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Those Wonderful Friends Who Read

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There’s something quietly beautiful about friends who follow their curiosity through books. They chase questions, dive into unfamiliar worlds, and emerge changed— sometimes in small ways, sometimes profoundly. If you’re lucky enough to have one of these readers in your life, supporting them can be a meaningful way to deepen your connection. Start by showing genuine interest. Ask them what they’re reading—not just the title, but what drew them to it. Let them talk about the ideas or characters that linger with them, and listen without rushing to respond. A thoughtful question like, “What surprised you most?” or “Has this book changed how you see something?” can open the door to a deeper kind of conversation, one that honors both the book and the reader. It helps, too, to share pieces of your own reading life—not as a recommendation list, but as an offering. If you’ve come across a book or a line that resonates with something they’ve mentioned, pass it along gently, with no pressure to r...
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3 Mindset Traps That Sabotage Author Success (And How to Break Free)

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By Patricia Hickman Writing a book is hard. Selling one? Even harder. Like many authors, I spent long hours writing, and even longer hours trying to market my work—often without the success I'd hoped for. Eventually I had to ask myself a hard question:  Was I just “doing” the work… AND MORE HONESTLY, was I truly achieving anything? That moment led me to identify three mindset traps—what I call “deadly bombs” —that were quietly sabotaging my publishing efforts. 💣 Bomb #1 Letting the Wounded Self Take Over Years ago, I developed a detailed marketing plan for a newly releasing novel. I shared it with a friend—a powerhouse in publishing—and he called it “brilliant.” Encouraged, I presented the same plan to my publisher’s publicity team. But on a conference call with their department, my ideas were met with resistance. The publicist dismissed my entire strategy, saying none of it would work. By the end of the call, I felt foolish for even trying. I shelved the plan. ...
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A Confession About Revision—Let the Carnage Begin

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The hardest—and probably most painful—part of writing is accepting criticism. When I walk into class after returning their first edited manuscript, some students smile politely while mourning the loss of a limb; others behave as if I’ve performed a full lobotomy. I sigh the unavoidable sigh of a writing teacher, hand back the pages, and brace myself. There’s no other way out. I have to give them the news the same way I’d want it delivered to me. I still remember my first editorial review from a writing professor. I thanked him feebly, but panic nearly paralyzed me. Was he telling me my work was hopeless? Unrevivable? My only comfort was knowing he let me keep coming back. The first draft is a joyride—a glorious shut-off-the-brain sprint so the story can tumble out. But revision? That’s when the gloves go on and we start poking around inside the body. Is that a tumor? Will that limb need amputation? I nearly second-guessed myself into heart failure while learning to self-edit. Us...
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