Do You?

Long to write
Imagine your book on shelves
Spend long hours in bookstores and libraries
Read every day
Take notes and gather inspiration for your work
Value creativity and make space for it in your life
Follow your curiosity
Listen to your inner wisdom
Invite fun and pleasure into your creative process
Experiment with different techniques, habits, and rhythms
Review your work and look for patterns
Have a writing bestie or a critique group you can share your work with
Track the time you spend writing or measure progress in some other way

If you can answer YES to all of these questions, you are ready to move to the next stage...

You are at the beginning of your journey. You are filled with hope, excitement, ideas and questions. This is the time to notice what energizes you. Practice your craft. Write freely. Bring a playful, curious spirit to your creative process. Soon you will be creating good work that feels original and true to your vision. But it’s not enough to write. You must begin to live as a writer. Read with intention. Befriend other creatives. Observe the world. Make time to listen to your inner wisdom, so you can develop your own unique perspective. Start to share your work with trusted friends and teachers. Work on smaller projects that will help you gain confidence, clarity, and courage. Think about what you can work on that will be so important and life giving that you will keep going even when you’re discouraged or burnt out. It’s common to want to rush to the next phase, but there’s so much to be learned here. Once you’re farther along the path, you won’t be able to return to this safe cocoon, so enjoy this moment.

You know more than you think you do.

Recommended Reading

The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Make Your Art No Matter What by Beth Pickens
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose

To Do List

Fall in love with writing.
Develop a process you adore.
Cherish your creativity.
Practice your craft.
Introduce yourself as a writer.

You may worry about...

Lack of Time

Our culture may celebrate artists and creative thinkers, but it doesn’t support creativity. Protecting your energy, turning in to hear your own wisdom, taking time to make something that might never be sold is not encouraged. But don’t let that stop you. Artists are rule breakers. Be clear on your values and live a life that feels aligned. The world needs artists more than ever.

Lack of Talent

You may wonder if you’re special enough to be a writer. That’s totally normal. You might be new to writing, but that doesn’t mean you don’t know how to write. If you’re an avid reader or a deep thinker, you’ve already developed many of the skills you need to write. No one is born knowing how to do everything. Take classes, read books, go to conferences, work with a writing coach or hire an editor to get personalized feedback. You can do this!

Publishing Being Impenetrable

Even if you develop a creative process you love and practice your craft until you are creating work you’re proud of, you might worry that you’ll never publish a book. Agents and editors can feel more like gatekeepers than creative advocates and friends. But publishing is changing. There are many ways to be successful. And book people are wonderful people. There are many writers, agents, and editors who want to help new writers navigate the publishing process. If you want to publish a book, it’s totally possible!

The more energy you give your art, the more it will grow.

Next Steps

Identify the writers you admire. Read their work closely. Take notes. Practice writing in their style. Then try making small changes to see what can make it feel more like your style.
Invest in your craft. Take classes. Buy books. Work with a coach. Go to conferences. Buy a beautiful notebook. Set up a cozy corner to write in.
Find your friends. Critique groups can be tricky. Try a few before you give up. If you walk away with one friend you can share your rough manuscripts with, it will be worth it. Trading rough drafts is immensely helpful at improving your craft and sustaining your spirits.
Share your work, even with just friends and family. You can also document your journey on social media and build a website if you want to make your work more visible.
Learn about the business of publishing. Think about whether you want to work with an agent and pursue traditional publishing or handle all the ins and outs of self publishing.
Choose a project to focus on and work toward completing a full draft you feel proud of.

Longing to fall in love with writing? Treat yourself to a virtual writing retreat with Before You Begin.

Ready to learn how to write a manuscript that sparkles? Sign up for Making Magic.

Want personalized feedback on your manuscript? Book a critique.

Craving expert guidance to help you do your highest work? Invest in a month of creative coaching.

helloheidifiedler.com

Do You?

Work in a sustainable rhythm
Talk about your book with enthusiasm
Share your process, philosophy, and personality with your audience
Seek ways to introduce your book to new audiences
Experiment with writing techniques and genres
Build strong relationships with your teachers, mentors, collaborators, writing community, agent, and editor
Have a website and social media strategy
Dream about growing your reputation
Know what you want to write about and how you want your work to be seen
Feel good about your work and know it will appeal to your audience
Have multiple projects planned

If you can answer YES to all of these questions, you are ready to move to the next stage...

You’ve put in the work and built something you can be proud of. You’re building a community of people who support your work. You’re connecting with readers and learning how to navigate the publishing industry. You have overcome challenges and committed to your craft. And there’s so much more to learn. This is the time to be bold and focus your energy on marketing, while being mindful of the kind of work you want to be known for. Soon you’ll return to the writing life and explore your creativity more deeply. You may worry about how to replicate your success, but if you’re writing, growing, and building relationships, it will be easier than you ever dreamed.

Enjoy this moment.

To Do List

Get to know and personally thank the people who have made your book a reality, including booksellers, librarians, teachers, reviewers, your agent and editor, fellow writers, friends and family
Schedule mini sabbaticals when you can write more than you regularly do
Create a beautiful place to work in your home
Connect with writers who are a little farther along the path than you
Develop a positive mindset that will help you be brave as you face new challenges
Get clear about what you want your career to look like
Research new genres and find new sources of inspiration
Consider writing a series or collection that will expand your audience

You may worry about...

Choosing Your Next Project

Focusing on one project at a time can help you make steady progress and build confidence, but it can be hard to choose. Try keeping a list of possible projects or just put mini index cards in a bowl when you have a new idea, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting something. Review your ideas when you’re trying to decide what to work on next. Think about what you want to be known for, what kind of world you want to create for your readers, and what kind of project you want to live inside for the next few years. Choose something that feels so special it that you’ll want to work on it even when life is challenging.

Marketing

You probably didn’t become a writer to spend all your time on Instagram and Twitter, but marketing is part of any writer’s job. Connecting with your readers can be so energizing and if you’ve create a book that will help readers feel a little less alone, you are doing a service when you share your work. It can help to secretly give your online self a name, just like Beyonce calls herself Sasha Fierce when she’s onstage. Visualize turning your light on and let yourself shine!

Feeling Overwhelmed

You’ve accomplished something you’ve set out to do, but you’re setting new goals for yourself and learning more about the industry. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Give yourself small assignments to help break marketing, craft, and business goals into steps you can take in an hour or two. Get clear about what you want your career to look like. Do you want to be speaking, traveling, teaching, offering online classes, or more private? Knowing what you want will help you let some tasks go.

You are ready to shine!

Recommended Reading

One Continuous Mistake by Gail Sher
Wild Words by Nicole Gulotta
Still Writing by Dani Shapiro

Next Steps

Visualize your career and develop a personal brand to support it
Update your website to showcase your work and vision
Begin writing a newsletter, so you can connect with your readers in a more intimate forum
Take classes and give your creativity permission to grow in weird and wild ways
Diversify your offerings by creating classes and events, offering exclusive swag, hosting a retreat, appearing on podcasts and panels

The world needs your art more than ever.

Longing to fall in love with writing? Treat yourself to a virtual writing retreat with Before You Begin.

Ready to learn how to write a manuscript that sparkles? Sign up for Making Magic.

Want personalized feedback on your manuscript? Book a critique.

Craving expert guidance to help you do your highest work? Invest in a month of creative coaching.

helloheidifiedler.com

Do You?

Have multiple sources of income
Understand your brand
Get recognized for your work
See your books sold in a variety of markets
Serve as a source of clarity and inspiration in your field
Surprise and delight your readers regularly
Read craft books and interpret them with your own wisdom
Teach classes and workshops
Share your experience with other writers
Know how to nurture your creative process
Think of yourself as a writer
Protect your creative time

If you can answer YES to all of these questions, you are ready to move to the next stage...

You are building a multidimensional career. Now is the time to write more books, teach classes, host events, and offer critiques and consults. You’re expanding your network, services, and audience. While growth is good, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with deadlines and obligations at this stage. Even as you build a career, you still deserve to feel creative. You didn’t work this long to just make widgets that sell. You may long to do something more experimental. Follow that instinct! Enjoying the process, protecting your vision, and honoring your creative process will help you grow in ways you can’t yet imagine.

You are ready to thrive.

To Do List

Build a community of like-minded writers online and in person
Attend national conferences
Deepen your relationships with local indie bookstores
Treat yourself to an extended creative holiday
Make the systems in your business (email, marketing, proposals, speaking inquiries) as efficient as possible
Think about what tasks you could hire someone to help you with
Write an op-ed or high-profile blog post outlining your vision for your genre
Study other fields and identify principles you can apply to your own work
Develop a marketing calendar for the year, so you can show up consistently and sustainably
Host a retreat in a way only you can

You may worry about...

Finding Work-Life Balance

You might feel successful but wonder at what cost. If you’re writing, marketing, teaching, and doing allllll the things, it can be exhausting. Once you try your hand at different services, take time to reflect on what feels most meaningful and impacting. Then choose one or two projects to focus on as you expand your offerings beyond books. Get good at saying no. Slow growth is sustainable growth. And remember, it’s ok to take breaks. You are still a writer when you’re not writing. You’re still a human with passions, interests, heartaches, and curiosities that extend far beyond writing. That’s just as it should be.

Burn Out

As you master your craft, there may be times you feel bored or disconnected from your work. You can might be hitting deadlines and creating award-winning work, but it feels more like a grind than magic. That’s a sign to rest, take a break, and then try something new. Creativity is like wine, gardening, music, parenting, and all the best parts of life: there’s always something new to learn. To bring joy and energy back into your writing practice, give yourself permission to play and make mistakes.

Getting Lost in the Crowd

You’re here because you worked hard. But here’s a truth that might be a little harder to accept: you’re also here, because you’re you. People like you and your work. They resonate with the themes you’re writing about. They’re embracing the warmth and passion you bring to the world. Your books make people feel less alone. That’s what readers are buying. You’re sharing an amazing gift with the world, and you don’t need to work harder or study more. You just need to be you. You are what makes this work special. Identify your core values, embody them (Hint: you can’t not!), and shine your light. The world needs your art.

Your experience matters.

Recommended Reading

Deep Work by Cal Newport
Writing Wild by Tina Welling
The Art of Slow Writing by Louise DeSalvo

Next Steps

Publish a book in a new genre
Write a creative manifesto, even if it’s just for yourself
Untangle any limiting beliefs you have around money, so you can be well paid for your work (This sounds optional, but it’s essential.)
Identify what makes your work unique and celebrate those qualities
Study the creative process in music, dance, TV, and other mediums outside of writing
Give a TED-style talk (If you could tell people one thing, what would it be?)
Elevate your work with high-quality branding, photography, and a strong, consistent online presence

Longing to fall in love with writing? Treat yourself to a virtual writing retreat with Before You Begin.

Ready to learn how to write a manuscript that sparkles? Sign up for Making Magic.

Want personalized feedback on your manuscript? Book a critique.

Craving expert guidance to help you do your highest work? Invest in a month of creative coaching.

helloheidifiedler.com

Do You?

Feel secure and stable
Believe in your vision
Communicate easily and often with your audience
Know how to balance publishing with marketing
See your books in a variety of markets around the world
Respect your creative process
Publish books that win awards
Have a strong relationship with your intuition
Feel healthy emotionally, financially, physically, and creatively
Have support from publishing experts, employees, friends, family, and teachers
Educate and guide people during moments of social unrest and distress
See your work as a privilege and honor

If you can answer YES to all of these questions, you are ready to move to the next stage...

People respect your vision and ideas. You bring your whole self to your work, and people respond passionately. You set the tone and spark conversations. You're working across mediums and genres to make this work a better place. You're doing work only you can do and learning how to live a creative life that's sustainable and energizing. You are a leader. Treat your time, energy, and vision accordingly.

This is what expansion feels like.

To Do List

Expand your marketing efforts to include other platforms like podcasting
Consider licensing your work
Collaborate with larger brands
Hire someone to help you do more (coaches, editors, V.A.s all count)
Build a team to grow your brand (think produce photographers, designers, copywriters, SEO experts etc)
Find new channels to market in
Use your income to bring ease and joy to your life (order groceries, travel, make your garden lush and beautiful)
Seek out national-level press
Study widely and devote your work to furthering a social cause or mission
Design a meaningful project that requires collaboration and funding on a bigger scale than you’ve ever imagined

You may worry about...

Loneliness

It may be hard to connect with other writers you respect and admire, but who haven’t experienced the same level of success you have. Seek out support and friendship from those who have traveled this road before you. And recognize that you can connect with old friends on levels beyond work. It can also help to remember that your success doesn’t prevent anyone else from being successful. Rather it’s like a light, shining with possibility. Just by embracing your success, you encourage others and show them how fulfilling it is to reach this stage.

Imposter Syndrome

You may wonder if you really deserve the success you are enjoying, and the answer is yes! That doesn’t mean others don’t deserve it too, but it’s good to know that these doubts you’re having are very common, especially with the most accomplished people in the world. What makes you special? It’s so blindingly simple, it’s hard to accept, but the answer is you. You have a unique perspective to offer the world. Only you can tell your story your way. So keep going! The universe is asking you to share your wisdom. Ask how you would see a friend who was experiencing this level of success, and try to see yourself in this same generous light.

Making Mistakes

It can be hard to know what a partnership will feel like until you try it. It’s impossible to know exactly where your boundaries are and how to translate your passion with complete integrity until you bump up against some uncomfortable moments. That’s ok. Those are learning moments that will show you what you’re ok with. Feel free to experiment. See what feels right. Say no to anything that doesn’t. Give yourself permission to change your mind. Look for ways to add your own special magic to commercial projects and find ways to enjoy the creative process, so you can unhook your worth from the outcome of the project. Bring a sense of mission to your work. Above all, remember writers deserve to be paid. Money gives you the freedom to make art. This is the world we live in, and we get to find ways to bend the rules and make them work to our advantage. Have fun!

You are ready to do your highest work.

Recommended Reading

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp

Next Steps

Go all in on something really important to you, whether that’s writing a new series, opening a library, or organizing an auction for charity. Make an impact like your career depends on it, because it does. You know what to do. You know how to do it. Now you need to believe it’s totally possible. You made it this far. Now it’s time to use your skills, talent, imagination, connections, and unique experiences to make magic.

Longing to fall in love with writing? Treat yourself to a virtual writing retreat with Before You Begin.

Ready to learn how to write a manuscript that sparkles? Sign up for Making Magic.

Want personalized feedback on your manuscript? Book a critique.

Craving expert guidance to help you do your highest work? Invest in a month of creative coaching.

helloheidifiedler.com

Do You?

Publish books that win lifetime awards
Take creative and professional risks, because you know you have room to make mistakes
Schedule time for innovation and strategic planning
Eliminate anything that distracts or drains your energy
Question existing pricing structures and publishing models
Have a highly profitable career
Employ others full time
Have multiple income streams
Mentor other creative leaders
Market in exciting, creative, memorable ways
Have clear boundaries around work and life, so you can channel your energy exactly as you need to

If you can answer YES to all of these questions, you are ready to move to the next stage...

You are a supernova. You have accomplished so much. I know the intense work and focus it has taken to get to this place. But the best is still yet to come! Now it’s time to enjoy the beauty you have created and use your influence to make an impact that will last for generations. Give yourself space to grow. Build a retreat. Protect your energy. Pace yourself. Experiment. Wander. Daydream. Pour your heart into your work. You’re in a special place. Don’t waste a second worrying about what to do with this time. You know. Your whole life has been building to this moment. Make magic. That’s what you’re here to do.

You are a visionary!

To Do List

Look for ways to change the culture of publishing and our larger society
Support one or two charities in significant ways or start your own
Outsource as much as possible
Stay true to your vision

You may worry about...

Quiet Seasons

We often forget that we’re part of the natural world. Just like plants and animals, our energy ebbs and flows. We need rest. Launches and pub dates are exciting, but the real progress is made when we’re quietly working behind the scenes, and even before that when we’re traveling, meeting new people, and dreaming about making something new. If you’re feeling burned out, trust yourself to take a break. You don’t need to earn it, but you totally have. Your creativity will blossom again soon.

Finding Your Place

No matter how long you’ve been in this business, there are always new challenges, and that means new ways to innovate. You bring experience and wisdom to any project, and you’ll always be relevant when you’re engaged, curious, and looking for ways to expand the conversation. Step into your role as a leader, confident this is where you belong.

Time Passing

There’s never enough time to make all that you long to create. Prioritize your projects wisely. Choose the ones that bring you joy and you can’t bear to imagine not doing. Time is precious. If you could only write one more book, what would it be?

You are ready to shine!

Recommended Reading

Proposals for a Feminine Economy by Jennifer Armbrust
Meander, Explode, Spiral by Jane Alison
Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch

Next Steps

Be bold with your goals
Choose projects with impact in mind
Propose new publishing models and lead conversations that redistribute wealth and resources
Move beyond publishing to work in other fields
Expand your impact with a larger audience and new offerings
Create work that provokes conversations and changes culture
Actively seek out press with enthusiasm
Surround yourself with people who inspire and support you
Experiment with your creative process and marketing to keep things fresh for you and your audience
Step into your role as a creative leader and share your vision confidently
Build a legacy you are proud of

Longing to fall in love with writing? Treat yourself to a virtual writing retreat with Before You Begin.

Ready to learn how to write a manuscript that sparkles? Sign up for Making Magic.

Want personalized feedback on your manuscript? Book a critique.

Craving expert guidance to help you do your highest work? Invest in a month of creative coaching.

helloheidifiedler.com

The world needs your art more than ever.

I believe books have the power to make us feel a little less alone. It’s an honor to do this work. And it’s totally possible to find ease and joy in the creative process. We have our whole lives to play, dream, explore, discover, and create.

Let’s make book magic together!

Xo

Heidi