I cannot count the number of hours I spent in bookstores growing up. It was my favorite hobby to go to the local bookstore and pull all the books off the shelf about writing and becoming a published author.

All I ever wanted to be was an author and that’s mainly because my grandmother told me I could become one. When someone you love tells you you’re capable, you’ll do anything to prove them right.

I would spend hours Googling agents and sample query letters. I tried my hardest to equip myself for that fateful day when it would be time to write the book. I didn’t know at the time that it was up to me to sit down and just start. I had to push aside any hope of being a bestseller and put my focus on the only thing I could control: becoming a writer of books. 

Here’s the thing: no one is going to send you a calendar invite to write a book. In your mind, there may always be another excuse as to why “right now” isn’t the right time. Ask me how I know this and I will tell you every excuse I made before I began writing my own books. I blamed time. I blamed other commitments. I didn’t realize I was standing in my own way and that the real hurdle I had to get over was fear.

Fear that my voice didn’t matter.

Fear that I couldn’t make a difference.

Fear of failing and falling flat on my face in front of other people.

When it came time to write my first book, the process looked NOTHING like I imagined it would. The first day was exhilarating and then, from that point forward, it became hard.

Sitting down each day to write = hard.

Sitting down when you don’t feel inspired = hard. 

Sitting down to hash out your own ugly thoughts for an hour or two= hard. 

If you’ve felt any or all of these things then welcome to the club! You’re not alone! You’re human. More than that, you’re a writer. 

The misconception is that you will always feel on top of the world while writing and that the inspiration will simply “show up” for you. The truth? Writing a book is one of the hardest processes you’ll ever endure but it will change you. It will teach you things about yourself you didn’t know before. It will produce a stamina in you that nothing else in this entire world will ever be able to match.

…

Now that I have written two books, and will be working on my first fiction novel this coming November, I am taking on a new role. I am no longer just an author, I am a cheerleader. A coach. Someone who wants to come alongside you and help you get that first or second book down onto the page. Whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, memoir or mystery, I’m on your team.

On Saturday, November 4 I will be hosting & teaching my annual book-writing course to all who are ready to take the next big step and come learn with me. This 3-hour intensive is going down in cyberspace so you can wear pajamas or a prom dress. Brew a cup of coffee, grab a notebook, and let’s roll out!

Whether you want to complete the challenge in 2017 or start strong in 2018, this course is for the people who want to make this next year the Year of the Book. No more excuses. Just words. Lots and lots of words.

THIS CLASS COVERS:

• The difference between book writing & blog writing.
• Making time to write.
• Overcoming the fear of putting yourself out there.
• The discipline of writing over 40,000 words: training for a marathon.
• Accountability: why you need it and how to get it.
• The bones of a book proposal.
• A look at the publishing industry.
• Why you need a platform.
• Querying and finding an agent that matches your needs.

YOU GET:

• Access to the live class on November 4, 2017
• Extended Q & A
• A recording of the class
• The Year of the Book workbook & resources
• Access to a Facebook alumni group

It doesn’t matter where you are in this process of writing a book. This course is for the following people:

• People who know they want to write a book one day but don’t know where to start.
• People who dream of writing a book “someday” but they are using “someday” as an excuse to never start.
• People who have an outline they deem to be crappy and not good enough.
• People who give up on writing said book every 5 minutes because they feel like they’re not good enough.
• People who want to know they’re not alone and need a solid community of other writers.
• People who are halfway through the marathon of writing a book or people who are near the finish line.
• People who desire to know more about the publication process and the differences between self-publishing & traditional publishing.

I only offer this class once a year and it will be guaranteed to look different next November. If the day conflicts with your schedule then consider purchasing the class and watching the recording the following week to catch up with the other students.

I highly recommend this course if you don’t want to fly solo in the process of figuring out how to write it all down or if you feel lost and in need of a map. I promise to rally with you until we use up all the words.

If you have any questions about this course, please leave a comment below and we can chat 🙂

rallying with you,

hb.