When writing, make a plan…and “Own the Journey”

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Timothy Pike

Here’s one I hear a lot: “Tim, how do I get on a regular writing schedule?”

Since I work with novelists, I know exactly what this means—and it’s a little bit of a trick question.

The obvious response would be, “Just set an alarm clock for the same time every morning, and force yourself to open up your laptop and write. Problem solved!”

Not so fast.

The thing is, they’re not literally asking me how to wake up in the morning, dress themselves, and sit down at their desk.

What they’re really asking is this:

“How do I get this novel done without losing focus, getting stuck, or losing motivation halfway through and giving up?”

The trick, I tell them, is to have the entire process mapped out—starting today, of course, and ending on the day you’d like to throw your book launch party.

I call this Owning the Journey.

You probably wouldn’t advise a friend who’s going on a cross-country road trip to “just start driving” without even looking at a map. How would they know which roads to take? Or when they could expect to arrive?

That’s pretty important information, and it makes the trip easier and less stressful.

So why should writing a book be any different?

When you Own the Journey, you know what to expect and the pieces just fall into place. You can ease up a little if you’re ahead of schedule, or put the pedal to the metal if you’re falling behind. Best of all, you have the peace of mind of knowing that you’re doing everything right. It’s like a weight off your shoulders.

Believe it or not, it only takes a few seconds to plan out the next year or so of your life. It’s why I created the personalized Daily Action Calendar as an exclusive benefit of the Better Writers Club. We’re a welcoming group of writers who are serious about publishing our books.

If you’ve been flailing about, wondering if and when your novel will ever be done, set up your Daily Action Calendar today. In seconds, you can experience what it feels like to Own the Journey.

But hurry—registration closes July 15!

I’m Timothy Pike, self-publishing and productivity coach specializing in helping you publish a beautiful book to the virtual shelves of Amazon—and the real shelves of your local bookstore. It’s all part of the Better Writers Club!

Here is “Step 1” for writing a novel

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Timothy Pike

I know you can see it in your mind: a published book with your name on the cover. Readers crowding in to be a part of your book signing event.

But right now, that novel is just a bunch of ideas bouncing around in your head.

So how do you get from here…to there?

Start with your Daily Action Calendar, which is available to you when you join our online writing group, the (brand new) Better Writers Club!

Think of your Daily Action Calendar as a straight line from where you are now to the virtual shelves of Amazon, and even your local bookstore.

Every day, your Calendar gives you one simple action you can take to move forward on your novel. No more wondering what you’re supposed to be doing and when, while feeling more and more overwhelmed and then losing motivation altogether.

As time goes on, and you get more self-assured and prolific in your writing, you may just find yourself with a little extra time to help some of the other writers with their novels. Your writing skill will be invaluable here.

Ready to do this? Here’s the deal…

The deadline to register is July 15, or until all spots are filled, whichever comes first. After that, I’ll put your name on the waiting list for the next time I offer this (maybe early next year?)

But if you’re serious about getting started, now’s the time.

After all, when writing a novel, you gotta start somewhere, so here’s “Step 1”:
www.chapterbuzz.com/club

While writing a novel, are your daydreams holding you back?

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Timothy Pike

Every word, every page, every chapter—and yes, every idle daydream—is taking you in one direction, and one direction only: toward the successful life you envision for yourself.

—Timothy Pike

Join us in the Better Writers Club, launching June 1st!

And feel free to share this picture to let the world know you’re on your way:

I’m Timothy Pike, self-publishing and productivity coach specializing in helping you publish beautiful books on Amazon and in your local bookstore. The (brand new) Better Writers Club launches June 1st, and you’ll be able to pre-enroll soon with an invite code, which you can request here.

Original photo from Visual Hunt.

The 3 most compelling reasons to quit your day job and write full time

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Timothy Pike

Why do so many of us pine to leave the rat race? I’m sure you have your reasons. Maybe the work isn’t fulfilling anymore. Maybe office politics are taking their toll. Or maybe it’s just overload, with kids to raise, work to take home, and nary a vacation day in sight.

Not to mention that being cooped up in an office can really wear on you. And every Monday morning feels like the end of the world. The list goes on.

But take heart! An alternative awaits for writers like you.

With the amazing strides self-publishing has taken in recent years, being a writer whose sole job is to write books and publish them on Amazon is completely within the realm of reality. No longer reserved for the literary elite, this lifestyle of freedom and creativity is open to anyone with a laptop, a story idea, and the determination to make it happen.

This doesn’t mean that you’re going to be the next world-famous indie author with a movie deal, even though it could.

It doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly be rolling in dough and sipping champagne on a yacht in Tahiti, even though it could.

What it does mean is much more down to earth.

It means that how you spend your days, how you think about your future, and how you decide to enjoy your life is now under your control.

Why? Behold the 3 most compelling reasons to quit your day job and become a full-time writer:

1. Do it anywhere. Freedom of location is perhaps the biggest perk of the self-employed author. Let the words flow out while sitting in the park on a sunny day, tap away on your laptop keys in the cozy comfort of a coffee shop, or hang out in that awesome spot in your backyard, right next to the fountain you had installed years ago but never get a chance to enjoy.

2. You are your own boss. No one is tapping their watch when you arrive 5 minutes late. No one is requiring you to work overtime or come in on Saturday. No one’s scheduling meetings over lunch without any warning. Now, you have the friendliest, most understanding boss of all—yourself!

3. More time to do what you love. Imagine, for a moment, that your schedule is your own. How would you spend your day? Perhaps you’d love to spend more time with your family, or take more frequent vacations to exotic locales. The rest of the time, of course, you could spend writing—or taking a stroll through the woods to comtemplate your next plot twist.

Remember, you’re a writer! You have an amazing talent that makes all of this possible. Instead of spending your days under the harsh glare of fluorescent lights, working hard on someone else’s goals, start now investing that time and energy into building your author empire.

Here’s an exciting thought: by this time next year, you could have a published book on Amazon, and already be working on the next.

Once you have that first book under your belt, it only gets easier from there.

Want a road map to writing & publishing that first book?

Join us right now in the (brand new) Better Writers Club, launching June 1st.

You’ll get a personalized Daily Action Calendar—with e-mail reminders&dash;that will keep you on track and moving forward every day.

And…I’ll guide you step-by-step through publishing a beautiful book on Amazon—in both print and Kindle formats—and ensure you’re set up to make the most in royalties.

It’s all within reach. Get started now!

Writing a novel? How to make time magically appear

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Timothy Pike

As someone who has dreamed of publishing a novel, have you ever thought to yourself, I want to write a book, but I just don’t have the time.

Yet, you know you can do it. In your mind, you can see your finished book. You can even open it up, read the (brilliant, if you do say so yourself) opening sentence, and flip through the pages of that riveting story you worked so hard on.

Now, if only there were a few extra days in the week, you would actually have time to write it.

Guess what? There is more time, and unlocking it is easy. All you have to do is plan.

The secret is simple: Time magically appears when you have the whole journey planned out.

I’ll say that again, because it’s incredibly important.

Time magically appears when you have the whole journey planned out.

Why is that?

Take a simple example. Let’s say a friend suddenly called you up and said, “Hey, can you meet for a dinner party tonight?” It’s likely you’d decline because you have a million things to do. Or maybe you’d try to move things around—frantically—in an effort to make it.

Now imagine if your friend did that several times a month, each time out of the blue. Wouldn’t you start to feel overwhelmed?

But if that same friend said, “Let’s get our group together for dinner every Monday night,” the event would be on your mental calendar each week, and you’d adjust your schedule—almost without knowing it—to accommodate the dinner.

Everything you need to do would get done, and you’d still have time to hang out with your friends.

Magic, right? Well, not exactly, but still powerful.

This is how the Daily Action Calendar can help with your writing goals. It’s a step-by-step guide for writing, editing, and publishing your book to Amazon for the world to read. You’ll know exactly what you need to do on each day—and when you can take a breather—so that you can live your life and still write a book.

Oh, and it works at your pace.

It’s a great way to achieve your goal of publishing a book without feeling overwhelmed.

Pulling time out of thin air—it’s all part of the (brand new) Better Writers Club, which launches June 1st.

You’ll need an invite code to get in, so request yours here!

You’ll be the first to know when doors open and you can create your Daily Action Calendar, which will move you forward every day as you achieve the dream of a lifetime. Take the first step today!

Writing a novel is no longer a dream

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Timothy Pike

It’s been a dream for so long.

Starting June 1st, it’s reality.

Today, do something that moves you forward in your writing: put your name on the VIP list and I’ll let you know when the Better Writers Club launches!

Learn more