Category Archives: Guest Posts

Finding Inspiration Across the Pond (Guest Post)

Finding Inspiration Across the Pond

by Steph Beth Nickel

My European Adventure is scheduled for the last three weeks of September 2024. When this is posted, I will have completed two of those three weeks and will, hopefully, have a plethora of ideas to inspire my writing. (July 29, 2024)

Writers find inspiration everywhere. From a snippet of overheard conversation to an unusual name printed on a souvenir. From a randomly asked question to a humorous meme on social media. From a crumbling castle to an erupting volcano.

Old stone castle and bridge in Scotland, green mountain background. — Image by Andreas Senftleben from Pixabay

As writers, it’s important to make note of those things that inspire us, things we want to include in our writing—at least at some point.

Although she asked the question well over a decade ago, I will never forget an older friend of mine asking my son, who was wearing army boots at least three sizes too big for him, “Hey, boots, where are you taking that boy?” Absolutely priceless!

I think P. J. Bottoms would make the perfect name for a fictional middle grade student who solves mysteries. But since there’s a children’s book author by that name (a pseudonym, I presume), I may shelf the idea.

And my daughter’s answer to a long-forgotten question is the title of one of the picture books I’d like to publish.

While adventuring in Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland, I know I will have gained more ideas than I can possibly include in my writing.

Just how will I have captured at least some of those ideas?

Before I left—or maybe on the plane, winging my way across the Atlantic—using either my computer or pen and paper, I will have brainstormed possible writing projects I can complete in the future.

I purchased a Novel from Nothing journal that I may begin to fill in should a story begin to gel. Familiarizing myself with the contents of the journal before I leave will have given me ideas to mull over.

An empty journal and a stash of pens will likely have found their way into my luggage as well—for all those other ideas that are bound to bombard me in the best possible way.

At the time of writing this post, I hadn’t decided whether or not to take my digital camera with me or rely exclusively on my iPhone and camcorder, complete with eternal mic, to capture the landscape, the architecture, and the natural phenomena that will provide an abundance of writing inspiration.

Waterfalls and rocky cliffs in Iceland. — Image by Herm from Pixabay

Cameras. Physical or digital journals. Camcorders. Guided journals. The IOS Notes app. I will likely have used all of these to capture the countless things I won’t want to forget—things that may serve as inspiration for current and future writing projects.

While My European Adventure will be something I never forget and something that will fuel my writing for years to come, there will be inspiration all around no matter where I find myself. It’s important to keep my eyes, ears, and heart open during My Everyday Adventures as well.

Where do you find your writing inspiration and how to you ensure that you keep track of it?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Virtual Brainstorming (Guest Post)

1 Reply

Computer monitor with a stream of bright colours leading into it and out the far side. — Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Virtual Brainstorming

by Steph Beth Nickel

Not long ago, I probably wouldn’t have given much thought to using generative AI as a brainstorming partner. Then, a Christian couple I highly respect shared how they are using it to greatly increase the efficiency of their business. As an author, Kathi would never put her name to something generated by AI, but she does use it to brainstorm possible titles for her podcast episodes and to compile the transcript. Saving time and inspiring ideas . . . I’m all for it!

While a trip to Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland is bound to provide a plethora of inspiration for endless writing projects, I decided to brainstorm some ideas before boarding the plane on September 10, 2024, to get my creative juices flowing.

My brainstorming partner? Anthropic’s Claude AI.

Regarding my upcoming trip to Europe, I asked it the following questions:

What writing topics could be inspired by a trip to Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland? (And yes, I did use proper punctuation, grammar, and spelling. It’s what I do.)
What influence has evangelical Christianity had on Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland?
Give me picture book ideas for books set in Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland.
Give me ideas for cozy mysteries set in Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland.
Give me ideas for fantasy books set in Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland.

Will I use any of the ideas “as is”? No.

Will I draw inspiration from Claude’s answers? Absolutely.

Did the answers serve as a “priming of the pump” as it were? Absolutely. Especially the ideas for picture books, which quickly got my mind in gear as well as my daughter’s. She’s an illustrator and could immediately imagine pictures to go along with the suggestions even though Claude included only a suggested title and a single sentence summary.

What would take me hours to research, Claude AI did in seconds.

Would I ever include the information the program provides without further research? I wouldn’t. But, as writers, we all know that using a single source of information is never a good idea. This has always been how misinformation and “fake news” spread so quickly.

As writers, we know the importance of developing good research skills. To me, generative AI can serve as one source of that information, one source that draws from numerous others in a fraction of the time it would take me to do the same.

Asking Claude AI these questions cleared the cobwebs and has provided a great springboard for potential writing projects. I feel significantly better equipped to create a more focussed game plan for the type of further inspiration to look forward on my European Adventure.

Plus, Claude provided a list of things to pack, which will help me make sure I don’t forget anything—after I asked for the list of course. Bonus!

Note: While programs such as Grammarly and ProWriting Aid are technically AI, when most people use the term, they are referring to generative AI programs such as ChatGPT, Claude AI, and others. While there are serious concerns as to how generative AI is being used, it has several ethical, timesaving applications as well. Used wisely, it can be a helpful addition to the writer’s toolbox. If you have been hesitant to give it a try, you may want to dabble as I have. The free option is great and will likely be all I use for quite a while.

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Scheduling Ideas for Non-Schedulers (Guest Post)

Scheduling Ideas for Non-Schedulers

by Steph Beth Nickel

One of the biggest plusses of freelancing is the opportunity to set a flexible schedule.

And one of the biggest challenges of freelancing is the opportunity to set a flexible schedule.

Even when I worked outside the home, I especially enjoyed jobs without a rigid schedule.

If you regularly set specific days and times to accomplish each tasks—and stick with your schedule—some of the following tips may seem self-explanatory and others ill-advised.

But for those of us who prefer to see each day as a brand new, somewhat unpredictable adventure, here are some thoughts:

Make a list of all the tasks you want to accomplish during the day or the week. (Make note of any deadlines, especially those that are externally imposed. It can also be good to set a reasonable deadline for other tasks, especially those you tend to put off. This one I’m learning from experience.)
Make note of those things on your list that have specified times (i.e., doctor’s appointments, coffee dates, birthday parties, etc.)
Divide the remainder of the items into three categories, something like Yes!, Important, and Would Be Nice.
Determine how best to accomplish everything on the first two lists and maybe one or two things from the third.
Instead of setting a specific time to accomplish a task, determine if you will do so in the morning, the afternoon, or evening. (Be sure to be honest with yourself. I often leave things until the evening and then flame out on the couch.)
Learn to be content with the fact that there will be days that you have to move things to another day—even things that were on your Yes! and Important lists.
Remember that taking care of your health will help you accomplish things more quickly and efficiently. (When we understand this, we realize we actually don’t have time to neglect physical activity and healthy eating.)
Finding the rhythm that works best for you will likely take trial and error. You may want to experiment using a timed planner. You may be surprised at how well it works for you, even if you do identify as a Non-Scheduler.
Don’t try to work on every area at once. (I’m speaking to myself here.) Better to implement changes little by little whenever possible. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits suggests breaking down goals into habits that take two minutes—TWO MINUTES—to accomplish. The more you implement and then add to those two-minute goals, the more you’ll see progress as you move toward creating an achievable Action Plan (aka your To-Do List).

I’d love to hear your suggestions for scheduling and achieving tasks.

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Be Brave (Guest Post)

1 Reply

Be Brave

by Steph Beth Nickel

If you were to write a list of traits you felt were indispensable for a writer, would bravery make the list?

Have you ever considered how brave an individual must be to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, organize their thoughts, and then send them out into the world?

Even after the writing has been reviewed by a writer’s peers and one or more professional editors, it may receive hurtful criticism, misinterpretation, dismissal.

But let’s back up a little and identify steps along the journey to publication (and beyond) when a writer has to be brave . . .

To identify oneself as a writer requires bravery—even when looking in the mirror. (Psst! If you put your thoughts on paper—physical or virtual—you’re a writer.)

To ask for someone’s impression of your writing requires bravery—even if the other person is typically super supportive.

To take a deep breath and actually ask someone to critique your work in detail . . . Now, that takes an extra measure of bravery.

If a writer has a full-length manuscript and they want to get honest feedback, it takes bravery to recruit beta readers and then actually send them the work. The writer has likely worked and reworked it—perhaps several times—but it can still be unnerving to actually ask for another’s honest opinion. Yet another time a writer must be brave.

If a writer is pursuing a traditional deal, they must be brave enough to approach agents. (Almost every traditional publisher requires submissions be made by agents, not authors.) And then there are the revisions—sometimes several rounds of them. It takes bravery every step of the way.

And what about the writer who is self-publishing their book? On one hand, it may seem easy enough. Write. Format. Upload. Hit “Publish.” However, there are countless self-published authors whose books you could not distinguish from their traditionally published counterparts. To get a manuscript to that point takes bravery every step of the way: from writing and revising the work to getting input from peers and pros, from learning how to prepare the manuscript for publication to <take a deep breath> hitting “Publish.” (And we won’t even talk about the marketing, asking for reviews, starting a newsletter, etc., etc., etc.)

From blog posts to social media posts, from magazine articles to fiction series . . . Whatever you write, you need to be brave.

How are you going to be brave today?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Awesome Opportunities (Guest Post)

Awesome Opportunities

By Steph Beth Nickel

A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by one of the teachers who attends our church. Her goal? To see if I would be willing to speak to her Gr. 7/8 class about publishing a book—since one of their current assignments is to write books for the Kindergarten students.

I was over the moon!

Because she offered me an entire period (or two), I decided to walk the students through the entire process and called it “From Book Idea to Bookstore.”

When I sent Paula the outline, she was thrilled. <happy dance>

Was I looking for opportunities to speak? Nope! (Although I do love speaking to groups about things I’m passionate about.)

Did God open doors because of who I am, where I attend church, and what I do? He did.

And He can do the same for you. Isn’t that incredible?

Before we accept an opportunity, it’s important to ask ourselves a series of questions—even when our first impulse is to jump up and down (possibly metaphorically) and say, “Yes. Yes! YES!”

Here are six questions we can ask ourselves when it comes to discerning if the time is right to say yes to an opportunity that comes our way:

Do I have time to take this on and do it well? Do I REALLY have the time?
Why am I considering taking on this new opportunity? Is it something that excites me? Do I feel called to say yes? Am I doing it because I’m flattered to have been asked? (If your answer to the third option is “yeah, I think that’s it,” know that it’s okay to simply say, “Thank you so much for asking, but I’m unable to take on this task.” If you believe this is the right answer for you, be willing to respectfully but confidently stand your ground.)
What am I willing to set aside in order to take on this opportunity? (Sleep, regular physical activity, time with family and friends, etc. are not likely what we should set aside—at least not for any significant length of time.)
Will my other responsibilities suffer?
Will the excitement wear off and leave me feeling overwhelmed? (Even though I love to spin “all the plates,” recent feelings of overwhelm have me examining what I will be setting aside and what I will be continuing to do in the days ahead.)
Before giving my answer, have I prayed about it and sought wise counsel from someone I trust?

There are far more questions you could ask yourself before taking on a new opportunity, and I’d love to hear some of yours.

But . . .

When that awesome opportunity comes your way that you’re fairly certain / absolutely certain you should say yes to . . .

GO FOR IT!

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Creating White Space (Guest Post)

1 Reply

Open day planner with red ribbon marker and fountain pen. — Image by Sophie Janotta from Pixabay

Creating White Space

by Steph Beth Nickel

How do you feel when you open a book and see a solid page of text with virtually no white space?

More importantly…

How do you feel when you open your schedule and see virtually no white space?

Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about it?

What can you do to overcome the overwhelm and avoid burnout?

Here are eight suggestions:

As a Christian, prayer is always the best place to begin.
Divide your To-Do List into three categories. The three I use are Yes!, Maybe, and Would Be Nice. Be careful how many things you list in your Yes! column. I would highly recommend adding Downtime (in ink) to your Yes! column every day. Go for a walk. Read a book. Listen to a podcast. Don’t let things you’ve always wanted to do end up in the Would Be Nice column week after week.
Take a look at your Procrastination List. Offload any of the responsibilities you can’t realistically accomplish in the near future. Add (and complete) at least one remaining item to each week’s schedule until the list is cleared. When I cross something off my Procrastination List, it feels as rewarding as crossing ten things off my everyday list and energizes me to get back to the day-to-day.
When creating your To-Do List, be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you have the luxury of creating your own schedule and you have more energy in the morning, complete the tasks that require extra energy and brain power before lunch whenever possible.
Remember that no is not a bad word. We’ve all been in situations when someone asked us to do something that would only take an hour or two, but it felt like the proverbial straw that would break the camel’s back. It’s okay to decline. I know this is true, but I’m still learning to apply said truth.
When asked to take on a responsibility that you would really like to accept, ask yourself what you can remove from your schedule instead of trying to shoehorn in the new task.
Make use of the Auto Responder on your email and let people know that you will be incommunicado when you’re on vacation. Resist the temptation to check in. True Confession: While I love making IRL (in real life) connections, my phone has become this extravert’s connection to the outside world, and I have to be extremely disciplined when it comes to setting it aside.
As you get older, it will likely become evident that you can’t accomplish everything you dream of. While this can be discouraging, it can also help us determine our highest priorities and create a To-Do List that mainly includes those things we would regret not accomplishing. For example, those dishes really can wait until morning. Playing a game with your family, meeting an old friend for coffee, or sitting down to work on that book you want to publish are likely more important.

Create white space in your schedule—and guard it diligently.

Take it from someone who, for the most part, loves to spin “all the plates”…

Sometimes it’s best to tuck the majority of those plates in the cupboard—at least for now.

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Stepping Back (Guest Post)

1 Reply

Pink blossoms on a tree, in front of a white house. — Photo credit: Steph Beth Nickel

Stepping Back

by Steph Beth Nickel

Good Friday … the perfect day to step back from the everyday.

Not simply a day off work, but a day to focus once again on what the Lord did for us approximately 2,000 years ago.

As Christians, this reality is the basis for all we believe. For all we do. At least it should be.

While attending a Good Friday service and fellowshipping at a church potluck may be on our agenda, more importantly, this is the perfect day to practice some less common Christian disciplines. Not that potlucks are a Christian discipline, but you know what I mean.

It’s a perfect day to explore silence.

Excuse me for a few moments while I “preach” to myself.

Between my To-Do lists, social media, audiobooks, podcasts, TV shows, etc., etc., etc., I rarely experience silence / stillness of any kind. And most of that is my own doing.

Today, I may do one or more of the following. Perhaps you’d like to do the same.

1. Set aside my To-Do lists. Those everyday tasks can wait.

2. Go for a walk on my own and listen to the sounds of creation. No earbuds allowed.

3. Take my camera along on my walk and snap pics of the beauty all around me, evidence of God’s creativity and so many other aspects of His character.

Lilac blossom, purple with white. — Photo credit: Steph Beth Nickel

Purple-pink blossoms on a tree. — Photo credit: Steph Beth Nickel

4. Ramble until I stumble upon truth in my journal. I haven’t done this in a very long time.

5. Meditate on God’s Word by leaning back, opening the One-Minute Pause app, closing my eyes, and drinking in the recorded truths.

6. Read a chapter in Emily P. Freeman’s How to Walk into a Room and listen to one or more corresponding blessings available on the Quiet Collection app.

7. Memorize one of more Bible verses that pertain to this pivotal weekend.

8. Fill our home with praise and worship music. Thank you, Prime Music.

Which of these inspire you to step back from your everyday?

Which ideas would you add to the list?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

You Learn Something New Every Day (Guest Post)

1 Reply

You Learn Something New Every Day

By Steph Beth Nickel

When you stumble across information you didn’t know previously, do you find yourself saying, “You learn something new every day”?

We cannot, however, hope to stumble across the facts and insights we need simply by chance. It’s important to develop a reliable system to expand our knowledge base.

Here are nine of my favourite ways to learn new things:

Read both fiction and nonfiction (audiobooks, ebooks, physical books).

Many people think there is little to nothing to be learned from fiction. Years ago, the Lord held up a mirror in the form of the female protagonist in a series I was reading, and I saw myself. And let’s just say the traits I related to were not particularly admirable. This reinforced my desire to mature and become less selfish and more like our Saviour—and that is a very good thing to learn.

Listen to podcasts.

There are podcasts about pretty much any topic you can imagine. It’s easy to learn something new every day by listening to those that interest you.

Participate in social media communities.

In most cases, we get the most out of the social media communities we belong to by actively participating and getting to know our fellow group members. We can learn from the group’s host and from one another.

Host FB groups.

You may start a Facebook group on a topic that interests you with the objective of sharing your insights with others. And while you’re doing so, you’re likely to learn from those who join your group as well.

Prepare and post short videos online.

Creating even short videos has taught me so much: how to create an event in my FB group, how to be comfortable online, how to be more succinct (trust me, I can ramble even when “talking to myself”), how to set aside perfectionism (as long as we’re providing educational and/or entertaining videos, most people don’t care if we’ve put on make up and have a picture perfect background or if we stumble over the occasional word)… The more videos I post, the more I enjoy doing so.

Teach children and youth.

Most of us likely realize the best way to get a firm grasp on lessons we’ve learned in the past is to prepare to teach them to others. I regularly teach the 2s and 3s at church, and even revisiting extremely familiar stories is a great way to marvel at them once again. And teaching the youth this month has been a real joy.

Journal my thoughts, something I call “rambling until I stumble across truth.”

No one ever has to read our journals, making them a safe place to work through the tangle of thoughts racing around in our head. Sometimes (often) I surprise myself with my own words.

Spend time in person and online with insightful people.

While we do learn things in unexpected ways from unexpected sources, we must be deliberate when it comes to discovering the specific information we need. While we must be careful whose advice we follow, there are numerous ways to ascertain if what worked for others will work for us. And when we find reliable sources of helpful info, we’re going to want to keep learning from these individuals.

Grab a coffee with a friend.

Even when we get together with a friend or family member simply to catch up, we often gain new insights and come away encouraged. Hopefully, others feel the same after they spend time with us as well.

What’s one of your favourite ways to learn something new?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Prioritizing Your Goals (Guest Post)

1 Reply

Prioritizing Your Goals

by Steph Beth Nickel

Now that January is drawing to a close, you’re likely reconsidering the goals you made at the end of 2023 or the beginning of this year. I know I am.

Instead of giving up entirely on those goals we haven’t yet achieved, it may be time to prioritize them. Of course, there may be those we have to set aside, but the answer could be to 1) categorize them, 2) prioritize them, and 3) choose one small step toward each goal we want to achieve.

I have goals in the following categories. You may too. I have prioritized them, although they are all important.

Spiritual
Physical
Emotional
Relational
Financial

I also have goals that don’t necessarily fall neatly into one of these categories. For example, some of my writing will allow me to earn money, but not all of it will. To an extent, my volunteer responsibilities fall into the spiritual, emotional, and relational categories—and, indirectly, into the fifth category as well.

I very much enjoy Emily P. Freeman’s The Next Right Thing podcast and journal. These resources, among others, have helped me to break down big goals into smaller, more achievable ones.

As a Christian, my ultimate spiritual goal is to become more Christlike. For the first time in a long time, I’ve committed to making my way through the entire Bible this year (I am incredibly thankful for the audio versions of the Bible). Another goal is to use a prayer journal 5-7 times per week. (Thanks to Tracy Krauss, who created the Thirty Days of Targeted Prayer journal. I use it daily.)

I have yet to begin exercising, but doing so 3-5 times per week is my #1 goal in the second category. The odd thing is that I actually enjoy exercising. I just have to get started.

As an extravert, it’s important for me to spend time with friends and family. These times of connecting build me up both emotionally and relationally. Something as simple as watching a TV show with my hubby in the evening brightens my day. (Listening to audiobooks and podcasts also makes me feel connected to others.)

My hubby will be retiring at the end of the year. Therefore, it’s important that I continue to bring in funds so we won’t notice the loss of income as dramatically. This means taking on writing and editing jobs that come my way and completing the two books I’m currently working on so I can get them into the world.

These are my current goals and the steps I’m taking toward achieving them. Please note: Some days I spend more time vegging and watching YouTube videos than I do working toward my goals. I am definitely a work in progress. I’m far better at creating a list of goals than actually achieving them.

How about you? Have you prioritized your 2024 goals? What one step are you taking to achieve your top goal?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Replacing Resolutions (Guest Post)

5 Replies

Replacing Resolutions

by Steph Beth Nickel

We’ve all heard the statistics at how short-lived New Year’s Resolutions are.

This year let’s try something different.

Let’s decide what we want to achieve by this time in 2024. Remember to be kind to yourself and set realistic goals.

Here are six of my goals:

Complete Paralympian Deb Willows’s second memoir.
Write and self-publish a novel.
Work with my editing clients.
Fulfill my responsibilities as the editor of FellowScript.
Fulfill my responsibilities as one of Kathi Lipp’s interns.
Get healthier.

To achieve our goals, we must break them down into small, achievable steps and set a flexible date to complete each step. Flexible because we will inevitably have to reschedule some of our goals.

Here is an example of steps I could take to accomplish the goals listed above:

Deb’s Book

Work on the book at least three times per week until it’s ready to submit to the publisher.

YA Novel

Complete the novel.
Get input from alpha readers.
Complete rewrite.
Have manuscript edited.
Buy book cover.
Have manuscript formatted.
Research how to upload the book to a single distributor or multiple distributors.
Upload the manuscript to distributor or aggregator.
Get the word out.

I have chosen not to date these tasks, but I have listed them in the order I intend to complete this project. Of course, there will likely be some overlap.

Editing Clients

Work on editing clients’ projects five times per week.

FS Responsibilities

Proofread submissions as they come in from the Columns and Acquisitions Editors.
Pass them along to the Design and Layout Editor.
Finalize the magazine.
Train a new editor.

FellowScript is a quarterly magazine. So, I cycle through these responsibilities four times per year—except the last one of course.

KL Intern Responsibilities

Keep up with ongoing responsibilities.

Get Healthier

Exercise 3-5x/week from January through December.
Drink more water from February through December.
Eat more fruit and veggies from March through December.
Limit desserts and sugary drinks from April through December.

While I may incorporate the listed goals before the stated start date, it’s best not to try to incorporate everything at once.

Setting fixed deadlines may be best for some people. I, on the other hand, function better if I have flexible deadlines for the majority of the things I have on the go. That way the fixed deadlines I have don’t seem as overwhelming. Plus, there is more margin for day-to-day tasks and those unexpected situations that are sure to pop up.

What are some of your goals for the coming year? Have you broken them down into doable steps? Do you work better with fixed or flexible deadlines?

Photo credit: Jaime Mellor Photography

If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.

You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.

You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.

Janet Sketchley

Writing Christian Mysteries & Suspense

Category Archives: Guest Posts

Finding Inspiration Across the Pond (Guest Post)

Finding Inspiration Across the Pond

by Steph Beth Nickel

Virtual Brainstorming (Guest Post)

Virtual Brainstorming

by Steph Beth Nickel

Scheduling Ideas for Non-Schedulers (Guest Post)

Scheduling Ideas for Non-Schedulers

by Steph Beth Nickel

Be Brave (Guest Post)

Be Brave

by Steph Beth Nickel

Awesome Opportunities (Guest Post)

Awesome Opportunities

By Steph Beth Nickel

Creating White Space (Guest Post)

Creating White Space

by Steph Beth Nickel

Stepping Back (Guest Post)

Stepping Back

by Steph Beth Nickel

You Learn Something New Every Day (Guest Post)

You Learn Something New Every Day

By Steph Beth Nickel

Prioritizing Your Goals (Guest Post)

Prioritizing Your Goals

by Steph Beth Nickel

Replacing Resolutions (Guest Post)

Replacing Resolutions

by Steph Beth Nickel