How to know when to make changes in your book

The last couple of weeks I have had a persistent, nagging idea to make two big changes to my novel. Finally, I sat down yesterday and spent about one and a half hours making these said changes. After I made them, I felt relieved. I felt like a tremendous weight was lifted off of my mind.

Today, I wrote an article about Following Your Heart When Making Changes to Your Book.

I hope it will help us (myself included) listen to our minds and hearts more often. Realistically, this "listening to our mind" can apply to all areas of life! 

Ever hear a small voice almost whispering in your ear to do or not to do something? How about that gut wrenching feeling you get just seconds before you do something? We need to listen to these small voices and feelings. They can help us from making huge mistakes in our lives! 

Here is an example:

Shelly was about to get married. It was two hours before the wedding ceremony. This would be the happiest day of her life, at least she always dreamed it would be. 

Suddenly, when Sally sat down to have a bite to eat, after realizing she had gone all day without a single bite of food, she felt shaky and sick to her stomach. She began to sweat...a cold, icky, gross kind of sweat. Her palms were wet and beads of sweat were forming on her brow. 

Her father saw this transpire and noticed the sick feeling she had on her face. He asked her if she was OK. Sally responded with, "I think I have cold feet." Her father then replied. "Well, put on some slippers and warm them up!" Sally laughed it off, but she was having second thoughts about the man she was about to marry. 

About one month after the wedding, the abuse began. The man that Sally married began to physically abuse her. 

This went on for years! Finally, Sally had enough. She packed her bags and left one day when her husband was at work.

Living a much happier life now, Sally often thinks back to that day. Never mind putting on slippers to warm her feet, maybe slipping into her running shoes would have been a better choice! 

Writing books: follow your heart when making changes

Easy book writing tips

There are tons of fantastic articles out there about how to write books. This blog post is not a long winded explanation about how to write a book. Instead, I have written a brief, no frills article that contains simple book writing tips.

The article outlines "Beginning tips", "On the way tips" and " Ending tips". Here is a snip of what you will read:

Beginning Tips

Start writing an outline
(Writing an outline for your book will help you stay on track and organized through the writing process)

Make up a writing schedule
(Set aside time to write each day or at least every other day)

Pick a place to write...

Click here to read the rest of the article

Do you write when you do not feel like it?

If  only there was a direct answer to the question: Should I write if I do not feel like it?

I would have to say: Yes and No.

The key to completing a writing project is to plan a set time to write each day or week. However, what if you are sick or going through a difficult time in your life? Do you write anyway, regardless of your circumstances?

Well...sometimes I do and sometimes I do not.
I find that if I am feeling icky, as in not feeling 100% in my physical body, I can still write and write well.
I have also found that if I'm REALLY sick, I can not, by any means put the words together to write at all!
In addition, if I have something really heavy weighing on my mind, I have a really hard time writing. If I have minor things on my mind, I have no problem setting them aside to write and sometimes, just sometimes, writing will help me get through the circumstances and I will feel better as a result.

Only you truly know if you are capable of writing according to how you are feeling. What is right for me may not be right for you. You may find that writing will help you feel better no matter what you are going through in your life.

The only way to know for sure is to give it a try!

Looking for writing tips and inspiration? Check me out here :) 

Getting organized in 2014

Those who know me know that I am the QUEEN of organization! 2014 is no different for me. I started this amazing new year with a bang! As in, BANG, let's get everything backed up...just in case.

I backed up all of my photos and documents from 2013, not in one place, but two. I also organized all of my files.

I completed the online Punctuation class I started AND got an authors page set up for myself on Facebook. Please take a look and "like" it if you will. Author: Deanna Martinez-Bey

I also updated my LinkedIn profile, Twitter profile and started a new website: Deanna Martinez-Bey (which is just in its beginning stages...but started and published nonetheless).

There are several other projects I have been working on and will share once I have completed them.

I guess you can say I have been productive and I do enjoy being that way. Now, to finish my book.......
(smile)

2014: Make it a productive year!

Well, well, well, 2014 is here! I have to say, usually I couldn't care less about New Years. But, this year is different. I just feel that it is going to be a fantastic year. I know, I know, everyone always says that about the new year. I really feel that way about 2014 though.

I feel it is going to be great in every way: productivity, relational, financially, goal setting...a great year to move forward with a new start...leaving the old behind.

OUT with you old! In with the joyous NEW! :)

Speaking of productivity, I completed another online writing course yesterday! I never want to stop learning. I remember a kid, I couldn't wait to be finished with my schooling. I swore I would finish school and never step foot into a classroom again! Now look at me, I choose to take classes...choose to continue to learn new things.

My advice to you: Set goals for yourself. Reasonable goals. Not resolutions, but goals. My goals are not going to be the same as yours and that is OK. Your goals are not going to be the same as your best friends goals or your spouses goals. We are all unique. We all have special gifts. Take a few minutes alone and truly focus on your dreams and write down your goals to make them come true. Do not allow your dreams to stay dreams this year. Make them a reality...take baby steps to bring them to pass. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Think about your goals. Pray about them. Meditate on them. Talk about them. But, be sure to write them down. Then, make a plan to work on them every day or every week.

This is your year! :)

Set reasonable writing goals 

Long time no see! Still writing...

It has been over a year since I have written on this blog! So much has happened since the last time I wrote! Although life has had many changes, I still continue to write. I still write for Examiner.com...have been since 2009. Even though my circumstances have changed and I am now working full time, I still make time to write when I can.

I started writing the sequel to my first novel, Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star well over a year ago and as my life changed, my writing style changed. The first book was an Inspirational Romance Novel. The book I am currently working on, will simply fall under the genre of General Fiction.  It definitely still has a romance thread running through it, but as far as being a "Christian" novel...not so much.

There has been so much that I have come to learn over these last few years and being placed into a box as far as religion I will no longer stay. 

Being an avid coffee and hot tea drinker, I have yet again incorporated the hot beverages into my story line. Not to give away too much, but the title of the new book just MAY have something to do with coffee! :) 

My hope is to stay active with posting on this blog. My plan is to finish this book as my new years resolution...stay with me, encourage me and watch this project come into completion. 

Thank you for all of your support :)

Still writing!

Hello! It has been a while since I checked in. My two book signings went extremely well and book sales spiked around Christmastime. Since then, I have began writing the sequel to the first book. It is coming along really well.

I am going to have to change the genre of this book though. I'm thinking the, "general fiction" title may suit this one better.  In addition, I am considering revising the title.

I have noticed that as things change in my life, things change in my books! I often take real life circumstances and transform them just enough to make them fiction in my books. It is a great way to release any frustrations in my life.

I am still writing for Examiner.com and that is going really well. Although, it is sometimes difficult to juggle the two forms of writing while working a full time job.

But, all is well and things are definitely coming along!

If you would like to purchase a copy of, Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star, they are available at: Amazon.com