The Struggle to Say No

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Georgia Shaffer from Pennsylvania In my last blog article I mentioned a quote from John Maxwell where he discussed making time in his schedule to write. He said, “I need to be inaccessible to be effective.” This comment really resonated with the women in my writers critique group as they talked about their struggle to say no to all the demands of those around them. One said, “I feel like I always need to be accessible whether that be for family, phone calls, or emails.” Being inaccessible means carving out set periods of time when the people in your life…

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Avoid the Most Common Writing Mistakes

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Georgia Shaffer from Pennsylvania Several of my coaching clients are writers and speakers who surprisingly make similar mistakes in their writing.  Here are six suggestions I find myself repeating, which you may find helpful. 1. Write and let it sit for awhile. Your writing should be allowed to age, like great relationships.  While you may not always have the luxury of time, plan ahead when possible. Work on other projects and come back to what you’ve written a couple of weeks later.  You’ll be stunned at what you find that you did not notice earlier. 2.  Hire a professional editor….

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Captivating Content

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Georgia Shaffer from Pennsylvania Recently, someone gave me a list with “21 Sure-Fire Content Ideas.” Captivating content, the list suggested, reminds readers of important things like “life is short,” “our dreams can come true,” and “we matter.” The list also recommended content that causes us to laugh, a topic that educates and entertains us or shares something with unexpected twists and turns. [i] When I look for a writing topic for a new article or book, I often ask myself questions like these: Do I know something that will help people feel better or look better? How can I encourage…

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Four Styles Of Communication

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Georgia Shaffer from Pennsylvania An essential part of writing is understanding the various communication styles of your readers. For example, some people might skip over what they consider nonessential details just to get to your point. Other people will curl up in a corner and savor the words as they read your complete article or book. Some will find delight in your most interesting facts and details while other readers gain joy from the energy, enthusiasm and emotions of your stories. Using the four personalities described in the book Wired that Way written by Marita Littauer, here’s a brief overview…

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