Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Writing A Novel: Get Unstuck And Save Your Novel (Or Not)

You’re writing a novel. Everything’s fine. It’s going well.

Then suddenly you realize it’s three days since you worked on the novel; you’ve been busy. After telling yourself that you’ll work on it after the kids are in bed, you stream a movie instead.

Another few days pass. Then a week… And you’re still not writing your novel.

You’re stuck. You’ve completely lost your inspiration and you’d rather eat dirt than look at the novel again. Don’t despair. You’ll get stuck at least once on every novel.

Welcome to the novelist’s life.

Everyone gets stuck.

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Your Writing Business: Download “Savvy Self-Publishing Author” - Writer Angela Booth

There have never been as many opportunities as there are today to build a successful, full-time, lucrative business, working from home, with a team or solo.

So, to support your efforts, going forward you’ll see more information here to help you to build your business.

Join “Your Writing Business”

I’ve created a new mailing list, Your Writing Business, to help you to create a successful business.

Subscribe to receive your first free report, “Savvy Self-Publishing Author: Multiplicity Wins.”

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Self-Publishing Fiction: The Posts You Found Most Useful In 2020

Is self-publishing fiction still viable in 2021?

People love entertainment, so yes, self-publishing fiction is still viable going forward.

That said, if you’re a freelance writer, either as a sideline or full-time, don’t put all your eggs in the fiction basket.

The big benefit of writing fiction is that you’re writing, and that’s always a good thing. Every word you write is valuable, whether you sell those words or not. They’re practice and over time, they’ll make you a better writer.

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Offering Book Ghostwriting Services: 5 Tips To Get Started

Book ghostwriting services: answering the BIG question

The big question you’re asked is of course… “How much do you charge?”

An experienced ghostwriter will charge upwards of $25,000 to write a book for someone. If you’re just starting out as a writer, you may feel that this is an enormous sum. If you’re a professional writer however, you know that this is low for a project which might take you six months, or longer, depending on the client.

Of course you’ll have other projects running concurrently, but book projects take time. Book projects also have an opportunity cost. That is, if you’re writing someone else’s book, you’re not writing your own, nor are you taking on client work which might pay more.

When you’re not sure how much to charge because you’re just starting out, ask your prospective client questions, until you can work out how many hours the project is likely to take. Then, multiply your hourly rate by the number of hours, and you’ve got a ballpark figure.

Here are some tips to help you to get started.

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Freelance Writing: Launch A Writing Business In 24 Hours

Over the past few months I’ve received questions about how to get started fast. So let’s look at a few simple steps; by tomorrow, your new freelance business can be up and running.

And you’ll be in fashion, because today, freelancing is big business.

Freelance writing: freelancing is big business now

According to freelance marketplace Upwork, in 2019 57 million Americans did some form of freelancing. I admit that the stat shocked me. I blinked several times when I read the claim, but after a little thought, it made sense.

No stats are available for 2020 yet. But given the pandemic fiasco which continues to reverberate around the world, I’ve no doubt that a similar number of people were freelancing in 2020, if not more, given the unemployment numbers.

Here are the simple steps.

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Content Creation: 4 Savvy Tips To Sell Your Writing In 2021

Content sells; it helps businesses to make money. So, if you’re a freelance writer looking for writing opportunities, keep content creation gigs on your radar for 2021.

BIG tip: the best writing jobs aren’t advertised. You’ll need to pitch for them. We discussed pitching for new business in our article on writing challenges; it’s an essential skill. (If you need help with pitching, check out our new Content Creator training.)

Content creation: content makes money for your clients

Stats from Backlinko:

Nearly half of B2B organizations said they’re planning to boost their content budget in the next year. Just 4% of respondents plan to slow down their spending.

Good news for writers.

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3 Frustrating Freelance Writing Challenges: Overcome Them NOW

1. “I need more gigs!”

Under-employment is a worrying challenge for your freelance writing business. When the “famine” portion of freelancing hits, you realize you need more gigs FAST.

Many freelancers find the roller-coaster ride of freelancing too frustrating and rush back into employment. That’s perfectly OK. Sometimes conditions aren’t right. There’s no shame in freelancing as a side hustle.

“More gigs” solution: diversify

You need to do more marketing. See “I know I should promote my services…” below. Also, consider diversifying.

Luckily, professional writing offers many opportunities to diversify.

Often you’ll diversify for a change of pace, or because someone makes you an offer you can’t refuse. I started my career as a romance writer. I diversified into copywriting and ghostwriting because people offered me gigs.

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Content Creator: From Great Ideas To Great Sales In 4 Weeks — Angela Booth's Online Writing Classes and Programs

The journey from writing to content creation (and winning the click wars)

Back in 2008, I created a training program showing writers how to make money writing for the web. Writers loved it; a whole new world opened for them.

Back then, writing mattered. Of course, writing still matters, but today, a tsunami of content washes over the online world daily and good writing isn’t enough.

Today, it’s all about attention: clicks, in other words.

Luckily, I started my writing career as a copywriter. And copywriters know one simple truth: your targets MUST read the headline (that is, click). If they don’t respond to your headline, nothing else matters, because you’ve lost them. Whether they’re a potential client, a customer, or a fan, they’re gone.

But... If they’re the wrong audience for you, that doesn’t matter. You want the right audience for what you’re selling. In other words, you must position yourself via your content, to attract the audience you want.

Sadly, not everyone wants what you can create. It’s vital that you position yourself to the people you can serve. By the way: if you’re getting buyers who want to pay you peanuts, the answer’s above. Change your positioning to attract the people who will pay well for what you produce.

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Fiction Author? Black Friday Specials Available Now

This year’s Black Friday special offerings will make writing and publishing fiction easier.

Here they are:

• Your Short Fiction Formula; and
• Commercial Fiction Secrets: Plot Your Novel In 60 Minutes Or Less.

Are you a fiction author? Make writing and publishing (and marketing) easier

2020 has challenged everyone. Our Back Friday offerings aim to help you to position your fiction for a strong finish this year, and a better 2021.

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Content Creator: 3 Ways To Add Value To Your Content (And Sell More)

It’s no longer enough to provide well-written articles and web content. A tsunami of content flows onto the web every day.

In addition, 2020’s lockdowns and social distancing changed the way companies interact, not only with customers, but with everyone else as well. As a content creator, think: opportunity. Going forward, no one knows that 2021 will bring, but changes will keep coming.

A tip: take heart. Your clients know that content pays off over time. Good content supports their advertising, so they need content. Want proof? Here you go: many larger companies now have content creation teams in-house.

Your challenge is making your content valuable from the time it’s created.

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Writing Tip For Motivation Monday: The Attention Secret

Writing tip: pay attention. Write about your writing

Many years ago, when I was much more prone to distraction and procrastination than I am today, although I still procrastinate a lot, I discovered the value of writing about my writing.

I found that if I made a brief note about a writing commission as soon as I received it, it primed the pump. A day or a week later, when it was time to work on the commission, I didn’t procrastinate. It was as if by writing a sentence or five about the project, my subconscious mind had mulled it over and generated ideas.

Over time, I proved the value of a writing log to myself: if I want to get things done, I need to keep track of what I’m doing, in writing.

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Offering: Write Commercial Fiction (10 Days) - Writer Angela Booth

Love telling stories?

Get started writing commercial fiction with our program: Write Commercial Fiction: Storytelling For Fun And Profit.

As always, the program includes coaching. This means that I’ll help you to develop a self-publishing program which works for you, even if you’re a new author.

Get started now.

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Writing Tip For Motivation Monday: Show Up And Keep Showing Up - Writer Angela Booth

Show up for your writing (and selling your writing)

I’m a huge proponent of showing up for your writing by writing every day. Here’s why, in a word: habit. Once you form a writing habit, writing becomes easier, because it’s just what you do. You don’t have to think about it.

Showing up for selling your writing is a little more challenging. No matter how often you do it, or how long you’ve done it, there’s an element of doubt involved. Will it sell? That doubt leads to procrastination, which breeds even more doubt. And yet more procrastination.

Reminding yourself to “show up”, even if you’re flooded with doubt, helps.

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5 Productivity Tips For Freelancers: Clear Your Mind With Kanban - TextExpander

Master Your Time and Get More From the Day

Those days when you’re powering through your to-do list feel great! Make productive days a habit by taking control of your time.

• Try blocking out hours in your calendar for specific tasks or clients. It’s a great way to divide time between multiple projects, while still making sure each project progresses.
  
• For greater focus, you can set timers within your work blocks. The Pomodoro technique suggests working a 25-minute stint before having a short 5-10 minute break and then repeating the process. Try the Tomato Timer to get started. By using timers, you’ll stay focused and avoid taking unscheduled breaks.
  

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Writing Tip For Motivation Monday: Just Write

When you know a writing tip but you forget it, over and over again

“Write and the ideas will come,” I should have this tattooed on my hand where I can see it every day, along with: “you’re overthinking this (again!)”

A few days ago I fretted about a historical novel I’m writing. (Sigh. I’m always fretting about a novel I’m writing.)

After passing the Midpoint Twist, I felt that maybe things were going too well… Perhaps the twist wasn’t twisty enough?

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