So I've Decided To Write a Blog Series

I read motivational and self-help books. I love Jen Sincero's Badass books, and I'm currently reading Rachel Hollis's Girl, Wash Your Face, about the lies we tell ourselves and how to stop. The one thing these books emphasize is how the only one who is really getting in the way of our dreams and our progress is the person looking in the mirror. Yep, ourselves. Myself!

This is so true for me. I always feel like I'm on the brink of doing something great. I feel like I have a pretty good brain, a desire to be successful, the will to work on my craft and improve my writing to a professional level, and enough ideas to last me until I'm dead. But there's this inner voice that constantly nags at me:

You can't do it.
That's a stupid idea.
You don't have time.

Etc., etc., etc.

But lately, thanks to the Badass books and just trying to stick to my word of the year, GROW, I've decided that I'm starting something on my Editor-911 site on Sunday or Monday that I've been kicking around for years--a series of blog posts (that might become a book) titled something like:

How NOT to Become a Famous Author

or

How to Stay Unknown and Make No Money as a Published Author

or 

How to Be Unsuccessful as a Published Author

Now this might sound crazy to you. But I often wonder about the DUMMIES idea guy and how he went to his publisher and said something like, "I suggest we publish books with DUMMIES in the title, which is actually calling the readers, DUMMIES. These books will become household items. We'll have all sorts of titles."

I'm sure he was laughed out of a couple of offices. But...well, I'm sure you've seen the yellow and black books. It was a success. People loved it. These books are funny and useful and make you feel smart, actually.

So in my career as a published author, I feel like I've done just about everything wrong that you could. So although I hope my idea is funny and makes people laugh, it will also have some real lessons for writers to learn and to help writers get published and market their books successfully. These posts will be like: here are all the mistakes I made. Now, don't do this, and you will be successful.

Why am I writing about this on The Muffin if I haven't started yet? Because I want to make myself do it. If I write this promise on here, I will, I swear, I will start this series, and am REALLY trying to write one post a week. Because I'm a badass, and I'm done lying to myself that I can't do things that other writers successfully do, such as blog a book and follow through on good ideas.

So...what have you been putting off and not doing because you didn't believe in yourself? Let us know in the comments below, so we can encourage you to stop putting yourself down and start living your dream.

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, and writing coach, living in St. Louis, MO, with her 8-year-old daughter. She has three published books for kids and teens and teaches writing and marketing classes for WOW! Check out more about Margo here.