Your core message is the main theme, the golden thread, that dominates most of your content. Some examples:

Adventure author Jon Krakauer writes about human drama in life-or-death outdoor situations such as hiking or mountain climbing.

Novelist J. K. Rowling writes about what it means to be a hero in the context of a fantasy world.

Novelist Stephen King writes about the dark side of humanity in the context of horror stories.

Personal development guru John Maxwell writes about leadership.

Historian David McCullough wrote about the humanity behind American historical figures.

For most authors, it’s many books, but one core message. You might say, “What about the books that aren’t tied to an author’s core message?” Most of the time, those books are tied into their core message in one way or another.

What about you? What’s your core message?

If you can’t articulate it yet, that’s okay. It takes time and writing a lot of words before you figure it out. Your core message gets clearer and more authentic the more you write.

Today’s Challenge: As best as you can articulate it, write down your core message as an author. Then ask three people who know you well to see if they agree.

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Most writers feel this way about their work, too. You probably feel some type of nudge or pull toward your creative work. Regardless of whether you believe this comes from God or another source, the important thing is that we obey this calling and don’t try to run from it.

When we run, we are unhappy. When we do the work to fulfill our calling, we have a deep sense of joy and we also serve others with our gifts.

This calling, though, is never finished. It’s an ongoing pilgrimage that lasts your whole life. The author and ghostwriter Jeff Goins said, “Your calling is not a destination. It is a journey that doesn’t end until you die.”

None of us ever “arrives” as a writer in the sense that we have learned all we can learn or that we have somehow completed the mission. The mission, your calling, never ends. It is not just about how many books you write or what other accomplishments you might have. It is also about embracing the creative life, the life of an artist.

And that’s always a journey worth taking.

Question: Do you feel a calling to write? Why or why not?

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Dan has been helping people find their place and their work in the world since 2005, starting with high school students and then initiating and organizing groups and guest lectures in graduate school. He started working professionally with clients one-on-one in 2011. Since then, he has facilitated classes, taught, and spoken often on the topic at various events, schools, and forums.

His work has also been featured in Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine, ​the Chicago Tribune, US News and World Report, CBS, and many other places.

On this call, we work through Dan’s initial idea for his book, how it ties into the big picture of his business, and some potential outlines for his book.

* * *

Today’s episode is sponsored by the Book Marketing Mastery course. If you’re tired of being disappointed by your book sales and want to sell more books faster, easier, and with more fun than ever, sign up today. Use the code “DailyWriter” to get 10% off.

The post Book Coaching Call with Dan Cumberland, Founder of The Meaning Movement appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Having a place to write, and having an audience who expects your work on a regular, consistent basis is a great way to develop a writing habit because it puts the pressure on you to deliver. And that’s what professionals do—they deliver on time.

One of the challenges, however, is that you can produce words that don’t come from a place of passion and meaning. When you’re writing on schedule, it’s easy to become a bit of a robot, cranking out words on demand.

There has to be a balance in there. Passion and regularity. Meaning and discipline. The fire of writing, but also the consistency of lighting that fire.

F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you’ve got something to say.” So what is it that you want to say?

If you feel consumed by the demands of a writing schedule, take a moment to dig down deep and really think about what you want to say. Don’t let it get lost in the shuffle of schedules and expectations. Don’t quench the fire.

Daily Question: What is the one single message you most want to convey to the world through your writing?

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This is the third entry in our mini-series on dealing with rejection.

The publishing world has changed radically in the last fifteen years or so. In the past, you would have to go through some kind of gatekeeper in order to get your message heard by others. This typically meant finding an agent, who would then pitch your book to publishers until one of them offered you a contract.

But you no longer need to do this. Of course, you still CAN, but there are plenty of other options, such as hybrid publishing or self-publishing. You don’t need anybody’s permission these days to get your writing out to readers.

Rejection doesn’t only happen when it comes to publishing. You can also be rejected by podcasters, social media people, book reviewers, collaborators, and clients, among others. The possibility of rejection lies around every single corner.

And so does the possibility of acceptance. As my friend Vincent Pugliese, host of The Total Life Freedom Podcast says, “Go where you’re celebrated.”

For every person who rejects you, there are a hundred who will love you. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find and gather those people. Then YOU will become the gatekeeper who has the power and credibility to help others.

Daily Question: Are you relying on any gatekeepers for your success? What can you do to move past them and create your own success?

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The Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life opens with a scene in heaven. Two angels are listening to prayers from Bedford Falls for George Bailey, who is in trouble. They call in a third angel, Clarence, who is being sent to earth to help George. If he succeeds in his mission, he’ll finally get his wings.

But before he is sent down, he needs to spend some time getting to know George. All he can see is a blur, so one of the other angels has to clear his vision because he doesn’t have his wings yet. And with the senior angel’s help, Clarence can see clearly so he can move forward with his mission.

There is a similar relationship between you and your readers. Your mission is to help them see the world more clearly. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing. The mission is ultimately the same: to help the reader get a clearer vision of life.

How is your vision? Do you see clearly? No one can believe your writing, believe the truth in it, unless you first believe it yourself.

The great novelist Charles Dickens wrote, “I have nothing else to tell; unless, indeed, I were to confess that no one can ever believe this narrative, in the reading, more than I have believed it in the writing.”

Is skill important? Yes. But skill is nothing without belief. When you believe in what you’re doing, you can take the reader anywhere you want to go.

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