SEVEN HABITS OF A SUCCESSFUL WRITER - DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook: www.facebook.com/diannmills, Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills or any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

Seven Habits of a Successful Writer

Emulating those whose writing careers have soared into bestseller status provides us with amazing role models. We look for a roadmap from these successful writers who can provide us with precise steps and no detours. But every writer is different, and the destination isn’t always reached the same way.

We can accomplish the same goals as those writers who inspire us. It’s a matter of determining the practices that most fit our personalities. The following is what I feel makes a notable difference in a writer’s career. I invite you to take a look. You may already be using these techniques which means you are on your way to the top. 

1. Begin every day with God.

He knows where we’re supposed to be and how to get there. He’s the Boss in every sense of the word. Fuel your heart and mind with God before engaging in the writing life.

2. Write five days a week.

Commit to write on a regular basis. Find the time and stick to it. Your creative spark may be in the mornings, over the lunch hour, or late at night. Establish a word count that is attainable. Sometimes a writer needs an accountability partner. If this is you, enlist the help of someone you respect.

3. Read. Read. Read.

Read the craft books.

Read a marketing book each  month.

Read the bestsellers.

Read in your genre.

Repeat.

4. Stay active on social media.

The appropriate platform is a writer’s main source of marketing, promotion, and branding according to genre. Research and develop your social media skills. Explore where your readers are hanging out and join in.

5. Be aware of the outside world.

it’s impossible to write to heartfelt needs if we have no idea what’s going on in our community, state, country, and world. Choose awareness. Take a daily detour to the media. Evaluate what is being said and be an informed citizen.

6. Attend writer conferences

Be an investigator and choose writer conferences that enlist respected teachers to instruct every aspect of the writer’s life.

7. Analyze social media tools regularly.

None of us can succeed unless we measure where we began, where we are, and where we are going. Establish objectives as part of the writer’s life.

8. Take care of your body.

We can’t write effectively if our bodies are not nutritionally sound and in good physical shape. Put good stuff in and exercise to stay fit.

9. Give back to a serious writer.

Be a blessing to another serious writer by sharing your knowledge of the publishing industry, Pay it forward to a new writer who is looking for a mentor.

Nine simple tasks can make the difference between a ho-hum writer who dabbles and dreams about writing success and a writer who practices the traits of bestselling writers.

Are you fueled up and ready to take the scenic route to publication? 

HIGH TREASON (FBI Task Force - Book 3)

When Saudi Prince Omar bin Talal visits Houston to seek cancer treatment for his mother, an attempt on his life puts all agencies on high alert. FBI Special Agent Kord Davidson is the lead on the prince’s protective detail because of their long-standing friendship, but he’s surprised—and none too happy—when the CIA brings one of their operatives, Monica Alden, in on the task force after the assassination attempt.

Kord and Monica must quickly put aside interagency squabbles, however, when they learn the prince has additional motives for his visit—plans to promote stronger ties with the US and encourage economic growth and westernization in his own country. Plans that could easily incite a number of suspects both in the US and in countries hostile to Saudi Arabia. Worse yet, the would-be assassin always seems to be one step ahead of them, implicating someone close to the prince—or the investigation. But who would be willing to commit high treason, and can Kord and Monica stop them in time? 

Leave a comment, along with your contact information for a chance to win DiAnn's newest book, HIGH TREASON! (U.S. only, please.)