How MLMs manipulate you into being their real customer — There are the MLMs that expect you to carry inventory and those that will tell you it isn’t necessary or it's even prohibited. I’ve been in both. Mary Kay, the company that expects you to have inventory has an adage that they probably still use today: you can’t sell from…

What will MLM directors do to make sure you reach sales quotas? — Fifteen years ago I thought I would be able to make some extra money through MLMs. This was when social media was brand new and not a staple of our lives. I was coming off a difficult year in my life and needed to bring in part-time money from part-time…

But it wasn’t like I was entirely to blame. — These days I’m firmly in the Anti-MLM camp, but that wasn’t always the case. I was a consultant for two different MLM companies and one that I joined twice. Multi-level Marketing companies, direct sales, network marketing, or whatever you want to call them. They’ve always been part of my life…

I fail all the time but learn how I use WOOP goals to set better goals — I’m not a plant person. I know this about myself. I will kill plants. Since it can’t tell me it’s hungry, I will forget about it. Don’t try to tell me how easy it is and all plants need is water. I’m speaking from experience — I killed bamboo. I…

How does budget impact my publishing schedule? — Each year I give myself a budget of $5,000 to publish my books. I’ve never made that money back. Even now, I’ve not paid myself back for my first year’s budget. I’m working to make that change but I set this budget based on what I do make, what I…

Learning to assess my risks and plan around them helped me get over my fear. — There are so many risks when you self-publish your books. Many people think of specific issues like not getting into bookstores, doing all the work themselves, and not being able to afford to self-publish. While these are important risks to consider, they aren’t the only ones. …

How do I manage the project of my first draft? — This November I will write the first draft of the seventh book in my 21st Century Austen series. I’m still editing the fifth and it won’t be released until 2022. That’s good. I always have books in different stages of development. …

My six tips on how to plan your timeline like a project manager — I’m not a fast writer or publisher. Over the years, I’ve slowed down my process to make sure the book is where I want it to be before I publish it. I don’t agonize over every sentence, to make sure it’s perfect. Years of National Novel Writing Month have taught…

Shift your thinking away from the creative work and into managing a project. — Writing is a creative experience. I’m a plantser — I fly by the seat of my pants and I plan my books. I know where I want to go, some major moments along the way, but I tend to follow the direction the story takes me. When the creative process…