It’s Not Too Late to Redirect Yourself

by Robin Blakely

So here we are, already past the halfway mark of the year.

A lot of pages in the day planner have been written out. Looking back at them, we can see that it’s been quite an adventure so far… and for many of us, the story so far isn’t turning out at all as we hoped. We have somehow made it to the middle. But the plot is clearly sagging, and the characters aren’t nearly as sparkly as we imagined they’d be.

So, if your life were a book, what would you do here and now?

You know the write answer: Redirect. Rewrite. Recommit.

The middle of the year isn’t the end of the road—it’s the turning point. The next chapter of your life—your writing, your work, your wonder—can still surprise you. As writers, we are by nature dreamers. We were made to imagine things that haven’t happened yet. We’re fluent in possibility. We know how to picture big things that don’t yet exist, things that are hard to make happen, things the world doesn’t always welcome.

That’s not a flaw. That’s our gift to the world…and the world truly needs a good protagonist.  Spoiler alert: in your life story, that’s you.

This week, I lived that by sitting in a weird business meeting where do-or-die changes were required for a company. I shared my written ideas with clarity and passion. I was then quite harshly reprimanded for thinking differently, doing things differently, imagining the end of the company’s story differently. I sat in a tense room filled with considerable discomfort with the most surprising feeling about the feedback. The angry remarks shot at me were meant to shame. But in the writing world, you and I know that accusations of thinking differently are actually badges of honor. So, Thank you for the feedback. I would never wish to be seen any other way.

Here’s the truth: thinking differently is what creative people do. At the beginning of this year, you probably saw the future differently than how it is turning out. If your goals have gone quiet…if the year hasn’t gone the way you’d hoped…this is your invitation: Redirect, not retreat. You still have time.

Here are a few steps to get things rolling toward the destination you choose:

Step 1: Revisit Your Original Goals

What did you want back in January?

Look at the goals you wrote down…or the ones you carried quietly in your heart.

Ask yourself:

• Were my goals too vague?
• Too bold?
• Or maybe… right on time?

As creatives, our goals (like our creative works) often come in layered dreams—not just word counts or deadlines, but deeply personal visions. At this mid-year point, some of those dreams still want your attention. Others may have shifted—and revising what you want now is fine. Shifting your goals isn’t giving up. It’s editing. Writers revise. So do dreamers.

Step 2: Celebrate the Wins (Even the Small Ones)

We all tend to minimize our creative progress. “I only wrote a little.”  “I haven’t published anything yet.” But showing up at all in a world that tries to silence creative thought? That’s a win. Did you try something new? Start a routine? Say no to something that drained you? These are not small things. They’re milestones. Celebrate them. And here’s a big one: Did you survive mean-spirited discouragement with your creativity intact? That’s a major victory.

Step 3: Get Honest About the Gap

This isn’t about blame—it’s about awareness. What’s causing the gap between you and the goals for your creative career? Is it overwhelm? Fear? Uncertainty? Isolation? Competing priorities? Did you fail to even treat your writing work as a real career?

Each week, pay attention to the gap. Ask yourself: Did I move one step closer to what I want? If you are not sure about the gap, it is often because your goals are not quite clear enough.

Step 4: Refocus and Refine Your Goals

Now is the season to refine your creative fire. Choose up to three goals that truly matter—and light them up with clarity.

• Maybe it’s writing one short story or writing one chapter a month.
• Maybe it’s submitting your work to a developmental editor.
• Maybe it’s carving out an hour each weekend to make something just because.

Make your goals specific. Make them visible. And make sure they feed your spirit—not just your productivity tracker.

Step 5: Create a Check-In System in Writing and With People

Writers know the power of deadlines—not just external ones, but the kind we set for ourselves. Look back at the first half of the year with the creative eye of a writer doing meaningful research.

• What helped you stay on track?
• How can you build more of that into your routine?

No need for a fancy app. A sticky note or a dry erase board—it all works.

The goal is simple: look at your dreams often.

In that weird business meeting I mentioned, I wasn’t just defending my ideas to the folks in the meeting—I was defending creative thought itself. That meeting reminded me how exhausting it can be to explain yourself to people who only trust what’s familiar—even if it’s broken. Sometimes the gap holding us back is not having the right people walking beside us. They do not need to be literally beside us every day. Mine are across town and across the country—a phone call or zoom link away.

So: find your people. They are the ones who also think in stories and metaphors. The ones who don’t flinch when you dream aloud. Dreams happen when we’re seen and heard by people who get us and try to understand. Sometimes we just need someone to mirror our dreams back to us so we can see who we are and what we are doing more clearly.

Step 6: Make Room for Grace

Creativity doesn’t run on perfect timelines. It comes in rocket bursts. It spirals. It has the most fun coming alive when we make space for it.

Half the year is over. Half the year is still ahead. Give yourself grace to shift, to rest, to begin again. That’s not failure. That’s stamina.

So, if you’re behind? Breathe.
If you’re tired? Pause.
If you’re lost? Write your way back.

This is the part of the story where the protagonist regroups.

Your Story, Your Dreams, Your Goal Isn’t Over…Yet

Let's talk about how your goals for the year are shaping up in the comments.

About Robin

A top business coach with an extensive background in books, brand development, and strategic planning, Robin Blakely is the CEO of Creative Center of America.

She is the author of four business books, which include PR Therapy and Six Hats. Thanks to SCORE and the US Small Business Administration, three of her national webinars are available on-demand for free to anyone starting a creative business.

Top photo by Deleyna via Canva.

by Ellen Buikema

For the last few months I have been close to noncommunicative, making my home into a cave. I have been no fun. The reason? A nasty case of shingles. Luckily for me, I am married to a saint.

I am allergic to the vaccine for shingles, so there wasn’t much I could do. A whopping case of misery was my fate. Much of my head was affected including an eye, causing intense itching and pain. Reading was a not an option.

All the cohosts of Writers In The Storm blog were super supportive, and together they covered my responsibilities while keeping up with their own work. Jenny Hansen was the first one in the group to mention audiobooks and suggested one book in particular that had several elements in common with my work in progress. Olivia Hawker’s October in the Earth was just that and gave me several things to ponder that will make The Hobo Code a better book.

Before listening to Jenny’s suggested audiobook, I listened to Skin Game by Jim Butcher. When I was younger and in need of escape I’d read through the Lord of the Rings trilogy. These days, I delve into Jim Butcher’s Dresden books instead.

Audiobooks for travel

Have you ever driven along a dreary, flat two-lane road or a country highway for hours at a time? Growing up in Illinois, that happened a lot. Driving past unending rows of corn on a straight country road can be hypnotizing and dangerous. Listening to audiobooks can keep the driver alert and less likely to become drowsy at the wheel.

Depending on where you live and work you might have a long car commute. In which case, having an audiobook to listen to can make the drive seem faster.

Eline from Lovely Audiobooks has compiled a list of what she considers great audiobooks for road trips, 36 Best Audiobooks For Road Trips - The Uncorked Librarian. They cover a plethora of genres—fiction as well as nonfiction.

Audiobooks build listening skills

Before television there was radio. No moving pictures, just audio with our imagination to fill in an inner vision.

Back in the day people would gather close to the radio and listen to news, commercials, stories, serials, and music. Listening is more than hearing. You must pay attention to what you are hearing. It’s an active process that requires conscious effort—a learned skill that takes practice. Attending a play helps build listening skills, so do audiobooks.

I knew very little about the audiobook Jenny suggested, other than it had information in it about hobos. Beginning the audiobook, I wondered if I would be able to keep focused, listening to a long book and not nod off.

The writer did such a fine job with the narrative that I had no trouble finding myself within the story, as if I were there, watching the scenes. Now I have some major rewriting to do for The Hobo Code, but it will be a much better book. Thank you, Jenny and Olivia!

Children’s listening skills

The Audio Publishers Association suggests that audiobooks help “build and enhance vital literacy skills such as fluency, vocabulary, language acquisition, pronunciation, phonemic awareness, and comprehension—skills that often boost reading scores.”

Brain scans done at UC Berkeley showed that the stories stimulated the same cognitive and emotional areas, whether print books or audiobooks. Either way, you are still absorbing information. For people with dyslexia or other reading disabilities, audiobooks may be a useful tool to access literature.

Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Is it cheating?

The answer to those questions come from your definition of reading. If reading is understanding what the story is about, then audiobooks do well. The ability to take printed text and associate letters with sounds is important in learning to read. But, understanding the content, thinking critically about the message or story, using imagination, and making connections is at the core of being a reader and why children learn to enjoy books.

Audiobooks may improve our health

Audiobooks may improve happiness and health. Some people find that listening to an audiobook before bed relaxes them, making falling asleep easier. Much like being read to before bedtime as a child. I used to tell my psychology students that reading to a child is the next best thing to a hug. I still feel that is true.

If you listen to a book instead of reading from an eBook you’re less likely to stare at a screen and be exposed to blue light before bedtime. Blue light can mess with your sleep-wake cycle and suppress melatonin production.

It’s also been shown that audiobooks help improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsiveness in the elderly population.

Final thoughts

I found listening to audiobooks a great way to immerse myself into a new world.

In this form of media listeners use the author and narrator/voice actor to help create mental pictures of characters and situations thereby creating a new world. Listening to a narrator’s voice, complete with intonations and occasional sound effects, can captivate the imagination.

It’s fantastic for anyone needing a mental break from daily stress and wonderful for those who, for whatever the reason, find themselves unable to read.

Do you enjoy listening to audiobooks? Do you have a favorite? Have you ever planned to purchase an audiobook but decide not to buy it because you disliked the voice actor?

* * * * * *

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image by David from Pixabay

by Johnny B. Truant

Ever since I started talking about the Artisan Author approach to writing (less stress, more loyal fans, and more creativity and freedom than Rapid Release), two things have happened.

First, a lot of writers began to thank me. There’s nothing revolutionary about the Artisan way (it’s more about unlearning than learning), but it’s liberating just the same. Rapid Release is often presented as the default. Just hearing that there’s an alternative — one that sounds less like burnout and more like what we thought “being a writer” was supposed to be — is a weight off many literary shoulders.

The second thing is that people began asking me how exactly to do it. Once they’re on board with the idea of slowing down, creating better fan connections, and prioritizing quality over quantity, they want to know how to begin and which actions to take.

Okay, Johnny, they’ll say. I like the idea of being an Artisan Author. I want to be able write the books I want instead of the ones the algorithms want, court good fans who are willing to pay fair prices, and enjoy writing again instead of stressing about it all the time. But how? How can I begin?

The answers to “how” and “what works for you” are different for everyone, but I like to give real answers whenever I can. So I’ve plucked one of many Artisan Author ideas from the grab bag to unpack … one that, if you try it, might open up a whole world of possibility.

But before we get to actions, let’s first ask a question to set the stage:

Who Has the Power Over Your Author Career?

Your first instinct will be to say that you do. It’s clearly the “right” answer. It’s wrong, though. In practice, very few modern indie authors truly control their careers.

So who does? Why Amazon, of course. If you’re all-in with Kindle Unlimited, then have no illusions: Amazon controls your present and your future.

Don’t believe me? Okay, then take all of your books off of Amazon and see what happens. Or, imagine Amazon changes its bookselling algorithm, decreases royalties and page-read payments, or starts randomly banning author accounts. (Again, I mean, seeing as it’s happened several times before.)

Oh, but you’re wide, you say? Cool. Then you’re right; Amazon doesn’t control your entire career. They only control 70% or so of your career. Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Google Play, and others control the rest. So does Instagram. And TikTok. And Facebook. Unless you control any of those platforms (hint: you don’t), then virtually nothing is under your control.

At any point, someone in any of those companies could change the rules and ruin you. It’s happened before. It will happen again.

Now, I’m not trying to scare anyone. I’m definitely not trying to judge anyone. Most writers work the way I just described, and for now, things may be fine. If you’re wide, you’re at least diversified. Many big corporations would have to change at once to completely ruin you, even though the wrong singleton changing its policies could hurt you plenty.

I just want to make it clear: That’s who has the power. Not you. Them.

So let’s try this again: Who do you want to have the power?

Why you, of course.

Take the Power Back

It’s not just the title of a great Rage Against the Machine song. It’s also good common sense. Me and Zack de la Rocha, on the same page like always.

What do you do right now when you want to make sales? You probably run an ad, do some social media, launch a new book … you get the idea.

But then what?

You wait, right? You wait and hope. After you’ve cast the die, it’s out of your hands. All you can do is to hope that whatever you just tried to promote your book actually hooks some readers.

But what if the die wasn’t out of your hands? What if — just as an experiment — you were able to be more active in your bookselling? What if you didn’t have to “wait and hope”? What if instead, you had a measure of control?

What if you — not Amazon, not X, not Instagram — had some of the power?

Your Experimental Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It …

Okay. This is where we circle back to the “what’s one way to sell books as an Artisan Author?” question.

What I’m about to suggest is an experiment, not a replacement for anything you’re doing right now. Just because Amazon and others currently control your author career doesn’t mean you should jump ship and leave them for whatever I’m about to say instead. Don’t do that. It’s just something to try. It’s a small way to open a door of new possibility — a world where instead of controlling none of your career’s actual sales results, you instead control 1% or more.

Just to prove to yourself that it’s possible. Just to change your mind, if only a little.

Now, what I’m about to suggest will scare you. It will make you uncomfortable. You don’t have to do it — and no, it’s absolutely NOT the only way to sell books as an Artisan Author. But you, collectively, asked for examples of what an Artisan Author might do to sell books outside of the usual online world. This is my answer.

Ready? Take a deep breath. Your introvert’s heart is going to hate me in just a second.

Try selling your books in person.

Just once. Just for kicks. Just for a few hours on one day, starting very small.

If you’re lucky, this tiny little experiment might just change your entire mindset — and with it, restore the control you never realized before was missing. 

Sell One Book to One Person, and Watch Your World Change

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to have a few copies of your book(s) printed as paperbacks, then book yourself a table at an event of some sort: a farmer’s market, a local craft fair, an arts bazaar being held at the church down the street. Pick something small. Something cheap or even free to attend.

Yes, I know it’s terrifying. Try it anyway. Having control means taking control, and nobody ever took control by by being passive.

That’s your mission. Now, here’s your goal: Sell one book to one person.

That’s it. Don’t aspire higher than that if this intimidates you. Instead, seek only to find one person who might like your book enough to buy it. If you sell more, great … but one sale is enough if you’ve never done this before.

Do you remember your first online sale? If you’re like most authors, it was thrilling. You might only have priced that book at 99 cents, but that first 32-cent commission felt amazing. A stranger bought your book! This author thing suddenly seemed possible in a way it never had before.

Your first in-person sale will feel so much more amazing.

Maybe you’ll only net five bucks from that one paperback sale (or more accurately, you might lose a bit because you’ll have to pay for the spot at the event), but who cares? This first trial is about possibility, not profit.

The point is: You made that sale happen. You left your comfort zone, went where people were, and learned that you could reach readers without touching Amazon at all.

Now, there are some caveats. First, you need to pick an event that has at least some traffic. No traffic equals no potential buyers.

Second, you can’t just sit quietly behind your table and hope. That’s passive, someone-else-has-the-power thinking, akin to listing a book online and waiting. Instead, stand up behind your table. Smile at people as they walk by. If their eyes find you, say hello. If they pause and look at what you have, engage them in conversation. I always start by asking if they’re a reader, then what kinds of books they like.

If the event has at least some traffic and if you can bring yourself to be friendly and engaging and talk about your book with enthusiasm, chances are excellent you’ll make at least one sale. You can accept cash, Venmo, or a full Shopify POS setup from your first in-person customer like I use at my live-selling. You don’t need anything complex at all.

Don’t believe you’ll make a sale?

Try it and see. If you give this experiment a real go, I’ll bet you’ll be surprised. Authors are inherently interesting to other people. Just the fact that you wrote a book and came out to sell it will amaze them. If you can be passionate about your book when you talk about it, they’ll catch that passion.

Oh, and be sure to let potential readers know you’re local. People love supporting local artists. Many are willing to give authors a go just to be cool — just to give big business the finger.

Now, will one sale change your life?

Not in a financial sense, no.

But in a mental sense? Maybe. It sure did for me.

Maybe you’ll start to realize that there’s an entire world of readers out there that we’ve been ignoring all these years. Maybe you’ll become intoxicated by the possibilities that exist outside of the usual box of self publishing and Rapid Release. And even if live selling isn’t your jam (it’s absolutely not for everyone), maybe you’ll start to realize that other things — other Artisan Author ways of meeting readers and selling books that nobody talks about — might be your jam.

And maybe, through one small and uncomfortable experiment, you’ll start to realize that instead of giving others power over your career, you’d like to have — and absolutely can have — a bit more of it for yourself.

QUESTION: Would you ever try selling your books in person? Have you tried in the past, and how did it go? Let us know in the comments!

About Johnny

Johnny B. Truant wrote the bestselling indie guide Write. Publish. Repeat and hosted the original Self Publishing Podcast. His new book The Artisan Author is about a ditching the faster-faster “Rapid Release” approach to publishing in favor of a saner, more sustainable, and more creatively fulfilling way. You can get The Artisan Author early on Kickstarter, or here on the usual stores.

Featured image licensed from Depositphotos.