Writers, focus on your strengths and shortcut your way to success! What can my team create to help you?

 This last month of the school year, my son Scotty is working on a HUGE project. Fifth graders host a wax museum for the entire school to tour. The project comes with a PACKET of instructions and demands research, a five-paragraph essay formatted to meet MLA guidelines with in-text citations, a title page, and a works cited page. He also must write and memorize a one-minute speech. On top of that work, my eleven-year-old must dress as the noteworthy person from head to little toes and, ugh, build a backdrop. Mama is a busy entrepreneur. Daddy now hides in the yard every time he hears the words "wax museum." But Scotty is Bill Nye the Science Guy, or at least he will be on May 12, and he must be READY. He'll coat his hair in silver gray paint and don safety glasses, a blue blazer with a pen-filled pocket protector, and a navy bowtie sporting science-y symbols. He will also display his underutilized chemistry set. As each kindergarten through fourth-grade student approaches, Scotty-Bill will recite his one-minute speech. His backdrop? More on that later.

This means that I, Mama, am on deck to assist in all of this W.O.R.K. Do I sound grouchy? I should, because I am. As a writer and business owner, I have two enemies: interruption and inefficiency. As a writer, I'm sure you can relate. Actually, if you are an adult (many of my clients are young and have yet to enter the working world), you relate. Daily, I am interrupted by a text or email reminder about what, ahem, Scotty should be doing to prepare for the wax museum. Every night, I am at my desk helping him work through the arduous project to-do list.

As students, we must learn all the steps. I get it. I desperately want teachers to drill students on grammar and mechanics, writing methods, essay conventions, and, above all else, HOW TO WRITE OUTLINES. My mother claims she taught me how to write outlines in third grade, and I was on essay Easy Street after that. Thank you, Mama. Children see outlines as drudgery, but they are actually shortcuts. If you'd like a tutorial, book an appointment with me. This word nerd loves to outline with friends.

Also, it's important to focus not on your weaknesses as a human but on your STRENGTHS. Examine your strengths and then put them into action. Hire the weak stuff out (unless you just want to get better at certain skills). For example, I love to teach and am good at it. I am not good at cutting hair, so my sons see a barber. It's really that simple. You are probably already hiring out a lot more tasks than you realize. I buy butter someone else made. I don't milk cows and then sit at a wooden churn all night. Really think about this. Hiring help and using short cuts are A-okay! Sometimes, we just need to take care of business in a hurry. We aren't cheating if we don't DIY everything. In other words, shortcuts and cheat sheets aren't always taboo. Sometimes, they are efficient, and dare I say, common sense. If you don't know who Sweet Williams is, you are missing out. Google her. I love her spirit and immediate recognition of what's important when the clock is ticking—Jesus, not shoes, right Ms. Williams?

Sweet Brown on apartment fire: "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!" - YouTube

Scotty has written the essay. Next, we will take a shortcut and copy the best sentences from that essay to paste them into new document—his speech. Will he memorize it? "Ain't nobody got time for that." Besides, when children memorize, they rush the speech, and you can't understand what they are saying. My boy will have his speech typed on paper in size 14 font and triple spaced so that he's forced to slow down. This way, the wax museum tourists will actually learn about Bill Nye. Isn't that the point?

Will Scotty dress up? Yes, I scoured the house for attire and props. He'll wear a blue suit that is three inches too short in the arms and legs. I did send Amazon $80 to take care of the rest of the costume business. Will Scotty spend hours designing a backdrop? "Ain't nobody got time for that." That is not his strength (or mine), nor is he interested in cutting cardboard and construction paper. This mama spent $10.99 on a fantastic shortcut that won't interrupt our more important tasks and is quite efficient.

HERE IS MY QUESTION FOR YOU: When you are writing, what frustrates or confuses you? When and where do you need a shortcut, cheat sheet, or efficient solution? You name the problem, and my team will create the tool.

I know I need to use hashtags in social media, but I don't have time to research how to use hash tags. I asked teammate Ginger to help me. She created The Ultimate Hashtag Cheat Sheet. Wow! She also authored most of 365 Ways to Market Your Book for Free. (You'll see it in under different titles online.) I told you about it a couple of weeks ago and priced it at $37 with a 50% discount for April. SCRATCH THAT! After gut-checking my way through the wax museum project, talking with my team, and thinking hard what authors need, I decided to change the price to $9.99 and create MORE tools at the same price. This makes each tool affordable for authors while also compensating my team for their brilliant work:) Authors may use our tools through all phases (writing, editing, publishing, and marketing). Again, what can we create for you?

Here's the current list. I'll update you when each new item is ready for purchase.

• The Ultimate Hashtag Cheat Sheet
• 365 Ways to Market Your Book for Free (in Under 10 Minutes a Day)
• The Ultimate Checklist to Successfully Market Your Book
• Proofread Like a Pro Checklist
• The Complete Book Project Planner for Authors
• Character Development Made Easy
• Brainstorm Your Way to a Book

Two are ready now (you can click the titles below and go right to the tools)!

The Ultimate Hashtag Cheat Sheet

365 Ways to Market Your Book for Free (in Under 10 Minutes a Day)

We also share some freebies from time to time via email. If you want to stay in the Crippled Beagle Publishing loop and download freebies when they are offered, click HERE. You are welcome to share this email with fellow writers.

XOXOXOXO

Jody Dyer

You are no imposter. Use these 10 steps to move past self-doubt. You are a writer, and I'm a dollhouse builder!

 Never in his childhood did I think my Tennessee mountain boy would end up studying communications eight hours north of his mama and ten minutes south of the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail. He can see Canada from his favorite perch and walleye fishing spot in Port Clinton! What a joy it is to, YES, live through my child. I doubt that Houston, now age 20, can fully appreciate the experience, but I urge him to explore and "take it all in" while he's there. Naturally, when I visit, I daydream about what it would be like for me to live in the Erie Islands. I enjoy studying the culture and history of Sandusky County. The FLAT pastures beg for tornadoes, but the sunsets are outstanding. This southern girl is slow to understand some of the local dialect, and countless references to the Union remind me that I'm a long way from my Georgia roots. I like to casually mention the War of Northern Aggression ... just to see what happens. I get some strange looks, but so far, everyone has been polite. Maybe they just don't understand my thick twang. Ha! One might consider me an imposter. Hang on to that thought.

Norther Ohio is actually a great place to vacation. Ohio's 152-year-old Cedar Point is the second largest amusement park in the country. Put-in-Bay is a ferry ride away and claims to be the "Key West of the North." Admiral Perry's monument dominates the bay, and his famous line, "Don't give up the ship," can be spotted everywhere. Charles Woodson beat out Tennessee's Peyton Manning for the Heisman Trophy back in 1997. Still hurts. Woodson is a beloved Fremont native who serves the community in many philanthropic endeavors. Most importantly, Houston's tiny college sits among infinite cornfields in Fremont, the homeplace of President Rutherford B. Hayes. The Hayes estate is called Spiegel Grove. Spiegel is the German word for mirrors. The home was originally built on The Great Black Swamp. It's giant puddles looked like mirrors as they reflected skyscraping trees. Houston's girlfriend Kinzie took my mother, Scotty (11), Houston, and me to Hayes' home, museum, and library. The home is stunning and FILLED with Hayes family treasures. Hayes started a diary at age twelve. Given what I learned about his family and his personality, I think he knew he would do something BIG. That notion led him to protect and keep documents, gifts, furniture, heirlooms, records, dishes, jewelry, personal items, and so much more. We looked into a mirror that George Washington used when he shaved. One of my favorite museum exhibits was a dollhouse given to the Hayes' only daughter, Fanny.

Have you ever had a hunch that you were destined for something big or meant to do something substantial? Maybe that hunch is telling you to write a book. Don't be distracted by imposter syndrome. Most writers (first timers to veterans) face this negative self-talk now and then. Maya Angelou said, "Each time I write a book, every time I face that yellow pad, the challenge is so great. I have written eleven books, but each time I think, 'Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.'"

What can you do to quell the self-doubt? Try these steps.

1. Thank back to one year ago and tell yourself how much you've learned and improved. Read an old essay from school. Amaze yourself at how far you've come!
2. Know that you don't have to be published to be a writer. You have to WRITE to be a writer.
3. Don't self-edit. Keep writing and come back later to edit.
4. Claim your spot in the community. Literally call yourself a writer. Out loud. To other humans.
5. Talk with other writers. They relate.
6. Understand that criticism is inevitable. Accept it, reject it if it's off-base, and always learn from it.
7. Select the "famous" author of your choice. Do you think he was born writing? My bet (I think it's a safe one) is that when the author was born, he couldn't even READ. He definitely couldn't write. See how silly it is to doubt yourself? Just GROW.
8. Think about a time when you struggled hard and then were successful.
9. Pray. Thank God for your gifts, your ability to learn, and the opportunity to write.
10. WRITE.

George C. Brown thought, "I CAN build a dollhouse." Then he did. He gave the dollhouse to the Hayes family, and Fanny (then ten years old) played with it in the White House. This is my favorite room. Hmmm, I may try to build a dollhouse. Why not?

If you want to write and need help getting started or planning your project, let me know.

Visit my calendar HERE to book a free, 30-minute consultation. 

xoxoxo

Jody

How do you stir up a brainstorm?

Hello creative,

I'm off to the mountains for much-needed rest. What usually happens when I "tree bathe" in the Smoky Mountains is both restorative and energizing. I cannot help but daydream as I walk the rocky trails of East Tennessee. When I get back to my cabin, I usually grab a notebook and brainstorm whatever idea came to me in the woods.

How do you BRAINSTORM? This week, a student asked me how to get unstuck during the writing process. The answer is easy. I told her, "Write." I elaborated, "Write ANYTHING that comes to mind."

My University of Tennessee KidsU Creative Writing campers shared how they benefitted from brainstorming.

Makes you think more about the story and create new ideas

Helps you understand what you really want to write

Helps you outline the project

Helps you avoid writing in flowery prose (what Mrs. Dyer calls “glittering generalities”)

I got all my ideas in one place and saw how they all connect and flow

Made me realize the extent of how disturbing my story is

I changed genres from story to play

Found a way to start my story

Figured out ways to reach the climax point of the story

I met characters in new places

Most clients want more guidance that my succinct answer, "Write," so I teach them different ways to brainstorm. Try this exercise.

FIVE SENSES BRAINSTORM

Consider a character/person and scene in your book. What does that character ...

See?

Hear?

Smell?

Taste?

Feel?

Jot down every word or phrase that comes to mind. Don't self-edit. Have fun. I think I'll try the Five Senses method on my walk in the woods today. If I SMELL cucumbers, I'll likely SEE a copperhead, and other hikers will HEAR me holler (mountain word for scream) because I don't want to FEEL any fangs as they TASTE my ankle.

BOO snakes! Yay writing! Happy brainstorming!

xoxoxo

Jody

There's a monster at the end of this email.

When you were little, did you read The Monster at the End of This Book? My mother read it to me many times, and I always felt anxious to get to the end, even though I knew that Grover is a "lovable" monster. There's a monster at the end of this email. Keep reading. Think about the number 10.

Should we set high, seemingly impossible goals? YES! Should we expect to reach them in leaps and bounds or, even better, overnight? NO.

GOOD NEWS: You can be idealistic and realistic at the same time.

You may dream of running 10 miles without stopping. If walking to your mailbox causes you to pant like a farm beagle who just barked a raccoon up a Georgia pine, start training by walking your neighborhood.

You may want to write a book. Maybe you talk to your characters while you fold laundry and add songs to a Spotify playlist, also known as the soundtrack for what will definitely be a movie based on your book. Awesome! You are dreaming CORRECTLY, but at some point, you should write an outline and start, well, typing words.

You want to sell 10,000 copies of your book, but you are intimidated or confused by marketing. NORMAL. Maybe you think you have to invest hours each day successfully grow your readership. Nope. All you really need to do is BEGIN.

NOW, let's shift the mindset and think small (in a good way).

TEN PERCENT will get you to mile 10, your first 10,000 words, and maybe even 10,000 sales. Walking trails, word processors, and books are here to stay. More readers are born every day. Why rush? What do I mean?

Too much dreaming with no actual DOING keeps you stuck. Many times, people fear failure, so they settle in dreamland. They think they have to make enormous changes or quickly complete gargantuan, unfamiliar tasks in order to reach goals. They expect immediate, HUGE success without taking incremental action over T-I-M-E. I get it. I'm a dreamer. Thankfully, my business background keeps me grounded in reality.

With that in mind, CBP marketing genius Ginger and I collaborated to create a monster of a tool to help you take small steps, 10 minutes at a time. And, just like Grover, this monster is LOVABLE.

USE THIS LINK TO ENJOY 50% OFF! https://crippledbeaglepublishing.ck.page/products/365-ideas-to-market-your-book?promo=CBP50

You can purchase and start using this tool (a multi-page .pdf, but if you want the Excel version, email me) TODAY. If your book is not yet published, use what works now and save the other tasks for later. If you are already working through a marketing plan, add this resource to the mix. When you are busy and have only 10 minutes, grab something from the list and make incremental progress.

BECAUSE I APPRECIATE YOU and everyone in the word nerd herd as much as Cookie Monster loves chocolate chip cookies, I created a 50% off coupon code that will work the entire month of April. I created it for you, but I want you to share your code with friends by forwarding this email to other authors. Actually, these tasks can easily be tweaked for anyone trying to promote his or her work, so share with anyone you like:) May 1, the price will return to $37. Again, here's the link: https://crippledbeaglepublishing.ck.page/products/365-ideas-to-market-your-book?promo=CBP50

If you don't want to pay online via this link (it uses Swipe), email me.

NOTE - If you are a student in my online course Market Your Way to Readers and Royalties, I will be sending you "365 Ways to Market Your Book in 10 Minutes" for free:)))

As always, if you think of any other tools my team and I can create for you, or have a problem you want us to solve, email me. We are here for you.

xoxoxo

Jody

 P.P.S. There are a FEW spots left in my course, which starts TUESDAY April 5 in Knoxville. If you know anyone in the area who wants to write a book and needs a teacher, please forward this email so he/she knows about the course. Enrollment is open until April 5. Learn more or register at this link: https://aceweb.professionaled.utk.edu/wconnect/ace/CourseStatus.awp?&course=22SP1231

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