In this episode we cover: 

• What is the enneagram and how to use it as writers
• Motivation and why it doesn’t always look right
• How to pursue what you want
• What rest and resilience look like for different enneagram types
• Manifesting as a way of getting control

Links I mentioned:

Storygarden Summit March 19 – 22

Find out more about Claire:

Kickstarter: Sustain Your Author Career

FFS Media

Rebel of the Week is: Milissa

If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com 

Thank you and welcome to new patron Marie Hodgkinson, and thank you to current patron Melissa Soulliere for upping their pledge. A big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

The post 233 Unblock Your Creativity with the Enneagram with Claire Taylor appeared first on Sacha Black.

In this episode we cover: 

• Giving yourself permission
• Changing your mindset around writing
• How to start writing
• How to keep writing fun
• Quitting vs Sticking vs Pivoting

This week’s question is: What should you be doing, that you aren’t?

Recommendation of the week is: Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk

Apple

Kobo

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

***this show uses affiliate links

Links/Events I mentioned:

It’s Black Friday this month, so I’m throwing the biggest bargain party I’ve ever done.

30% off EVERYTHING (if you buy direct).

That means 30% off my courses, 30% off my digital books and 30% off my audiobook.

I have NEVER discounted everything before, but I’m doing it this once and for a limited time.

Sale runs 14th Nov to 4th December.

To take advantage of the sale, use code: BLACKFRIDAY30

For courses

For books and audio

Find out more about Cassie on:

Website

Writer Fuel Community

Storytellers Faceoff Podcast

TikTok

Instagram

Writer Fuel

Rebel of the Week is: Marc Lewis

If you’d like to be a Rebel of the week please do send in your story, it can be any kind of rebellion. You can email your rebel story to rebelauthorpodcast@gmail.com

1 new patron this week, welcome and thank you to Deb Schwabe. Thank you to Erica Lott for upping their pledge and a big thank you to my existing patrons as well. If you’d like to support the show, and get early access to all the episodes as well as bonus content you can from as little as $2 a month by visiting: www.patreon.com/sachablack

The post 164 Writing Fuel for Indie Authors with Cassie Newell appeared first on Sacha Black.

I am terribly ‘un-present.’

I roll from one project to the next, never stopping to appreciate the mountain peak I’ve just climbed. I finish and move on. It’s unhealthy and it’s probably one of the reasons I’ve spent most of this year either burnt out or close to a burnout. Shelley Wilson, Bloggers Bash committee member and fellow non-fiction and YA Fantasy writer is here today to tell us a thing or two about why we need to stop and admire the view from the top.

Listen up folks, don’t be a dufus like me. Shelley knows her shit!

To buy How I Motivated Myself to Succeed

AmazonCOM

AmazonUK

Thank you so much to my lovely host, Sacha, for being a part of my blog tour for the release of my latest non-fiction book, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed.

Here’s a guest post I’ve written about celebrating your achievements.

We set goals, and we work hard to make them happen, and then we arrive at that wondrous day where it all pays off and we achieve a dream. That dream could be losing weight for a special occasion, publishing a book, running a marathon, or something as simple as getting to the bottom of the ironing pile!

As children, we were often rewarded with a small treat when we achieved something wonderful. Celebrating achievements is not a new phenomenon and yet we shy away from congratulating ourselves on a job well done. I often blog about self-sabotage and comparing ourselves to others on my motivational blog (http://www.motivatemenow.co.uk) and the common thread running through the comments often turns to the theme of limiting beliefs.

‘I can’t possibly tell anyone I’ve lost four stone in weight because my other friends who struggle with their weight might not speak to me.’

‘If I tell my friends about that two book deal with Penguin Random House they might think I’m bragging.’

Releasing these thoughts can be tricky as we have conditioned ourselves over many years of watching, listening, and learning. However, it’s relatively easy to rethink how we handle certain situations, and I believe that learning to celebrate your achievements is the best place to begin.

Here’s a brief excerpt from my new release, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed:

“One of the most important discoveries I made during my year-long journey was the value of celebrating my achievements – however small they might be. I always took a moment at the end of every month to write a summary post and absorb the implications of what I’d just achieved. In my first month’s challenge, I lost ten pounds in weight, for month four I gave up alcohol for thirty days. These aren’t massive accomplishments, but they were important to me and meaningful for the voyage I was on. Observing the progress you make daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly keeps you focused on your destination, but allows you to enjoy the journey.”

Think about some of the things you’ve achieved recently. Perhaps you’ve made progress with a writing project, or survived your first day at university! Have you finished knitting that scarf, or completed a jigsaw that was thwarting you? Celebrations can take many forms, from sharing a coffee with friends to buying something special. It’s your choice how you celebrate but never skip this step in your personal development. You’ve worked hard, and now it’s time to celebrate!

No matter what you hope to achieve, recognizing that you are making progress is an important step. There were many times when I wanted to throw my manuscript in the bin but I’m proud of myself for powering through the self-doubt until I arrived at the finish line.

I’d like to end with another thank you to my delightful host, Sacha. Thank you for reading and be sure to check out the other host spots for more inspiration, motivation, and a sprinkle of fun.

If you would like to read more about Shelley’s celebration techniques then take a look at her new release, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed, out now in paperback and eBook, and packed full of information on self-care, freeing yourself from fear, organizing your life, and much more.

To buy How I Motivated Myself to Succeed

AmazonCOM

AmazonUK

More About Shelley:

Shelley is a multi-genre author of non-fiction self-help and young adult fantasy fiction. Her latest release, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed is being dubbed as the sequel-that’s-not-a-sequel to her bestselling book, How I Changed My Life in a Year. She writes a personal development blog (www.motivatemenow.co.uk) as well as an author blog (www.shelleywilsonauthor.com) where she shares book reviews, author interviews, and random musings about writing. Shelley was thrilled to win the Most Inspirational Blogger Award at the Bloggers Bash in 2016, and to scoop second place in the same category in 2017. She is a single mum to three teenagers and a black cat, loves pizza, vampires, and The Walking Dead, and has a slight obsession with list writing.

You can find Shelley here:

Website, Writing Blog , Motivational Blog, Twitter, Facebook YA, Non-Fiction 

You can also see more of Shelley’s fab tips on her blog tour here:

So, are you a celebrator or an ignorer like me? Let Shelley know in the comments below.

SaveSave

The post Celebrating Your Achievements with Self-Help Author, Shelley Wilson (@ShelleyWilson72) #BlogTour appeared first on Sacha Black.

I really hate January 1st. It’s the ultimate come down. You partied hard the night before, fuelled by booze, contagious enthusiasm and ever more ridiculous resolution promises. The night seemed alive, 2015 was going to be THE year. It’s your year, your time and your chance.

What a load of shit.

Woke up this morning, feeling more bloated and fatter than ever, with a raging hangover and more resolution promises I will break before the end of month. Stepped on the scales, didn’t I?

WHY, did I do that?

Now ELEVEN pounds heavier than I was in August.

Fuck January. Fuck my life.

January 1st – berroca in the morning 11am hangover starting to disappear, better make an effort – healthy yogurt and bagel for breakfast. By 1:45pm I’d eaten chocolate, hated myself for eating it so ate more to console myself.

F***ing January. I’ll start tomorrow!

Looked at the insanity DVD pile with enough hatred to send me straight back to the chocolate drawer for another round of “stuff my face and hate myself some more” I’ll start insanity tomorrow.

Looked at my beautiful treasured Mac laptop lain unused for the entire Christmas break. Not a word written, not a thought for my assignment nor my much in need of an edit WIP. Looked at it, hated on it. Then hated on myself for slacking. I’ll start tomorrow.

Looked at the calendar, only 3 more days off till I go back to work. And the awful realisation I’ve wasted my entire precious Christmas holiday doing sweet fuck all. Something I can’t abide – waste. Spent most of the first week off being ill with a stupid cold I couldn’t rid myself of for a month. Happy to say the last two days have seen it finally bite the dust. But still. I hated on myself some more for behaving like the thing I hate – a waster – sleep is for the weak!

So where did it go? When did I lose my mojo? It’s been gone at least a month. I have no motivation AT ALL. Not to exercise and lose the weight I need to, and not to pick up my technological pen and write.

How do you get motivated when you and your mojo are lost?

Maybe you should tell me tomorrow?!

The post I've Lost My Mojo Baby, Yeaaah appeared first on Sacha Black.