Shopping Cart
Your Cart is Empty
Quantity:
Subtotal
Taxes
Shipping
Total
There was an error with PayPalClick here to try again
CelebrateThank you for your business!You should be receiving an order confirmation from Paypal shortly.Exit Shopping Cart

AUTHOR - EDITOR - WRITING COACH 

K. S. Wuertz​

Stories to take you away!

Kim's Blog

WRITE  LIVING

K.S. Wuertz has been a full-time writer, editor, writing coach/writer’s work shop teacher and former publisher since 2009. She has 29 books published with four more books expected out this year., on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter/Instagram and LinkedIn


WRITE LIVING

K.S. Wuertz has been a full-time writer, editor, writing coach/writer’s workshop teacher and former publisher since 2009. She has 29 books published with four additional books expected out this year. Look for her at: www.kswuertz.com, on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter/Instagram and LinkedIn

ONE

WRITE YOUR LIFE

Like you, I have a bag of tools I pull out to get me through tough times. Frankly, it used to be food. You see, I’m a food addict. So when I chose to address my addiction, I had to ‘break-up’ with food. I needed to find other ways to deal with stress and challenges.

Journaling is one of the tools I use. I’d journaled off and on throughout my life, but it didn’t take on the importance it has to me in the past 5 years. Now, it’s truly a coping skill that benefits me.

So how can you start journaling?

Try giving yourself permission to write without worrying about how you write. No first draft is perfect and that’s what you are doing – you are writing your life’s first draft. You are processing what’s inside and putting on paper or in your computer.

Remember this is for your eyes alone, unless YOU choose to share your journal. If you keep your journals and decide to read them in the future, you may be surprised at how well you coped with your challenges. But you may be writing just to process your emotions. In that case, know you can always delete – or burn-your journals.

Whatever you choose to do with what you’ve written, chose to start. What’s the least threatening to you? A pen and paper, a beautiful new journal you purchase, your phone, your computer? Give your voice a chance to speak, if only to your own ears.

It all begins with one word, one sentence.

TAKEAWAY:

1. Journaling is a healthy way to process your life and a door to writing.

2. It’s all in your control: what you do with your journals from start to finish is YOUR choice.

3. Journaling can give you valuable insight and are a record of your life.

4. Just start: Find the tools that you feel comfortable with.

COMING:

Your Life as a Human Being: What touches you?

Your Life as an Artist/Writer: One sentence to create a book.

WRITE LIVING

K.S. Wuertz has been a full-time writer, editor, writing coach/writer’s workshop teacher and former publisher since 2009. She has 29 books published with four additional books expected out this year. Look for her at: www.kswuertz.com, on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter/Instagram and LinkedIn

TWO

I’m amazed at how excited I am to get to my office each day! I’m equally amazed at the stories I hear from other writers and artists. Our paths are much the same. This blog is about my life as a writer – and a human being. This blog is about YOUR LIFE. But only if you are a human being! Our individual journeys have many steps in common – and just enough steps to make us unique.​

There is a process that new writers go through to establish themselves and connect with the calling within to write. Writing is a solitary calling: you sit down with your computer, pencil and paper, phone to record, or whatever device you have to tell your story.

As an editor, I can tell when a story is well thought out. NEWS FLASH: So can your readers. SO, put your best work out there! (This will be a reoccurring theme, no matter where you work or who you are.) We’ll chat about how to put out best selves into the world in the coming weeks, but let’s start with the most asked question I get in my writing workshops:

How do I get an idea about what to write?”

The nebulous answer is everyone is different and their writing ‘system’ is unique. But we all want the same result – for our work to be read – and appreciated. SO, look around your life. What touches you? What are you thinking about? What’s taking up your brain space? What captures and holds your interest and what do you have to say about whatever it is?

TAKEAWAY:

1. Look at your life for fodder.

2. What captures your interest?

3. What do you want to tell others about that interest?

COMING: 

Your Life as a Human Being: Journaling or Other Creative Expression

Your Life as an Artist/Writer: One sentence to create a book.

WRITE LIVING

K.S. Wuertz has been a full-time writer, editor, writing coach/writer’s workshop teacher and former publisher since 2009. She has 29 books published with four additional books expected out this year. Look for her at: www.kswuertz.com, on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter/Instagram and LinkedIn

THREE

A FEW, WELL-CHOSEN WORDS...

Can you look back at your life and see how each day led you to this moment? Sometimes we feel so ‘off track’. That’s how I felt when I got my business degree in my 40s. I was on a journey that was foreign to me, writing strategic plans and focusing on marketing. I am an artist at heart. Yet, what I learned then, I use today.

Why write a 'Book Mission Statement' for your book BEFORE you start?

You have a GREAT idea that is capturing your attention. But make that into a REALLY SPECTACULAR book. Start by encapsulating your idea into ONE sentence, a ‘Book Mission Statement’. This takes some work, but it can be done.

Here’s some of the ways your effort will pay off. First, it teaches you to be a better writer. You are teaching yourself to develop clear, concise, information-filled statements. So you are learning how to use words to your advantage.

Next: you’re developing your marketing strategies and determining your book’s language, tone and presentation. Read your mission statement, it will help you determine WHO you are writing for: children, adults, YA, women, men, churched/unchurched, etc. You now begin to see what audience/where to market your pre-sales and pre-launch campaigns.

Finally, you are working to create your book’s cover. Your mission statement will be the first line – or a very prominent line on your back cover. A book IS SOLD by its cover. Your mission will help you begin to get a visual of your cover and hold a prominent place on your cover and in your book synopsis as you sell it on the internet.

With this in mind, let’s go to it! Write a few drafts and see what ‘fits’ your idea. 

TAKEAWAY:

1 . Book Mission statements encapsulate your idea in a clear, concise way.

2. Mission statements help determine and reach your book’s market.

3. Mission statements are the first step in defining your idea into a book.

COMING:

More About Missions: Write your very own!

Your Life as a Human Being: What touches you?

Your Life as an Artist/Writer: THE Mission Statement for you.

WRITE LIVING

K.S. Wuertz has been a full-time writer, editor, writing coach/writer’s workshop teacher and former publisher since 2009. She has 29 books published with four additional books expected out this year. Look for her at: www.kswuertz.com, on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter/Instagram and LinkedIn

FOUR

What Touches You?

We live our days exposed to various ‘stimuli’… lots of it. We sort through our experiences in the world, often subconsciously. So isn’t it amazing that we are so aware and deeply influenced by what surrounds us? As writers we are ‘processors’ for our readers. We are touched, then pass our experiences along as we form the letters and words. Why do some experiences affect us profoundly while we ‘miss’ others? Thinking about this question, helps us to be aware of what we are being called to write- and why. We spend time on what is most important to us. What is that for you? What has touched you enough to write about today? This week? This month? Last year?

How does what you care about become a ‘Mission Statement’ for your book?

Writing a ‘Mission Statement’ for your book is one of the hardest things you will do, but it’s well worth the time and effort. You’re taking a HUGE idea, then broadening and simplifying it. Let’s start with the structure of a ‘standard’ Mission Statement. You can write your Mission Statement whatever way you choose. But a standard mission statement consists of: (1) The naming of the ‘book’ (2)followed by the purpose of the book (in a phrase) (3)followed by how the purpose is supported (standardly in 3 ways). Here’s an example from my book: whispers of center. In whispers of center, K.S. Wuertz opens her private notebook to share her reflections on 2020 (and beyond) in thoughtful prose and poetry about life, loss and love. So, what is this sentence telling you about the book? When you read the back cover, you will understand you are about to read poetry and prose about 2020 on the subjects of life, loss and love. This statement also tells you these are some of my personal reflections – this is not fiction.

Right now, try to encapsulate what touches you in a mission statement. Then together, we will put your little sentence to work for you! Go for it!

TAKEAWAY:

1. We write about what touches us and interpret our visions for our readers.

2. A simple standard Mission consists of the Book title, the purpose and how it is supported in three succinct ways.

3. Mission statements are the first step in defining your book.

COMING:

Your Life as a an Artist/Writer: Who are You and Why do you Write?

Mining Your Mission: Putting your hard work to work for you.

WRITE LIVING

K.S. Wuertz has been a full-time writer, editor, writing coach/writer’s workshop teacher and former publisher since 2009. She has 29 books published with four additional books expected out this year. Look for her at: www.kswuertz.com, on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter/Instagram and LinkedIn

FIVE

Who are You?

There’s only one you – an old, but true adage. Somehow you’ve decided you have something to say, and you’re determined to put your time and effort into speaking what’s in your heart to the world. So, I already know you are a risk-taker. Any time we disclose ourselves to others, it’s a risk.

We’ve discussed writing a mission statement for your book. Is your book’s mission statement is congruent with your personal mission and vision. The closer you write to your own ‘reality’ the easier it is to stand behind your book and make it appeal to your future readers. We naturally ‘sell’ what we believe in. Do you believe your own words?

Is the need to get your words out overriding your fears, the amount of time/effort you are putting in and worth the challenge of stepping into unknown territory? ‘Overriding’ might be too strong a word… it’s healthy to have some fear as you embark on this challenge. Take a moment. Clear your thoughts. Now, let’s move ahead together… Come on. This is who you are… a person with a story to tell.

Let's get to telling your Story...

There’s only one you – an old, but true adage. Somehow you’ve decided you have something to say, and you’re determined to put your time and effort into speaking what’s in your heart to the world. So, I already know you are a risk-taker. Any time we disclose ourselves to others, it’s a risk.

We’ve discussed writing a mission statement for your book. Is your book’s mission statement is congruent with your personal mission and vision. The closer you write to your own ‘reality’ the easier it is to stand behind your book and make it appeal to your future readers. We naturally ‘sell’ what we believe in. Do you believe your own words?

Is the need to get your words out overriding your fears, the amount of time/effort you are putting in and worth the challenge of stepping into unknown territory? ‘Overriding’ might be too strong a word… it’s healthy to have some fear as you embark on this challenge. Take a moment. Clear your thoughts. Now, let’s move ahead together… Come on. This is who you are… a person with a story to tell.

TAKEAWAY:

1. Your mission is the cornerstone of your story.

2. You are taking a risk, exploring a new world.

3. Begin ‘mining your mission by asking questions and drawing your answers.

COMING:

Pictures to Prose: Why building your world before you write is so beneficial.

Know your world: Building a book from a picture!

/
Lightbox image