TRANSCRIPT

Hi… this video covers a common obstacle every author faces… excuses… more importantly it also covers how to overcome them.

Even when you have your why and are completely committed to becoming a published picture book author, your mind will still come up with excuses to try to stop you from writing or submitting your manuscript.

I don’t have time. I’m too tired. I have too much going on with the kids. I’m too old. By the way, I didn’t start writing picture books until I was 54.

Coming up with excuses is natural. Your brain’s job is to help the body conserve its energy because thousands of years ago we never knew when our next meal would come. But now you don’t have to worry about starving. So when your mind gives you all the reasons to not write or not send out query letters (and it will), just ignore it. Say, “Not today, brain.” Go back to your why. Honor your commitment. And keep going.

The next year, the next five years, the next decade, they’re all are going to come no matter what. If you don’t pursue your dream now, you’ll be in the exact same place in the future as you are today. If you do pursue it, the possibilities are endless.

Ignoring your brain’s excuses, though, is easier said than done. To give you some added firepower, here are a couple of questions that have helped me to overcome excuses.

The first is from Rachel Hollis, the author of Girl, Wash Your Face. She says, “What do you want? What do you want more?” I ask myself this all the time. For example, what I want to do is just relax and watch Netflix. What I want more is to get a book published. So instead of turning on the TV, I turn on my computer and get to work. Years from now, I won’t regret missing that show. But I would regret if I had never become published.

I heard the next question on a podcast. I can’t remember who said it, but I wish I did because it was really good, but the question is, “Is what I’m doing right now helping me get closer to my goal?” If your answer’s no, stop doing what you’re doing and start working on something that moves you towards fulfilling your dream.

Getting your story from manuscript to published is such an uphill battle that your mindset plays as important a role as your writing… especially when dealing with excuses.

But giving into excuses only hurts one person: yourself.

Thank you so much for watching. If you got any value out of this video, please like it, subscribe to my channel and share the video with other aspiring picture book authors.