Investments
Note: None of the content to follow is sponsored!
Lately, I've decided to do something I've never done before: Investing in myself as an author and as a publisher. By this, I mean dropping a few bucks on programs and courses that might facilitate the writing and publishing process, rather than exclusively resting all of my weight on the free content available online.
Now, there's nothing wrong with relying on free content online. I think the only qualm I have with it is that 1) There's a glut of information available, which can be overwhelming (and hard to vet for accuracy), and 2) It's often outdated information.
The latter is the larger concern, obviously. And as somebody with an absurdly short attention span, I just don't have the time or patience to fact-check everything I come across online — which is why I've ultimately decided to make a few investments! If you're interested in doing the same, this blog post is for you.
The first investment I've made is in my friend, Bethany Atazadeh's "Secrets to Self-Publishing Success" course (which was co-created with none other than Jessica Brody — author of Save the Cat! Writes A Novel).
This is a subscription-based course that only costs $15 a month, which appeals greatly to my commitment issues (in that I can cancel at any time). It also is loaded with content upfront, so that first payment will definitely be worth it!
Here's a glimpse of what this course has to offer right away:
I'll report back on my overall experience with this course later, but I know Bethany is insanely meticulous about the content she creates, and I know this will not disappoint! Plus, she's had a lot of self-publishing success over the last four years, and has co-created the course with Jessica Brody, who's also very reputable.
Stay tuned for more on my experience with this! (Or give it a try now, if you're interested. All enrollment info can be found on Bethany's Instagram page @authorbethanyatazadeh.)
Now, let's shift gears! Instead of publishing, let's discuss the act of writing itself. Every time the Writerverse gets together to enjoy a few word sprints, I've noticed that I always spend the first sprint just getting myself together — settling into my story world, directing my mind away from my external life and training it to focus on my fictional one, etc.
Unfortunately, though, this doesn't often work. My mind sometimes demands that in order to focus, I've got to complete a series of tasks to prevent them from distracting me — and in a world where those tasks are never ending, this can be quite problematic. So, when KA Emmons (check out @lonehawauthor on Instagram) began promoting her new meditation-based course, Writers Reset 7-Day Meditative Journey, I knew I had to give it a try.
Now, quick disclaimer: I have been meditating for going on six years. Meditation has been truly life-changing for me. It's something I began accidentally back in 2016 — and something that accidentally made its way into my day to day life ever since. If you've never meditated, it absolutely is worth a try, and this course could be a great place to begin your journey!
KA Emmons's approach to this course is perfect for those of us who are seasoned meditators and those who are completely new to the practice. I've enjoyed using her course to help me settle into the mindset of writing. And FYI: There's a lot of scientific evidence supporting the link between meditation and more effective creative writing — so I suggest going down that rabbit hole if you're interested!
The full course is only $25 for lifetime access, but if you're still not quite sure as to whether or not this course is for you, consider checking out Katie's YouTube channel, where she's made several free meditations available.
Anyway, that's all I've got for you today! If you end up in enrolling in either of these courses, definitely let me know! I'd love to discuss our experiences.
— AV