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Articles from Dawn Shuler | Selfgrowth.com
- Writing From Your Soul in Business - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerYou have a business to run, bills to pay, a team to manage, services to deliver, new products and programs to create.... and that doesn't include all the writing tasks you *should* do: • A newsletter • Blog posts • Status updates on social media sites • Marketing copy • Web copy • Your ...
Views: 828 - The 2 Most Important Questions for Entrepreneurs - by Submitted on Nov 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIf you are a true entrepreneur (meaning that you have a vision for your business that is beyond just the day-to-day work that you do), then you want that business to move forward. You need to plan. You need to strategize. But before you get to all that left-brained, nitty gritty stuff, you ...
Views: 824 - You're Stuck, and It's Your Fault - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2015 from Dawn ShulerThere are many reasons we procrastinate or simply don't do something we say we want to do. Something that will forward our goals. Something that moves us toward our dreams. Something that is EXACTLY what we want to do. But we don't do it. Why? It's being stuck, and it's not just a lack ...
Views: 822 - Don't Rely on Yourself to Get Things Done - Create External Motivators - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn Shuler"An object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. An object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force." You know how it works... if it's up to you get something done - and no one is relying on it - you procrastinate, procrastinate, ...
Views: 809 - You Gotta Want It Badly - 8 Ways to Actually Write - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerNo matter how much we want and love to write, unless we're terribly disciplined or have deadlines (or an editor/agent looming over us), our default activity is not writing. In other words, if we have a spare minute, a break between activities, the rare gift of an unplanned hour, do we write? Or ...
Views: 809 - How to Get Motivated - When You're Not - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIt happens... you set aside time to write and create. Or a client cancels at the last minute. Or that rare thing of a block of time drops into your lap. You're even all set with what you're going to work on. And you stare at the computer. You frown at your list. You shuffle papers on ...
Views: 807 - Ten Rules of E-Mail - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2015 from Dawn ShulerE-mail has changed the way we do business and made us more efficient. Instead of endless memos and phone calls, we can e-mail a quick question, an invitation to a meeting, or a request. As helpful as e-mail is, however, we need to follow certain rules: 1. Don't use all caps when writing. ...
Views: 805 - The Inner Critic Doesn't Belong in the Creative Process - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2015 from Dawn ShulerLast week, I hosted the Writing Hour where I talked to writers at all various stages of the writing and publishing process. One writer was frustrated with her progress (or lack of progress as it were) in her fiction story. She felt she'd been spending too much time on the character ...
Views: 805 - The Importance of Working ON Your Business - 7 Steps to Making Your Business Soar - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2015 from Dawn ShulerMichael Gerber in The E-Myth Revisited, talks about the importance of working ON your business, as opposed to working IN your business. The working in is the delivering of your business’s services or products: providing the service, fulfilling the product, writing the proposal, giving the class, ...
Views: 802 - Writing With Power - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2015 from Dawn ShulerYou want to appeal to your audience and deliver your message in a way that rouses them to action, or makes them think, or laugh, or cry; you want to make an impact. That's where style and voice come in. Style covers things like word choice, the types of sentences you write, how you introduce a ...
Views: 801 - Pay Attention to Me - What Writers Want - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWriting isn't as easy as it seems. The perfect word doesn't just flow seamlessly out your fingers and onto the paper or keyboard. At least not 100% of the time. We struggle. It takes longer than we thought to finish a project. We get stuck. We spend dozens, even hundreds of hours on research, ...
Views: 799 - The Trap of Listening to the Voices in My Head - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerI've had my business since 2001, and it's been profitable since the very beginning (meaning I made more than I spent). Since 2008, I've had the sole support of me and my two daughters. My business has grown, and I'm thrilled to say I have a waiting list for people to work privately with ...
Views: 794 - All You Need Is a Little Nothing - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2015 from Dawn ShulerA few weeks ago, when I was feeling quite overwhelmed, I took a break and sat in my living room and looked out the big picture window with its view of the valleys and mountains. I had been DOing so much that I felt I was losing a bit of the soul and the why of that doing. So I sat in my ...
Views: 786 - Write Like No One Else - Write Like You - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAs a business owner, you're writing all the time, even if you don't think you are. Think about it: you're writing all the time... emails, responses to potential clients, ezine articles, blog posts, social media status updates, sales pages, campaign emails, product materials. Business owner = ...
Views: 784 - The Building Blocks of Powerful Writing - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWhat exactly is writing well? Is it writing with perfect grammar? Not necessarily. Is it writing that's worthy of The New York Times bestseller list? Maybe, but I'm not sure how practical that is. Could it be as simple as writing so that your readers understand the meaning you're trying to ...
Views: 779 - What Is Content Creation Anyway? And Where Do You Put Your Energy? - by Submitted on Mar 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerContent creation is being bandied about nowadays, especially in the online marketing world. Each of us may have an idea of what "content" is, but you might be surprised at how many different things it is. It's about every single day when you sit down at your desk and put your fingers on the ...
Views: 768 - Create Beacons to Keep You on Track- And in Alignment with Your Purpose - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2015 from Dawn ShulerI was working with a client in a book writing program, and she was having a hard time figuring out what she wanted to write about. However, one theme that kept popping up for her was that she was passionate about people's stories being told. "There are all these stories out there, and they just ...
Views: 759 - Writing From Your Soul - In the Real World - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerSo you've decided that you'll set aside time to write every day, and maybe you've even scheduled a particular time to write. You know you want to write from your soul.... it's the only way to truly to connect to your community and potential customers and get your message across.... Your deep ...
Views: 758 - Structure Vs Creativity in Writing - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAs a writer, I find I'm always looking for new ways to flesh out my ideas. Not because I'm looking for an excuse to not delve into the words themselves, but because I don't want to get stuck in a rut. Outline only. Or mindmap only. Or writing down questions only ad nauseam. But at some point ...
Views: 754 - 9 Laws of a Project - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIf you're an entrepreneur or small business owner, you probably have a project. Or two. Or three. Or fifty-eight. I'm not talking about your daily to-do's or the actual work you do with clients and customers. I'm talking about the bigger projects that move you and your business ...
Views: 746(1 vote) - Be Brazen - Be Bold - Be You - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerYou have a product or service that solves a problem and that people need, and you want to share that. But then it comes down to communicating with your target market... that's where you get stuck. You have to write blog posts, ezine articles, sales pages, campaign emails, affiliate ...
Views: 741 - Making Writing Easy - The Continual Process - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn ShulerI've committed to writing more and more, and what that looks like (ideally) is more blog posts, more ezine articles, and books. That means writing. A lot of writing. And THAT means actually writing. The other day, I ended my work day at 3:00pm with the intention to write. Oh my ...
Views: 739 - The Writing Rhythm and Blues - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAs I talk with my coaching clients and work with people in my programs, the self-criticisms and struggles of gotta write, "Just do it," and feeling not good enough abound. As writers, it's what we all struggle with. "Am I good enough?" "I should just stop what I'm doing right now and ...
Views: 691 - What If Dreaming Big Is Too Scary? - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2015 from Dawn ShulerThere are five steps to making your dreams come true. First, just play with your idea. Second, let it sit for a while. Third, take that seed of an idea out of the marinade and see how you feel about it. Fourth, get down to business... what do you need to actually make this dream a reality? What ...
Views: 687 - Setting Your Writing Up For Easy - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2015 from Dawn ShulerFor whatever reason, it's not as easy as one would think to sit down and write. I mean, all you need is a pen and paper or a keyboard, right? You could get a lot of writing done if you add up all these extra bits of time (yes, they really do exist): The 10 minutes before your next client ...
Views: 686 - Starting Big- 5 Steps to Making It Real - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2015 from Dawn ShulerSome time ago, I went through an exercise from a great article online from Meredith Eisenberg, "The Reverse Funnel - How to Dream BIG and Start Small." It's basically a product development/marketing exercise to get you thinking differently about your products and programs flow. Long story ...
Views: 673 - 7 Rules for Conscious Writing - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerYou have a lot to write, and, of course, you want your words to come directly from your soul, connect with your audience (whether that be a reader or potential customer), and have a strong impact. To that end, the more conscious we are of our process, the easier, better, stronger it ...
Views: 656 - Managing the Writing Cycle - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerMuch of the work I do with writers, especially authors, is to help them understand that writing is a process. You don't just sit down and start writing Chapter 1, finish that chapter, and seamlessly move onto the next one. Before you can get to that place where you're writing full sentences, you ...
Views: 647 - I Don't Want to Write, and You Can't Make Me - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerThe statistic that writing coaches, book marketing coaches, and write-a-book-in-a-weekend programs love to shout to the world is that 80% of people say they want to write a book. What do you think the key word is in that statistic? "Want." They want to write a book. The number of people ...
Views: 643 - What Is Your Content Creator Personality Type? - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWriting looks like many different things (outlining, taking notes, recording our thoughts, stream of consciousness, to name a few), and we writers are all different, too. The biggest problem I see would-be writers and even those who make the leap and proclaim themselves writers to the world ...
Views: 643 - Cooking Up a Few Words - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAs a writer, I see metaphors everywhere, and one of the lenses through which I view the world is that of writing and words. So, it's not a surprise that when I'm cooking a meal, my mind goes inevitably to writing... and tries to make connections. (One definition of writing could be "finding ...
Views: 638 - Put Your Expertise Out There - Create a System (Yes, You Have One) - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIf you're an entrepreneur or online business owner, especially with a service-based product, then what you're selling is you and your system. You may be thinking, "I don't have a system... I just do what I do." Well, see, that "just do what you do" IS a big part of your system. The ...
Views: 637 - Lessons Learned From a Creative Writing Retreat - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWe may not be able to sit down and write anywhere. Some people can. Yay them! For me, though, my environment is ultra important. The energy of people around me affects me. The location. The natural environment. Maybe that sounds like I'm a diva and everything must be perfect if I'm going to ...
Views: 634 - What I Learned From Copying - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAt times, the creative process can almost look logical: "This is my purpose, and this is what I need to do." Other times the creativity just flows, and you do what you can to capture all the lovely ideas. Occasionally, I'll do some of the same writing exercises I require of my students. ...
Views: 634 - Your Inner Critic Gremlin Lies to You: 6 Questions to Get to the Truth - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn ShulerYou're no good. You don't know what you're doing. That's a stupid idea. What makes you think anyone is going to buy from you? You're sending too many emails. You're promoting too much. No one needs what you have to offer. ____ [fill in the blank] does that better than you ...
Views: 630 - What If - Your Writing - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAs a writer, you might find yourself stuck - at the beginning (can't even get started), in the middle (where the heck do I go now), or at the end (is this really a good ending) of whatever you're writing. There are all sorts of techniques to get past writer's block, but it's even more than ...
Views: 629 - Writer's Block - Is It an R.O.U.S? - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAs a creative, I have tons of projects in the works: two short stories, one short story that could turn into a novel, twelve quilts, three cross-stitch projects, one painting, one creative tool for an upcoming workshop. I'm in no danger of running out of things to do anytime soon, ...
Views: 618 - The Writing Race: Keep Writing, Even If You Think It Stinks - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerMany writers, maybe all writers, have trouble being objective about their writing. As you're writing or immediately after you're writing, you're thinking, "God, what am I doing? This is pure drivel. It's awful. I should just stop." Luckily, you don't stop; you keep going. And, with more luck, ...
Views: 615 - How to Run Your Business Like a Big Girl (or Boy) - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIn order to successfully run your business, you have to focus on more than just the thing you do (coaching, consulting, assisting, bookkeeping, CPAing, etc.). Some people find those other things are not the fun stuff. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's time to run your business like a big ...
Views: 613(1 vote) - How Do You Know When You're Writing From Your Soul? - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerI talk all the time about writing from your soul and how important it is to really connect your message to your audience. I've talked about how to do it, how to set yourself up for success, and what gets in the way. But how do you know if you're actually writing from your soul? That you're ...
Views: 609 - Planning - How Can This Help Your Business? - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerEvery six months, I plan the next six months. Recently, I was reminded of why this is so important (besides the fact that it's smart business). Lots of upcoming traveling combined with workshops, and I needed to see how everything related to each other. When am I going to be out of town? When am ...
Views: 594(1 vote) - 5 Writing Rituals to Get You Writing - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWhen it's time to write, especially writing from one's soul, one doesn't just turn on a dime. At least, I don't. If I'm going to write from my soul, connect with my peeps, and write powerful, compelling material, I have to write consciously, not unconsciously. First, what do I mean by ...
Views: 593 - All Stories Tell a Journey - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWhether you're writing fiction or nonfiction (even business writing), all writing tells a journey. There's a starting point and an ending point. Your job as writer and author is to get your reader from Point A to Point B. The most popular format for a journey story is Joseph Campbell's Hero's ...
Views: 589 - 11 Lessons Art Taught Me About Writing - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIf you had ever asked me if I was creative, my answer would have somehow revolved around my writing. While both my grandmothers painted, I didn't feel my artistic bents leaned that way in the least. But art has been sneaking in for years... through mandalas and collages and vision boards and ...
Views: 586 - What Movies Can Teach You About Writing - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn ShulerAfter watching Gettysburg several months before, both Mark and I were champing at the bit to watch Gods and Generals. Mark's a huge Civil War buff, and while I'm not an aficionado, I really loved Gettysburg. Great characters, good writing, action that moved along... An hour into Gods and ...
Views: 586 - Connect the Dots for Your Readers - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIn conversations or in words, we usually know what it is we're trying to say. We have the concept in our heads. We can see it. Then, the trick is to translate that concept (which is not word-based) into words. Just like in a conversation with your spouse, you don't mention every single ...
Views: 582 - How to Get People to Open Your Emails - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn ShulerThe Internet is a wonderful thing. It allows us to connect with people all over the world, get great information and resources, and do business. And in so many venues: social media, email, online communities... But our inboxes fill up with email after email after email. Typically, we open ...
Views: 571 - 5 Common Pitfalls That Keep You From Getting Started Writing - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Dawn ShulerIt's time to sit down and write your article, and you can't seem to write a thing. You stare at your paper or screen, twirl your pen, tap the keys, get up and get a glass of water, sit back down, get up and go to the bathroom, sit back down, check Facebook/Twitter/Google+, twirl your pen some ...
Views: 565 - Are You Being Confusing in Your Writing? Six Steps to Make Your Writing Clearer - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Dawn ShulerThe most important aspect of connecting with your audience through words is being clear... Because if you're not clear, your readers certainly won't be. I was at a high-school band concert, and there was a box with "Cleaning Supplies" written on one side and "Lost and Found" written on ...
Views: 563 - Words Have Power - Use That Power Wisely - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Dawn ShulerWords are powerful. The little ditty we heard and sometimes used as a mantra (See? Words ARE powerful) of "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" just isn't true. Here's an example. One of my favorite memorials in Washington, D.C. is the Franklin Delano Roosevelt ...
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