Serious Wednesday: Reaching Your Goal

 Don't kid yourself. Writing is hard work. But, oh my, when you've reached your goal for the day--
the week--or finished that goal! What a feeling. 

Relief. Relaxation. Happiness. 

But...you can't reach that relief, relaxation, happiness stage until you get there. Tips on getting there?

Here goes:

1. Whatever you're writing, you need to plan ahead of time. Whether you're a by-the-seat writer or a plotter, you have to have some idea, form, or outline--at least in your head--for how you're going to proceed. What's your story or article about? Where are you headed? What will be the problem for your character? How will he/she handle the situation? How will the problem be solved? What genre are you writing in? How long will your book be? 
2. Research is a big part of writing fiction (or nonfiction for that matter). Do it with due justice. Make sure you know what you're writing about. Sometimes on certain things, you will have to do extensive research. Other times a quick check on google will give you the answer you need. Don't skim on this one. Research is important. 
3. Who are your characters? Jot down all the information about these people you might need to remember throughout your writing. That includes major and minor characters. Their coloring--eyes, hair, skin, etc. Where they work--if they work. What they enjoy doing--their hobbies, food tastes, habits etc. Who are they? Their personalities. their employment--even if they work. 
4. What is the problem in the book? How must the protagonists overcome it? How are the antagonists causing the problem, and why? Jealousy? Anger? Greed? Love? Money? 
5. How will the problem be resolved satisfactorily? Writers end their books in different ways. Most have a good, happy ending. Some leave the reader with a question, some with a teaser for more coming. Make sure you know what you want to do to give your characters--and your readers--that feeling of satisfaction! 

Whatever you do, don't try to get around these areas of importance. Embrace these thoughts, make them a part of your writing. And enjoy your journey! You'll be glad you did when your readers can't wait for the next book! 

Wednesday Question: 

What are some hints you use in your writing? 

Enjoy your writing! 

Rambling Fridays: The After-the-holidays-Blues

Christmas has come and gone.
The new year, January 1, 2019, has come and gone.

It's time to put those "after-the-holidays-blues"
to bed.

You'll need three tools to accomplish this:

Determination
Patience
Faith

Determination to achieve your 2019 goals.
Determination to keep going even when it's tough,
when it looks impossible,
when you're discouraged,
and when you think you should quit.

Patience to keep plugging along when all is
boring,
you've lost interest,
when it's hard, trying, and you've already failed.
Patience to push through.

Faith:
being sure of what we hope for
and
certain of what we do not see.
--Hebrews 11:1

Pretty good admonition,
even if I do say so myself.

Have a great year!

Boo! It's a Scary Writing World Out There!

Don't let your fears keep you from writing. 
Fear is deadly and costly for those in the writing field. Let's face them TODAY and see if we can take the first steps in conquering them.

Fear #1: Fear of the Unknown

Yes, it will cost you some money — marketing costs, training costs, etc.

But if something costs you, say, $500 over the course of a year, and you generate, say, $3,000 during that year, is the cost really what’s most important?

Don’t let the fear of investing some money now blind you from the many different future avenues of profit and readers.

Fear #2: I don't have the time

Yes, writing does take time. There is no way around this.

So if you literally have no time to invest in building an audience and developing your talent in writing, you probably should give in to this fear and walk away now. But in my experience, most people do have enough time to at least get moving — even if it’s not as much time as they’d like to have (a distinction that is critical).

The key is to actually prioritize your personal goals and your future (because no one else is going to do it for you), and then make smart choices about what to do with the available time that you do have.

Fear #3: But I’m an unknown! How will I ever get enough sales to make money?

Patience with your timeline, take a big-picture view, and smartly follow the proven path laid out by so many people who have come before you.

Fear #4: Okay, but how can I be confident that I’ll make good decisions and not screw everything up once it’s growing?

Because you’re more capable than you think. And because there are so many mentors and examples out there whose lead you can follow.

And, more importantly, because your own intuition — once it is honed by the deep experience you will gain growing an audience and learning how to serve them — is the greatest and most underrated guide you will have.

Fear #5: This all just a crazy pipe dream.

It’s definitely not a pipe dream. The thousands of successful writers out there, and the billions upon billions of dollars they generate every year, are proof of that.

As to whether it’s “crazy,” well … maybe it is a tad bit crazy.

But you know what? Most successful writers tend to be a little bit crazy. So this fear is actually a sign that you’re on the right track. 

And just for good measure, here is one more fear you might be feeling …

Bonus Fear: How will I know what specific steps to take to succeed?

This is probably the most unreasonable fear of them all.

Why?

Because so many successful paths and successful strategies have already been tried, judged, improved, and refined by those who have come before you.

Take a moment and reflect on any of the fears above that may be affecting your thinking. If any of those fears are stopping you from taking meaningful steps forward, now is the time to consider whether or not they should be.

Because if they shouldn’t be, then these fears are holding you back from living the life you truly want to be living.

And that’s not a fear to respect.

That’s a fear to reject.


Blessings!

Rambling Friday...A New Blog--Sort of!

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Well, actually, the sunshine isn't shining today, but it's a cool morning and I have a good feeling, so for now, that's enough to know I'm alive, fairly healthy, and God loves me.

Back in the middle of summer, I took a hiatus from blogging to think about where I want to go with my blog. I was ready for a change!!

Here's what I propose for the future Sunnybank Secrets blog: 

1. Sundays (Sunday Sunshine) will continue as short quotes, poems, thoughts, and pictures. 
2. Wednesdays (Serious Wednesdays), I will focus on writing tips, brief articles on writing, interviews with fellow authors, brief promotions, etc. Sometimes there may also be prizes given away for participation.
3. Fridays (Friday Ramblings) will consist of my personal ramblings, or that from a guest writer occasionally, or even a few miscellaneous thoughts from here and there. It may contain articles about my personal life, writing life, musings on writing, grandsons, life in general, humor takes, spiritual thoughts, etc. 

Note: I may make adjustments as I learn how well certain posts are doing.

Hang in there, Readers. It's all good!!

Here's to a Great Dawning!