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Interview with Author Shanah Bell on Her Book The Art of Being a PITA

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I love talking to other writers about their publishing experiences and the writing life in general. I enjoy it even more if those writers are my friends and we have a lot in common.

I first met Shanah through Holly Johnson’s Earn More Writing Facebook group, which is reserved for the students of the course (aff.link).

I’ve recently read her book The Art of Being a PITA, (aff.link) in which she details adventures from her extremely varied career. She has diverse talents and interests, and she refuses to stay in one job all her life. While there’s nothing wrong with staying with a job or company all your career (as long as it is making you happy), it’s a lot easier to relate to her resume for me. As a writer, I refuse to stick to a niche. To keep my elevator pitch short, I say I specialize in lifestyle if we are talking non-fiction, but in reality, it is just faster if I tell you things I don’t write about.

And while my educational and professional experiences haven’t been as diverse as Shanah’s, it still baffles a lot of people.

I studied Advertising and Business in college, and I held internships in advertising and PR companies. I interned for the sales and marketing division of Coca Cola. I worked for an education consultancy company. I did a very short stint volunteering at a bar during my college year abroad in Norway. I teach ESL and hold CELTA (Cambridge Certificate in teaching English to Adults). I’ve worked as a freelance translator, and I still do translation work. And I’m a freelance writer, blogger, novelist, and screenwriter. There are many more professional areas I want to explore. Niches and genres I want to write in.

So I thoroughly enjoyed PITA. I think it is crucial that we talk about diverse working experiences and colorful resumes so that employers – no matter what kind of work they are offering – stop seeing us as an anomaly. We might not have the 5-10 years of experience they are looking for, but we are adaptable, eager to learn, and easy to work with.

Enough about me. I’ll give you a short bio so that you know where Shanah is coming from and then dive into the interview.

And if you work in various niches or have a diverse resume, please share your experiences in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

About the Author

Shanah Bell grew up in an entrepreneurial family, which drives her to think outside the box. As someone who hasn’t stopped moving since her feet first hit the ground, she’s not about to stop now. She is constantly on the hunt to learn new things and figure out how to attribute this new knowledge into her daily life.

She has a Master’s of Nutrition degree, which she uses to help peo­ple learn how to heal themselves through dietary adaptation. She and her spouse have five children in a blended family, which can get a little bit crazy at times. But they love it and do everything they can to teach their children how to think outside the box, as well.

Her goal in life is not only to live her best life but to help everyone around her live theirs, also.

Can you tell us a bit about your writing background?

I started writing as a child and have continued to hone my skills into adulthood. When I was younger, I spent more time writing poems and plays. But as I got older, I began to spend more time writing research papers and articles that helped people find solutions to specific issues. I became a freelance writer in 2016, as well as began writing on my own blog, Adaptive Nourishment. I have been working on two different books for multiple years now, and was thrilled to see “The Art of Being a PITA” finally come to fruition.

When did you decide to write this book? How did the idea and title come about?

I decided to write this book almost 10 years ago. The book was actually a larger project, but as time went on, I realized that it made more sense to split it up into two different books. The idea came about because people have been asking me for as long as I can remember how I do what I do when it comes to my career. I felt that it made more sense to write it all down, along with what I learned from each position, because that would be the most digestible way to get the information across. The title is actually not the original title of the book. The original title was “TADA – The Art of Diversifying & Adapting.” But after some market research, that title was deemed not relatable, so I worked on changing it. PITA is something I have been called by my mother, since I was young, and by many other people I have run across. So it just naturally made sense to me to add that into the title, since the book is about non-traditional living.

What’s The Art of Being a PITA about in your own words?

PITA is ultimately multifaceted. This book talks about:

  • living a non-traditional life
  • working multiple different jobs at one time
  • multitasking effectively
  • learning new skill sets
  • learning more about you and what you really like in the workspace
  • becoming a more valued employee in any genre
  • creating financial stability when working non-traditional jobs
  • figuring out what your “WHY” is in life and how that translates to your career
  • creating work/life balance
  • living the highest and best life for you, which may not look like anybody else’s.

Can you take us through the publishing journey of PITA?

I originally met my publisher (Wisdom House Books) through LinkedIn in January of 2018. We met in person in February to discuss the book and the progress I was making. I finally got the initial copy completed in August of 2018 and submitted it to my publisher the same day. I began speaking with my editor in September 2018, where we started the editing process. My publisher was working on the jacket design at the same time. We got the jacket design completed in January 2019, as well as the final editing. The book was released on Amazon on March 1, 2019.

Did you enjoy working with them?

I did for the editing and publishing process, but I HATED them for the PR process.

They charged me through the nose and did basically nothing. So I fired them.

But getting the book published was a great process. I wish they would have just left me alone at that because then I wouldn’t have the sour taste in my mouth about them

How much did they charge you?

It was about $6000.

I talked to a few other FinCon people who have worked in publishing, and they said that the pricing wasn’t actually that bad compared to traditional publishers since they take a large portion of the book proceeds instead of a lump sum. The PR was so much worse and they did freaking nothing!

Your adventures and experiences in the book make it very clear you rock at organizing and time management. Can you give us tips, for both when it comes to writing and life in general?

Being organized has been an integral part of how I have become so effective at multitasking and time management. I have found that if my environment, and calendar, are organized and up to date, then I am so much more efficient. When I am discussing a meeting with someone, as soon as it has been confirmed, I put it on my calendar. I do not STOP, or pass GO (Monopoly reference) until I put the event on my calendar. Because if I don’t do it right then, it may not make it on there, and then the meeting doesn’t exist in my world. This has been extremely helpful. Plus, I am a huge believer in having an organized space to work in, as well as my house being in order. When everything is organized, I know exactly where to find what I need, so I don’t waste valuable time looking for things, or feeling chaotic. Creating balance in your space is an important tool for creating balance in your work life. When it comes to writing, I know who my clients are for the month and how many articles I need to write. So I dedicate certain mornings to getting my writing knocked out.

Since I am a morning person, this is the optimal time, for me, to work on things that require higher level thought processes. Finding the most optimal time of day for you to work is an important thing to know about yourself and take advantage of when doing anything work related. So if you are a night owl, you should be doing most of your higher level work at night, instead of in the morning, like me. But no matter what, make sure that you dedicate a specific time frame on certain regular days to get your work done, because it will create a more ingrained schedule, which leads to more effectiveness and efficiency.

Do you have any tips for people who are like you – people who love defining their own terms and working in different areas?

Figure out what your “WHY” is first and foremost. What is it that drives you to do what you do, or what you want to do? Once you know this, it will be easier to pick and choose jobs based on what makes you ultimately happy. And make sure to create organization in your life so that you can be more efficient and effective at what you choose to do. If you are both of those, whoever you work for will deem you more valuable. This can translate into higher pay, sometimes, or just more flexibility. And if you are like me when it comes to defining your own terms, you are probably doing it because flexibility, and living your life on your own terms, are more important to you than the pay is.

What are your publishing plans for the future?

Right now I have 3 more books planned in the PITA series, so I am hoping to have the next one released in a year.

What are some of your favorite books? Favorite authors?

  • The Celestine Prophecy Series by James Redfield has been one of my favorite series since it came out in the 1990s
  • Robin Cook, who writes medical mysteries
  • Patricia Cornwell, who writes forensic science mysteries
  • Sue Grafton, who writes detective mysteries based out of Santa Barbara, CA, which is where I am originally from
  • Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
  • The Plant Paradox by Stephen Gundry
  • The Longevity Code by Kris Verburgh
  • Financial Freedom by Grand Sabatier
  • The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J Stanley

Where can we follow you on social media?

 

Review for The One by John Marrs: A Highly Gripping Romantic Drama Thriller Novel

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the one by john marrs

I picked up this great thriller from the bookstore after only reading the jacket copy:

“ A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner – the one you’re genetically made for.

 A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love.

Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some secrets are more shocking – and deadlier – than others. “

It is interesting enough on its own. But if you need more information on who these five characters are – which is crucial to my review – read on my plot summary. While I give details on who they are and what they do, I won’t tell you what happens after they meet their match, or reveal any other twists and turns. And trust me, there are boatloads of them. And they are all fascinating. Here we go:

Plot Summary: The One by John Marrs (No Major Spoilers)

Thanks to a recently discovered gene, people know can get their DNA tested, and start the ultimate romance with people who share the same gene. There is only one other person in the whole world, so if you have a match, your romantic happiness is guaranteed.

More and more people are getting tested, and people who don’t get tested or who don’t have yet matches are looked down upon. The novel centers on five people with matches:

Mandy is bored at her marketing job. She has been through a divorce and miscarriages. At 37, she can’t wait to meet her match Richard, a handsome fitness trainer 12 years her junior.

Christopher is a psychopath and a serial killer who aims to kill 30 people without ever getting caught. But his self-imposed challenge gets in jeopardy when he meets his Match, a no-nonsense cop.

Jade feels stuck in her life. The only thing that gets her through is her conversations with Kevin, her Australian farmer Match. Even though they have never Skyped or Face-timed, she knows they will be so happy together. But nothing can prepare her for the shock when she travels to Down Under to visit him.

Nick couldn’t care less about finding his Match. Already in love with his fiancée, he knows he doesn’t need science to find true love. But when her fiancée Sally insists, he takes the test. To his disbelief, his match is a man named Alex.

Ellie is a workaholic CEO who has hired protection due to some questionable work practices she has engaged in before getting to where she is. But even she gets to relax when she meets her down-to-earth Match Tim. Time will only tell who has the worse secrets.

Review

I’m a sucker for a good ensemble, and all these five characters present a very complicated and fun road ahead. The one thing I’ll tell you is that their roads never intertwine. Their stories are their own. And that came as a pleasant surprise.

Why did I call the book a romantic drama thriller when its cover clearly hints at some bloody and thrilling times? Because apart from Christopher, who provides the thriller elements all on his own apart from some exceptions I won’t spoil for you, the book is a romantic drama.

Nick has to deal with the fact that he has never even liked a guy before, but Alex makes him feel things no one ever has. Jade’s Australia adventure reveals some gigantic secrets, but there is no blood involved. Mandy will go through things she never imagined, but no one in her path is a psycho killer. And this gives the book a different edge.

All characters are wonderfully flawed, with the exception of our baddie Christopher, who is well, all flaw.  Again, with the exception of our killer, they are likeable. They make mistakes, they try to do right thing while also following their hearts.

*

I can’t recommend The One (aff.link) enough, and I can’t wait to read more from Marrs.

How to Work (and What Tasks to Do) When You Are Sleep Deprived

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In an ideal world, one or two things would happen:

  • We wouldn’t be sleep-deprived.
  • We wouldn’t have to work when we were sleep-deprived.

But it isn’t an ideal world, alas both situations occur quite often. If you don’t have anything urgent, it’s best putting off urgent tasks until you are rested. If you do, it might be better to try and take a nap first.

Not possible? Pour some coffee (or tea, your choice) and get to it.

Also, think of activities that make you happy, alert, and energetic. Different activities have different effects on people. Showers wake some people up while making others sleepier. (I’m in the second group.)

  • Blog maintenance. Updating plugins and themes don’t require much attention and energy. Get this sucker off your plate.
  • Marie Kondo-ing your office space. While I like Marie Kondo, I don’t recommend trying to catch the feeling of joy when it comes to organizing important stuff. Instead, go for the thought of useful and/or new information. I don’t want you to end up fileless and freaking about not being able to find important story drafts or reference books!
  • Marie Kondo-ing your desktop files. See the point above about joy.
  • Email checking and cleaning: unsubscribing from people you don’t like. Sometimes, I go on a binge email unsubscribing spree. I might even unsubscribe if I am a huge fan of the person. Because I am a huge fan, I don’t need a daily or weekly reminder to check out their new post or product. I already have. So I remain subscribed to newsletters that share stuff that is not on their website, or newsletters that are so useful that I cannot afford not being updated. And sometimes, I remain subscribed because while I am a fan, I often forget to check out their latest work because I’m only human and I don’t remember to regularly read every blog I enjoy. What makes a newsletter worth subscribing to and remain on their email list? Check out my article Newsletter Writing 101: The Dos and Don’ts.
  • Drafting posts. Funnily enough, you can actually write even if you are tired. It might not be a masterpiece, and you probably shouldn’t be working on the polished version your editor will read. Drooping eyes miss more errors. But if you are in the zone, you are in the zone. If your health allows it, don’t let your energy level trick you into not writing.
  • Noting down ideas. Your brain might be too tired to do certain things, but ideas also don’t give two hoots about how you feel. If they want to arrive, they will. So you better not let them go. You might not remember them later.
  • Free-writing. What better excuse to write without limits and rules? Just let your subconscious take over.
  • Collecting scattered ideas in two places: one digital and one physical – and then backing them up. Be honest with me. How many idea files and notebooks do you have? Even the most organized of us can fall prey to buying too many notebooks or creating too many files to save our ideas. It doesn’t take too much mental effort to copy paste with your mouse or with your hand, so take advantage of these “tired” times to gather your ideas in one place. Then make several copies. You can never be too careful or safe when you are saving and recording your ideas. The idea is to have all the ideas in one place, and copies of the big list. Not 500 different files with different ideas. Think about your scattered notes the next time you think you don’t have something to pitch or write about. You should do the same with the writing markets, while you are at it.
  • Going over your to-do lists and goal sheets. If you’ve been meaning to do something for months, just go ahead and do it. It is okay to change your mind and delete the task if you feel it was unnecessary. But if you neglected something essential, it is time you prioritize it.
  • Responding to emails. Try not to make too many typos, especially if you are corresponding with editors and clients. But let’s face it, most email communication is about you confirming things or following up on them. Do those.
  • Backing-up your work and research. All you need to do is to get them on to Cloud, a hard drive, a USB or emailing them to yourself. Better to be safe than sorry.
  • Social media posting. Afraid people forgot who you are? Start reminding them. Hanging out at social media is a better way to spend your time when you are tired. Just don’t post something embarrassing you can’t take back. Unless embarrassing is your brand. Then by all means, go all for it!
  • Profile updates. You have a new book out? Published on some amazing pubs? Time to polish those clips and social media profiles.
  • Bookmark and reading list cleaning. No need to keep useless stuff around. Read and decide what to discard.
  • Reading stuff that doesn’t hurt your brain. It can be reading for fun – since you are a writer, reading is always a part of your job. I know, we are so lucky! But we’ve all been there. Sometimes we can’t just bare to process overly technical stuff or brand new information. Ignore those and come back when you are feeling alert and capable.
  • Watching things that are necessary for your idea-collecting, craft-building and relaxing. Bonus points if they help with all three. Watching Netflix is a part of my job. So no one pays me just to watch something, but a lot of my ideas and stories have ties to pop culture. So watching movies and series help me grow as a writer, while also fueling my creative juices. So when in doubt and too tired to do anything else, go watch something.

*

There you go, those were my humble suggestions. Let me know how you deal with work when you are sleep-deprived or sick. They often attack together!

Related posts you can check out:

A Love Letter to All Freelancers With a Health Condition

How to Get Back to Work After Vacation (Even If You Are Exhausted)

Sleepy Writer’s Wake-up Ritual: How to Start A Writing Day Well

Benefits of Having a Cold for Freelance Writers

9 Productive Things Writers Can Do When They Have a Cold

 

 

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