The Authorpreneur Blog
Amelia D. Hay is a virtual writing and business coach for fiction writers and the host of The Authorpeneur Podcast. Every week, on this blog, she will teach you how to develop a story idea, create compelling characters and outline your novel. Learn how to write your first draft, revise your story, self-publish, establish your author platform, and reach readers. In her, Behind the Scenes Podcast Diary (BTS) she shares an honest account of her journey to self-publishing her novels.
TAP006, How to Know If You’re a Writer
You’ve probably just read the title of this post, ‘how to know if you’re a writer’ and thought, ‘she’s reading my mind.’ I swear to you, I’m not a mind reader. This has got to be the most frequently asked question among aspiring authors and writers. Everyone at some point with this issue of self-doubt. We fear that there are a set of prerequisites and we’re going to fall short. So, how do you know if you’re a writer? If you’ve ever found yourself asking that question, then this blog post is for you.
TAP005, How to Tell if Your Story Idea is Profitable
Are you stressing over whether your story idea is profitable? Are you worried that you’ll get to the launching stage of the publishing process and just hear crickets? It’s perfectly normal to have moments along your writing journey where you doubt whether people will read, like, or even buy your book. Nevertheless, there are two steps you can take to put your mind at ease no matter where you are at along the path to publication. As writer’s, we focus on either of these two paths when choosing a story idea: purely writing to market or following your passion. Choosing the latter option often leads you wondering how to tell if your story idea is profitable. Over the years, I’ve discovered the secret to choosing a profitable story idea lies somewhere in between. Choosing an idea that you’re passionate about that also has a demand by readers. So, what are these two steps to overcoming this classic writer’s insecurity? And, how put your mind at ease and tell if your story idea is profitable?
TAP004, How to Get Motivated to Write a Novel
So, you know you should be writing, and you intend on writing, but you can’t seem to get your butt in the chair and actually write. If you can identify with that statement, then this blog post is for you. Thanks to the rise of modern technology and we’re living in an instant gratification world. This instant gratification encourages us to allow this habit to flow into other areas of our lives. As writers, this leads us to fall into the trap of writing when you feel inspired and to put it off until next time in those times when you don’t feel like it. So, how do you get motivated to write a novel or continue writing a novel? In this video, I’m going to share with you one quick strategy on how to get motived to write a novel. But, why one strategy? The key to starting and continuing on that trajectory is to start SMALL and build up as you become consistent.
TAP003, How to Choose The Right Book Idea
Do you have million different story ideas and are struggling to choose the right book idea? Or, Do you have a pile of manuscripts that you can’t seem to finish? This indecisiveness is the writer equivalent of shiny object syndrome, where you jump from idea to idea, and you can’t seem to choose the right one. You’re essentially stuck in the wonderful land of indecision. I understand how this feels. As a writer, I too have suffered from shiny object syndrome, especially when choosing a story idea or abandoning a writing project to start a new one. Over the course of my writing journey, I’ve gone from shiny object syndrome to reaching a place where I’ve finished two manuscripts that I’m excited to publish in a genre, that I adore. In this blog post and video, I’m doing to share with you, my number one tip on how to choose the right book idea.
TAP002, How to Come Up With Great Story Ideas
Do you dream of writing a novel but don’t know where to start because you believe that you don’t have any great story ideas? If so, then this video is for you. First of all, I want you to know that you’re not alone. Often when you first start out in your writing career you can fall prey to comparison syndrome, where you start comparing yourself to other writers and authors. It’s natural to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others but what you’re doing is comparing your behind the scenes to someone else’s highlight reel. What you’re not seeing are those days your favourite author struggles to come up with an idea for their next book. Everyone struggles with this. So, how do you come up with great story ideas?
The Power of Sharing: What You Can Expect From The Authorpreneur Blog
I’ve been wrestling with the idea of sharing tips on how to write fiction for quite some time now. I set myself a crazy milestone to achieve before I put my pen to paper and share my secrets. I’ve been holding back until I publish a certain number of books and sell a large number of copies. In essence, I’ve convinced myself that I’ll only be of value to my audience once I reach these goals. As a coach, I realise this is a mindset issue and something I would challenge my clients to overcome. So, I asked myself the following important question.
How to Increase Your Daily Word Count
Are you struggling to get those words out of your head and onto that blank page? Or, even find time to write? But, when you do write your daily word count is quite small. The truth is, you don’t need more time, you need to use the time you have more efficiently and increase your daily word count.
5 Tips to Become a Better Writer
So, you’ve written the first draft of your debut fiction novel and your staring at the words on the page in terror. You’ve realised you need to become a better writer. I want you to know that you’re not alone. I remember looking back at the first thing I ever wrote and shuddering. It was awful, but I knew this experience was a part of the process to becoming a professional writer. Editing your manuscript is a necessary step to improving your work. But, what actionable step can you take beyond the realm of editing? How do you become a better writer? How do you ensure that each manuscript you write is better than the last?
How to Edit the First Draft of Your Non-Fiction Book
Congratulations! You’ve finally finished writing the first draft of your non-fiction book. I think it’s really important you take the time to celebrate your current level of success because not every aspiring author makes it this far. It’s at this stage of the writing process that many new writers find themselves confused about the next steps they should take. In this blog post, I will share with you, how to take the next step and edit the first draft of your nonfiction book.
The truth about your first book
Every aspiring writer has a vision of their life post-publication. For most people, this dream is full of images of success. Let’s face it, no one dreams of publishing their first book and hearing crickets. But, this is the post-publication reality for most first-time authors. This is what has prompted me to write this blog post, to share with you the truth about your first book and what to expect. Knowing what to expect is so important, because if you can pre-empt moments of failure and success, then you also have the power to change your experience.
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Tools I Love + Use
The following recommended tools contain affiliate links.
I’ve been using Blubrry to host the Authorpreneur Podcast since 2018.
I’ve been a proud Divi Theme user since 2015.
A great website host for WordPresss sites and Divi Theme users.
A great writing tool that I’ve been using since 2014 or possibly earlier.
A course that I use and recommend that helps you get the most out of Scrivener.