When I ask prospective authors, “What is the message of your story?” I often get a quizzical stare. Trying to cover for their confusion, they usually answer my question with a long, detailed re-telling of their story.

See, here’s the thing: Your story’s narrative is not its message.

Instead, your story’s message is its inspirational kernel of truth. It’s the one sentence that sums up how your reader is a different person after reading your book. It’s the North Star or compass that drives your story forward. It’s that thing at the heart of your story to which people can relate.

For example, when I teach writing and publishing workshops, I often dissect the film The Wizard of Oz to illustrate how story structure works. (The Wizard of Oz has a solid story structure, which is one of the many reasons it was a huge hit in 1939 and still holds up today.) The message of The Wizard of Oz is this: There’s no place like home. That’s it. One sentence, one idea, for an entire two-hour movie. From the moment Dorothy runs away, her objective is to get back home. And every step of the way we are reminded why there is no place like home.

Your story has to have its own equally solid, identifiable message. And every word, sentence, paragraph, page, and chapter of your story must use its message to move the story forward. Even if your story is a non-fiction “how-to” book, a biography, memoir, or a cookbook, it still has to flow and touch the reader’s heart with its message.

So how do you find your story’s message? You start with your own authenticity. In its simplest form, your story’s message is your (or your characters’) strategies for success illustrated through your (or your characters’) personal experiences. For example, I’m willing to bet that no one reading this ever has engaged in an intergalactic battle against a dark side hell-bent on taking over the universe. Yet, we can totally relate to Luke Skywalker in the final scene of Star Wars (1977) when he has ONE SHOT to destroy the death star. At that moment he gets clarity, focuses, and hears Obi Wan's voice whisper, “Luke, the force is with you.” He fires and it’s a direct hit. What’s the message? The force is with you. You just have to get out of your own way to allow it to guide you. Do you have to live in a galaxy far, far away to appreciate this message? Absolutely not.

If you’re writing non-fiction, you still have to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end, and a message. How does that work? Let’s say you’re writing a “how-to” book for Millennials saving for retirement. You could just list tax law and the best investment opportunities for the time. Yawn. No one will read that. And worse yet, if they do they won’t retain any of it because straight prose in not memorable. There’s no clear message. We have no emotional attachment to rules and regulations.

On the other hand, if you educate your readers by telling the story of a college student with a part time job and what she does to make her small income work for her, well now, that’s something we’ll latch onto, because it’s engaging and relatable. What’s the message in this example? Save when you’re young, so you’re not destitute when you’re old.

Identifying a story’s message is so important that it’s the first step in my Roadmap to Your Story author plan. Roadmap to Your Story is a free session I offer to help writers strategize the course of their writing journeys. There’s nothing worse than composing pages and pages of content you can’t use because it meanders all over the place and has no point. I offer my free Roadmap to Your Story session either as a personal one-on-one session with clients who sign up for my Accelerated Authors Plan, or as a free workshop. There is no obligation to work with me beyond this workshop, simply because it’s my goal to make sure authors have clarity and direction before they sit down to write.

And the first step toward that clarity is to find your story’s message. I guarantee you it’s in there somewhere. So get a wiggle on and discover it. The world is waiting for to hear what you have to say.

Need more help? Check out the book The Message of You by Judy Carter. A standup comic and popular Toastmasters speaker, Judy has a unique process that easily guides you through finding your story's message. I highly recommend her book!

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Stacy Dymalski on a good hair day

Known as The Memoir Midwife, Stacy Dymalski is a story editor,  writing coach, and film producer, and has helped hundreds of people find the courage to tell their stories. Whether you want to write a book, blog, podcast, or movie, Stacy can help you get unstuck (even if you're not a writer) and move in the direction of creative success. Check out the testimonials on her website, or click HERE to learn how Stacy can help you with your writing project.

Has anyone ever told you that you have an interesting story to tell? Do you possess knowledge or a talent that people repeatedly seek out? Or do you simply have the plot to the next bestseller or Academy Award winning movie rattling around in your head?

If any of this applies to you, you’ve probably thought about writing a book (or a screenplay, or a blog, or a podcast). But then you second-guess yourself because, well, that’s what we do as humans. We take a creative, out-of-the-box, crazy idea and try to make sense of it. The problem is logic and creativity are like two parallel lines; they will never meet. So if you’re waiting for the right time to write your story, you will wait forever. Because there is always going to be something more important that takes precedent over realizing your dream; bills to pay, kids to raise, a career to build. Whatever.

But these distractions merely camouflage the bigger issue, which is fear. You’ve probably never written anything before, so now that you have a story to tell you’re afraid you won’t be able to write it, because you don’t consider yourself a writer. And because of that you’re afraid you’ll be judged. And because of that you’re afraid you may not finish your manuscript. And because of that…

Do you see how quickly you go down a rabbit hole? This fear-based line of thinking is probably the most common reason people don’t write their stories.  And at the end of the day you’re left asking yourself: Should I write my story?

Can I really write my own story?

Although you’re the only one who can answer that question, I can at least lead you to your answer. As The Memoir Midwife I’ve helped hundreds of people give birth to their stories. And in my experience, there is one common denominator that every author possesses: passion. If it’s strong enough, passion can overcome fear. Passion is what makes people get up an extra hour earlier in the morning to write. Passion is what convinces someone to take a part time job to pay for self-publishing their own book. Passion is the fire in the belly that sparks belief in oneself that they can write their own story. And as it evolves, passion is what turns writers into authors.

How do you know if you have enough passion to go the distance? One way to find out is to take my free Tell Me Your Story assessment. It’s ten simple questions that give you insight into how serious you are about writing your story. There is no right or wrong outcome to this, because if you aren’t ready to tell your story, then you should let that idea go and move on. But if you are ready, this assessment gives you some things to think about. It’s absolutely free and you have no obligation in any way. However, if you want to discuss your answers with me to get further clarity, I’m happy to do so free of charge.

So what are you waiting for? You have nothing to lose. Click HERE  to download your copy of my free Tell Me Your Story assessment. Isn’t it time you found out if there’s an author inside of you waiting to come out?

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Stacy Dymalski on a good hair day

Known as The Memoir Midwife, Stacy Dymalski is a story editor,  writing coach, and film producer, and has helped hundreds of people find the courage to tell their stories. Whether you want to write a book, blog, podcast, or movie, Stacy can help you get unstuck (even if you're not a writer) and move in the direction of creative success. Check out the testimonials on her website, or click HERE to learn how Stacy can help you with your writing project.

Annette Velarde on assignment in Wales

There is a romanticism about what it's like to make a living as a writer. People who are not writers, but want to be one, often have this ideal that writers sit around cafes all day, pontificating with each other on the meaning of life until inspiration strikes. At which time they then sit down at a laptop and literally spew out a piece of classic literature that would make Hemingway rise from the dead and exclaim, "Holy cow, why didn't I think of that?!"

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Being a writer is just like any other job; there are highs, lows, monotony, and reward. And just like any other job, you only get out of it what you put into it. Which means if you don't plant your rear end down in a chair and write, then you don't get paid. Similarly, if you consistently give your writing away for free, then you’ll never be taken seriously as a writer.

Writer or Author?

To be clear, there is a difference between a writer and an author. A writer writes everyday as a career (or to at least to hold a job). Writer positions include things like journalists, magazine staff writers, managing editors, copyeditors, ad and news copy writers, and web content providers, just to name a few. An author writes books, and usually does something else to actually pay the bills. Being an author is usually a hobby or side career. Being a writer is a job.

What's it like in the Trenches as a Writer?

Annette Velard

I sat down recently with full-time writer, Annette Velarde, to ask what it's like to earn a living writing for hire, and how she got started in the biz. Annette is working on her doctorate and for years her only source of income was contract writing. She is a regular writer for several magazines, but also does the “one-off” contract writing jobs that occasionally come her way.

Becoming a writer is not something she slid into. For years she worked in mortgage lending, but about 10 years ago decided she couldn't take it anymore. "The lack of creativity was suffocating," she says. “I’ve always liked to write and was told I was good at it, so I decided to follow my passion, and assumed the money would somehow work itself out.”

And somehow it did.

In my interview with Annette, she talks about:

• How to get started as a paid writer
• What it takes to maintain a living as a writer
• The different types of writing jobs out there
• Where to find writing jobs that can actually pay the bills

She also gives you a candid assessment of what a day in the life of a working writer is like. Although it's rewarding for her (and writers like her) those considering a life a writing may be in for a surprise as to how relatively unromantic the day-to-day routine really is.

As always I'm happy to give you a teaser of my interview with Annette. The following is a couple minutes of my "sit-down" with her, in which she discusses how ghostwriting for other people's blogs is a lucrative and good way to get started in a career as a professional writer:

Stacy on a really good day!

Stacy Dymalski is an author and independent self-publishing consultant, who teaches self-publishing through the Life Long Learning program at the University of Utah. Her latest book, “The Memoir Midwife, Nine Steps to Self-Publishing Your Book” is a primer that walks authors through the self-publishing process.

She’s also an award-winning speaker and comedian who pens the popular humor blog “Nonsense to Mom’s Sense of Humor, How my life as a stand-up comic prepared me for motherhood.” She lives in Park City, UT, with her two teenage sons, who provide a constant source of comedic material. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Keltin Barney enjoying the finer things in life. A good editor (and writer) has many interests outside of books.

One of the questions I get asked most often when I teach my self-publish classes and seminars is "Do I really need a book editor before I self-publish? Can't I just proof it myself and call it good?" The short answer is a resounding NO, you should never be the one to officially edit your own work. And YES, you should always hire a professional to edit your book.

To drive this point home this week's Offbeat Authors Guild interview is with book editor, Keltin Barney. I sat down with Keltin a couple of weeks ago in the upstairs offices of Dolly's Bookstore on Main Street in Park City and chatted with him about his passion, which just happens to be editing and writing books.

The Path of a Professional Book Editor

Keltin originally got his start in the literary world back when he was an English major in college. The turning point was when one of his English professors at the University of Utah tore up one of Keltin's papers and made him do it over. ("I was way in over my head, at the time," confesses Keltin.) After putting his heart and soul into the rewritten version, the professor not only gave him an 'A' on the paper, but later invited Keltin to assist him during student office hours. This gave Keltin the opportunity to help other writers realize their potential, which made him realize he was born to help authors bring their literary works to life.

Today Keltin works at the University of Utah Writing Center critiquing and editing the works of undergrads, graduate students, and college professors. He also makes a living as an independent book editor on a contract basis for publishers or authors who need extra help.

Book Editing 101

If you want your book in a bookstore, then hire a book editor to clean up your book

Keltin and I chatted for a good half hour, the meat of which was edited down to a solid 23-minute audio interview about book editors and editing, specifically for self-published authors. When I asked him what an author should look for when hiring a book editor, he didn't hesitate at all in his answer. "It's all about finding a book editor that you connect with; someone you can talk to and develop a relationship with." There's no doubt about it, you MUST select a book editor that sees your vision, or else it's like two people trying to communicate over a very staticky line. "The worst thing a book editor can do," he continues, "is take over and rewrite what you're doing the way they'd write it." He reiterates his point by stressing, "It's the editor's job to make sure the author's voice [in the written work] is prominent and as well presented as possible." If an editor wants his or her voice to be heard then they need to write their own book.

Other Book Editor Tips

Being the two literary geeks that we are, Keltin and I covered many book editor topics in our interview, including:

• The differences between copyediting and content editing
• The differences between editing fiction and nonfiction
• What an author should look for when hiring an editor (besides what's mentioned above)
• How to contract with an editor
• Some of the most common mistakes authors make when writing their books

He also confirmed that any book that is not professionally edited at some point before it's published will have a hard time competing in bookstores with all those other books produced by traditional publishers. Readers are fickle. There are too many books out there to choose from, so if a book doesn't engage a reader right away, that reader will immediately move on to the next book.

To give you a little taste of my interview with Keltin, take a listen to this three-minute audio clip, during which Keltin and I discuss the importance of copyediting and content editing, as well as what to look for when hiring a book editor: 

To contact Keltin about having him edit your book (or just to tell him how much you enjoyed his interview), please email him at keltinb@gmail.com.

Stacy on a really good day!

Stacy Dymalski is an author and independent self-publishing consultant, who teaches self-publishing through the Life Long Learning program at the University of Utah. Her latest book, “The Memoir Midwife, Nine Steps to Self-Publishing Your Book” is a primer that walks authors through the self-publishing process.

She’s also an award-winning speaker and comedian who pens the popular humor blog “Nonsense to Mom’s Sense of Humor, How my life as a stand-up comic prepared me for motherhood.” She lives in Park City, UT, with her two teenage sons, who provide a constant source of comedic material. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Authors and social media

There's always that question in the minds of self-published authors about using social media to sell books. On the one hand, it feels like a time-waster to peddle books in cyberspace when you're not really sure if anyone out there is paying attention. But on the other hand, you can't help but wonder, "As authors are we missing out on a good marketing opportunity if we DON'T get in line with social media?" Even though embracing social media sort of feels like cueing up at the end of a very long and cheesy Conga line at a debutant's wedding.

Authors need this book!

To get some conclusive answers I sat down with social media maven, Sue Ann Kern, founder of Face-it Social Media and author of the Facebook "how-to" book, Facebook for Smart People for an exclusive interview for Offbeat Authors Guild members. Sue Ann teaches social media workshops and coaches people in all walks of business on how to best use social media for their particular industries, including publishing. In my 28-minute chat with her, I specifically asked if social media is worth the effort in terms of return on investment of your time devoted to it. In other words, will it help self-published authors sell books?

"I don't believe that social media is a step that any business person can skip any longer," confirms Sue Ann. "Social media is so prolific and ubiquitous around the world that you need to have a presence. People are looking for you. And if they can't find you, you won't sell your products or services." And that includes self-published authors and their books.

How Authors Get Noticed

Sue Ann explains that social media is the long term, slow burn that gets your name out there so people figure who you are (and what you offer) and THEN they buy your book. It's all about building trust between you as an author and the people who buy your books. Gone are the days in which a book sells just because it's been published. This is true even if your book is published by well-known traditional publishers such as Random House or HarperCollins. People are more inclined to buy your book if they can research, and even sample, it online first. This means you need to not only have your own website, but also have a Facebook page for your book (or you as an author), an Amazon book page and author page, a Twitter account, a Youtube channel and more.

Basically, creating a book marketing plan that includes social media is the difference between simply crossing your fingers in hopes that your self-published book sells, and making sure it sells by letting people know it's there.

A Small Sound Bite

I know you're busy, so here is a 2.5-minute sample from my 28-minute podcast interview with Sue Ann Kern of Face-it Social Media, in which Sue Ann shares how self-published authors can use social media to market and sell books books.

Stacy on a really good day!

Stacy Dymalski is an author and independent self-publishing consultant, who teaches self-publishing through the Life Long Learning program at the University of Utah. Her latest book, "The Memoir Midwife, Nine Steps to Self-Publishing Your Book" is a primer that walks authors through the self-publishing process.

She's also an award-winning speaker and comedian who pens the popular humor blog "Nonsense to Mom's Sense of Humor, How my life as a stand-up comic prepared me for motherhood." She lives in Park City, UT, with her two teenage sons, who provide a constant source of comedic material. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.