Relax, Rest, Rev Up for 2022!

Hello friend,

My family has asked that I take some time off. Apparently, the Grinch is REAL. Apparently, the Grinch lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, and operates Crippled Beagle Publishing. Ha! I'm sure you, too, KNOW how hard it is to stop thinking/producing/working/writing. How do you completely relax? I'd love to learn from you. Obviously, I need them. I decided to do a little research in order to convince myself to actually "chill out" these last few days of 2021. I read several articles and have listed highlights below. Enjoy!

Types of rest:

• Sleep. Duh.
• Naps. I can NOT nap. I wake up thinking I've killed someone and must hide the body. What is wrong with me?
• Yoga. You can't tell from the outside, but I do practice yoga, and it does help with my inside. Ha!
• Quiet walks. C.S. Lewis preferred no conversation during his frequent walks. I like to walk alone, but mostly because I'm slow.
• Prayer. I love to chat with God, aloud, on my way home from dropping Scotty off at school. Other drivers probably think I'm nuts, but God knows.
• "Mindless" activities that require little physical effort---like knitting, coloring, folding laundry, weeding flower beds. There's plenty of mindless housework to do in my rancher. Maybe I'll try some.
• Extra-long showers. Good luck showering, ever, without a child knocking or cat scratching at the door.
• Bubble baths. I doubt there's a tub in my old house that will "stop up" completely. I'll give it a shot sometime. Please try not to picture me naked. Sorry. Ha!
• UNPLUGGING from the digital world (particularly social media). This is HARD. I'm good on Sundays, but the rest of the week? Hmmm...something to improve.

Benefits—Don't these sound fantastic?

• The opportunity to daydream with a non-cluttered mind
• Emotional stability
• Physical recovery
• Stress reduction
• Improved immunity
• Improved energy
• MORE IDEAS!
• BETTER productivity

Entrepreneurs are often accused of being workaholics. I think we are just passionate about what we do. Plus, we feel an overwhelming sense of obligation to and gratitude for our clients. No matter our motivation, many people often work too many hours, which is actually counterproductive. In order to improve my business and free up more time to focus on health, family, friends, and fun, I made some major changes at Crippled Beagle Publishing this year. I've streamlined processes and set up standard operating procedures. I batch work, which saves my time and my clients' money. Batching also helps my team complete projects faster. I intentionally say NO to things that will absorb time, money, or energy I don't want to spend. Since I started this on October 1, I've politely said no to THIRTY-SIX tasks/obligations/events/whatever. Wow. And this is a big one (scary and expensive)—I hired more help.

Another idea I ran across is to completely restructure the workday. Last week, I looked back on my Google calendar and noticed that I almost never took a true lunch break between September 1 and December 23. My mind, lower back, and creative spirit really need a mid-day break, but I'm a workhorse. I have literally eaten lunch at my desk when the living room and kitchen are right down the hall. I don't trust myself, so my solution is to leave my office and drive to my yoga studio at noon every workday. I shall force myself to rest! I spotted another trend on my Google calendar. My schedule stretched from 5:00 a.m. to sometimes 7:00 p.m. No wonder I'm the Grinch.

Ernest Hemingway advised to, "... always stop when you know what is going to happen next." So, in order to de-Grinch, I will also force myself to walk out of my office and to the front door when my husband Jeff gets home from work. When I hear the door open, I'll know what's next. I will shut down my computer, leave my office, and give Mr. Dyer a big hug.

In order to be the perfect wife and mother, get the rest I need, and work more productively and efficiently for YOU in 2022, I am taking this last week of 2021 completely off. I pray you have a wonderful last week of 2021, and I can't wait to help you meet your goals next year!

xoxoxoxo

Jody

P.S. If you are an author and planning your book marketing for next year (which you should be doing NOW even if you haven't started writing), here's a great free resource my team and I use. Click HERE to download the Annual Book Marketing Planner.

BEFORE:​

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DURING:​

BRING ON 2022!!!

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The Gift of Time - USE IT! Plan your 2022 now and find more readers and better royalties.

Henry Ford said, "Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping your watch to save time."

Gregory Ciotti said, "Marketing is enthusiasm transferred to the customer."

Jody Dyer says (all of the time to clients who are nervous about marketing their work), "Marketing can be easy, inexpensive, and FUN. You aren't selling. You are communicating with people who deserve to know about your book and have the opportunity to buy it!"

Did you know that books live forever? In other words, you have life's greatest luxury—TIME—to write, edit, publish, and successfully market your book. The trick is to PLAN, especially when it comes to marketing your work.

Did you know that you should start marketing your book the MOMENT you decide to write it? The first step is to learn WHAT you need to do. The second step is to learn HOW. Do not fret. There are simple ways to market your book(s) within your budget and on your schedule. There is no rush. You worked hard to write your book (or you are in the process). Your book, your readers, and YOU deserve a solid marketing plan.
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In 2022, Crippled Beagle Publishing will offer the following marketing instruction options (these options are open to ANY author and are not exclusive to CBP clients, so please share this info with your writer friends):

• One-on-one: Completely customized marketing coaching at your pace and budget
• Author Roadmap to Readers and Royalties: A six-week, online course. The price is $387 for "founding members" who sign up Jan 3-7. After that, it jumps to $587. The course begins February 21. I likely will not offer the course again until September 2022 or January 2023.

What you should do:

1. Think about your book royalties thus far. Think about your marketing efforts thus far.

2. Reply to this email if you want to book time on my first-quarter calendar for one-on-one marketing instruction. We'll work out the details together.

3. Reply to this email if you want to be a founding member of the online course for $387.

Mark Twain said, "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." 

Let's get started, together, in 2022.

TO DOWNLOAD A FREE BOOK MARKETING PLANNER, CLICK HERE:)

xoxoxo and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Jody and team

Are you giving readers multiple buying options? It's easier and less expense than you may think. Keep reading ...

 Happy FRIDAY!

Back in the old publishing days, when MOST authors were rejected and those who did get through the big publishing house gauntlet had to twist and change to meet retail demands, hardcovers came out first. Those days are over. Now, based on my research and, well, reality, I believe it's best to publish all versions at once. Why not give readers options? Think about it this way. Some folks buy paperbacks to read, hardcovers as gifts, and eBooks to take on the road. My cousin Annie reads one or two books per week. Right now, she's working in abroad for a few weeks. She started a couple of books at home in New York and likely borrowed those books on her library app connected to her Kindle so she can continue reading them in the air and on a different continent. She may buy all three versions of one book. Who knows? Regardless, why limit your readers' options? Note that some books (namely heavily illustrated books) may not convert well to ePub, but Kindle versions typically work well. Call or email me to talk about your project. To download my free Book Marketing Annual Planner, click HERE.

Plus, this is a great marketing tactic. When readers scan your buying pages, they see those options and likely think, Wow! This book must be good if it's available in all of these formats.

Those formats are:

1. Paperback
2. Hardcover
3. ePub (ePubs work across all types of devices)
4. Kindle (these sell more often than ePubs and work for most books)
5. AUDIO BOOKS - I've created two. Ask me all about this.

You will be surprised at how inexpensive it can be to create a second or third or fourth version. Typically, the cost covers only my team's time, the conversion fee from paperback/hardcover to ePub, a few quick adjustments to the initial cover design, the cost of an ISBN, and uploading fees. When I write my own books or ghostwrite for clients, I do ALL FOUR immediately. Make the small investment so you aren't leaving money on the table or short-changing readers.

If you have one version and want to explore adding others, email or call me. Let's get that priced and on the calendar!

Happy book marketing and Merry Christmas.

xoxoxo

Jody

P.S. If you missed it, download (FREE) my Book Marketing Annual Planner - The Gift of Time by clicking HERE:)

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I dare you to read this and do it! Actually, I triple Crippled Beagle dog dare you. Ha!

Hello friend,

As you may have heard/read, I'm doing a DEEP study on marketing as I create my online course and membership program (launching in January and April, respectively) and refine my one-on-one coaching processes. This week, I attended a live conference (online, of course, but still LIVE---a strange but fun experience) for entrepreneurs. What I learned cannot be quantified, but I know it will earn my business and, more importantly, my clients, more money as I work even faster and more efficiently with my team to serve you. There were speakers and exercises on mindset, technical skills, social media, press kits, presenting, writing, and so much more. My favorite speaker was a woman named Tarzan. YES! That is her real name. She is delightful and direct. She taught us all about how to send emails. You'd think that's a simple process, but, whew, it is NOT. Within ten minutes, I identified mistakes I've made and how I intuitively got some things right. She also challenged us to write ourselves an email and then (this is crazy) send it to OUR clients. Yikes! Well, I promise myself I'd be "all in" to the process, so here you go. What's even MORE ironic is that Crippled Beagle Publishing client Doris Valentine can now share her beautiful book Why I Pray with the world. CONGRATULATIONS, DORIS! What an honor it is to represent you and share your gifts with the world.

All right, friends. To keep my commitment to Tarzan, I've copied my "email to myself" below.

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EMAIL from Jody to Jody (and my new friend Tarzan) on 12.2.21

Jody, 
Your friends are right about you. You are a tiny bit crazy, absolutely funny, usually energetic, always creating something, and, well, bossy. What’s interesting, too, is that you do everything in life OUT LOUD. Your poor sons. Ha! You are bold. Why not be? As Jeff says when he detours from his diet during Christmas, "YOLO!" (You Only Live Once.) Thank goodness, right?

The end of the year is the time to reflect, but you should look back on the last several years, especially since you are making huge changes in your business. Whoa. Wow. Also, what the heck? Why would you ever doubt yourself? You are good at making BIG changes. Doubt comes with changes, and women, especially, say a lot of terrible things to themselves. Well, look at this list from just the last 10 years and, as Mama would say, "Change your tune, young lady."
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Let’s see what you have endured in the last few years:

• Infertility heartache for several years followed by the gut-wrenching adoption process
• Significant disappointment in someone you love
• Tragic, ongoing illnesses in family
• Deaths of seven people in your life in just a matter of months
• Losing a corporate job
• Multiple, expensive automobile and house problems
• A freaking pandemic
• Financial strain from all the above
• A child going to college 9 hours away

In spite of all of that, you:

• Remained faithful to your Christian values
• Adopted a child
• Earned a teaching certificate in secondary education
• Earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction
• Started a business from the ground up with no seed money
• Wrote and published several books
• Started practicing yoga
• Learned countless lessons, tools, techniques, technology, skills, processes, ....
• Succeeded and celebrated
• Earned a solid reputation in the publishing industry
• Helped hundreds of clients reach their writing and publishing goals
• Generally speaking, you rallied, recovered, and refined your approaches to everything.

You have taken incredible risks and have gained more confidence and freedom from every failure and success. You can do absolutely anything. So, here are your TOP BUSINESS GOALS FOR 2022.

1. Stop worrying. Trust that God loves you and will help you, even when YOU are the problem.
2. Continue to help writers of all ability levels tell their amazing stories with pride and excitement.
3. Hire more help.
4. Launch the online course so authors have an affordable and realistic way to learn all the tools they need to market their books.
5. Launch the membership program so authors can learn how to market their books at a slow and steady pace on their schedules and budgets.

Love, 
Jody

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Okay, friend, there you have my letter from me to me. Look back on the last ten years. What have you overcome? I DARE you to make a list and then sit back, amazed at how wonderful you are! Do it! Meanwhile, know that I treasure you.

My #1 goal is to stop worrying. I am a dreamer, and worry gets in the way of dreams. The best balm for me has been prayer. I just think it's awesome that my client Doris's book project came when it did.  Doris shares, "Through my book, I hope that you will look for God and find faith to see you through. If my work helps one person, I will feel elated."

Thank you for trusting me with your precious time, friend. I look forward to what we do together in 2022! Now, go write that letter to you:) 

xoxoxo
Jody

P.S. If you'd like to hear from me every week, subscribe through the link below. I don't crowd your inbox (I typically send only one email per week). I do share anecdotes, book excerpts, book reviews, writing prompts, business checklists, cheat sheets, comparison guides, social media tools, tech shortcuts, budgeting tips, and more. I also teach writing, editing, publishing, and book marketing skills. 

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW:) XOXOXOXO

I love this list of December dates! You will be inspired.

 HAPPY DECEMBER 1!

I mentioned this last week, too. "Special days/months" are great fodder for social media posts. I just did a little Facebook live (I hope my office was clean) to let folks know that December is "Write a Friend Month." Thus, I'm writing all of you friends. Ha! Seriously, though, I challenged my followers to write a real note on PAPER (crazy, right) and MAIL it (yikes!) to a friend. I'm going to do that as soon as I send this email to you. Please know that I consider you a friend.

Here are the December special days. Neat, right? Some are sad, some are serious, some are odd, and some are funny. As a working mother and business owner, my favorite might be "Stress-Free Family Holidays Month." I need to research that one. Ha! Enjoy, and MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Crippled Beagle Publishing team!

DECEMBER SPECIAL DAYS

• Write a Friend Month

• Safe Toys and Gifts Month

• Stress-Free Family Holidays Month

• Read a New Book Month

• Learn a Foreign Language Month

• Sign Up for Summer Camp Month

• Art and Architecture Month

• AIDS Awareness Month

• National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month

• National Handwashing Awareness Week (first week)

• National Influenza Vaccination Week December 3–9

• Christmas Tree Week (first full week)

• Tolerance Week (first full work week)

• Hanukkah (changes yearly and lasts for 8 days)

• Human Rights Week (second work week)

• Thank a Soldier Week (the week before or including Christmas)

• 1. Rosa Parks Day

• 1. World AIDS Day

• 2. Special Education Day

• 3. Make a Gift Day

• 4. Santa's List Day

• 4. Cookie Day

• 6. Give a Secret Gift Day

• 7. Pearl Harbor Day

• 7. Letter Writing Day

• 8. Winter Flowers Day

• 8. Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day

• 9. Homemade Gift Day

• 10. Human Rights Day

• 10. Nobel Prize Day

• 10. Day of the Horse (always second Saturday)

• 11. World Choral Day (always second Sunday)

• 13. Violin Day

• 14. Deck the Halls Day

• 15. Bill of Rights Day

• 16. Boston Tea Party Day

• 17. Wright Brothers' First Flight Anniversary

• 19. Build a Snowman Day

• 20. Go Caroling Day

• 20. Games Day

• 21. Forefathers Day

• 21. Look on the Bright Side Day

• 21. (approximate) Winter Solstice, which is also National Flashlight Day

• 23. Festivus

• 23. Roots Day

• 25. Christmas Day

• 26. National Whiners Day and Boxing Day

• 28. National Card Playing Day

• 30. Take a Walk Day

• 31. New Year's Eve

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