Am I Learning

[Barbara Joe Williams]

It's been over five years since I first started writing and four years since I started my own publishing company. So many days I'm torn between whether or not I should be writing or working on publishing another book, or maybe doing some promoting for the books that are already on the market. Either way, I manage to stay busy from eight to two-thirty everyday. After that, my daughter gets off the bus hungry and ready to eat. So I have to push the writing, business, and promoting to the side for a few hours to concentrate on cooking and homework.

Anyway, I've been at this for some years now, and I've been wondering lately, am I learning anything? When I started out, I had a five year plan. The plan was to publish a book every year for the next five years and then reevaluate my business. Well, after self-publishing for about two years, I decided to step out and start publishing other aspiring authors. Since that time, I've published a total of twenty-one books. So it's time to stop and think for a second to see if I'm learning anything.

After a little time and consideration, I'm learning that:
1. I have to budget my time each day to accomplish anything.
2. As a stay-at-home (wife, mother, writer) whatever it's called, I need contact with real people everyday.
3. I'm not perfect, my family is not perfect, and my books are not perfect, but it's okay.
4. Friends are going to call me for crazy favors, but it's up to me to say yes or no.
5. I need daily exercise (time) because sitting in front of a computer for hours is not heathly at all.
6. I can't travel all over the world promoting my work, so I have to take advantage of local events.
7. Speaking at an event and selling books afterwards is more profitable than vending all day.
8. Reinvesting in my business is the only way to stay in business.
9. Reading books by other authors, helps me keep my creativity going.
10. Helping other aspiring writers get published, keeps me motivated to publish my own work.
11. I'm responsible for my happiness and success.
12. It's all about keeping my priorities in order.
13. There are talkers and there are doers and the more one talks, the less one does.
14. Everyone who buys my book is not going to read it, but they might pass it on to someone who will.
15. I'm thankful for everything in life, especially the small stuff.

Wow, I feel happier already. It's a good feeling to know that I am learning something...

[Marilynn Griffith]

Barbara, bravo! I would say that we've learned most of these things together...remember that gym at the Zora festival? Or the high-priced hotel in Miami? :::sigh::: It's been amazing watching you and your business grow. Keep it going, sistah!

[Epiphany]

Where do I begin, that was a mouthful THANK YOU I needed to hear that I pray that I will have the courage to write to teach to start a buisness something for the Glory of God! I love #14 I love to read and i buy books all the time but I have found that many of the books i buy are not for me but for somebody else........and it is always a blessing