5 Things To Know Before You Write A Book by #ElsaKurt #RomanceGems

But What If I Already Wrote it?

It's okay, really. This applies to both new and aspiring writers! There were a few things I wished I knew before I wrote my first book, so I'd like to share them with you -  the I've sort of been writing a book and the okay, I wrote a book but I don't know what to do with it person.

And since this is our Back To School, Back to You month, what better time to re-light the fire for your passion project than now? (*high fives herself for tying it all together)

Nice. But What If I Just Enjoy

 Reading Books?

That's okay, too! Maybe you have no desire or interest in writing and you're wondering, why bother reading this post? I'll give you the few reasons I came up with: 

1) You've got a few minutes to kill, so eh, why not?

2) You're just a really nice person throwing the proverbial bone out to a writer & reading this.

3) You've got a friend (relative, neighbor, child) who's really interested in writing, so you're going to skim this & pass it along to said friend (relative, neighbor, child).

4) You. It is really you who has this quietly simmering desire to write, but something holds you back.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Wrote A Book

*I apologize in advance. These may seem incredibly obvious, but by way of explanation, I have to confess: I jumped into this gig face first, with only my love of writing in hand and NOTHING else. 

1) You Need To Have a Plan. In fairness, I did (sort of) have a plan: Write a book, put in on Amazon, make money. Great plan, right? (*rolls eyes) But seriously, have a plan. Word count goals, deadline, editing options, social media strategy, publishing options, and so on. Then, take that very long list and break it into small bites.

2) Commit To The Plan. Hold yourself accountable! At some point, you decided this is what I want to do. Don't back down. Don't waver. And don't let anyone dissuade you. Usually, we're our own worst enemy, so do yourself a favor: be as kind and encouraging to yourself as you would be to a child.

3) Learn, Learn, Learn. I don't care if you're an English major or a high school graduate who spent much of their early adulthood as a stay-at-home parent (ahem, like me). You MUST learn the craft - the magic - of the written word. The resources are boundless. I recommend these two to start: On Writing by Stephen King and The Elements of Style.  

4) Know That No Matter How Many Times You Self-Edit, You Need an Editor. Seriously. I know that you'll read it at least ten times, and on that tenth, you'll decide you've caught all the mistakes. You haven't. Believe me (speaking from experience here) You. Have. Not.

5) You Have To Believe in Your Work. Self-doubt and insecurity never go away. You'll have to learn to put that all aside, learn how to take criticism and rejection. Not everyone will love your work. That's okay because it's not meant for everyone.

I Could Go On, and On, and...

You get the idea, though. There is so, so much more. An addendum for each of those numbers and then more numbers. It's a lot, but please don't be overwhelmed. You absolutely can do this... if you really want it. Only you can decide how much you're willing to believe in yourself, how passionate you are, or how motivated you feel. The only thing I (and authors like me) can do, is help you navigate the path of your writing journey. In fact, it's exactly what I do. If you are an aspiring or new author and feel overwhelmed by the writing, publishing, and promoting process, consider joining Elsa Kurt's Writer Tribe. it's an online/virtual course & live help hybrid tailored to your needs. You'll have instant access to the private Facebook Group and resource files & videos at your fingertips. If you're interested, email me at authorelsakurt@gmail.com.

No Slick Segue Here...

Nope, I have no suave way to tie in the exciting news that book three in the Welcome to Chance series, Georgie's Secret officially releases in two days!! EEEKKKK! I'm SO happy to send the newest installment of this small-town saga into the world. This time around we step inside the Brightsider's epic love story, and yes, these two are swoon-worthy together. Fun fact - I based Charles and Georgie on a very real couple - Bob and Annie, who've been together for more than fifty years and are still madly in love. I adore them & consider them absolute marriage goals. And since this a book about a secret, I'll let you in on mine: You can get Georgie's Secret in paperback NOW, but shhhh, don't tell.

Want to come to the online release party & party like an introvert? Here's your "invite" Click HERE

Schedule of Events

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It's Time For Our September Rafflecopter Giveaway... Back To School, Back To YOU! 

You can click September Rafflecopter here at any time, or scroll to the bottom and find the entire form. There are some great prizes up for grabs. (You can always check the daily post for the Rafflecopter link and/or form too.)

September Prizes

Grand Prize: Winner's Choice—Echo Dot with Alexa or $25.00 Amazon Gift Card

Alexa can read most of the ebooks on a Kindle, read an Audible audio book for you, keep track of your calendar, organize your life, do research for you, play games, play music, make phone calls for you, and even order a pizza!

Actually there's even more that Alexa can do for you. There are hundreds of free Alexa apps available to you.

2nd Prize: Winner's Choice—Reader's Journal or $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

If you select the Woman's Writing Journal, you'll receive the one shown to the right if available or another attractive, stylish journal.







3rd Prize: Winner's Choice—Lavender Bath Bomb or $5.00 Amazon Gift Card

Have you had bath bombs before? They're like a bubble bath kicked up a few notches.
They fizz and smell absolutely wonderful. If you select Bath Bomb as your prize, we'll send one similar to the Lavender F Bomb, "a lavender bath fizzer with a message inside," shown on the left.
Good luck everyone! Enter often and tell your friends.

Don't forget to refer to our Giveaway Tab above to read our contest rules!