Life

You Are Never Too Old to Start a New Adventure!

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The Hobbit was an inspirational book to me in school for many reasons. Later in college it was nice to recall that Bilbo, a hobbit in his fifties, started his exciting adventure at a later age than what is typical in the popular opinion that only the young can under go journeys that allow us to grow as people. Inspired, I felt the world was open to many possibilities to all of us at any age and all walks of life. The older you get, the more people expect you to have “figured it out”, but life is not at all that simple and never goes entirely as planned. I am here to tell you that it is okay!

 

College acceptance of students of any age should be enough of an example of teaching people willing to learn at any age, and that new beginnings is not exclusive to those younger than thirty. You don’t have to figure out what life style or career will bring your true fulfillment by twenty-six. You can get your toes wet in fields you are interested in and try new things all you want. If you find it doesn’t meld with you- I implore you to keep looking for that sense of happiness and fulfillment. I have heard from so many sources that you must learn to just grin and bear the life of employment and it is typical to hate your job. But why must that be?

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It is possible to look forward to go to work every day and be happy. We hear about those who found the jobs that make them very excited. If you find that your interest and happiness is not in your current field, I would suggest starting at the bottom rung of the ladder of a new career you have interest in. Learn the trade and see if it is a right fit.

Life is full of new experiences. Try new things, dive in, and enjoy the journey we are endlessly trying to figure out.

Life

Unemployed And At A Loss

Unemployment can be a difficult for many. The guilt in relying on others and the uncertainty of where you might end up brings most people through the worst depression. This depression says a lot about you.

 

Being upset that you don’t have a job means that you are someone who is motivated to work and better themselves and that unemployment is not for you. You know you aren’t meant to be where you are. My advice is to keep looking and building skills to become even more appealing to hire during this downtime. And first and foremost, do not solely focus on getting that job.

 

My story of unemployment is not as lengthy as most, but I still faced that wall of immobility. Sitting at home day in and day out, hunting for jobs and told “no” more times than I can remember took a hit on my self-confidence. The key to getting a job is to, not only keep looking, but not to dwell on it all the time. If you aren’t enjoying life you will wear away your resolve into nothing. There are lots of ways to entertain yourself if you need to budget: go for walks, take part in activities that don’t require a lot of money like volunteering, and you don’t need to use money to rent a book or a movie from your local library.

 

A period of unemployment may also be a time you can use to discover your own strengths, likes, and passions. There is nothing wrong in pursuing what sets your hair on fire. Your passion keeps your going, it’s what gives you steam to keep running, painting, and learning. Never let go of that fire or you risk losing yourself with it.

 

Once you find that job, and you will if you are persistent, then don’t let that stop you. Keep heading onto your own personal path. You may reach the retirement age with this employment, or you may not. Another calling can reach out to you in twenty years, a few years, or even a few months. Follow it. Don’t remain in one spot if it doesn’t build you up. Do not settle for a job that doesn’t satisfy you.

 

After saying all these cautionary words, I implore you to explore. Try something you would never try before. Life is an adventure, treat it like one. You only get one ride, so make it count. Never remain still but continue to flow with the tides and wherever the wind will take you.

Life

“The Dangers of Reading Maps” : Finding Your Unpredictable Path Through Life

depth-of-field-direction-finger-34753 copy.jpgSo we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” – “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

            Hello again! After a long break, I’ve gotten back into the blogging business. All right, I am making this blog as a personal/inspirational blog and wish to share my journey through it. Today, I would like to discuss how life is never what you planned it to be even when it seems like a flawless plan.

            Recently, someone I know lost a 30-some year career with no compensation or remorse from the Universe. This was a great shock and made the world out to be so cruel. It proved that when you believe you have everything figured out, life can come and drag you down to uncertainty until you question what your journey and struggles have all been for. Where is the justice? Don’t you deserve reward for putting in your time? I believe there is a purpose to such nasty wake-up calls the Universe sends us occasionally to keep us on our toes, even if its a cruel lesson to teach us.

            The person I am talking about has a new chance to pursue something they like or something that makes them happy. Truthfully they were worn down by their job these recent years and wanted a way out. The Universe then answered. It was still a shock to hear they had lost the future they always believed was inevitably theirs. They sat there stunned after being wrenched away from the path they had planned to follow decades before.

            I cannot help but relate with the same uncertainty. When I was a college student, you expect that the world will take notice and give you a well-paying job because you “deserve it” for getting that degree. That cannot be further from the truth. The world doesn’t care about what I believed I deserved as much as it didn’t care about my friend losing their livelihood. Earn everything in life, do not rely on things being promised to you at the end of the very long path you follow, or it is possible you will be surprised when your world turns upside down and the future you were so sure was within your grasp is wrenched away by an unfeeling higher power.

            Life can be scary with such insecurity. I perceive life now as an endless trail we must follow with so many twists, turns, and bumps as you chart your path. Thick forests on either side of you, hiding you away from other people on their own journeys. You don’t witness every challenge or hurtle they overcome, you may glimpse their successes between the trees, but they must keep moving as should you.

            Some see life as stagnant. They park their car, fixate on the surrounding scenery, unable to glimpse the road that continues beyond the bushes.

            WE must forge on.

            I battle with this fear every day, wondering “what is there for me on the path ahead,” but I know stopping will guarantee I will not grow.

            Though this all may seem rather depressing, keep in mind that life can change in ways we can never predict. 

Writing

The Writer’s Post: Choosing Your Book’s Niche

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One of the most important parts of publishing a book is choosing where your book truly belongs.

Why should you decide on your genre? Well, if you are trying to convince someone to read your book, they would like to know what to expect out of it. Your readers don’t owe you their attention, so promising a certain type of story will get those people excited for your work.

There are many pros to choosing a genre. If you want to take your work to a literary agent or professional publisher, they will be more inclined to reading and using your writing if they know what genre it is classified under- unless you want your manuscript to end up in the dreaded slush pile. Genres set rules to help you form the book based on what your readership could expect and want from you. If you want to sell a lot of books, you must write what the readers want 98% of the time.

The cons of choosing a genre: Yes, it does have negative aspects. Genres can make your book limited in how your story can develop. To figure this one out, try looking for book series that is somewhat similar to yours, what are they categorized as? Another negative aspect when it comes to getting published by professional companies is that they will often require you to produce many books in the same genre so you have a brand with your name (or pen name). Authors sometimes have two pen names when writing for two different genres for this very reason. So, perhaps come up with a second name to write under.

My tips are:

1) Know Your Genre

If you don’t understand the limits of a genre or what readers would expect from a book within it, then I suggest you do a little studying. Read whatever you can get your hands on. I am not saying that you need to read every book known to man within the genre, but  read enough so that you feel comfortable in making something fans of that genre will like.

2) Decide Why You Want To Write

Are you motivated by the idea of making large amounts of money with your writing? I am not here to tell you this is the wrong motivation, because some people do it mostly for the money. In this area self help books are huge along with romances that cater to a specific group of readers and will sell decently. Scholarly books, such as text books, might require certain qualifications for people to recognize it as quality material, but the market is there for it as well.

Another goal for some writers is the fame. This is the goal I would strongly advise you to re-evaluate. Fame is not for everyone and it is REALLY hard to achieve with countless hours of hard work and  dedication under your belt (and you still might not even make it). Not everyone will want to read what you write. And if you are only focused on becoming famous, you aren’t paying enough attention to what really matters- you’re writing.

The third and last reason why someone would publish a book is because they enjoy it. This is the greatest reason a person can have to write their stories. You can write what you want and have a greater freedom, stressing less about what readers will want and focus on what you want. With this dream in mind, you don’t really care if it doesn’t sell well, just as long as you find that one person who would really love your story as much as you.

3) Don’t Falsely Advertise Your Book

It’s just not worth it. If you advertise a romance as an action adventure, the action adventure people will find it, read it, and hate it (more than likely). These readers will take to the internet and post lengthy “too much kissing”, one-star reviews. It is best to know your book’s true genre instead of angering the people you have done all this hard work for.

4) Learn Where and How to Effectively Market Your Book 

This is a no brainer. You will want to advertise your book where your target audience would see it. So more than likely a sci-fi thriller might not be appealing to advertise on websites aimed at lawn and garden enthusiasts. Learn marketing skills even if you have a publisher. It will make you seem like you really know what you are doing and  more capable to achieve greater sales for both you and the publisher.

 

So please make sure you are letting people know what they are getting into the moment they first encounter your book, whether it be at the local bookstore or while browsing the kindle store. The reader doesn’t owe you their attention. You must grab their attention by the hand and pull them in and keep them there by giving them an idea on what your story contains.

Keep Writing! Keep Reading! Keep Growing!

Life, Writing

Why I Am Taking Acting Classes

Ever feel like you’re about to throw up when faced with a crowd watching you present something or other?

But do you want to be seen as a leader or influential person?

If you answered Yes to both of these characteristics, then have no fear: “for fear means you are pushing yourself past the comfortable norm”.

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At least that is what my acting teaching would say.

Well, I am sorry to be the one to say it but feeling this fear will never go away. Knowing how to conquer it is key. You need to be the master of the fear you feel when in front of other people or a camera. Find confidence in yourself.

“Trust yourself. Being scared means you are in the zone and exactly where you need to be,” my instructor says when speaking about how we take scenes or lines of dialogue.

We need to let go and be ready to be afraid and attack what we are afraid of even while we are sick to our stomachs. But the beauty of the class is, everyone is in the same boat.

Everyone is shaking and scared and I am just a face among them.

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Besides Stage Fright, What Else Would It Be Good For?

It’s knowing when to breathe during a sentence or phrase. Where to break the wording in a way that will have the most impact.

  • Grounding Yourself.

This means that it helps you find yourself in the space and moment you are in, in order to convince those who you are speaking with that you are entirely aware of them and the space. It proves you have confidence even if it isn’t true.

Eleven Benevolent Elephants. This and more phrases are said in the most dramatic way possible. Nonsensical phrases that force your mouth to bend and force you to take time and focus on facial movements. This is to be sure, that when said loudly, you will be understood no matter where they are in the room.

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What Could This Do for Writers?

Character development, actions, inner thoughts, dialogue, and confidence in being creative. That was why I took this class. I wanted to build my confidence and explore characters and personalities beyond what I would find in a book. I wanted to actually use my body to become someone else, to discover someone else’s “why” through movement and speech.

In Conclusion

I would encourage you to do an acting class. If anything, you will have another point-of-view in ways to see characters. Also, it’s really fun! Please keep your mind open in ways you can learn and become a better writer. Acting lessons are just an example.

Writing

Does Your Audience Really Matter?

Yes and no. When thinking of creating a living off your content whether it be books, newspaper articles, or social media; your audience is key. You have to make people happy so they will consume more and more. Make them want to use their hard-earned money to support you. But, if you are making content only for fun, then do whatever makes you happy without worrying about what people think.

But if you are the former kind of creator, then here are my tips on what you need to be concentrating on in order to drive up your exposure and growth.

Tip #1:

Be Present.

If you are an indie author, you are relying on social media to market yourself because without it- no one will know who you are. But in order to grow followers, you need to be present. I am learning this tip as well and doing my best to remain consistent.

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Tip #2:

Know Who Your Target Audience Is.

This is important when writing any type of content. You don’t want to write about programming computers while marketing on social sites more targeted towards teenage audiences, granted you might get a few sales, but not as much as you would get on a business site or online education site.

Tip #3:

Monitor Your Own Comments And Reactions To Hate Or Negative Feedback.

If you blow up on someone commenting about your content or giving your book a negative review, people will screenshot it and spread it to their friends. Those friends then have potential to spread it to their friends and so on and so forth. Not good. There is also great potential for your brand in such moments by replying with grace and politeness. People will find your more appealing if you don’t throw punches at your “haters”. So think before you click that “reply” button!

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Tip #4:

Focus Your Media Posts.

It’s fine to have other channels or other profiles on the same social sites, but you have to realize that people will want your presence on a certain account to be consistent. If people don’t know what to expect, or when to expect it, they will find it difficult to follow you because they will want a certain type of content from you.

Tip #5:

Recognize Your Audience As Your Tribe.

These are the people who will become a family to you. Replying and remaining present with them not only feels genuine, but it feels relatable. You will seem less like a business scheme and more like a friend to people who genuinely want to buy your stuff and support you. Getting no response from you either through a IM, public post, or just a simple like will make your audience feel ignored and unimportant. In the end people become less engaged and a little more wary of your brand seeing as you being strictly business and less of a person who genuinely cares about them- instead it will feel like you care more about their wallet.

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Tip #6:

Create Value For Others.

If people are going to find you and follow you be sure that they get something back for it. Sure your personality is a HUGE bonus, but they will not feel compelled to keep consuming your work if they come up short. Just keep in mind that no one owes you anything. They don’t owe you their attention. You have to earn it by being helpful to them like a mentor or trusted friend.

Don’t you find yourself drawn to people who add to your life whether if they are a good listener or an advice giver? Exactly.

So far, those are my tips on how to be more of a leader in social media. Thank you so much for reading, guys. Take care, and let me know what other tips you think are important. Also, did these tips help you? Let me know in the comments!

Writing

How To Get Ideas Flowing: A How To On Writing

This is the first blog about writing in a while, so what are we gonna discuss? What is the most important part of writing in its most fundamental roots?

Knowing what you’re going to be writing about!

Hello, guys! I think most of you are here because you are into writing? Even if you aren’t, there are some helpful tips I would love to share to make your writing and ability to compile ideas a little easier. Ideas won’t come to you, so it is up to our creative minds to find inspiration in the world around us.

In order to start any writing project, you have to have a goal in mind and a conclusion. No matter how vague, you need to have an idea on what to write about.

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Where do ideas come from?

When it comes to writing it can come from our own experience in life. There are blogs created for one particular interest around based entirely on sharing first-hand knowledge about a topic. Some big examples are How To books and memoirs.

You can also get ideas from other forms of media or communications. While reading a book,  watching a movie, or viewing a random commercial before you watch a YouTube video can inspire you in making your own idea. The possibilities for that sort of inspiration are endless, so my tip is to keep an open mind!

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I am not, however, saying to copy off another’s work. I am saying let another’s work inspire some spark within you that you can work with to form your own creation.

There’s a million ways to get an idea by asking ‘What If’s. What if you were actually a robot? Which you only first discover when a man in a white lab coat rolls up to you and your friends having a coffee out at the local Starbucks?

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My main tips are:

  • Keep writing, even if it’s about nothing at all. Write every day and something will pop up that will excite you.
  • Keep a dream journal. You may have the weirdest dreams, but I would advise you to write down what happened after you jolt awake- I mean right after. I have such a journal with my handwriting going all over the place, but I get idea when I read over it. I don’t even remember my dreams minutes after waking up! So write fast!
  • Keep your mind open. You never know what you’ll see and find at any given moment.
  • Never stop learning. You can find so many interesting topics and inspiration from learning a new skill or research a certain topic.
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And those are all the tips I have for now. Just remember, there is no such thing as a horrible idea the first time you write it down. It’s when you come back to it that can determine whether or not it’s worth your time!

Life

Disillusionment After Uni: Moving Forward

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Well, what can I say after a title like that, huh? Well first let me start by saying that this is in no way a negative sort of post, it is a self-recording of what I have been through since graduating college.

I have taught myself a lot since my education has fallen into my own hands. When attending college, I didn’t seek out much guidance because I was often told to take pricier classes, or more classes than what I needed. One time I was placed in a math far above my level, I’m not so good in the mathematic area, but ever since then I never sought out any guidance and took only what I needed. This meant I only worked in a library job for 2 years for fun, with no real intention on being a librarian.

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What have I learned?

Well, I guess I have learned that not planning what my next move might have made the transition from student to working adult a little more tedious. Now I only have vague credentials that are “all over the place” like most hiring jobs tell me. I come from a very small town in Ohio (in the United States for anyone reading who is unfamiliar with the states), this is a place where I see poverty every day. People struggle to make ends meet and are “stuck” in place by the questionable economy.

When I graduated, I started applying to every place I could. I sent my resume to blogging sites, magazines, and even libraries. But no one was hiring a fresh and possibly inexperienced grad.

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When I got my hundredth (or quite close to my hundredth) rejection letter, I wanted to give up. I would throw myself onto my bed and stare at the ceiling- I knew I’ve hit a roadblock.

What now? What now? What now?

I would repeat those words as I paced, unemployed for two months and running out of savings. I then caved and applied to any opening I saw online, jobs high schoolers usually had. That was when I got a job at a movie theater.

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Now I don’t want to be a pessimist and say that the world was awful for reducing me, a college grad, into such a position as a part-time cashier at a small theater in a dying mall. It was the opposite. I went into myself for the time, watching the world as an observer. I didn’t want to think about the direction my life would take next.

So now here’s the hard part- I got an idea. What if I teach myself what they would teach me in school for a lot less and find a job that would give me a chance? Well, I started to pay for courses online (making sure they were accredited) while I started to reapply for jobs like a mad woman.

That was when I got a phone call. One private business called up my house and was asking to see me for an interview. My heart nearly flew out when I heard her say “for the photography assistant position”. Holy crap!

I had taken two years of Photoshop, film, and media training in a career center during my high school years. Nothing to do with my college degree. I jumped on the opportunity and went to my interview with high hopes.

What I came to was blessing in disguise.

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I didn’t want to get out of my car. It was a very warm May morning, but I wanted to just sit in my car and stare at the building before me. I couldn’t believe my one big breakthrough was in a dilapidated old house right beside a run-down bar. I set out an alert on my phone, knowing I’ve seen movies that ended badly after these situations before going in.

“No one really walks in the door when the see the place,” said one manager as we sat down for the interview. I told them my experience with photography and editing, and how I liked to create beautiful videos and pictures in my free time. Next thing I knew, I got a phone in the morning. I was hired!

Now I’m not saying it was the best gig, but it was an amazing experience to travel on the road and see new things and places. The girl I was assistant to was the sweetest person I could have been matched with. This job gave me confidence in myself and made me think ‘if I could find this job, I could find any job if I give it a chance’.

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That job didn’t last more than two months, the business went belly up and I was once again only working part-time at the theater. I knew I had to put my degree to good use one way or another and what better way than being a substitute teacher? I applied and got the job as fast as I could, traveling from school to school to teach new kids every day… I hated it.

I was desperate for money and I had two jobs that were not what I wanted to do. That was when my friend told me about the full-time position I am currently at now. It’s not what I had wanted, but seeing how far I’ve come and all the adventures I’ve already had, I know I won’t be lost for too long. After everything I went through this last year I found that my degree isn’t everything and it won’t give me the world. My determination and open mindedness got me every job I’ve had so far. They aren’t in my field of study, but they are helping me get to where I want to be.

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I am here to encourage anyone, degree or not, to keep your mind open and enjoy where you are because just one year out of college I found a huge group of friends, traveled for miles around as a photographer, met many different people, seen many strange places as a substitute teacher (while getting tips on a possible way to go if I wanted to pursue education), and found a job that gave me my own office (which oddly has been a dream of mine).

I can’t wait to see where this new year will take me! But I know I don’t have to stay in one place for too long if I don’t want to.

Life

Minimum Wage Jobs: Why You Need At Least One On Your Resume

adult-business-commerce-375889 (1).jpgHappy Friday! This post I am going to be discussing the minimum wage job. So, you are fresh out high school/ college and currently looking for employment? Finding an immediate income is never a bad decision. A job is a job and it is something to be proud of. Employment gives you a sense of accomplishment and money.

I used to think I was above having a minimum wage job, that I deserved more than that slice of life. But I feel working a minimum job for a year or a life time is worth the journey. In order to be an effective worker anywhere you must humble yourself. Be proud that you have a job. Many people wish they were in your shoes.

Another part of minimum wage work is knowing that you don’t have to stay there. You can up and leave within whatever two weeks you choose. Finding a new job, no matter the wage, will bring new experiences and the ability to meet people.

The third thing is knowing that money doesn’t mean success. There are countless people who are miserable though they have more money than they can ever spend in their lives! Success is measured in your own happiness. If you are among people who understand you and make you happy, then you have accomplished what so many want to have.

My own experience with minimum wage jobs had gotten me out of my shell and released me into the world with greater understanding. I was made to communicate with so many people on a daily basis, increasing my working and problem-solving skills.

I wish everyone could take some time to work part-time at a restaurant, gas station, or any other job that deals with people from all walks of life. It is an experience of invaluable knowledge.

Please don’t tear yourself down only because of your paycheck. Look at the value in your temporary position and the memories an office job could never give you. And remember to always enjoy the ride.

 

 

Writing

Writing Habits: How To Make Writing A Daily Routine

We all dream of the perfect routines that will meet our writing deadlines, but do we know how to go about that? Here are tips on how to at least start a daily writing routine and reach your goals.

First, you can’t change your daily routine dramatically. If you are a late riser, eat cereal for breakfast and lunch, and never go to the gym; you can’t change suddenly start waking up early, cooking every meal, and going to the gym once a day. That would be too much of a change. It would be like being very hot and suddenly jumping into a pool full of ice cold water, your body would go into shock.

I would suggest setting one goal for yourself like waking up early every day. Once the habit is engrained into your routine, you can change something else in your lifestyle. So, writing should be the same. If you don’t write every day, setting a big 5000 words a day goal might not be advisable. Instead, I suggest writing 500-2000 words. Be sure to meet your goal every day for a week before increasing your goal.

Second, have a habit trigger. If you write with jazz music in the background and turn on jazz music every day, it can make your mind ready to write and create when you hear jazz. This habit will trigger the writing part of your mind and get you into the writing mood.

Third is to disconnect. This means to turn off the internet, put away the phone, and all other distractions that might stop you from writing your story. This does not mean you can’t look up things having to do with your writing (i.e. Google). Turn off notifications from all social media and exit out of all other apps on your phone.

Treat writing like a habit and less like a hobby. You don’t need to do it to survive, but you need to do it to better yourself as a writer and spend more time writing. If you fail to meet your goals, then try again. You can never stop trying to reach your goals.

Enjoy the journey we all love and keep writing!

Life

Schedule and Keep Moving Towards Your Goals!

Life is a busy hustle of work and sleep, but the true mystery is how can we find a balance between work and our goals while getting enough sleep. Time is the most valuable commodity a person can have no matter your background or financial status. Recognizing when you are wasting time instead of using it is the first step towards meeting your long-term goals.

The huge factor in reaching goals and working hard is a balance with work and pleasure. If you don’t take time to pause and enjoy life and enjoy the present, it is hard to continue without relaxation. So, take a day trip, go to the movies, find a part in your day you can relax and enjoy the simpler things like a good novel (I shoot for the evening hours after working all day).

In setting goals, many bloggers recommend following the SMART method. In doing this, you will track and conquer the small steps along the way of meeting your goals.

S stands for Specific. What is it you want to accomplish? Write out your plan to achieve it in great detail, setting small obstacles to overcome and climb up to your goal.

M stands for Meaning. A goal is nothing without passion or genuine reason behind why we are pursuing it. Understanding why you want something and being able to remind yourself about such a desire will keep you motivated to get it.

A stands for Achieve. This step is full of conquering and taking over the world by storm. As I stated above, setting small goals and over taking them will stoke the flames to your fire. Realistic goals you can achieve on a short term basis will bring you closer to the finish with each milestone you reach.

R stands for Relevant. Is the goal beneficial to you as an individual? If the goal is something you are not passionate about you will want to quit more often than not. So, before setting any goal ask yourself if it’s what you want and would benefit you and your happiness in the long run. You can’t live a life contradictory to your own nature for too long.

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Find an effective time management routine that sets the most important goals first. This will allow you to tackle the most grueling task of your goals when you’re the most motivated. Accomplishing the most urgent goals will make your feel ready to take on other goals. People have the most drive in the morning, so it might be best to conquer your daily lofty goals first thing- perhaps after a little coffee.

It is also a good idea to track how you are spending your time. Keep a log in how much time you spend watching the news, on social media, or maybe even napping throughout the day. Realizing where your time goes is the first step in knowing what to cut back or limit so they can’t keep you from achieving your set goals.

If you must be on YouTube at least once every day, schedule your time around your goals, maybe during a break and time the sessions. Breaks from work are recommended, but be careful to not spend too much time on them. Schedule breaks or other social media into time segments and don’t break from it!

Another practice I’ve done every day since childhood was making a to do list every night before bed. When you wake up, you will have an idea on where your day is going instead of wasting time in thinking about all you do that day.

Time management is crucial in daily success which can build up into a life filled with success and pay off! Keep striving for your lofty dreams one step at a time and don’t forget to enjoy the little things as you achieve your dreams! Good luck!

Writing

The Writer’s Post: ‘How Fantasy Maps Are Made’ in the Words of an Artist.

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Maps are one of the first things your readers will see in your novel and can be the first thing to solidify your world in your mind seeing it on paper. With maps,  readers can get a clear idea on where your characters are heading and the obstacles they face.

Growing up, we studied maps in elementary school, learning where the hottest climates are and where land ends and oceans begin. Drawing the rough beginning sketches of your world, it is possible to hire an artist to put together the final draft of your map.

Surprisingly, many writers stress over having their sketch critiqued by a professional artist.  No worries! Tiffany Munro, a freelance artist, who has created many pieces of art for writers, explains the anxieties writers face: “If people are melting down from anxiety from a sketch, I let them know they can do a sketch as rough as a circle that says ‘trees here’, or record a video in which they gesture at something and talk it through, or write descriptions. I would say 90% of commissions involve a sketch of some skill level, and of the ones that don’t, half of those based on a real-world location and then the remaining 5% find other way to communicate their ideas,” (Munro). Even if the fear is crippling confidence in authors, it is common. Maps are important for any book set in a new world because readers will receive their second impression of your novel when they turn to the first page and see the world you’ve conjured up.

Although there is a lot of control on the artist’s end, the writer’s influence can be greater during the map-making process. Tiffany asks the client for a few chapters that mentions places and possibly a list of the plants, geography, and architecture.  Distance scale information can also help the artist determine the precipitation and the climate of each area.

Further connection between the map and the writer can be inspired by images the writer sends to inspire the artist. These pictures have meaning to the writer and their imagination, revealing the desired style. While asking for personalized maps, and that the map not to “look like the Lord of the Rings Map,” the writers find their own unique world that is tailored to their own inspiration and personality, (Munro).

According to Tiffany the average indie author commission takes from 2 to 4 weeks. These maps can cost around 100-300 dollars typically. Not bad for a professionally made chart.

Check out Tiffany’s work at:  http://feedthemultiverse.com/