Image from Flickr by  Wiertz Sébastien

“Do you have any tips about how to motivate yourself?”

- Allison, by email

While all writers struggle with motivation, it’s particularly tough for fiction writers. We often end up working for years on a novel or short story collection … and it’s very easy to end up writing less and less frequently.

These nine tips work for me, and for most of the people I coach. There’s a good chance that most will work for you too. (Even if you’re not a fiction-writer, you’ll find that many of them still apply.)

#1: Have a (Firm) Deadline

Deadlines have a wonderful way of concentrating the mind. As soon as your writing has a deadline attached, it becomes urgent.

Unless you’re lucky enough to have an agent or publisher breathing down your neck, you need to get a bit creative about your deadlines. Simply saying “I’ll have finished the first draft by Christmas” isn’t necessarily enough.

To make your deadline more powerful:

• Get someone else involved: a friend, a writing buddy, a teacher or coach. Promise that you’ll send them your short story by a particular date.
• Enter a competition. These have very real deadlines, plus wordcounts; they’re great for writing discipline.

#2: Take a Writing Class

Every time I go to a writing class, course, or lecture, I come out feeling inspired to write. Back in 2008, when I started my creative writing degree at Goldsmiths, I was worried I’d lost my motivation for fiction — I was enjoying blogging too much. After a single class, though, I was raring to get started on my novel, Lycopolis.

You don’t have to take a degree to get motivated. Try local writing classes or events — if you can’t find any through an online search, ask at local libraries or bookshops.

To get the most from a class:

• Be prepared to participate. Usually, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. Make an effort to speak up — and don’t shy away from reading out your work, if there’s an opportunity for that.
• Try something different. If you’re a novelist, go to a class on screenwriting or poetry: you might not choose to try out a new medium, but you may well find yourself re-inspired for your novel.

#3: Listen to Music That Fits Your Writing

With a bit of luck, your preferred genre of fiction and your preferred genre of music will overlap. There’ll be something in the sound of the music, or the lyrics, that appeals to your creative side. You might not like to listen to music while you write (it can be distracting) — but you could put your favourite album on before a writing session.

I listened to a lot of Metallica while I was writing Lycopolis. Mostly as an excuse to listen to Metallica… but the energy of the music helped inform the pace of the novel, and a few lyrics inspired particular scenes.

You might like to try:

• Picking a specific album (or even one track) as “writing” music. Listen to it when you want to get into the writing frame of mind, and not at any other time.
• Using a particular song as the basis for a new scene. You could simply take the general mood of the piece as the starting point, or work particular lyrics into the dialogue or narrative (even if you take them out later).

#4: Imagine Yourself Writing

In all sorts of fields, people use visualisation to help them reach their goals. Top athletes, for instance, might imagine going through a particular set of moves again and again. Public speakers may picture themselves walking onto the stage, delivering a great speech, and receiving the applause of a thrilled audience.

Some writers like to daydream about their finished book on the shelves … and while there’s nothing wrong with that, visualisation tends to be more effective when you see yourself doing the actual writing.

When you want to feel more motivated to write:

• Sit with your eyes closed and imagine yourself writing. Hear the click of the keyboard, see the words appearing in front of you on the screen.
• Don’t be afraid to visualise problems. Imagine getting stuck, feeling tempted to check emails. Then imagine yourself saying “no” to that impulse, and sticking with the task at hand.

#5: Set Aside Time for Your Fiction

You’re never going to stumble across a “perfect” time to work on your novel. Other commitments in your life — school, work, family, friends, different hobbies — could easily fill every day, if you let them.

Keep your fiction going by setting aside time for it. For me, that’s often Saturdays. I look forward to diving into my novel (and this helps motivate me to get my other writing done during the week, too…)

To really make time for your fiction:

• Block out several hours, if you can; perhaps even a whole day. Even if you can only do this once a month, it’s a great way to relax into your writing and make serious progress.
• Stick to your fiction appointment. If you’ve promised yourself that you’ll work on fiction all day Saturday, turn down social invitations. You don’t need to explain why unless you want to: “Sorry, I’m busy that day,” is fine.

#6: Picture the Scene in Progress

In #4, I suggested visualising yourself writing. Another great use of your imagination is to picture the scene that you want to write.

Where are your characters located? What are they saying or doing? Try to “see” the scene unfold in front of you.

This can feel a bit odd at first, so:

• Don’t worry if you can’t “see” the scene in glorious technicolour and surround-sound. When I imagine my characters, they’re often small (like dolls), as if I’m looking down from a height, and I can’t hear them. Other times, I can imagine what they’re saying, but I don’t have a clear picture of the location.
• Write down notes to capture what you imagine: these can just be brief bullet points about things that need to occur in the scene. Often, the act of writing will spark off new ideas.

#7: Remind Yourself Why It’s Important

One of the reasons why writers grind to a halt and eventually give up is because the rest of life seems “more important” than writing fiction. When you’ve got bills to pay, dishes to wash, family to care for, friends to see, writing a novel can seem like a big waste of time or a huge indulgence.

It’s not. Your fiction is important. Even if you never publish a single word of it, you’ll still have gained a huge amount through the writing itself.

So that you remember that fiction matters:

• Record your reasons for writing fiction, and don’t be afraid to say why it matters to you. If writing fiction makes you feel happy and grounded, that’s important and valid.
• Talk with other writers. That could mean meeting up for coffee with a writing friend, joining a local group, or hanging out on Twitter or in writing forums online.

#8: Workshop with Other Writers

One of the great things about workshopping isn’t just that you get insightful feedback on your work-in-progress; you also get the buzz of having people read and discuss your writing. Often, they’ll be keen to know what happens next — which can encourage you to get on with the next chapter.

Seeing other people’s work progress can also be motivating: you’re around other people who value writing and who take it seriously.

When you’re looking for a workshop:

• Find a group that meets regularly. Anything less than twice a month makes it hard to keep up motivation.
• Avoid any groups with destructive members who seem to have their own agenda to pursue. Feedback and criticism are valuable; personal attacks, or constant nitpicks about non-issues, aren’t.

#9: Write the First Few Sentences

This tip might look deceptively simple. It’s also very effective. When you’re not feeling motivated, just sit down and get started.

You don’t need to be in the right mood for fiction. You don’t need to wait until the muse descends. You don’t need to feel like every word flowing from your fingers is gold.

You just need to write.

If you need some help getting those first few sentences down:

• Give yourself a time limit. Write for, say, ten minutes. However unmotivated you’re feeling, you can manage ten minutes.
• Start half-way through the scene. Jump in with a line of dialogue or a sudden action, and go from there. You can always go back and start things off more smoothly later (and you might even find that midway is the best place to begin).

Next time you want to write but feel unmotivated, give one or two of these tips a try. (And if you’re still stuck, go for my ultimate motivation tool: I’m either going to write or clean the house. Works every time..!)

For a regular dose of motivation and inspiration, make sure that you’re getting new blog posts to your RSS reader (click on the link) or straight into your email inbox (pop your email address in below).

Image from Flickr by Sean MacEntee

You want to write … but you don’t seem to have anything to write about.

Whether you’re writing blog posts, fiction, articles, or a book, try these ways to get a creative spark going. There are fifteen general tips, plus five for bloggers and five for fiction-writers:

Any Type of Writing

#1: Read – a lot

To be a writer, you need to read. You should be familiar with what’s happening in your chosen genre or field – but you’ll also want to read outside your comfort zone so that you have a wider pool of ideas to draw on.

#2: Take a walk

I find that walking is a great way to daydream guilt-free (at least I’m getting some fresh air and exercise…) If you can head somewhere inspiring, even better – but a simple stroll around your local streets can help the creative cogs to turn.

#3: Flick through magazines or newspapers

As well as being a great idea-generation method, this is also a nifty way to put procrastination to good use. Browsing through magazines and newspapers can throw up all sorts of ideas, from the lurid to the tragic.

#4: See the world

Travelling has so many benefits for writers: you get out of your usual routine, you try new things, you have plenty of “waiting” time to sit and write in a notebook (on trains, in airports, etc), and you’ll often find your pre-conceptions challenged.

#5: Use your hobbies and interests

If you’ve got a strong interest, write about it. I blog about writing because it’s something I love and a central part of my life. You could write an article, start a blog, or even use an unusual hobby as the basis for a novel.

#6: Listen to music

Music can throw up ideas and get you in the mood to write. You might want to choose music that evokes a particular atmosphere, ideally one that ties in with the tone of your writing. Sit and listen; see what thoughts bubble up. Lyrics (and misheard lyrics!) can also be a great source of inspiration.

#7: Go to an art gallery

Like music, art works can inspire writing: William Carlos Williams’ poem Landscape with the fall of Icarus is about the painting of the same title by Bruegel. You don’t have to write the story of a piece of art, of course; you could simply take one element of it that sparks off an idea.

#8: Free-write

This is a great technique if you’re stuck part-way through a longer work. Sit down with a pen, or at your computer, and simply write. You can make notes, write about the struggles you’re having, write a section of your project – anything you want. You’ll be surprised what comes up.

#9: Carry a notebook and pen

You’ve probably heard this advice before: keep a notebook with you, so you can jot down ideas as they occur. Inspiration often strikes in odd places (on the bus, in the queue at the post office, during a dull meeting) – and ideas fade all too easily if they’re not captured.

#10: Connect two unrelated things

Creativity revolves around making new connections. If you can bring together two unrelated concepts or items, you’ve probably got a new idea. That might be an article like “The Homer Simpson Guide to Blogging” or a short story that pits two very different characters against one another.

#11: Write in different places

Your environment makes a difference. If you normally write at home, try other places: cafes, libraries, friends’ houses, holiday cottages, pubs, parks … anywhere you want. The head-space that you gain will help you be more creative – plus your surroundings may throw up all sorts of new ideas.

#12: Collect inspiring materials

Some writers like to collect objects, photos, and other materials that inspire them. You might try items that help you get into a creative mood (e.g. candles) or ones that spark off thoughts, like interesting photographs or postcards.

#13: Break the rules

Most forms of writing have certain rules, often unwritten ones that are silently agreed on. Blog posts, for instance, are almost always prose not poetry; fiction is rarely written in the second person (“you”). Try breaking some of the rules in your chosen field, for a short piece of experimental writing.

#14: Create a mindmap

Mindmapping is a great way to develop an idea … but it can also lead to new ones. Get a piece of paper (or use software like XMind) and write your key topic in the centre. Add ideas around the edge, drawing links between them where appropriate.

#15: Join a writing group or class

Being around other writers, and working on exercises or critiques, can help spark new ideas. Look for a local writers’ circle, or an evening class. If it’s hard to commit to attending a group at a specific time, try online courses, classes, or forums.

Mainly for Bloggers

#16: Ask your readers

Some of my most popular post have been the result of questions or suggestions from readers. Ask your readers what they want, and you’ll end up with plenty of ideas. You could run a survey to find out about different potential topics, or simply invite comments at the end of a post.

#17: Write a big list of ideas

Once you start coming up with ideas, it gets easier to generate more. Instead of struggling to write down just the first four or five ideas, keep going until you have twenty, thirty, or more. Don’t judge your ideas while you’re making your list; nothing is too silly or too bland at this stage.

#18: Tweak a borrowed title

Go to any popular blog, pick a title of an existing post, and create your own spin on it for your blog. This is a great way to come up with an idea, because it gives you a ready-made title, and often suggests a structure.

#19: Respond to something you disagree with

Perhaps there’s been a major new publication in your field, one that you fundamentally disagree with. Whether it’s a book or a blog post, you can offer your own take. That might mean responding point-by-point to a particular argument, or simply presenting evidence for the other side.

#20: Think like a beginner again

If you’ve been involved with and writing about the same topic for a long time, you might have forgotten what it was like to be a beginner. Think back to those early days, when you were excited but knew almost nothing. What questions did you have? What did you find confusing? Write about that.

Mainly for Fiction-Writers

#21: Choose an object

Physical objects can make great starting jumping-off points for fiction. Mundane ones work well. What’s around you right now? My (cluttered!) desk currently has two empty mugs, a glass of water, two notebooks, a pen, some business cards, my passport, a couple of books… any of these could spark a story idea.

#22: Write from a prompt

There are plenty of books and websites that collate writing prompts: lines of dialogue, scenarios, photos, quotes, or other snippets to help you get started. Here’s one: A character arrives at work to find her chair missing. What happened to it? (from The Pocket Muse: Ideas and Inspirations for Writing)

#23: Use a starting line from another story

Sometimes, the hardest part of fiction is the first line. So cheat! Grab a book from your shelf and use the first line of that, either as narrative or dialogue. (You can always change or delete it later.) I just picked up The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas; the first line is “You now have one choice.”

#24: Ask “what if…”

Some great stories come out of what if… questions. These don’t just have to be sci-fi (“What if we could travel through time?”) or fantasy (“What if magic existed alongside the modern world?”) – you can also ask questions like “What if an almost-forgotten secret came out on a young woman’s wedding day?”

#25: Interview your characters

If you’re not sure how to begin a story, or if you get stuck part-way, it might be because you don’t know your characters well enough. You can “interview” them – ask questions of them, in writing, and have them answer – to bring out new ideas and plot points.

Try out at least one of these techniques today, and see what you come up with! And if you decide to develop your idea into something more, read The Four Essential Stages of Writing for advice on planning, drafting, redrafting and editing. 

Back at the start of January, I asked you about your writing goals for 2012 – and I promised that I’d talk about mine.

Last week, I was able to reveal one of my two big projects for the year: Writers’ Huddle, a community and teaching site for writers. It’s not solely a writing project – there’s audio and video content involved too – but the joys and challenges of those are definitely going to give me some extra blogging material…

Announcing: My Book Deal!

And this week, I’m really excited to be able to tell you about my other big project: I’m writing a book for Wiley’s For Dummies series, provisionally titled Publishing e-Books for Dummies.

You’ve probably come across the For Dummies books in a local bookshop or library in the past: they’re large, square-ish books with distinctive black and yellow jackets:

 (This is the excellent “Online Community Management for Dummies” by Deb Ng.)

I’m sure you can appreciate how very happy I was to sign a contract with a publisher (and how proud my mum is ).

The book is scheduled to come out in September, so I’ve got tight deadlines for drafting the different sections: if I’m slow to respond to emails or if all goes quiet on Aliventures for a while, I’m probably typing away furiously.

And switching back to project #1 …

The Writers’ Huddle forums are already buzzing with activity, and there’s a lovely sense of community and fun there. If you’d like to join, you’ve got until January 31st – but the sooner you come on board, the sooner you can benefit from the mini-courses, the free ebook, and the interaction in the forums with me and with other writers.

Just click here to read all the details about Writers’ Huddle.

For a long time, I’ve wanted to create something new.

I love writing here on Aliventures: there’s such a friendly and supportive community of readers and commenters here (thank you!)

I love running ecourses: I really enjoy teaching people about writing and blogging.

I love coaching: it’s great to get to work one-on-one with a writer, and see their confidence and skill grow with every session.

And I’m going to keep doing all of those things.

But….

I’ve also got something new. Something that I’m very excited about.

I wanted to bring together a tighter-knit community. Comments and Tweets are great, but they don’t allow for a high level of interaction – or any privacy.

I wanted to create lots of teaching material, on a regular basis – so writers could pick and choose from what they needed.

I wanted to help and support writers who can’t afford regular one-to-one coaching.

And so I’ve created Writers’ Huddle.

A Quick Introduction to Writers’ Huddle

Writers’ Huddle is my biggest project yet. It’s a community and teaching site, where you get regular new content and the opportunity to interact with other writers.

It’s open to any writer who wants to join: novelists, short-story writers, freelancers, bloggers… it doesn’t matter what sort of writing you do, you’ll be welcomed.

You can find out all about Writers’ Huddle here.

Please take a look as soon as you get the chance, because membership is only open until 31st January. After that, I’ll be closing the doors to Writers’ Huddle while we all get to know one another and it won’t reopen for a few months.

If you join now, you’ll become a founding member of Writers’ Huddle. You’ll have the opportunity to help shape the community, and you’ll be able to suggest new features and content for the site.

Click here to find out all about the mini-courses, the forums, the seminars, the Q&As, the Seven Pillars of Great Writing ebook and more…

Image from Flickr by SuperFantastic

One theme’s been standing out recently in the emails and comments that I’ve received: procrastination.

It’s the bane of many writers … or would-be writers. Some people spend months, even years, trying to get round to writing, but never quite manage to. And they beat themselves up about it.

But…

Procrastination doesn’t mean that you’re lazy.

It doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer.

It doesn’t mean you can’t write.

Procrastination is simply a symptom of a cause; a sign that something in your writing world needs attention.

(Quick aside: you may think that this isn’t your issue. You don’t tend to waste much time — you’re always doing things. But keeping busy with non-writing projects — or the wrong writing projects — is a form of procrastination.)

Here are three common problems that I see time and time again, in my own writing life and in others’:

Problem #1: Lack of Preparation

Sometimes, procrastination is a sign that you’re not ready to get started on the writing: you still need to do some ground-work.

If you feel lost and confused every time you think about your writing – if you just don’t know where to begin, or whether you’re doing it all wrong – then check whether you’ve done enough preparation.

Fix it fast:

• Prepare your writing space. If all your materials are scattered around the house, it’s hard for you to sit down and get started.
• Write a plan for your project. Non-fiction needs an outline; fiction needs some characters mapped out and at least the beginnings of a plot.

Problem #2: Too Many Projects

You’ve been working on your novel sporadically for the past decade. You keep trying to fit it in, but other, more urgent, projects keep cropping up — that magazine article you pitched, those blog posts you want to write, and an editing job you promised your friend…

This type of procrastination is particularly insidious, because it feels like you’re being really productive. The only problem is, you’ve got a nagging sense of dissatisfaction: you wish you could finally finish your novel.

Fix it fast:

• Say “no” to any new projects. If you make a living writing, this might not be an option – but can you at least cut back a bit?
• Set aside time for ONE longer-term project. That might mean spending Saturday mornings on your novel, or Wednesday afternoons finishing off that ebook.

Problem #3: Feeling Afraid of Starting

This is the big one for many writers: procrastination gets bound up with a lack of confidence. I know just how this feels, because it happens to me all the time. I find it hard to get going with new pieces of writing because I know that as soon as I begin, all hopes of perfection have to be laid aside.

If you find yourself doing the dishes, clearing your inbox, tidying your desk, sharpening your pencils … anything but writing … then you need to get past your fear of starting.

Fix it fast:

• Set aside a time for writing. If you’ve got Sunday afternoon blocked out for starting work on your novel, it’s hard to make excuses.
• Write for just ten minutes. (And then keep going if you feel like it!) Set a timer and promise yourself that you’ll write until it goes off. Even if you only produce a couple of sentences, you’ve made a start.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments, if you struggle with procrastination (or if you’ve found a great way to overcome it).

So you don’t miss out on future posts, click here to get the Aliventures RSS feed – or pop your email address in below to get new posts straight to your inbox:

Photo by fantastic London & Surrey family photographer Antonina Mamzenko 

Thank you so much for the fantastic response to last week’s post, What Will You Write in 2012? I had a great time reading through your goals and projects for the year.

I’ve answered quite a few questions in the comments there, but I wanted to pull out three from Julie’s comment to tackle today.

How do you win the battle of silencing the self-critical voice that paralyzes you if you listen to it? How do you find your self-worth and value what you have to give? How do you keep going when you feel stuck?

I’m going to give my take on each of Julie’s questions; I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

How do you win the battle of silencing the self-critical voice that paralyzes you if you listen to it?

You win with every word you write.

You win by reminding yourself that first drafts are always far from perfect.

You win when you acknowledge that voice, but carry on regardless.

You win whenever you remember a time when someone praised your writing, or thanked you for your words.

It’s not an easy battle. And in fact, you don’t need to defeat that voice or silence it for good. You just need to get the first draft or two written – then you can let that self-critical voice back in.

When you’re writing, the voice is your enemy; when you’re editing, it’s your ally.

How do you find your self-worth and value what you have to give?

You’ve got the right to express yourself. You’ve got unique stories to tell – a set of experiences, thoughts, ideas, that are unique to you alone. That’s valuable, even if you only ever write for yourself.

But … you’ll find that other people can help you see that value more clearly.

That might be comments on your blog: Thank you for writing this, it came at the perfect moment for me.

It might be reviews of your book on Amazon: I couldn’t put this down. I loved it!

It might be a friend who needed your help writing a piece of copy: I couldn’t have done it without you.

Focus on what you can provide for other (a gripping read, an inspiring blog post, a helping hand) and you’ll learn how valuable your words are. We all have the ability – and, I believe, the responsibility – to give what we can to the world, through our writing.

How do you keep going when you feel stuck?

Imagine you’re walking and you come to a thicket of brambles. Your coat snags on them. If you keep pushing forwards, you’re going to get yourself even more stuck.

Instead, you need to take a step back. You have to look for a way round that thicket – or for tools to help you get through it.

It’s the same when you’re writing. Feeling stuck (as opposed to feeling lazy, which happens to me a lot ) is often a signal that you need to take a mental step back.

Has your project gone off-course? You may need to cut out a tangent from your blog post, or a misplaced chapter from your book.

Does your project need to change shape? Your novel might actually be a series of linked short stories.

If you’re not sure why you’re stuck, try journaling about it. Thinking things through on paper is what we writers do – and it’s a great tool for problem-solving.

If you enjoyed this post, I’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!

Happy New Year!

I’ve got several exciting writing goals for 2012 – and I’ll be sharing some of these with you over the next few weeks. Today, though, I wanted to give you the chance to tell me about your writing plans and hopes for the year ahead.

Just type in the comments box below and let me know:

What you’re planning to write (you can be as general or detailed as you want).

(Optional) Any problems you’re having or questions you’d like me to answer.

I’d love to hear what you’re up to, and I’d love to help if I can.

A huge thank you if you bought an ebook, gave a donation or retweeted my post during the Blogger’s Guides sale last week.

We raised over $1,000 ($1,010.80) for Divya Shanthi: that’s £631.75. 

Last year’s total was $600, so I’m thrilled we raised even more this year.

As before, some of money will go to sponsor Ayshu (pictured below). The rest will be used to support other children in the Divya Shanthi Baby Home and the school there.

You might remember that in early November, I was in L.A. talking at BlogWorld about ebooks.

The lovely BlogWorld folks told me that I can share my session recording here on my blog – hurrah! This is the first video I’ve ever posted on Aliventures, so I hope you enjoy it.

The presentation is on How to Write Ebooks That Practically Sell Themselves 60 minutes long and in it, you’ll learn:

• How to find out what your audience wants  so that you don’t waste months writing content that nobody will read
• How to keep your motivation up over the long haul:  If you abandon your ebook halfway, it’s not going to help anyone
• How to edit and polish your ebook,  because you want to create a great first impression

If you’re thinking of writing an ebook or if you just want to hear my awesome English accent, then watch away.

Note: this was very much aimed at bloggers, so it’s about non-fiction ebooks sold mainly through a blog. If you’re working on a different sort of ebook/writing project, plenty of the tips will still apply, though.

Just click on the link to watch the video (you can right-click to download it to your computer):

How to Write Ebooks That Practically Sell Themselves

The above video is only one of over 100 recorded sessions from BlogWorld Los Angeles 2011. You can get all of the videos — plus nearly 100 bonus interviews and other bonus content — by picking up the entire Virtual Ticket here: http://www.blogworldexpo.com/virtual-ticket-la-2011/

Quick update: the Blogger’s Guide Charity Sale has already beaten last year’s target! We’ve raised over $800 since Tuesday, with the 3-pack of Guides proving incredibly popular. 

The sale ends at midnight on Sunday, so if you’ve not had a chance to check it out yet, take a look now. 

And if you’ve already bought an ebook or donated, thank you! I truly appreciate your support.

Quick version if you’re in a hurry:

• All three of my Blogger’s Guides are half-price from 6th – 11th December
• All the money raised in that time will be going to Divya Shanthi, a small charity in Bangalore, India

And now, the slightly longer version…

Back in 2010, I spent a few days in Bangalore with my family (parents, brother, sister and then-fiancé-now-husband). We were there Divya Shanthi, a small charity that my church supports and has strong links with. We were overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of everyone we met … but also by the stark poverty.

• We saw kids dressed in rags, begging on the streets.
• We saw shacks at the side of the road from the airport.
• We saw children who’d been rescued from desperate conditions.

Last year, wanting to do what I could to help, I ran a birthday sale here on Aliventures. I thought we might just about raise enough to sponsor a baby in the baby home. We raised $600 by my birthday (December 12th): more than enough, with extra money to support other children.

Ayshu, who we sponsored, is three years old now, a bright, happy little girl. Here’s the latest photo I have of her:

This year, I’d like to match that $600 again (and hopefully exceed it!) So all three of my Blogger’s Guides (plus the combined pack) are half price again.

That means:

• $14.50 (instead of $29) for each individual Guide
• $28.50 (instead of $57) for the three-pack of Guides

I only run a half-price sale once a year, so if you don’t want to wait 12 months, grab them up now!

The sale will end on midnight (Pacific time) on Sunday December 11th – that’s 8am on my birthday, Monday 12th, in the UK.

Note: if you’d prefer to pay in GBP, use the donation button at the bottom of the page. Thanks!

Get Your Blogger’s Guides Today…

 $28.50 for all three

or

$14.50 each

The Blogger’s Guide to Freelancing will teach you how to:

• Make real money from your blogging – today, not in a three year’s time
• Write great job applications – so that you stand out from the crowd
• Get paid on time – because you don’t want to lose out on the money you’ve earned
• Come up with great ideas – even when you’re on deadline
• Market yourself through your website and social media – so that jobs come to you

..

The Blogger’s Guide to Effective Writing will teach you how to:

• Construct great blog posts – easy to write, engaging to read
• Write for the web – using tried-and-tested techniques
• Produce different types of post, like reviews and lists, to keep your blog interesting
• Revise, edit and proof-read your posts – so that your content grabs and keeps attention
• Develop your blogging voice, to turn casual readers into lifelong fans

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The Blogger’s Guide to Irresistible Ebooks will teach you how to:

• Come up with an ebook idea that you know your readers will love
• Get to grips with outlining, planning and structuring – so that your ebook is easy to write
• Stay motivated over the long-haul – because you want to finish your ebook
• Polish up your ebook so that it’s easy for readers to engage with
• Sell your ebook online, in simple steps – because it’s easier than you think

Prefer to Donate?

If you’d like to make a donation, instead of or as well as buying the ebooks, you can do that by clicking here.

If you want to buy the ebooks in GBP (£) then it’s £8.99 for one (please let me know which you want!) or £17.67 for all three.

Donate in USD:

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Every single penny makes a difference to kids who are some of the poorest of the poor. Thanks so much for your support.