View this email online if it doesn't display correctly The Sweet + Scary of Starting Your First Novel May 17, 2016 Oakland, California Foggy Spring Hi Friend,  I remember when I was attempting my first story with the help of a course -- a correspondence Writer's Digest course. Remember those? Recently single, 28 years old, trying to embrace my dreams, I wanted to write fiction, but I was scared, nervous, and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I dove into the course, wrote part of a story about the first architect of Notre Dame of Paris -- a fictitious character because no one knows who designed the cathedral -- and then stopped. To this day, the story has no plot to speak of and remains unfinished. I've had many false starts since then. For a time, I thought there was something wrong with me that I couldn't follow through and finish a story. Now I know that there's lots of factors about being able to start and finish a story. There's nothing wrong with me.  Learning to follow through was a habit I developed over time. In fact, it took me 5 years to complete my first novel. That was in 2003. Since then, I've written and finished five novels -- two I've published, so far -- and five novellas, all published. (I've also written and published three nonfiction books and hundreds of articles.) Here are some of the factors involved in being able to start and finish a novel: Readiness: Are you ready to dive into that new story that's been whispering to you? Commitment: Do you feel it in your gut or heart or body that you're ready to do this -- write the novel -- and go to distance, no matter the ups and downs? Willingness to take a risk: It is scary to write a novel. You're brave, courageous, in fact. You can face the unknown and write it into your book. Emotional Readiness: In our stories, we often must do bad things to our sweet, good characters. When I first realized that with the help of my critique partners, I gulped and knew they were right. Then I had to go about building a thicker skin and increasing my knowledge on how to actually do that -- you know they saying perhaps -- to put our sweet characters up a tree and throw stones at them. Knowledge: Writing fiction is not easy. It's unlike any other kind of writing  -- essays, articles, speeches, etc. When I seriously started writing fiction, I'd written over 60 articles, but fiction was a foreign territory.  ♥ On the subject of knowledge, and because I'm a teacher, and because I'm passionate about helping writers become novelists, I'm offering a special Novel Writing and Editing Bundle -- 4 courses to help you plan, write, and edit your novel.  1. Plan Your Novel: Planning for Non-Planners (Normally $60) 2. Craft Compelling Characters: Learn to craft characters your readers can fall in love with. This course is especially for genre novelists. (Normally $60) 3. The Writer's Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book: Self-Coaching Guide to Writing Your Book (Normally $60) 4. Edit Your Novel Bootcamp: 30-Day Editing Challenge for Dedicated Novelists (Normally $60) I'm offering this special bundle at $40 off until May 31st. ♥ Click here to sign up: http://school.bethbarany.com/courses/novel-writing-editing-bundle. Or click on any of the images to jump over to the special bundle page. :) You get all 4 courses for $199. You can pay in one payment or in installments. You can also upgrade for 1-1 support with an experienced coach, me. If you'd like even more support than this special bundle offers, consider joining our 12-month Group Coaching Program. I'm passionate about crafting courses that writers can use to move forward in writing their novels. I want to empower you to write your novel because your stories are important and can make an impact on readers that we can't even imagine. Have a Happy and Creative Week! And thanks for showing up for yourself and doing your creative work! All our best, Beth & Ezra beth@bethbarany.com http://bethbarany.com/ PS. If you found this newsletter useful, please forward it to your friends, writing buddies, and people who you know want to write a novel, but gosh darn it, haven't yet. PPS. If there are resources you'd like to support your novel writing career, but don't see on my blog, products, school, or 12-month author group coaching program, hit reply and let me know. I'm always creating new courses and products for you, so that you can inspire the world. ♥ ABOUT US Beth and Ezra Barany are award-winning, best-selling novelists, with 18 books and 5 awards to their name. They are teachers who have worked with over 100 authors to help them get their books written and published and into the hands of their readers. ♥ Happily married for over 15 years, we’re passionate about writing, storytelling, and guiding authors to achieve their dreams. ♥ We offer coaching, change work sessions, book marketing coaching (Beth) and cover design (Ezra), all for genre novelists. More at bethbarany.com.  ♥ To explore how Beth can support you, schedule a 1-hour complimentary Discovery Call here: http://bit.ly/AppmtWithBeth. WHAT I DO + WHY I support writers and aspiring authors through classes and workshops, articles, books, group programs, and consultations with private clients. I also help authors because I walk my talk; everything I or my teachers teach is based in real experience and matured through the school of hard knocks. I believe that the creative life works better with play and love, so with playful joy, I offer you goodies to support you in your writer's adventure. ABOUT BETH BARANY An award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach and Master NLP Practitioner, Beth runs Writer's Fun Zone, a blog for and by writers, and her recently launched school for novelists, the Barany School of Fiction. Beth writes young adult (YA) fantasy and contemporary fantasy romance. She also writes how-to books and courses for novelists, including her home study coaching guide, The Writer's Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book, a Hero's Journey adaption with you the author as the hero in your own adventure of writing your book. Her latest book for writers is Twitter for Authors: Social Media Book Marketing Strategies for Shy Writers. In her downtime, Beth reads, colors, watches movies with her sweetie, travels, and has coffee with friends and family. And plays with her cat, gardens, and walks. And sleeps. She loves sleep. Photo Credit: by c. 2014 Vivienne McMaster In connection with the operation of this newsletter and business, Creativity Sparks features in the Newsletter affiliate links, including links to Amazon.com (“Affiliate Links”). Barany Consulting earns a commission from the Affiliate Links which commission is based on the number of sales that are made as a result of users of the Newsletter clicking over to the Affiliate Link and purchasing from the Affiliate Link a product and/or service. Not ready to receive these writing and publishing tips? You can unsubscribe below. However, please do not report us as Spam. This negatively impacts our ability to send emails to your fellow subscribers -- the 2500+ people who enjoy these tips each week -- and I'm sure that's not your intention.  https://app.getresponse.com/unsubscribe.html?x=a62b&m=lJbKA&mc=Jz&s=E&u=Shp&z=Eto0Gar&

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