There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
― Maya Angelou
A public writers forum asked the question “what is the single biggest challenge you as a writer face?” Here I share responses as writers chimed in:
Writing everyday
Marketing
Not enough erasers
Find an agent
A full-time job that isn’t
Learning all the required skills – writing, editing, cover art, publishing, marketing, salesmanship, accounting …
Identifying my audience
Details
Time
Reviews
Getting books sold
Selling myself
Lethargy
Butt in chair
Discipline
Marketing costs. Dispite what some may say, it is expensive to self-publish. Editor, copy editor, cover design, copyright, ISBN numbers, authors copies, advertising, website, domain name, contests, give-aways, and on and on it goes
Self-Doubt
Stay Motivated
Writers block
The list goes on. Are you a new or published author? Is anything missing? Do share. We would love to hear.
My writing journey began when I was 10 years old doing an important entrance exam to enter high school. I wrote a fiction story and was so engulfed that I did not realize I was doing an exam. Suffice it to say, I excelled. I went on to writing policies and procedures in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in my International Human Resource Leadership Career.
Finding Meaning
My journey found meaning during my dissertation writing process as I pondered what to do for a 3-year writing project to meet the requirements for my doctoral studies. I wanted to do something that would make a difference to society. After deciding on researching the topics of Leadership and Success, my dissertation received outstanding recognition.
Challenges Along The Way
I was thrilled to have achieved my personal goal and Published my first book from my dissertation title Success Strategies of Leaders. The process was longer than anticipated and challenging as it involved translating the research from academic writing to storybook form in anticipation of public readership.
As many inquired about how to achieve success, I wrote Success Strategies Workbook to show them how. I was then recognized by the University for writing books based on my research as an example to other doctoral students. I was later invited to advise Doctoral students on the process I followed.
Community Leadership Initiatives
Along the way, I got involved with the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC doing work within our community, and was appointed as Chief Judge for the 30 Under-30 Millennial Change-makers. It was an initiative held at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) annually.
Same Goal–Different Paths
I subsequently published Books on Motivation to encourage New Entrepreneurs and individuals along their Career Success Journey. A few years later, I went on a slightly different path and published GreenLight, a book which contains stories of encouragement, inspiration, and exhortation. In response to reader request, I obliged and converted GreenLight into my first Audiobook. A different path but the process was enlightening and boosted my creativity.
Book Coach
As my writing journey progressed, aspiring new and longtime authors reached out asking for help. It transformed by role as coach for organizational Managers, employees, and Career Changers into my most enthusiastic role as Book Writing Coach as I responded to private and public calls for help. I also became a member of the writers community of South Florida for Authors of Color.
Satisfaction From New Authors
It brings me great joy and satisfaction as new writers experience novel personal growth when their first book has been released. My greatest pride is having worked closely with Reggae Music Matriarch Patricia Chin as she wrote to leave her legacy of a lifetime contribution, initially working close to Music Icons like Bob Marley while nurturing the careers of artists, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Sean Paul and more.
With more books on the horizon, my Writing and Book Coaching Journey continues. Thanks for allowing me to share my journey with you. Do share yours.
A new writer shared her Instagram name. It was nowhere close to her real names . I beckoned to her… smile in tow…”you do make it hard, don’t you? In haste she retorted “it’s so my employer can’t find me”.
I smiled.
Our Lives In Compartments
How many of us are like that? We live our lives in compartments trying to separate our true selves from what those around us see publicly.
To Hide To Be
It’s a hard choice but sometimes you have to hide in order “to be“. I pray one day that you will be able to just be. To reveal your true identity and just be the you that you want to be.
The book club. It was the first. The apologies came in droves. Oh I started but couldn’t finish. It was the kids, the husband, household chores and so much more. Who has time to read anyway?
My secret and I remained silent. I had ordered the required paperback to be read by the time the group met. But delivery time would be a few days before the meeting. For sure I would have barely started much less finished reading.
Audiobook Rescue
Then the idea came to me. Why not order the audiobook version online and start listening immediately? Then by the time the paperback arrived I could finish my reading with the hard copy. And that I did.
So as the group complained they finally asked and I told them what I did. The envy on their faces grew like a fiery furnace.
I shared that experience to acknowledge that audiobooks work. As an author of several books on Success, leadership, and career development, my last book was different. It was more inspirational. The book GreenLight is filled with anecdotes, uplifting short stories, prayers and exhortations. Readers share it’s encouraging benefits. Many inquired of its audio format. So I complied.
AudiobookBenefits
Not an audiobook reader? Here I share 5 advantages:
1. Better Time Management
2. Enjoy the convenience of multitasking. You can listen while working, commuting or running.
3. More than one one person can read simultaneously. Road trip anyone?
4. Greater reach for authors as consumers are given wider choices of eBook, paperback or audio. Whatever their reading style, there’s an option.
5. Ability to read more books in a shorter time.
So while some are skeptical, audiobooks is the fastest growing channel these days and offer great benefits to those still on the fence.
What kind of reader are you? Audio, paperback, eBook? Do share, we would love to hear!
What do I need to write my first book? That is the question I am often asked. After researching the topics of leadership and Success, I published over 6 non-fiction books, people figure that I am doing something right. Here I share 11 tips for beginners interested in starting their own Writing Journey
Aspiring Authors Writing Tips
Write. Keep writing.
Read a lot so you understand how others do what they do
Be yourself. Tell the story
It takes a lot of sacrifice so keep going.
Start writing. Just keep writing. Stand at a bus stop, look at a fence and …write. Sit in a cafe, get yourself a drink and write about the next person who walks through the door – not his description… but his life story, his family, his job. Just write
Read the classics and discover why they are rated so highly
If you don’t know what to write or have writers block, use writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.
Don’t shy away from criticism. Being critiqued doesn’t always feel amazing, but it always makes you a better writer. Every time someone tells you what they think of your manuscript, you get closer to an objective understand of your work, which is invaluable
Don’t worry about perfection when you are writing your first draft. Good writing is re-writing
Where there’s purpose, there’s meaning. Reflecting on my Book Talk on Caribbean Americans and the Excerpt from Caribbean National Weekly Newspaper.
“Entering the business world in American can be a hard task when you’re a Caribbean immigrant, from navigating a new culture of commerce, to establishing your own value in the marketplace. Addressing this tricky quagmire, African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) hosted Dr. Shelly Cameron as she discussed her book, “Success Strategies of Caribbean American Leaders.”
The talk, explored strategies on how to be successful, inspired by effective traits from Caribbean-American business leaders, from the challenges they encountered after migration, to the factors that most influenced their success.
The project, said author Dr. Cameron, was inspired by the familiar confusion over “why some immigrants are successful yet others are still struggling?”
The book breaks down findings from a study at Nova Southeastern University, collaborating with successful Caribbean-Americans in…
Stephen was blindsided. He lost his job. Had nothing to do with him. His employer decided to cut staff. Despite having a wife and two children to care for, he was sent home without notice to face his mortgage, bills, and cover life’s basic needs.
Maria left high school, got her first job and now after 3 years feels lost as she sets her eye on the supervisor position that just opened up. She asked herself should she apply? Would she qualify? Faced with the daunting fact that she has no certification or formal education, she felt depressed. She had delayed formal training after high school to make ’em dollars. Now what?
Lidia and Bill became engaged 2 years ago and want to take the next step to get married but feel scared to make the decision. Questions bothered them. Will they be able to afford a house? Should they…
As I look over the circus of things I like, I realize that though I enjoy them and they bring me satisfaction, I find myself not doing them as much and in some cases at all. For over two decades I have been caught up in work, work, work. So this prompt helped me pull away and ponder the things I once enjoyed, or get to enjoy on a rare occasion.
But even as I finalize the list I realize that life’s not promised, so I intend to start doing the things I like and stop leaving them for …one day soon.
Xavier shouted “I’m starting to get lucky dad”. His father replied “no, you’re learning son”. Isn’t that the same with us? Like a child, we often think that we are getting lucky when it’s really our trial and error when climbing the ladder to our goals that makes us ‘lucky’.
Write. The Journey. The Learning
We improve our best efforts over time. It’s in no way luck. Try, try, and try again. In so doing we make marked improvements …often without even realizing. Let’s take for example a writer.
At first we find ourselves with writers block, sometimes caused by doubting whether we can get to the finish line. We ponder questions such as will I ever finish the blog? That book? How can I write a book when I cannot even write a page? We don’t realize that we get to the end result by first writing a sentence. Then a paragraph. Then 2 or 3 paragraphs until we get to a page. Before we know it, we have written a chapter. Then another, and another, until the book is complete.
Our writing craft improves as we progress. In time our muscles strengthen and before long we get compliments from others about our writing.
Stress is an Enabler
So all in all, we strengthen our best efforts over time. Acknowledge that stress is in fact an enabler. But know that the stress is lessened over time as we get constant practice. Then our confidence rises and we can confidently acknowledge that we are starting to get ‘lucky‘.
You can. You should and if you are brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free so drink. Drink and be filled. ~Stephen King
The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. ~Dylan Thomas
The Ralph Hogges and Benjamin Cowins, South Florida Writers of Color Literary Magazine. An Online Literary Magazine. Read. Indulge your writing prowess in these editions:
“Are you most comfortable when you write at home in private or out at a local coffee shop?“ That was the question asked in a public writers’ forum. Curious, I dived in to hear what other writers had to say. Here I share response from writers who feverishly chimed in.
I write anywhere as long as the place is quiet and/or nature is all around
At home, but if the inspiration comes anywhere else I will scratch down the basic idea and pursue it later
Home
I write only at home but read everywhere
I used to think I needed to be some place else in order to truly write but during quarantine, I have learned that I can write at home and be extremely productive
Anywhere so long as I get the inspiration to write
If I am alone then at home. But I’ve also found being out at the bookstore made it almost easier to write and finish a scene
Usually at a coffee shop. I can focus
Both. I write differently given the location
Driving at night when I am alone, I tend to talk to myself and come up with some good details. I record them with an audio file on my phone and plan on some day to get them all typed up so I can put them together
I write in the privacy of a spare room
Either, as long as its not too noisy
Home, unless I am at the library
In Public
A mix. I do miss the neighborhood coffee shops during this quarantine
I like to write at home. I sit at my computer with some thunderstorms on YouTube in my headphone and type away
Anywhere
What’s your preference? Do share. We would love to hear.
