Wednesday, April 18, 2018



Announced Ink-N-Flow Management 

Your Dream Needs Wings.
Let Us Provide the Feathers.
Together, We'll Fly. 


Recently I realized that I could combine the two things that make up my life - my day job as a senior project manager for a Fortune 200 company and my love for helping authors.
This gave birth to Ink-N-Flow Management. Combining over a decade of project management, consulting and publishing, I hope to give all authors - big, small, indie, trad and hybrid the tools, connections and assurance to succeed by working with some of the best in the industry. I have the mission of taking the worry about what is next in a dream. You write, I'll worry about the steps ahead.

Ink-N-Flow Management
Your Dream Needs Wings.
Ink-N-Flow Can Provide the Feathers.
Together, We'll Fly.

Coming June 4, 2018. Stay tuned. 






Saturday, April 7, 2018

When Life Decides You Need to Freak-Out Right About Now



IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT - Walt Disney

What a week and what a year. It's only April, right?  To be perfectly honest here, I thought I'd be writing this one or maybe two years from now. At the most, five. Not, right now in the same week as my birthday. Not that my birthday is that big of a deal being a full-grown adult and all, but you'd like to think that destiny, fate, karma or whichever energy aligns your personal universe would at least respect it. Hah, silly me. I forgot--just because I think life should be one way, life has a way of showing me just how wasted that energy was. 

After almost  thirteen-years of being with the same corporation, watching it change names and corporate lines three times--I am going to be losing my job. Not because I'm a bad employee, no. And not because the job is going away... but because they have decided that all the people they encouraged to work at home to save them overhead, now, after all these years, need to work in an office. Yeah. And if you don't live within 50-miles of one of their locations, then you are basically either going to be out of a job or you need to move so you are closer. Guess what folks, I'm way beyond fifty miles from one of their locations. And to be honest, I lived away from my family for more than a decade and I don't want to do that again.

Oh sure, the thought of moving to one of my company's location in California, Florida or even overseas has it's appeal but my gut instinct, and what I've been indirectly told, chances are I'd move and in six-months to a year, I wouldn't have a job as they move more and more overseas. 
So what to do? Do I take that chance and move away from family and friends (on my dime, by the way, they aren't paying relocation expenses) or do I take the severance package and bow out gracefully with a few letters of reference tucked away? After-all, I don't have a husband to support me when the job goes away.  It's just me, myself and I (the dogs refuse to find jobs). 

The answer isn't as easy as it seems. 
Especially when the first thoughts that crossed my mind are these:
Oh god, I'm going to have to give up writing books.
I won't be able to afford editing, covers, PR... nothing. 
I'm going to have to live under a bridge (okay, maybe that one was really far fetched, but you get the gist of my train-o-brain).



But then I sat back and considered all this. Funny how just walking away, going outside and getting some air clears some of the mental fog. 

Why would I walk away from writing? 

When what has been holding me back from cranking out a new book every few months is the fact I've been grinding eight-to-ten hours a day at a corporate job? One that paid well, true. But my books pay too. They have been paying more and more every month. Heck, I had to pay taxes on royalties last year for the first time... ever. Guess what I paid it with?
Yep. Book royalty money. 
Sure, it's  not a ton and doesn't come close to paying all my bills... but could it? 

Coming back inside, I did the math and tossed in a lot of dreams-come-true dust (that last thing doesn't exist beyond my head, but would't that be awesome to purchase) and did some honest figuring. Sure, at this point my books don't pay all my bills. Okay, so right now they don't even pay 3/4 of my bills. But do I really need as expansive satellite package for shows and channels I don't watch?  I could cut the cord and save a ton. 
And about that fancy coffee I like, that Kroger brand wasn't that bad either. And a lot cheaper. 
And okay, fine, I  have a weakness for seeing movies when they come out but hey, that kid at the ticket office keeps thinking I'm a senior citizen (damn her to hell) and gives me the senior discount, and if I only go once a month AND after-all Raisinets and popcorn are not on the Keto Plan (le sigh) so, no concessions, I could still go to the movie on occasion. 

What about book signings? Well, let's be honest, those have been slated less and less.  
The ones this year are already paid for and deposits for next year. 
If anyone knows how to budget and plan for a trip--it's me. I used to have to do it for a family of four. Me? Easy, cheesy, lemon-squeezy. I have started to focus on those that have workshops and panels to enhance my business...

Wait, what did I just call it? 
A BUSINESS...

Okay, let's break that down, shall we?



Do you have a  Business License?
I do - JTW Publishing is a registered business in Texas and I pay taxes when required.

Okay, do you have a website?
Oh sure, it's pretty damn nifty - www.AuthorJasTWard.com

Do you have attractive products that people want to buy?
I do. And they are quality, well made, well written & edited and people seem to love them. 

Do you have merchandise promoting those products and your business?
Yep. Book marks, pens, bumper stickers, laptop stickers, fobs thingy-bobs (I'm sure they have a more official name, but that's what I call them). 

Do you  have a support team for your business?
Actually...
 I do.
I  have an amazing publicist.
I have an incredible personal assistant.
I have a team of talented people I work with. 
I have a group of people who believe and support me and my books. 
And I have incredible opportunities to expand my product in to new markets. 

Do you have a consumer/customer base?
Yeah... about 10K strong if you combine all my various platforms. 

Are you advancing your knowledge of your industry with training and education to ensure you know your market and can be respected?
I am. I'll have my Bachelor's degree in English Composition and Creative Writing in September of this year. 

So... 
Well, crap. 
Huh. 



Here I was thinking I was about to be out of a job, riding the panic river of anxiety on my severance for three-to-six months (depending on what I'm given) and then living under a bridge (see disclaimer above). But I forgot, I have been treading water to keep my head above water supporting both my corporate work AND my author work; and only one was getting more than it's share of dedication (face it, honesty hurts). 

I'm not out of work. I'm just going to have a less work load. Which means, the job I love, the one that feeds my soul instead of taking from it, can have more of me. More of my time, my energy, and all of my talent. I AM a small business owner with myself being the source of products and those who have come to love the books, those characters and I guess, me, are the team of my company. Sure, some of them volunteer but that means the world to me. 

What business owner wouldn't be thrilled that not only do my consumers love the literary goods I offer, but they go and have others come feast on the stories as well? 

What the hell am I being freaked out about? 

I get a chance that not many get -- to pursue my dream of making my business all I hope it can be. And others have faith will be. 



So, in case you scrolled to see what exactly the point of this blog post was (shame on you by the way, there's some pretty epic words and phrases up there, but whatever floats your reading habit boat)...

Brace yourself... 

I am officially announcing that 2018 is the year I am declaring myself as a 

FULL-TIME WRITER. 

Or as my idol Robin Williams says:


God, help us all. 
Or maybe all of you as I drive you nuts.
Or send Ramen.
I like the chicken kind (not the creamy version, yuck).
Whichever is needed.
Oh and go buy the books.
I would look awful living under a bridge. 


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