Last week we talked about the things that distract you from your time and concentration as a writer. If you do want to be serious about being a writer, there are ways to stop impediments and bring balance to your life. First Order of Business Tell yourself, “I am a writer.” When you’re not yet published and especially if you aren’t making money, saying that sentence aloud sounds ridiculous. …

Note: This outline was used to record the episode. Its included here to help search engines categorize the audio. Esther’s Story: Esther Had a Tough Marketing Position Not in favor with the King. He hadn’t asked for her in 30 days.  Had a big ask. His law could not be overturned. Even approaching the king was dangerous.  What does she do?  She doesn’t ask right away, even when the …

Everyone loves being an author. Talented authors relish the process from the first twinkle of an idea to thinking about characters to plopping them into impossible situations. Or for the nonfiction author, the challenge of imparting knowledge that will help others is fulfilling. When I was writing books for publication, time dissolved as I typed away. Despite my joy in writing, some afternoons …

Susan Stewart is senior nonfiction editor with Elk Lake Publishing and has published three books, including the award-winning Formatting e-Books for Writers: Convert Your Word File to Kindle.  Questions: Why is writing so physically draining? What can authors do to have better energy while writing? What are some of the things that drain authors energy? High Energy Time for High Energy Tasks Let …