What if the career in writing you’ve always wanted wasn’t something you could do by yourself? It’s a question you might not have considered. Yet none of us are meant to journey through life alone. This goes for basic human needs to our deepest core passions. The call that is stirring up inside of you is unique and beautiful. You will see it grow beyond your expectations when you cultivate it in community. 

Called Creatives (CC) is that kind of place. If you are looking for clarity on your next step, need training that google can’t give you, and want to connect with other like-minded and hearted women, Called Creatives is what you are looking for. Not only has Called Creatives helped launch writing careers, it provides the evergreen offering of these five core benefits: 

1. Clarity: Many answers can be found through a google search, but there is nothing like the laser-focused information you can gain from women who have been where you are...

At Called Creatives, we believe that God has gifted women in a multitude of ways in order to bring influence. There is no lid on what can be released through a woman whose heart is set on stewarding her influence well. One of the ways that women walk out their call is in the area of speaking. This may range from leading small groups (even in the home) to sharing a message on a stage in front of thousands. 

If the goal is for your message to reach others beyond your home, finding your place at the mic may seem daunting. But it might not be as far off as you think. Here are seven ideas to help you broaden your reach and increase your invitations to speak. 

1. Be faithful: What has God put in your hands right now? Consistency and intention in the season you are in will plant seeds for the areas he is calling you to later. There are no shortcuts when it comes to this holy process. You never know what doors God will open for you when you are faithful to the right now. 
2. Hone...

This is part two of our Write your book in 30 Days blog post. 

• Day 1:
• Organize your outline on your app or program of choice. If a great way for you to write is in the MARGINS, create a new folder in your notes app that’s accessible across your devices. Then make 12 -15 notes with the chapter ideas as titles that flow with your outline. Or you can make as many notes as you want that cover specific topics or scenes. 
• If you are writing non-fiction, you may already have a ton of content from your own blog posts (not submitted to anyone else) to scribbles in your journal. If you are a speaker or podcaster, you may have a lot of messages and programs that fit what you want to write. This is where you can fill in your outline with content you already have to give you more areas to expand on. It’s also always encouraging to see what God has been writing on your heart all along. 
• The process of filling in your outline with descriptions and/or scene ideas should...

Yes, it’s possible. In 30 days you can complete the first draft of your book – or at the very least, an incredibly robust outline. The key here is that you need to be ready to dig in at the start of your 30 days. That will take some prayer and prep work on the front end, before you start. Once you have that part of the process flowing, the countdown can begin. Are you ready? You can do this!

Prayer & Prep: 

• What has God put on your heart?
• Why are you writing, and who is the target audience?
• Take time to study and meditate on these 12 VERSES if you need some focused inspiration (maybe turn into a lead magnet by making it into a printable journal)
• What type of book? (this will determine the average word count) 
• Non-fiction vs Fiction Premise
• For non-fiction, what need are you trying to meet or what question are you answering? 
• For fiction, what is the hook? Use the following fill-in-the-blank sentence as a template to give you an idea of how you...

As writers and communicators, there are days our messages flow from our pens with absolute ease. You know the moments when everything on your schedule lines up and inspiration is a train you ride with clarity and passion. 

But more often than not, we have to kick into disciplined rhythms to release those words that seem to be fleeting into the space where lost socks, hair ties and the backs of earrings go. Our thoughts appear as wisps of ideas that are hard to pull down.

Sometimes we just need more than a practiced routine: we need to refocus at the core. Discouraging lies could be bombarding you into silence. Or maybe imposter syndrome attempts to sneak up and sink your ship before you can get sailing. At Called Creatives, we believe that what we release through our creative work are not just random hobbies. We are called to steward these creative gifts well and there is no better place to receive encouragement than from the Creator, himself. His words of truth will dismantle...

We get it. You have a burning passion to get those words out. You want to write that non-fiction book that will change someone’s life or share that novel that will keep readers turning the pages past bedtime. But how do you get a book out when you can’t even control the pile of laundry that seems to multiply like the feeding of the five thousand? 

Although it seems like it’s impossible to do it all and write the words in your heart, there are ways to make your burning dream a reality. It’s about taking advantage of the margins and pockets in your day to write down words. You don’t have to block out multiple unbroken hours in a day to write. It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process that needs the right conditions to succeed. The key is believing in your dream enough to intentionally invest in the process instead of losing time with things like mindless scrolling on the internet. (I know, ouch!) 

Here are five helpful tips that...

You’ve poured your sweat and tears—and lots of fuel in the form of coffee—into what you consider to be an amazing manuscript. Great job! But, now what? It’s no secret that publishing has shifted considerably over the past few years. With print-on-demand offering affordable printing options, and companies like Amazon KDP, Ingram Spark and Lulu serving as distributors, writers can release their books through an independent route with increasing ease. 

However, the on-ramp to traditional publishing is a bit more complex. It is a competitive process, with publishers receiving hundreds to thousands of manuscripts a year. Agents have increasingly become an important part of the publishing pipeline—gatekeepers that help traditional publishers with the sorting process. It may seem like a scary prospect to approach an agent, but they are meant to be your best advocate, depending on which publishing route you take.

Here are 5 questions to ask to help you...