I wandered into the Business Books section of Audible last week and grabbed this book: Atomic Habits by James Clear.

TLDR: to make sustainable change in your life, you have to change your systems not focus on goals. He proposes doing this by adding, removing, and stacking atomic habits (very small habits), and attach a time and place to all new habits you want to start. For example, if I want to write more often during the day, and I already read social media on the couch for a few minutes in the morning, I could add a habit:

where I write for 5 min on the couch in the morning after I check social media for 5 minutes.

His examples are things like he wanted to exercise more so he stacked 10 burpees onto his morning computer break:
I will do 10 burpees after I break from work in the morning but before I go to the kitchen to get a morning snack.

He makes other points as well, but one that stuck with me was that you have to see yourself as the person you want to be or as someone who already does what you want. Not, I want to quit smoking, but that I am a nonsmoker. Not that I want to be a writer, but that I am a writer.

It's making me rethink some ideas I have had about goals and think more about the systems (habits) in my life.

Cheers!

Hi Everyone! Believe it or not, I've been a member for over five years and the formatting here has changed a lot! Back then, I didn't say much and was just taking a class or two. Now, I want to get involved. I'm even thinking about becoming an instructor here. As a former English professor, writing full time as an indie publisher, and someone who has started a few critique groups (one at a Barnes & Noble that ran for several years), I'm excited to get to know you!

So why can't I write the first sentence? You know the one that takes you to the second sentence? For some reason I can write the next 3 thousand sentences but the first one sucks. What should I do? I want an amazing sentence so the reader will continue reading my almost done book.
Thanks.

No plot? Not sure about GMC? Characters have not character?
Tap into the SavvyHiveMind and get some help!
Post your conundrum in the Brainstorming Corner as a new thread and we will try to help!

I'm really new here and will be lurking for a bit. I'm most interested in the articles and a critique partner!

Howdy. I'm Mel. I'm pre-published and working on my first contemporary romance. Don't mind me while I lurk and attempt to take in all of the resources available.

Hi, a very new writer working her way through her first manuscript. I have a highly superstitious character and thought this course would be helpful. This is my second course with Savvy Authors so not real familiar with things yet.

This is my first class with Pamela although i know her work. I'm excited, revved, curious... Look forward to meeting fellow classmates as the course progresses. I confess I'm not great on community chat boards, I will see if I can shift that but please don't take my absence, should there be one, as disinterest.

I'm new here and wanted to say hello.
I have written three novels and am currently querying the first one.
I can't wait for the country to open up again so I can get out and meet all the interesting people from the publishing world!
CJ

Hi Community!
I am new here and excited to meet you! I am a journalist and magazine editor with a long history in the corporate communications world, so I am interested in exploring my creative writing side.To date I have edited two books (both memoirs) and am hoping to start writing my first book.... but the title eludes me!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year...or we at least think so! Our SavvyWriterCon online conference is fast approaching, and we need YOUR help to put on the best online conference yet!

This year, SavvyWriterCon will be held September 10-September 12th. We are on the lookout for bite-sized two-day intensives that will run Friday until Sunday.

New! We are also taking applications for live webinars. Please note our webinars will be scheduled EDT.

What are we looking for?
We want topics that presenters felt were fundamental in their success. It could be a technique or craft related such as plotting a page turner, crafting your writing voice to stand out from the crowd; the writing process, such as making yourself write, etc.; the publishing industry, self-publishing industry, genre-specific, or other ideas are welcome. Our goal is to help our members get published and stay published.

* All topics should be actionable with something registrants can take and apply to their own writing careers.

About SavvyWriterCon
SavvyWriterCon is an online conference for writers at all levels and is one of the ways throughout the year that SavvyAuthors exemplifies by action the principles inherent in our motto - Writers Helping Writers.
Register Now!

What do you get for hosting a Learning Intensive or live webinar?

• Networking opportunities! This online con is full of aspiring authors, self-published, and traditionally published authors, publishing editors, literary agents, and more.
• Promotion! We promote the SavvyWriterCon event across our social media accounts, and to our newsletter list of over 6,000 subscribers.
• One FREE Premium Membership! for one year to SavvyAuthors.com, valued at $40. We want you to come back and continue to participate after SavvyWriterCon!
• Advertisement! SavvyAuthors will provide at no cost, advertisement space on our website for 30 days for one book or series.

So what is expected from you?

Learning Intensives
These are held in our SavvyAuthors forums and do not require you to be present at a specific time. Our members are in time zones across the world!

The learning intensives should consist of an introduction/bio and mini-lesson, a more meaty lecture/lesson, discussion, and wrap-up A lecture/lesson could also include a short assignment that initiates discussions. We are looking for streamlined topics and lessons.

Introduction/background/bio and short lesson or spark for discussion is to be posted as early as possible EST on 9/10, a lesson/lecture posted on 9/11, and wrap-up on 9/12. A moderator will be assigned to assist with any issues or technical difficulties.

Live Webinar
Live webinars will be scheduled during the evening of 9/10, during the day of 9/11 and 9/12. A moderator will be present to record the webinar and provide any support needed by registrants. We also strongly recommend a dry-run to test audio during the week before.



Want to submit a proposal? Please send HERE.
Need to register for the Con? Register here!

Have questions? Email RJ Garside

Thanks for your help! We'd never be able to bring these awesome events to our members without help from our writing community! We appreciate you!

Thanks,

RJ

Hello, I submitted a pitch last year to Cassie (Cassiel) Knight, Publisher at Champagne Book Group, during a Savvy Authors pitch event. She requested more chapters, which I submitted, but never heard back (six months ago). I sent off an email to her last month but didn't hear back from that either. Does anyone now if they are still in business? I'm more worried about Cassie than I am about my submission.

Hi all
We just sent out our 2021/22 Request for Proposals! So if you have a mad skill that other authors can use, read on!

Teach at SavvyAuthors!

As an author, we know you have a lot on your plate. So, why not make some extra cash with all the great information and hard lessons you’ve learned? You paid in sweat and coffee, now let that knowledge make extra cash for you by teaching at SavvyAuthors!

We provide the classroom infrastructure, an online moderator, promotion through our newsletter and social media channels, and all the administrative work. All you have to do is provide and post the content!

We are currently accepting workshop proposals for the end of June 2021 and into 2022.

We are on the lookout for craft workshops with clearly actionable content such as:

• Plotting especially beat sheets and fast drafting. Also interested in easy guides to character arcs or new takes on story structure.
• Adopting or strengthening the use of GMC, creating tension, character creation and layers, internal wounds.
• Writing elements, especially scene and sequel, filtering description, showing versus telling, deeper point of view, how to make characters unique and different through their point of view.
• Self-editing best practices and processes such as writing to market and working on a rapid release schedule. Think of ways to polish the first five or ten pages to get past the slush pile.
• Writing business materials such as crafting a blurb, query letter, or synopsis.

We are less interested in general interest, marketing, and business workshops.

• We’re still looking for great workshops on these topics, but there will be a limited number of spots available.
• All classes on these materials must provide practical information with a clear application to selling books.
• Genre-specific classes around romance, mystery, and suspense are of interest this year. We would also like to add classes on other genres such as Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Book, and Nonfiction.

NEW This Year!

We are also on the lookout for classes that are well-suited to a video class. The video class will consist of three to five 20 minute recordings or shorter but no fewer than 60 minutes of recorded time.

We are looking for instructors with a strong registration background and the ability to produce and record professional videos. SavvyAuthors will provide video editing with presenters that are a good fit with our vision.

We are not currently accepting proposals for live webinars.

The fine print

We provide a class roster and detailed accounting. Our stipend is 50% of fees, plus a yearly premium membership valued at $40. If you are willing to teach the class for us only, we will happily pay you 60% and give you additional promotion and advertising. We prefer new or workshops that haven’t been presented online in the last 12 months.

Please do visit us at SavvyAuthors.

• Need more information? Check out our Teach for SavvyAuthors information page.
• Ready to go? Submit your proposal here!
  

If you still have questions after reviewing Teach for SavvyAuthors, please shoot us an email!

Nice to be here! I came across this site completely by accident but I'm glad I did!
I'm in (what I hope to be) my final draft of my first novel. It's near-future sci fi at ~80k words. I'm in the process of going through beta reader feedback (22 betas, 9 responses) and hope to be done by the end of the month. Would love to join the crit group and I think I did (not sure - the page kept looping). Looking forward to meeting everyone!

I"m looking to publish a short story or two. Suggestions? Thank you

Hello! My name is Allie and I primarily write Fantasy and Science Fiction, and my current Work in Progress is a Young Adult (Epic) Fantasy. I'm hoping to find some critique partners and possibly beta readers both for this WIP and future projects. I am looking forward to making some great connections with fellow writers!

Hi, I'm a memoir writer with a book coming out on July 27, 2021 (Shooting Out the Lights). I'm still finishing up a memoir that will be out in the fall of 2022. I've been working on both books full time for twelve years, so it's been a long journey. Excited to be a part of Savvy Authors!