It is always beneficial to release your book to an existing audience. If you haven’t taken the time to build an audience and you’re not sure where to start, read this article. When it comes to book launches you can decide to celebrate your book’s release or to release it without much fanfare. The best method for you and your book depends on your long-term strategy and personality. Your launch can be online or in-person. You could have what’s referred to as a soft launch or go big with a book tour. Here are some items to consider:

I understand as a writer, technology isn’t likely what you signed on for. Tech holds a great deal of writers and small businesses back from their full potential, but it doesn’t have to. Here are the four areas I recommend new authors should focus on.

📚✨ Hi, I’m Brenda—author, entrepreneur, and champion for writers everywhere! 🌟 From facing rejection in the publishing world to becoming the CEO of two businesses that support authors, my journey is one of hope and faith. My God is bigger than my problems and yours! Get a sneak peek into my latest venture—the Writer’s Retreat Box, designed to bring inspiration and encouragement to Christian women writers—in this week’s blog post. Ready to join the retreat delivered to your door? Sign up for the waitlist now!

It reminds me of feedback I received from a participant at my beach retreat last year. She said, “I think the items in your box will make the attendees feel worthy and special. I know the retreat bags you put together for us made me feel loved. Each item seemed to have been prayerfully chosen just for me! I love that we got items for our writing and for our soul.”

This is exactly my goal with the Writer’s Retreat Box—to fuel your writing and nourish your soul!

You may be thinking to yourself, it’s Christmas Eve, lady, I’m not cleaning anything. But don’t dismiss the time you’ll have while things are baking or boiling. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done while you’re waiting for a timer to go off.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to select a space—be it the hall closet, laundry room, coat closet, or miscellaneous storage area—and remove 23 items without delving into an organizational overhaul.

So whether it’s twenty-two items or twenty-two minutes, I encourage you to give thanks for your vehicle today by showing it some love!

As you clean or declutter, talk to God. Let Him know how you’re feeling this close to Christmas. Confess where you’ve taken your eyes off the true meaning of Christmas and ask Him to show you how to regain focus.

So what will it be for you today? A virtual office declutter or your physical space? Make room and free your mind. It will open your heart I promise. I’m tackling that inbox!

How many of these do you have? I remember having one in my childhood home and sadly, we have one … the junk drawer. At least it’s only one! And it’s the smallest drawer in the house. But if I’m honest, a few other drawers are junky. Like my desk drawer. So this is where I’m headed today. It’s long overdue!

You may have heard it said that our outside visual clutter reflects our internal clutter. I believe this is true. The easiest way I’ve found to clean the external clutter is to find clarity in your mission. When you know the most important assignment in your life at any given moment, you can let go of anything that doesn’t support that mission or vision.

Regularly, Christian women tell me they feel the nudge to write. Not all of them would consider themselves writers. They have other careers. But, God is calling them to share their story. Many of them talk themselves out of it before they even start. I also know firsthand how you can easily talk yourself out of a calling.

Do you still subscribe to magazines? If so, I’d love to know which ones. As I wrote in Save the Butter Tubs! Discover Your Worth in a Disposable World, I stopped subscribing or purchasing magazines years ago. Sometimes I miss flipping through the pages of some of my favorites. What I don’t miss, is the clutter from them. I had stacks here and there and everywhere!

Don’t overthink this. Spend more time in prayer today than you spend gathering items. It shouldn’t take long to gather if you count and go on instinct. Don’t think about the money spent or wasted, if you don’t like it or use it, part with it. Did you know cosmetics and toiletries have expiration dates?

Do you still subscribe to magazines? If so, I’d love to know which ones. As I wrote in Save the Butter Tubs! Discover Your Worth in a Disposable World, I stopped subscribing or purchasing magazines years ago. Sometimes I miss flipping through the pages of some of my favorites. What I don’t miss, is the clutter from them. I had stacks here and there and everywhere!

That is the core of this challenge. Advent is a period of preparation. As I type that, I’m overwhelmed with emotion. Shouldn’t we live in Advent permanently—from the time we are redeemed until the day He returns? Not that we have to prepare ourselves to be good enough. That’s not the case at all. Jesus redeemed us as we are. The preparation should resemble the aforementioned Scripture—living a life worthy of His call.

For today, it’s time to go back to your messiest, most dreaded space. Take twelve items from this space and drop them in the box. Just count. Don’t overthink. An easy way to help you decide about any item throughout this #abundantlifeadvent challenge is to associate time with the item. Have you used it in the last year? If the item is not seasonal, will you use it in the next six months?

The energy and clarity are welcomed gifts. I pray you are receiving them as well. Do the challenge! God will show up in your generosity and obedience to not making idols out of things!

Y’all this happened this morning before church. It didn’t take but a few moments. This doesn’t have to be difficult. Make the decisions. Start with the donation box. Have one set up so you have a designated place to take any unwanted items as you come across them.

If you haven’t started this challenge yet, I pray you will join us. Start today. You don’t have to make up the first eight days. I won’t tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me. Spend some time this evening and make room for more of God by prayerfully considering this challenge and asking God what you need to let go of to make room for what He has for you. It may not be the items from today. It may be something deeper.