On December 2, we’re celebrating the first anniversary of this fancy fuckingtabulous place with all kinds of awesome. And free shit. For everyone.

Number One: Free edits and personality amp-ups on social media outlets.

Número Dos: Free edits of the first 100 words of your work in progress AND a quick and dirty plot + structure evaluation.

Nombre Trois: How about money?

It’s our way of saying thanks for an unbelievably kickass first year.

But wait. How do you get all of this awesome? See below…

Anyone – everyone – on Twitter and Facebook

On December 2, You have three ways to reach us to get FREE shit.

1) Tag yourself in our anniversary celebration post on our Facebook page. (It will be at the top on December 2nd).

2) Post on your own Facebook page with the hashtag #editmeBecky

3) Tweet @rebeccatdickson with hashtag #editmeBecky

I will edit (make sizzle) your Twitter bio or your Facebook “about” section.

For our subscribers

You will automatically receive an email from us TODAY, November 22. That super secret message shall contain two separate and equally super secret email addresses, which will only be valid December 2, 2013.

Use one email address to send us the first 100 words of your work in progress – the most important part – and we’ll edit it for free. NOTE the 100 word limit, bitches.

Use the second secret email address to send a synopsis of your WIP and Ranee Dillon (resident writing coach extraordinaire) will send back some notes on whatever needs attention, along with our jet-fuel infused plot and structure handout.

Not on our subscriber list? Get there by using the box in the upper right corner labeled “Subscribe.” (You can’t miss it. Follow the legs in black seamed stockings.)

Again, these two options are only available to subscribers – and only on December 2, 2013. So get on the list.

For our clients

For all of December 2013 and January 2014, every writer you recommend to us who signs up for editing or coaching gets YOU a $100 credit toward your own editing (with Becky) or $50 toward private writer coaching (with Ranee). Your choice.

It’s called rewarding loyalty. ‘Cause our clients are the fucking bomb. If you’ve worked with us over the last year, tell whomever you refer to mention YOU. Simple.

Granted, we don’t work with everyone. But since we have worked with you, we’re guessing you know more writers like you. The ones who want real feedback they can dig into, and do it with energy. Who hold themselves accountable. The ones who don’t procrastinate and are optimistic. Who want to put out the best book they possibly can – and believe in their ability to write it.

So, if you send someone and he or she signs a contract with us, you receive a credit toward coaching or editing for yourself. For the next two months.

Not a client? You’ve got time. Work with us before December 1, 2013, and you’re eligible for the same $100 editing credit or $50 coaching credit for the next two months. BAM. More awesome.

We thank you profusely, wholeheartedly, and from the gutter – whence we came. Kidding. (Sort of.)

Here’s to the fuck-yeah highs and the oh-shit lows of writing. They both mean you’re doing it.

Brav-O.

You know that thing you can’t stop thinking about? The idea or memory that wakes you up breathless and sweaty?

THAT’S what you write about.

Because the shit that gets your blood pumping also keeps you motivated – fuck, it burns you up – when the writing gets difficult.

At no time is this more important than when you’re writing a book. It’s hard work, people. The more you write, the more confusing and overwhelming a book becomes. All those timelines and transitions, story and character arcs.

But you need to get it out. You can feel it burning the back of your throat, threatening to come up without your permission.

You have a choice: You can stare at the blank screen and sweat, or you can dive in and be true to yourself. Maybe for the first time in your life.

Oh my God, my Mom is going to freak when she reads about the night I did cocaine.

My boss is going to fire my ass when he sees what really happened on that business trip overseas.

What will people think of me when they read I had an abortion when I was 14?

Really, it’s not your job to care what anyone else thinks. In fact, nothing screws up a writer faster than fear.

I mean, if you really believe jail time, divorce or family drama could result from your story, use a pseudonym. Or wait to publish until someone dies. (I know it sounds cold. But many authors do just that.)

The point is to never, EVER soften what’s yearning to come out because of some false notion that another person might do/think/feel/say something you don’t like when they read your work. Someone might be offended? Someone may not want to be your friend?

Newsflash: Anyone who truly knows and loves you already knows your stories. Putting them on paper won’t change a fucking thing.

Our only task as writers is to tell the truth. Not everyone likes the truth, and that’s okay. Because not everyone is supposed to love us and what we do all the time.

Some people will suck down your words like tequila, and some will vomit it up like it’s too much. That doesn’t matter. That is actually none of your business.

We writers have the singular distinction of being paid to tell our stories. And we are the only ones who can tell them. YOU make your stories unique and alive.

Unfortunately, honesty and authenticity are so rare these days, people scramble for it on the rare occasions it appears. Nowhere is that more evident than in books.

Blurring scenes, leaving out pertinent but messy details, softening real experiences – all of those things are a disservice to your readers. You owe them the whole story. And they can tell when you hold something back. They also tend to get cranky, and then they don’t trust you to tell the story anymore.

So, um, don’t do that.

Instead, take a deep breath and say what you need to say. And don’t you dare apologize for being you.

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Subscribe in the upper right hand corner and grab my free book A Writer’s Voice, designed to help you write like YOU. So you can say what you want to say, how you want to say it – and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks (and quit writing like a pretentious asshat). It matters.