My latest article for Writer's Digest appears in the Writer's Yearbook 2012 on stands and available from WD.com now!

If you have read any of my new book, you know that it focuses on putting your writing at the center of your writing career, and allowing everything else to follow from there.

Yes, you need to learn more skills than ever to succeed at a professional writing career, but the writing must come first and as writers we must return to the writing over and over as we grow our careers.

I have been working with writers for over a decade now and here is what I’ve noticed: a writing writer is a happy writer. And a writer who is doing everything else besides writing, when writing is what they’d really rather be doing, is an unhappy writer.

If you are a writer, everything you are emerges from the writing you actually do. I don’t know how to say it any more clearly than that.

Enter 2012. We now have more tools available to produce our own success than ever. But this brings a new dilemma—which tools do we use and when? How do we know what to do? How can we do what we do with excellence? And how can we create consistently positive results?

Well, just as the writing would not happen without a writer’s full engagement, writing success won’t happen on its own or maintain itself without your thoughtful, focused attention. It also helps to have a great mentor and be surrounded by other who behave like professionals.

A challenge for me, as a writer and writing coach, has been how can I clone myself? How can I help thousands of writers without becoming personally drained, emotionally exhausted, and creatively spent on a daily basis?

How do I get my hard-won knowledge about helping writers create writing career success to writers and still take care of my own professional and personal responsibilities?

Well, I’ve worked long and hard to solve this dilemma. And I feel I have finally resolved it. Here’s how you can work with me if you would like to:

I write books and workbooks for a global audience of writers. You may know what books I am talking about (Writer Mama, Get Known, Author Mama, and The Writer’s Workout). I have one workbook out so far, with more to roll out in 2012 (so far, Build Your Author Platform goes with Get Known.) If you want to know what I know, read my books. If you read my books and liked them, I would appreciate your word-of-mouth support any time you want to give it. I especially appreciate book reviews.

I write articles for a global audience of writers. I don’t have to ask people to read my articles, they are widely read and widely appreciated by writers. But hey, if you want to forward links to your favorites or tweet them or post them on Facebook, I am all for it. If you want more depth on subtopics of what I know, please read my articles.

I write articles on topics I enjoy writing about for regional audiences of women, moms and parents. I don’t tend to buzz these much because I sell and resell them year after year. Some day, I’ll put them all in a collection, but not yet. Chances are very good that your regional parenting magazine editor is already on my regular contact list.

I audio coach wide audiences of writers. This is new. I learned how to do this in the “flash class” to celebrate the launch of The Writer’s Workout and it went so unbelievably well that I decided to do more in 2012. In the meantime, my newsletter subscribers have first dibs on the first audio coaching session this year.

I speak to large groups of writers. I give keynotes, presentations, workshops, and I moderate panels. My objective whenever I speak is always to inspire writers to wake up and seize the opportunities that are right in front of us. Listeners tell me they are inspired into action by this focus. If you have heard me speak, feel free to get in touch and let me know what you thought.

I teach small groups of writers on a six-week basis. I have been teaching groups of writers consistently for ten years. My writing classes launch writing careers. I teach five sessions of small classes a year. My students learn skills that they can immediately apply to their writing, selling, self-promotion, specializing, and micro-publishing repertoire.

I train small groups of former students on a half-year basis. I have been doing this for two years and I absolutely love it. Via my five-month training groups, my former students get more support from me, I get to encourage them as a group, and the members encourage each other. The results are so powerful they sometimes bring me to tears.

I produce my own success while simultaneously partnering with trust-worthy others. Don’t skip over the “trust-worthy” part. If I feel that if someone is no longer an excellent resource, I will simply stop recommending them. I don’t just partner with anyone for the sake of cronyism. I am selective, conscientious, and a good judge of character.

I am a writer, a writing career coach, a speaker, and a teacher. I keep writing at the center of everything I do. And I encourage every other writer on the planet to do the same thing.

I help writers get from however they feel today to personally and professionally satisfied with their writing life. There is no reason to wait. Success is not “out there.” It’s right here and it’s always waiting for us to wake up and get back to work.

Writing career success never happens overnight. The job is never done. But you’d better believe that it happens. And it can happen for you in 2012. I hope that it does. And I hope that my work is helpful.

But when they meet you right where you need support, they can help you grow from there.

For eighteen months I’ve been teaching Dream Teams with my former students. Dream Teams are training groups of 6 – 12 writers who want to put skills they have learned with me in classes into action in their careers.

The results for students who join the Dream Teams are amazing and, over time, I’ve come to realize why. Members of my Dream Teams have awesome attitudes. They not only expect to be challenged and pushed, after they reach one set of goals they come back asking to be challenged more.

I love working with students who strive to grow, grow, grow in every aspect of their work. Here’s what former Dream Team participants have to say about their experiences:

I’ve found my Dream Team experiences to be some of the best investments of my writing career. Something magical seems to happen during each team experience. Backed by an inspiring and encouraging support system with Christina as coach, I’m making strides in my writing career at a pace that doesn’t seem quite real.  ~ Christa H.

Not only did I appreciate the mutual accountability the Dream Team afforded me in achieving my writing goals, but I also enjoyed being part of a community of writers. It has been thrilling to see the bylines of my fellow Dream Teamers alongside mine in different publications. And I’m looking forward to more of that in the future!  ~ Lara K.

Being involved in a Dream Team with Christina was extremely beneficial to me.  She guided me through the mass-submission process, which helped me get published in numerous publications.  ~ Deanne H.

Participating in a Dream Team goes far beyond the actual calls. Your team becomes an incubator for all kinds of fresh ideas, and a source of continuous counsel, support and encouragement to push yourself and your career even further.  ~ Lela D.

Hearing other writers talk about their accomplishments is inspiring, and Christina helps to solve the sticky issues that inevitably arise for writers working on the many facets of their platforms.  ~ Cindy H.

Writing can be a lonely occupation. The Dream Team experience is helpful in supporting me as I grow my platform. The encouragement, camaraderie and sharing between team colleagues is invaluable.  ~ Judy M.

I’d like to thank the weather for being so crummy this spring, so that I could stay on task and not get lured outside prematurely. And now that summer is almost here, here’s what’s coming up!

The Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway

I am so happy that I revived this book giveaway (even if it is something of an administrative monstrosity). Nothing could be more worthwhile, for me, than celebrating hard-working author mamas. I have been so inspired by the stories of everyone who has participated. And the inspiration continues because May isn’t over yet. So I hope you will come by and join in, if you haven’t already.

What does it take to become an author mama? If you are an aspiring author mama, you might be interested in checking out my e-book on the topic, Author Mama, How I Became A Published Author & How You Can Too.

Stick around until the end of the giveaway on May 31st—there are nine drawings left!

• • •

PacNW Authors: Apply Now For Season Five of the Northwest Author Series

Eric M. Witchey did a great job wrapping up NAS season four to very full house last weekend. I want to thank Pat Duke, Malia Laughton, Burton Haun, Alyssa MacPartland, Jane Friedman, Andi Erickson, the Friends of the Wilsonville Public Library, Writer’s Digest, Wilsonville Starbucks, and Lamb’s Thriftway for all of their help and contributions to season four. I think everyone agrees that it was our best season yet. (Not that our prior seasons were too shabby.) If you are a Pacific Northwest Author with at least one recently published traditionally published book, then you qualify to apply for one of our eight available spots for season five. Full details on the application process are available here.

• • •

Register Now For Classes That Begin In August With Myself Or Abigail Green

This fall Abby and I are both updating and enriching our classes. My classes will be more comprehensive, more chock-full of resources, and will contain more examples from experienced writer mamas than they ever have before. Our classes already turn out tons of published writers, but my goal is to make sure that every writer who takes any of my classes has every possible resource I can provide to help her get published and all in one focused, structured, manageable six-week experience. I’m looking forward to launching my updated classes in August.

Register by August 16 for classes that begin August 24:

Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff

Pitching Practice: Write Six Queries In Six Weeks

Micro-publishing for Mom Writers

Personal Essays That Get Published

• • •

Fall Dream Teams For Former Students Begin August 1st

I have three levels of dream teams, and the next round launches in just a short few months! My Dream Teams are a context that creates “pod-pressure” — just the right amount of support, encouragement, and accountability to help you get from wherever you are now to where you’d like to be. Participants enjoy sharing resources and cheering each other on, while still staying on course with individual goals. If you are a mom who has worked with me in the past, you can sign up for a dream team and you will be placed in one of the following groups:

1. Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Article-writing Dream Team
2. Advanced Article-writing /Beginning Platform-building Dream Team
3. Advanced Article-writing & Advanced Platform-building Dream Team (Invitation Only)

Learn more here.

• • •

Mark Your Calendar For The Global Launch Party of The Writer’s Workout

The Writer’s Workout, 366 Tips, Tricks & Techniques From Your Writing Career Coach from Writer’s Digest Books is coming down the publishing track. Please mark your calendar for the all-day global publication party on Tuesday, December 6, 2011.

Need help growing and nurturing your writing career? How about tending your career over time in a world driven by distraction, stress, and superficiality?

The Writer’s Workout contains 366 ideas for expanding your craft, sales, self-promotion, and professional development process, without repeating all the same old advice.

If you think you will need a party reminder, please subscribe to my The Prosperous Writer e-zine or to my blog.

If you are a really big fan of my work, feel free to go ahead and pre-order your copy of The Writer’s Workout now.

You can now pre-order The Writer’s Workout on Amazon at a deeper-than-usual discount. To grease the pre-order wheels, I will enter the first 50 writers who pre-order the book via Amazon into a drawing for a free one-hour phone coaching consultation in December 2011 (either before or after you read the book, your choice).

I will select three winners from those who turn in their receipts. You can start turning in your receipts by e-mail to “katz christina at comcast dot net” — I will hold onto them until  the December drawing.

Thanks for being among the first to order The Writer’s Workout!

Happy spring into summer (finally)!

]]> http://christinakatz.com/whats-coming-up-may-december-im-planning-ahead-i-think-you-know-why/feed/ 0 http://christinakatz.com/how-to-work-with-me-thoughts-after-a-decade-of-teaching-writers/ http://christinakatz.com/how-to-work-with-me-thoughts-after-a-decade-of-teaching-writers/#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:25:56 +0000 @thewritermama http://christinakatz.com/?p=1822

Over the years, I have cultivated ways that work for me and for my students. To date, six of my students have had seven books published. Another student’s book is forthcoming in 2013 and another has an agent and they are seeking a publisher for my student’s nonfiction proposal.

Additionally, I’ve referred two of my writing pals for three books deals and I share a wonderful agent with four students/friends.

If you know my work, then you know that it’s not merely all about traditional book deals, although I am always thrilled to help those who can commit to working steadily over the long haul to accomplish a big goal like a book deal.

I also facilitating writers’ professional growth on a daily basis across a wide spectrum of goals. How many paid articles have my former students published? Probably over a thousand at this point. How many assignments have my former students landed? Likely hundreds. I’m going to try and take an actual count this summer.

These are the short-term goals I help writers accomplish in my classes, which can add up to expanding rewards in the long run:

• Writing short, original nonfiction pieces for publication (more)
• How to accumulate a significant number of clips and the professional confidence that comes from writing for money (more)
• Writing personal pieces for publication (I refer these folks to my colleague, Abigail Green) (more)
• Writing queries that get noticed and result in assignments from national publications (more)
• Identifying a specialty that registers in your soul and compels you to share the best of what you have to offer (more)
• Articulate your professional identity and launch your platform (more)
• Draft your first course curriculum and get ready to share it with the world (more)
• Draft a nonfiction book proposal that will actually be saleable (more)
• Take your personal writing to a more professional level (with Abigail Green) (more)

These are the best practices I help writers learn in my dream teams:

• How to be prepared, practiced, professional, and poised throughout the writing and career-building process. How to work up the publishing ranks and rack up paid clips. (more)
• How to become a thought leader in your field and generate multiple income streams from your specialty (prereqs required, invitation only)

My favorite part of this work, truth be told, is working with beginners, often folks who have read my books, Writer Mama and/or Get Known, who are ready to get to work turning their professional writing dreams into reality. (more on my books)

I don’t have a magic wand nor am I a fan of rushing the process. Although I provide ample information and support in each class and training group, I don’t believe in information overload and I can’t do your work for you. Instead, I create safe learning contexts, usually for groups of women writers, who are often moms, and we all focus on getting our own work done.

And whadda ya know? This seems to work well for those who are ready and willing to apply themselves one step at a time, until the day they eventually look back and can’t believe how much they have accomplished.

After seven years of formal education, twelve years of writing for publication, and ten years of teaching, I feel the same way about my own writing journey. The whole process has taught me a ton and I’m eager to share all that I’ve learned with those who work with me.

I enjoy working with writers who have big aspirations and are ready to do the work to turn those aspirations into actions and ultimately results.

As my writing career grows, so do the ways I work with folks. However, I am always aware that if I don’t keep all that I juggle manageable, then I am not helpful to anyone, especially myself. And I value my own creative growth too much to sacrifice it on the alter of self-sacrifice, as is espoused by far too many these days.

Don’t sacrifice your creativity in a mad rush for empty promises. Cultivate your creativity slowly and surely instead.

Feel free to contact me with questions after you review my classes and training groups.

My former students publish and get paid for hundreds of articles they write each year, earning thousands of dollars from their writing efforts.

Some of them, who work hard and stay with it, go on to acquire reputable literary agents, write saleable book proposals, develop profitable classes, and land book deals.

Five of my former long-time students have achieved traditionally published books in the past couple of years. Writers who work with me, who were already earning, typically see an increase in income through the development of a clear, service-oriented platform or specialty.

I train writers to find their professional rhythm by helping them build four crucial professional writing skills over time. Two ways I work with writers are through six-week classes and five-month training groups. I work with writers from anywhere between six weeks and three years, helping them get their writing businesses up and running for a surprisingly low investment of time and money compared to traditional education.

Additionally, I help writers in any genre zoom in on a specialty or niche and deliver value on their specific focus. I help them assess their strengths and weaknesses so they can build on their strengths and address their weaknesses as they grow a professional platform alongside their long-term writing projects.

I provide affordable phone coaching for writers of any level who need professional advice on how to take their writing to the next professional level.

As an instructor, I push my students to achieve their personal best. I continually improve my class content. I teach my students to detach from external circumstances beyond their control and focus on accumulating small successes over time.

As a trainer, I focus on individual progress, not some external idea of perfection. I encourage students to value the professional strides they make and feel good about professional results rather than striving to earn praise from others.

I feel that by offering instruction on crucial skills and a professional attitude, I make an important contribution to the publishing industry as a whole. Patient, focused, hard-working students can evolve into confident professionals in a very short time.

I am very grateful to work with as many eager-to-learn and ambitious writers as I do each year. I never tire of helping writers grow and prosper. If you would like to work with my in 2011, I would be happy to hear from you. Please peruse my offerings and get in touch with any questions.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous New Year!

More info on classes that start January 12th

More info on Dream Teams that go from January – May 2011

More info on my books

More info on my e-book, Author Mama

AUGUST

Monday, August 2nd – Sunday, August 8th: I’m accepting applications for The Writer Mama Scholarship for my Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff Class (which begins September 8th, details and register here). I’ll post the application info on Sunday the 1st and announce the recipient on Monday, August 9th.

Monday, August – December 2010: I’m launching my second round of three levels of Dream Teams with former students who want to get more of their writing published. Woo-hoo! Cannot wait! (Learn more here.)

Sunday, August 8th: I’m doing a workshop at the Willamette Writers Conference called “The Prosperous Writer.” I’m also critiquing manuscripts, signing books, participating in the silent auction, and catching up with and meeting former students. Yay!

Monday, August 9th – Sunday, August 15th: I’m accepting applications for a second Writer Mama Scholarship. This time for my Discover Your Specialty & Launch Your Platform class (which begins September 8th, details and register here). I’ll post the application info on Sunday the 8th and announce the recipient on Monday, August 16th.

Monday, August 16th – Sunday, August 22nd: I will be away from my desk. When I come back I will be very tan. (At least as tan as a very pale person can get.)

SEPTEMBER

E-mail classes start on September 8th: I’m going into my fourth year of teaching Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff. I’m also teaching Discover Your Specialty & Launch Your Platform. Both of my classes are newly updated and expanded! Abigail Green will also be teaching her popular class, Personal Essays That Get Published. (All the upcoming class info is here.)

Saturday, September 11th: I’m presenting a lunch workshop for Rose City Romance Writers at PCC Sylvania Campus from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Get Known Before The Book Deal, An Author Platform Checklist. Look forward to meeting everyone! (More info here.)

Sunday, September 19th: We’re launching season four of the Northwest Author Series with Nicole Rubel of Rotten Ralph fame at the Wilsonville Public Library at 3:30 p.m.. Her topic is Find Your Voice: Use It In A Children’s Book. (Details are over at the Northwest Author Series blog.)

Hope to work with you or connect with you through one of these upcoming classes or events!

In August 2005, I pitched a book concept at the Willamette Writer’s Conference and landed, eventually, my first book deal.

In March 2007, that book, Writer Mama, How To Raise A Writing Career Alongside Your Kids was released by Writer’s Digest Books.

I tell the beginning of the story of how I grew my writing career to the point where I was ready to do a thing as scary as standing up in front of a room full of people to propose a book in Writer Mama. (I even include the pitch I used.)

Then, I finish the story of what it’s like to write a first book proposal and write a first nonfiction book in my recently released (and first) e-book, Author Mama, How I Became A Published Author and How You Can Too (available in PDF now and coming soon to Kindle and POD).

But I want to reminisce a bit about Writer Mama. Because just like the seed becomes the sprout and grow and forms a bud which becomes a flower that eventually bears fruit, which is harvested, Writer Mama was the seed of an idea that has born infinite joy and possibilities for me as a writer and a teacher.

Of all of the things that I love most about my writing, teaching, and speaking career, my relationship with my students is the greatest source of happiness for me. You might think that my favorite part of being a teacher would be to look back on the people whom I have taught and bask in the glow of their successes. But that’s not really where it’s at for me. That’s not what really pumps me up.

For me, the biggest source of pride always goes back to the very beginning. To the point where a writer is basically unpublished, unfocused, and unsure how to get from not writing to getting paid and published. Saying it so briefly makes it sound like a piece of cake. But it’s not so easy that some specific guidance and support can’t help and speed up the process. And if it’s done in a foundational way, the work I do can (and often does) lead to the launching of a professional writing career for many mom writers.

The beginning part of the process, assisting in the launch, continues to be my most satisfying role. Although lately, I confess, another favorite part of the process has been helping writers become regularly published, after they’ve gotten published once or twice in my Dream Teams. Because once a writer mom has gotten published and gotten the hang of getting regularly published, she has lots of options in her future.

Writer Mama has been around for 39 months, with almost fifty reviews on Amazon, and new moms still discovering it every day. In the meantime, some of its original readers have gone on to grow their writing careers to the point where they have a book out or coming out or in the process of being pitched. They are building platforms, landing agents, and just basically producing their own careers, which makes me really happy.

I’m going into my fifth year of working with mom writers. Okay, sure, I love to get the e-mails saying that the first piece was published or that one piece has been published ten times now or that the student has decided to take their career to the next level or that the student just landed an agent or that the student created a class or got a book deal or any kind of good news. But I just love hearing from my students period. At the end of the day, my role is being helpful and helping mom writers find their momentum. It’s simply what I do.

I am often asked by writers if I can work with them.

I can! And I do. All the time.

The only caveat is that I work with writers in fairly specific ways. I work mostly with moms who want to write nonfiction. I work mostly with women. And I only work with writers who plan to succeed.

In fact, after years of steady work, one of my students landed an agent last week. Yahoo! Several of my former students have first books coming out this year. And I could not even count how many former students were published in June, I’m sure.

On top of all of this teaching work, I actually do my own work too (somehow). In fact, on Friday, I received an offer on a third book with Writer’s Digest that I am VERY excited about. (Won’t be able to reveal details about this book until everything is nailed down, though, so bear with me.)

So, now that I am swinging back into book-writing mode, I am thinking about how I will structure my time as carefully as possible so that I can write the best book possible.

This Fall, I am offering four classes, hosting two classes for Abby Green, working with three Dream Teams, and phone coaching former students (in my copious spare time).

Often folks want to work with me who have not taken classes with me before, which is challenging because I strongly prefer to work with former students. So, if you’d like to work with me, the best way to become a former student is sign up for one of the upcoming Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff classes. This helps me get to know you and it helps you get to know me, and then we can work together better. The skills you will learn and practice will come in handy in any nonfiction writing career and the September class will be completely updated.

So, if  you are ready to write this Fall and you would like to work with me, I would welcome the opportunity to work with you.

I offer classes that can stand alone or build on each other over time. The vast majority of students who have gone on to become authors have taken repeated classes with me over time. Others are just happy to learn how to earn money writing about topics they enjoy. Hope to work with you soon:

Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff

Personal Essays That Get Published (with Abigail Green)

Discover Your Specialty & Launch Your Platform

Pitching Practice: Write Six Queries in Six Weeks

Dream Teams (Article Writing, Advanced Article Writing, and Platform Development)

As you may know, I always offer copious free and inexpensive opportunities to learn with me. You can read about them here. I am also the author of two traditionally published books and one e-book. Over the summer I will be adding more offerings with low-price tags. Subscribe to The Prosperous Writer e-zine in the upper right-hand corner to get and stay in the loop.

Here’s to our mutual success!

~ Photo by ElyceFeliz

This month, I am attending three conferences in three different states (and none of them are my state) and hosting my author series the only weekend I’m in town.

Of course, I don’t want to miss a single moment! But at the same time, book-ending all of this with travel is challenging. When I have to be away from home, it’s not easy on the family. And when I’m this busy, it’s not easy to keep up with my regular schedule.

But that’s okay because each week this month is like a cornucopia of great things going on! Here’s what’s coming up that you won’t want to miss:

The Writer Mama Scholarship for the May 12th Class: Come back Monday for the info you need to apply for a full scholarship to my upcoming Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff class.

The Writer Mama/Author Mama Proudest Moments Celebration: Some of your proudest moments are starting to trickle in. Don’t forget to send yours!

The ASJA Conference: I am attending the ASJA Conference in New York City and will appear on a panel on social networking hosted by Kathy Sena on Saturday, April 24th. Please say hello if you are there.

Submit Your Author Mama Feedback by April 23rd: If you have not yet had a chance to purchase and read Author Mama, How I Became A Published Author & How You Can Too, there is still time to participate in making the final version as great as it can be. Everyone who participates will receive the alpha version in PDF for free upon publication in May. Interested? Here’s the whole scoop.

Work With Me: Registration is now open for the May 12th Writing & Publishing the Short Stuff class and the August – December Dream Teams. I look forward to working with fresh groups of new and former students! Also beginning May 12th, Abigail Green is teaching Personal Essays That Get Published.

In the meantime, I’m taking the weekend off to rest, host the Northwest Author Series, and enjoy celebrating my husband’s birthday with his parents, who are here visiting from Colorado.

Happy weekend, everyone!

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 career success is all about finding your rhythm and then repeat, repeat, repeat.”

In 2010, I wrote a column for “The Writer Mama” e-zine on the topic of mom writers finding their success rhythms across all the kinds of tasks that mom writers must focus on, which include Craft, Pitching, Platform-building, and Professional Development.

So do you think I think that every writer needs to find his or her own rhythm in order to be successful?

Yes. I think that’s pretty obvious.

I have my own rhythm, you have your own rhythm, and I really don’t believe that any two rhythms are alike. I just know that a writer has got to find her rhythm and then groove in it.

But never has it been as clear to me how true this is than when I watch the participants in my Dream Teams, writing for publication and platform practice groups that began in January.

As soon as someone checks in with the group, I can tell if this person has found her rhythm and if she is groovin’ it or if she’s still struggling to find her rhythm.

You want to know why?

Because a person who has found her rhythm has momentum and a person who hasn’t found their rhythm is always trying to get some momentum going.

Now, don’t think I can’t relate to needing/wanting/trying to get momentum going. We just moved and I have been missing my momentum for a couple of weeks now.

But here’s the thing about momentum, once you’ve had it, and experienced your own groove for any length of time, it’s easier to get it back when and if you lose it.

Let me rephrase that: if you are a writer mama, you will lose your rhythm at some point. This is practically a given. You might lose your writing rhythm, your pitching rhythm, your platform-building rhythm, or your professional development rhythm–you might even lose them all at the same time, as I have recently.

But the good news is, once you’ve had any of those, you can quickly pick them right back up and move forward again. Because you know what it feels like. You have the muscle memory to get yourself back into your groove.

The purpose of my Dream Teams is to help writers find, experience, and sustain their own momentum for a sustained period of time. And then they really don’t need me busting their chops any more. At least not for awhile, because once you’ve got rhythm, you’ve got it.

And I love that. Because I am not in the business of trying to get writers hooked on me or addicted to me or thinking that I am going to be their ticket to success.

No. I am very clear. And I have always been clear that you are the ticket to your own success. The only thing I can do for you, as a teacher, is help you find your groove. And then you are on your way…

How about you? Got rhythm? Share your thoughts.

P.S. This post undoubtedly contains typos. I just moved. Cut me some slack in this department, please.

Photo by Bess Grant