Shifts in the Air + Classes for Novelists

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Subject: Shifts in the Air + Classes for Novelists

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January 29, 2015

Hi Friend, Hello!

Reminder! For those of you who signed up for the StoryTellers Summit, grab your recordings by Jan. 31st. For those of you who didn't sign up for it, but are curious, you can still sign up and listen to 20 experts' calls, including mine. I talked about time management as a function of your daily energy flow and what author entrepreneurship means to me and other shy novelists.

Link: http://www.storytellerssummit.com/

♥

Shifts Are Here

I've recently drawn a line in the sand, for myself, and for my business...

I'm saying No to the work that doesn't bring me passion and excitement. I have learned, yet again, that just because I'm capable of doing something, doesn't mean that I should be doing that work. It's a tricky business.

I'm aware that I have a choice about the work I take on. I run my own business, and have done so for eight and a half years. I have more confidence and experience. It is a risk to say "no" to business.

But what I've experienced from saying "no" to the work that isn't my core passion is that new and wonderful opportunities open up. And, most importantly, I feel a renewed clarity and strength to do my deep work.

So, yes, I'm saying YES to the scary work of stepping it up in my product and book creation.

What does this mean for the business?

I have decided to no longer offer book marketing services or start-to-finish book production services. I'm finishing with a few clients in this arena, and have said aloud and in front of my support teams that I'm saying no to these.

I feel a bit raw. I feel like I'm disappointing some people. I know I am disappointing some people. And I feel so so selfish.

But if I don't take the time and make the time to do my work as a coach, mentor, teacher, and novelist, then I'm ultimately unhappy, and of service to no one.

I typically report in my newsletter my progress in my own work. But this week I haven't made any progress. For days, I've felt depressed without realizing it.

As soon as I realized I was feeling depressed, and said it out loud to Ezra (my husband and writer buddy), I felt instantly better.

From all the inner work I've done, I know now that when I'm feeling depressed, which hasn't happened in a while, it's because I'm feeling powerless. Once I realized that I'm feeling powerless, I looked for where. I asked myself what I really wanted, and found the source of inner blues. Hence the renewed and clear decision.

Long story short, I'm here to embrace my creative live wire of doing the hard beautiful work of being a novelist and a teacher. And now is the time to get the next stories and learning products out.

RESOURCES on BOOK MARKETING & PUBLISHING

-- On learning how to running your own book marketing activities, check out the online class listed below I'll be offering in July.

-- Regarding questions on publishing and some tips on book production, check out the free 90-minute webinar Ezra and I gave in December: http://bethbarany.com/goodiesforyou.htm

My goal: By March 1, I'll have a few things ready:

1) My novel, Book 3 of The Five Kingdoms series, tentatively called Henrietta and the Horse Mesa, will be edited at least once by me and be sent to my critique partners.

http://author.bethbarany.com/ya-fantasy/

and,

2) My Fellowship of the Pen: 30-Day Challenge to Prepare Your Novel self-paced course will be ready to offer at the March event.

http://30daywritingchallengefornovelists.bethbarany.com/

I share this with you all as a form of accountability and something to aim for. There are more structures I'll put in place to make sure these projects happen.

What structures and agreements do you need to put in place to make sure you make space and time to work on your novel?

Hit "reply" and share your reply with me.

Thanks for witnessing and for allowing me to be a part of your creative adventure called writing a novel!

Love and all that jazz,

Beth

♥

More events from Beth Barany, Creativity Coach for Writers - land...

♥ End-January 2015: The final quarterly issue of the Author Entrepreneurship Magazine will be published. Coming soon! Topic: The Ins and Outs of Cover Design for Authors. (Delayed due to server issues; coming soon.)

What's next: I'm changing the focus and format a little for the magazine. Starting the beginning of April, I'll be posting weekly Q&As from other author entrepreneurs. If you are an author and help other authors as your business, and would like to be featured as a weekly guest, let me know. I'll put you on my list, and will be sending out the questionnaire some time in February. Thanks!

For more conversation, you can join the Author Entrepreneurship Magazine Facebook group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/authorentrepreneurship/

♥ January 21-24, 2015: Storytellers Summit, sponsored by creativity coach, Julia Roberts of Decoding Creativity: I am among 20 guests featured. Register for free until Jan. 31st here: http://www.storytellerssummit.com/. All recordings still available.

♥ February 1, 2015: Registration is now open for the Group Coaching Program for Genre Novelists and ends soon. http://coaching.bethbarany.com/

Email me if you're wondering if this program is right for you.

♥ March 7, 2015: Beth and Ezra Barany presenting at the 3rd Annual Day of the Book presented by JFK University, Pleasant Hill Campus, Pleasant Hill, CA. This free event is open to all.

Join us! http://yourbookstartshere.com/day-of-the-book/

7 Keys to Preparing Your Novel Before You Write

In this talk with bestselling authors and writing teachers, Beth and Ezra Barany, we will help you brainstorm the steps to create your novel – from character development to plot structure to story themes and world building — so that you can start writing your novel prepared. For beginning and advanced writers, we'll offer bite-sized exercises to help you stretch your imagination and get excited for the writing process.

♥ April 2014: 30-Day Challenge to Preparing Your Novel self-paced course.

♥ June 2015: Beth Barany is sponsoring a Genre Novel First Chapter contest as part of the San Mateo County Fair Literary Stage.

This contest is open to writers worldwide.

How to enter coming soon.

Get ready! Polish your first chapter. Entries due: April 1st, 2015.

Prizes, of course!

1st Place Winner: Author Coaching Package (3 sessions) valued at $450

2nd Place Winner: One Author Coaching session (valued at $150)
3rd Place Winner: A signed copy of The Writer's Adventure Guide by Beth Barany

Rules
Submit chapter one (max 3,000 words) of your unpublished novel of any one of these genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction. No: Romance, Horror, Erotica. (NO SYNOPSIS OR PROLOGUE). You must include a one-paragraph Elevator Pitch. (Instructions here: (www.writersfunzone.com/blog/2014/09/08/start-novel-preparation-elevator-pitch) Open to unpublished or self-published authors only.

NEW THIS YEAR MULTIPLE NOVEL CONTEST ENTRY OPTION: Work may be also submitted to the Division 350 Publisher’s Choice novel chapter contest, but must keep with this contest’s 3000 word limit (separate entry fee applies).

Rules will be posted soon. See last year's here: https://sanmateocountyfair.com/contests/departments/literary-arts.

♥ June 1-30, 2015: 30-Day Challenge to Preparing Your Novel live course. Sign up here to be notified when registration opens: http://30daywritingchallengefornovelists.bethbarany.com/.

♥ July 2015: Branding for Romance Authors (& Other Genre Novelists): How to Create an Online Presence, Network Using Your Author Blog, and Craft a Content Plan. An online course via Outreach International, an RWA chapter.

♥ October 2015: Writing Retreat in Paris, France.

All the juicy details here: http://paris.bethbarany.com/.

Email me if you'd like to join us for this 7-day writing adventure in the City of Lights.

Enjoy my tips on travel & writing here:

http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/category/travel-writing-2/.

If you have any questions about my author coaching, book marketing, or publishing services, just reply to this email and we'll help you out within 24 hours during business hours, Monday through Friday, when we're not on holiday.

All our best,
Beth & Ezra

♥

ABOUT US
Beth and Ezra Barany are award-winning, best-selling novelists, who have worked with over 100 authors to help them get their books written and published.

♥ Happily married for over 15 years, we’re passionate about writing, storytelling, and guiding authors to achieve their dreams.

We offer coaching and change work sessions, consulting, and book marketing services, including a social media and online platform assessment and cover design, for novelists.

Services | Products

Top Photo Credit: by Vivienne McMaster

Bottom Photo Credit: by Beth Barany

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Subject: Shifts in the Air + Classes for Novelists