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Tips for Practicing Writer Mamas Who Want to Get Published

Here are the kinds of things that beginning writer mamas get overwhelmed by:

  • Finding enough time
  • Battling distractions
  • Guilt/Torn in too many directions
  • Over-committed/Too many volunteer activities
  • Don’t know what to prioritize first
  • Can’t decide which idea to pursue
  • Tired from working all day and caring for the family at home
  • Lack of confidence/Can’t get out of the comfort-zone
  • Unsure about the business aspects of writing
  • Procrastination/Thinking about doing instead of doing
  • Fear of both success and failure
  • Not sure how to submit work
  • Want national clips, but need to start local

And here’s the solutions I suggest:

  • Forgive yourself for all you haven’t accomplished up until now. And now, decide to get to work without allowing any more excuses.
  • Get your ideas down while they are hot. Just write the worst junk so you can capture the essence of the idea. Walking before writing can help loosen up your brain.
  • Take classes with professionals you can trust. You’ll gain helpful information, an available mentor, and most importantly, deadlines!
  • Don’t get hung up on the ever-changing marketplace. So many of the techniques that have always worked still work. You don’t need to try and reinvent the industry while you launch your career. That is not going to help you. Just follow professional advice closely and repeat what works.
  • Keep your focus on simple steps. Like, if you don’t have clips, you need to get clips. (People who didn’t need clips were the exception, not the rule. Get some clips and get some experience at the same time.)
  • Experience is what builds confidence. Nothing else is as authentic.
  • Writing careers are built one article at a time, one acceptance at a time, and one publication date at a time. Keep it simple and know what your immediate goal is. Then work toward each goal.
  • The accumulation of short-term goals leads to the achievement of long-term goals. That’s your trajectory for success. Think of it like a very long flight of stairs going up, up, up! Just aim for one success after another.

So get your butt in a chair. Grab a piece of paper and a pen or a laptop or a keyboard and get to work! πŸ˜‰

~Photo by geoftheref

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  • LydiaSharp January 19, 2010, 9:51 am

    Excellent tips!
    I'm glad you mentioned that there is a fear of success as well as failure. Success brings change, and I think we fear that more than anything sometimes, even the changes we desire.

  • Carol January 19, 2010, 12:26 pm

    This is a very timely list for me. I am NOT a Writer/Mama, but I am a Writer/Bean Counter, and that list sounds like my life right now. I am just trying to organize myself to edit poems for a first book. It is amazing how many things I got done this week while on vacation that had not much to do with moving my book forward. Thanks for this list. I am going to pin it up beside my desk, so the next time 'Net surfing or computer games tempt me, I will re-focus my energy!
    Carol

  • Carol J. Alexander January 19, 2010, 1:41 pm

    Have you been in my brain, or what!
    Thanks for all the great advice, Christina. Especially the trajectory for success. That's the kind of reinforcement I need.
    Blessings,
    Carol

  • maryjocampbell January 19, 2010, 2:27 pm

    Awesome! OK, I'm going to write my query letter now – Bye! ; )

  • Sean Platt January 19, 2010, 2:36 pm

    Great tips for any at home writer, dads too! Thanks, Christina.

  • christinakatz January 19, 2010, 7:13 pm

    Thanks, writer dad! πŸ™‚

  • christinakatz January 19, 2010, 7:13 pm

    I'm happy to hear that. πŸ™‚

  • christinakatz January 19, 2010, 7:13 pm

    Maybe. Maybe I am in your brain right now. Mwah-ha-ha. πŸ˜‰

  • christinakatz January 19, 2010, 7:14 pm

    You are welcome, Carol. Thanks for chiming in! πŸ™‚

  • christinakatz January 19, 2010, 7:14 pm

    Thanks, Lydia. Fear of success is definitely big for women. πŸ™‚

  • Vanessa Leavitt January 20, 2010, 8:14 pm

    Great post! That list of hang ups is spot on and the list of 'excuse breakers' is awesome.

  • christinakatz January 21, 2010, 4:14 pm

    Thanks, Vanessa. πŸ™‚

  • Jillian January 21, 2010, 4:15 pm

    Great advice. I can't imagine that success won't come after writing three hours every day for a year. I just have to depart from the writing to work on the business end, which is not fun!

  • Juliet January 21, 2010, 5:13 pm

    What great tips! Thanks for sharing them. πŸ™‚ I especially find going for a walk to be a great way to jump start ideas for articles and fiction stories. I can also relate to the ongoing battles with fear of success and failure.

  • christinakatz January 22, 2010, 2:23 am

    Thanks, Juliet. I've been doing well with my walks this week. Hope the rain continues to stay away. Happy walking!

  • christinakatz January 22, 2010, 2:27 am

    I actually find that I've come to enjoy the business aspect of writing. Even doing the taxes! Hopefully this will happen for you too, Jillian.

  • Shelly Wutke January 24, 2010, 8:21 pm

    I've been stuck trying to freelance, write, and build clips. It's overwhelming. Thanks for this post, definitely puts it all into perspective.

  • Holly Bowne January 26, 2010, 1:57 am

    Thanks for the encouragement! Since my butt is already in the chair, I think I'll just go write something now. :o)