Happy New Year, writers!

One thing I always like to do at the end of each year is reflect on all that I have accomplished in the past year, before I move on to the next.

This is what I have accomplished in one year with twelve years of momentum leading up to this year. If it was my first year in business, obviously the results would look a lot different.

I worked hard in 2011; therefore I accomplished a lot. And the results are either visible or about to become visible, which is a good feeling. So here goes…

I finished a book that was almost two years in the making and is now published. I think you know which book I am talking about at this point. I set out to create a portable supportive and encouraging context for any writer, and I am pleased to have accomplished that goal. Batteries or no batteries required!

I wrote a self-study course, “Build Your Author Platform,” which was originally sold by Writer’s Digest but as of January 1, 2012 will be available for purchase on my website in PDF workbook format. The workbook is a companion to Get Known Before the Book Deal (Writer’s Digest 2008). More info coming January 1st. Newsletter subscribers have already been notified.

I wrote a new class curriculum, “Micro-publishing for Mom Writers” and taught the class twice. Four students launched ebooks in 2011 and three more will launch them in early 2012. This is one of my most challenging and rewarding classes and it’s the perfect finish line for my most advanced students.

I taught thirteen six-week classes in 2011 and facilitated 6 dream team groups over five months each. I am not the only one who kicked butt in 2011. My students also kicked butt. Many of the got published for the first time ever, broke into national publications, or began writing regularly for the nationals. Platform-building students got on TV, built or upgraded blogs and websites, self-published unique, saleable products, landed speaking gigs, increased their visibility, productivity and profitability, started conversations with highly coveted agents, and just generally rocked. (Prospective students can check out the four classes I am offering in January here.) Dream Teams are for former students only.)

I had an original feature published in Writer’s Digest magazine. You can now read, “50 Simple Ways To Build Your Platform in Five Minutes A Day” online at WritersDigest.com. Here’s what one Writer’s Digest magazine reader said about it:

I just read the March/April 2011 issue and am compelled to send my gratitude to Christina Katz. Her article “50 Simple Ways to Build Your Platform in 5 Minutes a Day” was so specific and helpful, I was moved to act right away. She saved me hours of research in a field that is pretty foreign to me.  ~ Karen Ashley, July/August 2011 Writer’s Digest ReaderMail

I set up a writing conference/event tour to spread the word about my new book. I will be a presenter and panel moderator at the January 2012 Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City. I will be the lunch speaker at an intimate Portland, Oregon mini-conference hosted by Jessica Morrell that is called, Making It In Tough & Changing Times. Space is limited, register early! I will also be the keynote speaker at two conference in April, Missouri Writer’s Guild in St. Louis and Mad Anthony in Hamilton, Ohio. Invitations continue to roll in.

I granted eight scholarships at $275 each to eight mom writers. That’s a total value of $2,200 in scholarships that I gave in just 2011 alone. I’ve given thousands of dollars in scholarships to worthy writers since 2006. And I feel good about each and every one of them!

I wrote more parenting articles than I have since I became an author. I enjoyed every second of the process, and the personal satisfaction reminded me why I became a writing teacher–because writing for publication is so rewarding in and of itself. And every article you write can pay off in both the short run and the long run. Want to see an example? Here’s a good one for the New Year…Ten Tidy Reasons To Get Cleaning Help in Durham Parent.

I got a bunch of reprints published. There is nothing I love more than seeing my hard work pay off more than once. Some reprints were offered by me, others got reprinted on their own (surprise checks!). Some were from books, others were from past articles. All were reasons to celebrate! Cupcakes for everyone! (That’s how I celebrate.)

I finished off season four of The Northwest Author Series and did the programming for and launched season five. This season kicked off with a bang with The Oregonian’s Jeff Baker, novelist Emily Chenoweth, and myself. And wait until you see the second half: Karen Karbo? Bill Johnson? Pamela Hill Smith? Kevin Sampsell? Heather Vogel Frederick? It’s going to rock! In Wilsonville, Oregon no less. At our awesome library.

I updated my website. This is something that I worked on, on and off, all year long. New features include a permanent home for the 236 Movies About Writers and the Writing Life list that I created with my husband in 2010. And a permanent home for a list of Books By Women Writers For High School Students that I created this year. I also have a Clips page, a Credits page, and a Thank You page that help me keep up with myself, in addition to the usual suspects: classes, dream teams, and scholarships.

I did a Beta-test of Creative Rx with Christina Katz and learned a ton. So of course I had to change the name. Now I’m calling it: The Prosperous Creative Affirmation Intensive. I cannot wait to launch this empowering affirmation intensive tool on January 1, 2012. More info coming soon. If you are a subscriber, you already got it.

I revived my old book giveaway as “The Writer Mama Every Day In May Book Giveaway.” I enjoy doing this annual event as a way to celebrate the hard work of other mom writers during Mother’s Day month. And yes! I will definitely be doing it again in May 2012. Please email me at christina at christina katz dot com if you are interested in participating.

I presented at one conference in 2011, The Associated Writers & Writing Programs Conference and spoke at one writer’s event, The Terroir Writer’s Festival in McMinnville. I knew I would be busy with so many other things, so I kept my 2011 presenting schedule to a minimum. And it feels like that was the right choice for 2011. But in 2012, I will be moderating another panel at AWP and a whole lot more. Please contact me if you are interested in hiring me to speak or present at your event.

I was interviewed a bunch of times. Here’s the best of the batch:

• Tweet Magazine
• WOW: Women on Writing magazine
• 2012 Writer’s Market (it’s in the book)
• The Missouri Writer’s Guild (I’ll be keynoting at their conference in April 2012)

I got a couple of grooves back. Namely you will be seeing my column in Willamette Writers again this year (click here to check out WW membership) and I am offering a brand new class to my most advanced students: 60 Ways To Flex Your Content & Prosper In Your Niche. And I have a lot more new offerings coming down the pipe in 2012. Stay tuned!

I started a workout accountability group for writers on Facebook: Writers on the Move. Anyone can join. Even folks who have fallen off the workout wagon and are trying to get back on (like me).

I dropped a few tasks that were not integrated with everything else I do. It’s always hard to say no to people and invitations. But I had to on many occasions in 2011 in order to meet my goals. Does this mean I don’t like those folks or that I don’t care about them or support their work? Of course not. As you can see, I had a lot of commitments in 2011 with a lot more coming in 2012. I say yes to people all the time, but not every time. Busy moms have to learn to say no to what is no longer manageable, in order to say yes to the things what we’d like to manage.

Finally, I put on my publicity hat and worked with my publisher to make The Writer’s Workout a book readers could not refuse and so far, they love it! I created an attitude-adjusting inspirational poster to go with the book. I helped my publicist and editor package up this awesome, downloadable excerpt on Scribd. I created an online media page. I sent out review copies. I solicited blurbs and reviews of the book. I did a little launch-time blog tour. And I’ve invited book buyers to come participate in a FREE, one day “Flash Class” right here on Tuesday, January 10th. There is still a lot to do to get the word out, but I plan to enjoy every step of the process. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm for the book, too!

Okay, I think that pretty much covers the highlights of my year. If I have overlooked anything, I apologize. And now it’s your turn, I hope!

Can you make a list like this with all of your most satisfying accomplishments from 2011?

If you do, I guarantee you will learn a ton, as I did, in the process. It’s also great to relive all of those satisfying moments from 2011.

After we have assessed what we’ve reaped, we can better see how we can sow better next time. Share your results on your blog or in your ezine, if you like. Or keep them private. It’s up to you.

Keep in mind how long you’ve been at it before you judge your results. As I said at the start, I’ve been working steadily for twelve years, not including the years I invested in college and graduate school education. Regardless of what or how much you have accomplished, I hope you will pat yourself on the back for all of your hard work in 2011.

2012 will be here soon! Now is the time to take a moment to feel grateful for the work that we have been privileged to enjoy in 2011.

Thank you, 2011!

And welcome, 2012!

~ Photo by BlueLily  Arlene

Well, folks who live in the Pacific Northwest, you are in luck. And anyone who wants to beat the heat and come to Seattle or Portland the first weekend in August is in double luck.

Yes, that’s right, I’m talking about the return of the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association Conference and the Willamette Writers Conference.

There’s only one snag. They are both on the same weekend. I’m not sure who thought this was a good idea, but I’m going to cast my vote for restoring the conferences to two separate weekends next year. All in favor, say aye!

By now you’ve already made your selection so I am not caught on that particular hot seat (phew! that was close). Here’s a quick list of who you won’t want to miss at each conference.

PNWA: August 4 – 7th

Register Online Here

PLEASE NOTE THE NEW LOCATION

Don’t miss a chance to get your headshots from Mark Bennington

***Don’t miss an opportunity while you are PNWA to stop and chat with my friend, photographer Mark Bennington. Mark is a great guy and you will enjoy meeting him even if you don’t need a new headshot. (But chances are good that you do need a new headshot, right? I mean we all need a fresh one every couple years.) Mark is a total pro and he’s offering an outrageously low price for his services. If you swing by please be sure to tell him I sent you.***

And while we are on the topic of Mark. Check out this awesome photo book project that he’s working on about Bollywood actors in India (and America). He’s already got interest from a publisher in India and I bet he’ll have an agent and US publisher very soon.

Thursday:

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss “Self-promotion for the Introvert” with Lorraine Wild and Kim Kircher.

Friday:

8:30 a.m. Show up early to catch Writer’s Digest’s Chuck Sambuchino talk about “Pitch Perfect” (Chuck has a new book out, ask him about it!)

11 a.m.

Agent’s Forum: Listen with particular care to what my agent, Rita Rosenkranz is looking for because she’s awesome.

3:30

Catch Chuck Sambuchino again for a session on “Everything You Need to Know About Agents.” (Ask him after about his book.)

4:30

Be sure to attend the author book signing. Chatting with authors as they sign your books is always fun. (You can get Chuck’s books.)

11:30 a.m.

Don’t miss another chance to learn from my agent, Rita Rosenkranz. Her topic will be, “How to Write an Irresistible Nonfiction Book Proposal.”

Saturday:

8:30 a.m.

Sorry to keep asking you to show up early but you will want to catch Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada’s preso on “13 Ways to Make Yourself Irresistible to any Agent or Editor”

10 a.m.

I’m a sucker for marketing and self-promotion topics and although I’ve not met Susan Wingate, we’ve corresponded. (I called her one time when her Facebook account got hacked.) Her session “Get on Board the Starship of Publishing” sounds interesting.

9 p.m.

Don’t miss the author autograph party! Fun, fun, fun! (And another chance to get Chuck’s books.)

Sunday:

10:30 a.m. I don’t know Bob Mayer personally but this workshop in “The Warrior Writer” sounds right up my alley. I’d check it out. (And you could sleep in a little after the big party the night before.)

• • •

Willamette Writer’s Conference: August 5-7th

Register Online Here

Be sure to swing by the Barnes & Noble Book Table and pick up copies of my books. They give back a percentage of profits to support Willamette Writers in supporting writers. Be sure to tell Page Jordan I sent you.

Also, if you plan to follow the conference on Twitter, then Porter Anderson (@Porter_Anderson) is your guy to follow. He’ll be live-tweeting the entire conference and he’s darn good at it.

Thursday:

Don’t miss your chance starting at 7 p.m. (Get there early to sign up.)

Agent/Editor Pitch Practice (This is how I got the attention of Jane Friedman for my first book Writer Mama in 2005—at the Pitch Practice. Let those pitches rip, people!).

Friday:

8:30 a.m.

Definitely check out Sharlene Martin’s “Crazy Queries” workshop. Sounds fun.

10:30 a.m.

Ooo, I would not miss this panel on “E-media—E-books, Self-publishing, and Twitter” with Jane Friedman as of panelists. (Jane is one of the foremost thinkers on e-media and the future of publishing. I’d shadow her all conference if these are topics that interest you. Full disclosure: Jane has also been my editor and publisher. )

For fiction folks, check out Laura Whitcomb’s “It’s Just So Crazy It Might Work.” Laura has spoken at my author series and she has some great tips and strategies, you won’t want to miss.

1:30 p.m.

Don’t miss “Blogging 101″ with Jane Friedman. Have you seen her blog, her guest blogs? Her interviews? The woman is omni-present. Nuf said.

Ooo, fiction folks, don’t miss Hallie Ephron on “Plotting a Page-Turner.” Hallie is great. You will love her and everything she says.

I like Roseanne Parry and her topic, “Character & The Seven Deadly Sins,” sounds truly helpful for YA folks.

3:30 p.m.

Don’t miss Gigi Rosenberg’s “Fund Your Writing Projects,” if you are thinking you might ever want to seek funding for any of your writing projects.

Fiction folks will want to head straight on over to Hallie Ephron’s “Details to Make Or Break a Character.”

Children’s writers won’t want to miss Roseanne Parry’s “What Makes It A Children’s Novel?”

Saturday:

8:30 a.m.

I’d be interested in “Words & Pictures: Writing for Comics,” with Anina Bennett. I don’t know the presenter but the topic sure sounds interesting.

Ooo, have you seen Eric Witchey’s handouts? They are thi-ick! Fiction writers won’t want to miss them and him talk about “Mythic Power From Your Life.”

I don’t know Kim Cooper Findling, but this is a good kind of workshop for any nonfiction writer to attend, “Anatomy of a Magazine Article.”

If you are writing a picture book or thinking of writing one, definitely go to Addie Boswell’s “Picture Book Pacing & Poetry.”

10:30 a.m.

Nonfiction writers, I’d definitely check out Peter Bowerman’s session on “Taking The Reins Of Your Own Publishing Journey.” (Moms may want to check out my new e-mail class Micro-publishing for Mom Writers.)

Hallie Ephron’s “Mixing Internal & External Dialogue” sounds really interesting for fiction writers.

Leigh Anne Jasheway is funny, and this session looks to be both entertaining and useful. I’d check out “Comedy As A Nonfiction Tool.”

1:30 p.m.

Definitely do not miss “Three Models for Using Twitter to Grow Your Career,” with Jane Friedman. Why? This is why.

Fiction writers, don’t miss another chance to get one of Eric Witchey’s big, fat handouts (but don’t just pop in and ask for a handout b/c that’s not cool). His topic this time is “Partying Your Way To Publication.”

Ooo, fiction writers, tough call in this slot b/c Bob Dugoni’s session, “Getting Started And Staying Headed in the Right Direction,” sounds really good, too. I would not want to have to make this choice.

Kim Cooper Fielding tackles a topic that every writer wants to learn more about in “Engaging the Senses in Travel Writing.”

Addie Boswell’s “Illustration Techniques for Writers” sounds interesting for children’s book writers.

3:30 p.m.

Once again Peter Bowerman and I are on the same page (although, full disclosure, I’ve never read his work) with his “Build Your Own Writing Empire.”

Fiction writers, once again you have a terribly tough choice between Eric Witchey and “Ed Ace and the ABCs of Fiction” and Robert Dugoni, “You’ve Got the Power.”

Leigh Anne Jasheway’s creativity workshop, “How Thinking Like A Five Year Old Can Help You Become A More Creative Writer,” sounds fun, if you are feeling a bit information overloaded at this point of the conference.

Sunday:

8:30

I’d catch Monica Drake’s session, “What Can A Sentence Do?” Sounds interesting.

Also Robert Dugoni’s “Catching An Agent’s Attention,” is a must-learn topic.

And if you are writing YA, don’t miss Christine Fletcher’s “Talk To Me” session on voice. She’s great.

10:30

Gary Corbin is a fun guy and if you are interesting in staging any of your writing, I would definitely check out his “Get Your Story A Stage.”

I would be loathe to miss Jane Friedman’s, “Thinking Beyond the Book.” This is necessary medicine, writers, and I promise, it won’t hurt.

Oh, man. Another impossible choice for fiction writers. Bob Dugoni on “Playing God” or Bill Johnson on “Spirit of Storytelling.” Good luck!

See what Christine Fletcher has to say about plot in YA in her session, “Then What Happens?”

1:15

Don’t miss Jane Friedman talking about “Audience Development 101.” This goes for writers in all genres, not just nonfiction.

Fiction writers won’t want to miss Hallie Ephron’s “Fly High, Fly Low Revision” session. After all, so much of writing well is rewriting.

If you are interested at all in Playwriting, Cynthia Whitcomb is a always a great teacher.

3:00

Sage Cohen marries two topics she excels at poetry and productivity in “The Productive Poet.” You probably don’t have to be a working poet to get a lot out of this session.

This panel moderating by Ellen Urbani on writing critique groups sounds interesting, “How To Find Or Create Your Ideal Writers Critique Group.” If you are interested in this topic, you may also wish to check out Becky Levine’s book on the topic from Writer’s Digest, The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide.

At this late point in the conference, “Improv Your Writing” with Gary Corbin sounds fun.

Children’s writers or anyone interested in Laura Ingalls Wilder should definitely check out, Pamela Smith Hill’s session, “Writing YA in Hard Times.”

• • •

The end. All the attendees collapse in a giant, brain-bursting heap.

This was a lot of information to cover, but I hope, if you are attending either conference, and I hope you WILL pick one and attend it, that this list is helpful and saves you some of that writer’s conference there-are-so-many-choices-that-my-head-is-spinning feeling.

Have a great time! Buy lots of books! And then put everything you learn into action!

I noticed last night that the last article I wrote for Writer’s Digest, “Elements of a Successful Fiction Platform” is now online. Hooray!

I think fiction writers, memoir writers, and children’s writers have it rough, and I want to acknowledge their unique challenges. This is partly what motivated me to pitch and write this article for Writer’s Digest.

I wanted to get to the bottom of the whole, “But Christina, I’m a fiction (memoir, children’s…) writer, so your platform advice does not apply to me, although it’s nice for you and your tribe of lagabout nonfiction writers.”

I was never really convinced that the advice in Get Known did not apply to writers of other genres, but I was willing to go straight to the top, in this case interviewing 13 powerhouse novelists, to find out what they collectively know about fiction platforms.

I interviewed James Scott Bell, Meg Cabot, Gwyn Cready, Katie Davis, Hallie Ephron, Heather Vogel Frederick, J. A. Konrath, Lisa McMann, Scott Sigler, Laurel Snyder, Dana Stabenow, Susan May Warren, and Allison Winn Scotch.

And they all rock, by the way.

And guess what they said?

They said platform is incredibly important.

Not a single one of them said platform wasn’t important. Nobody wanted to impress upon me how different it is for them as novelists than it is for nonfiction writers. And all of them accepted that self-promotion comes part and parcel with the job description.

So, we’re all in the same boat, folks. And I think it’s time to get over it.

No platform, no book deal.

No willingness to self-promote, no book sales.

Traditionally published or self-published, it does not matter. With extremely rare exception, like almost never, platform rules.

Of course, the writing has to be exceptional, as well. Never forget that part. They all agreed on this.

I know it, best-selling fiction writers know it, everybody, by now, I hope, knows it.

If you are someone who still wants to argue about whether or not other types of writers besides strictly nonfiction writers need a platform, you can try, but as far as I’m concerned the case is closed.

If you want your hard work to get read, you’ll come around. And if you don’t want to come around, then consider writing for personal pleasure, rather than as a professional writer.

Platform development is not simple — it won’t happen at lightning speed and at your convenience. It takes years to establish and maintain a solid platform.

But if you embrace the platform-building process as part of your job description, you will get used to it, and you might even have fun with it. I do and I definitely got the sense that all of the authors I interviewed totally get platform, are at peace with it, and enjoy the opportunity to connect with their readers.

And amen to that.

If you are just getting starting or you could use a basic primer on platform development and how it fits into a writer’s career, take a look at my book, Get Known Before the Book Deal (LINK).

If you have already identified your audiences, determined your niche, and built an online platform that reaches out to your current and potential readership, and you want to take it to the next level, take a look at my more recent article in the  current, but soon to fade from stands, March/April issue of Writer’s Digest, “50 Simple Ways To Build Your Platform In Five Minutes A Day.”

One final piece of platform advice: put your name, face, and considerable writing expertise at the center of your platform and spoke off exciting and engaging social artistry from there. Keep this simple, so it stays manageable as you devote the lion’s share of your energy to your craft.

If your platform is so over the top that it strains you and interferes with getting your best writing done, then maybe you are allowing platform to be too complicated. If you can’t sustain the time and energy to nurture your craft and put your very best work out in the world, then there’s no point. Get your priorities straight and everything will fall back in place.

Writers serve readers. It’s fun and rewarding work. So go do it and then let me know how it went. And for goodness sake, don’t let me catch you grousing.

What do Scott Sigler, Meg Cabot, Allison Winn Scotch, and Dana Stabenow all have in common?

I’ve stumped you, haven’t I?

They all let me interview them for my feature, “Elements of a Successful Fiction Platform” for the November / December issue of Writer’s Digest magazine.

And they are not the only folks I interviewed. There were thirteen authors in all. I also caught up with James Scott Bell, Gwyn Cready, Katie Davis, Hallie Ephron, J.A. Konrath, LIsa McMann, Laurel Snyder, and Susan May Warren and asked them questions about how, when and where they promote themselves and their books.

Because I know that aspiring fiction writers want to know which strategies for attracting readers work, which don’t, and everything else they can learn from seasoned professionals who have established an author’s platform and put it to good use serving readers and fans.

So what can you learn from these — many of them bestselling — authors about how you can best promote yourself and your writing?

Plenty.

And my feature is in great company this issue, appearing alongside articles by fellow journalists Becky Levine, Monica Bhide, Tim Beyers, Melissa Wuske (my new book editor!), and Writer’s Digest editor, Jessica Strawser (and many more).

You’ll find the full scoop in the November / December issue of Writer’s Digest magazine. Coming to newsstands this week. And already in the hands of (and probably dog-eared by now) loyal Writer’s Digest subscribers.

Kinda makes you wish you were a Writer’s Digest subscriber, doesn’t it? You can subscribe here. Download the digital version here. And find the issue on stands after October 26th.

I’d love to hear what you think. And I’m sure the folks at Writer’s Digest would like to hear what you think, too. So please don’t be shy.

Thanks for reading! Here’s a sneak peek of the cover…

One thing I love about being a writing instructor is that back-to-school thrill every Fall. I am probably more excited for back-to-school than my eight-year-old.

I love school, whether I am the teacher or the student. But starting on September 8th and running for six weeks, I am the teacher. And I am looking for a fresh batch of new-to-me, highly motivated, hard-working students. And so is my colleague Abigail Green.

I’ve been teaching classes consistently for nine-and-a-half years to hundreds of students, who have had more articles published than I could possibly count. Several of them have built up a large enough platform over time to get books published and land agents simply by continuing to build their skills and put them to good use.

The writing class I am offering this time around is Writing and Publishing the Short Stuff. Abby is offering her popular class, Personal Essays That Get Published. (I’ll tell you more about my platform-development class, Discover Your Specialty & Launch Your Platform, tomorrow.)

Just this past week, I have heard about twenty of my current and former students’ articles getting into print or getting reprinted (which means that the person who wrote them is getting paid again for reselling what they already wrote). And despite all the hulla-ballo to the contrary, there does not seem to be any shortage of article-writing opportunities for those who are just getting started.

So, if you are wondering if you should take a class this Fall with me or my colleague Abigail Green, and you are on the fence, here are a 21 good reasons why you may want to consider it:

1. Because you have ideas and you want to put them into writing.
2. To write, get published, and paid for your words.
3. Because you don’t have ideas yet but you want to find them and put them down in words (and get paid for them).
4. Because you have thought a lot about writing but not actually tried it yet.
5. Because you have read a lot about writing but not put many of the ideas into action.
6. Because you lack the confidence that comes from doing, though you think you could get there with a little practice.
7. To test-drive other people’s techniques and see if they would indeed help you write better, faster, or more efficiently.
8. Because you’ve been meaning to take a class but just haven’t gotten around to taking one yet.
9. Because our students get published and continue getting published over time.
10. Because you want to find your writing rhythm or rekindle your old writing rhythm.
11. Because you used to write but stopped for a time, and you need help getting started again.
12. Because you can fulfill weekly assignments whenever it is convenient for your schedule.
13. Because you wish to discover a sense of immediate writing community that will make you feel less alone.
14. Because you could use a deadline to structure your time and become more productive.
15. Because it’s been a while and you could use a writing refresher course.
16. Because it doesn’t matter where in the world you live, you can still participate.
17. Because investing in skill-building is something you can take back to the bank over and over in the future.
18. Because you haven’t taken an excellent class with a highly qualified instructor in a while and you think you might like it.
19. Because you will likely take your writing career more seriously after investing in continuing education to strengthen and expand it.
20. Because you could stand a little inspiration and positive attitude amidst all this doom and gloom.
21. Or maybe you just feel like it and you are tired of feeling like you are not allowed to do something you really want to do.

You can read all the details on the classes registration page. WPSS info is here. PETGP is here.

Hope to see your smiling (virtual) face in one of our writing classes that begin in two weeks.

I launched Author Mama in beta (trial) version in March and then in alpha (final) version in May. Coming soon, the Kindle version. And then shortly thereafter, I’ll launch the POD version.

In the meantime, I’ve rounded up the initial feedback on Author Mama. Check out what the first round of readers had to say:

This book couldn’t have come at a better time! Christina Katz’s insightful Author Mama joins my copy of Writer Mama as I move from freelancing to nonfiction books. This is a reference I will use over and over; the chapters are well written and in an easy, conversational tone that make this insider’s guide to publishing a gem. ~ Stacey Graham

Christina Katz does it again! Author Mama is a well-balanced tightly written e-book that provides insight, wisdom and advice for writers looking to publish. Christina shares precious nuggets from her personal experiences of how she became a published author and delivers all of it with her signature thoughtfulness and wry humor. This is another “must have” that writers should have on their resource shelves. ~ Judy M. Miller

Author Mama has it all! Christina Katz has done an amazing job putting everything an author mama needs from getting started writing a book all the way through to publication. She has left no topic untouched from celebrating each step completed in the book writing process to the changes taking place in traditional publishing. Especially unique in this e-book are the sections on paying attention to physical and mental health needs during the book-writing process. This is a book you will definitely want to have on your desk for reference as you begin the process of pitching and then writing your first book! ~ Sarah Joyce Bryant

I loved reading Christina’s book, Author Mama! With a red pen in one hand and a highlighter in another, I completely devoured the book within a few days. It was so easy to read, and I’m amazed at how much I learned. And, despite the tough love and honesty that Christina uses to teach us about the book writing process, I am not discouraged one bit. I’m actually more excited about the process than before I read Author Mama. I would recommend this book to anyone considering starting the journey of becoming an author, mama or not. ~ Jen Levin

Just like in Writer Mama and Get Known Before the Book Deal, Christina Katz delivers a practical, easy-to-follow guide based on personal experience. This is a must-have resource for those of us writer mamas with aspirations of someday landing our own book deal. ~ Liz Sheffield

Author Mama is a pragmatic, personable read for new and seasoned author mamas alike, offering conversational and comprehensive information in a supportive but realistic tone. I wish this conversational and comprehensive guide had been around when my first book was published! ~ Jenn Crowell

Christina’s writing style is so engaging it’s as if you were discussing author characteristics with her over a cup of coffee. Her enthusiasm for her craft is obvious in her well-organized content and aspiring author action steps. Thanks, Christina, for providing would-be authors with the knowledge and resources necessary to write that first book. ~ Kim Murray

Author Mama takes fear of the unknown out of the book-publishing equation. Christina Katz gives you the essentials you need to get your book written and published, along with additional resources. I feel confident that I, too, can follow these steps. ~ Kathleen McDade

The words of encouragement and direction Christina Katz offers up in Author Mama will point you in the right direction as you navigate the publishing world. ~ Donna M. McDine

What I love about Christina’s books is she takes overwhelming topics and chops them up into manageable segments. Not only is her knowledge comprehensive, it’s a relief to know she learned so much about writing and publishing as a mom. Author Mama presented some new ideas to me and it reminded me of other concepts I’d forgotten about. ~ Heather Mark

Tight writing in an easy-to-read format and exercises you can start today will have you moving towards a book deal at a realistic pace. ~ Mary Jo Campbell

As an aspiring writer mama, I am relishing the information in Author Mama by Christina Katz. I feel closer to the writing world craving more. I appreciate Katz’s honesty, intelligence, and encouragement she radiates for all writer mamas and soon to be author mamas. ~ Kristen R. Murphy

It takes something special to make me buy an ebook. And I think Christina Katz’ work is that kind of special. [Author Mama] goes through the different stages of getting a book published. She shares from her own authoring experiences plus how the current state of publishing changes the experience for current and future authors. Most chapters come with recommendations or activities for readers to try out. ~ Jaymie Dieterle, Bring on the Books blog

For all those who were so inspired by Writer Mama that they decided to write a book, Author Mama is the essential next step.  ~ Karen Banes

Keep reading about Author Mama here.

If you just crank out content, they might come for a while but they will eventually move on until they find a nice, cozy context. Or a context that produces the results and benefits they are looking for.

I’ve said it before (somewhere, I can’t find it at the moment), content might be king, but context is queen.

And, as is so often the case, the queen usually wins.

Dan Blank wrote an interesting post today about how newspapers used to be a service. I asked for his thoughts on newspapers as a context vs. content producers.

Because, for me, newspapers used to be a context delivered to your door. But now they have to compete with so many other contexts that can be delivered in so many ways through your phone or iPad or laptop or whatever, that newspapers, which have been slow or clunky in making the transition, are losing the edge they once had in luring us in and keeping us nice and happy on a Sunday morning.

And we have SO many types of context these days. It’s like a circus of choices.

Check out these writer-centric examples:

A Writer’s Conference is a context (Look at what Digital Book World is doing)

The Bookstore is a context (Look at Amazon or Powell’s)

Magazines are now a context (Like Writer’s Digest)

School was always a context but the extension of schools using distance learning give every school more reach (the Vermont College’s MFA program comes to mind)

Heck, even my bank is now a worldwide context (and every other bill I pay each month has their own context, as well)

But comes the context rub: with so many contexts competing for our energy and attention, some of them are going to fade away. The average human being simply cannot care for her children, maintain a career, enjoy personal intimate relationships, and indulge in a few real life simple pleasures if she spends every second of her time online jumping from context to context.

And that’s if she can remember all those passwords.

Now notice that this post is directed to publishers and new media. It’s not directed to writers because I don’t suggest individual writers attempt to create contexts of the size and scope that corporations and businesses create.

I got out of the context business last year and it’s been a huge relief. Guy Gonzalez got into the context business last year but he is a full-time employee and I presume he makes a decent salary for all of his tireless and amazing hard work.

Writers, you have to remember what business you are in. You simply can’t compete with huge corporations or even-medium sized businesses that create intricate, technologically sophisticated contexts.

For me, I’m in the writing business. I write. I teach writing and writing-related skills. I speak on writing and writing-related topics. I am actually something of a creative career expert since I’ve been doing this stuff for almost a decade.

Therefore, when I create contexts, they are necessarily temporary. They are temporary because I don’t have a staff. I can’t afford a staff. And it takes a staff to build and maintain a context (for example, here’s a roundup of the bloggers for Writer’s Digest).

I’ll say more about ways that writers can use context strategies for success soon. But in the comments this time, I’d love to you list all the online contexts you visit in the average week. And then tell us if your time investment is sustainable.

Wouldn’t it be fascinating if we all shared this? (Feel free to use general rather than specific terms, if you prefer.) Context-friendly strategies for writers, next time.

~ Photo by Dustin Diaz

Apparently Seth Godin is going to help me out this week with my Starbucks analogy:

Starbucks didn’t become Starbucks by getting discovered by Oprah Winfrey or being blessed by Warren Buffet when they only had a few stores. No, they plugged along. They raised bits of money here and there, flirted with disaster, added one store and then another, tweaked and measured and improved and repeated. Day by day, they dripped their way to success. No magic lottery. [Read the entire post here.]

So this week’s question for you is: What do people already thank you for? Not what value do you think you provide. Not what would you like to be at the center of your writing career.

Later in his post Godin says:

Here’s another way to think about it: delight the audience you already have, amaze the customers you can already reach, dazzle the small investors who already trust you enough to listen to you. Take the permission you have and work your way up. Leaps look good in the movies, but in fact, success is mostly about finding a path and walking it one step at a time.

So what have you specifically been thanked FOR?

There is crucial information in a thank you. I’d even say that there is crucial information in every thank you, from your very first to your very last, meaning your first day in business and your last day in business and every day in between.

Because if you are doing your job well, then you should be being thanked pretty consistently. And when you are thanked, this is a great opportunity to ask for more detailed feedback or a testimonial.

And then, over time, you start to notice patterns in the feedback you receive. And the consistency either tells you what you are doing right or where you need to improve.

So you tell us right here and right now: what are you doing right? Tell us what others tell you.

~ Photo by J. Star

Last week, I asked you what was at the center of your writing career.

Some people were confused. They responded with their passion, mission, or purpose.

That’s not what I was asking for. What I was asking for is what is at the center of what you OFFER?

In other words the answer is not about you or how you feel about what you offer. The answer is about what OTHERS perceive you offering.

If you are not in business yet, or you are not successful in business yet, it’s going to be difficult to answer this question. Because the question pertains not to what you want to do or hope to do, but what you deliver.

For example, you walk into Starbucks and you perceive them offering espresso because there is a big ol’ espresso machine right there in the middle of the espresso bar. Right?

You hand them money. The barista hands you something with espresso in it. (We’re just going to stick with espresso for now, but we’ll come back to the Chai, Strawberries and Cream, etc. later.)

So whatever you are offering makes a big impression on others too, or at least you hope it does.

For example, I said creating and teaching were at the center of what I offer. I create pieces of writing. I offer them as articles, curriculum, books, blog posts, e-zines, etc. So my espresso, or what’s at the center of all of this, is the creating of pieces of writing, each with a unique purpose and intention. That’s before I even do anything with them. This is what happens first, constantly, and is the key to my humble success.

This is kind of like the way Starbucks creates espresso drinks. Will you look at what they can do?

They can give it to you hot or cold. They can give it to you with milk (or variations of milk). They can give it to you with chocolate or carmel. They can give it to you big or small. They can give it to you straight, with hot milk, steamed milk, or just foam. They can give it to you iced, iced with milk, or whipped with ice and milk-y stuff into a frappé.

Clearly, you can see, when it come to what they do with their espresso, Starbucks is not messing around.

They are going to give it to you exactly the way you want it and this concept is built into their business model. It’s the sheer variety of what Starbucks can do with a shot of espresso that makes them so brilliant as an enterprise.

So.

We come back to you.

Back to question number one: What is at the center of what you offer? (What is your espresso?)

And on to question number two: How many ways are you offering what you offer?

And while we are on the topic, which ways are the most successful for you?

~ Photo by CoffeeGeek

Simple question, right? But perhaps not so easy to answer.

For example, creativity is at the center of my writing career.

That means the part of my work that I love the most is the creating part (often this is writing but not always).

Right after creating, I value the teaching part of what I do.

If I were Starbucks, creating would be my perfect shot of espresso.

Following closely by teaching (the perfect espresso shot plus hot milk).

After teaching, I have to pause and rub my chin for a minute. But if I’m being totally honest, platform building (aka marketing–go ahead and think I’m shallow) is another favorite job of mine.

Platform building is like my…cappucino, if we continue with the Starbucks analogy.

And by the Starbucks analogy, I mean I have one key thing at the center of what I do. Just like Starbucks has that killer shot of espresso at the center of what they do.

I don’t care if they started with drip coffee. (I’m not sure what they started with, actually.) It’s all about the espresso now.

And since my creativity is only limited by my imagination, I feel like I have infinite options of how to proceed in my writing career.

I mean how many different drinks can you make with an espresso shot?

Plenty.

Therefore, the onus is on me to make good choices.

Good choices with my topics, my audiences, my time, and my publishing partners. The same applies to making good choices as a teacher and as a platform builder.

Frankly, it’s a lot to juggle. Fortunately, last year, I pared way back to just the things that bring me the most satisfaction.

Like Simon Cowell, it got to the point in several of my endeavors where I was phoning it in. And that didn’t feel good. I felt stuck. Burdened. Over-committed.

So I made better choices and now here I am feeling as optimistic as a shot of espresso in the Pacific Northwest.

What’s at the center of your writing career? (Feel free to borrow my Starbucks analogy. I’m going to keep using it too.)

Photo by CoffeeGeek