Writing Passion + Readers = Success

Of course I'm around writers all the time and each have different roads they have traveled to get published.

It's no secret that I left a publisher to pursue a self publishing career almost two years ago and haven't looked back. You see, I only wanted to touch ONE reader with my story. And boy did I ever reach readers!

I always say that my readers are the best readers that any author has! Everyday they encourage me, keep me motivated to NOT watch Dr. Phil and write.

Over a year ago, I was so humbled to get an email telling me that a few readers had nominated my first novel, Carpe Bead 'em as a 2012 eFestival of Words in the Women's Fiction/Chick-lit category. What was MORE humbling was when Carpe Bead 'em took home the title a few months later!

Then. . .a few weeks after that, Spiltsville.com had double finaled in the 2012 Next Generation Indie Awards in the mystery and humor category!

THen. . .I get an email telling me I'm an Amazon Mover and Shaker. . .

THEn. . .I get an email telling me that a reader had nominated my short story romance, A New Tradition in the 2013 Indie Romance Convention Awards in the novella contest.

THEN. . .A New Tradition won!

THEN. . .I got an email telling me that A Charming Crime was nominated in TWO categories in the 2013 eFestival of Words best fantasy category and best heroine category!

But it doesn't stop there.

I decided to honor Carpe Bead 'em and A Charming Crime for their success and offer it to readers for .99 for a limited time.

Again. . .readers blow me away!

Just yesterday, A Charming Crime hit #8 on Amazon's Movers and Shakers, #43 in the top paid 100 on Amazon, AND #12 on Barnes and Noble top paid 100!

It's about my readers! This year I vowed to meet those readers who have put me at the top and nominated me for all of the amazing awards.

Last week I attended the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Luncheon and met so many new readers.
Next month I'm attending the Annual Reader and Author Get Together AND hosting a tea with fabulous authors Duffy Brown and Nancy Naigle.

But it doesn't stop there! All of 2013 and 2014 is filled with events where I'm traveling the Continental United States to meet all of you and thank you personally for making my passion a success. . .reaching ONE reader and beyond!

Be sure to check out my website for full details on each event and how I can TREAT YOU to a fun event on ME!

xo

Find The Enthusiasm For Writing

"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Nothing was every achieved without enthusiasm." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


I'm not sure where all of you are located, but I'm in Kentucky and the weather is turning a chill in the air. Fall is coming and I LOVE IT!

. . .my writing not so much. . .

My walks have gotten longer, my outside time has gotten longer, my snuggle in my bed has gotten longer, and my writing time has gotten. . .shorter!

What happened to my mojo where I couldn't wait to get up in the morning? What happened to my characters fighting over who was going to talk to me first in the morning? WHAT HAS HAPPENED???

I might be a bestselling author and have an amazing STREET TEAM and helpful blog. . .but I too get the life sucked out of me at times, not very often, but  it does happen.

Why now? Usually this time of the year is when I curl up with my laptop, journal and pound out the words.

This made me sit back and think about my career goals and how bad I want success? Asking myself how can I maintain the passion that I've always had.

Here are a few tips I came up with:

1) Hide and Seek!

Simply stated, FIND the passion!!
I went back through my journals, I keep a journal for each novel I write, and see all the quotes, photos, ideas, and inspiration that kept me going with them.

I realized that I hadn't done that with my current WIP. I have simply just wrote, wrote, and wrote, feeding my creative mind very little. We all must eat or we waste away to nothing. AND that is NOT what I want.

2) Keep it!

WOW! Once I found the passion by going back through my journals, it was easy to slip back into the basics of why I started writing, the joy that it brought me, escaping into the world that I have created. A world that so many others have enjoyed.

This feeling made me even more passionate about writing and fall in love with it all over again. But how do you maintain it?

You have to figure out what keeps your passion for writing. For me, it's getting those inspirational quotes or amazing reviews from my book that I cut out, the readers, the creation of making up a new world and mapping it out. All of these things helps write each one of my stories.

It's all about maintaining the passion you have for writing.

There is NO way that I'm alone in how I've been feeling lately! You have to have some tips that help maintain your passion, WHAT ARE THEY?