lori twining

Conquering Your Writing Goals with a Strategic Plan

1/4/2021

Let’s face it, 2020 was tough on some of us, if not all of us.

I know that my writing plan for last year was sailing smoothly from January to February, and then, by mid-March, it skidded into a crazy tailspin, halting at our first lockdown. From March 17th through to the end of December, it felt like running over a bed of sharp nails—known as a contagious pandemic—which flattened all four tires in a matter of seconds. It left me feeling extremely anxious about my family, my friends, my health, my wellness, my job, and my writing career (what there is of it at this point). As of December 26th, we landed back into another 28-day lockdown that may hang-on much longer than we want it to.

So, what do we do? How do we plan for a possible 365-day lockdown in 2021? I know that I don’t want to repeat the mess I waded through in 2020, that’s for sure.

To continue reading this post, go to the link below:

My Guest Post at Ascribe Writers

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The 4% Fix ~ Book Review

12/5/2020

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The 4% Fix by Karma Brown is a Self-Help, Nonfiction book.

Publisher: Harper Collins | Release Date: December 15, 2020

You can read more about the book at the following places, or pre-order your copy at:

Goodreads | Amazon CA | Amazon COM | KOBO | Chapters-Indigo

Description:

How to find guilt-free time for what you really want to do, and why it matters.

Do you feel like you’re always busy, even as your to-do list continues to grow?

Do you think you can’t keep up as it is, let alone add another thing to your plate?

An award-winning journalist, avid reader and new mom, Karma Brown dreamed of writing her first novel. But between diapers and tight deadlines, how could she? Like so many of us, she felt stretched taut and hyper-scheduled, her time a commodity over which she had lost control. For Brown, the answer to this problem was to rise earlier every day and use that time to write. Although she experienced missteps along the way, after committing to her alarm clock and an online community of early risers, she completed a debut novel that became a national bestseller.

In The 4% Fix, Karma Brown reveals the latest research about time management and goal-setting and shares strategies that have worked for her as well as for others. Refreshingly, her jargon-free approach doesn’t include time-tracking spreadsheets, tips on how to squeeze in yoga exercises while cooking dinner, or methods that add bulk to those never-ending lists.

How will you use this one hour—only 4% of your day—to change your life?

About the Author:

Karma Brown has always loved the written word. As a kid she could usually be found with her face buried in a book, or writing stories about ice-skating elephants. Now that she’s (mostly) grown up, she’s the bestselling author of five novels, including her debut novel, COME AWAY WITH ME, which was a Globe & Mail Best 100 Books of 2015, and the #1 National Bestseller RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE.

A National Magazine Award winning journalist, Karma has been published in a variety of publications, including SELF, Redbook, Today’s Parent, Best Health, Canadian Living and Chatelaine.

Karma lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband, daughter, and a labradoodle named Fred. When not crafting copy or mulling plot lines, she is typically working out, making a mess in the kitchen and checking items off her bucket list with her family. Karma is represented by Carolyn Forde at Transatlantic Agency.

My Thoughts:

One-hour is only 4% of your day. Could that one-hour really change your life?

I believe the answer is yes!

“The 4% Fix” by Karma Brown is a great reminder of how to motivate yourself into being successful with something you are passionate about, whether it is finishing that novel, creating muscle by lifting weights or learning to speak Spanish.

Everyone has a dream of some kind and they probably think about it almost every single day. Instead of just thinking about it, what if you could achieve your dream in less than a year? Obviously, you need a good reason to get out of bed early.

Karma says, “Dreaming about the thing, and doing the thing are quite different beasts!” She shares strategies throughout the book that demonstrate what worked for her and she gives different options of what could work for you. This book is more than just another time management and goal setting self-help book. I’ve been a morning lark forever, and a frequent visitor to the #5amwritersclub, so rising early to get things done is not a new idea for me. However, Karma introduces a fresh look at what you could be doing with that extra hour each day.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and Ann Marie Gideon did a great job. Her voice is so soothing, yet keeps your attention. The book is short, less than six-hours, so I listened to it multiple times. It was also quite educational for me, especially when it comes to acronyms I should already know, like BHAG, or whether I play for the Lion or the Dolphin team. My favourite part was the discussion on Ikigai and finding your reason. I also listened to Section 6 and 44 several times, because they resonated with me so much. I don’t want to spoil why, so I’ll let you read it and decide for yourself.

Overall, I loved this book! Finding the balance in your life is difficult enough, so when someone who has experience tells you her secret of finding success, you should take notes and follow through with her advice.

Thanks to Harper Collins Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

(because I love reading books that inspire and educate, books that motivate me to being a better version of myself, books that encourage me to be more creative and step outside of the box, and books that give me that energetic boost to explore my passions and reach for the stars. This book gives me all of this and more).

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Escaping the Rabbit Hole

10/26/2020

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What does the term “Rabbit Hole” refer to? And why would you want to escape it?

These are both great questions.

The popular term is “falling down the rabbit hole” and for most people, it is a reference to Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice in Wonderland, where Carroll described a character disappearing into a world full of chaos or confusion.

Speculation in the literary world suggests that Carroll was also describing what happens when a person takes a hallucinogenic substance that depicts a wild and freaky drug trip. Others compare it to a metaphor for the entry into the unknown, the gate into a new and exciting place full of adventure and somewhere where you can just get lost and you don’t have to return from it.

What does the freaky trip into the unknown mean to me?

To continue reading this post, go to the link below:

My Guest Post at Ascribe Writers

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One of the Secrets For Writing a Best Seller

8/24/2020

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This summer, I have been learning “how to edit” my first thriller novel (Commercial Fiction) with the help of a professional editor. So far, it has been an enlightening experience. I had no idea there were so many different levels and layers to the editing process. If I did, I might have quit writing years ago. *Joking! I love the torture.*

Last week, I tackled the “Passive Voice” found within my novel. I am currently sitting between 2-3% Passive Voice. A score of less than 5% in your manuscript is acceptable. While educating myself on how to remove it, I stumbled upon something else. Before I tell you, I want to ask a question:

Do you know why some novels only sell a handful of copies and other novels sell millions?

To continue reading this post, go to the link below:

My Guest Post at Ascribe Writers

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Shortlisted with Silver

7/22/2020

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It seems to be ANOTHER CAKE DAY!

Hump Day or more commonly known as Wednesday is fast becoming my favourite day of the week.

The first International Postcard Story Winners were announced by Writescape this morning and I was Shortlisted in the Silver slot! I’m soooooo excited about this. The third place story by Ann Rocchi is posted in the link below. My story will be featured in next week’s blog with some comments from the judges, about what they liked and what they think I could improve on to make the story better. Feedback is the greatest win of all. The first place story by Helen Bajorek-MacDonald will be featured on Wednesday, August 5th.

Congratulations to all the writers, whether you made the list or not. Remember, you were a winner just as soon as you dropped your butt in the chair, penned a story and hit the submit button. Be proud of your accomplishments and go eat some CAKE!

To read the announcement, go to:

WRITESCAPE POSTCARD STORY CONTEST SHORTLIST ANNOUNCEMENT

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Conquering Your Writing Goals with a Strategic Plan

The 4% Fix ~ Book Review

Escaping the Rabbit Hole

One of the Secrets For Writing a Best Seller

Shortlisted with Silver

Lori Twining

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