7 THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT WRITING A BOOK

by Brenda A. White

I started writing as a hobby during my teen years. I became more serious in 2000 and I published my first novel in March 2010 and man oh man, have I learned a lot about writing since then and I’m still learning. With a high school diploma, two degrees, and a boatload of experience under my belt, I thought this journey would be fairly easy. It’s not! Even with a passion for writing, it's not! It requires a lot of additional learning and focus. Thank God I'm a life-long learner, because I love this stuff!

At every book signing or speaking event, people ask for advice on how to start writing. There are many ways to get started, but here are seven things that I've learned and will hopefully get you started:

1.   Read. Watch movies. Read a lot, books in your genre, books outside of your genre.

2.   Take writing classes/workshops so you can learn with and from other people, but do not copy another author’s work.

3.   Invest in your craft. Get a Writing Coach.

4.   Determine your own style to write and flow with it. Just write, don’t edit while you’re writing, you’ll waste too much time. Throw all the words on the page while your thoughts are fresh. You can go back and fix it later. I’m still learning this…

5.   Give your editor the best draft possible. Editors are human and they can miss things, too. So you need to go through at least four drafts before they get it, including one where you read it out loud.

6.   Understand that there are different levels to this professional editing thing (Copy, Content, Proofreading) Make sure you understand what comes with the quoted price from an editor.

7.   Typesetting is tedious. Pay someone else to do it. I’ve moved on to the next book while the typesetting process is happening.

There’s so much more to publishing and so many options out there... Self-publishing, vanity publishing, Amazon, ISBN #s, Barcodes, cover design, marketing, etc.

Where are you in your writing journey? Drop a note below and let me know.

7 Pearls to Manage Your Personal Brand

7 Pearls to Manage Your Personal Brand

Published in The Church Without Walls Mosaic Women's Maglendar 2016 

by Brenda A. White

Heyyy! How you doin’?  I have a question for you. Are you who God called you to be or are you who you’ve learned to be? Each of us has a unique value, a God-given talent, and identity; that thing that we have and the way we do it like no one else. Just like going to one of the popular painting parties, everyone is charged with painting the same picture but in the end, not one is the same. Psalms 139:13-14 says For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Yep! You are just that good! You have to believe that.  Who you are at your core is how God designed you. You need to understand what that is for you and you need to be clear about it. For example, in my office I’m known as a coach, motivator, creative individual, a good listener, a leader who will ask all the right questions to get you to your answer, and one who influences results. I make adjustments in my behavior and style depending on my audience to get the most out of the situation. I never planned to be that person. I am just that person at my core.  I can’t help it. I find it easier to be authentic because I’d forget to be anything different. Among my family and friends, I’m many different things but still some of the same things I am at work… the coach, the motivator, the listener. I’m known to shop for a good, comfortable pair of stilettos; I enjoy sports and the company of books, bags, and journals. I’m also known by a few leading statements, “I was thinking…” and “You should…” which often leads to widened eyes and I guess, heart palpitations because they know a challenge toward their dream is coming.

Personal branding has a long tail with lots of information and studies on the market; I am exploring just a small portion from my personal experiences. I want to help you get moving and understand your personal brand, understand what people experience when they interact with you, because building effective and productive relationships with others is essential in managing your personal brand. Getting quality feedback is extremely important, so ask someone whom you trust, who knows you well, and will tell you the absolute truth while ensuring they do not dictate who you should be, but rather how they experience you. How do you want to impact those around you? Take a moment and think about these things: What are your strengths? What are your abilities? What are you good at? What are you passionate about? What do you desire? What drives you? What motivates you? What are your relationships like with your family, friends, and colleagues? How do you show up physically and mentally at work, play, church, and school? How effective are you when you show up that way? Do you have a mentor? Do you have a sponsor, that person who’s at the table and champions decisions on your behalf? Lastly, what area of the market (career, church, and community) needs you?

Understanding the answers to these questions is paramount and will get you on your way to understanding how God designed you into the goodness that you are. I assure you it will bring you more joy, happiness, and success than you could ever imagine.

My prayer is that you, a Mosaic Woman will:

1.   Be uniquely you, authentic -- God designed you just the way He wanted you.

2.   Know your value-add, leverage your strengths, learn more about yourself, ask for quality feedback, and act on it.

3.   Know your passion and your purpose – why you’re here and who you’re serving.

4.   Step up to stand out in personal appearance, written and verbal communication, and tell your own story.

5.   Offer a strong first experience – be genuine, be intentional, listen emphatically.

6.   Pray and ask God to show you who you are and what He wants to do in your life.

7.   Document your plan of action and execute it well.

Again, I ask, are you who God called you to be or are you who you’ve learned to be?

Let’s talk about it…