by DiAnn Mills, @diannmills
Do you know your opposing army in the world of writing and publishing? Because if you don’t know who is against you, how can you know who is for you? Perhaps you have no idea who’d ever want you not to write a bestseller or have your blog post, video, or tweet go viral.
Writing successfully means we don’t take a selfish approach. Serious writers are determined to deepen the craft, master social media skills, create a phenomenal website, willing to help others, and spread good will to readers and other writers. When we add power and greed to our career, we are setting ourselves up to fail.
We’re all forced to get involved with the battlefront, and that doesn’t necessarily mean we are looking over our shoulders to be attacked. Sometimes our battlefront is all about overcoming self-confidence or we’re afraid to begin a project.. Those who are prominent in the industry are writers we want to emulate. We treasure their discipline and genuinely want them to continue pleasing readers. In short, we want to be just like them. Since we are dealing with friends and peers, how does a writer approach the publishing battlefront?
An army is trained physically and strategically to win. Here are a few tips on how to train for success.
- Physically. Yes, solider! This means keeping our bodies fit by eating nutritionally sound and exercising. Put a healthy plan in action, and you’ll never be disappointed. Plus your body will thank you.
- Mentally. Soldiers understand the first battle of any engagement is fought in the mind. Confidence builds stamina and determination. You can be a successful writer. Believe it.
- Spiritually. God is our General. When we spend time with the One who gives us our marching orders, we’re able to put our trust where it really counts.
- Intellectually. Writing is learning on a professional level daily. Sometimes it’s hour by hour. Every soldier studies those who have a reputation as unbeatable. We lose our status when we refuse to fill our minds with information. The publishing industry is constantly changing, and those adjustments need our attention: publisher’s requirements, publishing methods, reader relationships, social media, marketing, promotion, and an awareness of the world around us.
Accept the fact we can be our own worst enemies. But when we practice these four simple training maneuvers, we’ll be victors and raise our flags high.
There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness who identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him. As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into motives, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller and creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
Connect with DiAnn here: www.diannmills.com