Social media course reveal...

Hello, everyone! I have some exciting news to share...

Guess who wrote an online social media course? This girl. It took me months to write it and complete all the videos. However, it took YEARS of research to obtain all the information I share in the course.

As a published author, I had to learn how to successfully network myself online. The course is written, NOT just for authors, but for everyone who needs to network themselves, their business or their brand online.

All you have to do, is email me: book.writer.deanna@gmail.com and I will send you pricing and details about the course. I can tell you this: the course contains videos, PDF documents and on screen tutorials...everything you need to network!

Check out this video I made on Facebook live when I revealed my course:

More from Author Deanna Martinez:

Should you follow your heart when writing?

To outline or not to outline...

Coming up with new story ideas

What is the first draft?

Preparing your writing environment 

Should you follow your heart when writing?

Do you think that a writer should follow their heart when writing books?

Have you ever got that feeling way down in your stomach that made you know that you must do something? I once heard it referred to as knowing in your knower.
Some call it listening to your heart, and others say it is following your gut. Whatever you call it, refer to it as or have heard it called, we all know that feeling. It is almost like you just can not carry on with anything else in your life until you give in to that nagging feeling or those persistent thoughts.

As writers, we need to pay close attention to this feeling. There may be something that we need to add to our book or delete from our book. If you get the feeling that there are changes that need to be made to your book, go with it and make the changes. Chances are it will make for better reading and an all around better book!

It is important that as writers, we pay attention and listen to our thoughts and feelings. If we want to write the best book, we need to make necessary changes at the exact time they are needed. If we ignore the feelings, it just may keep us from getting offered a publishing contract or that offer to write another book from our publisher!

Tip: Listen to those persistent thoughts and/or feelings that you need to make changes to your story and/or book!

More writing articles:

To outline or not to outline

Coming up with new story ideas

To outline or not to outline

Should writers write books by following an outline? This seems to be a great debate among writers. Some writers swear by using outlines and others would rather fly by the seat of their pants.

I prefer to make and use an outline when I am writing my books. I like to form a basic outline that lays out the gist of what the book will be about and the character’s names and personalities. I also prefer to lay out the basics of each chapter. I do feel that if the outline contains too much information, meaning details, that it will constrict the writer. We still need to have the freedom to add characters and events as we see fit. Often times if an outline contains too many details, it prevents us from being able to be creative with our book.

Let’s compare the two options. Reasons to outline:
Gives us direction
Helps us glide through writing the chapters
Gives us a goal
Helps us remember character names and details (we can refer back to our written outline)
Keeps us on track
Reasons not to outline:
I can’t think of any
I don’t know
Oh, here is one: It can be fun not to have clear direction?

The bottom line is I recommend a simple outline. They are helpful to me and I think it would be helpful to you as well. Let me give you an example of what an outline can consist of:
Basic details of the book (What it is about, the character details, certain points you want to be sure to touch upon, each chapter name (this will guide you what to write in each chapter) and any other details you want to include.

Details you may not want to include in the outline:
Every detail as to what the character says, does and feels.

Let me tell you about outlining....

Coming up with new story ideas...

How do you come up with twists and turns and new story ideas?
Use your own life!
Use problems you have overcome or some that you haven’t and use them in your book. The best part about using your own obstacles in your book is that you can have the outcome turn out however you would like.

If you are happy with the way you have overcome obstacles in your life, then use it exactly how it played out for you. If you are not happy with the outcome of certain events, change them and write them to end the way you would have liked them to. This can also be therapeutic for you, the writer.

You can also take a slight twist or turn in your life and enhance it to become something major! For example, you changed your major in college…something fairly minor, right? Now, enhance it. You started with a major in computers, your Grandmother came down with cancer and you love her so much you will do whatever you can to help her get and stay well. You change your major to chemistry so that you can work on strains of cancer treatments. Sounds much more involved and interesting, right?
Basically, take lemons and make lemonade!

Another great way to find ideas for your novel would be to take a trip to Barnes and Noble. Go to the section of the store where they sell the same genre books that you are writing. Read the backs of the books in search of an idea that can spur you to a story idea or plot twist of your own.

More from Author Deanna Martinez:

Preparing your writing environment

Resolutions Vs. Goals

Self publishing: yes or no?

Preparing your writing environment

Something I do each night before I head to bed is clean my kitchen! My mom always used to say, “If the kitchen is clean, the whole house looks clean”. Depending on the layout of your house, this can ring true. I have an open concept in my house, meaning the kitchen is open to the dining room and the living room. So, if my kitchen is clean, it really does make the rest of my downstairs look clean too!

Why have I gone on this clean kitchen tangent you may ask; it is also true when it comes to our writing environment. If we have a special routine we create when it comes to writing it will help us look forward to it and feel comfortable and at ease when we do it.
Just as waking up to a clean house can make you feel good, creating a special place to write can make you feel good too!

A few things to try:

• Create a clean work space
• Make it comfortable by using a comfortable chair
• Decorate with pictures and items that bring you joy
• Keep it clutter free
• Make a space separate from other spaces in your home

Can earbuds save lives?

Have you ever thought about my proposed title question? Believe it or not, I have! We have all heard about how people have escaped danger by the skin of their teeth because of these little gadgets... walking down the street with them in and nearly getting side swiped by a moving vehicle or someone driving a car couldn't hear sirens or car horns because of them.

Let's take this to a different level...

Does music calm your nerves? Have you ever put your earbuds in to get yourself through a project? Whether it be to help you concentrate or simply not be disturbed by outside distractions? How about at the gym? Do you plug up in order to get through a workout routine? I can answer yes to all of the above.

Now, let's take it to an even greater level...

Do you work or live with someone who gets on your last known nerve? How about a coworker who won't stop talking or a roommate that feels they have to talk to you every waking second of every single day? Yeah, it doesn't get more annoying than that. Or maybe it does?

Do you have a loud obnoxious spouse or children who thoroughly enjoy using their outdoor voices in the house?

Invest in a good, sound reducing pair of earbuds. They just may spare the lives of those around you!

More from Author: Deanna Martinez

Resolutions Vs. Goals

Lilac Sand book review

Self publishing: yes or no?

Resolutions Vs. Goals: Let's make 2020 our year!

It's time for my annual "Resolutions vs. Goals" post. Because I appreciate when encouragement is offered to me, I enjoy offering encouragement to others..which is why I choose to share this post every year. 

 

Let's make 2020 the year we move forward with creating the life we truly desire.  Let's leave the past were it belongs...in the past, and create for ourselves a joyful, prosperous, healthy new year!

Resolution: A promise we make to ourselves and declare to others that we are going to make a positive change for the new year.

Goals: A plan we put into place to move forward towards a better life.

Do you see the difference? A resolution is a promise, but a goal is a plan. Let’s set goals for ourselves this year. Make a plan, write a list of steps to get you to where you want to be: financially, physically, emotionally, relationally. Set reasonable goals. Take baby steps towards your new future, your new life.

Let’s turn our dreams into reality for 2020! 

Meditate on your goals and the changes you want to make, see yourself living the life that you desire. Talk about your dreams and goals with people who will build you up and encourage you. Make your plan and work towards it each day, little by little, taking baby steps. Don't give up!

They say, "Rome wasn't built in a day". How true that is! Let's make the changes within ourselves to become the people we want to be this year. It can be done and WE are the only ones who can make it happen; join a gym, write a book, start a business, change the things we don't like about ourselves/our lives. Let's make this our year!