Monday, June 12, 2017

10 Things I Learned About Becoming an Author



10 Things I Learned about Becoming an Author

by Kelley Pryor Amrien & Becki Stevens

It has been a little over a year now that I began my journey to become an author.  I never started out to be an author.  I’ve done a whole lot of things in my 44 years, but being an author wasn’t one of them until recently.  I’ve been a lifeguard, swim coach, vet tech, a teacher, a cake decorator, owned my own businesses as a reiki practitioner and an EFT practitioner.  I’ve learned important, and not so important, lessons at each stage of my life.  Being an author, though, has taught me some really interesting things, especially as an author of a non-fiction, self-help book.  

·         I learned that I have something to share with the world and I look forward to sharing more. I can’t seem to keep all the ideas I have for book subjects a bay now… I’m always thinking of how to incorporate new topics into a book!

·        I had no idea what I was doing when I started and if I didn’t have my wonderful co-author guiding the way, I may not have been able to say I am an author.  Kelley, being an established author already, knew the ins and outs of writing and publishing that I never would have figured out on my own.  

·        I really enjoy writing, which surprised me.  I can’t say that about the marketing and promotional aspect of being an author, though.  I am WAY out of my realm there.  I have all these “amazing” ideas of how to get the word out there, but thankfully, Kelley reins me in and explains the etiquette of reaching out to potential reviewers, readers, etc.  Which leads me to #4.

·        Writing the book was the easy part.  Promotion and marketing is a HUGE task and has a learning curve that I am still trying to conquer.  I think at the beginning of this journey, I just assumed that the book would just sell itself, because it is so needed and so easy to use.  I thought colleges, parents and grandparents would be lined up to buy the book for their college students.  It doesn’t work that way, unfortunately.  Unless YOU get the word out about your book, no one will even know it exists.

·        Self-publishing allows you to get your book out there sooner.  People are amazed when I tell them it took us a little over a year from conception to publication.  Apparently, this is a pretty quick turnaround, although I thought it took a long time.

·        Self-publishing means you have to figure out how to, either do it yourself, or find someone to edit, format, create diagrams, design the cover and so forth.  It isn’t just about writing the book; you need to make it look good too.

·        They say people see you as an expert once they find out you’ve written a book.  I absolutely agree that this will cement your “expertise” with some folks.  Especially with your kids.  It’s pretty much the first thing my daughter says to people now!  Seriously, though, being an author does give you clout.  Since writing our book, we’ve been asked to come on TV and radio shows.  It’s pretty cool, I have to say!

·        You will always find changes to make each time you edit.  It will get to a point where you will have to simply stop, otherwise your book will never get published.  We did 4 edits, I believe, and then still found mistakes when we got our proof copy. Talk about frustrating!

·        It felt like Christmas morning when we received our proof copy in the mail.  Then I spent the next few days carrying it around with me, showing it to anyone who would look at it.  It was like having a new baby, only not as cute.

·        Writing a book gave me a sense of accomplishment that I have never experienced before.  I am so proud of the time, research and effort that we put into our book and will put into our future books. I am proud to say, “I am an author.”

Writing isn’t for everyone, but for some people it is a hidden joy, that until they try writing, they will never know existed within them.  Writing Tapped Out, helped me to tap into that joy of sharing with the world and I can’t wait to do it again.

About the Authors

Kelley Pryor Amrein is a writer and EFT practitioner. Kelley first discovered Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in 2007. She used EFT personally and with her family before becoming certified as an AAMET Level Two practitioner in 2014. As a coach, Kelley has witnessed the power of EFT to release negative emotions, relieve stress, and lessen physical pain. As the parent of college students, Kelley believes that Tapped Out is a much-needed resource on college campuses, where stress levels are on the rise. The book provides students with a life-long tool, allowing them to easily alleviate stress and enjoy a healthy and successful life.
You can find Kelley on Amazon at amazon.com/author/kelleyamrein and amazon.com/author/kdpryor.
Becki Stevens is an AAMET certified Advanced EFT Practitioner. For the past two years she has owned a successful EFT practice in southern New Hampshire. She works with people of all ages, including college students, to ease their physical and emotional distress. Becki focuses on how a person’s emotions can sabotage their success. Becki believes that Tapped Out For College Students is an empowering introduction to EFT for college students, giving them a tool they can use throughout their lives to relieve stress and foster healthy relationships, creativity, and overall health.

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About the Book:

Title: TAPPED OUT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS: STRESS RELIEF USING EFT
Author: Kelley Pryor Amrein & Becki Stevens
Publisher: Creative Spirit Books
Pages: 236
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help/Stress-Relief
Book Blurb:

You’re in college and college is stressful. Your stress impacts every facet of life, from classes to grades to work commitments. Even your physical health can be affected. Studies show that college students like you now face more stress than ever, leaving you with less time for relaxation and self-care. When you’re already overburdened, the idea of finding a way to relieve stress sounds like one more way to add extra stress to your life. But, what if you can relieve the stress of college in minutes? What if homework didn’t have to be so hard, and you did have time for school and fun? Tapped Out For College Students: Stress Relief Using EFT, is a guidebook that empowers college students like you, allowing you to reduce your level of stress and opening the door to success in college and in life.

In Tapped Out, college students are introduced to our unique BESD (Because, Emotions, Sensations, and Distress) system, which easily guides them through the tapping process. Once you’ve defined your personal BESD related to a specific issue, you can easily translate this into a tapping session. The book is full of tapping scripts relating to the most common stress-inducing issues you face in college. Students can tap through the scripts as they are written, or they can personalize them, using the responses they develop using the BESD system. 

The Table of Contents is the perfect starting place, allowing students to pinpoint their issue and flip to the appropriate section of the book. Some of the topics covered in the book include time management, homework, exams, relationships, money, health, and preparing for the real world following college.
Students no longer have to be stressed throughout their college career. With Tapped Out as a companion, college students can face the college landscape calmly. This unique book, intended to be used as and when needed, empowers students to control their reactions and respond to each situation successfully. College is stressful. Tapped Out for College Students can help.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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