Peter Lopez Jr.'s Blog: Xulon Press Blog , page 23

Working With an Editor

The editing process is by far the most nerve-wracking part of the book journey for any writer. Thankfully with the help of our team of professional editors (with decades of real-world editing experience) we have compiled 10 tips for working with an editor. 

1. Plan ahead.

You know you’re going to need some level of editing for your manuscript before it’s published. So make sure to make a plan early on to begin saving up for a minimum of one round of editing at the “line-editing” level. This middle-of-the-road edit allows your editor to do a lot more than just check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. In addition, any full edit will be priced per word, so naturally the more words you have the more your edit will cost. If you’re writing a novel, your word count should end up between 80,000 to 100,000 words. If you’re wondering just how much you should be saving take that estimated word count and visit our Editing Pricing Page, look over the editing plan you’d need, and simply multiply your word count with the cost-per-word listed on the website.

2. Consider an editorial review.

Before you invest in a full edit, dip your toes into the water of the editing world and have an editorial review completed on your manuscript. Not only will you receive valuable feedback on your current manuscript, but you’ll also receive a recommendation for a specific level of editing.

3. Conduct beta reads and finish revisions ahead of time.

One of the best things you can do for your manuscript before you send it to your editor is to have beta readers review it. A beta reader is usually a test reader who gives feedback from the point-of-view of an average reader to the author. You can normally find free beta readers online, but be mindful that you’d have to release your manuscript to them. Consider also having a family member or friend who enjoys reading be your beta reader. But make sure they’re willing to give honest and raw feedback. The second step after this would be to complete your personal revisions and rewrites based on that feedback.

4. Stick to simple formatting.

Make sure your manuscript formatting is as basic and clean as possible. Avoid hard to read fonts and fonts that are too large or too small. Instead, stick to a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and a 12 pt. font size. Additionally, try to use a minimum of 1.5 line spacing and only use a black-colored font. By keeping a simple format, it’ll be much easier on your editor’s eyes. If you don’t set this formatting ahead of time, don’t be surprised when you receive the manuscript back with this standard formatting.

5. Take your work as far as you can on your own.

The more improvements you can make to your manuscript beforehand the better results you’ll get. If your editor is bogged down with correcting tons of spelling errors you could have easily fixed ahead of time, your editor has less room to allow creativity to bloom. Trust me, you want your editor to have the mental capacity to be as creative with the edits as possible. That’s when your manuscript can really shine! So, before you send off your manuscript for editing, be sure to proofread your entire manuscript. Look for incomplete sentences and awkward phrases. Double-check words with a dictionary if you want to be sure you’ve used a word correctly. Also, run the spelling and grammar check through your word program. This tool will take you through every error in your manuscript, and will provide you the opportunity to make any corrections.

6. Be open to suggestions.

Any writer can attest to the fact that their manuscript feels like a baby to them. They poured their hearts and souls into it and will protect it like a mama bear would protect her cubs. If a suggestion from your editor rubs you the wrong way take a moment to remind yourself to be open. You are, after all, looking for ways to further improve your story. Professional editors have years, if not decades, of experience, and their suggestions always come from a good and well-meaning place. Take into account that their suggestions are never meant to be malicious or hurtful.

7. The more rounds of editing, the better.

The more rounds of editing your manuscript goes through, the cleaner your finished product will be. I recommend at least two rounds of editing, no matter which level of editing you invest in. This way, an editor gets two passes. The first is to make a large number of changes and suggestions. The second will be to catch any remaining errors and check the new additions you’ve made based on the suggestions from the first round.

8. Create a style guide as you write to share with the editor.

Be sure to keep a record of all names and places and how you want these items spelled (this is especially important when it comes to names). If you want to deviate from a specific writing or formatting style, be sure to notate that for your editor as well. If you don’t send along these particulars, your editor will match your manuscript up to publishing industry standards.

9. Be prepared for feedback.

Mentally prepare yourself for a lot of markups in your manuscript when it comes back from your editor. A large amount of edits does not mean you wrote a bad book or that you should doubt yourself or your ability. An edit is completely different from a grade you’d receive on a paper from a teacher. Your editor’s goal is always to help you create the best book you possibly can. So, sometimes that means word choice changes or sentence structure simplification. Your editor has enough experience to know what works in the book market and what doesn’t, and he or she applies all that knowledge for the betterment of your book.

10. Learn from the process.

Instead of breezing through your edited manuscript and not truly paying attention to the changes made, take some extra time and look through the track change copy your editor supplies. Review each change and look at the difference between the original and the edited version. Study these little nuances and apply what you learn to your future writing projects. The more rounds of editing done, the more you can learn about writing. Education is the most underrated, but most beneficial reason, to work with an editor.

 

Are you ready to invest in editing for your manuscript? Call 1-866-381-2665 for a free consultation and get all of your questions answered about working with our team of professional editors.

The post Working With an Editor appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

Tips For How to End a Chapter

At some point in writing your manuscript you’ll be faced with the decision of where you want your chapter breaks to go. How you end your chapter is especially important in a novel. By beginning and ending them in the perfect moments of your story, your chapter breaks can build suspense and keep your readers reading. For some, deciding where chapters end might be a challenging decision. Whether this is you or not, these next few tips for ending chapters are sure to be helpful for your next writing session:

Don’t Include Chapters In Your Outline.

A lot of writers might make chaptering part of their book outline. This method can actually become quite constrictive. For more effectiveness, try writing first and evaluating your story for chapter breaks second. If you feel your preferred writing method includes more structure, try outlining by events instead of chapters. You should leave giving thoughts to chapter structure for after you’ve begun to actually write your manuscript.

If you come to a point in writing your novel where a chapter break just jumps out at you, mark it and move along with your writing. Try using a unique symbol so when your draft is done you can use the ‘Find’ function to search and go through them to decide if these are truly the best chapter breaks. You might find a lot of them can remain as scene breaks and be replaced with a transitional paragraph. 

Insert A Graceful Cliffhanger

You don’t want to end most chapters with cliffhangers. It’ll become predictable to the reader and take the suspense effect away. It needs to be an intrinsic part of the overall story, not just techniques inserted for effect.

Here’s an example of a possible end to a chapter:

Amy’s normally rosy face was the color of putty. “There’s something I need to tell you.” Her eyes were fixed on the floor. “Something you don’t know about me.”

When Your Story Requires a Shift

A chapter break is good to add when your story requires a change of time, place, or point of view.

For example,

End of a chapter:

She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the sleeve of her damp jacket and took one last squinting look up at the foggy Moroccan sky. “We’re done here,” she told Harry. “Let’s get to the airport.”

Beginning of next chapter: 

Colorado. Cool, misty, green. A different colored sky than the brass she was used to…

A chapter break like this emphasizes there’s been a significant change of some kind. It pulls at your reader’s mind, telling them it’s time for a reorientation. This type of chapter transitioning can refresh the reader’s eye after a long interlude in one setting. They allow for continuity and pacing — an essential for balancing suspense to your story. 

Check For Effectiveness

Your goal as a writer should be to keep your reader up at night because they don’t want to put your book down. If the reader told themself they’d only read three chapters that night you should want them to end up reading eight! And that is the exact point of a chapter’s end: to make you unable to resist turning the page to start the next one.

Here’s a way to check your chapters for effectiveness: Pretend you didn’t write your manuscript and flip to the end of any chapter. Now read the last line. Even if totally out of context, would you turn the page? If not, try tweaking a thing or two.

Have any helpful tips for chaptering? Comment them below! And don’t forget to share this blog post if you enjoyed it. 

Visit our blog for more writing tips.

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7 Tips To Stay Creative

Every-day life routines can start feeling mundane after a while. And if you’re like many of us, quarantining at home due to the current global pandemic COVID-19, life at home will definitely start feeling tedious pretty soon (if it’s not already). It’s important to shake things up a bit to stay sharp and full of fresh ideas. We’re constantly writing new stories and trying to find the next big hit, but after a while, it can become challenging to do something new. In order to raise your level of expertise, authority, and innovation as a writer, you have to become more creative.

Here’s a list of ways to get your creative juices flowing and improve your productivity:
1. Write freely.

This may sound a little gross, but I like to call this technique “word vomit”. Because it’s basically just your brain vomiting all of your thoughts on a piece of paper (or your laptop) without control, second thoughts, or looking back. Practice writing uninhibited thoughts early in the morning when you first wake up to jump-start your creativity. Brilliant ideas, solutions and reminders will come early in the morning. 

2. Keep an idea journal with you at all times.

Whether you prefer to travel with a pen and a small pad or you prefer the convenience of a note-taking app on your phone, when inspiration strikes, record it quickly right when the idea is fresh.

3. Pray.

Clear your mind of any clutter by taking some time to pray and leaving any worries or concerns in God’s hands. Get in tune and allow yourself to hear ideas that are meant for you.

4. Break routine.

It seems easy enough, but we are all creatures of habit. Doing the same things over and over or having the same routine every day can dull your mind. Whether it’s waking up earlier and going for a jog (or completing a home workout if you’re quarantined) or trying out a new recipe and not having your typical breakfast or lunch, break up the monotony and do things a little differently. 

5. Get moving. 

With that being said, get physical! Physical activity releases endorphins, which can trigger a positive feeling in the body and mind. So ride a bike, run on the treadmill, stretch, or complete a home exercise and get your blood pumping. The increased blood flow positively impacts your creative juices.

6. Get your home in order.

If you do most of your writing at home, it is vital for you to be in a clutter-free environment. A clean space will stir up your creativity. Everything speaks to you, so clear the distractions so you can hear what inspires you and not what’s draining you or what task you need to complete next.

7. Try creative writing exercises.

Think of a dream you had and write a twist on it, write a letter to your younger self, write a story based on the last food item you ate, etc. Get as creative as you want with your prompts. But don’t forget the word vomit tactic I showed you: Spill your incoming thoughts on a piece of paper and don’t look back! This means no edits as you go or checking for grammar mistakes.

Here’s a challenge I have for you: try implementing at least one of these tips every day over the next few weeks. 

Do you have any additional tips? Share them in the comments below! And don’t forget to share this blog post if you found it helpful.

Visit our blog for more creative living tips.

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New Social Media Trends for Writers

These days, it feels like social media, and technology as a whole, is a huge lifesaver for a lot of us. From Zoom calls with family and friends to staying up to date on business hours, we’re more connected online than ever.

This is also a great time to not only set up new social media accounts but to also explore some social media features you may not have used in the past. When deciding where to put your energy, here are the top social media trends for writers to be aware of right now:

Facebook use is down.

Overall, Facebook usage is down. If you already have a Facebook page for your writing and you see great engagement with followers, then keep doing what you’re doing. If you haven’t created a Facebook page, it might be better for you to put your social media energy into one of the options below.

Video content is a must!

If you haven’t dipped your toes into any type of video format on your social media accounts, now is definitely the time! Followers love engaging with interesting and informative video content. To get started, try recording video clips for a “Day in the Life” video series. You can post these videos in real-time as you move through your day. These videos are well received on Instagram and Facebook Stories.

Instagram Stories are dominating.

If you’re on Instagram, I’m sure you’ve noticed the uptick in Instagram Stories from the accounts you follow. Join in and up the number of posts, you make to your Instagram Stories. If you’re already a professional at Instagram Stories, try your hand at creating an IGTV or even go live for the first time on your Instagram account. These Instagram tools are great ways to boost your interaction with followers.

TikTok is rapidly growing, especially with Generation Z.

If you’ve written, or are currently writing, a young adult novel, there’s a good chance you’ll find your target audience on TikTok. The app is most popular with those aged 24 and younger. Don’t be afraid to download the app and find a way to authentically engage with your target reading audience.

Good content is king.

Great content, including cropped and edited photos, attention-grabbing or entertaining information, well-lit videos, and more, still dominates social media. So, spend an extra minute or two editing a photo before you post it to Instagram or sit next to a window when recording a video to get as much natural light as possible for your recording. These small tweaks will go a long way in delivering quality content to your followers.

Avoid hard-selling your book.

It may feel counterintuitive to not directly push your book in your social media feeds, but a softer sell will go so much farther with your audience. Instead of making post after post about your book being for sale and where it can be purchased, show your writing space or post an excerpt from your favorite chapter. When it comes to selling your book, always make sure you have a website link in your profile where followers can find your book for sale.

 

Need help setting up your social media? Click here

Looking for more information about social media best practices for writers?

We have tons of articles about marketing your book !

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Writing Smart Goals for the Month

You don’t have to wait for a new year, month, or week to start to make some new smart goals, but they sure do make for a cleaner-feeling start. The beginning of a new year makes many of us feel like we need to write down huge dreams and goals for the year, but come March or April we probably fall off track. But have no fear, today is a great day to set some new, attainable goals for this month. Here are some ideas to get you started:

6 Goals to Set This Month
1. Set a reading challenge on Goodreads.

This challenge lets you set how many books you want to read this year and then will give you a percentage to show where you’re at on your goal each month. The reading challenge is a great motivator to see your reading goals through to the end.

2. Build a reading list.

Some of us fall behind on our reading because we don’t always know what we want to read next. I love using Goodreads to keep track of books I want to read. I’m constantly updating my “To Read” bookshelf and can seamlessly move a book from “To Read” to “Currently Reading” to my “Finished” bookshelf. Over time, it’s fun to look back and see how many books you read and exactly what you read.

3. Allow for inspiration.

There’s no time like the present to seek out new forms of inspiration. Whether you start a new hobby—like cooking, reading, arts and crafts—or get outdoors for more exercise, let yourself be inspired and keep track of what inspires you. That way, on a less than an inspiring day, you can look back and see what worked for you before and try it again.

4. Make healthy choices.

An intense writing day may not always leave room for the healthiest food choices. A binge writing session can also mean binge eating on snacks. Be prepared with healthy snacks and other foods ahead of time. Your body and your mind will thank you.

5. Plan a virtual writing retreat.

We may not be able to meet up with our writing friends in person right now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan a virtual writing retreat day. Create a one-day writing retreat for you and your writing friends and include the day’s itinerary. Schedule sessions to chat via Zoom, writing times, breaks, have fun snacks and drinks on hand and create a great playlist for everyone to enjoy.

6. Schedule a 30-day challenge.

If you’ve heard of NaNoWriMo, you know the month of November is when thousands of writers from around the world make a commitment to write a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days. You don’t need an official NaNoWriMo kick-off to set a 30-day writing challenge though; you can start your own month-long writing challenge this month.

So, what writing goals are you going to set for this month? Sound off below!

Need more writing goal inspiration? Read 2020 New Year’s Resolutions for Writers.

The post Writing Smart Goals for the Month appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

Tips for Writing a Captivating Short Story

In the publishing world, a short story normally refers to fiction and they come in varying shapes and sizes:

Traditional: 1,500-5000 words
Flash Fiction: 500-1,000 words
Micro Fiction: 5-350 words

Writing a short story can sometimes be more difficult than writing a full novel. This is because you have to captivate your readers, take them on a journey to a different world, create character and story depth, all in under 5,000 words. Because of this, short stories should begin as close to the climax as possible. 

Here are a few tips for writing a captivating short story:
1. Use the time of a total stranger in a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.

Give the reader a beginning and an end. To make the short story as interesting as possible, a lot of writers tend to go for plot twists and cliffhanger tactics. With cliffhangers specifically, writers must be very careful when using them for short stories. Cliffhangers can be fun and suspenseful, but in short stories they might make your writing come off as just a piece of a book that was never finished. In this case it may cause more frustration to readers than the suspense you were aiming for. If using these tactics, make sure you’re being mindful and they’re being used in a tasteful way. If you’re trying to set it up for a sequel, let the reader know there’s a second part coming.

2. Give the reader at least one character they can root for.

One of the easiest ways to captivate readers is through the development of a character. Develop a protagonist your readers can get invested in. This makes it easy for the reader to be taken into your world very quickly.

3. Suggest a backstory, don’t elaborate.

As mentioned before, your short story should start as close to the end as possible. Let your readers build their own background story as their reading progresses. And when in doubt? Leave it out. You only have a limited amount of words to tell your story, make sure you don’t waste any overexplaining. 

4. Write a catchy first paragraph.

In today’s fast-moving world, the first paragraph of your short story should quickly catch your reader’s attention. Begin with tension and immediacy. Try starting your narrative with something unusual, unexpected, an action, or a conflict. 

Here’s an example:

I heard my neighbor through the wall.

Dry. Nothing sparks the reader’s imagination. 

The neighbor behind us practices scream therapy in his shower almost every day.

This catches the reader’s attention. Who is this guy who goes in his shower every day and screams? Why does he do that? What, exactly, is“scream therapy”? Let’s keep reading…

5. Aim for the heart.

What will evoke deep emotions in the reader? After all, the most effective short stories are the ones that capture the reader through emotions. So, what will move them? The same things that probably move you: 

Love
Redemption
Justice
Freedom
Heroic sacrifice
Hope
What else?

6. Read as many great short stories as you can find.

You learn this genre by familiarizing yourself with the best. Become an apprentice by watching, evaluating, analyzing the experts, then try to emulate their work. Reading a couple dozen short stories should give you an idea of the right structure and style you should be aiming for. It should also inspire you to try one of your own.

7. Tightening tips.

Avoid long blocks of description and just write enough to trigger your reader’s mind. Let them come up with the missing pieces with context clues.
Eliminate portions that merely get your characters from one place to another. The reader doesn’t care how they got there, so you can simply write: “Late that afternoon, Susie met Josh at a coffee shop…”
Eliminate portions that are pure description. Instead of wasting word count to describe one of the chilliest mornings of the year, you can layer that bit of sensory detail into the narrative by showing your character covering his face with a scarf against the frosty wind.

More tightening examples (items not bolded should be excluded):

She shrugged her shoulders.

He blinked his eyes.

Susie walked in through the open door and sat down in a chair.

The crowd clapped their hands and stomped their feet.

Do you have a short story worth sharing? Are you an aspiring author? Well, you’re in luck! We are offering THREE  writers the opportunity to be PUBLISHED for FREE just for sharing a short story with us! Learn more about our Christian Writers Awards Writing Contest by clicking here.

The post Tips for Writing a Captivating Short Story appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

Creating a Writing Space for Max Productivity

Time, energy, and good writing space are all we really need to be able to focus and be productive. It’s important to have a dedicated writing space at home because it signals to your brain that it’s time to write every time you’re in that space. If you tend to bounce around the house a lot as you write and feel unproductive, try creating a space exclusive for your writing. It doesn’t have to be fancy or even have a door. Your space only needs a few items to promote writing productivity.

Tips for designing a productive writing space:

 

Creating a space

It’s important to teach yourself to write anywhere, but it’s also important to have a dedicated writing space within your home. Your space doesn’t have to be large, an entirely separate room, or have to look like it came straight from Pinterest. Your writing space simply needs to be the place you go to write when you’re at home and have all your writing essentials within reach.

Focusing on supplies

As writers, we need various supplies as we write. Keep your supplies stocked and within easy reach. Some common supplies include:

Notebooks/notepads
Pens/pencils
Paper clips
Highlighters
Page Tabs
Writer’s notebook
Stapler and extra staples
Headphones
Computer and charger
Printer

Containing the cords

There are so many cords that come with well-filled writing space. From your computer charger to printer cords, and even a spare phone charger, they can all get in the way. Try using a surge protector to keep your devices safe. Zip ties are also a big help controlling extra long cords. Another tip is finding cord keepers to hold your cords on your desk so you don’t have to hunt for your computer charger every time your battery runs low.

Keeping it tidy

A clean space allows for a clear mindset. At the end of each session, put your computer in a specific spot, put away any supplies, and toss any scraps of paper you no longer need. This way, you always walk into a tidy writing space and can jump into writing instead of having to tidy up before you can get to work.

Making it distraction-free

If you live with others, avoid putting your writing space smack in the middle of all the action of your home. Spots in the kitchen or other main areas of your house allow for more distractions, which lowers your writing productivity. Create a space away from common distractions. Also create some healthy boundaries with your family so they know when to respect your writing time.

Infusing inspiration

If you pull creativity from your surroundings, do what you can to create an inspiring space. Try placing your desk by a window so you can have natural light and a nice view while you work. If you can’t, fill the wall you’re writing by with items that inspire you. A strand of Christmas lights, pictures of your family, or photos from your favorite vacation spot can go a long way in adding inspiration to your space. And the more inspired you feel, the more productive your writing time will be.

Boosting your mood

Scents like lemon, orange, lime, and lemongrass are great mood boosters. Keep an essential oil diffuser and a few of your favorite citrus-scented oils in your space. Or try burning your favorite candles while you work.

Promoting good posture

Poor posture can leave you feeling sore and fatigued, so do what you can to sit or stand in a good posture while you write. Maybe you need a better office chair or to simply place a pillow behind your back. Additionally, if you have a standing desk, try placing a memory foam mat on the ground to stand on. This will help with foot, leg, and back soreness. In addition to good posture, remember to stretch often and move around to promote good circulation throughout your body.

Easy to reach resources

Whether you use a physical copy of a dictionary or thesaurus or have favorite books on writing, keep these nearby. If you have to walk too far to get something, you may decide not to get it at all. If you do go get it you could become distracted on your way back to your space.

Have you created a writing space you love? Tell us about it in the comment section!

 

Read 10 Ways to Rediscover Your Creative Flow to learn how to max out your creativity.

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Writing Your Book During COVID-19 Self-Isolation

To say we’re living in a weird time is an understatement. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has a majority of our lives on pause, leaving us with a lot of extra time we didn’t have before. To all my writers, if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book now is the perfect time to get started—and finish!

10 Tips to Writing Your Book During COVID-19
1. Build a schedule.

We all need some normalcy in our lives right now and routines are a great way to infuse some comfort into our days. Create a writing schedule that includes time for research, character building, outlining, and actual writing. If you give yourself enough time each week, you can absolutely write an entire first draft in 8 weeks.

2. Prepare.

Focus on creating character profiles, outlining your chapters, and collecting all the research you’ll need before you start writing. This will help you in the long run because you won’t have to pause your writing to gather more information or create a new character. You’ll already have all this information compiled, so you can stay focused on writing.

3. Schedule writing time.

After all your pre-planning is done, create a daily writing schedule. Now that most activities are canceled or postponed due to COVID-19, you should have more time than ever to dedicate some time each day to working on your book.

4. Create a writing zone.

Designate a specific place in your home for writing. It doesn’t have to be huge and it doesn’t even need to include a desk, but choose a place and go there for each block of writing time. This will help trigger your brain that it’s time to write when you are there.

5. Set healthy boundaries.

You may not be huddled up at home alone for self-isolation and may have family and small children around, making it more difficult to focus on your writing project. Create healthy boundaries with your family about your writing time. Once they see how important your writing time is to you, they’ll fully support the distraction-free time you need to complete your manuscript.

6. Stay inspired.

It may feel extra difficult to feel inspired these days since many of us are staying home and it feels like much of the world is closed. However, staying inspired is important to your writing routine. So, go for a daily 30-minute walk and pay attention to your surroundings. Listen to a fun, new podcast while you fold laundry. Read a book about writing. Or even try a new exercise class online. These activities can help you stay inspired.

7. Use your time wisely.

It’s extremely tempting to lay around watching TV for extended amounts of time these days, but don’t put that extra time toward something that doesn’t advance your writing goals. Use your time wisely, so you’ll have a finished manuscript by the end of self-isolation.

8. Join a virtual critique group.

Working in a vacuum is no fun and can often lead to self-doubt. Since we’re already practicing social distancing in a physical sense, use technology instead to connect with other writers in a virtual critique group. There are tons of groups on Facebook or you can even create your own critique group with friends and family who also want to write.

9. Don’t get caught up in editing.

It’s inevitable that your inner self-editor will want to come out while you’re writing. But try to avoid going down a rabbit hole when it comes to editing your work, you should be focused on writing. Get all your words on paper first, then go back and begin the editing and revising process.

10. Clear your head.

There is a lot going on in the news every day due to COVID-19 and it’s easy to become overloaded on the information. So, be sure to take some time away from the news a little bit each day and do activities that clear your mind. Having a clear head creates extra space for great ideas to blossom.

If you’re looking for more writing advice you can easily apply to your practice, explore our full archive .

The post Writing Your Book During COVID-19 Self-Isolation appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

10 Things Highly Productive People Do on Sunday

The busier our lives get, the more we seek out ways to increase productivity and organization. I know the Sunday Scaries can be overwhelming and make us want to hide from our responsibilities that come with Monday mornings, but using Sundays in a way that helps you feel well-rested and prepared for the coming week is a huge game-changer.

Here are 10 ways you can increase productivity on Sundays & prepare for a new week: 

 

1. Make a to-do list for the upcoming week

The first step to optimizing your productivity is sitting down and making a list. Lists all of the tasks you need to accomplish for the upcoming week. Put a star next to your highest priorities. From there, begin assigning tasks to each day of the week. But please remember to be mindful of not adding too many tasks to one day. And just like that, you have an outline of your week ahead!

2. Set attainable goals

Set some intentions around a few attainable goals you want to reach for the week. Maybe you want to eat more meals at home rather than dining out. You might want to fit in one more day of exercise. Or maybe you want to work in an extra hour of writing. By taking the time to set your goals before the week starts, you’re more likely to find ways to work them into your week.

3. Meal prep

You can save yourself so much time (and money!) by preparing your meals ahead of time. Maybe you struggle to find time to make breakfast in the morning. Or maybe you noticed you’re buying lunch out too often. Use this opportunity to prep for the week. Might as well also get creative and try new recipes!  Anything you can do to buy back some time during the week will reduce stress for you later.

4. Get some fresh air

Sundays aren’t meant just for banging out your chore list. Take some time to get outside, go for a walk, and breathe in the fresh air. Allow yourself to enjoy your free time. This way it won’t feel like you’re hopping from a busy weekend right into a busy week.

5. Schedule in some self-care

You can make self-care whatever you want it to be, and it doesn’t even have to cost you any money. Self-care can be taking an afternoon nap, going to a nearby park and sitting on a bench to read a book, having a friend over for afternoon coffee, or taking a hot bath. How ever you choose to incorporate some TLC into your Sunday, just make sure you do something that allows you to focus on yourself.

6. Tidy up

Get ahead of the busy week by tackling small piles that accumulated over the last few days. That way, you can start fresh and clean, and you won’t feel like you have clutter all over the place throughout the week.

7. Relax

You don’t have to pack your Sunday full of tasks in order to start off on the right foot Monday morning. Work some relaxation into your Sunday as well. Whether that means grabbing a great meal out with friends or family or staying in your pajamas, choose how you like to relax best and allow yourself to do it.

8. Shift your mindset

Spend some time focusing on the positives your upcoming week will hold, the goals you have set for yourself, and what you are most looking forward to. By allowing your mind to be filled with positivity and hope, it leaves little to no room for negativity to creep into your mind.

9. Schedule your writing time

Keeping writing time in your schedule is very important for reaching those writing goals, so be sure to incorporate time to write. Even if you only have 30 minutes a day, that is still 210 minutes of writing per week you can use to make a large dent in your word count.

10. Make sleep health a priority

Healthy sleep habits are extremely important, so use Sunday to reset your sleep schedule and stick to it for the rest of the week. Did you know adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night? To set yourself up for a restful sleep, set aside any screens and step away from any work tasks at least 1 hour before bed.

What other activities do you do on Sundays to optimize your productivity throughout the week? Comment below!

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The post 10 Things Highly Productive People Do on Sunday appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.

10 Ways to Rediscover Your Creative Flow

We’ve all experienced bouts of writer’s block or dips in our creative flow. Sometimes, I think that’s the brain’s way of telling us we’re overproducing and need to pull back the reigns a bit. For the most part, though, I believe writer’s block and a stagnant creative flow are because we start taking our creativity for granted. We pull and tug on our creativity, but we don’t refill our tank. That’s when blocks in creativity most often reveal themselves. These tips will help you get outside your box and rediscover your creative flow in no time.

Try a new workout.

Exercise, even a quick walk around the neighborhood, is always a great way to get your creative juices flowing. If you’re bored of your current workout routine, try something new to shake it up. The endorphins you produce while working out are great for clearing your head and allowing creativity to seep through.

Drink more water.

Sometimes, a lack of creativity is more closely related to overall health. If you aren’t drinking enough water throughout the day, a foggy feeling can settle in and you may feel unfocused and fatigued. Sip on more water during the day, take small breaks from your work, and see if you feel more creative afterward. 

Make time for freewriting or use writing prompts.

Stepping outside your writing comfort zone is a great way to crank up your creative flow. If the thought of freewriting makes you nervous, hop on Pinterest and search “writing prompts.” You’ll find thousands of ideas to choose from. Then, just sit down and write the first thing that comes to mind.

Tame an unruly spot in your home or office.

A cluttered space makes a cluttered mind, so if you’re constantly staring at a messy pile on your desk or the laundry basket is mocking you from the corner of your bedroom, it’s likely going to zap your creativity. Tackling the spots that make you cringe the most may help increase your creativity.

Build a tribe of creative people.

It’s hard to be creative in a vacuum. By surrounding yourself with creative people—they don’t all have to be writers—you’ll have a group you can bounce ideas off, talk through issues only creatives face, and develop a connection you can count on. 

Write a daily gratitude list.

There will be days when negative thinking will block your ability to create. To stop negativity in its tracks, develop a habit of writing a daily gratitude list. Reminding yourself of what you’re grateful for has been shown to improve peoples’ moods, and an improved mood means a better headspace to be creative.

Listen to music.

Music is powerful. Crank up the volume on your favorite song, shuffle through your go-to playlist, or dive into a new music genre and you’ll feel invigorated.

Brain dump your thoughts into a journal.

If your head is spinning with to-dos, anxious thoughts, and everything else weighing you down, your brain has no room to think creatively. Dump all your thoughts into a journal—it doesn’t have to be pretty and your handwriting doesn’t need to be legible. The whole point of brain dumping is to clear the clutter from your head. You don’t even have to organize the thoughts you put on paper; you could burn those pages if you wanted. Brain dumping is the act of clearing your headspace, so you can focus on what’s important to you.

Make time to find inspiration.

I don’t believe you have to wait until inspiration strikes to write, but I do strongly believe that you need to fill your inspiration buckets. You can keep yourself inspired by visiting art museums, watching a movie, reading articles on a website you love, reading a new book, or doing anything that leaves you feeling inspired when you’re done. It’s important to keep your inspiration bucket topped off because you can’t draw from an empty well. Focusing on inspiration outside of your writing time is what fuels your writing.

Travel to a place you love.

From sightseeing to restaurants and being on a different schedule from your norm, traveling to a new place or even one of your favorite places can spark your creative flow again. Take a notebook with you and write down anything that inspires you and take tons of pictures, but most of all just enjoy being present in each moment. You’ll have plenty of new stories to tell and your creativity will overflow.

What do you do to rediscover your creative flow? Leave your comment below!

The post 10 Ways to Rediscover Your Creative Flow appeared first on Xulon Press Blog, Christian Self-Publishing.