Lasting Legacies PublishingLasting Legacies Publishing
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
hire book editor
Why You Should Hire a Book Editor
  • 0 comments/
  • March 1, 2018

Do you really need to hire an editor?

Yes.

You’ve probably heard me say it before, but it bears repeating: Every book should be thoroughly edited, and if you plan to sell your book, then it is critical to have it professionally edited.

Yet many people balk at acquiring editor for one of two reasons: either they feel they are competent enough to edit it themselves or they simply don’t see the value of paying for an editor.

Here’s what they’re not taking into consideration.Read More

  • Under : Writing

Life Story
What Exactly Is Life Story, Anyway?
  • 0 comments/
  • February 19, 2018

Although the name itself appears self-explanatory (the story of one’s life), the term “life story” nevertheless evokes many questions from individuals who attend my life story presentations.

For example, what exactly does a life story include? Should you incorporate every last detail of your life, from your birth to the present day? How does life story differ from memoir…or is it the same thing? Where does autobiography fit in?

If you’re reading this article, then you probably have similar questions. Let’s break it down to discover the differences.Read More

  • Under : Writing

Nonfiction Authors It's Time to Get Real
Nonfiction Authors: Let’s Get Real
  • 3 comments/
  • October 19, 2017

Nonfiction Authors: Let’s Get Real – Most authors know that building a platform (an audience) is critical to their success. And in today’s world, that means you have to have an online presence through social media as well as a website and email list.

Yet becoming visible is an uphill battle. We tend to follow every guru we discover, attend as many webinars as possible, and try every tactic known to man.

And before we know it, we’re overwhelmed and confused.

Despite all of this chaos, maybe we’ve begun to attract a small following. Suddenly, we realize that these people think that we are gurus. So, we have to act like one, right?

This often leads us to become prideful. Maybe we do know more about a certain topic than the people on our lists, based on our work experience and length of time in the field.

But the fact is, we don’t know everything.Read More

  • Under : Inspiration & Encouragement , Life Story Collective Blog , Making a Difference , Writing

Piecing Together Content Puzzle
Piecing Together the Content Puzzle: How to Write Your Nonfiction Book
  • 1 comments/
  • August 5, 2017

Writing a book is similar to completing a puzzle. I love puzzles, and growing up, I believed everyone else did, too. After all, everyone in my family looked forward to our annual holiday gatherings, where we often caught up on family news while piecing together a puzzle in the sitting room. But I have since come to realize that many people find puzzles boring, overwhelming or downright frustrating.

The same is true when piecing together the content of a book. I’ve written several books, and I enjoy the challenge of figuring out which piece of information belongs where. But what comes naturally to me, doesn’t necessarily come easily to others.

This was revealed to me recently in a survey I conducted among my subscribers. I assumed that they were struggling with the writing process itself. As it turned out, their biggest challenge was organizing their existing written content.

So, to help those of you who have books stagnating on your desktop because you’re bored or overwhelmed with the process of organizing your content, I’ve put together the following tips:Read More

  • Under : Life Story Collective Blog , Writing

dinner fiasco
What My Dinner Fiasco Taught Me about Writing
  • 0 comments/
  • July 24, 2017

The other night I decided to make something different for dinner. My family had drifted into a summer rut of eating whatever was quickest and most convenient, not necessarily what was actually tasty or healthy. So, I determined to make something from scratch.

After searching through some recipes (yes, I actually looked through the old recipe box, not online), I found two that I thought would fit the bill. One was for the main meat course and the other for a side dish. Both sounded delicious and, most importantly, included ingredients I knew my family members, for the most part, would enjoy. Oh, one or two would prefer the meat over the side dish and vice versa, but at least everyone would appreciate the extra effort of a quality meal.

Or so I thought.

The meat that I thought everyone would love was not a hit with the kids. My fourteen-year-old suffered through it and ate it because he was really hungry (when isn’t he hungry these days?) but my nine-year old wouldn’t touch it.

As for the side dish, let’s just say it got a little overbaked. Some of the noodles became quite crispy, resulting in the unexpected and disturbing sound of crunch, crunch, crunch at intervals around the table.

And to top it all off, the brownies I made for dessert were flat and oily because I forgot to add an egg to the batter. That remains our little secret. My family never asked why the brownies didn’t look – or taste – like regular brownies (maybe they were afraid to ask), so I never shared my faux pas with them.

Needless to say, it was not a dinner I would have wanted to serve a guest.Read More

  • Under : Family , Life Story Collective Blog , Writing

Writers Summer Quandary
A Writer’s Summer Quandary (and 5 things you can do about it)
  • 0 comments/
  • June 28, 2017

Ah, the so-called “lazy days” of summer. I love summertime, especially here along the coast. The beach beckons, the days lengthen and there’s an aura of fun and relaxation.

However, summer also usually means that school is out of session. Thus, for those of us writers with children (or grandchildren) in our homes 24/7, it also means that our established writing routines tend to disappear between June and August.

As an author and book coach, it’s a challenge for me to work at full capacity in the summer. It’s also difficult to not feel a bit guilty no matter what I do. If I spend time working, I’m spending time away from my kids. If I spend time with my kids, I’m not working my business to bring in necessary income.

So I strive to seek balance.Read More

  • Under : Family , Inspiration & Encouragement , Writing

‹ Prev123456Next ›Last »

Let's Connect!

  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Don't Miss Out!

Subscribe to receive Dalene's newsletter and be the first to receive special offers, updates, and opportunities regarding her books and writing services!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined Dalene's subscriber list. Watch your inbox for the next issue!

.
Top Posts

7 Steps to Writing Your Nonfiction Story

5 Ways to Push Past Your Fears and Write Your Story

7 Ways to Write Compelling Content

Write with Purpose, not Pretension

6 Ways to Organize, Restore and Preserve Family Photos

About Dalene


Dalene Bickel is a ghostwriter, biographer, book coach, and speaker who helps aspiring authors successfully write, develop, and self-publish their faith-based books.

Read More
Search
About Dalene


Dalene Bickel is a ghostwriter, biographer, and book coach who helps aspiring authors write and self-publish their faith-based books.

Read More

Connect

  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
Links
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
Privacy Policy• Terms of Service

Copyright Lasting Legacies Publishing LLC 2023. All Rights Reserved

Website Design by Wise Owl Marketing
• Photos of Dalene by Summer Lambert Photography and Nicole Holman Photography