books

How to Finish Writing Your Book — Finally!

If you’re struggling to finish writing your book, you can be sure you’re not alone in this plight.

This summer I finally finished writing my book – a book I’d been working on since 2017.

During the early process of trying to write my book, there were times when I felt the project was literally, physically fighting me. My body was sore. I found bruises and scratches on my skin that I couldn’t explain, and I was always so tired. Jacob wrestled with an angel. I wrestled with words. 

Four years later, the book is complete, and I can’t wait to share it with the world next year.

In case you’re also struggling to finish your work in progress, I want to share with you the three things that I think helped finally complete my manuscript – clarity, commitment, and community.

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3 Ways to Honor Black History Month

Black History Month is here and while Black history is honored all year long at See Jane Write headquarters, I thought February would be a good time to share 3 ways you can honor Black culture, too. 

In the picture above I’m holding my Black History Month TBR stack. And I realized that each of these three books is a great example of something significant we can do this month to support Black women. 

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Tech executive Martha Underwood adds ‘children’s book author’ to her resume

Martha Underwood had always dreamed of writing a children’s book. But as a senior technology executive who leads large software teams, Martha is busy. Really busy.

But Martha has finally made room for her passion for writing to pen a new children’s book series just in time for Christmas.

Parkers’ Elf and Paiyton’s Elf, which feature Black children and Black elves, were inspired by Martha’s sons’ love of Christmas and the challenges they’ve faced dealing with the heaviness of current events. The books help children explore diversity, self-esteem, and emotions all through the magic of Christmas.

The children in the stories are excited about Christmas but worry that their struggles with managing their emotions might ruin their holiday. Fortunately, with the help of a magical elf, the children learn how to communicate their feelings. Parents and teachers will appreciate how the stories guide children through different scenarios to help them conquer fear, deal with disappointment, and manage frustration.

Martha’s series also includes the books Ethan’s Elf and Emma’s Elf.

We had a chat with Martha about her new book series, the importance of diversity in children’s books, and more.

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3 Books Every Freelance Writer Should Read

Stephen King once said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Sometimes, the things we read will help us with the craft of writing. Sometimes we need to read books that will just keep us going. That’s why I return to books like Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg again and again.

Freelance writing, however, is a different kind of animal and requires a different kind of reading.

Here are 3 books I believe every freelance writer should read.

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