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See more on my instagram at: www.instagram.com/kellymartin215
Read more on my instagram page: www.instagram.com/kellymartin215.
Let me explain... We went on vacation this weekend. It was just a few days in the mountains-- beautiful. Pigeon Forge is amazingly fun. This year, we drove to Cades Cove. A 5 hour trip, but man, was it worth it! That has nothing to do with this post-- But it does (sorta) have to do with the description of the scenery. On day two, we went putt putt golfing. It is one of my favorite things to do in the mountains (we don't have them around here). We played at a new place called Fantasy Land (or something like that... I don't actually remember the name of it. I know it had dragons, unicorns, and a mermaid.) We started playing the eighteen holes of awesomeness (uphills, downhills, bumps, hidden holes, caves, etc), and I got to thinking (as I normally do), hey.... this is a lot like the business of Writing. Yes, I actually thought that. Because that's the only thing I think of apparently. Notice, I said the BUSINESS Of writing. Some people don't like to think of writing as a business and that's fine-- but this post is for people who do. Those of you who are sweating, not-sleeping, driven to make ends meet and turn your writing into a successful business (because you are making a good, people are buying it, that's business <3) So... here are the 3 things I learned: *MAKE A PLAN I have three kids (10,9, and 5). It goes without saying that when we golf, it can be... interesting. We don't keep score because, well, we might still be there if we did. HOWEVER, I noticed something with my kids that relates to the business of writing. --My kids would just hit it randomly. They wouldn't look at their feet. They wouldn't look at the hole. They wouldn't plan ahead. They just hit and hoped it would go where they wanted it to go. How many of you are like that when it comes to your writing business? How many of you see the goal (the hole at the end) and then just swing at anything, hoping it will get you the result you want (a hole in one-- better sales)? TAKEAWAY: Take your time. Plan your strategy. Focus on the goal, and aim for it. *ONE HOLE (PATH) ISN'T ALWAYS THE ONLY WAY TO SUCCEED You know those holes where you can make a choice of where you want to hit it and where it'll end up? The ones with more than one choice OR the ones where you can hit at different holes to get a 'hopefully' desired result? --Here's the rub, there may be a BETTER option, but the point is more than one path (hole) can lead to your success (either in business or in mini-golf) TAKEAWAY: Don't focus on the 'right' path or the 'right' way to market. Consider your strengths and go from there. The 'easy' or 'right' way for some folks might be more difficult for you, and that's okay. There is more than one 'right' way. *THE JOURNEY IS THE GOAL. So what do you do when you get to the 18th hole and the ball disappears down the hole and into parts unknown? That's it. It's over. All your planning and strategy is done. You've completed your mission. You won.... and then what? People don't normally plan putt putt for the 18th hole. They play for the experience, for the fun. --Same for running your author business. YES, plan for the big 18th hole. Plan for making it 'big'. Plan for reaching your goals-- but don't forget to celebrate the time you got under par on hole 7, or the beauty of the caves for holes 10 and 11. Don't neglect your kids smiling faces because you are so focused on hole 18. TAKEAWAY: Life (and publishing) is like The Bachelor ;) It is the journey that is the important part. Yes, have amazingly big goals and work your tale off to get them, BUT also, take time to celebrate the small victories (the holes in one, the under pars, the waterfall with the unicorn on top). Those things are the things you learn from and the things that keep you going when the 18th hole seems so far away. |
Follow Kelly...About Kelly MartinKelly Martin is an Amazon bestseller and award-winning author. She loves abandoned house photography, ghost stories, and trying to figure out what goes bump in the night. New Series Progress
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Books by Kelly Martin
Paranormal The Afterlife of Lizzie Monroe The Heartless Series (complete): Heartless Soulless Breathless Hart Reckless DDT Series (complete): Dark and Deadly Things Dark and Devious Things Dark and Dreadful Things Dark and Desperate Things Dark and Dangerous Things Fairy Tale Series (complete): Betraying Ever After The Beast of Ravenston The Glass Coffin Contemporary The Deception of Devin Miller B.I.G. is Beautiful: A Love Story YA Inspirational Crossing the Deep Love in the 80s Once Bitten, Twice Shy Current YOUTUBE videos
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June 2018
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