The Daily Writer

A few months ago, I left my job as a full-time college professor after doing that work for 17 years. Even though I had a fair amount of discretionary time in that job, and I also worked from home during the summers, it has been a big switch to go from having a college office to now being able to work from anywhere at any time.

I've found myself working a lot more in coffee shops the last few months, which is enjoyable but has its challenges.

On this episode, I thought it would be fun to share a few tips that have been helpful to me as I've learned to navigate some interesting dynamics of working in coffee shops, a location where a lot of writers do their work. Whether or not you write in a coffee shop, these tips can help you be more successful and productive in your writing. Also, if you’re interested in the music playlists that I listen to while I write and work, check out the links below:

LoFi Beats Spotify Playlist

Movies Scores Spotify Playlist

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Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

One of the most pervasive ideas in Western culture is the concept of “finding your dreams.” No one knows for sure where this idea came from.

The idea goes something like this: the main purpose of your life, vocationally speaking, is to find your dream. The dream is what you are meant to do. It’s granted by some otherworldly force or power. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to keep seeking and searching, defeating obstacles and naysayers, until the dream becomes a reality.

On today's episode, you’ll discover that your dreams are things you actively create, not things that you passively wait for.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

Do you struggle with being a perfectionist? Perfectionism is the tendency to get paralyzed by the idea that your work is never good enough. Perfectionists imagine there is a standard out there and they can never reach it. They have convinced themselves that they will be an utter failure unless they reach that unreachable standard. Therefore, they never take action and instead live in a perpetual state of frustration.

On today's episode, Kent shares a strategy that can help you overcome perfectionism.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

One of the most helpful perspectives we can adopt as writers is understanding that we don’t have an objective view of reality.

This is hard to hear because most of us naturally believe we see things as they are. We assume we can see ourselves and everyone else clearly, as they are. We trust that our perceptions about our giftedness and other people’s talent are basically on target.

But that’s almost never the case. In truth, we tend to underestimate our own potential, while overestimating everyone else’s. We think everyone else deserves success while we don’t.

LoFi Beats Spotify Playlist

Movies Scores Spotify Playlist

On today's episode, you’ll be reminded why success does not have anything to do with what you deserve, but with your actions.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

There is a common trait among successful writers, and it has nothing to do with skill, talent, genre, or style. Instead, it has everything to do with taking responsibility for your own life choices.

Most people are passive observers of their own lives. They accept the choices that life hands to them. They assume what they see other people doing is what they should be doing also. They go along with the crowd, never rock the boat, and never achieve their dreams.

On today's episode, you’ll be emboldened to take responsibility for your own life and stand out from the crowd.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

Have you ever sat in a coffee shop and listened to the conversations happening around you? It’s fascinating.

99% of the time, people are only talking about themselves. Almost everyone in every social situation makes a conversation about them. It is rare to hear someone who is listening empathetically to the other person who is speaking.

In fact, communication experts have told us for decades that there’s far more communication happening in the facial gestures and body language of people than there is in their words. To go even a step further, our words are sometimes even designed to hide what we are really thinking and feeling.

On today's episode, Kent challenges us to become better communicators as we listen and learn from the conversations happening around us.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

There are many keys to your success as a writer and author. Writing a great book is an important part of it, but there are other important things as well. One of those components is book marketing, which can seem like an intimidating and mysterious part of your business as a writer.

While there can definitely be a lot of moving parts to marketing, it's important not to lose sight of the bigger picture, which is serving and connecting with readers. On today's episode, I want to share a recent call from our Daily Writer Community.

One of our members is Vincent Pugliese, who is the author of the fantastic book, Freelance to Freedom. He also is the creator and leader of the amazing Total Life Freedom Community, a membership group that has had a radical impact on my mindset and success over the last couple of years. I can tell you unequivocally that I would not have been able to build a business and leave my day job without the encouragement of this community, particularly Vincent’s.

One of the reasons Vincent is so successful as an entrepreneur and coach is that he looks at things differently. He approaches life and business with a generous mindset. On this call, he shares how he approaches book marketing through the lens of generosity. Not only does this take the pressure off of marketing your book in a sleazy way… it's also a lot more fun!

This is a community call, so you'll hear others speaking on the call, in addition to myself and Vincent. Below, you'll find Vincent's links, in addition to a link for an episode he did on his Total Life Freedom podcast. That episode is "Becoming a Non-Bestselling Author," and I highly encourage you to give it a listen. It's a critical perspective for every writer!

Click on the links below to connect with Vincent, purchase his book, or listen to his podcast:

TotalLifeFreedom.com

Freelance to Freedom by Vincent Pugliese

The Total Life Freedom Podcast

Podcast Episode: Becoming a Non-Bestselling Author

Connect with Vincent on LinkedIn

Connect with Vincent on Facebook

Follow Vincent on Instagram

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

Platform… it's one of those words that feels mysterious, intimidating, and maybe even confusing to many authors. You've heard that you need a platform and you're willing to do the work, but why do you need one and how do you build it?

My friend Chad Allen is here on this episode to join me for a conversation about these questions and more. Chad is a writer, speaker, editor, and writing coach. As a twenty-year publishing professional, he served in acquisitions and directorial roles for Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, before going full-time with his own business.

He has collaborated with numerous bestselling authors including Michael Hyatt, Jeff Goins, Mark Batterson, Phyllis Tickle, and many others. Chad is also the creator of Book Proposal Academy, an online course, and BookCamp, a mentoring and community hub for writers. His passion is helping writers get their books into the world. He blogs at ChadRAllen.com.

Chad holds a B.A. in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an M.A. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife, Alyssa, live with their two children in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In this conversation, you will learn all about your author platform, including the #1 reason publishers turn books down, the best ways to grow your platform, the role of blogging and social media, how to change your mindset about growing your platform, and more.

I had the privilege of meeting Chad a couple of years ago at Jeff Goins' Tribe Conference, and I can tell you he is the real deal. He is an excellent book coach and knows more than just about anyone on the planet about what it takes to put together an excellent book. Over the years, I have read and used dozens of books where Chad had a hand in their success… I just didn't know it at the time!

In addition, Chad has a special offer for Daily Writer listeners, which is a free 30-day trial of Book Camp, his community that will help you grow your platform.

Check out Chad’s special offer for this community, his book proposal course, and ways to connect with him below:

ChadRAllen.com

Free 30-Day Trial of BookCamp

Book Proposal Academy

Follow Chad on Twitter

Connect with Chad on Facebook

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

We writers often talk about the reasons we write. But what are the reasons we don’t write? What keeps us from writing?

Several things probably come to mind: procrastination, not enough time, and not feeling creative, among others. But at the end of the day, there is one main thing that keeps us from writing.

The novelist Erica Jong hit the nail on the head when she said, “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged.”

On this episode, Kent reminds us not to worry about who won’t like our writing, but to focus on those who will enjoy it.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders    

If you have ever worked on a deadline, you understand the frustration of writing conditions that are not ideal.

This can be a challenge if you think you can only write in certain conditions. The weather has to be just right. It has to be the perfect time of day. You need to have a certain drink or snack. You can only use a certain type of pen. The right kind of music has to be playing. You're having a good hair day.

Does it help when we have perfect conditions? Of course.

But that's not how professionals work. They have work to do, and they find a way to get it done.

On this episode, you’ll learn that the only thing stopping you from being productive is the limitation you put on yourself.

***

Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our Daily Writer Community.     

Check out our Daily Writing Prompts, which will help you break through creative blocks, brainstorm new ideas, and get back into a state of flow. Writing prompts are a fantastic creative tool for creative writing, journaling, teaching, social media posts, podcasting, and more!    

Connect with Kent:    

https://DailyWriterLife.com    

Facebook: https://facebook.com/kent.sanders    

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kentsanders    

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kent-sanders    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentsanders