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WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!
Preliminaries
My apologies for being so silent here lately. Health issues, along with a great deal of writing work, have monopolized my attention lately, preventing me from focusing on brainstorming topics, locating info and resources, and assembling all these into helpful posts. Now and then I'll see a topic that I'd like to share, but a post never seems to materialize. That's why what I'd like to do today is share a few great writing posts that I've come across that can help you in the craft and business of writing. Hopefully, these will arm you with the information, motivation, and practical tools you need to take the next step in your writing career.
Writing Advice from Around the Blogosphere
John Hewitt, at PoeWar, has written a really practical post, called How to Treat Your Writing Like a Business. Check it out. I'm sure you'll find it helpful. In fact, I think you'll also find two of John's other posts particularly helpful to your career: The Realities of a Freelance Writing Career and Six Tips for More Organized Freelancing should get you off to a great start or keep you moving forward toward achieving your writing goals. Of course, I hardly need tell you that you'll find all John's posts immensely helpful to you in your writing. If you've never read them, you'll want to start now!
Other posts I'm sure you'll find helpful are the following:
A Dialog on Blogging Focus, Parts 1, 2, and 3, from Brad Shorr at Word Sell, Inc. Brad also offers a plethora of excellent content that's focused mainly on B2B content creation, business blogging, marketing, and SEO strategies.
Top 25 Books for Writers and Writing-related Topics, from Meryl K. Evans, at Meryl.net. Meryl also offers periodic link posts, such as Links: Just Before March Roars 2010 Edition and Links: Happy Sweet 16 2010 Edition, which are always packed with excellent writing resources.
Has Your Fire Fizzled? from Karen Swim at Words for Hire offers inspiration that can help get you back on track if you've strayed from your writing goals lately. Hard But Not Forever will also give you words of encouragement for the difficult times.
10 Things to Start and One Thing to Stop, from Joanna Young at Confident Writing, is short, sweet, and to-the-point and offers some fabulous tips on ways to increase your writing sensitivity, confidence, inspiration, and enjoyment. Joanna will be taking a break from blogging for a time, but you'll find so much great content in her archives that you'll have plenty to keep you busy while she's gone. Here's another brief but helpful post from Joanna: Make a Start by Writing it Down. Joanna has a wonderful way of distilling an idea down to its most basic--and important--elements, providing quick reads that are jam-packed with insight.
More Link Posts to Come
The blogosphere is, of course, rife with wonderful posts on writing, selling your writing, and living the writing life. Yet, I must unfortunately end my list here--for today at least. In the future, I'll do my best to provide links to other helpful blog posts, written by these and other experienced bloggers who have a great deal to offer the aspiring or active writer.
Enjoy!
Jeanne
Have you found these posts helpful and/or inspiring? Any one or two that seem particularly pertinent to your situation? Have you read any great writing posts lately? We'd love it if you'd share your thoughts with us!
September 26th 2009 22:38
Writing vs. Living
The following thoughts about writing and living life come from a comment I left at John Hewitt's Poewar: Writer's Resource Center a while back. The comment was written in response to a guest post John ran on his blog.
...Everything we write–whether fiction or non-fiction–flows from our real-world experiences…from the realities of life as we’ve both lived it and seen it lived…from the ways in which those realities have changed and affected us…from the people who have impacted our inner and outer environments…from the physical world around us and the profound effect it continually exerts on our thinking.
It’s important to remind ourselves of these things every once in a while–to willfully remove ourselves periodically from our obsession with writing and once again engage with the people, things, and forces that surround us, where we can draw new inspiration, enthusiasm, creativity, and perspective and thereby learn new lessons and add new vitality to our writing...
...(W)e must not simply write about life; we must live it.
Your thoughts?
How much time have you spent writing about life, and how much time have you spent living--and drawing inspiration from life--lately?
Pensively yours,
Jeanne
Haven't Forgotten You!
Just wanted to let my readers know that I haven't forgotten my blog--or you! Lately, I've been kept quite busy battling a wicked PC Antispyware 2010 infection, contracted on August 8th; and though I managed to rid myself of the active infection about a week later, many problems lingered, including an inaccessible Windows Security Center (a problem I finally managed to correct just the other day, to my immense relief).
As you can imagine, I've spent a huge amount of time simply researching this malware online to learn all I can about its characteristics and how to correct the multitude of problems it creates on a PC--not to mention experimenting with and implementing various fixes--and it's been a fascinating, albeit often-frustrating education!
What Is PC Antispyware 2010?
PC Antispyware 2010 is a rogue antispyware program that causes alarming pop-ups to appear on your desktop (and even in front of web pages you visit) warning you of threats it has supposedly found on your PC and urging you to visit its website and register its "antispyware program," which you of course must pay for. The program claims to be scanning your computer, and to "prove" it, displays a status bar which shows the progress of the so-called scan. It's quite an alarming occurrence to see these windows continually popping up when you least expect them.
Characteristics of This Malware
PC Antispyware 2010 infiltrates so many different parts of your PC that it's extremely difficult to remove fully. It disables your antivirus and antispyware programs so they can't detect and remove it (or partly disables them so they appear to be doing something when in fact they are ineffective at removing the main infection). It can also prevent other anti-malware programs from being downloaded and/or run or disable access to their help files, which makes it difficult to replace your non-functioning programs to fight the malware infection.
It continually regenerates itself when you delete its files and places its main program into your PC's Startup menu so that every time you boot up, the malicious program reloads. PC Antispyware 2010 is caused by the Braviax virus (also called cru629) and is downloaded via several Trojans/Trojan downloaders. It also places rootkits (collections of hidden files that enable the program to do its dirty deeds) in various places on your PC, making it difficult to track down and fully remove this cyber menace.
Tips for Avoiding the Infection
This program is so persistent and so insidious that, once contracted, you have a real fight on your hands. So, please make every effort to avoid it! Be very careful what you download from the Internet, being sure it's from a trusted source. And never allow a Java (or other) program update to proceed when the update window suddenly pops up while you're surfing the Internet! (I've read that this is the way--or perhaps one way--PC Antispyware 2010 is downloaded, and I can easily believe this because I allowed a Java update while online at about the same time I contracted the infection.)
Be sure your Windows Firewall is turned on and your antivirus and antispyware programs are up-to-date--and use them to do periodic full scans of your PC fairly regularly, as well as regular quick scans--and be sure to run boot-time scans periodically as well, because PC Antispyware 2010 regenerates itself during bootup, and, of course, scans performed after bootup are ineffective at removing it from your boot menu.
More Info About PC Antispyware 2010 from K and Me at ShanKrila
For further information about PC Antispyware 2010, its symptoms, tips for its removal, and information specific to my experiences with it, visit my blogging buddy K-IntheHouse's post at ShanKrila, How to Remove PC AntiSpyware 2010? In this post, K--whose tagline for ShanKrila is "a blog where technology meets daily life"--answers my question about how to remove the malware, providing links to many helpful tools and resources.
I've also provided a great deal of information about my own experiences with the infection, as well as my discoveries, techniques, and triumphs in removing it, which you'll find in the Comments section of K's post. If you have contracted this infection, you may find some of this information helpful in resolving the multitude of issues you'll face in fully eradicating it. It's an ongoing process, and each time I discover something new about the malware or overcome another issue related to it, I update the info in a new comment at ShanKrila, with the object of helping others who may be struggling with this devious program (or who may simply want to learn more about it).
So, check out K's post and my associated comments, and arm yourself against PC Antispyware 2010!
To your PC's health!
Jeanne
A Fun Tool for the Guilt-Ridden Overworked Blogger
Karen Swim, at Words for Hire, recently penned an entertaining post, in which she introduced a fantastic tool for lazy…er, busy…bloggers who are willing to refrain (for at least a little while) from taking themselves—and life—too seriously. (To be perfectly accurate, she has partly penned and partly generated this post.) To see what I mean, check out Lazy or Creative? and prepare to smile.
Karen's post introduces an eminently—OK, amusingly—helpful standby for the blogger who may be having trouble keeping up. It's an automatic blog post generator that can help you easily (and often quite humorously) explain/apologize to your readers for your inexcusable blogging lapses. (It's about time someone thought of this!) With my own practically non-existent blogging schedule lately, I feel eminently qualified to take full advantage of this tool. (In fact, I thought that two apology posts created with this software would be the least I should offer my loyal, longsuffering readers, who certainly deserve two posts—and, at the absolute minimum, two apologies—for dealing with the dearth of content here at Writer's Notes lately). So, here goes!
This Lazy Busy Blogger's Automatically Generated Posts:
My first, more down-to earth, conservative version follows:
Goodness Gracious I just discovered I have not updated this since they invented sliced bread...You would not believe I spend all my time in front of a computer. I hope you still love me!*
I am absolutely consumed with work, personal projects, (and) just generally being a slave to society in general. (M)y day is full to overflowing from dawn to sundown and beyond. I am not complaining though. (But) I need a nap.
I won't promise anything to you, but I will make more of an effort to blog more often. Well, I'll try. What do you mean you don't believe me?
And here's my slightly zanier, or rather far more literary [cough, cough], version:
Abject apologies! I just opened mine eyes, and lo! I have not updated this since long before Shakespeare wast a boy...You would not believe my anguish at my misdoings. I prostrate myself in sorrow and beg thy forgiveness.
I am absolutely consumed with discovering time doesn't stand still, hoping you haven't found other blogs, (and) just generally being a doormat to my cats. (M)y day is passing in a blur from (the time) the light through yonder window breaks to whenever (I get finished). I am not complaining though. (L)ife is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get.
I declare solemnly I will try to remember my blog password more often in future. Truly! Unless of course the pool with the cocktail bar is heated!
Why not drop whatever you're doing and drop by The Lazy Bloggers Post Generator, where you can turn your blogging guilt into blogging fun!
Enjoy!
Jeanne
*In the interests of proper usage, I've made slight grammatical and punctuation changes to the two posts generated by the above tool. Added words and capitalizations are enclosed in parentheses, though I've taken the liberty of not indicating punctuation changes (which would have been awfully cumbersome--not to mention downright boring).
Did you enjoy this post? What do you think of such all-in-fun lapses in serious content posting? Do you consider this tool a dream-come-true for the busy (or lazy) blogger, or simply a way of letting off steam, eliciting a smile from readers, or assuaging a blogger's guilt when circumstances conspire against a regular blogging schedule? Perhaps a bit of all of the above? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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Blogapalooza 2009 Comes to an End
They say that all good things must come to an end, and so it is with Robert Hruzek's Blogapalooza 2009. The last few submissions were posted at Middle Zone Musings yesterday, and Mr. MZM has now posted his finished list of a very impressive 128 participating entries. What a phenomenal success this year's project has been! Robert's roundup post, Blogapalooza 2009 is OVER!, contains links to each blogger's What I Learned From 2008 post (found elsewhere on the MZM site), as well as links to each individual participant's own blog. And what a wealth of good reading these linked-to posts contain!
Roundup Post Serves as Blogapalooza's Online "Table of Contents"
I've decided to announce Robert's roundup post to make it easier for those of you who might have thus far refrained from perusing the Blogapalooza posts because you felt it was just too much trouble to work your way through all of them to find the ones that interested you. Robert's roundup post eliminates that problem, allowing you to not only find your favorite bloggers but also locate unfamiliar blog titles that sound as if they might be in your niche or simply sound intriguing, helpful, or entertaining. This list is also an excellent one-stop blog shop that can help you find new blogs that could just become some of your very favorites!
Two Links for Each Listing Provide Added Convenience
Clicking each blogger's name will take you to his or her Blogapalooza entry, which lists up to 12 different blog posts the blogger's written--one for each month of blogging he or she has done during 2008. These posts represent some often-fascinating lessons learned by each blogger over the past year. You may also click the blog title to be taken directly to each entrant's blog so you can check it out firsthand. (Be sure to bookmark the ones you like best! And don't forget to bookmark Robert's roundup post, since there's a lot of material to digest here--far too much to assimilate in a single sitting. You'll definitely want to return later and check out the content, blogs, and bloggers you don't have time to look into the first time around.)
Blogapalooza 2009 Is Over--Or Is It?
Blogapalooza 2009 may be over in one sense--and, no, Robert, I'm not referring to your turning the Blogapalooza title banner upside down!--yet, in another sense, it's just beginning. We now have a wealth of excellent content literally at our fingertips just waiting to be explored--a veritable treasure trove of wisdom, creativity, and expertise that we may freely mine for the gems of knowledge and experience that will prove most valuable to us in our own writing, blogging, business and/or life journeys. So, hurry on over to the "Zone" and get started! I think you'll be glad you did!
Middle Zone Musings: A Blog that Will Soon Have You Hooked!
But, let me warn you: the Zone is definitely habit-forming! Before you know it, Robert's warm and friendly Texas manner--along with his inimitable sense of humor and the hefty doses of down-home wisdom he sends your way--will totally win you over and you'll be hopelessly hooked! You'll soon find yourself wanting to visit the Middle Zone amazingly often to get your regular--and highly beneficial--doses of MZM storytelling interwoven with Robert's impressive musings on life.
But, go right ahead: Indulge! With this particular addiction at least, you needn't feel guilty in the slightest, because every time you leave the Middle Zone, you'll leave just a little bit better than you were when you came--with a little more wisdom, a little more understanding, a little more insight, and a little more vision than you ever had before. And that'll be Robert's special gift to you!
Happy learning!
Jeanne
P.S. If you're interested in single-topic, single-post group writing projects, be sure to visit Middle Zone Musings early each month to find out the topic of the month for Robert's ongoing monthly WILF (What I Learned From) projects. Not only are they a wonderful way to get your group-writing "feet wet," but they also allow you to create entries that double as posts for you own blog--essentially accomplishing two things at once, rather than causing you to forego posting to your own blog in order to participate--a definite plus!
Did you enjoy this post? What are your thoughts on group writing projects such as Blogapalooza? Do you enjoy being kept updated about them? Do you think you might enjoy participating in this type of project in the future? Why or why not? If you're less than enthusiastic about participating in such large-scale projects, would you prefer to hear about other, similar but smaller-scale writing projects you might join in on? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this issue!
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It's Official: My Writer's Notes' Blogapalooza Post is Now Up
On the last day that Robert is accepting submissions for his annual Blogapalooza group writing project, I finally finished and e-mailed my entry; and Robert informed me just a little while ago that my What I Learned From 2008 post is now up at MZM--along with the other 127 submissions to the project!
It's always a pleasure to participate in an MZM WILF (What I Learned From) project, since every project always has real substance and inspires a great deal of thought. Yet, Robert's annual Blogapalooza projects are always special, because, with them, bloggers are offered the singular honor of having their posts actually published at Middle Zone Musings, with links back to their best monthly blog posts, rather than publishing their posts on their own blogs with only a link roundup being displayed at MZM. So, Blogapalooza is really special!
Visit MZM and Read My Submission--Along with 127 Others
Stop by when you have the time and check out my submission. Perhaps you'll find a few Writer's Notes posts listed there that you've missed. Since this list of a dozen posts (one for each month of 2008) represents the posts I've found especially instructive to me, perhaps you'll find them particularly instructive or informative, as well. You might think of these as some of the best Writer's Notes content of 2008. In addition to listing this content, my Blogapalooza post gives a brief explanation of what I learned from each of the 12 posts I've chosen for the project.
You'll also want to check out some of the other Blogapalooza posts written by various bloggers and peruse the content they've written over the past year which they consider to be their best and most instructive. Drop over and take a look. You may just learn something--and be entertained in the bargain!
May reading these posts teach you as much as we've learned writing them!
Happy reading!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Which Writer's Notes posts highlighted in this project had you never read before? What value do you see in group writing projects such as this one? Do you enjoy having more meaningful posts resurrected from the archival abyss in this manner, or are you totally ready to move on to new things in the new year, without looking back? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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Blogapalooza 2009 Group Writing Project Under Way
In case you haven't noticed what's been going on at Middle Zone Musings all month, you'll definitely want to check it out. Robert Hruzek's annual Blogapalooza Extravaganza is well under way. It's called "What I Learned From 2008." This group writing project is the culmination of a year of WILF projects Robert has hosted each month during 2008.
Posts Represent Each Blogger's Monthly Best in 2008
While his regular monthly WILF projects consist of posts written on each month's featured topic by various bloggers (each of which are posted to their own blogs, with links to each post listed at MZM), Blogapalooza is a bit different. It features the actual posts themselves, which are run at MZM as guest posts and link out to the post each blogger has learned the most from during each month he or she has been blogging in 2008. (It's a fantastic opportunity to catch some great posts you may have missed during the past year.)
Record Number of Bloggers Enter This Year
Robert's goal this year has been 100 posts, and he has clearly exceeded his goal, hitting the 100 mark on January 12th and currently boasting 126 posts and counting. This is fantastic—particularly since last year's Blogapalooza garnered a mere 30 entries! Robert has accepted entries all month so far, and the (rather lengthy) submission period for the project is just about ready to end. So, if, like me, you have a last-minute entry, be sure to get it in soon. (Entries may be submitted through Sunday, January 25th. Since Robert lives in Texas, USA, I imagine that last-minute international entrants will be able to base their deadline on Robert's time zone, rather than their own.)
Hurry on over to Middle Zone Musings and check out the fascinating array of posts from a wide variety of different blogs, many of which are bound to be in your own niche, providing valuable insight to help you succeed!
Enjoy!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? What do you think of beginning-of-the-year roundups of the best posts published during the previous year? Are there any particular posts you've found especially enlightening in this year's Blogapalooza? If so, which ones were they, and why?
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The Confident Writing Best Posts of 2008
Joanna Young has posted her list of Simply The Best Posts of 2008. (She actually posted her list of links and reasons the bloggers chose their posts a day early--the 29th instead of the 30th of December--though I'm only just getting around to reporting it now. My apologies!)
Be sure to stop by Confident Writing, at the link above, to read some of the best blog content written during 2008, including work from all over the blogosphere! And don't forget to visit Confident Writing regularly for many fantastic writing tips and words of writing wisdom from writing coach, Joanna Young. (In fact, why not bookmark her site or subscribe to her feed.) I guarantee you'll learn a great deal!
Happy reading--and learning!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? What are your thoughts on roundup posts such as these? Do you enjoy visiting blogs that have collected links to some of the best content and placed them into a single post for your convenience? Does this make it easier for you to access more great content amid your busy schedule? Or do you prefer to pick and choose your own preferred posts by making the rounds yourself?
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Three Great Posts for Writers
I'd like to share links to a few blog posts I've come across this week which I've found helpful and which I think might benefit other writers, as well. They're written by three writers/bloggers I highly respect. Please note that these three posts are by no means the only three I believe to be of value this week but merely three that I've read and been impressed with (as I invariably am with all the posts I read whenever I visit these three blogs).
A Hefty Dose of Writing Encouragement and Strategy from Brain Based Biz
The first post, called As a Writer - I Can, was written by a blogger I greatly respect: Robyn McMaster at Brain Based Biz. This very encouraging post (which I found in the BBB November archives) will inspire you to look within for the writing talent you may not even realize you possess and provide strategies that can help you learn to believe in your own ability as a writer. You'll find many more fabulous posts at Brain Based Biz (many of which focus on the fascinating topic of multiple intelligences) which will help you put your brain power to work to achieve your writing--and life--goals. So, be sure to visit often! You'll find Robyn's posts insightfully written, immensely interesting, and totally practical.
Some Fantastic Tips for Stepping Beyond Fear at Brain Leaders and Learners
The second post, 10 Strides from Fear to Freedom, comes from my respected colleague, Ellen Weber, at Brain Leaders and Learners--yes, another fascinating blog that delves deeply into brain research and intelligence, providing tips and techniques for using your mental powers to their best advantage and using them to achieve impressive results. This post will encourage you by providing the inspiration, as well as the practical techniques, you need to overcome fear--which will help you go much farther in your writing endeavors. Be sure to drop by Brain Leaders and Learners regularly for your latest fascinating dose of brain-related information, along with Ellen's sage, well-written advice on applying this information to your work.
An Excellent Guide for Creating Your First e-Book and More from Confident Writing
The third post was written by another blogger I've always thought very highly of: Joanna Young of Confident Writing. It's called A Simple Guide to Compiling a Free E-Book. If you've ever considered writing an e-book and wanted to know how to go about it, you'll find this post--as well as Joanna's free e-book, Asking Questions For a Change: how to ask purposeful questions--a great help to you in getting started in e-book writing. Joanna's blog also offers a wealth of information on other aspects and types of writing, so make sure you stop back by Confident Writing often to take advantage of her always insightful words of wisdom about writing.
Three Blogs to Bookmark
Be sure to visit--and bookmark--these three fabulous blogs. If you're a reader of RSS feeds, you might also want to subscribe. The next time you need inspiration, encouragement, or practical information, you'll definitely be glad you decided to keep these three blogs close at hand!
Read, grow, and enjoy!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? What have you found most helpful about one or more of these three amazing blogs? We'd love to hear your thoughts!
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Need Writing Advice or Resources? Check Out How to Write
If you're looking for a site that offers lots of helpful writing advice and a wide variety of writing-related resources, allow me to introduce you to a blog I think you'll love. How to Write, an Orble blog penned by Moonglow*, offers up a generous spread of wisdom about the craft of writing, topping it off with a host of links to writing websites, markets, and other resources that can help you reach your writing goals.
Some Sample Posts
A few examples of the posts I've enjoyed and think other writers might benefit from at How to Write are Free Christmas Cards (for those of you who might enjoy printing out our own cards this Christmas season and perhaps even including our own verse) and Christian Writing Forum (for those writers who might like to participate in discussions about writing in a Christian context). Haiku Writers Wanted ! and Craft Writers Wanted ! are two examples of the variety of writing markets the site presents. Other entries, such as Free Character Development Worksheet and Free Novel Outline Template, also link to resources you might find helpful in creating your fiction book.
How to Write: A Blog to Bookmark
Visit (and don't forget to bookmark) How to Write, where you'll find not only a host of helpful writing-related tips, tactics, markets, and other resources--presented concisely for quick digestion by busy writers--but also a friendly, wise, and engaging blogger. If that winning combo isn't enough to bring you back, you must already know so much and have such an arsenal of writing resources that you simply don't need to seek knowledge or information elsewhere. However, if, like most of us, you're always interested in acquiring a link to the latest gem of a writing website or you always enjoy reading another insightful tidbit of writing wisdom, hurry over to How to Write--and be sure to tell Moonglow I sent you.
Enjoy these resources!
Jeanne
* I hope Moonglow will forgive me for capitalizing her username, since she always uses all lower case letters, referring to herself as "moonglow." I just can't seem to get used to doing that, though, and hope my respected blogging colleague doesn't mind!
Did you enjoy this post? Have any other great writing resource sites to share? We'd love to hear about them!
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Two Big Moves: a Domain and a Domicile!
Confident Writing coach Joanna Young has been very busy of late. First, she moved her Confident Writing blog to WordPress--a big enough job in itself! Then, she took on the Herculean task of moving her residence, as well. Some Internet connection problems right before her move only added to the stress, but I'm happy to report that Joanna's move is complete, she's happily tucked away in her new home, her Internet connection issues have been resolved, and she's raring to resume her activities coaching wordsmiths like you to become "confident writers."
Confident Writing: A Blog You Don't Want to Miss!
If you're not familiar with Joanna's blog, you don't know what you've been missing! And if you've been looking for a place where you could learn the secrets of writing with confidence, you're in luck! Joanna's blog is chock-full of tips, techniques, encouragement, advice, and inspiration to help you become the writer you've always known you could be.
One Confident Writing post I think you'll love as much as I did is The Secret: 20 Ways To Attract More Comments On Your Blog. And this is just one of many, many excellent posts Joanna has written to help you become a more confident writer (and blogger). Do yourself a favor and mine her archives--after you've read all her recent posts, that is.
You'll Feel Right at Home at Joanna's New Home!
One of the best things about Confident Writing is that Joanna will welcome you with open arms! Please make it a point to visit and let her know you're glad she's back. (When you do, you'll see what a gracious hostess she is.) And while you're at it, why not bookmark her site? You'll be glad you did!
Welcome Back, Joanna!
You have many friends in the blogosphere, all of whom wish you well. Please accept our heartfelt wishes for a wonderful life in your brand new home, a prosperous season on your new domain, and a glorious sense of the warmth with which we welcome you back to your rightful place among those of us who care so much about you!
Many good wishes for the future!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Have any thoughts to share about writing with confidence--or about your visit to Confident Writing? I'd love to hear them!
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Wild Bill Rides Again!
After a 10-month hiatus, Passionate Blogger Wild Bill is back online--and that's good news! If you've read his blog before, you know how dedicated Wild Bill is to helping bloggers reach their full potential--and earn money doing it. And you've likely been as disappointed as I to see this great source of blogging inspiration and knowledge fall dormant for so long. If you haven't read this blog before, you're in for a treat, and you're destined to become a diehard fan!
One thing you'll notice right away when you visit Passionate Blogger and begin to read is that this is one inspirational blog! Another is that it's written by a man who really cares about his readers--a man totally dedicated to imparting the wisdom he's gained through his own experience to you, his reader and fellow blogger, with totally generous abandon. Visit this blog and I can almost guarantee that you'll be hooked in no time!
Wild Bill Shares About Himself and His Blog
Here's what Wild Bill has to say about Passionate Blogger:
Passionate Blogger is a blog about using your passion to blog better and make more money blogging. With easy to understand weekly articles Passionate Blogger unlocks the secrets of professional bloggers that will grow your blog faster than ever before. Making a living online is very possible and Passionate Blogger is here to help make your dream blog a reality.
And here's what he has to say about the man behind the blog (aka, himself):
I'm an internet entrepreneur and full time blogger making a living from blogs like Passionate America. I started my first blog in 2004, have blogged on 10 blogs, and have been featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal.
You'll find more info about Wild Bill on the Passionate Blogger About Page.
Get Ready for Some Fantastic Content!
Wild Bill has written some great content since reviving his blog on July 16th. Appropriately enough, his first post gives timely advice on How to Resurrect a Dead or Dying Blog--and, after all, he should know, since he's in the middle of doing it, as we "speak."
Another post Wild Bill has added since his return to the blogging scene is Making New Friends, 10 Passionate Ways to Connect With Friends Online--a must-read for any blogger who wants some sage advice on how to best forge those all-important relationships that make blogging so uniquely rewarding.
Don't Overlook Wild Bill's Earlier Posts!
When you visit Passionate Blogger, be sure to check out Wild Bill's older posts, as well. You'll definitely find some gems in his archives, including his three-part Give and Receive Series and the following individual posts: Does Your Blog Get a Failing Grade? How to Get an A+, Do You Have a Blogging Addiction? and Stop Cramming for a Post!--a very practical piece that can help you limit the time and effort you spend on prep work for your posts.
More Great Passionate Blogger Content to Come!
The above posts should more than whet your appetite for the wonderful content yet to come on the newly resurrected Passionate Blogger site! So, be sure to visit often. And while you're at it, why not leave a comment to let Wild Bill know you're reading and are glad he's back. (You might even want to sign up for his RSS feed to keep on top of new posts.)
Link to Passionate Blogger in Writer's Notes' Sidebar
You'll find a link to Passionate Blogger in my Sites for Writers list at the bottom of my left sidebar. That way, you'll be able to drop by and visit Wild Bill with a single click, whenever you're reading Writer's Notes and have a sudden urge for some passionate blogging advice!
Happy--and passionate--blogging!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Have any thoughts to share about passionate blogging? I'd just love to hear them!
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Two Fantastic Sites That Are Hosting My Work
Just wanted to share with my Writer's Notes readers that I have two guest posts appearing so far during the month of June: one at Writing the Cyber Highway and one at Writer's Resource Center.
Writing the Cyber Highway: A Favor Returned
One guest post is already up at Michele Tune's blog, Writing the Cyber Highway.
Here's the link:
Motivation to Write: Is There a Magic Formula?
I've really enjoyed writing this post on motivation for Michele, who so kindly came to my rescue a while back when I was ill, penning a wonderful guest post here at Writer's Notes without even being asked to do it. That's just the kind of blogger--and person--Michele is! That's why I'm so happy to reciprocate. (See Michele's guest post here: That's What Bloggers Are For.)
If you ever have trouble motivating yourself to write, you might just want to follow the above link and check out the lessons I've learned about this topic that's so critical to the success of every writer. Hope you'll enjoy reading this piece as much as I've enjoyed writing it. And hope you'll get lots of new ideas about how to discover--or generate--new motivation for all your writing projects!
Writer's Resource Center (aka PoeWar): An Opportunity to Help Out
My second guest post is scheduled to run tomorrow, June 4th, at John Hewitt's Writer's Resource Center.
Update: It's now June 4th and the post is up, so here's the link:
7 Secrets to a Striking Essay
This post presents seven helpful essay-writing techniques that are applicable to many other types of writing, as well. I hope you'll enjoy it--and even more so that you'll get something of value from reading it.
I wrote this post in response to a request by John for enough guest posts to run through the month of June to help him take a much needed month-long vacation. I was honored that, in addition to his general call for guest posts, John also sent me an e-mail inviting me personally to submit a post. (How could I refuse?) Seriously, though, I'd already planned to submit a post but really appreciated John's reminder. It's definitely an honor to have my work appearing at John Hewitt's Writer's Resource Center!
WRC Post Involves a Contest With an Impressive Grand Prize!
What makes this WRC "gig" even more special, though, is that John is offering a $250 prize to the writer whose guest post receives the most traffic during the first week it graces his site! That's definitely a prize worth pursuing--even if I would have submitted a guest post anyway! So, I'd like to ask my readers to stop by WRC to check out my post--even if you aren't that interested in essay writing--though I promise that you will take home some helpful tips for other types of writing, as well. (And don't forget to tell your friends! I need all the help I can get! In fact, a Stumble wouldn't hurt, either (wink, wink), if you really like my article--or if you just want to be nice. I would be forever grateful. Certainly hope you will like my post, though.)
WRC Consolation Prize Is Generous, As Well
John is also offering a $50 prize in a random drawing he'll hold to determine which lucky guest blogger among all those who have responded to his call for vacation relief will receive the "consolation" prize. The two monetary prizes John is offering are more than generous and have certainly provided a wonderful incentive for bloggers to participate. It will definitely be fascinating to see who wins them! Of course, it would be even more fascinating to be who wins (one of) them! Time alone will tell who the two lucky winners will be!
Stay Tuned for John Hewitt's Guest Post Here at Writer's Notes
John has also graciously offered to write a reciprocal guest post here at Writer's Notes as soon as he's able--so we've all got a treat in store after John's vacation ends. I know he's a busy man, however, and certainly don't want to put any undue pressure on him. Though it's difficult to wait, I'm sure we can all be patient until John gets back into the swing of things in July and manages to find a bit of extra time to write a guest post especially for us! I know it will be well worth the wait!
Hope you'll visit my guest posts!
Jeanne
P.S. I haven't forgotten my comment recognition post this month, but have simply been so busy that I haven't gotten to it yet. (Would have posted it today, but wanted to announce my guest post at Writer's Resource Center, since it's set to go live tomorrow, as well as my guest post that went live yesterday at Writing the Cyber Highway. Hope everyone will forgive me for being so late with my thanks! I'll do my best to get that post up tomorrow. I'll also resume my Guide to Polished Writing series soon after. Thanks for your understanding!)
Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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A New List of Links for Your Mother's Day (and Everyday) Reading Pleasure
Since Mother's Day is just about here, I thought I'd post some new links for writing moms, as well as linking to my two posts from last Mother's Day, which include more great mom/writing links. (I've checked these posts and removed the links that are no longer valid.)
Some of the newer links are specifically for moms who write, while others tend to be blogs where the blogger writes about motherhood. (Some of these do, however, discuss writing in some of their posts, along with mothering. These mommy bloggers are, after all, writers.) A few of the links provide resources for moms who write, and one even invites contributions from writing moms.
There's some fascinating stuff here for all you mom writers--so sit back and enjoy! And don't forget to visit these sites and bookmark your favorites. There should be something here for pretty much every writing mom.)
Links to Blogs/Sites Written By Moms About Writing and/or Motherhood
Work From Home Momma
Freelance Parent
Writer Mama
Lis Garrett ~ Silver-Tongued Writer
The Write at Home Parent
The Writing Mother
The Other Mother—for Moms Who Write
(The author invites you to tell your story.)
What About Mom?
5 Minutes for Mom
New Mom Central
The Mommy Diaries
Motherhood Incorporated
Mommy Life
Blog Mommas
The Mom Crowd
(Includes a post entitled,
Creative Writing Moms and Literary Magazines.)
Blonde Mom Blog
An Ordinary Mom
Work It, Mom!
(a blog for working moms)
At Home Mom Blog
More Writing Mom Links From My 2007 Mother's Day Posts
The following two links will take you to my Mother's Day 2007 writing mom link fests, which are chock full of other sites that appeal to moms who write--and even moms who don't:
It’s Mother’s Day! Some Helpful Links for Writing Moms
More Great Sites for Writing Moms
Hope you'll enjoy these.
And hope each and every mom out there--both writer and non-writer--has a truly happy Mother's Day!
Best wishes from a fellow writing mom,
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Know of any other great writing mom sites? Or simply feel like sharing something about writing and/or Mother's Day? I'd love to hear from you!
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Pillar Posts Link Helps You Locate Content Quickly
I'm not sure whether most of my readers have noticed it yet or not, but I've created a list of Pillar Posts to help you more easily find Writer's Notes' most beneficial content. You'll find a link in my Spotlight Posts list to Writer's Notes' Pillar Posts. This link will take you to a post in which I've listed my most helpful content, broken down into various categories.
Rather than simply listing them in reverse chronological order by month, as they are in my archives, I've decided that it would be far more helpful to you if I were to categorize this content. This should help you quickly find the topics you're interested in exploring or the tools and resources you'd like to use, rather than having to wade through all the posts on the list. (This will prove even more beneficial, no doubt, as the list grows through the addition of future content.) Hope you'll find this feature useful! Let me know what you think and whether you have any further suggestions for making it even more useful.
Other Spotlight Posts Links Point to Blog Carnival Feed and More
My Spotlight Posts list is also where a link to my About page is located, as well as links to Writer's Notes' Awards (given to me by various other bloggers), and my Blog Carnival Feed. Blog carnivals can be a fantastic way to get recognition, readers, and links to your site. So, check this feed often, visit the Blog Carnival website via the button in the Stats & Other Widgets section in my top left sidebar, and seriously consider submitting your blog posts to one or more carnivals. There are many carnivals on myriad topics, and the best part is that you may have already written content that's suitable for one or more of them. So, don't overlook a great opportunity to get exposure for your blog.
Sites for Writers Link List Points to Helpful Sites
Last, but not least, I'd like to remind my readers to make use of my Sites for Writers list (previously called "Helpful Sites for Writers") near the bottom of my left sidebar. (The links are still just as helpful, but I needed to shorten the title.) This is a comprehensive list of links to various websites which can be helpful to writers in one way or another.
Most are straight writing sites or blogs, some are sites to or through which to sell your work, and others offer various additional features beneficial to the writer/blogger: blog design, inspiration, wisdom about issues that affect writers/writing, both business and general life lessons that can be helpful to you in the craft or business of writing, etc. Be sure to use this list of links often--and try visiting some of the sites that are as yet unfamiliar to you. You'll find many gems in this list, and you may just discover one or more that really target your interests or needs. (How will you ever know if you don't check them out?)
Hope these additions to Writer's Notes' help to make your writing life, fuller, simpler, and more productive. And may they help contribute to your success!
From one writer to another,
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Find it helpful? Have any suggestions for improvement or other features you'd like to see? Please let me know in comments. I'd love to hear from you!
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A Nice Matters Award Version I Wasn't Aware Of
A little while back, I awarded the Nice Matters badge to a number of bloggers whom I considered to be some of the more friendly and kind bloggers I'd "met" during the past year that I've been blogging. (See my earlier post, Nice Matters Award: A Blogger's Gift.) At the time, I was aware of only one version of the award--the very feminine-looking version which I have in my blog's sidebar. I therefore made my apologies to the fellas and offered it to them anyway. However, I'm now happy to report that, thanks to Krissy Knox of Sometimes I Think, I now have the masculine version to offer the guys I nominated for the award back then.
The Guys' ReAward, If You Will
I'll repost the list of guys to whom I gave the award, so they can come on by and pick up the new (to me, at least) "Gentlemen's version" of the Nice Matters Award badge.
Here they are, in no particular order:
Dan, at dcr Blogs
Brad Shorr, at Word Sell, Inc.
Robert Hruzek, at Middle Zone Musings
Michael Martin, at Pro Blog Design
K-IntheHouse, at ShanKri-la
Raven, at Alaska Chronicle
Tom Colvin, at Becoming a Writer Seriously
The "New" Badge
Here's the new badge, fellas. Hope you'll like it better than the other one--and hopefully this will mean that those of you who didn't post it to your blogs because of the feminine style/color will be inclined to do so now that you've got a more gentlemanly version.
The Guys' Badge:
Here you go, guys!
A Note to My Readers
Be sure to check out the blogs of the above Nice Matters Award recipients. You'll find much to like there--not the least of which will be the bloggers themselves! Also, check out my original Nice Matters post, where you'll find links to the female bloggers to whom I presented this award, as well as those to whom I would have presented it, had they not already received it. Like the guys, these women will make you feel welcome whenever you visit--and also offer you a great deal of "food for thought" to make your visit a pleasant one.
Always remember: Nice Matters!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? Know of any other similar awards? Have you received them? We'd love to hear about it!
A True Honor!
Liz Strauss, of Successful Blog has made it official: I'm an SOB! (See Thanks to Week 117 SOBs.)
Now, normally, when people call you an SOB, it isn't a compliment; but when Liz calls you that, you know that a very high honor has been bestowed; because at Successful Blog, SOB stands for Successful and Outstanding Blogger!
The SOB Award
You've no doubt already noticed the SOB badge in my sidebar. Nevertheless I'll reproduce it here, because, to be honest, you can never display this award too often!
Here it is:
You may have even been a bit curious about the newest badge to appear in my sidebar, if you aren't familiar with it or with Liz's blog. I'll let Liz herself explain the purpose of the SOB award in her own words.
A Few Words From Liz About the Award
Here are a few things Liz has to say about those bloggers who have, as she puts it, "earned this official badge of achievement":
They take the conversation to their readers, contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.
I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on. Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.
How I Shared Liz's Blog Conversation
My own manner of passing on Liz's blog conversation was through my post, My Journey to Becoming Positively Me, which I prepared back in November, 2007, in response to Liz's own Positively Me post.
I also flung this conversation a bit farther out into the blogosphere more recently by making it part of my What I Learned From 2007 post, which I entered into Robert Hruzek's Blogapalooza group writing project at Middle Zone Musings.
Do Yourself a Favor: Visit Successful Blog
If you've never visited Successful Blog--and even if you have--do yourself a favor and drop by. You'll be glad you did! (You'll find links in the first paragraph of this post and in my bottom left sidebar.) Liz's blog is loaded with helpful information to make your blog successful--amazing wisdom from a truly successful and highly respected blogger! This is one reason I'm truly honored to have received this award! (The other is that I'm definitely in good company! Liz's extensive list of SOB's is a veritable Who's Who of bloggers--and an excellent resource if you happen to be seeking some excellent blogs to read and learn from! Check out her SOB Hall of Fame--A-Z Directory.)
Happy reading!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Care to share your thoughts? Have you checked out Successful Blog--or do you plan to? Please feel free to comment!
The Contest
Wanted to share a gift, of sorts, given to me by Dan at dcrBlogs. Actually it's more of a consolation prize for my non-winning entry to his recent What is This Blog All About? contest. In this contest, Dan asked his writer-readers to write a description of his blog and offered a $10 prize to the blogger whose description he chose as most accurate and well-written. (Entries were left in comments and may be read at the above post.)
The Winner
In a later post, What You Think This Blog is All About, Dan reveals his choice for the winning entry: the one submitted by my blogging friend, Lillie Ammann of A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye. (Congrats, Lillie on a job well-done!)
The Consolation Prize
In the above post Dan generously offers the Good Buzzz Blog Award to the non-winners:
Good Buzzz Blog Award
This award is “for blogs that have generated a happy hum in the blogosphere. Whether it be for their blog in general, one outstanding, unusual or controversial post, or for something cool the blogger has done. Or even for recognizing some promising, brand-new blogs.” Dan received it back in November, and he's kindly decided to pass it on to us, because he considers our taking the time to submit our entries to the contest to be "cool."
Thanks, Dan!
I'd like to thank Dan for the consolation prize, as well as the lesson learned through my submission of an overly lengthy entry--despite what my intuition tried to tell me! Nevertheless, like Dan, I, too, love Lillie's description and readily concede that the best entry did indeed win! Many congratulations to Lillie Ammann on an excellent description of an excellent blog: dcrBlogs!
Till next time,
Jeanne
How much thought have you given to your blog's description? If your blog is listed on Technorati or anywhere else, that description represents your blog. Does it make people want to visit? Any thoughts to share about this topic?
The Perfect Group Writing Project to Cap 2007
I just had to get in on Robert Hruzek's end-of-year WILF (What I Learned From) group writing project, Blogapalooza: What I Learned From 2007. One reason was that I needed to make up for all the WILFs that I've missed over at Middle Zone Musings due to excessive busy-ness. I've felt bad about missing them, and I wanted to show Robert that I really do care. Another reason: This is a really fantastic project, bringing together the lessons learned by a whole spectrum of bloggers over the past year: What a wealth of wisdom is there for the taking for those who take the time to read this group of posts!
What Blogapalooza Is All About
The best way to explain to you what Blogapalooza is all about is to let Robert do it! So, without further ado...he-e-e-e-re's Robert!
Looking back at your archives for the year 2007, choose one post from every month you’ve been blogging that best represents a lesson learned. And you don’t have to use your old (should you *ahem* have any) WILF entries; it’s your choice (you can, of course; but you don’t have to).
So what was the most amazing, profound, surprising, whacky, etc. thing you learned in the month of March? How about July? Anything in October? Hey, you get to choose something different from each month! Now that’s a blogapalooza!
Here’s all you have to do (please notice the procedure is a bit different than usual):
1. Choose one post from every month you’ve been blogging in 2007. (For example, if you’ve been blogging all year, you get to choose up to 12; if only since July, choose up to 6. Got it?) Use whatever criteria you like: your favorite post, most commented upon, the funniest, most outrageous, or “what you thought was your best work but ended up being a huge flop”, etc.; hey, knock yourself out!
2. Write a sentence or two describing each post you’ve chosen and why. Don’t forget to include the post title and imbed a link to it (you may laugh at that instruction; but if I don’t spell it out, well…). Compile it all into a single article. Please (and if you want to) also include a few sentences about yourself and your blog (and again, don’t forget the link).
3. Choose how your entry gets posted (here’s where it gets fun!)
3.1. The Blogapalooza Way (sound of crowd cheering): Instead of posting it at your blog – allow me to host it for you right here at Middle ZoneMusings! Here’s how:
3.1.1. Send your post to me anytime (in .doc or .rtf format only – please don’t send a .pdf!) at rhruzek@sbcglobal.net right up until the end (operators are ‘standing by’) and I’ll post it here at the Zone, including all the links. (NOTE: I will edit if necessary, but as little as possible, and only to make you look better.)
3.1.2. So your readers know how to find your entry, post a notice (write a teaser, summary, whatever) at your blog and point to your entry here at Middle Zone Musings (I’ll provide the link for you).
OR -
3.2. The (ho-hum) Usual Way: Post your entry at your own blog and send me the link as usual. Please include the phrase “What I Learned From…” in your post title.
My Entry Added at the Eleventh Hour
Well, I barely made it into the project, e-mailing my entry at pretty near the eleventh hour! But, as they say, "Woo-hoo, I'm in!" (Do they really say that?) At any rate, if you'd like to read it, you'll find my entry, What I Learned From 2007--Jeanne Dininni, at the Zone. I highly recommend you check out the other entries, as well--and while you're at it, bookmark Robert's site, because it's definitely one you'll want to visit again and again. Why that rascal is already planning his next WILF project, which you won't want to miss. Maybe you might even decide to join in the next time around! If you do, I guarantee you'll have a ball!
Here's to learning!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Sure hope so! Have you checked out Robert's Blogapalooza Extravaganza? (See, I told you it was fun!) We'd love to hear your thoughts about the project!
Developing Our Writing Goals for 2008 Is a Great Start
As we enter a new year, each of us has our own personal list of writing, blogging, and marketing goals which we hope will make 2008 even better than 2007 was. And this is a wonderful thing! Each new year is like a brand new beginning--like starting fresh. It can help inspire us and jump-start our enthusiasm for using our creative gifts in exciting new ways, for branching out into new areas of endeavor, for building our brand, for marketing ourselves and our work with renewed vigor, and perhaps most exciting of all, for increasing our writing income.
But Intellectual Exercise Isn't Enough
The above are all excellent goals to focus our energies on in the new year. Yet, as most of us would be quick to admit, while writing is one of the most rewarding of intellectual endeavors, it is precisely that: intellectual, which translates into many hours spent seated before our computers doing research, planning, writing, editing, rewriting, seeking markets for, and selling our work. In other words, as wonderful as writing is--and as wonderful as it is that we can sell so much of our work online from the comfort of our home offices--writing is definitely not an activity that contributes to our physical fitness; and it can, in fact, detract from it, if we don't find ways to counteract the often excessive amounts of time we spend in front of our computers.
A Blog to Help You Add Physical Fitness to Your List of 2008 Goals
One way that we can help motivate ourselves to add physical fitness to our list of New Year's resolutions this year--and make it a resolution that we actually keep--is by visiting the Simply Fitness Blog, where we'll find posts such as the following to help move us toward better fitness in 2008:
27 Ways to Get Fit for Free
Fitness Motivation: 6 Simple Steps to the Point of No Return
Fitness Success Tip 1: Have a Plan
These three posts, along with the others offered on this great blog, can help inspire us to make fitness happen for us this year.
More Information on Fitness and Fitness Gear on the Main Website
In addition to the great advice you'll find on the Simply Fitness Blog, you'll also discover a ton of other excellent fitness information on the main site, SimplyFitnessGear.com. This site presents comprehensive info on and reviews of the many different types and brands of fitness gear available and can help you decide which equipment is right for your fitness needs.
The Fitness Equipment Quiz offered at SimplyFitnessGear.com can also help you determine which type of fitness gear will give you the workout you need, based on your own current level of fitness.
Two Sites to Give You the Fitness Info You Need
Even if you aren't in the market for fitness equipment, you'll learn a great deal from both the blog and the main site. If you'd like to develop your own exercise regimen but don't know quite where to begin, definitely check out the blog for information, motivation, and inspiration. If your goal is to learn more about the equipment you may currently be using--or not using--either at home or at the gym, be sure to look over the main site.
Simply Fitness might just provide the push you need to help you balance your current regimen of intellectual exercise with a whole new physical fitness routine, making you healthier, happier, and more creative in the new year.
To a happy and healthy 2008!
Jeanne
This is not a sponsored post.
Know any other great fitness websites that can help us keep fit in the new year? We'd love to hear about them!
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