Julie Artz works with both award-winning and newer authors across the publishing spectrum from Big Five to small and university presses to indie and hybrid. She is an Author Accelerator-certified Founding Book Coach, a sought-after speaker and writing instructor, and a regular contributor to Jane Friedman and Writers Helping Writers, and a regular instructor for AuthorsPublish, IWWG, ProWritingAid and more. Her work as a Pitch Wars and Teen Pit mentor, a former SCBWI Regional Advisor (WWA), and her memberships in The EFA, the WFWA, AWP, and the Authors Guild keep her industry knowledge sharp. A consummate social and environmental justice minded story geek, Julie lives in an enchanted forest outside of Redmond, Washington, with her husband, two strong-willed teenagers (when they’re not off at university!), and two naughty furry familiars. She’s built a thriving book coaching business based on her values, her editing chops, and her knowledge of story. Check out her weekly newsletter, Wyrd Words Weekly, and subscribe today.
[Wyrd Words Weekly] Letting go of the past to move on to the future
Hello Reader,
I've been feeling really introspective these past few weeks. The nostalgia of being back in Florida, being reunited with our college-aged son, and the turn of the new year all put me in a reflective mood.
Mixed in with the usual excitement of a fresh start was a good sprinkle of regret over what I didn't accomplish in 2023. I've been in this funny space the past few years. I had a major health scare and surgery in 2019, which I'm fortunate to have moved past now, but it left me anxious to put that year behind me, to put a lot of hope and dreams into that shift into the new year. Then of course 2020 happened. The universe has quite the sense of humor, eh?
The pandemic, the kids being home for three unexpected semesters, changes in the publishing landscape, an insurrection, unbelievable human suffering both at home and abroad, two books going out on submission and not selling, the loss of a good friend, navigating aging parents and fledging children--it's not like I don't understand why the past few years have been rough. I'm just a fairly happy optimistic person by nature and I'm ready to really embrace that once again.
More than anything, I'm determined for 2024 to be a year that I'm not desperate to leave behind when I get to December 31 next winter. And I know a big part of that is going to be around rediscovering the joy in my writing life. Writing is how I make sense of the world and I need that more than ever, don't you?
If you've been struggling too, if you've been looking for a creative reset, for a new way to approach the stories you've been trying to tell, I hope you'll join me tomorrow for the first Craft Magic Webinar of 2024.
I'll be sharing the first step in the Six-Step Story Planning Process that's part of my coaching and the Wyrd Words Workshop: Create a Blueprint for Your Book (January 8, 2024, 4 - 5:15 PM PT - as always, I make the recording available to registrants who aren't able to attend live).
This process is a great way to set your intentions for your story and gives you a foundation upon which to build out your manuscript. Even if you're deep into your draft, you'll find lots of helpful tips in this webinar, especially if your writing style is more pantser/explorer and less by-the-book-outliner (though there's good stuff for outliners too, especially if you're early in the process).
Let this be the year that you write the book of your heart. Let this be the year that you say YES to letting me be a part of that process.
Hope to see you there!
Warmly,
Julie
Julie Artz | author, editor, book coach, dragon
Julie Artz works with both award-winning and newer authors across the publishing spectrum from Big Five to small and university presses to indie and hybrid. She is an Author Accelerator-certified Founding Book Coach, a sought-after speaker and writing instructor, and a regular contributor to Jane Friedman and Writers Helping Writers, and a regular instructor for AuthorsPublish, IWWG, ProWritingAid and more. Her work as a Pitch Wars and Teen Pit mentor, a former SCBWI Regional Advisor (WWA), and her memberships in The EFA, the WFWA, AWP, and the Authors Guild keep her industry knowledge sharp. A consummate social and environmental justice minded story geek, Julie lives in an enchanted forest outside of Redmond, Washington, with her husband, two strong-willed teenagers (when they’re not off at university!), and two naughty furry familiars. She’s built a thriving book coaching business based on her values, her editing chops, and her knowledge of story. Check out her weekly newsletter, Wyrd Words Weekly, and subscribe today.
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