Giveaways and conferences and my author series -- oh my!
Fall has been hopping so far, but I planned a little lull between now and the first of the year, and thank goodness! I'm going to put it to good use.
During November, I'll be posting the information about all that I will be offering in 2010 and I cannot wait. Here's the short list:
One of the challenges of growing a writing career offline and online is how to managing all the growth.
One key thing that I've learned: don't try to do everything all the time or it will hurt your health and your ability to stay focused on what you do best.
Thanks to physical therapy, I am almost 100% recovered from a pinched nerve in my neck that was registering electric-pain down my left shoulder and arm in June of this year.
The discomfort didn't initially get my attention. But the eventual pain did. And it's taken a commitment of time, energy, and money to heal. So you can expect my advice in 2010 to be a tad more moderate, balanced, and centered than before. If for no other reason, because I've learned if you ignore your body's signals, you could risk your livelihood...and a whole lot more.
I also feel like many of the social media leaders today are just plain manic and are not setting an example that most writing professionals can or should follow. Don't buy into it. Focus the lion's share of your time on building your own writing career, not merely championing other people's while yours flounders.
My promise for 2010 is that I will never ask you to sacrifice your family time, your health, or your genuine callings to keep up with a pace that is unhealthy, unnatural, or something hardly anyone could imitate.
We all deserve to write our passions and have the successful and sustainable writing careers we've dreamed about. When you build writing skills slowly and steadily and stack success upon success, career growth can be deliberate and steady and your career can mesh with a happy, healthy life.
Mine does. And I am so grateful for it. And for the reminder to keep my advice to others healthy and wise.
Make good things happen,
Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor
Friend me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Fall has been hopping so far, but I planned a little lull between now and the first of the year, and thank goodness! I'm going to put it to good use.
During November, I'll be posting the information about all that I will be offering in 2010 and I cannot wait. Here's the short list:
- A streamlined blog/website/e-zine design
- My usual classes and my new dream teams
- A third book deal? (Here's hoping!)
- Live events like my three-hour platform workshop in January
- Cloning myself (LOL)
One of the challenges of growing a writing career offline and online is how to managing all the growth.
One key thing that I've learned: don't try to do everything all the time or it will hurt your health and your ability to stay focused on what you do best.
Thanks to physical therapy, I am almost 100% recovered from a pinched nerve in my neck that was registering electric-pain down my left shoulder and arm in June of this year.
The discomfort didn't initially get my attention. But the eventual pain did. And it's taken a commitment of time, energy, and money to heal. So you can expect my advice in 2010 to be a tad more moderate, balanced, and centered than before. If for no other reason, because I've learned if you ignore your body's signals, you could risk your livelihood...and a whole lot more.
I also feel like many of the social media leaders today are just plain manic and are not setting an example that most writing professionals can or should follow. Don't buy into it. Focus the lion's share of your time on building your own writing career, not merely championing other people's while yours flounders.
My promise for 2010 is that I will never ask you to sacrifice your family time, your health, or your genuine callings to keep up with a pace that is unhealthy, unnatural, or something hardly anyone could imitate.
We all deserve to write our passions and have the successful and sustainable writing careers we've dreamed about. When you build writing skills slowly and steadily and stack success upon success, career growth can be deliberate and steady and your career can mesh with a happy, healthy life.
Mine does. And I am so grateful for it. And for the reminder to keep my advice to others healthy and wise.
Make good things happen,
Christina Katz
Publisher & Editor
Friend me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Christina,
Thank you for addressing the social media mania and how it takes many writers off-course. Your reminders regarding balance, health and family are testimony that no one can do it all ALL of the time.
I'm amazed so much writing is accomplished these days considering the many distractions writers can be enticed by via an online presence.
Having annual plans and goals are a great way to stay focused on our own personal priorities. Thanks for sharing yours.
I enjoy your posts, so selfishly I'm hoping the scaled back 2010 doesn't mean you'll write less often here.
Wishing you 100% success rate on all of the above!
Debra
Posted by: Debra Marrs | October 23, 2009 at 10:08 AM
When I read, "Focus the lion's share of your time on building your own writing career, not merely championing other people's while yours flounders," I couldn't help turn my head to make sure you weren't sitting in my home office watching me. That stuck me right in the gut Christina! Especially since I just finished writing a book review for a friend that will appear on my blog next week. I'm going to copy/print those sage words and post it next to my laptop so that whenever I'm culled into promoting someone else's book, I pump out a few pages toward completing the one I've been talking about for years!! Thanks for the pointed advice, as always. :)
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=534397243 | October 23, 2009 at 10:39 AM
All so true. I love supporting my friends online, and consider that my way of taking part in the writing community (as well as supporting various blogs, etc) because writing is such an isolating profession.
However, while the bulk of my online interaction is very positive and fun (which is what makes it so much fun to do, LOL), I know I could do a lot of other positive and fun things in that time as well. I guess it's all a matter of balance,
Sam (also did find and follow you on Twitter.:)
Posted by: Samantha Hunter | October 23, 2009 at 10:43 AM