Five Tips for Gaining Confidence in Your Writing - A blogshop with author Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

We're wrapping up our month on Confidence in a writer's life this week and I've been thinking about the source of confidence all month - we all would like a little more of it at those critical times when it's most needed, yes? Confidence is our gut's way of telling us, "you got it in the bag, my friend!" But so often, when our gut isn't telling us that, we look for positive reinforcement from others - and this is natural. However, there is a difference between a superficial confidence that comes from a few pats on the back than Confidence (with a capital C!) that springs from a solid and continuing education about the process and craft to which you have dedicated yourself.

Author Wendy Nelson Tokunaga is here to share with you 5 rock-solid Confidence gaining tips to instill confidence in your writing career. No. You know, tips is too light a word - consider this list your 5 MUST-DOs to building a strong writing foundation. Read and heed.

WNT: It wasn’t until my fifth manuscript that I finally got an agent and a two-book deal with St. Martin’s Press. For years my hobbies seemed to be honing my craft and getting rejected. Here are some things I learned along the way that kept my confidence up in the face of rejection and allowed me to eventually reach my goals as a novelist.

1 ~ Have Your Manuscript Critiqued – One of my first steps was to join a critique group—a tremendous help. But eventually I needed the fresh eyes of a professional who could read my entire manuscript and tell me not only its strengths, but its weaknesses and what I could do to fix them. I sought advice from published novelists who offered manuscript consulting, but you can also look to professional developmental editors.

2 ~ Network With, but Don’t Compare Yourself to Other Writers – I put together a group of women writers I met online who lived nearby. We gathered together not to read each other’s work, but to discuss the business of writing and our latest struggles in trying to get published and beyond. At first it was difficult because most everyone had an agent except me. But instead of comparing myself to them and feeling sorry for myself I tried to learn everything I could from them. Realize that every writer’s path is different and you’ll feel better about your own journey.

3 ~ Attend Juried Writer’s Conferences – There are tons of writer’s conferences out there and they all have their purposes. But to gain more confidence try applying to one where you must be accepted on the basis of your writing. I applied to the Squaw Valley Writers Conference, but didn’t get in on the first try. But it gave my confidence a real boost when I was finally accepted. It was such a great experience that I returned the following year.

4 ~ Further Your Education – My first stab at creative writing was a short story writing class at a community college. The assignment was to write three stories in a semester. It sounded daunting but I felt accomplished to actually pull that off. I continued taking classes from university extension programs and private author workshops and then finally made the leap to an MFA in writing program. By then I’d been through hundreds of rejections for my novels. I knew that getting an MFA wouldn’t guarantee that I’d get published, but it was a thrill to be able to concentrate on my writing for two years. And, coincidentally, it was right after I started the program that I got my agent and my publishing contract.

5 ~ Write Another Book – You’ve written one book so now you know that you can do it. So why not write another? Putting a book on the back burner after rejection doesn’t mean you’re giving up on it or that you’ve failed. Move forward, build your confidence and write that next book!

About the Contributor:

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga is the author of the novels, “Love in Translation” and “Midori by Moonlight,” both published by St. Martin’s Press, and the non-fiction e-book, “Marriage in Translation: Foreign Wife, Japanese Husband.” Her novel, “No Kidding,” won the Literary/Mainstream Fiction category in Writer’s Digest’s Best Self-Published Book Awards in 2002. She is also the author of two children's non-fiction books, and has had short stories published in various literary journals. Wendy holds an MFA in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco and teaches writing classes for Stanford University’s Online Writer’s Studio and University of San Francisco. She also offers private manuscript consultation services. Visit her at: http://www.WendyTokunaga.com

The Difference Between Blind Ambition and Educated Confidence

Ambition: 1 b: desire to achieve a particular end.

Confidence: 1 a: a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or reliance of one's circumstances.

Whether you're a traditionalist or an indie, it's a great time to be a writer (so what's with that dark scary forest pic, Lit Coach? Hang on). No doubt about it. More and more, writers are taking the reins of their career and guiding themselves toward self-made success. After thoughtful planning and execution, they're e and self-pubbing with great results; traditionally and indie published are reaching out to their readers in ways that continue to amaze and delight me. They've turned something that most artists abhor, the act of selling, into connecting - and through those connections, the sales follow.

Sounds so easy! Most of us have read the articles about how J.A. Konrath and Amanda Hocking have made thousands (millions?) off their books. Konrath found the e-route via Amazon more lucrative than traditional publishing and Hocking decided to let one of the Big Six publishers take the reins after she successfully became a self-made millionaire through e-pubbing her own books.

I love these success stories, but...

Again, I repeat, writers have more options today and that is a very good thing. However. It takes years of writing, editing, reading and connecting to make this dream come alive. It does not happen overnight. You will not be able to pay next month's rent on the e-book you self-pubbed this month (Konrath and Hocking will tell you as much). I'm joining the other agents and publishing experts who've shined the light of reality on this hot-topic discussion because it still bears repeating.

When I was an agent I was approached by a lovely writer with a fun idea for a niche market nonfiction book. Loved her writing style and voice. She was highly professional and had a mind for marketing, so I knew connecting her with any number of editors would not be an issue - I was confident of the whole package...well, mostly. The only problem was, she had no platform. She spoke with authority, sure, and her passion for the project was contagious, but nobody knew who she was. Even so, I couldn't stop thinking about her book. I knew I could sell it if she had a little more road under her. Rather than pass on the project because of the platform issue, I signed her.

And then we hatched a plan.

She needed to become visible as an "expert" in her field. So, I suggested she start an interactive website (this was about 7 or 8 years ago). The website became a place where she would share her daily advice on her subject matter and share the stories (and pictures) of others (her potential book-buying audience). She began a Q&A column and a book club, further connecting with her online community. She was consistent and organized in her approach. It worked. I still remember her enthusiastic email letting me know she had readers in Ireland and the UK. Her message spread from there. She started freelancing articles to the magazines and websites her audience read. Eventually one of the major morning news programs contacted her for her expertise. Other organizations invited her to "be the expert" on their websites and on their boards, etc. All the while, we honed her book proposal and continued to work the plan. After about 18 months of hard work and patience, it was time to send out the proposal. I was confident the time was right - we worked the plan. I submitted and we made a deal. Eighteen more months later, her book was released and it continues to be a strong backlist seller to this day.

The point? Ambition is good, that's the energy that gets our butts off the couch, but you need a plan to direct that energy otherwise you'll be frantically running through a thick, dark forest without a flashlight...and all that blind ambition ain't gonna come in handy when you've invested your time, energy and money into a project that has not been fully fleshed out. If you're a nonfiction writer, a solid platform is a must BEFORE you create your book proposal. If you're a fiction or a nonfiction writer, create a business plan - you are a small business owner. What realistic steps will you need to take to eventually earn money from your craft? The plan is your map, flashlight and compass through this forest.

Share the plan with people you trust, ideally, business-minded people and ask for their feedback. Be open to their suggestions. Publishing is a business and you've got to work the plan to succeed. If you do, you will spend less time running through dark, scary forests, you will have less time for fear and anxiety, you will be focused, confident and you just might sell your book. I really hope you do.

Action: Take some time to create a solid publishing plan. Be realistic about the time you'll need to create success. In my author's case, it took nearly two years to build her platform. If you're new to writing or if you've yet to successfully publish, plan to spend those two years getting to know the business, getting to know your audience and finding ways to get your name out there through freelancing, blog contributions, interviews, you-tube videos, social media, etc. Continue to work the plan (and most of all, your craft!) until you have a solid product and an invested audience.

Have a fruitful week, writers. Work the plan.

TLC

Services for Nonfiction Writers

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Want to get started building your author platform or creating your publishing business plan? Email me: erin.reel@gmail.com

Four Confidence Saboteurs...and How to Address Them

Fact: There are several areas of personal and professional development a writer must master or at least have in check to succeed with their craft and writing career. One of those areas is Confidence. If you don't have it, and some to spare, success will be for those other writers who believe in themselves and their work.

But I know it's not that easy. Some days you feel pretty good about your work, feel pretty good about your progress, feel great about some positive reinforcement you received, feel pretty good about your bank balance. Everything is copacetic. And then there are those days where you feel you're as original as a post-it, turtles have covered more ground than you, your email is staring blankly back at you and you're too scared to check your bank balance online because you a minus sign might surprise ambush you. So what's the big difference between those days when all is right with your writer's life and the "nobody likes me, everybody hates me" days? Some days you park your self-doubt at the curb and forge ahead and other times you let it invite itself over and sleep on your couch for a while.

Self-doubt is the number one killer to your self confidence, no mystery there. But let's break it down into the four most common saboteurs that very sneakily work their way into your brilliant head and slam the breaks on your forward motion.

1. FEAR of the Unknown. What an ugly word. I really dislike the look and sound of fear. I really hate what it does to people, but we have to take a look at this beast for a minute. I want you to see it clearly for what it is and choose to kick it to the curb. Fear looks like you not moving forward with your work, speaking up or being social because of a multitude of reasons...I can't possibly list them all but oftentimes the root of the reason is lack of education...we fear what we don't know enough about. So if there's something you need to wrap your brain around before you will allow yourself the freedom of forward motion, by all means, educate yourself and/or get the help you need.Unless you're doing something unlawful, unethical or ill-advised, you have nothing to fear about writing the book you want to write, about reaching out and connecting with others who you could learn from or who could help you, about selling your books out of your trunk or at an event, about creating a social presence. Most people love good books and enjoy connecting with authors, so give them what they want (and hey, you'll benefit too!). We all love a good success story, so choose to become a success story. It begins with you. Nobody is going to get that ball rolling for you.

Please note, if there is no rational explanation for your fear, and you feel it's debilitated you to a low or non-functioning level, please seek professional medical help immediately. Sometimes it's not possible to talk or read your way through your issues and that is totally OK. Get the help you need.

2. FEAR of Failure (also rejection). Failing at anything stinks, it makes you feel lousy, worthless and small but that's just life, my dears. Who doesn't fail in this life? Read any biography and you'll find out that most everyone who ever achieved their dream failed 99% of time before they finally did what they wanted to do. The good news about failing is that you learn from failure - you learn what to do and what not to do again. The key is, not doing the stuff that helped you to fail again. (But I still see writers maintain this paradigm even though they know it's totally non-productive and not healthy...we'll get to that later when we dig into discipline as a virtue). To combat fear of failure, you need to first pin point the failures that did their best number on your self-confidence. What did it mean to fail? What were the steps that led to that particular failure? Could you have done things differently and have expected a different outcome? Could you have better prepared yourself for success? Now, this is VERY important...don't beat yourself up over your past failures. Let them go. Learn from them and move on. Remember this, it is just as easy to succeed as it is to fail. To succeed, all you need to do is adjust your course when you feel you're heading off track, get counsel when you need it and never give up. Don't let fear of failure become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

3. LACK of Resources. There's another word I dislike, "lack." But lack of resources is a big reason why people choose not to succeed. Lack of money, lack of education, lack of connections, etc. Well, it's all fixable. It just depends on how long you want to work to correct your "lack." Don't have enough money to attend conferences, go on a book tour, hire and editor or consultant to polish your work and approach to the industry? Take a look at your budget. Where does your money go? You'd be surprised by how little you actually "need" to get by. Have you whittled down your expenditures to the bare minimum and sold most of your worldly possessions to keep gas in your car and a roof over your head? Keep working. In fact, if it's that bad, get a second job. No job is beneath you if it means providing for yourself, your family and having a little extra to get the resources you need.

Don't have the connections you'd like...the ones that could actually make a difference in your writing craft and career? Time to start getting social. Make it a point to surround yourself by the most talented people you can find in your community and online. You are who you surround yourself with, so make it a point to get to know people you admire. If this girl who grew up in rural Iowa can make cold calls to overworked New York City editors at 6 am Pacific time to sell a book, you can reach out to those people you'd like to get to know better.

Sometimes money and connections are not the issue, rather it's a lack of education that's holding you back. If you have an idea for a book but are deathly afraid to write it by yourself, start researching ghost writers or someone who would be open to co-authoring your book with you. Othertimes you may feel you're an ok writer but just not to the level you'd like to be. So get the education, coaching or editorial services you need. Check out the writing programs offered through the local universities, online writers' workshops, adult learning centers, community education centers, humanities groups, etc. Check out your local library or bookstore to see if there are any industry professionals or authors scheduled to appear/speak who you could learn from and better yet, connect with! Are you writing genre specific fiction like sci-fi, romance or children's? Check out the local chapters of organizations that support education and community for those who write and read within that genre. And then there are the consultants and coaches like me and many others who will help you, too. (Hey, I have to pitch myself and my fellow coaches once in a while, you know?) Bottom line is, lack of resources can be corrected if you put your energy toward addressing the lack. Ask for help, act on tips and advice, save your money. This is a pattern you will continually follow...when you don't have what you need or want, figure out a way to get it then follow-through on the getting it!

4. LACK of Clarity. Many writers come to me unsure about the direction of their first or next book or where they want their writing career to take them...which almost always means their plots and character development are equally under-developed and blurred. I remedy this through one-on-one sessions, but you can start to gain focus by answering these basic questions:

* What genre is my book?

* Do I want to build a career within this genre?

* Does this book have series potential? How far ahead do I see this character taking the

series forward? Three books? Six? What's the story arc? What will he/she/they overcome?

* How much time can I devote to my craft?

* How much time can I devote to building my writing business once I have

something to sell?

Note, one of the questions wasn't "Which literary agent or trend can I write for?" Never write to what you think a lit agent is going to want to read and rep or to follow a trend. Write the book you want to write (caveat: and be ready to edit several times).

And then actually write down your answers as if you were creating a business plan, because that is what you're doing, eventually. You're creating a way to earn money off something you love doing. And I hope when you feel a tinge of self-doubt creep in that you look at the root and address it. Sometimes it takes a few days, some tears, some serious coming to terms and some trial and error, but the point is, discover what is holding back your Confidence and address it.

You will have good days upon good days if you act with confidence now! Even if you have to fake it once in a while.

Your action: Address your lack of self-confidence issues today by examining the root. What category does it fall under: Fear of The Unknown; Fear of Failure; Lack of Education; Lack of Clarity or a little of everything? Break this fear down to the cause and be honest with yourself. And/or what are you lacking? Once you know the root of self-doubt you can create a plan to address it and move on with your bad self!

Be CONFIDENT this week, writers! You have everything to be excited about...your road is ahead of you. Drive on!

TLC

The Lit Coach Services for Fiction Authors

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Creative Offroading: Are We There Yet?

Allow me a little offroading with this one, writers.

As I was resting from some serious Easter lunch overindulgence, I heard Dorothy in a far off room telling her valiant traveling companions, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." Instantly I smiled, first thinking The Wizard of Oz never gets old and because my dad, who passed away about 5 years ago, dreaded watching the show his 5 daughters insisted he watch every time it aired. I can't watch Dorothy embark on her epic trek down the yellow brick road where she will make her many pit stops to pick up strangers she's met along the way without thinking of dad. I can still see his reluctant smile as he surrendered yet again to another two hours of pure technicolor happiness (he loved it, really!)

I think of my dad often as I travel down my road without him. Dad and I were best pals. He wrote columns for our local paper and we easily enjoyed sitting in the same room with one another for a few hours without saying much of anything - just read or watch TV together. As I hear Dorothy's saga wrap up in the other room, I remember the one piece of advice he gave me, the one I always come back to, "Don't get yourself into anything you can't get yourself out of."

This has kept me out of a lot of trouble in my life but probably most importantly, it's forced me to get myself out of pits I didn't think I was capable of escaping. And in the doing, I've gotten messy, scraped my knees and learned quite a bit about the absolute lows and highs of human nature along the way.

That's a writer's life, isn't it? Getting lost, messy, roughed up. And feeling the relief, wonder and joy after the journey has ended...only to begin a new one. Along this journey, writers will come to me frustrated that they're not "there" yet...always their own worst critic. Too many wrong turns, stop lights...too much road ahead of them yet.

My dears, you will never be "there"...you'll always be on the road. So do yourself a favor and get into it. Get yourself deep into it and rely on your gut to find your way. Turn off your screens and use your own common sense - let's do this old school and sing the whole way there. Art is messy. Life is messy, but here you are, a living, breathing, creating being capable of getting yourself out anything.

And be thankful for all those wrong turns and extra loooong stoplights that have held you up considerably. No doubt you gained a few new friends, new skills, a broader perspective, hopefully a sense of humor and most importantly the courage it takes to keep moving forward...and something to really write about.

Happy trails, friends.

TLC

Audacious Confidence

Today, I'm re-posting another TLCG greatest hit, all about confidence in a writer's life. I'm not saying you have to move to LA to find confidence, but you could learn a few things from a some of those Angelinos.

I love Los Angeles. Home to some of the most intelligent, creative, imaginative, passionate, enterprising artists and thinkers (yes, this is still L.A. I’m talking about), you can’t help but feel the positive buzz around you. No matter where you are, Hollywood, Santa Monica, the Palisades, or even the Valley, artists and writers are producing their product. They’re sharing thoughts, giving feedback, connecting, and channeling their passion for writing toward making it happen. They know they’re in a city that expects to be entertained, expects to be enlightened, and they’re ready to give it to ‘em! I must warn you, though. If you’re gonna show up on L.A.’s doorstep with a dream, not only had you better have a good plan, but you better pack your confidence.

Learn From the Master

When Steven Spielberg graduated high school, he took an unpaid job as an assistant at Universal Studios. Fueled by passion and the realization he better get the most out of his time on the set, Spielberg left his outlined sphere and ventured to each and every lot on the set every day for several months. Wearing an understated dark suit with briefcase in tow, he got to know people, absorbed techniques and felt what it was like to make movies. This was what he had most wanted since he was a child. He dressed the part, thought the part and felt the part. The rest is Hollywood history.

Some would call Spielberg’s moves ballsy; you gotta pay your dues to make it to the next echelon. I say he had a level of audacious confidence anyone aspiring to make it in the arts and letters needs to have. This is the confidence you need to possess in order to create, to complete and to sell. And to sell and sell, sell, sell, making your passion for writing a viable career. It takes work. It takes acting as though you already have what you most want.

Attract Through Action!

This isn’t the law of attraction. This isn’t about wishing really hard for something to happen and then following up those wishes with a few good weeks worth of positive thinking only to be left with an occasional good parking space and a shorter wait in line at the bank. If that were the case, I’d have been living my super fabulous pink life in my Barbie Penthouse when I was 7. This is about immersing yourself, mind, soul and even body into the thing you want most – the successful writer’s life. What does that look like? It looks like you acting on your intentions. I recently advised a brilliant writer to quit grabbing snatches of time to jot down good ideas and write, already! She left our conversation with palpable excitement and committed to me she was going to do it! That night, she forwarded me her work, which was an inspired first draft of a beautiful children’s story. Step one, finished. Yes!

Make IT Happen!

Without action, your dream will stay a dream. Without confidence, someone else will show up in their suit and briefcase looking and feeling the part until they are. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of bon mots to go around. Plenty of success to be shared, but I want YOU to make it happen. Nothing would make me happier.

Your exercise this week:

Think of how you will feel when you get picked up by the agent of your dreams. Think of how awesome it’ll be when you connect with your inspired editor at the fabulous publishing house that just acquired your novel or nonfiction book. Imagine how thrilled you’ll be when a magazine or newspaper offers you a regular column, syndicated even! Why not? Let these gooey, happy thoughts sink in. Let this energy move you into action fueled by audacious confidence so that feeling will one day be reality.

Have a great, productive week, writers!