What is the real reason that you haven’t written your book yet?  Besides things like obstacles related to time and busyness and perhaps a bit of writer’s block, which happens to everyone now and then, why are you holding out?

Holding back from writing doesn’t mean you no longer have a powerful story to tell. It’s still there.  But it’s not empowering anyone – including you.  But what if you knew for sure you would touch hundreds or thousands or even millions with your story?

In January 2021, dear 96-year-old Cicely Tyson, Black American and the ground-breaking pioneering actress passed.  Right away, I thought of all the external opposition she faced and the walls she had to scale to add meaning to her life and the lives of others.  Ms. Tyson couldn’t have known that multiple generations would adore her. She couldn’t have known that her story would touch millions.  It was the decision to work through fears,...

Want to know something amazing?  Over 4 million books were published in the U.S. alone during 2019.  That is an outstanding number of people who believed the message in their heart had to be shared.  And personally, I couldn’t agree more! 

But that can also feel a little scary.  With so many books, how can you stand out in 2021 and beyond?  Not knowing the answer to this question causes some people to hold their message in, instead of “Writing It Out.”

As your Book Coach, I believe in big leaps.  So, here's 5 quick marketing tips to make your book stand out, whether you are still in “idea-mode”, or the pages are piling up in your laptop!  Ready?

 5 Marketing Tips To Do While You Are Still Writing Your Book

1. Research to find a gap in current books on the market. Where does your voice stand out instead of blend in?

2. Decide the audience that needs your message and connect with them as often as possible.

3....

You see I have this love affair with words.

There’s just something about the way you say them or use them or don’t. 

I remember when I was a child; how I used to just sit and read the dictionary, looking for words I didn’t know.  How I would practice them, rehearsing them over and over and over again, enunciating each syllable, loving how easily they would slip and slide and sometimes jam off my tongue. 

With words like omniligent or superfluous, vacuous or soliloquy, jejune or loquacious, feckless or facetious, epiphany or evanescent, diffident or deciduous - Can’t you just hear it?

And not just the ones that seemed difficult words, but the easy ones too, or so I thought, like love and hate, mine and yours, his and hers, why and why not, when and how long – You know those words.

And then there are those words from long ago that just make me want to stand up and shout. Words like...

Oftentimes we are so busy doing a million things that if we were to stop long enough to think about what it is we are doing, we might be perplexed to know Why?

Why are you doing what you’re doing?
Did God tell you to do that?

Did you even ask Him what you are supposed to be doing?

When you come into the kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit seals you and gives you purpose for your new life in Christ through certain gifts and talents.  And that purpose has an assignment attached to it.

So what is your assignment?  What rings true for you?

Not, what do you like doing – but rather, what do you do that gives you joy, jumps out of you to do, happens without you thinking, makes you frustrated or angry or prayerful about - that no matter what - you will continue to do?

That’s the assignment.  That’s the one thing.

And it will really be one thing.

Because if you try to do all 50 things or even 10 things...

That first time I ventured into that West African dance class, I felt at home.  My heartbeat instantly connected to the djembe as I moved my body unencumbered, freeing myself, lost in the cadence of the drums.

My former stringent training in pointed toes and elongated limbs, effortlessly fell away into undulating hips and flexed stomps into the tarnished, wood floor.

The cares of the day, all the reports still needing to be done, the responsibilities to and for others, vanquished as I was transported to a destination where only I and the Source of all creativity reigned.  The God of the Universe was summoning me in the drums.  And in that call and response of the Master Drummer, I was finally at peace and one with my Creator.

 The tempo of my heart was now racing with the drummers skillful thundering on the taut skin of the ancient gourd.  I closed my eyes as I got low, lazily moving, escaping the frantic pace of my daily...

Have you ever just wanted out? Out from the routine. Out from the apathy. Out from the day to day feeling that THIS IS NOT IT! Then welcome.

Welcome to DANGEROUSLY ALIVE! – a place where the REAL YOU can soar. Where the eagle in you can take flight and reach the highest heights and swoop down with such tenacity you think you’re going to fall, all the while knowing your wings will take you back up again.   Yes – that’s the place I want to go.   The place I want you to go with me.
Come on…..

Step out of the boat.  Step over those problems.  The annoyances.  The hindrances that threaten to derail you time and time again.  And step into your moment.  The one that has been ordained just for you.

Where you and the Creator of the Universe dwells.  A place of peace, tranquility, where power and might reign.  Where He reigns.  And you reign with Him.  You are royalty.  You...

I could not sleep…again. 
Night after night…they follow me…
calling out to me, whispering

and making up some things too
laughing heartily, ROTFL
peering through the crisp pages of my mind

never resting
always moving
seeking
imagining

honing in

I hold you close
You heal my pain, soothe my fears, warm my bed, quench my thirst
You are the epitome of all I ever wanted to know

And do

And be

You complete me in the most intimate way I know
You still me when the world is shouting in my face
You pull me out of the crevices of my darkened thoughts
You create in me a clean heart

You’ve all seen it in the grocery store, the playground, at school, and especially in your home.  The young child in hysterics, screaming, and crying and seemingly inconsolable.  Full of emotion, they teeter back and forth between trying to catch their breath, the sobs coming out, and their inability to express what is going on.  So the first time I heard a mother tell her impassioned child to “Use Your Words,” (the phrase many have come to use) and the child did, I was amazed.  And the more that parent stayed on message, repeating to the child to” use your words, use your words,” the more calm that child became.  That simple act ushered in by the parent allowed the child to leave that turbulent emotional state and enter into a place of peace and calm to share what was wrong.

What about you?  How many times have you just allowed yourself to whine and complain and cry or throw a tantrum...

I hear you’ve been asking about me
You say I’m missing
Missing from the knowledge and comfort of being that consistent, reliable person you can depend on
So I guess from that perspective I am missing

Missing you being able to schedule me for the things you need done
Missing from your need to have my time meet your needs
Missing from you now having to figure out how to replace me because you will
Missing from knowing that I am only a number or a dollar or whatever to you

But what I am missing most … is My life
I am missing not having time to be still and know who I am
I am missing paying myself first so that all the things I want to do actually get done
I am missing the ability to sleep through the night because of all the things I keep thinking I have to do
I am missing from jumping through all the little hoops for everyone else while no one even sees the giant hoop they can just walk through for me

In fact … I choose to be missing right now
In...

Valerie McDowell has been working with writing-challenged clients for over 20 years. Her services include editing, proofing, content writing, bios, resumes, proposals, reports, undergraduate and graduate papers, blogs, articles, poetry, skits, and plays. 

Her educational background in marketing and nonprofit management has given her a broad base from which to approach many topics. She holds a B.S. from Georgetown University and an M.S. from Eastern University.  She especially enjoys writing to help people reach their purpose in life.  She is also an author.  You can find her latest book here.

Follow Valerie on Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/ValerieYourBookCoachExcelerator