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BREAKTHROUGH: A 1:1 Coaching Intensive

New Growth in Long Winter Months

Posted by Katie Phillips on April 23, 2013February 28, 2016

Hi folks!

It’s a bit late coming up, but here is the latest installment of my monthly ministry newsletter.

This month’s issue includes:

* More crazy Mallon adventures

* Hip hop dancing opens doors to share

* Featured Ministry: OM Italy’s outreach to trafficked women

Read it here: March Newsletter

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LOOK WHAT’S HERE!! I’ve been watching everyone else’s beautiful books arrive, haunting my mailbox, and my special signed pre-order edition of The Girl the Sea Gave Back is finally here! *squeeaalll* Thank you, @adrienneyoungbooks! I read her debut novel, Sky in the Deep, and loved it, so I’m excited to dig into this one. Though it’s launch/enrollment week for me for my author branding and biz mentorship program, so it may have to wait until October. I’m trying something new and changing up my theme for fall/winter. I’ll be rolling it out over the next few days, so let me know what you think! I’m kinda loving the cozy, atmospheric feel. Special thanks to the incredible @forest_of_pages for helping me figure out filters! I think it’s tempting sometimes for us to get stuck in a rut and be afraid to change things up. But fall reminds us that change can be beautiful and different seasons of life come and go, each holding their own beauty and challenges. QotD: What is your favorite season and why?

DO YOU HAVE COMP TITLES FOR YOUR WIP? A super helpful marketing tool to stick in your back pocket are two to three titles that you can give readers, editors, agents, etc. as examples that are similar to your writing projects. This is helpful for several reasons. First, it shows industry professionals that you have researched your market and know what’s selling. If you’re not reading in your genre niche, start like yesterday! Second, it helps readers know what to expect from their time and monetary investment, making them more likely to take a risk and buy your book. Always think about how you can reduce that “risk threshold” for your book buyers. Third, it can help you solidify your story ideas and build an audience even as you’re writing the book. Drawing on pre-existing fandoms (this is what fairytale retellings do so well) is a great tool for getting momentum for a debut novel. Comp titles can be books, movies, tv shows, really any type of storytelling. But keep in mind the purposes of your comp titles. Make sure your choices are recent (last 2-3 years), relevant (shares a genre niche or significant plot/tone elements with your project), and specific. For example, describing your WIP as To Kill a Kingdom meets Sky in the Deep is much more specific in the YA fantasy world than using Harry Potter as a comp title just because it’s also YA fantasy. I’ve been trying to make more time lately to read potential comp titles and have discovered some real jewels. I finished TKaK recently (because that example is actually one of my projects) and just completed Spin the Dawn as a potential comp for my current WIP, a gender-bent loose Beauty and the Beast retelling that draws inspiration from feudal Japan and China. I also picked up this beautiful book that I discovered on bookstagram and am excited to dig into it and see if it’d be another good comp title. Have you read it? QotD: If you’re a writer, I’d love to see your comp titles in the comments!

WRITER ROLL CALL! Are you confident you have a stand-out author brand that will attract your ideal readers and convert them to life-long fans? I’ve noticed many authors don’t give much thought to developing their brand, even though it’s THE core element to a successful marketing strategy. Others know they need a stronger brand, but aren’t sure where to start. Or maybe they’ve tried to create a cohesive brand, but it’s just not working. It’s super frustrating to spend hours (and tears...and gallons of coffee) laboring over your manuscript, only to get crickets when you launch. I don’t wish that on anyone. So, for the last couple years I’ve been hosting a bi-annual one-week Author Brand Challenge designed to give women authors the tools to get started or to elevate their author brand. (Pop over to my stories to see testimonials from previous participants). The challenge kicks off Monday with a Discover Your Brand fillable workbook, live video Q&As with me, a private Facebook group with daily prompt posts, and a daily email with a brief teaching and action steps. It’s designed to be practical and create clarity and results, so you won’t want to miss! (Plus, it’s completely FREE!) Invite a friend to keep you accountable and let’s do this together! SIGN UP VIA MY BIO LINK! QotD: What’s the biggest thing you’re struggling with right now in your branding and marketing? OR Tag an author in the comments whose brand you really love—and tell us why!

TODAY IS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY. I can’t think of a more important thing to celebrate preserving than the value of every person and their life. Mental illness (depression, anxiety, etc.) is a leading cause of suicide. This problem is so pervasive and yet so rarely discussed with knowledge and compassion. Mental illness wears many faces and does not discriminate. The causes and treatments are as varied as the people it effects. But, for many people, the common denominator for healing remains the same. Community. Support and community play a key role in suicide prevention, both for the person struggling with a mental illness, and for friends and family members also affected by it. This is a topic still raw in my heart. A close family member is a suicide survivor. Other close family members struggle with anxiety and depression, as I do at times. My parents took my little cousin into their home for months at a time between babyhood and four years old, because her mama was deep in a battle with mental illness. It’s not a joke. It’s not an imaginary illness insta-cured by inspirational memes. It is a powerful struggle that affects so many at a core level. So, what can you do? Foster community. If you see someone withdrawing or on the outskirts, invite them in. If you haven’t heard from a friend in awhile, check up on them. Sit with them in the dark. If you have this struggle, reach out and get help. Be honest with yourself and others about where you’re at. Learn how to listen to the truth and reject the lies. And know there’s hope and you’re special, irreplaceable, and worth the fight. God bless you. Celebrate life. P.S. These books are written by women who know this struggle firsthand and address it with power and compassion in their books. My current WIP will likely touch on this topic as well. I highly recommend their work.

WHAT’S ON YOUR #TBR LIST FOR SEPTEMBER? This fall is going to be crazy in my camp, but I’m still hoping to finish these beauties sometime this month. Coral is coming out (coming up!) from the lovely @saraellawrites, so I’m excited to post more about that soon! I helped coach @lauralzimmauthor through outlining and the first few chapters of Keen (thanks for the sweet note in the acknowledgments!), so I can’t wait to dive into that beauty. Cress is hubby and I’s audiobook challenge, so we’re working our way through that one. Have you read the Lunar Chronicles yet? They’re amazing. And the final book on my #TBR list is a potential comp title for my current #WIP, but I’ll be posting more about that soon! —————————————————— Also, I’m super-super stoked to announce to my #writer and aspiring editor friends that my FREE new week-long mini course, “5 Keys to a Profitable Writing Business,” is now live! 🎉🍾 Y’all are always asking me how I built my business and found my clients, so I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look! You can get it via the link in my bio. ——————————————————— QotD: What book should I add to my #tbrlist?

HAPPY SATURDAY! A weekend working on editing calls for this delightful cinnamon apple spice cake and a warm chai latte. A celebration of fall, even if it’s 100 degrees outside still! QotD: What are your favorite writing or reading snacks? AotD: Chai is a staple, supplemented with chocolate chip cookies or other baked goods.

Karis Waters

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