I've always been in the habit of writing a chapter and then going back over it and editing all the typos, the structure, etc., before starting a new chapter. 🌟 But I read recently that by doing that, I was disrupting my creativity and that I should just "go with the flow" and write down all of my thoughts and ideas without pausing to look back until the book was finished! 😬 And honestly, I can't imagine writing an entire book without doing any editing. But I figured I'd give it a try. At first, it was torture. But after pushing through for a few writing sessions, I realized, they were right! The plot had greater depth, emotional resonance, and continuity. I've only done it for a couple of chapters, and I'm still struggling to fight the urge. But I feel like it's a great practice to have. 🤔 Has anyone else done this? Or do you edit your chapters after writing?

Facing IT! – The Gravity of Responsibility One of the hardest truths I've had to face is that I cannot help everyone. There are people who need the knowledge I've gained through experience. Sometimes I know exactly what to say or do that could make their journey easier. My willingness has never been the problem. Time has. At first, I felt guilty for saying no. It seemed selfish to protect my schedule when someone else was struggling. But then I started thinking about our solar system. The Sun doesn't chase the planets. It doesn't spend all of its energy warming Mercury because it's the closest, nor does it ignore Neptune because it's the farthest away. Instead, the Sun remains constant. Its gravity holds every planet in its proper place, while its light provides the warmth that makes life possible on Earth. If the Sun abandoned its balance to focus entirely on one planet, the entire solar system would become unstable. Life works much the same way. If I allow every request for help to pull me away from my own responsibilities, eventually I'll lose the very foundation that allows me to help anyone. My work suffers. My family receives less of me. My health declines. The goals I've been called to pursue begin drifting out of orbit. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is remain faithful to the responsibilities already placed in our care. That doesn't mean we stop helping people. It means we help in ways that don't cause everything else to drift apart. The Sun teaches an important lesson: influence doesn't come from chasing everything around you. It comes from remaining steady enough that others can depend on your presence. Facing it means accepting that every "yes" costs something. And every "no" protects something. Wisdom is learning the difference. Not everyone is meant to become the center of your universe. Sometimes your greatest gift is simply remaining strong enough that, when the right moment comes, your light is still there to guide someone home. Want more writing from Bert Russell - Check out his free blogs at the following: www.lakelife4u.com (Written Waves), www.peacefouru.org (Facing IT!), www.h20lifestyles.com (Gravitational Pull), www.peace4allmankind.com (The Ripple Effect) - Peace of MIND. Peace of Your BODY. PEACE within your SOUL. Remember we are all in this together - Education, is the key, Teach is actually the degree. ✌

I've been quite excited about book trailers recently. Has anyone in here created one? Book trailers are such a fun and powerful marketing tool in this digital age. I've been noticing more authors creating long & short video trailers for: • TikTok • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook & some of the really good ones have gotten sales out of me😂 But how great is that? These are novels and authors I would never have heard of otherwise. If you aren't making trailers for your novels, you should start! Has anyone had trailers made for their books? If so, please post them in the community! I'd love to see! Here are a few examples I pulled from YouTube ⬇️