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You all know I’m a fan of Joanna Pen—I said so before—and I recently even became a supporter of The Creative Penn Podcast through Patreon. Because of my monthly pledge, I now have free access to all her e-books and audiobooks, and it’s so worth it. The first book I listened to (which was literally the first book I ever listened to) was Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur. I believe it’s the only book she narrated herself, and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to try that one out. Not that there is anything wrong with the narrator she uses now, but Penn’s voice is such a part of my daily life, I can’t help but enjoy listening to it. After all, it’s the voice that made me take my writing seriously. She also writes the way she speaks—I think so, anyway—which makes for an easy listen.

I like big books…

Remember my initial disappointment at the length of The Successful Author Mindset: A Handbook for Surviving the Writer’s Journey? Business for Authors: How to be an Author Entrepreneur is twice as long! I’m sorry, I just like big books… Knowing Penn’s straightforward, cut-to-the-chase writing style, I knew it meant the book offered crazy amounts of information. And that it does. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but it’s such a complete reference book, and it discusses so many scenarios, I’d argue that all serious writers can benefit from it, whether they intend to walk in Penn’s business-minded footsteps or not.Read More →

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Reading The Successful Author Mindset on our way to Dublin!I am a big fan of Joanna Penn. I listen to her podcast The Creative Penn almost religiously, and admire the wild generosity with which she shares her knowledge about the world of indie publishing like nothing else. Naturally, when I heard her talk about her new book The Successful Author Mindset: A Handbook for Surviving the Writer’s Journey, in which she was going to share even more than she already did, I knew I had to get myself a copy.

Open and honest

Joanna Penn is about as honest and open about what it’s like to be a writer as it gets, and the same goes for The Successful Author Mindset: A Handbook for Surviving the Writer’s Journey. I have to admit I was a little disappointed when it arrived because it only had 142 pages (yes, I bought an actual copy), but I soon realised the book is that small because it cuts right to the chase. There’s no beating around the bush, no unnecessary fluff, just Penn being as straightforward as she could possibly be, without being mean about it.

A universal struggle

The book is divided in three parts—Mindset Aspects of Creativity and Writing; Mindset Aspects after Publishing; and Tips for Success on the Author Journey—and in each part, Penn tackles the issues most associated with each of these. Read More →

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In the following weeks, I’ll be shining a light on the idea of being a “prolific” writer. Today, I will share the third question I ask when trying to figure out what my clients want from their writing – What is a realistic goal for YOU for NOW?

Figure out your SHORT-TERM goals as well as your LONG-TERM goals

Being clear on your personal goal is great. Knowing what you want to achieve in the long run will provide much-needed focus and enable you to steer your determination in the right direction. But what if that personal goal is a long way down the road from where you are now? How do you get to that point without constantly being frustrated that you aren’t there yet?

The third question I always ask is: What goal is realistic for YOU for NOW?

Where it’s excellent to have clear goals in mind for the future, these goals are long-term, and not short-term. Yet, most of us find ourselves frustrated being where we ARE and not where we want to BE. And when we are frustrated about our own process, we tend to start comparing ourselves to others.

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