Skip to main content
Mama Money Bags is just about ready; just putting the finishing touches on it! My sister Korren (www.korrendesign.com) designed the cover and I absolutely love it!


So what goes into writing an e-book? Honestly, patience, stubbornness, and time. Now that I'm here, sitting with my second finished e-book, I keep wondering why I never tried to publish on my own before. I've come up with a few answers.

First, and probably the biggest reason, is because this is the first time in 13 years that all of my kids are in school full-day; it's also the first time I am a part-time employee (70%) instead of a full-time one without kids around all day. I do miss them, but summer is coming soon.

Second, my coworker (also an author of e-books) said to not start another project before you finish the first one. That single piece of advice helped me so much! I am always starting and stopping some project or another. Even though I have the beginning of my next book laid out in my head, I haven't typed a single word yet. I'm excited to get started on it though.

Third, Mama Money Bags took a very long time. I came up with the title and idea probably over three years ago in the shower one morning. I began a blog that night after work and never did anything with it--it's actually this very blog.

I began writing the e-book last spring after some work changes that worried me; it ended up all working out though. I wrote versions 1 and 2 that spring; it sat all summer. Version 3 was around the fall, while version 4 was done over a weekend spent at a Girl Scout Camporee in January. It was 0F degrees outside--too cold to go outside much--and I wrote away all weekend on my clipboard. After that, it moved much quicker, however, I'm positive that version 5 sat on my counter for a month.

Plus, I finally figured out that I could dedicate an hour and a half to just writing if I got up with my older two kids before getting my youngest kid up for school.


There you have it! About a ream of paper with notes and comments and highlights galore. I guess all that I'm saying is that a big project happens over time, sort of like saving money. You won't fill your Mama Money Bags overnight, and I didn't write a book overnight. It takes dedication, it takes commitment. Stick with it, though, and you'll reach your goal. I did!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Just like almost every other woman I know, Target's red bull's eye draws me in. I've been trying to resist lately and just not go--to cut down on my spending--but it still feels like a home away from home. The red carts, the bright white floors. I can see it now... But what I love the most is the 90% off clearance that happens after most holidays or big occasions (typically Valentine's Day, Easter, summer/school, Halloween, and Christmas). I usually go with a cart--the only time I use a cart--and peruse the aisles, putting in things I'm interested in. Then, I scan to check the price before deciding what to buy. The past couple years, I've also followed All Things Target on Facebook to find hidden items included in the clearance. Like this table I picked up after Christmas one year for $9... Or this one for $8... They aren't even holiday-themed and we use them all year round! Just another way to fill your Mama Money Bags !
You know that saying, "There's no such thing as a free lunch?" It's wrong! Read  Mama Money Bags  to find out why. On Tuesday, July 10, you can eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner for free (well, the entree at least!). All you need to do is wear something cow-themed. Since my family has been going to Cow Appreciation Day for at least a decade, we have an entire bag of goodies set aside for the big day. Here's my kids from a couple years ago. The visors are handmade--I drew on cow faces after turning over free visors we got who knows where. The necklaces are just stuffed cows held together by rubber bands, and another is pinned to my son's hat. And my youngest is wearing a swimming cover-up with black spots taped to it. I've seen some amazing cow costumes over the years, but since I don't want to buy things we rarely use, we make do with creating our own. I even have a shirt with a cow on the back that I wear on Cow Appreciation Day year...
I thought it might be helpful to talk about no-buy months. It's discussed in detail in Mama Money Bags , but in case you didn't get a chance to read it, or just want to learn more, here's a brief synopsis. The first step is to: Think before you buy. Do you need to buy that item or will something at home be almost just as good? Did you check your stockpile? Have you used up all those tiny shampoo bottles squirreled away from your last vacation? Is there a cheaper option? Instead of getting take-out for dinner, do you have something you can make quick at home? I usually try to not spend for three to four days during the week. It's easier than it sounds, as long as you have your stockpile--items you bought beforehand on sale or steeply discounted--to back you up. For no-buy months, I do not include bills, doctor's appointments, or gas. I do include food shopping and all "stuff." It helps to plan out your week a little, too. I went food shopping on Mo...