Karen Brown Tyson

Category: Guest Blog Posts

One of the Best Ways to Strengthen Your Faith Journey
Do you ever wonder how you can strengthen your faith walk? The answer comes from a guest post by Hannah Rowen Fry, the author of The Way of Gratitude, who explains how rest can be one of the best ways to strengthen your faith journey.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

“You were made for more.”

This phrase or some variation of it is shared often in creative circles. And it should be! You were made for more. Who you currently are and what you’ve currently done are not the end of you; there is more to your future. More dreaming. More growth. More becoming who God made you to be.

And more rest.

Rest is one of the most important parts of the Christian life when it comes to living according to your God-purpose and being all he has called you to be. However, Sabbath and Sabbatical are among the least practiced spiritual rhythms. What if embracing rest is what enables you to embrace the more? What if rest is part of the purpose God has called you to?

Why should we rest more?

Here’s a brief theology of rest:
- First, rest is woven throughout our faith. Beginning with the Creator’s rest in Genesis 2:2 and the land rest in Leviticus 25:4, rest is carried through the New Testament, where it’s described as a promise in Hebrews 4. There is a clear, consistent narrative throughout Scripture to prioritize rest.
- Second, resting is one way we bear the image of God. In the creation story, we learn that we are made in God’s image and that he rested. It’s no surprise that rest is rejuvenating! Rest makes us more of who we are, of who God made us, because it echoes him. It allows us to feel more like ourselves because it’s one way we bear the image of our Creator.
- Finally, rest rhythms are found in every part of nature. We see rest most prominently in the changing seasons. In the winter, everything slows down a bit; plants become dormant, and the night is longer. Our world no longer relies on sunlight to indicate when to work and when to stop, so it’s easy for us to ignore these natural triggers. But God has instructed us to resist temptation, not the natural rest rhythm he initiated.
How do we rest more?

It sounds like an oxymoron, but it takes work to rest. Whether it’s a weekly Sabbath, a yearly retreat, or a Sabbatical every seven years, our rest must be scheduled.

That’s step one – get it on the calendar! Book a Sabbath day this week or next and protect it like any other meeting, appointment, or vacation you’ve booked.

Next, design what your rest will look like. The spiritual rhythm of rest shouldn’t feel like a lazy day or a sick day. This is intentional rest with God; it’s a joyful time of worship and rejuvenation. A Sabbath day will look different for everyone because this kind of rest is about connecting with your purpose, and each person has a different God-given purpose.

For example, my Sabbath includes sleeping in, reading Scripture and other books, journaling, doing puzzles, going for walks in nature, and eating my favorite foods. I like to be alone or with my husband or close friends on these days. But my husband’s ideal Sabbath involves no one but him and God. He’ll even keep the curtains and blinds closed, turning our home into a cave! Each of us rests in ways aligned with who God made us – our personalities, temperaments, and passions.

Finally, remember that Jesus rested. When we read the gospels and examine the work of Jesus’ ministry, we see he actively pursued rest almost as often as he worked. He didn’t heal, teach, and save without withdrawing from the crowds. Jesus went to the mountain, the wilderness, the garden, and the boat to get away from people and his purpose so he could rest. I wonder if part of his purpose was to rest.

You were made for more. More achieving. More growth. And more rest. I pray your future will be full of holy rest as you become more of who God made you to be.

About the Author

Hannah Rowen Fry is a writer, speaker, and encourager. Her writing consists of observations of daily life and uses daily reflections to guide others to live out their God-given purpose. Hannah’s passion is to help others experience greater joy in the present moment. Hannah lives in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, with her husband Matt and spends most of her free time walking on the beach, frolicking around Disney World, and listening to Taylor Swift. Her latest book is The Way of Gratitude: 21 Devotions of Goodness, Gratitude, and Wonder.

Find her online at:

Her website: https://www.hannahrowenfry.com

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/hannahrowenfry

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.rowen
January 27, 2024
Plan to Publish: How to Build a Powerful Author Platform
As part of my new series, Plan to Publish, I invited Naomi D. Nakashima, author of Write Out Loud: How to Get Over Your Fears and Build the Confidence to Finally Write Your Book, to share her wisdom on how to build an author platform. If you have questions, please let Naomi or me know. Also, we would love to hear what you’re doing to build your author platform.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

People tend to think of author platforms as something you are granted after you’ve been published. But the truth is that building a strong author platform will help you reach your dreams of finally being published and set you up for success and sales once you are published.

Let’s look at what an author platform is and what goes into building one.

What is an Author Platform?

An author platform is the stage on which your brand sits publicly. And while most people think of this as social media, your author platform includes all the ways you promote yourself and your work to your target audience, both online and offline.

It’s anywhere a person might be introduced to you as an author. This can include your website, blog, social media presence, email newsletters, speaking engagements, media appearances (both in print and online), and more.

Why is an Author Platform Important?

An author platform is crucial to your success for several reasons.

First, it helps you build a loyal following of readers interested in your work and more likely to buy your books. This is especially true for channels where you can build a community of readers through connection or engagement, such as email, newsletters, online groups, and social media channels. Any online or offline environment that allows your audience to dive into a conversation with you helps your audience develop a deeper relationship with you.

Second, it can help you attract the attention of publishers, agents, and other industry professionals who can help you grow your career. While many authors understand that they will need a platform to sell their books, they must realize that agents and publishers will often look at the author’s platform while deciding to publish that manuscript. That’s because if built well, the author’s platform can Indicate and help predict how many sales they might expect. The stronger the platform, the better an agent can predict the number of books. As a result, the author will be able to sell. Building an author platform also shows that you understand your ideal readers and your market, two things that will be crucial when it’s time to sell your books.

Finally, as agents and publishers will review your author platform as part of their decision-making process, other opportunities will rely heavily on the platform you build. For example, certain online summits, speaking events, and magazine publications may look at your platform’s size and quality to determine your fit with their event.

What Goes Into an Author Platform?

The same channels and tools you use to build your author platform will be up to you. But I like building an author platform using three distinct layers: core, virtual, and local.

The Core Layer

The Core Layer of your author platform should consist of three primary pieces:
- A public space where you can create content designed to draw your ideal reader to you
- A domain you can use as a call-to-action
- A list where you can communicate with people more privately and nurture them as leads
My favorite tools for this core are the Marketing Trifecta: your favorite social media channel, website, and email list.

Of course, you can choose any tool to build this core as long as the three primary functions are served. You need a public space where you can create content and people can be introduced to you, a domain you can tell people to go to once they’ve found you, and a way to invite them onto a list of some sort so you can talk to them further once they get to that domain. Once this Marketing Trifecta is set up, you can use this to support the rest of your author platform, including expanding to other channels and the other layers of your platform.

The Virtual Layer

The Virtual Layer of your author platform is just as the name suggests: virtual channels you can use to expand on the Core Layer.

While this can, and often does, include other social media channels, this can also include interviews on other platforms, podcasts, bloggers, YouTubers, etc. Now that you have a domain you can send people to, your call to action on any of these other platforms becomes really easy: follow me on my favorite social channel and/or go to my website.

The Local Layer

The Local Layer of your author platform does exactly what it sounds like it expands your Core Layer into your local area. This might mean local radio stations, television stations, bookstores, vendor events, conferences, or even, depending on the genre of your book, related offices and events where your ideal reader might appear.

Building out each of these layers may feel exhausting right now. The good news is that you don’t have to build each of them simultaneously. Instead, start with your Core Layer since that one will support each of the other layers over time. Then, as your schedule allows, you can work on building up the other two layers in any order you wish.

Building An Author Platform is Critical to Your Success

By creating your Core Layer first, you’ll establish the systems you need to always keep in touch with your readers. Then, no matter where you go next, your call to action can always be as simple as “Go to mywebsite.com to find out when my book is coming out” or “Go to mywebsite.com to find out where you can buy my book.” Then, with a newsletter form on your website, interested readers will sign up to get updates and find out when your books are being released.

Remember, building an author platform is an ongoing process that requires time, effort, and consistent engagement with your readers. But by investing this time into your platform, you can establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy author, increase your book sales, and take your writing career to the next level.
May 16, 2023
To Monetize or Not: How to Know When to Make Money From Writing

GUEST POST by Melanie Faith — When I started as a writer, I rarely thought about my writing making money. I just wanted to write as much as possible and get published.

Fast-forward to a couple of years later; I still thought of my writing as a way to fulfill my own artistic goals, but also as a way to supplement my income.

Here are some helpful considerations for deciding whether to try to earn money from your writing or to keep it a hobby based on what your goals are as a writer:

Open to restrictions

Do you feel comfortable writing to deadlines and an editor’s guidelines, such as word counts? Does that specification invigorate you? Or would you rather not have guidelines? It’s common in monetized pieces that writers have to edit favorite passages that are too long or that don’t serve the content.

Must work well with themes

Consider if you like writing with a theme you have not chosen or a style that might not be your own. For some authors, it’s a relief not to have to choose a topic. Many freelance writers see it as a wonderful way to apply skills and curiosity to various topics. Also, monetizing can be a good way to expand your range as a writer and research subjects you might not have otherwise considered. Conversely, freelancing will drain the energy and time that you could apply to your writing.

Attention to details

Are you organized? Writing for pay requires extra paperwork. For example, you will need to organize writing assignments in a content calendar or a planner. Next, you will need to answer clients’ or editors’ emails. You will need to create invoices for your clients and work with an accountant or a bookkeeper to file taxes. In addition, you will need to update the content on your website and post on social media frequently.

Don’t forget to balance

How will you balance paying work with your writing and lifestyle? Writing for pay can take as much or as little time as you care to invest—there’s great flexibility. Still, you will need to find a way to make freelance writing work within your already-busy schedule. Also, you must consider how many assignments you can take on before overloading your schedule.

Also, remember that many writers get frustrated or burnt out if they don’t take at least some time for pet projects (here’s looking at you, fourth draft of my novel!) Personal projects easily get shoved to the side to meet paid work deadlines.

Final thoughts

There are wonderful new ways to monetize your writing that weren’t around just a few years ago, like self-publishing an e-book or audiobook. As a writer, you will need to constantly ask yourself questions like: Would monetary return for your hard work add to your fulfillment as a writer and/or sharpen skills that will benefit your writing long-term? Or are you already happy writing whatever you’d like as a hobby, without money and time management entering into the equation?

Great news: this doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision. A mixture of paying gigs a few times a year and non-paid writing projects the rest of the year is always an option (and it’s what I’ve done in my career).

You are welcome to revisit these considerations and adjust your answers based on each project, as more or less time is available for your writing.

Melanie Faith is a night-owl writer, photographer, educator, and editor who has enjoyed drawing for years but just recently started sharing her perfectly imperfect doodles. Her latest book, From Promising to Published, was published by Vine Leaves Press earlier this year. Learn more about her books, art projects, and classes on her website or @writepath99 on Instagram.

December 5, 2022
The Best Tool Professional Writers Use Yet Never Talk About

If there’s one thing writers dread, it’s “writer’s block.” We get stuck, not knowing where to go next with our story. But there’s a tool that the pros use to help keep the creative juices flowing. Today’s post, written by Cory Milles, highlights one of the best tools writers can use, regardless of experience.

It’s called The Board, and it’s the most powerful and efficient way to organize your story, allowing you to get to the part you like the most: writing it! The board comprises the 15 beats of the Save The Cat!® Beat Sheet, key moments your story should hit.

Writers have been using this tool for decades, and now it’s even easier with the Save The Cat!® Story Cards.

The Story Cards include both Beat Cards and Scene Cards, which let you plan the story at a glance, and then go into more details as you flesh it out. Here are five reasons the pros use the Story Cards to avoid writer’s block and create stories that resonate.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

1. Chart your character’s journey of transformation.

We don’t want to send our heroes out into the great unknown without knowing their final destination. All stories are about transformation, and the Beat Cards let us make sure that the hero is slowly changing throughout the story, from Opening Image to the Final Image.

2. Make sure your story hits the right moments.

Our brains are wired to receive stories in a certain way. When elements are missing, we know it. The Beat Cards help us to ensure that our story is hitting each beat when it’s supposed to. If our story needs to develop the Debate section or the All Is Lost moment, the Beat Cards help us realize this.

3. Maintain conflict throughout.

Conflict is what makes a story interesting. Because each scene is basically a mini-story, the Scene Cards help us keep this in focus. On each card, we can track what the hero’s goal is, what their opposition is, and visualize the conflict the scene has. More conflict means the story will keep moving, which means the audience will be fully invested.

4. Track emotional change.

There should be an emotional shift with each scene, whether it’s from positive to negative or vice-versa. The Scene Cards help us ensure that as the hero gets closer to or farther from their goal, they’re put on a roller coaster of emotions; that will help the audience experience that, too.

5. Be flexible.

Sometimes we’re not sure where to land a specific scene. Would it go better at a different time in the story? The Scene Cards allow us to experiment with different variations by just moving a card. It might open up new ideas, or it might confirm our original thoughts. But either way, it gives us the ability to try new things with our story to make sure it’s the most powerful it can be.

Once writers learn how to use The Board

Writers are amazed at how much easier it is to plan and write stories using The Board. The Save The Cat!® Story Cards are a writer’s best friend, eliminating “writer’s block” from their vocabulary and giving them the freedom to focus on the story they were born to tell.

Want to learn more?

Make plans to join the Save the Cat!® Storytelling Webinar presented LIVE by the best-selling author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody, on April 10, April 17, and April 24. As a guest of this blog, enjoy a 50% discount when you use the code wow50 at check out.

About Cory Milles:

Cory Milles has been teaching writing for over a decade. In his spare time, he writes Young Adult novels that seek to capture the power of story to transform his readers. When he’s not writing, teaching, or listening to his collection of movie scores, he can usually be found reading more on the craft of writing. He is an editor of Save the Cat!® Goes to the Indies and the author of New Miller’s Grove, Legacy, Paradox, Redemption, and Reboot.

About Save the Cat!

Save the Cat!® is the bestselling story methodology introduced by screenwriter Blake Snyder in 2005 with his first book, Save the Cat! Snyder’s acclaimed ideas, methods, and software have provided thousands of writers with the resources they need to develop their screenplays and novels.

March 23, 2021
3 Great Ways to Promote Yourself as a Writer
3 Great Ways to Promote Yourself As a Writer

I am so happy to present today’s guest blog post from Mike O’Mary on three great ways to promote yourself as a writer. Mike and Kathleen Meyer are Co-Founders of LitNuts, an e-newsletter that brings the “Best of the Indies” to booklovers. Mike is also an author and owner of Dream of Things, an indie press that published 13 books from 2009 to 2016, including two titles that sold more than 20,000 copies, 3 NYT Bestsellers, 3 Hoffer Award winners, and one book that was optioned for a film. I hope you enjoy it. Please share your thoughts in the comments.

[bctt tweet=”You’ve written a book. Now what? Here are three ideas to consider.” username=”KBTWrites”]

You’ve written a book. Now what?

Ideally, you’ve thought about the “now what” before and during writing the book. That’s because most publishers will want to know about your “platform” when you inquire about publishing your book with them.

Your platform is your following — on your website, blog, social media — maybe even some people you know!

If you’re a “subject matter expert” who decided to write a book, chances are you already have a platform or a following that you can leverage to help promote your new book. If not, you’re going to need to do some work.

I’m not going to talk here about the usual things. You can read elsewhere about creating a website and blog, and social media accounts. I’m going to focus instead on some “surround” efforts you can pursue to help round out and promote your platform.

Writers Groups

If you’re not in a writers group, find one and join it. The Authors Marketing Guild has a good list of writers groups. If you’re already in one, make the most of it.

I joined the Chicago Writers Association many years ago and have reaped the rewards ever since. The benefits include everything from something as simple as being able to network with other writers to publication opportunities, a review service, and more. Here’s a complete list of benefits from the CWA website:
- A personal user-friendly webpage on CWA’s official website to promote your writings and happenings
- Access to CWA’s official e-group where members share publishing, writing, and marketing information
- Opportunity to participate in CWA author reading and book signing events and industry expo booths, including the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair and our own, Let’s Just Write! An Uncommon Writers Conference.
- Opportunity to participate in our Speakers Bureau.
- Opportunity to participate in our book review service, Windy City Reviews.
- Opportunity to enter your book in our Books of the Year Contest.
- Opportunity to enter our members-only writing contests.
- Opportunity to be published in our Write City e-zine and Windy City Writers blog.
- Interaction with other writers.
Even though it’s a Chicago-based group, you can join CWA from anywhere. But you should also see what’s available in your area. The California Writers Club, for example, has 2,000 members and 22 chapters spread across the state. So if you happen to be in California, you should be able to find a chapter near you.

Offer Something of Value

I love creative writing, but until I retired earlier this year, I also did executive communications (speeches, presentations, annual reports, etc.) to pay the bills.

One of the things I learned in the business world is the concept of providing “something of value” (SOV) as a way to cultivate relationships with clients. It could be as elaborate as organizing a free conference for clients, but it could also be as simple as finding and sending an insightful article to prospects.

As an author, you can do the same. What can you provide that will be of value to your “clients and prospects” (i.e., people who might buy your book now or sometime in the future)? Chances are you’re a “subject matter expert” on something! Or again, maybe you share interesting information with clients. Here’s an example:

Kathleen Meyer, Co-Founder of LitNuts

Kathleen Meyer and I currently publish LitNuts three days a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The focus is mainly on indie books, and we don’t want to detract from that. But we always include a brief introduction to:
- announce the winner of that day’s prize drawing
- share a literary quote, and
- offer something of value.
Most recently, I came across an article about 12 ways to cope during stressful times. It didn’t tie directly to books (although reading a good book is a great way to reduce stress!). Still, I felt it might provide some value to our subscribers – and maybe also simultaneously strengthen and deepen our relationships with them.

Mike O’Mary, Co-Founder of LitNuts

Use Blog Tours and Guest Blog Posts to Promote Your Platform

A blog tour is a great way to promote your book and yourself as an author. I’ve used several blog tour services, and I believe a WOW! Blog Tour is one of the best values and most effective marketing tools you will find to promote yourself as an author.

You can also reach out directly to book bloggers and offer to write a guest blog post as a one-off. That’s where “something of value” comes into play again. It’s not just about promoting your book; it’s about providing something of value to people who might later decide to do business with you in the form of buying your book. (Full disclosure: That’s exactly what I’m trying to do right now! I’m hoping that by providing you with something of value – in this case, suggestions on how to promote yourself as a writer – then you might later say to yourself, “Hey, that Mike O’Mary guy is all right. Maybe I’ll give his newsletter a try.”)

Tip of the Iceberg

We can all agree on how important it is to pursue your writing dreams. Once you do, the things I’ve talked about today represent just the tip of the iceberg on how to promote yourself as a writer and should be strategies you consider for your overall marketing plan. Good luck!

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November 5, 2020
How One Young Author Used Her Voice Like a ‘Big Boss’

In recent weeks, I felt it was important to focus on capturing our thoughts, survival, following our dreams, and how to write a book when you feel like quitting. Today, I am happy to present one young author who used her voice like a ‘big boss’. Haelee Moone is the author of The Rules of a Big Boss: A Book of Self-Love. Haelee talks about what it means to be a big boss and the importance of self-love. This amazing young author is 12 years old. Please share your thoughts in the comments. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.

Hello Haelee! Congratulations on your new book. What is your book, The Rules of a Big Boss, about, and why did you decide to write it?

The Rules of a Big Boss is my personal self-help book. It’s also for young ladies and adolescents like me. A big boss is someone who loves, takes care of, and is true to themselves. Anyone can be a big boss. The book covers topics like finding yourself, respect, and confidence. The book has exercises to help readers reflect, journal, and feel empowered.

I found myself inspired to write this book because I have always had an overwhelming desire to help others. I specifically like helping people with their self-esteem.

[bctt tweet=”Start writing your beginning, good luck in your ending, be inspired, and be your own Big Boss. Haelee Moone” username=”KBTWrites”]

When did you find time to write? Tell us about your writing process and how you went about putting the book together?

I had a lot of free time on my hands with everything being shut down due to COVID-19, so I used that free time to write. To get started, I searched for templates in Microsoft Word I could use as a model for the book. Next, I had to learn about distribution rights, copyrights, citing sources, royalties, and marketing for the book. Before I published the book, I had to choose a book cover design, size, sales price, and decide on a distributor. Finally, my dad helped me set up social media accounts and record a promo video for the book.

What made you decide to self-publish rather than looking for a traditional publishing house? What else can we expect from you?

I gave my rough draft to my dad, and he said, “Oh my God, Haelee, this is entirely too good not to share.” He asked me if I wanted to publish it. I smiled and said, ‘Yeeeaaaahhh.’ With my dad working as my editor, we published the book together. We looked into both self-publishing and traditional publishing. We decided to go with the self-publishing because it was easier and allowed me to have total creative control.

I decided to create a Rules of a Big Boss clothing and accessory line as an extension of the book. My dad had an artist design a logo for me, which allows me to become a brand.

I like the idea of my supporters and me sharing the message of self-love beyond the book.

What has this experience taught you?

By setting, meeting, and exceeding my goals, I’ve been able to taste success early. This has inspired me to strive for more while also teaching me the power of entrepreneurship.

I learn something new every day. I plan to release the second book of the ‘Big Boss’ series in 2021. In the interim, you can pick up a copy of my book on Amazon

Where can people find you online?

You can find me online here:

My website: https://www.thebookofselflove.com/

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thebookofselflove2020

Instagram at https://instagram.com/thebookofselflove2020?igshid=2bvfsqhoy40p,

Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/authorrulesofabigbossbook.

July 24, 2020