Janine Donoho

In the wild blue stratosphere of authorpreneurs, I suppose I’ve fledged. Not ready for the high thermals or gale forces yet, but I gained a few skills. What I’m struggling with? Finding a dynamic balance between purpose, which is to write new stories, and the process of social media success. I’m told this connects me with new readers.

I’m definitely better at the former. Yet as anyone who’s been employed knows, process can crush your productivity—if you let it. Since this publishing blitz, I’ve virtually met virtual people that I’d love to talk with over an actual cuppa. That doesn’t get the story written, though, now does it?

In keeping with that, I’m relying on the essentials of zombie fighters everywhere:

Go brilliant with resilience – learn to adapt quickly to new adventures;

Commit to fit – dodge the body blows with daily strength and endurance workouts;

Oust the doubt – dwell on the successes and treat yourself as you do your BFF;

Collude with food – eat what fuels you best and ditch the garbage;

Palm the calm – listen, reflect, meditate, and embrace the joy.

So as I teeter on the precipice with rudimentary flight muscles, I’m also embracing April as my shift from author back to writer. That means taming the blustery media whipping me to and fro. For in today’s world, we writers need to negotiate the elemental mix of air, earth, water, and fire that buffets our social media world. Let’s do so on our own terms.

How do you balance author with writer? Is participating in social media a heavier lift than writing? Or vice versa?