DiANN MILLS - TOP 7 PRACTICES OF SUCCESSFUL WRITERS

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

DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

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.
 
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and the Mountainside Novelist Retreat 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, Twitter, or any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com

Top 7 Practices of Successful Writers

Writers draw deep from the well of creativity and their personalities to establish successful writing practices. The goal is to work effectively and efficiently while balancing priorities. Over the twenty-plus years of writing and observing others in the publishing industry, I’ve found the following seven common traits.

Begin every day with God.

Turn to God’s word in Scripture reading and prayer before turning on your computer. He knows where we’re supposed to be and how to get there. Let Him give you marching orders for the day

Write five days a week.

Commit to writing regularly. Find the best time of the day and stick to it. Establish a word count that is attainable. Sometimes a writer needs an accountability partner. If your fit there, enlist the help of someone you respect.

Read. Read. Read.

Read the craft books.
 
Read a marketing book.

Read the bestsellers.

Read in your genre.

Read the blogs that enhance your life personally and professionally.

Repeat.

Stay active on social media.

Social media is about establishing relationships, not selling books. Consider social media a ministry—how can you help your audience with your expertise. Research and develop your social media skills according to your audience’s needs and brand. Be active where your new friends and followers are spending time. Encourage open-ended questions and respond to comments.

Be aware of the outside world.
 
It’s impossible to write to readers’ heartfelt needs if we have no idea what is going on in our community, state, country, and world. Choose awareness. We live in a constantly changing world, unpredictable, and dangerous. Take a daily detour to find out what’s happening around you.

Always deliver the best writing

Writers are dedicated to excellence. Their emails, blog posts, articles, fiction, and nonfiction reflect their dedication to the craft. Professionals never submit sloppy work.

Commit to education

Powerhouse people in all walks of life commit to learning. We never stop filling our minds with our personal and professional lives. When we end the process of studying the craft and the publishing world, we cease to write quality projects.

Seven 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.

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There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon

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