"Find a balance between the art of writing and the business of publishing"

As an author, the question that has been asked on countless occasions has been 'How do you find inspiration to write?'Today, I will share with you some simple truths and challenges faced by writers and authors alike.Listen, there would be days you have the drive and internal motivation to write, the flow will be natural and uninterrupted. And well there will be other days that regardless of what you do, the inspiration and flow will not be there.Yeah, that's life, don't let the not-so-good days discourage you.The recent pandemic (Covid-19) took the world by surprise. While it shut down some businesses it also reshaped the minds of others.Before this, many thought to themselves they were too busy to slow down to enjoy the simple pleasures of life or pursue the list on their bucket list were awaken to the realities of life.For the last 12 months, I have seen several people writing and publishing books, yes! Surprised? Suddenly, they've got the time to write and share their stories and ideas with the world.Truth be told, sometimes it takes an uncertain tragic situation to turn men towards living their dreams.The thing is that, if one desires to write, every day presents an opportunity to do so, it might not be as fast as one desires, but there will be progress. That simple action and habit will lead to many creative ideas being birthed.We are all sometimes slack, slow, and lazy about taking simple action, but when we commit to it, a whole new world of possibilities is born.So, here are simple tips and tweaks to help you in your writing and publishing journey.1. Block some time off your daily schedule to write. It could just be 30minutes.2. Write when you are inspired or not. It's the habit that counts.3. Treat your first draft as such, it's a draft, don't try to polish it during the writing process.4. If you are writing a book, make it a great one. Put all your all into it. That's the beginning of your success.5. Invest in a professional editor6. The secret has been to always start promoting your book before it's ready. Promote before publishing.7. Great writers are readers as well. So read other books, build yourself up.8. Join a network of writers and authors, this helps greatly.9. Quality design sells. Get a professional cover and book layout designer to do your book cover and typesetting.10. No matter how great a writer you are, never try to do everything on your own. Engage the expertise of others, it pays!11. Don't stress yourself over who should write the foreword for your book12. If you desire to stay in the game for a long time then, consider writing multiple books(series) than trying to make a killing from just one book.13. Book tiles do change. Your current book title may need to change before publishing14. Publish on Amazon and other platforms. Sometimes smaller platforms may offer you more royalties. Don't be limited, spread!15. Make friends with bloggers, publicists, and book reviewers, if not hire them when necessary. They help create buzz around your book.16. Blogging and podcasting are great marketing channels. If you can, consider guest blogging and podcasting. They are a prodigious book promotional avenue.17. Get reviewers for your book online. Reviews help to drive sales for your book.18. Prepare to be a guest on TV/Radio, Podcasts, etc. An avenue to market your book.19. Get an author website or landing page for your book. Giveaway some content!20. Be consistent and committed to writing. Craft your writing style. Write for your ideal audience and grow!21. Learn well the art of writing and the business of publishing. Book Publishing is a big business, do all you can to stand out!Bernard Kelvin CliveAmazon bestselling author of over 50 published books.