Today, I want to challenge you with a topic that makes some writers uncomfortable: making money.

Why does it make some writers uncomfortable? Because many writers are only concerned with the creative side of writing. They’d rather hole up in their office, work on their books, and never think about the marketing or business side of what they do.

If that describes you, consider these questions:

What if you could make a part-time or full-time living as a writer? How would that change your life?

What if you had more income to attend conferences, take courses, or join a mastermind on writing?

What if your income was at a level where you could be more generous to causes you care about?

What would it feel like to have regular money coming in from your writing-based business—income from book royalties, courses, a membership, client work, and more?

I ask you those questions because I want you to dream about what could happen when you have more income from your writing. As a writer, you DESERVE to be paid for your creative work. If this topic interests you, go back and check out the podcast series I recently did on Making Money as a Writer. It will open your eyes to the possibilities!

So this year, I want you to be thinking about the amazing things that could happen when you increase your writing income. I worked as a college professor for many years, and over time, I built up my writing business so that I was able to quit and do writing full-time.

It happened for me, and it can happen for you, too.

Today’s Challenge: Write down three things you would do with the extra money you could make from writing this year.

The post New Year’s Goal: Make More Money in 2023 appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

There’s something that has been bothering you. It’s like a pebble in your shoe that irritates you just enough that you think about it all the time. It intimidates you, taunts you, and won’t let you stop thinking about it.

It might be a phone call or email that you’re too afraid to send because you might be rejected. It might be a book that you’re afraid to start writing because you don’t know how it will be received. It might be the writing business that seems too daunting because you’ve never done this before.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” If you have something that intimidates you and is weighing on your mind, you must do it. You must stare it in the face and declare that it has no power over you. You’ve got to face it head-on and just get it done.

There is no other way. You will be blocked and cannot move forward until you tackle this task. It is the only pathway forward.

Daily Question: What is the one thing you think you cannot do? What are you going to do about it today?

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Today’s episode is the first in a seven-part series on dealing with rejection.

As writers, we deal with rejection in many forms. You can be rejected by a reader, a publisher, a literary agent, a podcaster, a beta reader, a book reviewer, a peer, and so much more. This rejection can be formal or informal, big or small. It can be direct and aggressive, or indirect and passive.

Whatever form rejection takes, one thing is for certain: IT HURTS.

And when it happens, we ask the inevitable questions like these: Why don’t they like my writing? Have I done something wrong? Why do they have to be so mean? How can I move forward now? What does everyone else think? Are they just as displeased?

Those are normal questions, but when you feel rejected, make sure and ask the most important question of all: Where is the seed of truth in their rejection?

Most of the time, in most cases, there is a kernel of truth in someone’s rejection. The person who hurt your feelings might be over the top, or maybe they went too far, but oftentimes there is a little bit of truth in every rejection or criticism.

So, look for the kernel of truth. Even if criticism or rejection is delivered in a hurtful way, it doesn’t mean the person was wrong. It just means they were wrong in their delivery. So, with as much humility as you can muster, see if there is any truth in what they said and adjust accordingly. You and your writing will be all the better for it.

Daily Question: Think of the most recent time you have been rejected or criticized. Was there any truth to it?

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The way some of us writers shrink back from a challenge, you’d think we live forever.

We hesitate to write that book because we fear what others will think. We don’t set up that website because it feels too hard. We don’t meet with that person who is five years ahead of us because we’re intimidated. We don’t make that social media post because we question whether we’re a good enough writer.

It might feel scary in the moment, but what about a hundred years from now? We will all be gone. That’s a hard truth to hear, but it’s still the truth. Our lives are but a blink of an eye compared to the endless expanse of eternity.

Steve Jobs gave a helpful perspective when he said, “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked.”

When you die, you can’t take anything with you. All those words and ideas and stories you have been storing up to write “someday” will vanish. You can’t take that material with you. If you don’t write it, it won’t get written and we will all be the worse off for it… simply because you were too scared.

When you’re gone, everything goes back into the box. All your goals, hopes, dreams, plans, stories, ideas, and vision. So, you might as well go for it now while you still have time. What have you got to lose?

Daily Question: Does knowing that you will die someday help motivate you to say what you want to say in your writing?

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