Delight Three People Today AND Change a Life

Make someone feel like THIS today!

Quick, think of three women in your life that you would love to delight today. Maybe your Mom, sister, aunt, girlfriend, friend, cousin, co-worker, fiance, mentor? Okay, now which of those are book lovers? Eureka! Now keep those three people in mind as you read on.

Since publishing my debut novel, Couple Friends, several of my friends and family members have made me giddy with joy when I found out that they gifted copies of my book to their friends and family. You would think that the $2.99 (well, $8.97 since they gifted three copies) they spent was like putting bricks of gold directly in my pockets the way this made me feel. I guess because it's a form of validation; they enjoyed the book so much and believe in me enough that they wanted to share it with others, and not just by word of mouth, but by actually putting their money where their mouths are. Their gifts say to the recipients, "Okay, seriously, you've GOT to read this book."

The cold, hard truth is that the first months immediately after publication make or break a title. It could be well-written, fun, thought-provoking, whatever, and it doesn't matter if not enough people hear about it and in turn purchase it. Read more about the importance of the crucial initial months in Jody Hedlund's post When You Should Stop Marketing a Book (hint: the moment you do, the moment your sales will cease).

And I lied. You won't be just delighting the three people you thought about by gifting them a copy of my book for a grand total of $8.97. You may also change my life. I don't mean to be dramatic about this, but the truth is, I have no idea what the future holds. I've given up a steady paycheck, health care, and retirement savings and bet everything on my writing career. This bold (some would argue stupid) decision has been the hardest of my life--straining relationships, our bank account, and my sanity. Yet, I wouldn't trade it for the world and no matter where this path leads (even if that path is to Thailand to live in a remote house for $5 a day--this is actually our backup plan when our lease is up in May!), I will never regret the decision I made to go after my calling and passion.

What have you had to give up to go after your dreams? What would you give up to pursue your calling and passion?

Don't forget, the $2.99 introductory price of Couple Friends ends Sunday, September 23 at midnight. And please leave a review on Amazon for any book you have ever loved. This is the #1 free, easy way to help make a book a success.

Kicking It Into High Gear!

So finally have my novel ready for publication and my fiction website up and running, which means I can refocus on this site a little and clarify my focus. So, this blog will now be all about my "day job" aka freelance writing, social media management, and then of course anything fun and inspiring I run across that is career (or more specifically, dream-chasing) related.

Thanks for your patience during this crazy time. I look forward to getting back to connecting with all of you and catching up!

Come on over and see what my new site is all about at www.shawndrarussell.com. You can also share a crazy, funny, or scandalous couple friends story to be entered to win a copy of my debut novel, Couple Friends! That's the cover above--original artwork by Lowell Aromin.

My Writing Mentor, Nora Ephron

I was rocked when early tonight I discovered my writing mentor above all others passed away. Nora Ephron wrote heartwarming, poignant, and honest words that translated into films, essays, plays, novels, and television shows that break us down but also lift us up.

I immediately went to find my favorite movie, When Harry Met Sally, and plan to watch it now to honor her in my own small, weird tribute as I nurse a beer and shed tears for a woman who touched me in so many ways.

On a day when I needed reminded about what truly matters, Nora once again came through albeit under unwelcome circumstances. Although I always hoped I would run into her in New York, I will have to instead dive into her words for solace and inspiration.

Thank you for living your life with passion, purpose, and most of all, humor. You will be sorely missed, and I wouldn't be a writer today without your words.

Carpe diem.

#15Habits Day 8 with Jeff Goins: The Difference Between Starting and Building

This post made me do something I have been putting off for too long: contacting Bookbaby with my questions about their services. I have a nearly-ready novel that I want to self-publish, but I have no interest in formatting or distributing it. Plus, you can order print copies from them which is one of the gifts that some of my Kickstarter backers will receive. Sounds almost perfect (and worth the fees).

Although I know *some* things about Bookbaby (and a few similar services), I have been putting off asking direct questions because I just want to get my book 100% ready then deal with that aspect of the process. But, this assignment made me "finish" something that has been nagging me for quite some time.

I feel better already. Thanks Jeff.

#15Habits Day 7 with Jeff Goins: Great Writers Start Ugly

I couldn't agree with Jeff's suggestion of "starting ugly." When I used to teach high school English, my students would painfully try to eek out perfect words and sentences for the first draft because they just wanted to be done with it.

In turn, they absolutely hated the writing process and usually had to do 2-3 rewrites anyway based on my comments and suggestions (boy, did they used to seethe when I returned their "drafts" that they though were final copies!).

I have spoken with a lot of writers that do the same thing. Where in the world did so many of us get the idea that you can create a perfect first draft? Maybe because we fear failure and see an ugly first draft as a failed attempt?

I wrote about how "writing ugly" helps me have mega production days on Denice Hazlett's site.

What's your highest word count day to date? Pick out a weekend day or upcoming day off and see how many words you can put down when you let yourself write ugly. You'll be shocked--I know I was!

#15Habits Day 5 with Jeff Goins: How Great Writers Prepare for Big Projects

I sort of did this assignment yesterday: shipped aka published or shared something publicly yesterday. So, I thought I would toss out my newest interest and see if y'all think it's something worth pursuing as my "ship:"

Live Event Correspondent

I have "live-tweeted" several events in the past including Geekend, Savannah Stopover, Writer's Digest conference, and Tedx Creative Coast (for a publication I already work for or for a client as an additional duty that month), but I have never put myself out there as a live event correspondent until I found This Just In, a website by one of the master live event correspondents, Andrea Cook.

Now I am working hard to get my name out there as someone for hire to cover an event. Part journalism, part social media, I love pulling out excellent quotes by presenters and sharing them with the world. I also like giving props to the speakers, interacting with other attendees even though I have no idea where they are sitting or who they are, and sharing relevant links, resources or websites mentioned so people don't have to search for them later.

I get immense pleasure out of doing these tasks, but I also don't want to spin my wheels trying to convince companies to hire me to cover their events.

What do you think? Worth pursuing or time suck? Will companies hire an outsider? As live coverage because more popular, will they just assign someone that already works for them to do this task so they don't have to pay someone else?

#15Habits Day 4 with Jeff Goins: Practice Doesn't Make Perfect

Today Jeff told us to do something scary, in public. Well, I can't think of anything scarier than sharing my opening paragraphs of my first (and soon-to-be published) novel, Couple Friends, with a bunch of other writers who may just be my toughest critics :)

The first four notes of “Here Comes the Bride” doomed our friendship for good. As her maid of 

honor, I had a front-row view of the terrible decision she was about to make, and I couldn’t see how our friendship would survive after today. I froze as they exchanged vows, unable to shake how contrived the whole day felt. My heart had never beaten so hard as when she asked me, just hours ago, to deliver the groom’s gift to her husbnd-to-be—a bottle of Southern Comfort, which he snatched from my hands before promptly turning his back to me.

The family and friends that gathered for the occasion had no idea of the doubts swirling around in my head, but I worried Jane and Bill could see into my soul as I silently prayed that despite my huge, suffocating concerns, they would have a long, happy life together. Scratch that. I should have screamed at the top of my lungs for Jane to run while she could after what happened last night.