As I look back on the past month and realize that I spent the better part of it feeling under the weather, I know that the challenges I was given were for a reason. As is often the case, that reason is not yet apparent to me, and though I got all but the last 25 pages of my book edited during that time, my gym routine has died on the vine and I’m trying to catch up with my household chores.
Granted, I spent a lot of time watching Dylan for any signs that something wasn’t quite right, and found none. In fact, when he had is 1 month check up, everything was so much better, that I’m beginning to relax again!
The editing definitely began to flow better, and I’m even adding a couple of chapters as I find that some things just needed to be delved into more deeply. I’ve also added some additional conflicts to the story, which is a good thing, as I was feeling like it was a little flat.
July, in contrast, is already filling up with trips, social events and other commitments to myself. I bought eight domain names today and will, upon completion of the editing, begin developing a website with which to build my author’s platform. It won’t actually deal with the book at first, but will be a way of promoting myself as an author of informational material. It will also be an opportunity for me to learn more about the subject I choose to base the website around and ultimately better myself in the process.
June also found me crossing some older items off of my To Do list, and finally getting things going in the right direction with my health insurance. Apparently, “medical need” is a good way to light a fire under a certain insurance company! As soon as I really needed to see a doctor, the roadblocks miraculously cleared. Although there is still some confusion as to the start date, and BS is trying to point the finger at Covered California yet again, I have faith that it will soon be resolved and I can spend my days doing far more interesting and productive things than sitting on hold for hours on end.
I was fortunate that a friend gave me several hours of her precious time today to walk me through some of the things I need to know to not only set up a website, but use it to promote my business. The one fly in my ointment tonight is that I am going to have to reconcile myself to using the dreaded #hashtags. Blech!!! But in order to get #shericonaway aka #sherilevenstein out there for all the world to see, I have to use something which gets me to show up in places where people are likely to follow links. The things we must do for our craft!!!
In the general scheme of things, I’m starting to see it all come together. I’ve gleaned a lot of information over the last few months from webinars, other bloggers, friends and my marketing guru. The thing I’ve learned best though, is that I still have a great deal to learn, and a lot of it is simply going to be a trial and error process for me.
So I’ve decided that my schedule for the next few weeks will go something like this:
- Complete household chores
- Complete the book edit
- Practice with WordPress
- Set myself up on several social networking sites
- Complete the Copywriting course
- Create my website
- Research and write several articles for my website.
- Go live with my website
- Monitor the website to see what does and does not work as far as drawing visitors
- Enjoy the first of many 1,000+ hit days on my website.
- Identify possible people to read and critique my book.
- Investigate publishing options
- Promote the book on my website.
- PUBLISH!!!!
Some of these things are just an ongoing process of doing and re-doing. Others are going to require time and persistence so I find the best information and the best solutions for me.
Some items on this list are positively terrifying, but ultimately very rewarding. When all is said and done, it all leads to one, very important thing. I am living my dream!
My gratitudes tonight are:
1. I am grateful that life provides me with whatever I need to continue moving towards my goals.
2. I am grateful for experienced friends who are willing to share what they’ve learned with me so my own learning curve will be shorter.
3. I am grateful for forward movement and definitive tasks on the way to my goals.
4. I am grateful for the abundance of love and support I’ve been receiving as I follow a path which is so different from where I’ve been for the last 30 or so years.
5. I am grateful for the opportunity to visit my daughter and son-in-law in their new home. Fun times ahead!
Love and light.
