Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by the tragedy that occurred at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We are truly devastated by this tragic event.

This is it! I’m officially here. In this place, on this blog, providing advice, encouragement and tips. I’ve stopped and started so many times that it has become a source of endless frustration. I don’t have time. I don’t know what to write. I have nothing to say. I have too much to say. I’ll ramble. I’ll get blocked. But then I realize that what I do, what I offer and what I am giving to my clients, my friends, my family and my students is advice that is strong and helpful and powerful. It’s sometimes direct and straight to the point and sometimes it takes the scenic route. It’s the answer they’ve been looking for or the spark they needed to follow through. I want to share daily insight into building the career you dream about that so that everyone can be inspired. We can all use more daily inspiration and guidance. While I’m busy promoting authors and getting them to recognize and distill their own voice and mission, I can help others do the same.

That’s what this blog is, a place to be inspired. To find your voice. To hear a call to action. Because how many of you are out there doubting yourself? Doubting your voice? Doubting your ability to be newsworthy or a good storyteller or just plain interesting.  Well, now is the time to STOP doubting. I’m a media maven. An architect for books and authors. I’ll help you chart the course and give you the vision to complete it. Think of it as an infusion of creativity.

I’m not a fan of the word “branding” because it is overused and under appreciated but at its center, branding is all about recognizability. Creating your mission statement. What do you want to tell people? What is your book about? What do you WANT to write about? Who do you want to be? How do you want to affect people? What kinds of people do you want to have an impact on?

Whether you have written a novel, a memoir, a cookbook, a thriller or a self-help book, you have a mission. You have something to say, a story to tell, or you would never have picked up a pen. You wouldn’t have dreamed of being published if you didn’t want people to hear you, to find you, to want more from you.

I’m here to help you get those words out. To be news worthy. To give editors, readers, reviewers, producers something to grab onto. Something that ignites a fire in them to want more from you.

The only way I can help you is to be here for you. To give my advice. To give examples, case studies, positive affirmations, sparks of creativity and guidance. I hope that my words help. I hope that my advice rings true. I hope it opens your eyes to something that you never thought of before or something that was right in front of you all along. Either way, if I can push you in the direction of your dreams, then I will have succeeded. And I will be so thankful I started this blog. Finally!

What are your biggest questions about book publishing and publicity? Are you self-published, traditionally published or dreaming about the day when you will some day be published? Regardless of where you are on your publishing journey, questions will always follow you. So speak up! Let me know what’s keeping you up at night or causing you to stare longingly at the blinking cursor.

You’re a writer. You have a novel published or are waiting to hear back from an agent/editor/critique partner. You click around on Facebook or Twitter and find that someone you know has a BRIGHT SHINY NEW BOOK DEAL!

You feel a moment of excitement for them and then suddenly the truth and reality comes crashing down. Why don’t YOU have a book deal or movie deal or even an agent? Why are you still toiling away at this manuscript without seeing any return on your investment of time + emotion + hard work + patience?

Maybe you have a deal and your book has been published. Congrats! You’ve gotten a few reviews but nothing substantial. You open up People Magazine and smack dab in the middle of the book review section you see a four star review for a writer you know, maybe one you feel you are more talented then or has already achieved their fare share of attention. The inevitable crash of disappointment sets in again.

Why does it seem that the writing life is filled with so much disappointment? It seems that way because we are always chasing the next best thing. If we don’t have an agent, all we see are writers with agents. If we get an agent, other writers are getting better deals + bigger advances. Even if we’ve scaled the mountain and gotten the agent, the book deal and have been published, now we’re not getting the right media exposure. We are climbing up a mountain and we can’t see the top. We’re not sure if we’re even going in the right direction.

So what happens? We burn out. We quit. We look around for other careers because this one is too hard with too much rejection and competition. If we keep searching for something better or more impressive, we will soon learn that we will never reach the top of the mountain because we will never be satisfied.

The problem is that we are only seeing the narrowest view of this climb. If we don’t get an agent, then we are a failure. If we don’t get a six-figure book deal, then we are a failure. If we don’t achieve starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly or People magazine, then we are a failure.

Writers are too busy chasing their ideas of perfection instead of looking around at how far they’ve come. Think back to your 4^th grade self. If you told your 4^th grade self that you had written a 75,000 word novel, wouldn’t 4^th grade you be impressed? If you told your 4^th grade self that you had written an article or published a book review, wouldn’t 4^th grade you be impressed. If you told your 4^th grade self that you can search a website called Amazon.com and find your book with a cover and a price and people can actually buy it, wouldn’t 4^th grade you be impressed? (PS- While you’re at it, tell your 4^th grade self to invent Amazon.com, then you’ll really be impressed!)

But seriously, we forget to appreciate how far we’ve already come in the direction of our dreams because we are always chasing + comparing. We continue to chase an idea of success without seeing it all around us. We compare our success to the success of others. We need to learn that there is no such thing as perfection and as Roosevelt said, “comparison is the thief of joy.” There is always going to be a better deal, better sales, better coverage, better reviews. But if you love what you are doing and can appreciate the steps you’ve made in the pursuit of your dreams, then you are already a huge success.

Tips for success:

-Do one thing every day that moves you toward your ultimate goal. Write a thousand words a day. Pitch one magazine article to an editor. Write one important blog post.

-Feel grateful for the success you have achieved, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant. Remember, your 4^th grade self would be impressed.

-Look at where you were last year vs. where you are today. I guarantee you have made strides towards your goal.

–Move forward. Keep going, moving, progressing, learning. You can’t feel like a failure if you are always learning and growing.

-Stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone’s journey is unique, with equal parts high + low. And in the words of your 4^th grade teacher, “Keep your eyes on your own paper.”