Christina Katz is the author of three books from Writer’s Digest: The Writer’s Workout, Get Known Before the Book Deal, and Writer Mama. Her writing career tips and parenting advice appear regularly in national, regional, and online publications. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago and a BA in English from Dartmouth College.
A popular speaker on creative career growth, Christina presents for writing conferences, literary events, MFA writing programs, and libraries. She is the creator and host of the Northwest Author Series in Wilsonville, Oregon, where she lives with her husband, her daughter, and far too many pets.
Christina, Welcome to Writers in Business! Tell us about your new book, The Writer’s Workout.
The Writer’s Workout contains 366 ideas—one idea per day—intended to encourage writers into prosperous action. It reviews critical skills for every writer such as improving craft, learning to sell work, how and when to specialize, ways to keep learning and growing, self-promotion from the basics through advanced topics, and how to balance traditional publication with self-publication.
How is The Writer’s Workout different from other writing books already out there?
One thing that makes The Writer’s Workout unique is that the rise and fall of the how-to curve is set against the backdrop of the seasons of the year. The seasonal backdrop helped me deliver advice for writers on four levels: beginner, intermediate, seasoned pro, and veteran—each paralleling a season: spring, summer, fall, or winter. The result, I hope, is one idea every day that will help writers find and maintain literary momentum all year long in these highly distracted times.
Some people say these are tough times for writers. Others say there are opportunities around every corner. What do you say?
I say we are living in a gig economy, where professionals are stringing freelance jobs together into creative careers. We’re all doing the best we can, finding and maintaining our momentum. Not only can The Writer’s Workout assist folks who are just getting started supplementing their income with writing, it can help people who have already been writing professionally recognize that there are more opportunities to build income streams writing than any of us have realized. And then it’s just a matter of choosing the goals that will best suit your goals.
I understand The Writer’s Workout originally had a different title. What was the original title?
The Writer’s Workout actually had three previous titles. I’ll share them if folks, who have read the book, will tell me which they think is the best match with the final version.
1. The first title was: Read. Write. Grow.
2. The second title was: The Everyday Writing Coach.
3. The third title was: The Anyday Writing Coach.
4. And the fourth and final title was: The Writer’s Workout.
Personally, I prefer The Writer’s Workout. But what does everyone else think?
Any final comments you would like to make in closing?
At the end of the day, it does not matter if you are self-published or traditionally published, blogging or not blogging, a book-sniffer or a digital diva, a social media maven or a social media deer-in-the-headlights—what matters is that you cultivate the creativity that wants to be expressed through you. That’s your job. Go do it!
Wonderful advice! Thank you Christina! To learn more about her writing visit, ChristinaKatz.com.
