Jennifer Lane Books Blog

Happy August , writers! Join the Insecure Writer's Support Group at Alex Cavanaugh's blog . Thank you to this month's courageous co-hosts: Erika Beebe,   Sandra Hoover,   Susan Gourley,  and  Lee Lowery! I love this month's question: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey? I've faced publication pitfalls galore so I hope that sharing them will help newbie authors avoid them. Here are beliefs that put the pain in publishing: 1) "I've got this writing thing." I thought my debut novel was well-written. It wasn't. WRITING IS A CRAFT. It takes years of developing the craft even to knock on the door of good writing. I feel more confident in my day job after over twenty years of experience, so why did I think I was competent at writing after only a few fledgling years of fan fiction? Fortunately I had the opportunity to re-edit my debut novel seven years later, so at least now I can read it withou...

It's July already and the rain won't stop in Ohio, waah . How can I train for swimming in a triathlon relay when thunder closes my outdoor pool? Time for July's Insecure Writer's Support Group, the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh. Join us HERE . Last week I delivered a presentation to swim campers about ways to build their confidence. I mentioned the technique "fake it till you make it". In other words, if you don't feel confident, sometimes acting confident on the outside can boost confidence on the inside. Head up, shoulders back, add a smile or serene facial expression, and you're good to go. Then I heard about a TED talk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy that takes confident body language a step further. According to Dr. Cuddy, our nonverbals affect how others see us. But can nonverbals affect how we see ourselves? Since I know you're busy and may not have time to watch the 21 minute video (it's worth it if you do have the t...

How do you feel about exercise? Love it? Hate it? Obviously, exercise is great for our physical health . . . but did you know that exercise can work even better than medication for reducing anxiety and depression? I'm one of those strange people that actually enjoys exercise. (If only I enjoyed eating right.) And the main reason I love exercise is the stress relief. Exercise makes me a happy camper. Today, Ken Myers -- President of Morningside Nannies -- is here to tell us more! Mental Health Benefits of Exercise Everyone knows that exercising has great physical benefits for ensuring your own longevity. However, not many realize the mental benefits that can come from regular activity as well. Exercising can do more than build strong muscles as it solidifies a variety of brain functions. There are several ways that your mental acuity can be healthier by exercising regularly. 1. Blood Flow - First, exercising in any form gets your blood pumping...