and distributing the book, in addition to some marketing. Even though self-publishing has come a long way in the last ten or fifteen years, many authors still dream of getting a traditional publishing deal, especially with one of the big five New York publishers. If that’s your goal, you will need help in pitching your book to publishers to secure the best deal. That’s where a literary agent comes in. On today’s episode, I’m honored to talk with Mark Gottlieb, a New York literary agent who is here to give us the inside scoop on how to find and work with an agent. tentaclebimbo facebook Mark is the vice president and literary agent at book publishing’s leading literary agency, Trident Media Group in New York City. He attended Emerson College and was President of its Publishing Club, and established Wilde Press. After graduating with a degree in writing, literature and publishing, he began his career with Penguin’s VP. His first position at Trident Media Group was in foreign rights. He was the EA to Trident Media Group’s Chairman and ran the Audio Department. He is currently working with his own client list, helping to manage and grow author careers with the unique resources available to Trident Media Group. He is ranked highly among literary agents in overall deals and other categories. Some of the topics I talk about with Mark are: how he became a literary agent, what an agent actually does in the publishing ecosystem, the benefits of traditional publishing, what kinds of projects he looks for and how to stand out as an author, what the most successful authors do when pitching and working with an agent, and some common mistakes to avoid when trying to secure an agent. You can connect with Mark at https://literaryagentmarkgottlieb.com and find out more about the Trident Media Group at https://tridentmediagroup.com.

The post Mark Gottlieb on Finding & Working with a Literary Agent appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

It was most likely outlined, drafted, revised, and edited, probably several times, before it took its final shape. This is the way almost all good writing, as well as all good art, is created.

Take the Beatles, for example. In the years since the Beatles made their original recordings in the 1960s, there have been lots of behind-the-scenes albums released that show how their songs progressed in stages.

The 2018 re-release of The White Album included the legendary Esher Demos, which were recorded at George Harrison’s house in Esher, about a half hour’s drive southwest of London.

During these sessions, the Beatles recorded an early version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” It’s quite a bit faster and much more stripped down than the final version that was included on the album. But through the process of rewriting, arranging, and perfecting the song over time, it eventually became something truly majestic.

This is a pattern all great creatives seem to follow. The great William Faulkner spoke the truth when he said, “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”

We’d be hard-pressed to say any of the Beatles’ early demos were bad, but they were definitely improved by the continual process of revision. The same process holds true for all artists, including writers. The first version is not the final version. You’ve got to just get down a first draft and then keep working on it from there.

It has been said that 10% of good writing is inspiration, while 90% is perspiration. That sounds about right. Just get the words down and keep working at it. You’ll get better and faster over time.

If you want to be good, you have to first be willing to be bad.

The post Be Bad in Order to Be Good appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

But when she is swept away to Oz on a grand adventure, Dorothy finds that all she really wants is to go back home.

As writers, we are constantly dreaming about what’s next. The next book. The next conference. The next interview. The next connection. The next source of income. The next five years.

Dreaming about the future is important. Living in the here and now is also important. Appreciate who you are and where you’ve come from. Say “thank you” to the people who are supporting you. Remember where you came from.

All you have is today, this moment, right here and now. Don’t keep your head so far in the clouds that you forget to keep your feet planted on the ground.

The post Appreciate This Moment appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

We all know that profound changes can happen during this phase of life, the biggest of which is that your kids leave home and you become what’s known as an “empty nester.”

When the kids are no longer at home, everything about your family life changes. I’m going through this to some degree right now since my son, Ash, is 19. He’s been out of high school a year and still lives at home, but will probably be moving out in the not-too-distant future.

If this phase of life describes you, or if it describes someone you’re close to, you’ll relate very much to our guest today. Her name is Ruthie Gray and she’s been a guest here on the podcast before, talking about Instagram marketing.

However, Ruthie recently released a new book called Empty Next Awakening: Weaving the Threads of Your Passions into Purpose. The book is really wonderful, and is a real gift to anyone in this stage of life, men or women.

Ruthie Gray is a wife, grandmother, empty nester, and marketing coach for Christian female entrepreneurs, specializing in Instagram and newsletter strategy. Her hobbies include Florida beach walks, RV-ing with her hubby, and voraciously reading historical fiction.

She is also the founder of the Authentic Online Marketing School and Insider Mentorship, and podcasts at Authentic Online Marketing. She’s getting ready to launch her Authentic Online Marketing School, which can learn more about when you visit https://authenticonlinemarketing.com.

In this conversation, Ruthie and I talk about the challenges of the empty nest phase of life, why you can still have a business even if you have a ministry, her book writing and publishing process, and much more. If you’re considering writing a book, I think you’ll be very encouraged by Ruthie’s writing experience.

The post Ruthie Gray on Chasing Your Dreams in the Second Half of Life appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Click here to register for our free training

In this FREE training, we will cover:

• Why a book is the ultimate tool to grow your platform and influence.
• How to repurpose the podcast content you’ve already created into a book (no matter what your show format).
• A simple process for writing your book quickly (even if you’ve never written a book before).

This webinar is a must if you’re interested in leveraging your podcast and guests to promote your book, or if you want to use your book to promote and grow your podcast.

Even if you don’t yet have a podcast, and you haven’t yet written a book, join us to discover how these two powerful tools can work together to build your impact, influence, and income!

I hope you’ll join us on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 4:00pm EST for Podcast to Published!

* * *

In September of 1976, the American rock band Boston released their single called “More Than a Feeling.” The song tells the story of a young man who is listening to the radio, and a song comes on that reminds him of a former love.

What he experiences is “more than a feeling.”

But in a way, this song could also describe writers who are doing the work, day by day. How many times have you heard writers who talk about the need to feel “inspired,” or how they are waiting for the Muse to show up and give them the magic words?

The writers who consistently make a difference are the ones who know that the creative process is more than a feeling. They are also the ones who have more consistent success because they aren’t waiting for inspiration to strike.

Seth Godin talks about the need for consistent work in his book The Practice, which focuses on helping creative people ship their work.

He says, “Your work is too important to be left to how you feel today. On the other hand, committing to an action can change how we feel. If we act as though we trust the process and do the work, then the feelings will follow. Waiting for a feeling is a luxury we don’t have time for.”

So you woke up feeling grumpy this morning. Or maybe you’re feeling discouraged, or you’re irritated at some situation with your family or a co-worker. Maybe you flat-out just don’t feel like writing today!

Never mind all that. Those are feelings that ebb and flow like all emotions do. It’s time to put on your “big boy” or “big girl” writing pants, sit down in the chair, and get to work.

Your future self will thank you.

The post Creativity is More Than a Feeling appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Click here to register for our free training

In this FREE training, we will cover:

– Why a book is the ultimate tool to grow your platform and influence.

– How to repurpose the podcast content you’ve already created into a book (no matter what your show format).

– A simple process for writing your book quickly (even if you’ve never written a book before).

This webinar is a must if you’re interested in leveraging your podcast and guests to promote your book, or if you want to use your book to promote and grow your podcast.

Even if you don’t yet have a podcast, and you haven’t yet written a book, join us to discover how these two powerful tools can work together to build your impact, influence, and income!

I hope you’ll join us on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 4:00pm EST for Podcast to Published!

* * *

In the world of computers, WYSIWYG stands for “what you see is what you get.” It refers to an editing system or interface where the content you see on-screen shows exactly how it will look when it’s printed or displayed elsewhere.

But WYSIWYG can also refer to the writing life as a whole. What you see is truly what you get.

Do you see opportunities everywhere? Do you see people to connect with, people you can learn from? Do you see a world filled with publishing options and technology that lets you share and sell your work to anybody in the world with an internet connection? Do you see sparks of creativity in your life every day through the books you read, the people you meet, and the places you go?

Or on the flip side …

Do you see negative people who are only out to get you? Do you see everybody else getting opportunities while you have to fight for scraps? Do you feel shut down by other people who don’t like your work?

What you see is what you get. If you see possibilities for success, that’s what you’ll get. If you see a world full of obstacles and frustration, that’s also what you’ll get.

Charles Dickens was right when he began his classic book A Tale of Two Cities with these words: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …”

Everybody around you may feel like it’s the worst of times, but you can choose to see something different. It is truly the best of times if you’re a writer who is willing to put in the work and take advantage of the amazing opportunities we have today.

The post The Best of Times, The Worst of Times appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Click here to register for our free training

In this FREE training, we will cover:

• Why a book is the ultimate tool to grow your platform and influence.
• How to repurpose the podcast content you’ve already created into a book (no matter what your show format).
• A simple process for writing your book quickly (even if you’ve never written a book before).

This webinar is a must if you’re interested in leveraging your podcast and guests to promote your book, or if you want to use your book to promote and grow your podcast.

Even if you don’t yet have a podcast, and you haven’t yet written a book, join us to discover how these two powerful tools can work together to build your impact, influence, and income!

I hope you’ll join us on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 4:00pm EST for Podcast to Published!

* * *

Are you a glass-half-empty or a glass-half-full kind of person?

If your answer is that you’re a glass-half-empty kind of person, it means you tend to focus on what you lack. If your answer is that you’re a glass-half-full kind of person, it means you tend to focus on what you have.

So, the question is not about what’s inside the glass. The question is, what’s inside of you? It really comes down to how you see the world. It also affects how you perceive your writing and your potential for success.

As a writer, you can look at the world in one of two ways.

The first way is to focus on what you lack. Maybe you lack a big audience, a book contract, the time you would like to use for writing, a certain amount of income, the connections you think you need, and so on.

You spend a lot of emotional energy worrying and complaining about what everybody else seems to have, but you seem to lack. So, you don’t make much progress because you have a negative mindset.

The second way is completely the opposite. The second way is all about focusing on what you do have. And make no mistake, in the history of the world, writers have never had it better. Most of us have no concept of how good we have it as writers.

Let’s take a moment to take stock of what you have as a writer:

1. You have the ability to use a free blog, free social media, or free video platforms to reach literally anyone in the world.
2. You have the world’s most advanced, sophisticated communications and productivity device right there in your pocket (of course, I’m talking about a smartphone).
3. You have the ability to connect with almost anyone in the world through the internet.
4. You have access to more books and knowledge than the world has ever known, and the vast majority of it is free or very inexpensive.
5. You have more options for publishing than any writer has ever known.

Those are just a few things you have as a writer. The list could go on much longer.

The Stoic philosopher Epictetus said, “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” So today, take stock of all the blessings you have. Because the glass is not half-empty… it’s completely full.

The post Half-Full or Half-Empty? appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Here’s today’s excerpt from the chapter, “X is for Xerox.”

“Xerox” is a term we don’t hear much anymore. It originally referred to the company that pioneered the photocopier, but over time it came to refer to almost any kind of copying process. Once in a while, you will still hear someone use the phrase “make a Xerox” or “Xerox that document.”

That’s okay for making copies, but not so good for making artists.

As a kid growing up in the 1980s, I idolized Michael Jackson. I loved the red zippered jacket he wore in the “Thriller” video and was jealous of the kids at school who had one. Sometimes I would try to channel the magic by putting a white marching band glove on my right hand and doing the Moonwalk. (I promise not to subject you to the horror of watching me dance.)

The problem was that I wasn’t Michael Jackson. I didn’t have his talent. I could try as hard as I wanted, but I could never be him.

The world doesn’t need another Michael Jackson. Or Leonardo da Vinci or Miles Davis. Or Picasso, Steven Spielberg, Harper Lee, Steve Jobs, or anyone else who has made great art.

What the world needs is the one and only you.

One of my favorite podcasts is The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry. I love the phrase he uses at the end of each episode: Cover bands don’t change the world.

So how do you keep from becoming an artist who’s like a cover band that plays everyone else’s hits, but has none of their own? How do you stay true to yourself and your gifts, yet still learn from others? How do you stay authentic in a world that values conformity?

There are many possible answers to those questions, but I’ll highlight four proven practices. Look into the lives of all the great artists, and you’ll see these common threads.

1. Follow your passion.

When you’re doing work that excites you, that’s when you’re the most authentic. Do you look forward to your work, or do you feel it’s sucking the life out of you?

Two helpful ways to begin following your passion are learning about your personality and discovering your strengths. There are plenty of tests available, but here are free versions of two popular ones: the DiSC personality profile, and a strengths assessment.

2. Be true to yourself.

Don’t be a people-pleaser. Staying true to yourself means that you’ll disappoint people sometimes. That’s okay. Your job is not to make everyone else happy, but rather to follow your God-given creative calling. It may take some time to get there, but you must stay on the path that makes the best use of your passion and gifts.

3. Take the road less traveled.

It’s hard to take a risk when you see others falling in line and conforming to others’ expectations at the expense of their calling. But don’t be afraid to be your own person. Whatever you do in life, you will make mistakes. So you might as well be doing something you love.

4. Hang around with dreamers.

The more you associate with successful people who believe in making dreams a reality, the more you will think like them. That’s why it’s so important to get involved with people who are positive and forward-thinking.

So let me ask you: Who is influencing your thinking these days?

When I was a kid my Dad would sometimes tell this goofy joke: “How do you catch a unique rabbit? Easy. Unique up on him.”

You, my friend, are unique. There’s no one quite like you. Never has been, never will be. If you don’t do the creative work that only you can do, you’re robbing the world of your unique gift. And that would be a tragedy.

Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Don’t let your life become a Xerox of someone else’s dreams.

——

I hope you enjoyed that short excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. You can grab the book by visiting https://kentsanders.net/suitcase.

The post X is for Xerox – Excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Here’s today’s excerpt from the chapter, “U is for Unfinished.” (Note: This book was written when I worked at a college.)

All around the world, in homes, offices, and studios, there are unfinished works of art that will never see the light of day. Does one of them belong to you?

When I’m sitting in my college office, I see lots of great art. On the wall to my right are movie posters for two of my favorite films, Citizen Kane and The Searchers. On the wall to the left there is a print of Rembrandt’s masterpiece The Return of the Prodigal Son.

On the bookshelf beside me are models for some of my favorite vehicles, including the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, the DeLorean from Back to the Future, and the Mach 5 from Speed Racer.

The bookshelves behind me hold hundreds of books and DVDs. The iPhone on my desk contains hundreds of songs, dozens of podcast episodes, and a few dozen apps.

And the MacBook I’m using to write this book on is a work of art in itself too.

All these items were created by people who finished their work. These products and works of art began as ideas in someone’s mind, but they didn’t stay that way. Their creators worked on the concepts (usually collaborating with others) and the ideas began to take shape. But most important, they finished their work.

This is where it’s easy to get sidetracked. You have a great idea, you start to work on it, and you build momentum. You might even share it with a few people. But then as you work on it, you start to lose steam. Life gets busy, you lose focus, and you don’t finish your work.

Sometimes our work ends up like the movie Superman Lives. You say you’ve never heard of this movie? That’s because it was never made.

In the 1990s, Warner Bros. decided to resurrect the Superman franchise. They cycled through a few directors before landing on Tim Burton, who had given the studio great success with his Batman movies.

Screenwriters worked on several drafts of a script. Production staff worked on sets and special effects. Nicholas Cage was cast as Superman and filmed screen tests with the redesigned costume.

But after years of development and endless problems, the studio shut down production. A great deal of time and energy, not to mention millions of dollars, went down the drain and Superman Lives was never finished. What could have been one of the most interesting movies from the 1990s ended up as just another “might have been.”

Everyone has a “might have been” story. It may not be a big Hollywood movie, but I’ll bet you’ve started something you’d love to finish. It might be a book, a piece of music, a painting, or something you’re building or making with your hands. You want to finish it, but you just can’t seem to find the time.

In the bottom of someone’s desk drawer, there is an Oscar-winning screenplay. It just needs to be finished.

On someone’s hard drive, there is a life-changing novel. It just needs to be finished.

In someone’s closet, there is a painting worthy of display in a gallery. It just needs to be finished.

On someone’s college transcript, there is a degree listed with most of the required classes already taken. The degree could open doors and unlock someone’s potential. It just needs to be finished.

In someone’s journal, tucked away on a bookshelf, are sketches that could be the basis for a comic strip or an animated movie. They just need to be finished.

On someone’s sketchpad are drawings for a remodeled kitchen, basement, or treehouse. They just need to be finished.

On someone’s CDs or hard drive are rough demos of Grammy-winning songs. They just need to be finished.

Is that someone you?

If so, what can you do to turn your “might have beens” into reality?

What creative art do you still have unfinished?

——

I hope you enjoyed that short excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. You can grab the book by visiting https://kentsanders.net/suitcase.

The post U is for Unfinished – Excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Here’s today’s excerpt from the chapter, “S is for Secure.”

A few years ago, our family decided to get a dog. We discovered a sweet Australian shepherd named Madison at the local animal shelter. She had been abused by her former owner and was terrified of men. It took several months before she would even let me pet her.

Madison has changed a lot over the last three years but she still needs constant affirmation. We could pet her for hours every day and it would still not fill her emotional tank. There’s a part of Madison that will always be needy and insecure.

The word insecure means “subject to fears, doubts, etc.; not self-confident or assured.” You and I can easily fall into this emotional state if we’re not careful. As artists, we crave approval and affirmation. But we can take it too far if we are not emotionally healthy ourselves. As an artist who is constantly putting your work out there, you must be secure in your identity and self-worth.

If you want to be a more secure artist, it helps to recognize the signs of insecurity. This is useful for identifying and correcting our unhealthy emotional patterns. It’s easy to see these patterns in others, yet completely miss them when it comes to our own hearts.

By the way, how do I know these five signs so well? Because I have been guilty of all of them at times. Maybe you have as well.

1. An insecure artist constantly finds fault with others.

When my son Ben was in fourth grade, I had a conversation with him about school bullies. He asked why some kids pick on others. I explained that some people feel so badly about themselves that the only way they can feel better is to drag everyone else down with them. Sadly, some people keep doing this way past the fourth grade.

2. An insecure artist can’t accept constructive criticism.

No one likes to be criticized, but even the most stinging criticism can contain a kernel of truth. An insecure person is not mature enough to see the kernel of truth and learn from it. They can dish it out, but can’t take it.

Early in my teaching career, I received a nasty email from a student. He criticized me pretty harshly about my leadership of our music program. I felt angry that he had the nerve to send me such a critical note. Plus, I wanted to dismiss his comments since he wasn’t a good student.

But in my heart, I knew the truth: there was a bit of accuracy to his statements. There were several areas in which I was coming up short.

3. An insecure artist always wonders what everybody else thinks.

He can’t make his own decisions because he is too concerned about other people’s approval. He is constantly asking what everyone else thinks about this or that.

When others give you advice, treat it like a set of crutches. They can help you move in the right direction, but rely on them too long and you’ll eventually be too weak to stand on your own.

4. An insecure artist relies on external measurements for his sense of self-worth.

There are many ways that insecure people measure their worth: their car, house, clothing, personal appearance, titles, friends and associates, income, size of their business or organization, degrees and awards, and even the success of their children.

None of these things is bad. In fact, they can all be wonderful things when put in the proper perspective. But none of them is a true measurement of your value as a person. I have known a lot of people with money, academic degrees, and all kinds of outward signs of “success,” yet who were unhappy and insecure.

You can’t base your self-worth on the shifting tides of people’s opinions and other external measurements. Instead, base your confidence on these three things:

• Knowing who you are (confidence in your gifts and purpose).
• Knowing who loves you (confidence in the unconditional love of those closest to you).
• Knowing whose child you are (confidence in your eternal standing as a beloved child of God).

5. An insecure artist sees everyone as a competitor.

He doesn’t have the emotional maturity to compliment, encourage, or publicly support others without expecting something in return. He can’t be happy for other people when they succeed; he thinks a win for someone else means a loss for him.

I mentioned this idea in the chapter on generosity, but it’s so important it bears repeating: An insecure person sees success as a limited pie where there’s only so much to go around. If you get a bigger piece, that means there’s less for me, right?

A secure person sees himself and everyone else as having unlimited potential for success. He doesn’t see others as competitors, but as fellow travelers on the creative journey. He knows that your success means his success, and vice-versa. He knows that a rising tide lifts all ships.

Secure people create art from a place of generosity.

Insecure people create art from a place of fear.

Guess which type of person has more fun? More friends? More influence and success?

——

I hope you enjoyed that short excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase: 26 Essentials for the Creative Journey. You can grab the book by visiting https://kentsanders.net/suitcase.

The post S is for Security – Excerpt from The Artist’s Suitcase appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.