Trying to become a good writer is hard enough.
Trying to build a writing life that feels balanced, rewarding, and fulfilling is an entirely new level of difficult.
If you don’t know how to navigate this journey…
Self-doubt will stop you.
Back pain, hip pain, wrist pain and fatigue will slow you down.
Discouragement will be your permanent companion.
Success will seem forever out of reach.
You’ll burn out and quit.
You’ll never make your writing dreams come true.
And that will lead you to feel like a failure.
I don’t want that for you.
Step 1: Establish a productive, consistent writing practice.
Make real progress!
Overcome procrastination and learn how to fit writing into your busy life.
Step 2: Discover your unique writing and marketing niche.
How to stand out?
Find a unique way to market yourself and your work to the world.
Step 3: Find out if writing is right for your life.
Make the decision!
Decide once and for all if writing is part of your life’s purpose. Never look back.
I want to help you!
I’m Colleen M. Story, novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker living in the great Northwest. I have 6 award-winning books on the market with another novel on the way.
But things weren’t always so great.
It took me over 15 years to get my first traditional publishing contract. During that time, I suffered just about every malady a writer can experience: self-doubt, discouragement, and piles of rejections. In the midst of it all, because I was spending so many hours at the computer, I injured myself and struggled with back pain so severe I had to work from the floor for two months.
I know what it’s like to want the writing dream so bad you can taste it, but to feel like you’ll never get there.
That’s why I created Writing and Wellness—to help others manage the journey better than I did. Join our list of subscribers now to gain access to free information and inspiration that will instantly make your writing life better. You’ll also have the option to take advantage of writing coaching, manuscript assessments, and more to elevate your career.
Isn’t it time you felt motivated and hopeful about where you’re going? I’d be happy to help.
Testimonials
“Colleen Story has the rare ability to show creative people how they can maximize their efforts, and does so with enthusiasm, charm and effective hands-on techniques."
~Lance Thompson, Script Doctor, Ghostwriter
“What adjectives does one use to describe Colleen Story? Positive, prepared and professional come to mind. Colleen...inspired each of us to personify peak performance!"
~Tim Lewis, West Texas Writers’ Academy
“Colleen’s positive energy and enthusiasm is powerful. A gifted storyteller and writing coach, her prescribed structure enabled me to strengthen my work in progress. It is both a privilege and a gift to work with her.”
~Ritu Anand, Children’s Author and Historical Fiction Writer
“Your advice and guidance and redirects have been most helpful and appreciated! I work really well with having knowledgeable people around me who can see down the line when I got into the weeds of bringing the vision to reality. You have been that person for me in this process. This spurs on my inspiration. I am deeply appreciative of your encouragement and support.”
~Michelle A. Jones, Self-Help Book Writer
"Colleen will open your eyes to all those little things that get in the way of your productivity....I took home many useful tips to eliminate what wasn’t important in my life..."
~Chuck Barrett, Bestselling Thriller Author
“I was most impressed with the way Colleen led me to believe that I really could get rid of self-doubt. I went into a skeptic, because what writer doesn’t struggle with self-doubt? But she led us through point-by-point, in a way that was not only engaging and understandable, but actually affected change in the way I think about things.”
~Donna Cook, Author and Editor
Latest from the Blog
-
Why It Doesn’t Matter What You Think of Your Writing
What do you think of your writing? Ask yourself this one day and you’ll get one answer. On another day, your answer will probably be different. A few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure about my writing. I felt uneasy, like I was standing on shaky ground. I didn’t know whether
-
Writing in Solitude: How to Defeat Isolation, Boredom, and Plot Issues
Romance and fantasy author Stephanie Fowers shares her solutions for writing in solitude—isolation, boredom, and plot issues! I’m very social and so the isolation kills me. And of course, without the proper support, the self-doubt and anxiety goes up. I think that’s why I’d let myself get so distracted with
-
My Journey from Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing: A Story of Independence
If you’ve thought of moving from traditional publishing to self-publishing, read Diane’s story. by Diane Bator I found my previous publisher through an agent I was introduced to by one of the agent’s readers. We happened to be in a critique group together and I asked her to read my
-
Do You Want to Write for Medium? Try These Tips for Success
Do you want to write for Medium? Maybe even make some money doing it? Pull up a chair and listen closely. My first goal when I started writing on this platform was to gain 100 followers. I accomplished that in a little over 30 days. Then I forgot about trying
-
Why You Must Update Your Author Platform
When did you last update your author platform? Is it still eye-catching and interesting? Wherever you are on your writing journey—new writer, experienced writer, veteran writer—you need an author platform. It’s not something you can just do once and be done with it, however. It’s something that needs to be
-
One Husband’s Extraordinary Journey from Trauma to Authorship
Author and musician Gregory Duncan shares his journey from trauma to authorship, including the ups and downs on the way. Writing can seem like having an illness. The writer carries around something that mainly they are trying to get rid of, like a bad cough that won’t go away. If
-
8 Top Podcasts Sure to Help Writers Succeed
How do writers succeed? By constantly learning! The publishing industry changes every year. The best ways to market a book do too. These days, even how we write is changing, due to advances in technology. How is a writer to stay up to date with everything she needs to know?
-
Featured Writer on Wellness: Sherry Briscoe
My biggest challenge has always been that I’m not patient enough. I used to write fast and put it out fast. And the feedback every time was very clear—‘I rushed my work’, ‘I didn’t develop my characters as much as I could have’, and I knew they were right. I
-
Scribbling My Way Home
by Gail Marlene Schwartz As a six-year-old, my parents forced me to see a therapist, Dr. Solky. I hated it and I hated him. When Dr. Solky would peek his head into the waiting room to call my name, my mother would literally drag me into his office kicking and
-
How ProWritingAid Can Save You Money When Self-Editing Your Book
I recently discovered that ProWritingAid can save you money when editing your book. As a hybrid writer, I was thrilled with this discovery. In the past, I’ve paid for a human to complete both the copy edit and a final proofread. (Usually two different people.) That’s a significant investment, but
-
How My Journaling Stories Turned Into a Novel
by Michael Eon The idea for my debut novel, These Things Happen, began years ago when I was in early recovery from active alcoholism. I had become a member of Alcoholics Anonymous and had stopped drinking, but had yet to do anything more for my recovery outside of not drinking
-
9 Writing Quotes on Persistence
Welcome to the Writing and Wellness annual “writing quotes” round-up! Below you’ll find the best quotes from the authors featured on the site this year. This is the ninth year I’ve put these together. They’ve all been popular posts and I love how they capture certain overarching themes in the
Need a Speaker for Your Event?
Keynote | Writing Conferences | Workshops
Topics include: boosting productivity, overcoming self-doubt, taking risks, defining your niche, finishing your project, and more!