My Story
My passion for goal-setting started several years ago. I was doing events for Barnes & Noble in Schaumburg, Illinois, and one of my customers asked if I’d start a writers’ support group.
I did. And it was a hit. I saw the power of goal-setting and accountability first hand.
At these meetings people would share what they were working on, report on their goals, and set new ones. Almost everyone, myself included, would get something done for the next meeting. Seeing others achieve is encouraging – “If they can do it, so can I” – but the positive feedback you get when you reach your goals is even more motivating. The process works!
Fast forward several years. I had moved to Los Angeles, and re-started my goals group at Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica. It was dubbed Write On shortly thereafter. Over the years, the group has had many changes, and now embraces creatives and entrepreneurs, as well. We have live meetings, where I give out “stars” – a gold star when you achieve the goals you set, any color star for effort. There’s also an engaged online community: a page and group on Facebook, as well as a #GoalChat on Twitter.
After a member asked me to help him one-on-one, I began doing personal coaching. I also started speaking and leading workshops, live and online. Over the years, I’ve helped people around the world set and their achieve goals through strategizing, trouble-shooting, and offering resources, encouragement, and deadlines. Their projects ranged from writing books and starting blogs to social media, business development, and more. I’ve also worked in publishing, education, financial services, social media, and technology.
After years of working, adapting, and polishing my goal-setting and productivity techniques, I put them into a simplified process, called The D*E*B Method.
My Experience
- Author, Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages
- Founder, Write On and WriteOnOnline.com, a website and community for writers, creators, and entrepreneurs, and #GoalChat Twitter chat, Sundays at 7pm PT
- Editor, Social Media Examiner and My Kids Adventures
- Special Projects, Social Media Marketing World
- Co-producer, LA #140 conference
- Senior Editor, Campus Explorer
- Director of Communications, Benefits Group WorldWide
- Production Editor, Publications International
- Writer and editor for a variety of websites, as well as numerous print and online publications
- Workshop leader for groups, including LAX Chamber of Commerce, LA Review of Books, and Journalism and Women’s Symposium
For more on me, go to LinkedIn and read Testimonials. To book me for an interview or speaking engagement, contact deckerling@gmail.com or call 310.908.8980.
I’ve worked with Debra at print and online publications for over a dozen years. And as a professional editor (and writer, and producer, and editor) I am skeptical of self-proclaimed “experts” — especially those offering advice about creative endeavors — but Deb’s insights have helped me immensely. She knows what works. Her book Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog could only have been written by someone who has been there and done that. Deb’s book, her Twitter chats, and her newsletter have changed the way I approach my writing, music, and video projects, and I’m better at my work because of it. She has become a treasured advisor and a personal role model. Thanks, Deb.
Los Angeles
When I set my sights on being a serious writer with attention-deficit, I had trouble focusing and felt overwhelmed. I found Deb’s Facebook page, Write On! Online and began following her posts and podcasts. Every 
It’s been very helpful to talk to Deb every couple of weeks.
She’s given me good advice and clear next steps that I could accomplish. I’ve gotten positive results (and saved a lot of time!)
Debra conducted a Google hangout workshop to assist Wells Fargo Hire LA’s Youth Interns prepare their final peer presentations. It was fantastic! Her preparation, presentation, attention to detail, ability to communicate, educate and inspire is top-notch. Not only did Debra provide expert coaching and guidance, she followed up with all the participants to offer continuous support. Debra goes the extra mile in everything she does – she made this intensive, interactive learning experience fun! awesome!
Debra helped each member of our group kick of the New Year right with her goal-setting workshop. She led us through thoughtfully designed worksheets that helped us think about where we want to be and how to get there. She also had great answers to our questions on how to be more productive and overcome obstacles to our goals.
Her workshop served to bring together the participants as we learned about each others’ goals and dreams, a great and unexpected benefit. I highly recommend Debra’s services as a coach and workshop leader.
Debra helped me jump start a complex side-project website that was on the back-burner for about six months. I’m highly motivated, but was too busy working on client projects and other existing businesses to get yet another side project going. Within a few weeks of in-person meetings and email exchanges, I had a solid plan. Within a month the project was live and in production. If you need help getting a project moving, I highly recommend getting help from Debra.
I hired Debra to help me organize my creative projects, not only did she deliver on that, but she provided me with the structure and goals that enabled me get a project launched from an idea to the web in less than 3 months.
Awesome personality, holds you to task and offers great creative advice and insight. I highly recommend Deb’s services to any one looking to further their creative or professional career!
Thank you for the wonderful session on planning and reaching my goals. I can’t believe in the short half hour of conversing, I was able to walk away with an executable plan of action and timeline to reach an immediate pressing goal. In fact it was so simple, I thought I’d missed something.
I always knew I had a book buried deep inside me, hiding behind the layers of fat, muscle, and blood coursing through my veins. When I met Debra Eckerling, I allowed my book, the book I was meant to share with the world, to come out of the closet, just like I had.
Thank God, Debra inspired me to once again break through my false beliefs about my ability to write. I’ve since become known as an international blogger, the go-to guy for coming out with a twist of humor, and have been inspiring humans, regular old humans, to step out of the closets that hold them back from living their most authentic lives!
LAX Coworking has had the pleasure of hosting two of Debra’s presentations in our space and she never disappoints! Debra is engaging, positive, and a must for entrepreneurs trying to set goals and take the next step in their business ventures. LAX Coworking is proud to have her as a contact and friend because she is absolutely fantastic!