March 12, 2019

How to Write a Self-Help Book That Actually Changes Lives

March 12, 2019/ Shayla Raquel

From anger management to self-esteem, from spirituality to creativity, there is a self-help book for every individual need. But does every self-help book actually . . . help? Make a difference? Change a life?

February 05, 2019

Instant Kick-in-the-Pants for Discouraged Writers

February 05, 2019/ Shayla Raquel

Writers have bad days. We get negative books reviews, we take too long to finish a story, and we get rejected—sometimes all in the same week.

January 03, 2019

12 Creepy Documentaries for Crime/Thriller Writers

January 03, 2019/ Shayla Raquel

Educate and entertain yourself while writing your crime novel.

November 13, 2018

The Writer's 2018 Christmas Wish List

November 13, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

You’re going to want everything on this list for Christmas!

October 28, 2018

Your Quintessential NaNoWriMo Prep Guide (Freebies Galore!)

October 28, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Quite literally everything you need to prep for NaNoWriMo 2018.

October 17, 2018

Shayla’s All-Time Favorite Novels and Why You Should Read Them

October 17, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

These are the best novels ever written. Fight me.

September 20, 2018

Self-Publishing Your Children's Book: A Simple Guide

September 20, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Self-publishing your children’s book doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow this easy guide.

August 14, 2018

How to Market Yourself on Instagram without a Book to Sell (Yet)

August 14, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Melissa Frey provides top-notch advice for authors on Instagram—even if their book isn’t ready yet.

July 25, 2018

How to Start a Local Writing Group

July 25, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Wishing your town had a writers’ group? Wish no more! You can start one on your own.

July 12, 2018

Epic Facebook Author Pages: Everything You Need to Know

July 12, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Quite literally everything I know about Facebook author pages.

May 15, 2018

Ultimate Author Websites: Everything You Need to Know

May 15, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

If your website looks like a leftover from the ’90s, then it’s time to upgrade.

March 15, 2018

Manuscript Errors Novice Authors Keep Making

March 15, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Use this as a checklist to ensure you're preparing your manuscript for an agent or your editor.

February 15, 2018

Marketing Advice from Wallstreet Journal Bestselling Indie Author Sarah Denzil

February 15, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Wallstreet Journal Bestselling Indie Author Sarah Denzil delivers excellent advice on marketing thrillers for indies.

February 06, 2018

20 Email Tips & Tricks for Author Newsletters

February 06, 2018/ Shayla Raquel

Authors: you need your readers on your turf. So create valuable emails people actually want to open.

December 28, 2017

31 Ways to Support Authors in January

December 28, 2017/ Shayla Raquel

Here are 31 things you can do this January to show your love for the author community.

December 14, 2017

8 Questions Writers Should Ask before 2019

December 14, 2017/ Shayla Raquel

For a successful 2019, start with a few writerly questions.

November 15, 2017

How to Use Your Book to Become a Paid Speaker by Galit Ventura-Rozen

November 15, 2017/ Shayla Raquel

Galit Ventura-Rozen, professional speaker and women empowerment business mentor, talks about public speaking for new authors.

November 08, 2017

How Book Bloggers Boost Sales for Indie Authors

November 08, 2017/ Shayla Raquel

Got a $0 book marketing budget? No fear! Book bloggers can help you reach your audience without breaking the bank.

November 02, 2017

This Undeserved Life: Interview with Author Natalie Brenner

November 02, 2017/ Shayla Raquel

Natalie Brenner, bestselling author of This Underserved Life, talks about the inspiration for the book and her marketing plan.

Shayla Raquel

Editor. Author. Marketer. Speaker. Publishing Mentor.

Instagram

And the winner is...Into the Water by @paulahawkins2010 🙌🏻📚❤️ Thank you to everyone who voted for my next read! That was so fun.

I’m doing research for a novel, I swear. #dontcheckmysearchhistory 😂😂😂😂😂😂

📚CHOOSE MY NEXT READ📚 Since The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz was a complete bust, I need a new novel to read. Here’s my stack of TBR, all by amazing women:
1️⃣The Summer of Impossible Things by @rowanmcoleman
2️⃣We Were Liars by @elockhartbooks
3️⃣The Edible Woman by @therealmargaretatwood
4️⃣Into the Water by @paulahawkins2010
5️⃣All the Missing Girls by @meganlmiranda
6️⃣Behind Closed Doors by @baparisauthor 🔷 Now vote! ❤️💚

🏖⛱🚢 Last May for vacation, I went on a Disney cruise with my family. This May, I’m staying in Tulsa, OK at the Cedar Rock Inn. 🏚 I want complete solitude. This B&B has a gorgeous terrace, a hiking trail, a pond, homemade chocolate chip cookies, lovely bathtub, and plenty of writing and reading spaces. I booked it today and I couldn’t be happier. I think the best thing for my soul right now is to enjoy some quiet time. I’m really looking forward to this and wondered...where are you going for vacation this year? Why did you choose that destination?

🍀☘️ Happy Shayla’s favorite holiday! ☘️🍀 What did you do to celebrate? My nephew Justin and I bought some books! 📗📗📗 Friday night was my St. Patrick’s Day party and we ate Irish boxtys (boxties?), shepherd’s pie, and Irish cream cupcakes. 💚💚💚

Writing a self-help book? Today’s blog is here to guide you (go to link in bio and click blog). ✔️Outline your book already, people. Don’t skip this step!
In the writing world, there are plotters and pansters. A plotter is someone who organizes every little detail about their book and creates a pristine outline. Then there’s the pantser, who flies by the seat of his pants and skips the outline altogether. He just digs right in.
I believe writers should be both. I want authors to both outline their book and have a good dose of pantser in them so they can still maintain flexibility and creativity. If you’re too rigid about your outline, there isn’t room to have fun.
Before you start your outline for your self-help book, brainstorm the following:
🔷What do my readers need to know that could change their lives?
🔷What are they struggling with? What problems are they facing?
🔷How can I help them achieve their goal or solve their problem?
🔷What’s been said before that I could say differently—from a unique perspective?
💭💭💭💭
If you can answer those questions, then your outline will come together more naturally. Here is an example of an outline you could use as a jumping-off point:
1️⃣Chapter Title
2️⃣Quote
—Use a quote that sets the tone for the chapter.
3️⃣Story/message
—What’s your message? What do you want your readers to learn from this chapter?
—Tell a story they can relate to. —Why do they need to know this? Why should they care? (Remember their problem/dilemma/need.)
—What should they do next?
(Don’t forget your subtitles!)
4️⃣Action tip
—Give them specific tasks they can implement to reinforce what they’ve learned. I like to see 3–5 if possible.
5️⃣Reflection and discussion or key takeaways
—What were the main points in this chapter? Sum them up!

If you could drop what you’re doing right now, grab a book, and POOF! Appear anywhere in the world to read, where would you go? I’d personally go to Capri, Italy, on a little boat in the water. 🏖🏝🗺🚤⛵️

“Death is a funny little thing. He shows up when we least expect him—the most inopportune times. When we’re enjoying a nice meal, and choke. When we’re driving on the highway, and swerve too quickly in the rain. When the cancerous cells consume us. But Death is never unexpected for me, because he comes to my door several times a year. Today, he will visit me at precisely 10:00 a.m., a few minutes later if Sam is running behind schedule. I glance at the clock and I have about two hours to finish my morning chores: eat my breakfast, drink my coffee, shower, and check on the bodies.” —Beginning of my short story, “The Rotting,” in the @yukonwriterssociety anthology, Shivers in the Night.

Facts about Oklahoma (where I live):
🍪 Katie Francis broke the national record of Girl Scout cookies sold (18,100 boxes) here in OKC. 🎨 The Oklahoma City Museum of Art @oklahomacitymoa has the most comprehensive collection of Chihuly glass in the world.
👻 The Skirvin Hotel @skirvinhiltonok in OKC is haunted by the ghost Effie. She jumped from the top of the Skirvin with her child, and now people report hearing the cry of a baby in the hallways. Fun fact: my grandparents had their first date at the Skirvin.
🎤 @garthbrooks was born and raised in Yukon, which is where I live and have spent my whole life (minus a few college years in Pensacola,FL). 🐑 The famous restaurant Cattleman’s in Stockyards City has a rather famous dish: lamb fries. Yes, I’ve eaten them. (Google it.)
🌪 The fastest wind speed ever recorded was in Moore at 318 mph during the EF-5 tornado in 1999. Yes, I remember this event and many other tornado times very, very well. My family went to Sonic to get dinner during this tornado. Then we were shoved into my parents’ walk-in closet with our Doberman (Chloe), wherein we looked above to see all of my dad’s knives and guns above us. 😂
Featured here in my gorgeous niece Jessa with the book Good Night OKC by the Junior League of Oklahoma City ❤️

“Your mind is your lead,
inject it with positivity.
Your feet are your foundation,
walk with purpose.
And your heart is your stamp, make it beautiful.” — @teneedwards Walk with Wings

Quick facts about my dogs:
🏈Baker was named after former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback @bakermayfield. He loves shoelaces and iPhone chargers (the dog, not the man). He loves to snuggle and play tug-of-war.
👁Chanel, named after Coco Chanel, was temporarily paralyzed in 2016 and had a very costly surgery to fix her spine. She has a blue eye and a brown eye. She's obsessed with Cheez-Its and Baker.
👣Wednesday was named after Wednesday Addams. She loves socks and butt scratches. She enjoys racking grown men when they try to sit on her couch. She loves to agitate Chanel at all times.
📘All three of them like to hang out in my office while I work, but their favorite spot is on my lap in the recliner. 🛁None of them enjoys bath time.

Shayla Raquel

RT @DallasWriters: If you missed our seminar on Book Marketing today with @shaylaleeraquel you can still register for the Live Stream… https://t.co/tldotzfqWi
about 4 hours ago

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