Here are my posts about writing this week, along with some posts about writing from others. This week there are posts on advice from Steve Jobs, planning realistically, carving out time to write, social media marketing for bloggers, and the why and how of self-publishing.

My Posts about Writing

Writing a Book: Beware the “When I” excuse

Life doesn’t give you time to do nothing but write your book.

Writing a Book: Why Plans Fail

The best laid plans run aground on the rocks of reality. Here are three reasons why plans fail.

Advice from the Masters: Steve Jobs

Every writer should keep this Steve Jobs quote in plain sight.

Writing a Book: Carving out time to write

Time to write will not magically appear on your calendar. You have to carve it out.

Posts by Others about Writing

From Mark Porter: The Social Media Marketing Secrets of Smart Savvy Bloggers

“The success of a blog can be judged on different aspects, but engagement will be a dominant factor in achieving the desired outcome. Using social media marketing to promote your blog can be highly effective, and your ‘followers’ or ‘likes’ should be considered as important metrics. However, ensuring that you truly engage with these people, across all platforms, is equally important and often overlooked.”

From Judith Gille: Why It’s Okay to Eschew Traditional Publishing for Self-Publishing

“Judith Gille is the founder and owner of City People’s stores in Seattle, but her passion is writing about Mexican art and culture and immigration issues. Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News, the Florida Sun-Sentinel, in magazines, online journals and numerous anthologies. Her memoir The View from Casa Chepitos: A Journey Beyond the Border was released by Davis Bay Press in October 2013. In this post, Judith reflects on her unique experience in deciding to self-publish, and why she has been happier with the decision, more than she could ever be with a traditional publisher.