Keep Writing Even If It Seems That No One Is Reading
It’s tough, isn’t it? I know. The process of writing, choosing the perfect words, investing time in research, and not to mention, the tireless editing and revising. Keep writing.
You pour your heart and soul into creating a blog post, article, or book, only to be met with silence. No comments, no likes, and certainly no sign-ups to your mailing list. It leaves you wondering: Is anyone out there? Does anyone care about what I have to say? Keep writing.
It is at moments like these that it becomes crucial that you keep writing, because here’s the truth—someone is reading. Someone is listening. Someone is hearing your words. Even if you can’t see it in the numbers or the comments section, you are making an impact on that one person. And that, my fellow writers, is what truly matters.
Sure, it’s disheartening not to see an avalanche of feedback, but take heart in the knowledge that your words are connecting with at least one individual. You are helping, inspiring, or entertaining that one person. Your unique perspective, experiences, and insights matter to them.
So, the next time you doubt whether anyone is reading or listening, remember the one person who is. Your impact goes beyond the metrics, and that’s something to be proud of.
Thank your readers, whether they are few or one. Consistently show up for them by writing, even when it feels challenging (trust me, I’m still grappling with this too). I have to remind myself all the time that by consistently delivering content, you and I can strengthen our connection with our existing audience and lay the groundwork for reaching more readers in the future.
Dear writers, when you’re tempted to put down the pen or close the laptop, remember that your words matter, and your impact is real. Your readers, be they many or few, appreciate what you bring to their lives. And When motivation wanes, and discouragement tries to sneak in, read this article again and remember: you are making a difference, one reader at a time.
Here’s another article you may find helpful, Don’t Wait to Feel Inspired: Tips to Get You Writing When You Don’t Feel Like It.
#writinginspiration #writingmotivation #keepwriting
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Single Mom’s Guide: Moving to Ghana by Karlene Thompson
Navigating the complexities of international relocation, particularly with children in tow, can be daunting. Karlene Thompson’s “Single Mom’s Guide: Moving to Ghana” chronicles her personal journey of starting anew in Ghana with her two young sons, offering valuable insights for those contemplating a similar new start.
Drawing from her own experiences, Thompson candidly shares the practical steps she took to successfully establish a transformative, happy, and secure home for herself and her children in Ghana.
Thompson’s conversational tone makes the book easily accessible, while detailed checklists guide readers through crucial steps of the relocation process. Topics covered include pre-move planning, passports and visas, financial considerations, housing, healthcare, education, cultural assimilation, and more.
This concise book serves as an indispensable resource for single moms, (and dads too) contemplating a move abroad.
Whether you’re a single mom or dad with a ‘thirst for new experiences and a desire to provide her (your) children with a truly unique upbringing,’ “Single Mom’s Guide: Moving to Ghana” comes highly recommended.
Boost Your Business by Writing a Book
If you run a business, odds are not many people know about you or your business. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as potential clients don’t always need to know your name or your business’s name to find you. There’s a way to boost your business, and that’s by writing a book.
When people require a product, service, or answers to their questions or problems, they generally don’t search for a specific person or company, unless it’s a major corporation. Instead, they turn to the internet, using search engines to type in their queries.
That’s exactly what I did when I sought information on international travel tips and staying healthy while on the road. My intention was to share this valuable information with our clients through blog posts and articles.
Position yourself as an expert
Searching online led me to “Travel 911: A Health Guide for Adventurers,” a book authored by Dr. Yvette McQueen. I was impressed by the wealth of professional insights she provided. It gave me exactly what I needed.
Only upon finishing the book did I realize that Dr. McQueen is not just a physician but also the owner of a business offering consulting, coaching, and travel medical services for individuals, groups, tour guides, and tour operators, both nationally and internationally.
Remember, I didn’t purchase the book because I knew her or her business. I had no prior knowledge of her name or her business. I bought the book because it directly addressed and answered my questions, effectively solving my problem. “Travel 911: A Health Guide for Adventurers” is a prime example of how writing a book can help boost your business.
Provide value and mention your business at the end
The primary objective when writing your book is to provide your clients and potential clients with valuable information, tools, answers, and solutions based on your knowledge, experience, and passion. Sales and royalties from the book aren’t the top priorities; meeting your audience’s needs is.
After reading Dr. McQueen’s book, I checked out her website and the services she offers. Now, I’m considering working with her in the future. If I hadn’t searched for travel tips online, I would never have discovered Dr. McQueen and her business. By crafting a book that showcases her expertise and briefly mentioning her business at the end, she managed to reach many more potential clients than traditional paid advertisements or other methods.
So, why not start writing your book today? You already have the content at your fingertips. Create a valuable marketing tool – write your book!
If this post has been helpful, join my email list today and get your free Write a Book to Promote Your Business: A Writing Strategy Guide to Help You Get Started, and check out my other article, Write a Book to Promote Your Business
See Like a Writer & Write About What You See
Stuck on what to write about and suffering from writer’s block? Then here’s an antidote that might help. Give yourself permission to take time out to look around you. Take a walk. There are writing ideas all over the place. Look around you and be inspired by people, landscapes, objects, animals … the list is endless.
A writer sees beyond face value. The landscape itself holds an abundance of stories. Some people walk by a bush and see a bush. A fiction writer walks by that same bush and sees something looking out back at him. Others imagine what happened around that bush, or wonder about the wee people that call the bush home, or the spirits that once inhabited the branches and roots and endowed it with magic.
Or perhaps the imagination leads a writer to weave stories around the lives of the countless people who walked past that bush during the week, or maybe they think about the unseen ones that have also walked past that same bush. The people we never ever see.
Same scene, different writers, and separate stories.
A nonfiction writer looks at the bush and notices how the plant is growing, where it is growing and why. And what is that plant, its name, they wonder? What are its properties. What is it used for? Is it beneficial to humanity. They see past first glances and notice such things such as color, fruit, if any, shape of leaves, veins, serrated or rounded edges, and all sorts of other questions begin to wind themselves around the brain. Is the plant friendly or hostile or afraid and defensive?
So same bush, different writers and separate unique perspectives, narratives and stories.
Think like the writer that you are. The inspiration for stories abounds, even in fruits and vegetables. Here is one my personal experiences.
Inspired by palm kernels
Gazing upon a bunch of palm nuts one afternoon, the deep rich orangey-red and brown color of the flesh of each palm kernel captivated me. I found myself asking, why does it grow the way it does? I looked at it and marveled, Wow! Look at nature’s beauty in the heart shape of the prickly bunch of palm fruit. It’s heart shape heart led me to thoughts about love and specifically, to the love of The Creator who provides such good food for us.
That’s how writers think when they see, and then they get to work. Writing. Creating.
In my example, I could write about the nature of this plant and delve into everything about palm kernels, palm trees, cultivation, benefits, how to make palm oil, effect of palm tree plantations on the environment, cooking with palm oil, recipes, and so on.
Or, I could take a more philosophical approach and write about the bounty of nature, the importance of taking care of what we have been endowed with, and spiritual matters about God’s creations.
And still yet, I could weave a story about the caretakers of the forest, real or imagined, who reside among and within palm trees.
You see? Writers, published or not, can’t help themselves. They see and write.
It’s natural. They’re always thinking of writing, even if not consciously; observing all the time and writing stories in their mind. How many times has it happened to you? You’re reading something and find yourself changing the scenery in your mind, or re-writing the dialogue, or re-imagining the story going this way, or that way?
So those things are little bits of inspiration for you. Just look all around you and wonder.
I guess that’s it really – curiosity and wonder are crucial to inspiration.
Save this article and the next time you get stuck, read it again and then give yourself permission to take a walk. Look around you and be inspired.
If you have enjoyed reading this post and found it helpful, you might be interested in reading my other articles, Don’t Wait To Feel Inspired: Tips to Get You Writing When You Don’t Feel Like It and Not Sure What To Write About, Then You’ve Missed A Step and Why Writing By Hand First Can Help You Write Better.
Don’t Wait To Feel Inspired: Tips to Get You Writing When You Don’t Feel Like It
When it comes to writing, don’t wait to feel inspired.
If you wait to write only when you feel inspired, then you won’t finish. At best, it will take you much longer to write that paper, report, article, blog post or book you are trying to write.
Waiting to feel inspired is just not going to work, especially if you are, or want to be, a professional writer, or if writing is a large part of your livelihood and the way you make some income.
Here are some quotes and tips to get you writing again when you feel least inspired.
“I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.”
~ Pearl S. Buck
Writing is hard work. Think of your writing as a job and you are the employee. You are accountable to your employer by the end of the day. The only difference here is that you are the employer and as such, you should expect your employee to do the work that you are paying them to do.
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
~ Stephen King
The answer sounds easy, just go ahead and put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard and write. But that’s easier said than done.
We all have those moments when we just sit and stare and wait for inspiration that doesn’t seem to come. Here are some common reasons that stop people from writing, and suggestions on how to overcome inertia and get the words flowing again.
You’re not sure what to write about.
“Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five of six of them. Most people don’t see any.”
~ Orson Scott Card
If you are stuck on what to write about, think about why you wanted to write whatever you are writing about in the first place. Why are you writing this blog post, this article, this report, or this book? Write down why you are writing it as if you are telling someone about it. Just keep going. This exercise will generate more topics or plot idea as you follow through on this. As you continue with your written conversation with yourself, keep thinking of who you are writing for.
You know what you want to write about, but you’re just not sure how to keep going.
“Address the people you seek, and them only.”
~ Claude C. Hopkins
The solution to this problem goes back to remembering who you are writing for – your ideal reader. If you were your ideal reader, what would you want to know? And in what order do you want the story or the information to flow? Write for yourself as your ideal reader.
If the words still don’t flow, take a break. Go for a walk, exercise, or read a book. After 30 minutes, get back to work. Read over the last five pages you have written and be inspired by your own writing. You are jump starting from your own words.
If that still doesn’t work, start writing anything. Write. Tell your ideal readers what you just did. Tell them about what you just read, or something about the walk you took. You can even write about not feeling inspired to write.
A strange thing begins to happen as you share your thoughts with your readers in this exercise. You are giving your brain a chance to get back into the creating mode. The cobwebs clear and the inertia begins to fade. Your thoughts start flowing again and before long, you are back to writing.
You feel uncertain that you know enough compared to what others are doing. You are discouraged.
“The most important thing in writing is to have written. I can always fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank one.”
~ Nora Roberts
Don’t fall for this fallacy, often referred to these days as “imposter syndrome.” Don’t compare yourself to others. Tell yourself, if they can do it, so can you. Believe that you are unique and so is your voice. No-one else can write the way that you write. Your voice, style, expertise and experience are uniquely yours.
You’re not sure that anyone is interested in the stories you want to tell, or the information you want to share.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
~Maya Angelou
This goes back to remembering who you are writing for – your ideal reader. Your ideal reader wants to hear from you, and that ideal reader could be one or could be thousands. It does not matter. Write for that one reader who wants to hear from you and give that reader your all. Imagine that one person who needs to hear from you and looks up to you to tell the story or impart the information that only you can provide.
All writers experience these feelings at one time or another. But the important thing is to just keep going. It is the only way to finish. I will end with these final quotes:
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
~ Louis L’Armour
“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”
~ Richard Bach
If you have enjoyed reading this post and found it helpful, you might be interested in reading my other articles, Not Sure What To Write About, Then You’ve Missed A Step and Why Writing By Hand First Can Help You Write Better.
Testimonials
Late last year, I was seeking an editor to help out with my cookbook. After searching for countless months, I finally reached out to Mary Oluonye in hopes that she would be able to assist me.
Though this was Mary’s first time editing a cookbook, She has experience in editing numerous books in all genres and I knew she would be the woman for the job. Mary did tons of research on how cookbooks were written and she came up with the game plan of how we should move forward.
During the editing process, Mary was very hands on. She made everything so seamless and easy going. When giving feedback, she always suggested edits and didn’t make me feel forced to use her suggestions. Mary also had very descriptive and detailed notes. She welcomed questions and would always clarify things if I was confused.
Mary made me feel VERY comfortable and I felt like we were ALWAYS on the same page. She had the best ideas and really helped my book come to life. If you are looking for a great editor, I highly recommend Mary Oluonye. You won’t go wrong.
–DawnDra L.
Mary has edited my writings about three or four times, and in all occasions came up super.
It was as if my writings were given a new life. A rebirth. Mary understood the concept deeper than I did and came up with just the right words. Mary’s editing does not change the original flavour. It simply adds value (spices) to it. Mary is flexible. She advises on invaluable and practical options. So far, Mary is my idol when it comes to editing.
-Sam B.
Coming up with lots of ideas and putting them on paper seemed easy to me at first. However, it takes more than just one person to make a piece of writing stand out.
Fortunately for me, I had met Miss Mary Oluonye who not only gave me good advice to take with me on my writing journey, but also motivated me to do my best and never give up no matter what. Thanks to her, having trouble with writing my novels and poems have been a thing of a past and anyone would never regret having her as a mentor.
– Selasi A. (Teen Writer)
It’s no exaggeration, working with Madam Mary Oluonye is like having a human guardian angel for company.
With an amazing zest that equals passion, she walks through your works connecting the dots that links to the possible emotions that influenced each word, sentence and paragraph which enhances her ability to step in through the doors of your inspirations source.
Her intense effort to limit all possible grammatical or typographical errors on your scripts, always afford her the psychological ability to detect each deviation of your moods on your work, even sentences that has less energy with other parts of your work or paragraphs in seeming discordance with your earlier literary intention do not escaper her instincts.
In all maturity and expertise, she will communicate this to you in her editorial report that comes with subtle suggestions that humbly points out to you what she felt intuitively, this re-energizes our authors to make the effort in balancing their literary expression.
Her intense concentration on manuscripts gives our authors a good feeling, knowing that they have her to scrutinize not just their words and tenses, but the coherence of their energies in their delivery has endeared her to all of them.
She also doesn’t miss out in advising you on what is possible within the gambits of the law on plagiarism, image rights and other artistic contents that come with making a perfect book.
We are grateful for having her as our first point of call in every of our editorial needs.
–Cookey Iwuoha, Co- founder Bibiani Consult and Bibiani Books
Editing Process
If you’re writing a book or any other type of document that you want to publish, then having your work edited is a must.
When many beginning writers think about the editing process, they believe it only involves reading and catching typos, spelling errors, formatting issues, etc. This level of checking falls under the scope of proofreading which is actually the final step in the pre-publication process. Much more editing needs to happen before you get to the proofreading stage.
To get the most out of the editing process, your work should be edited at these levels and in this order
- Developmental Editing: An examination of the foundation of your manuscript.
- Line Editing: A closer look at the building blocks of the foundation of your manuscript.
- Copy Editing: A focused look at the smaller, mechanical details of the building blocks of
your manuscript.
Two other parts of the pre-publication process are:
- Manuscript Evaluation: An overall assessment of your manuscript with a focus on what is working and what is not. The assessment lets you know if you are on the right track. If you have a completed manuscript or book proposal (for nonfiction), I recommend you start with a Manuscript Evaluation.
- Proofreading: The last stage in the pre-publication journey and should be done after all other editing is completed and revisions have been made. It is the last chance to catch any missed mistakes such as typos and formatting issues. If you are being published by a traditional publisher, you won’t have to worry about this stage. The publisher will take care of it in-house.
Here’s the big takeaway
Whether you intend to submit your manuscript to a literary agent or a publisher, or you intend to
publish it yourself, it is imperative that you submit your best work, and that means you must
have it edited.
Ready To Quit Your Job and Become Your Own Boss?
Before you do that, read “two weeks notice” by Amy Porterfield
Do you wake up too many mornings thinking that you just don’t want to keep on doing what you have been doing? Quitting comes to mind. You want to become your own boss. But are you ready?
You’re envisioning taking more control of your work and career by starting your own part-time or full-time business. The more you think of it, the more certain you are about becoming your own boss, but you’re just not sure how to get started.
Perhaps you’re a writer like me, and want to take your writing to another level by diversifying what you offer and creating additional income.
No matter what the business you’re thinking of starting, I highly recommend that you begin by reading Amy Porterfield’s book, two weeks notice: Find the courage to quit your job, make more money, work where you want, and change the world.
But hold on! Before you hand in your two weeks notice, please read Amy’s book first.
Yes, I am promoting this book and here’s why. I am a writer, editor and business owner. I want to take my writing and editing business to a higher level, but I am terrible at marketing. I just don’t know enough. I should be more successful than I am, and I know it’s because I am terrible at online marketing.
I want to become better at being my own boss.
Enter Amy Porterfield. She is an undisputed master of online marketing. Check out her top-rated podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy.
I attended some of her free online webinars and was impressed with the knowledge, energy and passion she brought to every session, along with her signature humor and authentic desire to help others succeed. I was equally impressed by the fact that she stayed online with attendees until every question was answered.
She always over-delivered and had plenty of stories to illustrate topics she covered, as well as several scripts that attendees could swipe and make their own. Kind, encouraging and always smiling, by the end of her sessions, attendees and students are left feeling that Amy is a friend who has your back.
After attending one of her free bootcamps on how to start an online business, I decided to take her courses. Since then, I find myself going back to her teachings over and over again. Doing so refreshes my thoughts and keeps me motivated to keep going.
But, could she impart her personality and brand into a book?
Because she teaches on video and students get to see and interact with her in a visual way, I wondered if, or how, she would be able to translate all of her knowledge, as well as her personality and brand into a book. After all, there are some things that are really difficult to feel, or get a sense of, without seeing.
But somehow she did it. And here’s the thing. The book is not even that long, at 277 pages, but Amy has been able to infuse her book with that same enthusiasm, with that same passion, and that same wealth of knowledge.
It’s pretty amazing, given that this is her first book. What’s also amazing to me is that despite her multi-million dollar success, and with all that she has accomplished in her business, she admits she still had a bit of doubt and fear that she could actually write a book about the business she is a master of.
In her book, Amy shares the ups and downs of starting and growing her business. She is very honest about the fears, stumbling blocks, mistakes, crying fits, embarrassments that she faced along the way to creating a very successful business.
We have all felt those things one time or another, right? When you begin to think of starting a business, there’s going to be fear, uncertainty, and looking at others to see if you can possibly be as good as they are, called imposter syndrome, these days.
Still, I was surprised that Amy admitted to feeling uncertain about writing a book about a business that she excels in. She shares this to show how normal it is to feel this way, but she also shows you what she did to overcome and push through that feeling.
Here’s my best advice.
If you are ready to start your own business, my best advice is to start by reading two weeks notice. It’s an excellent, practical guide to get you started. You’ll learn what you need to have in place before handing in your two weeks notice.
Amy has been where you are now, and where you want to be. She breaks it all down in a friendly, conversational way. You’ll get scripts and examples to follow to reach your goal. At the same time, you’ll get strategies that will help you overcome the hurdles that will undoubtedly come your way.
And you’ll feel that she believes in you and is holding your hand as she guides you to success. Like a friend who “has your back.”
It all begins with a single thought. If you are reading this, then I know you are already thinking of taking charge and becoming your own boss.
Be motivated, gain confidence and save yourself time and money. Order your copy of two weeks notice today. You won’t be disappointed.
If you have enjoyed reading this article, or found it helpful, you might be interested in these other articles of mine. Write a Book to Promote Your Business and Think You Can’t Do Something? Think again.
I write about writing, editing, entrepreneurship, self-improvement and travel. I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter! When you join, we’re able to stay in touch, and I’ll send you weekly articles, resources and more, to take your writing to the next level. Subscribe!
When To Write A Book To Promote Your Business
Writing a book is one of the most effective ways to promote or market your business.
You can write it yourself, or you can work with a book coach to help you write it, or you can hire a ghostwriter to write the whole thing for you.
You already have a niche audience who wants to hear from you
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why writing a book to promote your business is a good idea.
Think about it. If you own your business, then you already have experience and expertise in your field. When you write a book about the business you’re in, all you are doing is sharing your wealth of knowledge with your readers.
Your ideal readers are the people who are interested in the types of products or services that your business offers. They are your present and future clients or customers.
As a published author and entrepreneur, you will be perceived as a credible expert in your field and stand out from your competitors.
You’ll reach a wider audience of potential clients or customers.
Writing a book to promote your business can lead to other lucrative opportunities. Someone who reads your book – an individual, or company CEO – may get in touch with you to purchase your book in bulk for their employees.
You may be invited to speak at an event, or perhaps become a consultant for a multinational firm or to appear on tv shows or podcasts.
When your readers consider purchasing products or services from businesses like yours, they will remember you.
And finally, you have the opportunity to add your company story and contact information at the end of the book.
Here’s my story
I’m a writer and an editor. I edit fiction and non-fiction children’s books across all genres and formats, from picture books to teen/young adult. I also edit nonfiction books for adults.
But, I am also in the travel business and co-own a travel and tour operator company based in Ghana and the USA.
In 2017, I noticed that an increasing number of African Americans were considering moving to Ghana. Since I’m very familiar with much of the country and live in Ghana for at least half of the year, I decided to write a book about what it’s like to move to Ghana.
What better way to combine my experience, knowledge, research skills and love of Ghana than to write a book.
In 2018, I wrote and published, “Moving to Ghana: The Essential Things You Need To Know.” I used the book to share what I know about life in Ghana. My focus was on delivering the valuable information my readers wanted and needed.
My ideal readers are people considering moving to Ghana. I had a clearly defined audience that I was writing for. My ideal readers are also our ideal travel clients.
What I didn’t do was write a book to promote my business. I just wanted to be there for them, and to answer the questions they had and offer solutions.
I wanted to establish myself and our company as a “go-to” source of information and assistance for whenever they were ready to travel or move to Ghana.
By writing a book, our company gained visibility, and stood out as credible and knowledgeable about traveling to Ghana and possibly making it a new home.
So back to you. What business are you in?
What business are you in? Think about what you do and how your business helps your customers. What do people want to know about the business your are in and the services and products it offers. What are your clients’ issues or frustrations? What do they really want? What do they need to know?
Now look at what you do. What can you share with your customers that they would really love to know, or would be helpful for them to know?
Your answers may just be the starting point you need to get started on writing a book to promote your business.
With the ease of self-publishing today, you can write and publish a book, promote your business and position yourself as an expert in your field.
You can do it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
#writing #writingtips #businesswriting
Ready to get started? Join my email list today and grab your copy of Write a Book to Promote Your Business Writing Strategy Guide.
Not Sure What To Write, Then You’ve Missed A Step
You’re ready to write, but all of a sudden, you’re not exactly sure of what to write about, or how to start.
Writer’s Block.
Has that ever happened to you? If it has, then it means you might have missed an important step.
Whether you’re an author writing a book.
Or perhaps you’re a business owner writing a company product or service guide.
Or an employee assigned the task of writing a departmental report.
Or a manager of a nonprofit organization and writing a grant proposal.
Here you have several different writers, but they all have the same problem.
They’re all struggling with the same scenario, sitting at their desks and ready to write. They each have a general idea of what they need to cover, but they are just not sure how to get started.
Sound familiar?
You stare at the blank screen or the pristine white page, but the words don’t come.
The words don’t come because you’ve missed something critical.
Who are you writing for?
The words don’t come, and here’s why.
You have not yet narrowed down who you are writing for. You have to be specific about this.
When you don’t know who your ideal reader is, then you won’t know what to say to them, or how.
Before you write, you have to decide who your reader is and then you’re going to get into their minds and become crystal clear on what they want to know from you. Only then will you be able to write to them.
Once you have identified your ideal reader and keep them in mind as you start to write, you’ll feel the frustration ebb and the words begin to flow.
And in no time at all, you will have written that book, guide, report or proposal.
Know your reader.
