What Does it Mean to Live Well?

January is the season of New Year’s resolutions (although by midway through, most will have given up on theirs) and goal-setting. As the month begins, my writer friends set word count goals and plot how many novels they’re going to churn out this year. And there’s not necessarily anything wrong with setting those kinds of creative goals. I’m a planner myself, and strategic business does require that kind of foresight.

But in January 2017, as I looked at the goals and resolutions others were posting, I felt my stomach churning.

I felt so behind (I was even behind making my New Year’s resolutions!), stressed, and inadequate for the challenges I was facing in life. The very thought of adding more pressure to accomplish more things made me feel like breaking out in hives, just for an excuse to curl up in my fuzzy blanket and start a Hobbit/Lord of the Rings marathon.

In that moment, I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit speaking to my weary, battered soul and challenging me to set a different kind of goal for 2017. 

“But that’s not cool,” I protested. “I’ll look lazy. It’ll look like a cop-out.” Per usual, God was unimpressed with my excuses.

So, in the end, I set down a different kind of goal for 2017. My goal for 2017 was to live well. 

What does it mean to live well? Now, there’s a real puzzler. I suppose it’s different for every person. For me, it starts with my word for 2017: Joy.

I chose joy because so many joyful things were happening at that time. I’d started my dream business editing fiction manuscripts. I was picking out wedding invitations and flowers and registering for crock pots with my incredible fiancé.

But I also chose joy because myself and those I love were facing some real challenges. Depression. Anxiety. Job loss. Starting a new business. Financial challenges. Major life changes. And I chose joy in the midst of those challenges, because I believe the promise that the joy of the Lord is my strength. So, joy is where the strength to get through starts. And when facing a year with so many uncertainties, I need all the strength I can get!

So, my list of resolutions for 2017 became…

1. Choose joy. Every time. Everywhere. In every circumstance, happy or sad, easy or frustrating, confusing or exciting. I will choose to choose joy.

2. Give grace. I’m terrible at giving myself grace to be human, let alone anyone else. I’m a perfectionist to the bone, and get really irritated when reality doesn’t match my beautiful vision of what it should be. But that’s called life. And life is messy. And people are imperfect (including myself). And sometimes we all just need a little more grace.

3. Develop a healthy lifestyle. In 2016 I made some pretty big steps forward in learning how to cook healthier meals and exercising regularly (thanks to Youtube yoga videos and signing up for an adult ballet class). But I grew very discouraged and frustrated because I didn’t lose the weight I wanted (I even gained some – thank you, stress and holidays). This year I wanted to continue focusing on developing healthy habits without letting the results create so much anxiety and discouragement.

4. Feed my soul. 2016 was a year of running from one thing to the next, scrambling to keep up with a to-do list constantly slipping away from me. Something had to give, and usually it was the little things that feed my soul. Taking a few extra minutes to put together a cute, coordinated outfit and put on make-up. Reading and doing Bible study for a few minutes before bed. Going out for coffee with a friend. Sitting and doing nothing occasionally.

I decided that, no matter how loud the to-do list is clamoring, I would take a few minutes every day, every week, to feed my soul and do the little things that make my heart glad.

5. Live generously. Have you noticed that the lower the number in the bank account, the more stressed and busy you become, the tighter you hold on to things that don’t really matter? Or maybe that’s just me, catching myself clinging desperately to every penny and scrap of time, tapping my fingers as a friend shares her heart, holding on so tight to my to-do list when I should be clinging to and savoring each moment with the ones I love.

Well, no more. I decided to pry my clinging fingers off the clock, to put my priorities on reset, to take a deep breath and exhale grace. Because the secret to living well is remembering the person I am becoming is so much more important than anything I can get done. Can I just say that again?

The secret to living well is remembering the person I am becoming is so much more important than anything I can get done. 

I wasn’t the first person to come to this realization. The apostle Mark writes, “What good is it if you gain the whole world and lose your soul?” [Mark 8:26] Though he meant it primarily in the spiritual sense, I believe it applies to the rest of life as well.

What good is it if I make my word count for the day, but I ignore my friend who is having a rough day? What good is it if I accomplish my exercise goals, but let myself become fixated on body image instead of celebrating healthy choices? What good is it to write a novel pointing people to Christ, but never let them see Christ in me?

What good is it to write a novel pointing people to Christ, but never let them see Christ in me? 

I run from one project to the next, desperately trying to stay ahead of this pursuing monster called Failure, and miss the most ironic truth at all. In striving to avoid failing in business, in my writing, in my creative pursuits I run the danger of failing in the one thing that really matters. A life that honors Christ. Becoming the woman He wants me to be.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for setting practical goals. I regularly scribble those down too. But these are the goals that really matter in the long run, that God put on my heart. If I can keep my focus on these goals, the rest will fall into their proper place.

Maybe I’ll dramatically fail this year in reaching my word count. Maybe I won’t get any more editing clients (makes me sad just thinking about it). Maybe my business will fail and I won’t complete my novel on deadline and I’ll teach a writing workshop and everyone will hate it (and me). Maybe everyone who looks at this list of goals will think, “She’s just a lazy sap.” So be it.

But if I can say at the end of each year that I have lived well, then I have still accomplished my goal.

What would it look like for you to live well? What are your goals for the new year? 

If you’re looking for a place to share encouragement and find support among fellow women authors, consider joining my Facebook group or connecting with me on Instagram. The creative journey is always better with good company.

An Introvert’s Survival Guide to Writing Conferences

I was a 19-year-old kid who didn’t know much of anything when I went to my first fantasy writing conference. In fact, I was mainly going because I’d enjoyed writing stories with friends in high school, and I wanted an excuse to hang out with my best friend. 

It was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life to that point.

Here I was, this little clueless farm girl from Kansas, sitting at the dinner table discussing bread rolls with Frank Peretti and trying to decide which fork to use first. Everyone was at least 10 years older than me and definitely seemed to have their act together. I didn’t even have a business card!

My best friend, A.C. Williams, and I on our way to my first writing conference!

To make matters worse, at writing conferences the standard “get to know you” question is, “What do you write?” When I blithely responded, speculative fiction addressing human trafficking, there was always this awkward pause, followed by, “It doesn’t sell. No one will represent you. ”

Thanks, guys. Needless to say, it didn’t take long for me to end up in tears. But my story doesn’t end there.

A very kind man (who also happened to be a multi-published author and writing mentor) found my distraught self in a stairwell between conference rooms, and offered to look at the first 10 pages I’d brought. I still remember those nerve-wracking moments as a complete stranger read through my pages and made a few notes.

Then he set down the pages, looked at me across a table, and asked, “So, who’s publishing it?” 

I’d never even considered that my writing could be more than a hobby, let alone that an industry professional would consider it good enough to be published. I can look back to that moment as one that changed the direction of my life, though I didn’t know it at the time.

This is why I am so passionate about fiction editing and being a writing coach and mentor. Because an industry professional took the time out of his busy day (that he definitely didn’t have to!) to comfort a scared kid and plant the seed of a dream that would lead me to where I am today. 

Why am I telling you this story? To let you know you’re not alone. To tell you it’s okay to be scared and discouraged and overwhelmed. To show you that there are people who will believe in you and want you to succeed.

Don’t give up. Don’t let fear hold you back. You got this, girl. Here are a few writing conference tips to keep in mind along the way.

An agent or editor can’t tell you if you’re a writer. 

Don’t give them that power over your dream. They can tell you if your manuscript needs work. They can give you suggestions to improve. But they can’t tell you who you are. You’re a writer.

Celebrate each step forward as a victory. 

Maybe it’s just signing up to go to a writing conference. Maybe it’s saying hi to an author sitting next to you. Maybe it’s practicing your elevator pitch on five people. Maybe it’s actually pitching your book to an agent or editor. Whatever that next step is, celebrate it. Then take the next step.

There will always be naysayers. 

It’s too hard. You’ll never be accepted. Your concept isn’t publishable. No one is publishing _____ style of fiction. That doesn’t mean you should quit. It means you should see if there’s merit to what they are saying, and plan how you will overcome those obstacles.

There will always be other writers who are better than you. 

This can be a tough pill to swallow for some people, but it’s true. There will always be someone who is more talented or has more experience, or just has that intangible gift with words. That’s okay. Learn from them, but don’t try and be them.

Success is subjective. 

Have patience with yourself and with the process. Writing a book takes a long time. Editing takes a long time. It takes years of hard work and money to learn to excel at a craft like writing. Don’t get impatient and don’t give up.

Don’t let fear or your personality keep you from stepping into something bigger. Don’t get discouraged and give up. Writers weren’t meant to take this journey alone.

Feeling a little lost yourself? I’d be honored to come alongside you and help you trouble-shoot your novel or answer industry/craft questions. You can make a writing coaching appointment with me today to receive feedback on your manuscript outline, review your book pitch, or gain extra support with personalized coaching for your author journey.

How to Keep Yourself Healthy as a writer

Recently, I embarked on a journey far crazier and more difficult than anything I had previously attempted (which, by the way, includes the time I traveled to Siberia and interviewed an ex-Buddhist monk in Myanmar).

I knew I’d need to be at the top of my game, mentally and physically. I knew I’d have to overcome my insecurities and face new challenges without giving up. I knew it’d be tough.

I knew it was time to finally take exercising and my physical health seriously. 

The deadly combination of a sedentary desk (or couch, as it were) job and a slowing metabolism had added some unwanted fluffiness. The stress of running my own company and was giving me tension headaches and stomach issues. I knew something had to change, and that something was me.

Now, I’m not exactly athletically inclined. The last official organized sport I played was t-ball when I was a very small child. (And let’s be honest, I only did it because there was cold grape soda afterward). I’d tried running various times with my sister and friends during and after college, but I hated every minute of it.

As a creative entrepreneur, my mind is always going. So, I knew I needed exercise solutions that would relieve tension, get my heart rate up, and occupy and engage my brain. I needed something I could learn and enjoy enough to do it regularly. 

I started with a half hour of yoga every night before I went to bed, thanks to watching videos on YouTube (Yoga with Adrienne is awesome). It was no quick fix, but after months of consistent practice I found myself growing stronger, more flexible, and less stressed. The tension headaches and back problems gradually went away, but I still wanted to trim down and add some cardio to the mix.

“Great!” Said my husband, who is the complete opposite of me (i.e. ridiculously athletic) and was a principal ballet dancer and swing dance instructor for many years. “We’ll sign you up for a dance class.”

No, thank you. I humiliate myself enough on a daily basis. “Why not?” he insisted. I’m too old. I can’t learn the steps. I’m not athletic. I look horrible in a leotard. (That one earned me a dirty look). But he slowly wore me down.

Eventually, I signed up for an intermediate adult ballet class (there are no classes for adult beginners) at his dance studio. And it all went fabulously. I picked it up quickly. I lost weight. I never felt lost or overwhelmed. Right?

Wrong on all counts. I cried every single week after class for four months. I kid you not. I’m not making this up.

It was hard. I was using muscles I’d never used before. I was trying to learn years’ worth of knowledge of poses and choreography into a few minutes. As the largest woman there (at a hefty size 10), I struggled almost constantly at first to not look at myself critically in the studio-length mirror. I fought every week not to quit.

I’m a creative type person, I thought. I’m just not good at this type of thing. I’m not athletic. I’ll never be able to do the things they can do. I should just give up. 

But I didn’t, thanks in large part to my man’s patient encouragement. And you know what? It continued to be hard. Really, really hard some days. I had to talk myself into going to class every week. But I learned. I improved. I gained muscles where there were once chicken wings. For the first time in my life, I actually had abs. Talk about weird.

Even more importantly, I conquered my fear of failure. I conquered my fear of looking foolish. I overcame my insecurities and accepted myself and my limitations and tried to do a bit better each time. And it paid off. 

I could do a push-up without falling on my face, and I no longer stared blankly when someone told me to tondu and relevé.

I grew less stressed and more confident. I grew healthier and stronger and gained more energy for the endless tasks facing a creative entrepreneur. And you know what? If my non-athletic, bookwormish self could walk into a ballet class and own it, so can you. 

So. Can. You.

Our creative energy is tied inextricably to our emotional and physical health. Don’t let your old fears and insecurities stop you from doing what’s best for you—and your creative mind.

If you’re looking for a place to share encouragement and find support among fellow women authors, consider joining my Facebook group or connecting with me on Instagram. The creative journey is always better with good company.

How to Overcome Fear of Failure as a Writer

One year, as I was writing down answers for an online author challenge called #authorconfession, I came across an interesting question.

What are you most afraid of as a writer? 

It kind of took me aback, and I had to consider the question for a moment. Certainly, my greatest fear is fear of failure. But then, what is failure? For me, failure isn’t so much about the number of books sold or which publisher picks up my manuscript.

For me, failure looks like not being able to do justice to the story in my mind and heart. It’s failing to capture and communicate it in a way that makes it real and brings it to life.

But then, I’m never going to be able to do that perfectly. There are limits to the English language, after all, and part of the joy of reading is filling in the gaps in a book with your imagination. That’s why every reader sees the same book a little differently.

I posted my answer on my Facebook page and was astonished by the flurry of comments and conversation it stirred up. Many authors–both newbies and well-established professionals–identified with my fear of failure and had their own nuance to what that meant for them. It got me thinking.

Is the fear of failure something every Creative struggles with on their journey? Is pushing through that fear simply the toll we pay to create something amazing and beautiful? 

It’s easy to let that fear be paralyzing and waste time revising a paragraph for the umpteenth time, browsing Pinterest for “research,” or just letting the many household chores or complexities of life steal all our creative time and energy. It’s that fear of failure that keeps us from sharing our work with others because we feel that if they don’t like it we’ve failed–stunting our growth in our craft through lack of constructive critique.

In the course of the conversation, I asked my fellow Creatives for tips on how they overcome their fear of failure. My favorite response was from the fabulous Yaasha Moriah Wheeler (Side note: Isn’t that an awesome name? I’m going to steal it and use it in a book).

“Define failure. This is what happened when I tried: Failure means I never get published. Oh, wait. I am published, and as long as self-publishing exists, no one has an excuse not to get published. Okay, failure means I don’t sell many books. Well, what’s ‘many’? I need a number. Wait, what about that one person it makes a difference to? Would it be worth it for that ONE person?”

What does failure mean to you? Or, flipping the coin over, what does success mean to you? How do you define it? It’s a pretty nebulous concept, really, for us to be so concerned over. Is the fear of failure really just the fear of an illusion? Yaasha says as much.

“When you start asking questions about what failure means, you start realizing that failure isn’t real. Everything you do will impact somebody, teach you something, or bring you joy. Failure is pretty much impossible.” 

Can I just say that again, nice and slow, to let it soak into our souls, to make sure we get it? When you start asking questions about what failure means, you start realizing that failure isn’t real. I’ve been letting fear of failure paralyze me in my creative endeavors, fear of some dire consequence that isn’t even real.

Why do you write? (Or sculpt? Or paint? Or dance? Or whatever fabulous creative thing you do?) Is it for accolades, to achieve some nebulous sense of having “arrived,” to sell a certain number of books, to have the largest fan club or have your face on a poster?

If so, you’re destined for frustration and disappointment. There will always be someone who hates your book and thinks it’s the worst thing ever written. You will never be “successful” enough to eradicate that fear of failing. If anything, it gets stronger because you have to live up to your successful reputation.

The only way to push past fear of failure is to dig deep into why you write. Why you create. The meaning and purpose behind your labor. Is it your love for your characters or craft? Is it to inspire young readers like you were inspired as a child? Is it to bring glory to a Creative God? Then failure is only failing to pursue your craft to the best of your ability. 

Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from creating the amazing, beautiful things you were created to create. Don’t let fear of something that’s not even real keep you from achieving more than you ever thought possible.

You will learn. You will grow. You will impact others. You will glorify an infinitely creative God. You will not, cannot, fail.

If you’re looking for a place to share encouragement and find support among fellow women authors, consider joining my Facebook group or connecting with me on Instagram. The creative journey is always better with good company.

Rest and Writing: How it Boosts Your Creativity

Writers and other creatives really are their own worst enemies.

Have you noticed that? Isn’t it crazy? We are always the first people to criticize our work, run ourselves into the ground striving for impossible perfection, and just generally try to do ALL THE THINGS perfectly ALL THE TIME, convinced that everyone else totally has their act together and we’re the ones failing at creative life.

Ha! Right.

The strange irony to the epidemic of creative burn-out is that for most creatives their greatest ideas and boosts in creativity come when they take a mental rest in order to rest and reflect. (I’m convinced this is why creatives always seem to have their best-seller brainstorms in the shower). 

It seems counter-intuitive but rest is productive. The more you take time to rest and reflect, the more creative you’ll be and the more you’ll be able to accomplish? Really? If you’re anything like me, you subscribe to the opposite school of thought. The longer hours I work and the more I push myself, the more I’ll be able to accomplish.

But it’s true, isn’t it? This is why writer’s retreats are so popular (and wonderfully productive!). This is why many writers find they are most creative early in the morning or late at night when there are few distractions from the outside world and they can pause, rest, and reflect.

The key to greater creativity is strategic, intentional rest. 

Notice I said strategic and intentional. This doesn’t mean the solution to writers’ block is Netflix binging (although, in some cases, it could be). This isn’t an excuse for procrastinating or a rationalization for not putting that butt in the chair and just writing.

But I’ve learned about myself that when I become emotionally, spiritually and physically exhausted I rapidly become less creative, less effective, and far less productive in my creative pursuits. My initial reaction to this creative fatigue is often to push harder and try to cram more into my day to make up for the work I’m not getting done. But I’m slowly learning that when I hit that wall, trying to muscle my way through only reduces the quality of my creative work, spikes my stress levels (which usually results in no exercise and skipping meals–bad!), and lowers my efficiency and productivity.

Have you ever felt that? Constant exhaustion. Little or no motivation to work on creative projects that would normally excite you. Writing a 500-word blog post takes twice the normal time and feels like pulling a cat through a keyhole (and is just as painful).

One Valentine’s Day, after some particularly stressful weeks following being in the zone for months, my then-fiance and I took a day off from everything. No job searching. No making phone calls or business emails. No wedding planning. No budgeting. We left our phones at his apartment and went and wandered around the zoo all day. We laughed, talked (how refreshing!), ate a picnic lunch, and told stories about our favorite zoo experiences growing up. It was absolutely wonderful and so rejuvenating.

I didn’t feel like I had time to take the whole day off. I felt like I was constantly reminding people that I wouldn’t be taking phone calls that day. For the first couple hours I kept compulsively checking my pocket for my phone and thinking about the work that wasn’t getting done. (So silly, I know). 

But, you know what? I woke up the next morning relaxed and refreshed. I knocked out this blog post in a couple hours. I played with table decorations for an upcoming con where my friend would be selling books. I discussed ideas for a new website redesign.

I’ve discovered that I am more productive, more creative, and definitely a happier and more relaxed person after taking a day off for intentional rest and refreshment. 

So, if you’re in the zombie-zone right now, give yourself a break. Take time to do the things that refresh your soul and reignite your creative self. Read a book. Take a walk in the woods. Spend some time with one of your favorite people. Make a character mood board on Pinterest. Take a nap.

It may feel counter-intuitive, but you will come away refreshed and with a much-needed boost of creative energy in the long run!

A great way to help your mental health as an author is to make sure you’re staying in community. Come join my Facebook group for women authors or connect with me on Instagram.

How to Keep Writing When You Want to Give Up

Have you ever felt like giving up creative writing?

Not just when life gets a little hard or you think it’d be easier to just quit. I’m talking about those times when you’ve not let yourself quit writing time after time, and you just start feeling like your situation is never going to change. You feel like you’re throwing everything in you, down to your toes to keep writing –and it’s still not enough. 

It’s those days when the hits keep coming and a friend stabs you in the back and a client pulls out on you at the last minute and you start thinking, “I can’t do this. I don’t know what else to do. I want to give up.”

Have you ever been there? I have.

News flash: It’s not fun. But the people who overcome when other people quit see real success on the other side. 

Anybody who is anybody got there by refusing to quit. Everyone from Olympic athletes to world-famous novelists like J.K. Rowling and Steven King–who both received rejections from multiple publishers–will tell you that the key to success is to never quit and never give up.

It’s hard to see the path to success on the other side of difficulties when you’re in the  messy middle. I get that. I’m there myself. So, what’s the key to overcoming the challenges of life when everything in you is screaming at you to just give up? 

Perspective.

That’s it. That’s the key.

Out of perspective flows an attitude of gratitude, eyes to see what you do have, instead of what you don’t. Perspective is the antidote to the deadly disease of comparison. Perspective helps you accept where you’re at, and work to improve, instead of being frustrated by unrealistic expectations.

The gift of perspective expands our view of ourselves and our circumstances, a view that can magnify stress and negative events until all we can see is obstacles. Perspective looks at roadblocks as opportunities for growth and learning. Perspectives brings you and me out of our own head enough to see that there are others around us who love and care about us.

The gift of perspective is the true game changer.  

If you’re feeling discouraged today–maybe in your writing, maybe just in life–take a step back and regain your perspective. The obstacles may not be as imposing as you think. Or maybe they are.

Either way, gaining perspective can lift you out of the discouragement and give you the courage to hang strong one more day, to take the next step.

Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Just hang on and take the next step. 

A great way to help your mental health as an author is to make sure you’re staying in community. Come join my Facebook group for women authors or connect with me on Instagram.

How to Keep Writing Through Depression

Creative writers often jokingly refer to the strangeness of the writing experience in terms of a mental illness. Multiple personalities (Characters that talk back? Say, whaaat?), obsessive behavior, the “tortured artist” stereotype, all the feels, etc.

But there’s a darker underbelly beneath all the joking.

The sensitive, artistic personality types who tend to express their deep thoughts and feelings through writing are more prone to anxiety and depression. 

This is by no means true of all writers and artists (thankfully!) have anxiety. The scientific community is divided on whether a link actually exists. However, I’ve certainly seen anecdotal evidence of many creative writers struggling, not to mention dealing with anxiety and depression myself.

Creative writers look at the world in a different way. They feel things others don’t feel, and often feel them much more deeply than the rest of the population. Writers (especially of the speculative genres) often feel torn between two worlds: the world of their imagination, full of magic and possibility, and the harsh reality of the world in which they live. They can often feel alone and misunderstood.

It’s this marvelous, imaginative quality that creates such engaging and heart-felt stories that impact people and cultures for generations. Yet, this same quality can isolate a creative writer from the very people whose hearts they are touching. 

If this is you, don’t despair. You are not alone.

You are wonderful. You are creative. You are inspirational. Your story has meaning and purpose. Remember, even the most wonderful, memorable stories have dark moments.

If this is you, we are here for you. I’m not afraid to speak for myself, and speak for the creative writer community: you are not alone. It’s easy to become discouraged, disheartened, or isolated. But there’s good news. You have hope, and the power to walk strong no matter if your path is light, dark, or a nice dappled in-between.

Are you ready? Here are a few tips that have helped me.

1.     Practice self-care. I’m convinced the starving artist stereotype came about because one too many creatives got caught up in a project and forgot to eat. Take care of yourself. Eat well. Exercise. Get enough sleep. Use calming techniques like meditation and yoga to de-stress.

2.     Practice community. Spend time with people who refresh and encourage you. Sometimes, I spend eight hours talking with my best friend at a coffeeshop about life, business, and our personal struggles. It is so unbelievably refreshing. Take the time, even if you don’t feel like you have it. Even if there aren’t local writers groups near you, get plugged into an online community. Social media community hashtags can be great for connecting with other writers. Sometimes there’s nothing like talking with someone who truly understands the struggles of a writer’s life.

3.     Give to others. The reality of anxiety and depression is that it’s very easy to become inward-focused. But healing and hope never comes from within us. Invest in someone else. Send an encouraging note. Help them around the house. Not only does it make someone else’s day bright, but serving others out of your own dark place lends perspective.

4.     Seek help. There is no shame in asking for help. It is the mark of a mature person when they recognize their need and reach out. For me, an important part of my daily routine is Bible study and going to church. Spending time with Jesus reminds me that I don’t have to control everything. Friends and family members who have struggled with depression and anxiety, even to the point of suicide, have found support when they reached out for professional help, as well as taking the steps mentioned above. There can be physiological reasons for the way you feel.

5.     Remember it’s a journey. Every person has both easy days and hard days, but I believe we can choose to have a good day, regardless. Some days will come easy. Some will be incredibly hard. What matters is how we respond. Do we choose to feel sorry for ourselves, or do we choose to make someone else’s life better? Do we give up, or do we choose to take the next step, and the next?

If you know someone who is struggling with depression and/or anxiety, or some other form of mental illness, reach out. If you find yourself in a dark place, seek help. Why?

The world needs your story. All of it. Not just the words you write, but also the story you live. 

A great way to help your mental health as an author is to make sure you’re staying in community. Come join my Facebook group for women authors or connect with me on Instagram.