Round One Editing, Book Cover, Map Design, Focus, Morning Routine

Author Journey/Advice

I’m learning as I go, but my editor just sent me the first content edit. And now I’ve got two words for anyone writing a book – Hire. An. Editor. She pointed out many things that will ultimately make the book better, and things I couldn’t see in the weeds of writing.

Now it’s revision, rewrite, then copy edit (the line by line red-pen-of-death type), then proofread, then PUBLISH. This is a long process, but it’s a decently long book, and I’d rather get it right so you guys will like it!

The book cover is almost done as well, and it looks amazing so far! My designer is awesome, and I’m excited to share it with everyone!

I’ve also commissioned the map for my world, excited to share that as well. It always amazes me what people can do with that kind of artistic work! Got the first draft back from that, and WOW. It’s crazy to see things on paper that I’ve seen in my head forever!

At the end of this thing, I’ll go over all my costs and how it worked for me. If anyone is interested I can help them out.

Advice for now, is outsource what you’re not good at! I wish I could draw, but I know I can’t. My map wouldn’t be professional enough for publishing, but other peoples can do it!

Productivity/Life Hacks

Just heard this recently, but others may have already heard it. This was published in Forbes or somewhere, but it’s an interesting story about the first time Bill Gates and Warren Buffet met. They were at the dinner table, someone asked “What’s the #1 thing that caused you to be successful?”

They both answered at the same instant, “Focusing on one thing at a time.”

That’s hard to do in our multitasking, fast paced, more schedule, get everything done yesterday world. But it’s sound advice. If you’re talking to someone, be in the conversation. If you’re working on something, work on it. You’d be amazed at what you can do with a little focus.

Spirituality

To continue on with that, it’s especially in spiritual endeavors to focus on the millions of things we’ve got running through our heads on what Jesus tells us is the best way for humans to live. They are all summed up into “Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, all your Mind, and all your Soul,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but there are a million different applications of that during each day.

Enter Ray Edwards (http://rayedwards.com/ ), fellow Christian, Entrepreneur, and all around copy writing genius. He had a recent blog post titled “The 12 Minutes to Triumph Morning Routine,” and it got me thinking of my own routine.

(Almost) Everyday I get up, get breakfast/coffee going, and sit down 20 minutes of reading the Bible and Prayer. Ray’s post expounded more on it, and I’m thinking on adding a few to my own.

Point is, I feel much better, much more ready to attack the day after that 20 minutes. It’s something you might try – it really helps get your head in the right place.

What’s your morning routine? Anything you would add to Ray’s?

Here is the link to Ray’s awesome Routine:

http://rayedwards.com/the-12-minutes-to-triumph-morning-routine/

Hope you have a blessed day!

RJ Batla