I know some writers prefer not to watch American Idol. Others may think that reality TV is mindless fluff for small minds. Some may find the show offensive and potentially harmful, especially to children.

And then there are those of us who watch it and find it to be a relaxing form of entertainment. At least I do. So I thought I’d share a few reflections on what I think writers can learn about success from watching American Idol.

Regardless of where you stand on the show, I think you’ll be surprised by how many ideas I got out of it that also apply to writers. And I’m just getting warmed up…

  1. Make the most of an incredible opportunity but don’t be a prima donna (viewers can spot one a mile away)
  2. Know yourself and be yourself – that’s why people watch – let your uniqueness shine through
  3. Figure out who your fans really are and dedicate yourself to them, they are going to be the ones who go the distance for you, tell others about you, and cheer you forward
  4. Take in and learn from the critiques, they come with the territory
  5. Push yourself to keep growing, nothing else inspires others more
  6. Fill the stage – be a star not a mouse
  7. Look into the camera, connect with  people (but don’t get all schmaltzy while doing it)
  8. Respond to criticism thoughtfully, action speaks louder than words
  9. Don’t just sing, feel the music, pull us in, take us with you
  10. Remember: this is a competition, don’t dink around: WIN
  11. Don’t let somebody else’s idea of who you are mess you completely up (see number 2)
  12. Give each performance everything you’ve got & leave everything on the stage, all of it
  13. Try not to be self-conscious, it’s just not compelling
  14. Watch the show back and see for yourself how well you did, learn from your mistakes
  15. Care about your friends but don’t caretake them (see number 10)
  16. Craft a compelling story about yourself but don’t get carried away, if you try to manipulate the audience they will abandon you
  17. Be gracious, friendly, and if at all possible, funny
  18. Never whine or make excuses, millions of people are watching
  19. Own your choices, all of them
  20. Speaking of, it’s never too late to make a comeback, even if you get voted off
  21. When necessary, calmly speak up for yourself, especially to Simon
  22. Be respectful of the judges because they know stuff, even Ellen
  23. Be respectful of the public because they are telling you how you are coming across
  24. Accept that being simultaneously loved and not liked at all means you are pretty darn successful
  25. Enjoy the ride!

What else? Did I miss any?

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Today is my daughter’s eighth birthday and also the third anniversary of the publication of my first book, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids from Writer’s Digest Books.

And in honor of this momentous occasion, I’m giving away five signed copies of Writer Mama on Saturday, March 20th, to five lucky subscribers or reviewers.

All you have to do to be eligible to win is write a book review on any book review site about Writer Mama OR subscribe to my e-zine, The Prosperous Writer OR subscribe to this blog via Feedburner. Any one of these things will make you eligible, though you are welcome to do them all.

Be sure to comment here, in this post, that you accomplished one of these tasks, and then on Saturday, I will choose five winners and announce them on Monday, March 22nd, right here.

If you’ve read Writer Mama, you know that I feel a strong connection between my writing career and being a mom. I also feel that I set a strong, healthy example for my daughter of what a woman following her calling looks like. Most importantly, I cultivate my career in a balanced way, deeply authentic way, not at all like the way moms are portrayed in this article that recently appeared in The New York Times.

I’m not a brand. I don’t view myself as a brand. And I don’t build my brand instead of caring for my daughter’s needs. My name is Christina Katz. I’m a woman, a wife and a mother. I’m a freelance writer, teacher, speaker and author.

Above all, I view myself as a professional. I’ve built my writing career slowly and steadily. My creativity is my work, my job, and it belongs to me, not some corporate sponsor or group of corporate sponsors. Not even to my publisher, whom I view as a partner, not a make-me-famous machine.

I get to have this amazing career because I serve others and support their desires to publish quality writing. The other important job I do is to train others to slowly and steadily cultivate their own writing careers, so that they can also produce quality writing with integrity and authenticity.

I’m proud of the work I do. It’s extremely gratifying and that reward comes regardless of the way women and mothers are portrayed by the media.

So put that in your pipe and smoke it, NYT. And try to be more careful next time you generalize about mothers who write and blog. If you are not going to conduct a thorough investigation, then perhaps you should not generalize at all. Certainly you should not imply that mothers who write neglect their children. Unless, perhaps, you’d like to come over here and interview my daughter.

I think you will find that she is quite the opposite of neglected and that creative, communicative mothers actually make quite decent parents.

Even though you won’t read about it in The New York Times, it IS possible to have a writing career and balance it with motherhood. It’s not easy. But what is? And naturally it takes time and sustained effort.

And I can’t think of anything lasting and worthwhile that doesn’t also take time and effort.

Can you?

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Ever been called a “joiner”?

Well, good for you, because writers who are willing to connect and mix with other writers tend to be happier and more productive than writers who isolate themselves or resist networking with peers. And joiners also have an easier time becoming known.

Have you taken a few hours to think about which associations might make the most sense for you to join? When it comes to joining associations, it’s really not the quantity, but the quality of your relationship with the association that counts.

Here are ten good reasons why you should make time to identify three associations you can join and get to know better:

Memberships…

…are typically inexpensive.

…grant you access to like-minded others.

…augment your professional status.

…allow you to interact with members of your audience.

…help you keep up with the latest industry trends.

…earn you a reduced rate for continuing education.

…sometimes offer additional benefits like insurance or legal assistance.

…serve as a newswire for professional achievements.

…can act as networking hubs.

…provide opportunities to give back to your professional community.

Membership organizations are not all created equally and, most often, they are only as good, friendly, and helpful as the people who run the network.

I’ve made it a personal policy to choose only the membership associations with the friendliest administrators, the best resources for members, and most apparent win-win attitudes towards partnering with members.

Why not? There are so many writing associations to choose from. I don’t have time for rude or aloof administrators, crummy resources I can beat with a Google search, or organizations only interested in their own earnings who refuse to share even a modest honorarium with authors or other professionals who provide services for their members.

For example, one organization I heartily endorse is Willamette Writers because they are always membership focused, not me merely Willamette Writers focused.

Another great membership organization, whose conference I’ve not yet attended but whose administrators have been a joy to communicate with is the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation.

And another great “association” that is actually not an association at all, but still manages to be a treasure trove of great resources and networking opportunities for writers, is Writer’s Digest. Obviously I’m biased, since I’m a Writer’s Digest author. But I think if you look closely at the Writer’s Digest offerings, you’ll see that they are setting an exemplary tone and offering a bevy of resources for writers of all experience levels. If you want to take advantage of a membership-like status with Writer’s Digest, you can sign up to become a VIP Member. [See the badge over there in the right-hand column of this blog to get more info. >>>]

You will see me buzzing these organizations a lot wherever I go because they understand one thing that we can all stand to remember: good news travels fast. And you will likely hear “the good news” repeatedly until you decide to become a member. And if you’re not hearing any good news or member buzz, then maybe think twice about an organization or do some more research before you opt in.

Next year, after you’ve been a member for a full membership cycle, assess how valuable your association was for your career. Naturally, you get back to a certain extent what you put in. So don’t sit back and expect an association to do for you. Associations can only give back, when you also invest.

But you’ll never know until you take a membership association for a test-drive.

Have fun, have good boundaries, and enjoy the ride!

[This post has been updated from a 2009 post that appeared in the old Get Known Before the Book Deal blog.]

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1. Sitting next to my daughter at the kitchen table on a Saturday night while she writes out her Fancy Nancy birthday party invitations.

2. An amazing dinner we had out at Macaroni Grill last night (thanks to a gift from my husband’s theater kids). If you go, try the Penne Rustica and the Lemon Passion cake. Oh. My. God. Both so tasty.

3. Our new home is an adorable little historic cottage. This felt like our first almost-normal weekend day here. Coming soon: we finish unpacking and have a “real” normal day. I cannot wait.

4. The Internet. My friend Kristin Bair O’Keeffe, author of the debut novel Thirsty from Swallow Press, is giving a talk at the Shanghai Literary Festival about how writers can benefit from social media right now in Shanghai, China. It’s amazing how easy it is to keep up with a friend in Shanghai, China. Thank you Internet!

5. The weather. What a gorgeous spring day we had today with trees in their full blossoming glory. At a local outdoor mall the other night, the dogwoods were blossoming with their holiday lights still on. Three cheers for spring.

Keep the good stuff coming, March. That’s all I can say…

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Prospering in the Gig Economy: Simple Habits for Writers That Pay Off Quickly

March 1, 2010

Money is what writers earn for their time and energy. Furthermore, writing careers are built over time not overnight. So don’t put your career in jeopardy by paying attention to everything else at the expense of your bottom line.
Here are nine prosperity-increasing tips that can quickly become habit and put more money in the bank [...]

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An Interview with Judy M. Miller about Parenting Your Adoptive Child: Tweens, Teens & Beyond

February 26, 2010

If you are an adoptive parent or know any adoptive parents, I hope you will direct them to the wisdom of Judy M. Miller. When it comes to how to address the challenges of adoptive parenting, Judy brings just the right combination of practical advice and heart. Take a look for yourself and see.
Judy M. [...]

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Your Turn: What’s a Prosperous Day Look Like?

February 25, 2010

Almost done with the bulk of the unpacking from our move. I should be back on my normal blogging schedule by the first week of March. I’m am looking forward to getting back to my regular writing routine!
In the meantime, I asked the readers of The Prosperous Writer e-zine some questions a couple of weeks [...]

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I’ve Got Rhythm, I’ve Got Writing, I’ve Got My Work, Who Could Ask For Anything More?

February 23, 2010

In my first book, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books 2007) I said, “Writing is a rhythm, not a formula.”
What I meant is: Writing success comes from finding your rhythm, not following someone else’s formula.
In a recent interview over at Key Business Partners, LLC, I said: “Writing [...]

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Upcoming Offerings: Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Begins March 3rd

February 22, 2010

I mentioned a month or so ago that I’ve entered my fourth year teaching Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff, a class I developed especially for writer mamas.
You can read what recent students have said about the class here and here.
Please e-mail me at “writer mama at earthlink dot net” if you have any questions [...]

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And The Recipient of The March 3rd Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Class Scholarship is…

February 17, 2010

…LeJarie Battieste-Noguchi
Hearty congratulations, LeJarie!
I look forward to working with you in class in a few of weeks. I will send you a class confirmation shortly.
Thanks to EVERYONE who applied! Choosing scholarship recipients is  extremely difficult because I always receive so many applications from worthy writers. And this time around was no exception.
I encourage you all [...]

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