Those are all fantastic goals that will increase your impact and income!

But today, let’s turn the focus elsewhere. It’s great to think about your own success—in fact, it’s vital! However, I want you to think about how you can also serve and mentor other writers.

It doesn’t matter where you are on your writing journey. You might be a full-time writer with twenty books published. Or you might be relatively new to the writing world and are just trying to gain some confidence.

Whatever level of experience you have with writing, there is always someone who needs to learn what you know. They need someone to help them, believe in them, and show them the way.

So, take a look around at your social media friends or your personal network. Who is one person you can help? Maybe they need someone to give them feedback about their writing. Maybe they need help setting up their blog. Maybe they need an introduction to people you know who could help them in some other way.

Whatever the case, be intentional about reaching out to others and finding ways to help them. It doesn’t need to take a lot of time. Somebody in your network needs your wisdom, knowledge, and connections.

Today’s Challenge: Take three minutes to brainstorm a few people whom you can help. Then, get in touch with one to ask how you can help them.

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

Christmas means many things to many people. Some people look forward to parties and social events. Some people enjoy the lights and holiday displays in stores and homes. Some people love all the holiday entertainment you can enjoy, such as Hallmark movies and music specials.

And of course, everybody loves gifts, especially kids!

But for people of faith, Christmas is the time of year when we remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Even though we may enjoy all the festivities, gifts, and celebration, nothing is more meaningful than remembering the hope we have in Jesus.

It’s fascinating to read the accounts of Jesus’ birth from the Gospels. Those passages have been immortalized not only in church, but in pop culture as well. We all remember how Linus quoted from Luke chapter 2 in the popular TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

But have you ever stopped to consider exactly how these passages were written? We think of the Bible as a sacred text, which it is, but it was also written by regular people who chose to be obedient to the Spirit’s leading in researching and writing down these accounts of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection.

In Matthew chapter 1, just before the main action of the Christmas story kicks off, there is a short phrase in verse 18. We tend to ignore it as a passing phrase that links the previous section to the next one, but it’s absolutely vital to appreciating the writers of the Gospels. Matthew writes, “This is how the birth of Jesus came about …”

In other words, Matthew is saying, “Listen up, I’m about to set down a definitive account of something really important.” But what if he had not been obedient to his calling? What if he had not taken the time or the trouble to sit down and record this account of Jesus’ birth? Would someone else have done it?

Perhaps. Even though we have three other Gospels, they are all different. If Matthew had not done it, we would have never had his specific account of Jesus’ life.

Somebody had to make the effort. Somebody had to take the time. Somebody had to write it down.

So today, on this Christmas Day, as we relax and celebrate, let’s take a moment to appreciate Matthew and Luke as writers who took the time and effort to record their versions of the Christmas story.

And let’s also reflect on this: if God can use the writing talents of an ordinary tax collector like Matthew, then maybe, just maybe, He can use you and me to make a little dent in history.

Merry Christmas!

The post Somebody Had to Write It Down appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Have you ever tried to gather all your writing and content into one location, such as a website or a collection of Microsoft Word or Google docs? Maybe you were trying to build up a portfolio of your work for prospective clients or just trying to put as much of your writing into one place as possible.

If you’re like me, you were probably trying to pull from some combination of blog posts, podcasts, articles on various websites, YouTube videos, and more. And you probably gave up after a while.

My guest today is here to help writers solve this problem of having your online content scattered all over the internet. His name is Eric Hauch and he is the Founder and CEO of Authory.com.

Authory is the first automated platform to bring together all the content you create. You can take control of your content by having your articles, videos, podcasts and more in a single place, no matter where you publish them. You can back up your articles automatically, turn your readers into email subscribers, and find out how your pieces perform on social media.

This is a genuinely fascinating and helpful resource for writers, and I’ve been using it for a couple of months now. In this conversation, Eric shares how and why he developed Authory and how you can use it to consolidate your online content and build your author platform.

Eric has graciously made a special arrangement available to Daily Writer listeners, where you can get a special 30-day free trial of Authory instead of the standard 14-day free trial. Visit https://dailywriterlife.com/authory.

Download your FREE Daily Writer Starter Kit at https://dailywriterlife.com/free

Want writing tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Writer email at https://dailywriterlife.com/dailyemail

Want to grow your writing business and accelerate your success? Check out our Daily Writer Club.

Follow us: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter

The post Eric Hauch on Building Your Writing Portfolio with Authory appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

In this conversation, Liz helps us understand the ins and outs of book proposals, the elements that make them successful, and why you should create a book proposal even if you self-publish.

Trust me, you’re going to want to take notes on this conversation, because Liz is going to save you countless hours of heartache and confusion by laying out how to create a powerful book proposal!

The post How to Create a Powerful Book Proposal with Liz Morrow appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Today’s perspective is that almost everything is a draft. Here’s what I mean: one of the reasons we get creatively hung up is that we want everything we do to be perfect. We’re afraid of judgment, of what people will think.

So, we get stuck in this endless cycle of always starting things but never finishing and publishing them because of this idea that everything we create is the final version of that thing.

I believe the opposite: almost everything you create is just a draft, a work-in-progress, of a more final version later on.

Books are really the only thing that should exist in some type of “final” form because it’s impossible to go back and change print books. But even those are not necessarily “final” because you can always update the ebook and audiobook versions, or you can release a new edition of a book.

I consider almost everything I create to be a draft. Podcast episodes, newsletters, email, social media posts, teaching sessions in my Daily Writer Club… I work to make all of those as good as I can, but I will change and update that material for other formats. The book is the format that needs to have the highest level of editing and excellence.

So don’t get hung up on the things you’re creating. Just do your best, reach for excellence, then hit publish and move on.

Question: Do you get hung up on trying to be a perfectionist?

The post (Almost) Everything is a Draft appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Even though we live in an age when anyone can self-publish and potentially reach millions of followers and readers through social media, most writers seem hesitant to really make a go of it.

Why? Because they’re waiting for someone to give them permission to go ahead and reach for their dreams.

Our society is based around permission-giving. As kids, we couldn’t do anything without the permission of parents and teachers (or maybe older siblings!). Then as adults, we feel hamstrung by needing permission from bosses, leaders, our social circle, or society in general.

A lot of people spend their whole lives just waiting for someone to give them permission to go ahead and be a writer. But I’m here to tell you—you don’t need it. Just do it. We’re all waiting for you to share your wisdom, your voice, your knowledge, and your perspective on life.

But if it helps, I’m here to be your permission-giver. If nobody else is giving you a green light, remember that your friend Kent is GIVING YOU PERMISSION TODAY. Go ahead. Do it. You have something important to share. We’ve all been patiently waiting.

Question: Have you been waiting for permission to be a writer?

The post You Don’t Need Permission appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

The office of the President of the United States gets a lot of attention for various reasons, but have you ever looked at our Presidents through the lens of the books they wrote?

If you’ve never considered this, you’re in for a treat today because my guest is Craig Fehrman, author of the excellent book Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote. The Wall Street Journal called it “one of the best books on the American presidency to appear in recent years.”

Craig is a writer and historian who lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife and kids. We had a blast in this conversation, and I got to ask Craig all my questions on this topic. He shares the background of the book, how he conducted research, the value of books in presidential campaigns, the two types of presidential books, the place of ghostwriters in presidential books, and his detailed process for getting endorsements for the book.

If you love books, U.S. History, or learning about Presidents, you’ll love this conversation.

Learn more about Craig’s books and connect with him through the links below:

Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote by Craig Fehrman

The Best Presidential Writing: From 1789 to the Present by Craig Fehrman

Follow Craig on Twitter

The post Historian Craig Fehrman on the U.S. Presidents as Authors appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

In the musical “Hamilton,” Aaron Burr sings a number called “The Room Where It Happens.” He is upset that his rival, Hamilton, has been invited into the inner circle of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson to help make decisions that will impact the future of the country. All the while, Burr is left out in the cold.

We all want to be around influencers and decision-makers. However, you don’t have to wait for an invitation. You can create your own “inner circle” by starting a mastermind group.

The general idea of a mastermind group is that you have a set purpose and you meet on a regular basis. Most mastermind groups meet once a week.

A major factor in the success of a mastermind group is the members themselves. They have to be positive and want to grow and learn. They need to want to help other people succeed. They can’t be in it just for themselves.

Why not start your own writer’s mastermind group? Invite a few friends to meet weekly. Each person sets goals and gives an update each week. The whole idea of a mastermind is to share ideas and resources—instead of individual minds, you create one “master mind” that is greater than the sum of the members.

Don’t sit passively by, waiting for an invitation to someone’s circle. Take initiative to create your own mastermind group of writers who are making things happen.

Daily Question: How could a mastermind group help you and a few other writers you know accomplish your goals faster?

The post The Room Where It Happens appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

In the previous episode, I mentioned the importance of finishing a first draft of your book. But the urgency doesn’t stop there.

I’m not saying you should be sloppy or rush through things. You should make your book, or any writing for that matter, as good as it can be. But the fact of the matter is that we all have limited time on this earth. There comes a point after you have written the first draft, the second draft, done revisions and formatting, the other things you need to do with your writing to make it great, when you need to publish it.

Your #1 goal should be to get your current project finished and published, and then move on to the next thing. We make this whole writing thing overly complicated sometimes.

Make it good, do your best, and hit publish on that sucker. You won’t become a better writer by continually tinkering with your current project and never actually pulling the publish trigger. You’ll get better by doing more work and learning from each one, while getting feedback along the way. It’s hard to get a lot of meaningful feedback on something you have not yet published.

The author Dan Poynter was one of the early advocates of self-publishing. He said, “If you wait for inspiration to write you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.”

But maybe that’s an overstatement. Even waiters deliver something to the table. So, make it your goal to deliver your work to your hungry readers who have been waiting for your book, blog, or podcast.

Daily Question: Have you been putting off publishing your work because you’re a perfectionist? Be honest.

The post Finish & Publish appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Dixie is a coach, consultant, and firestarter who is transforming leadership, culture, and creative productivity. She is the author of the fantastic book, Just Blow It Up: Firepower for Creating an Unlimited Life. Dixie is also a contributor at Forbes and Entrepreneur magazines.

I first got to know Dixie when I was writing and editing for The Good Men Project. She is an amazing encourager and coach who helped me learn the ropes of writing for a large online publication like GMP. Since that time, I have continued to see her impact through her writing, coaching, and influence in so many other ways. She has a truly unique way of connecting with people on a real, personal level that is rare in our hectic world.

In this conversation, we talk about the power we have as writers, how to deal with fear, and how writers provide the medium for how we make sense of the world. In other words… you are immensely more powerful as a writer than you can possibly know!

You can connect with Dixie on Facebook and LinkedIn, or ReturnToYourPower.com. Also, make sure to check out her amazing book, Just Blow It Up: Firepower for Creating an Unlimited Life, as well as her articles at The Good Men Project, Forbes, and Entrepreneur.

The post Dixie Gillaspie: The Art of the Heart in Writing appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.