Category: Success

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Where Have I Been?

I was stunned when I realized I hadn’t written a blog for almost 2 months! Yes, I was busy, but … well, instead of making excuses, here are some events that took up my time.

In early April, I received a call from a pastor who needed my help. The church leadership was considering transferring from one denomination to another, and asked me to oversee the project. That took two very busy months in California, but we got it done.

Before leaving Southern California, we attended an air show in Central California … before the fires broke out. Our older son and two of his sons are pilots, and we had a great time.

We then headed east to attend the wedding of one of our grandsons; it was a long drive from California to Ohio.

Returning home in early July, our 9-year-old grandson, Joshua, came to spend two weeks with us. Although his school was out for the summer, he volunteered to use my 24-year-old DELL computer to begin writing a short story about his family trip. Doing quite a bit of internet research, he did very well and it might become a 65-page booklet. I’m proud of him.

And I taught him the basics of playing racquetball! After he and I played very slowly for 45 minutes to teach him and give him experience in the game, he watched a dynamic, hard-hitting game between Michael (our 42-year-old son) and me. Michael normally beats me, but it sure is fun.

I spent the next three weeks getting caught up on my business of formatting books. It was then that I realized I had neglected my blog. So, friends, please forgive me, and I’ll get back on track. And I’ll endeavor to …

Write Creatively.

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Life is Changing for a Lot of People

What’s happening? Approximately 3.7 million young adults are graduating from high school, around 4 million are graduating from college, and about 1.65 million will continue to pursue their masters degree. Oh yes, and about 30% of the American work force will change vocations.

Life is definitely changing!

Another thought to consider: about 80% of our population would like to write a book to record their thoughts, memories, and stories, but only about 3% actually do it. Why only 3%?

It takes time, and many folks feel intimated at what they think is a complex process. But I have good news for you.

Yes, it takes time, but we at P&L Publishing & Literary Services can coach and mentor you in the process. What about the complexity? We at P&L handle that easily and you won’t have to worry about it.

So if you are part of that 80% who would like to write a book, let P&L help you become part of the 3% who are successful. Our award-winning staff will turn your manuscript into a beautiful book that you’ll be proud of.

Contact us at https://plpubandlit.org/ and click on Formatting Services learn more. Then click on the Get in Touch button to start the process, and be sure to …

Write Creatively. (Our editor will help you.)

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The Courage to Fail


An acquaintance allowed me to post his thought on why some folks won’t write.

“Through the years I have noticed a curious phenomenon. People who are experts in literature, who know grammar, who can discuss the intricacies of plotting, characterization, setting, pacing, etc., people who seem to have all the equipment necessary to succeed at writing, rarely try it. Although these people sometimes have PhDs in English and literature, they seem quite content watching hacks like me turn out numerous successful novels. I’m not complaining, you understand, but I have a theory about why this is so. These folks would be satisfied with nothing less than writing a masterpiece, and since they know that is highly unlikely, they write nothing. They are afraid they will fail. On the other hand, I have no ambitions about masterpieces–I just want to write fun books that entertain people and make a living doing it. I want to write the kind of books that I like to read. So I write and the experts read.”

So, dear reader, develop the courage to fail. But remember, the only real failure is one who doesn’t try. So sit down and begin writing that story that’s been on your mind. You will be glad you did. And you will surprise yourself to find that you can …

Write Creatively.

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Tip #1

James A. Michener was a prolific writer, and several of his books became movies, such as South Pacific and Sayonara. Read Mr. Michener’s tips numerous times and let them become part of your thinking.

Tip #1. “The rules seem to be these: if you have written a successful novel, everyone invites you to write short stories. If you have written some good short stories, everyone wants you to write a novel. But nobody wants anything until you have already proved yourself by being published somewhere else.”

In today’s culture, the best place might be to self-publish. One of my clients has published several books through us, P&L Publishing and Literary Services, two of which are selling like hot cakes. She has proven herself – as Michener mentioned – and a major company negotiated with her to write more.

We at P&L Publishing and Literary Services are here to help you achieve your dream. You may contact us through the Get in Touch button found above. So, keep dreaming, and keep writing, but …

Write Creatively.

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Writing Wisdom from James A. Michener

Do you daydream about becoming a famous writer earning a big paycheck from a profusion of royalties? Well, don’t give up on the dream, but I’d like to pass along several tips I’ve gleaned from James A. Michener – author of Hawaii, Texas, Centennial, and many others. I’ll share some of them with you this week, and the first tip will come out tomorrow.

They will not be in an order that Mr. Michener proposed, but in the order they cross my mind. Oh, and don’t think in terms of instant success – that rarely happens. However, the story you want to write is important, but learn to write well so that others will want to read it. Learn to …

Write Creatively.