GETTING UNSTUCK: RESOURCES FOR WRITERS

Being an author is an excellent, sometimes solitary adventure. By author, I mean anyone who writes articles, blog posts, or books. I don't mean authors strictly. As I mentioned in my last post, it is essential to have a supportive network around you. Having friends in person and online that are writers is crucial. You need to be around other people who "get it" because most of the time, your friends and family won't. These are the people you can ask questions, laugh with, cry with, and celebrate with. Still, sometimes no matter how many questions you ask, you can still get stuck on your author journey.

There are so many things that an author needs to do that most people don't even think about. Most people believe we magically create books and put them out into the world. They have no idea all the things that come into play even before the book is written. Things like finding a viable idea, finding the perfect cover, and planning a marketing/launch strategy. Learning about everything that you need to do in this industry can be overwhelming. This is why I thought I would share some of my favorite books, courses, and tools to help your author journey go a bit smoother.

Books for Writers

The following books cover various aspects of writing.

1. Breaking Orbit by Jonathan Green-This book will teach you how to write, publish and promote your first Amazon bestseller. I have been following Jonathan Green for almost two years, and I can tell you he's the real deal.

2. 20k a Day by Jonathan Green-Are you looking to learn how to write faster? This book will help you do it.

3. On Writing by Stephen King- This book is a classic by the master of horror, part biography and part advice on writing.

4. Mastering Amazon Ads by Brian Meeks-Are you puzzled by Amazon ads and how they work? This book will help make things much more transparent.

5. How to Write an Amazing Romance Novel by Pinar Tarhan-If you are looking to write a romance novel, this information-packed guide will take you from initial idea to happily ever after.

6. Make Money as a Ghostwriter by Cruz Santana & Sally Miller-If you are looking to level up your freelance writing career and start ghostwriting, the authors of this book will get you on the right track.

7. The Elements of Style (4th Edition) by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White-This classic book will refresh your memory on the rules of writing.
8. You Write, They Pay by Susan Anderson-If you are looking to start a freelance writing career, this is a great book that will help you get started.

9. Writer For Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Writing Success-This is another book I recommend if you are wanting to start your own freelance writing business. There are lots of great tips in this book.

10. Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul-The stories in this book will inspire you as a writer to keep on going and never give up.

11. Baby Name Books-Having a hard time naming a character? Pick a book of baby names, and you will have plenty of options. I bought mine at a yard sale, and it has been beneficial.

12. The Toroise and the Hare by Aesop-Sometimes when things aren't going right, I will read this book to remind myself that slow and steady wins the race.

Courses for Writers

The following courses are taught by Jonathan Green. Jonathan is a celebrity ghostwriter and the author of over 200 Amazon bestsellers, both his own and for clients. I have been following Jonathan for the past two years, and I can assure you that he is as genuine as they come. I have learned so much from him and what I have implemented works. Also, he answers every email personally, so he is invested in your success. I finally feel I'm on the "right" path and making the "right" moves on my writing journey since going through each of these courses.

1. Blog Blueprint (www.servenomaster.com/catalog) -If you are wanting to start a blog, this blueprint will take you from hosting and domain name to setting up your blog to writing your first post.

2. Book Blueprint (www.servenomaster.com/catalog)-If you want to launch a bestseller, this blueprint will take you from finding your topic, writing your outline and writing your book all the way to getting reviews and running a free promotion.

3. Words to Profit Mastery (www.servenomaster.com/catalog)-This course will teach you how to become a master freelance/ghostwriter. It mainly covers ghostwriting books but also covers article and blog writing as well. I made the money back I spent on the course with my first article writing job.

Once you purchase a book or course, you become a member of Jonathan's "tribe," and you have access to many other classes and products as well. Other sessions on the inside that have been very helpful to me include Kindlesniper, SNM Authorship, and Blogging for Dollars.

Tools for Writers

1. Publisher Rocket (www.publisherrocket.com)-I mentioned this fantastic tool in my other article. This handy tool will help you verify your book ideas and find keywords and categories for your book in seconds.

2. Scrivener (www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener)-This is a writing tool that a lot of writers swear by. It makes writing your book in an organized way much more manageable. It's also much easier to move chapters around as well. I have recently started using it while writing my new book, and I like it so far.

3. Affinity Photo (www.affinityphoto.serif.com)-This tool is an alternative to Photoshop. You can use it to design your book covers and such. I plan on using it when I redo my poetry book covers in the next few months.

4. Grammarly Premium (www.grammarly.com)-Put simply, I am in love with Grammarly. I have used both the free and paid version. However, I prefer the paid version because it catches many more issues with sentence structure, context, etc. If you are writing a book, this will be vital to you.

5. Coffitivity (www.coffitivity.com)-If you like to work while listening to the hustle and bustle of those around you but can't make it to the coffee shop or diner, you need to check out Coffitivity. This site offers up the best in coffee shop sounds to help boost your concentration.

6. Stock Photo Sites-As an author, you need to be very careful about the photos you use and where they come from. You can't just rip an image off Google and call it good. I plan on using the following stock photo sites to buy pictures for my new poetry book covers and my upcoming romance novel. These sites are www.123rf.com and/or www.depositphotos.com. Make sure to do your research as to which license you will need.

If you are a writer and are struggling right now, reach out. You don't need to feel alone and "stuck" on this journey. Choose one of the resources above and see if it helps you. I'm cheering for you all the way.