Birth Your Book: Find, Nurture, and Sustain the Motivation to Write

By Liz Alexander

Perhaps you've been saying you want to write a book for months or even years, yet you still haven't written a word. Or maybe you started your book a while back--but you never got round to finishing it. Then you need this book!

You will begin by shining a light on all those unconscious mental blocks and obstacles that are preventing you from reaching your writing goals. Then you will engage with seven proven motivational strategies that ensure you'll soon birth your book into the world.

Written by Dr. Liz Alexander, the author of 11 books over a span of 25 years whose PhD. in educational psychology is focused on motivation, this easy-to-read book is full of inspiring personal stories and practical exercises.

With this book at your fingertips you will quickly and easily have what you need to accomplish any big writing project, including a book. And you'll have shaken off long-held obstacles to your success.

Wouldn't "Done!" be a great thing to say, rather than have to keep looking at "Write a book" on your to-do list?

So -- what are you waiting for?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Liz Alexander
• Release date: Jul 25, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465947703

Liz Alexander

"Dr Liz" Alexander has spent the last 30 years not only writing her own 11 books (nine of them commercially published by the likes of Random House and HarperCollins) but has worked with international authors in the U.S., India, and Australia to help them birth impactful, award-winning books. working with aspiring authors to birth their books. The number of books, including those Liz has written, co-authored and otherwise collaborated on, currently (as of Nov 2017) stands at 21.Born in Scotland but raised from the age of two in England, Liz worked for the BBC both behind and in front of the cameras. She was a successful freelance journalist for many years, contributing articles to publications including British Airways' Business Life magazine as well as the UK newspaper The Daily Mail. She continues to write for Fast Company magazine and has a Psychology Today blog.In 2001 she emigrated to the United States and entered the doctoral program in educational psychology at The University of Texas at Austin in 2003. After almost 17 years in the U.S. she decided it was time to give Asia a try and now lives in Malaysia where she continues to act as book consultant and consulting co-author to aspiring authors the world over.Liz is available for one-on-one book coaching/consulting, workshops, seminars and talks, especially at international book festivals.

Book preview

Praise for this Ebook

Liz is gifted at inspiring and motivating people. In this valuable book she offers a variety of strategies for writing and publishing the book you've always dreamed of. With practical suggestions, creative ideas, and interesting stories, she challenges any thoughts or behaviors that have kept you stuck and energizes you to move forward to a more creative and fulfilling future. ~Dr. Kate Brooks, author of You Majored In What? (Viking, 2009).

Dr. Liz is a power-packed go-getter. Her sage advice can truly get you on the path from writer to author. ~Marika Flatt, PR by the Book.

Dr. Liz has created a practical, immensely helpful ebook that answers the questions other books never seem to answer. If you know you’ve got a book in you, the approach Dr. Liz outlines here will help boost your motivation, self-confidence, and follow-through. ~Regan Marie Brown, author of The Woman’s Way, Celebrating Life After 40 (Andrews McMeel, 2001).

Far from the dry how-tos that currently litter this genre, Dr. Liz provides advice, practical exercises and inspiration for getting a book off your to-do list. I highly recommend it. ~Rusty Shelton, Shelton Interactive.

I read your wonderful book at one sitting and it made SO MUCH SENSE. It was absolutely on target and made me think of several areas about which I WANT to write — as opposed to those where I might make some money but have not passion for the subject. Thank you so much for making me take a hard look at myself and what I really want to say and do. ~Jim Comer, author of When Roles Reverse: A Guide to Parenting Your Parents (Finalist Violet Crown Award for Best Non-Fiction Book of 2007, Texas Writers League).

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Birth Your Book!

Find, Nurture, and Sustain the Motivation to Write

Dr. LIZ ALEXANDER

The Book Doula

Cover design by Lauryl Eddlemon.

Published by Dr. Liz Alexander, at Smashwords.

Copyright ©2011 Dr. Liz Alexander, The Book Doula™. All Rights Reserved.

First Edition: March 2010 (previous title: What’s Stopping You?)

Second Edition: April 2011

No part of this document may be reproduced in whole or in part, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from Dr. Liz Alexander, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review, citing title, author, and date as follows: Reproduced with permission from Birth Your Book! Find, Nurture, and Sustain the Motivation to Write by Dr. Liz Alexander, ©2011.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ISBN: 978-1-4659-4770-3

Discover other titles by Dr. Liz Alexander at http://www.Smashwords.com

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Table of Contents

About You

Introduction

Section One

Find Your Passion

Let’s Find Your Motivation

No Excuses

Three Emotional Obstacles That Keep You from Writing

Three Mental Obstacles That Keep You from Writing

Four Behavioral Obstacles That Keep You from Writing

Find What Excites You

Let’s Get Started!

Section Two

Strategy #1: Find Your Passion

Strategy #2: Pounce on Your Ideas

Strategy #3: Prepare and Pace

Strategy #4: Give Your Creative Potential a Boost

Strategy #5: Allow the How

Strategy #6:You Already Are

Strategy #7: Don’t Go It Alone

A Final Message

About Dr. Liz Alexander

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About You

At last! You’ve added author to your list of accomplishments. Whether you were published by a commercial house or went the self-publishing or print-on-demand route, your book is now available and selling well. More than that, it has boosted your credibility as a subject matter expert so you’re now earning additional income as a speaker, trainer and consultant.

No, I’m not talking to the wrong reader and you haven’t got the wrong book. I know that isn’t your current reality. But didn’t it feel good, for a moment, to think that it was?

So what’s stopping you from making that dream a reality?

If, like countless aspiring authors you have struggled with getting your book out of your head, off your to do list and into people’s lives, this is the book you need. It’s about the motivation to write: how to find it, nurture it, and sustain it. Once you have addressed your motivation, you will find writing more pleasurable, quicker and easier than you ever thought possible.

You will begin this near-magical process by reading this ebook and engaging with the exercises. Hopefully you will also journal to capture the new thoughts and amazing ideas that come to you, in order to fully realize your passion for contributing something meaningful to the world. Let’s make a start on that journey together now.

Change rooms in your mind for a day. ~All the Hemispheres by Hafiz

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Introduction

Her husband looked so proud as he stood up during the breakfast networking meeting to announce that she had written a book. Cheers and clapping ensued. I think she blushed. I know he beamed.

A year or so later during an email exchange I happened to ask this woman if I might interview her about her publishing experience. At which point she said she hadn’t written a book. Seems her husband had jumped the gun, possibly in an attempt to provoke a frenzy of writing. It obviously didn’t work.

Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience? You’ve been saying for months, maybe years, that you have a book inside you. Maybe, as a small business owner or service provider, you want