Born To Create

We live in a world where miraculous things happen every day. Of course, most of these things don’t seem miraculous to us. They seem ordinary. But it all depends on your perspective. On this episode, Kent reminds us that it’s vital to allow yourself to be astonished by the everyday miracles and help others see them too. *** 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  

Everyone feels writer’s block sometimes. The next time you aren’t sure what to write about, try combining two things you love. Author Dan Miller writes, “Passion is the intersection of multiple curiosities.” You won’t find your passion by following someone else’s path. Follow your curiosities and blend them in interesting and unique ways. You’ll not only stand out among other writers, you will also feel more excited because you’re approaching everyday topics with your own special twist. On this episode, you’ll be encouraged that the best way to move past writer’s block is by writing about two things you’re passionate about. *** 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, jo

We’ve all heard it before (and probably said it): “I’m just not feeling inspired today.” There might be a hundred reasons why we don’t feel inspired, but there is one way to correct it that works almost every time. Inspiration is a sensitive, shy fellow. He is not rude and he doesn’t like to show up unannounced. That’s why he must be invited. On this episode, you’ll discover the secret that conjures inspiration. *** 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   

Whatever you think about the origins of the universe, one thing seems certain: the universe started as a kind of blank slate that is now filled with stars, planets, comets, gas, dark matter, and all manner of other debris and material. Think about the effort and creativity that must have gone into the creation of the universe. It’s so mind-boggling that it’s almost impossible for us to wrap our minds around it. Yet here is one tiny way we get to experience what it must have been like. Every time you sit down to write, you have a tiny sense of what it feels like to create. On this episode, Kent reminds us that the act of creation is a divine, albeit hard, privilege. *** 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 fantas

One of the most important concepts that every writer today must embrace is the idea of a “personal brand business.” But what does it mean to have a personal brand? It comes down to the fact that your brand equals you. What you do and say in your business is a reflection of who you are personally. This is a challenging concept because the lines get blurry at times. If you have a personal brand, as I do and you probably do as well, you care about your clients or customers on a personal level. Therefore, it’s a challenge to keep our business and personal lives separate. In a world of personal brand business and increased transparency on social media, it might even be impossible. But we still need to remember that we are running a BUSINESS, not a hobby. On this episode, Kent uses a scene from The Godfather to illustrate the importance of remembering not to take rejection personally, because, at the end of the day, you’re running a business. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to

Book formatting is one of the last things authors think about when creating their book. However, it's absolutely vital since that's where readers spend all their time. My guest today is here to help us get a handle on this critical area of success for your book. Jody Skinner is a proofreader, book designer, and avid reader. As founder of both Skinner Self-Publishing Services and Smidgen Press, she is living her best book-nerd life now. Both companies keep her hopping, from coaching first-time authors in the end stages of publishing to bringing old books back to life for the modern reader. A proud military spouse, Jody loves meeting new people, Ubering her three teens, and drinking just one more cup of Earl Grey. Puns are always appreciated. In this conversation, Jody helps us get a better handle on book formatting. She tackles such questions as: How important is attractive and professional-looking formatting to a book's success? What kinds of formatting programs are available to everyday writers? Why should w

In their fantastic little book The Imagineering Way, the Disney Imagineers said, “Every new project at Imagineering starts with the assumption that it will be fun and exciting. We never say we don’t really want to do it this way—we do it the best way we know how. We are our end users because we like the product.” Think about your current writing project. When you sit down to work on it, what do you assume? Do you assume it will be difficult? Unbearable? Something you just need to get through? Or do you assume it will be fun? That you will enjoy the process? That you are adding value to others and will have a grand adventure? On this episode, Kent inspires us that having the right mindset changes everything. *** 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

What is the core value of your life? What is the “center”? What sits in the center of the room for you? If it is your writing, then other people’s reactions, your book sales, or other factors will influence whether you feel successful in life or not. If other more important things lie at the center, such as your family or faith or health, then you can live a more balanced life.  On this episode, you’ll discover that it’s vital to prioritize your writing, but not to allow it to become the center of your life. *** 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  

When we are in love with our writing, it’s hard to edit. It’s hard to take constructive criticism. It’s hard to be objective because we are in love with our words. When our words emerge on the screen or from the pen, they are not diamonds. Instead, they are more like coal. Coal is dirty and messy but it is made from carbon, the same element diamonds are made of. With enough time and pressure, carbon turns to diamonds. On this episode, you’ll be encouraged that the editing process transforms your words into something far more beautiful than they were before. *** 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!     Co

Sometimes we make a false distinction between writing for money and writing for pleasure. Both goals can be valid and important. What ties them together is that you are adding value to the world through your writing. It makes you better and it makes others better, too. On this episode, you’ll be reminded of the ways that your writing adds value to the world. *** 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     Tw

We all know that perfectionism can be debilitating. It can rob you of the joy of writing and cause you to waste endless amounts of time fidgeting with your material. Just like a rainbow, perfection is an illusion. You can chase a rainbow but you will never find the end of it. In the same way, you can chase perfection but you’ll never reach it. On this episode, Kent shares a powerful solution to combat 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/kentsander

On this episode, I'm thrilled to be joined by one of my best friends in the world, Jared Odle. He's a missionary, copywriter, and an all-around fantastic guy. This will be the first of probably lots of conversations we feature here on the podcast on different topics related to writing. Today we discuss the topic: What does it mean to be an A+ writer? How do we determine what excellence is? What's our standard? This is a fascinating conversation, and I hope this inspires you to keep doing the work and not get hung up on trying to be perfect. *** 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: 

As writers, we spend loads of time worrying about the details of writing: getting the words done, editing, publishing, and so many other things. Sometimes it's good to step back, take a look at the big picture, and ask, "What do I really want from this book project?" My guest today is here to help us figure out the answer to that question. Carolyn Roark is a writing coach, editor, and ghostwriter who helps aspiring authors express themselves beautifully and find the right platform for their ideas. Her clients have included everyone from venture capitalists to restaurateurs to cancer survivors. She finished her Ph.D. at 29 (impressive!) and headed straight into the Ivory Tower. In her bio, she says, "Five years later I stole out a window and never looked back. I loved teaching analysis, theory, and composition, but if I never attend another committee meeting it will be too soon." As a former college professor, I can totally relate! In this conversation, Carolyn helps answer some burning questions, such as: Wha

Writers are people who create things. We can literally create books, articles, speeches, podcasts, or stories out of thin air. It’s what we do. Why, then, do so many writers look at the world in “glass half empty” sort of way? A writer can be the most creative person in the world when it comes to words, yet be the biggest pessimist you have ever seen. On this episode, you’ll be reminded that you can create the world you want to see. *** 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://instagr

In your writing life, you will find that it’s easy to let go of some things, and much harder to let go of others. One of the items it’s difficult to let go of is books. After all, you’re a writer… why would you get rid of books? It’s hard to hear, but true: you can't make room for new ideas or new blessings in your life if you keep on hanging onto books that no longer serve your vision. On this episode, you’ll be encouraged to let go of the books that are no longer relevant to your journey. *** 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

Over the past six days, we have been through a key cycle in the creative life of a writer: preparing, planting, watering, pruning, harvesting, and celebrating. This is the cycle of growth we go through again and again as we pursue higher levels of growth. We live in a workaholic culture that says our value is directly tied to our output. If you want to be valuable, you must constantly produce, right? That’s an unhealthy way to look at life, and it’s also a great way to get burned out. The book of Genesis tells us that God Himself, after working so hard on the six days of creation, took time to rest. It’s important to build a day of rest into your weekly schedule. Not only that, but you must rest each day by getting enough sleep, and dare we say, taking a midday nap. On this episode, you’ll be reminded that it’s vital to create space in your life so you can rest. *** Are you looking for a community of enthusiastic, generous writers to help you build better habits and grow your writing business? Check out our D

Over the last few days, we have been talking about developing a growth-oriented mindset. After you have prepared by tilling the soil of your mind, planted by keeping track of your ideas, watered your mind by reading, pruned the dead weight from your schedule, and harvested your creativity by getting your writing done, it’s important to celebrate by enjoying your success. For some reason, writers have a hard time being content with any amount of success they have, but it’s vital to recognize that when you write, you have done something worth celebrating. On this episode, you’ll discover why it’s important for your mindset, your growth, and your character to celebrate your success. *** 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 promp

Harvesting as a concept couldn’t be any simpler. You simply go to the field, get the crop, and bring it to the barn for processing. In writing terms, it means you must sit down and produce the words. If there is one universal truth in writing, it is this: the words won’t write themselves. This means you need to set aside time each day to write. It’s that simple, and also that difficult. On this episode, Kent shares the simple truth about what it takes to be a writer who gets things done and harvests their crop. *** 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.co

Ever since I went full-time in my ghostwriting business this past summer, I've had a lot of conversations about how that happened. People have been very interested in the mechanics of my transition from a college professor to a full-time writer. They've asked me questions like: How do you make a full-time living as a ghostwriter? How long did it take you to build up your business? When did you find time to build your business? Those who have been following me for a while knew this transition had been coming for a while. But to many others, this seemed like it came out of nowhere. Just the other day, someone commented that "It must be awesome to be living your dream... I wish I could do that." Yes, it's awesome to be in charge of my own schedule and income. However, that person's comment seemed to be a way to suggest that I basically got lucky. As a result, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share the journey of how all this actually happened. It has definitely not been an "overnight success." In fact, i

Today I'm thrilled to dive into a topic that is often ignored among writers, but it's critical to get it right if you want to be successful … and particularly if you want to sell more books. My guest is Terry Whalin, a former literary agent and Acquisitions Editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 books for traditional publishers and several books have sold over 100,000 copies. Terry has also written for more than 50 magazines. He has written two proposals that received six-figure advances. As a frustrated editor in 2004, Terry wrote Book Proposals That Sell: 21 Secrets to Speed Your Success which has over 130 Five Star reviews and has helped many authors. Now the revised edition has been released. Terry has also authored an innovative training for writers, "Write A Book Proposal." He is an active member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and lives near Denver, Colorado. You can get his FREE Book Proposal Checklist here. In this conversation, Terry answers all your burnin