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WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!
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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We Have a Great Deal Planned Today!
Dream or Destiny: A prize worth winning
Sit down, relax, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and join us for Lillie Ammann's second exciting stop at Writer's Notes, where you'll learn who won a copy of Dream or Destiny, read all about Lillie's road to publication, and ask this experienced author, who has published several books, all the pressing questions you've always wanted to ask about publishing your own work.
First Order of Business: Contest Winner
Drum roll, please! And, the lucky winner of an autographed copy of Dream or Destiny is...Mark Antony! Congratulations, Mark! I know you'll enjoy the book! Please e-mail me at writersnotes@gmail.com with your shipping info, which I'll pass on to Lillie so she can ship your book to you.
A big Thank You to all who participated in the drawing! I appreciate your comments and wish all of you could have won! Thanks, also, to those who commented without entering! It's always great to hear your thoughts!
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Next on the Agenda: My Exciting Interview With Lillie Ammann!
Without further ado, I present to you my interview with Lillie--a fascinating exhange in which this experienced author offers a wealth of interesting, helpful, and encouraging information for aspiring and practicing writers! Plan to give it a thorough reading--and make sure you check out the valuable resource links Lillie provides for your benefit!
WN: What writing and/or life experiences sparked the idea for Dream or Destiny?
LA: I saw a television documentary about a woman who uses her psychic dreams to help the police solve crimes. Her dreams are after the fact and are generally about such things as the location of the body rather than about the crime itself. However, that sparked my imagination. I wondered, “What if someone dreamed about a murder before it happened?”
WN: How detailed was your plot line when you began writing Dream or Destiny, and how did your plot unfold?
LA: I knew little about the plot when I started writing. Characters come first for me. The characters bounce around in my head for awhile before I have any idea of the plot. I knew Marilee would dream about a murder, and that’s about all I knew at first. I got to know Marilee, then David appeared. I hadn’t consciously planned to write about domestic violence, but when I was getting acquainted with David, a long history of abuse came to light. It’s probably more accurate to say the characters told me the story than to say I wrote the story. I didn’t know what was going to happen until they told me. In fact, I didn’t even know who the murderer was until the very end!
WN: Dream or Destiny tackles a sensitive topic: domestic violence. What challenges did you face in weaving this issue into your story and still creating realistic character development?
LA: As I said earlier, the characters really told me their story. One of the best compliments I have received came from Bluestocking at The Bluestocking Guide. She asked me if I had personal experience with domestic violence and said when she read the book, she felt sure it was written by someone who had either experienced abuse personally or was close to a victim of domestic violence. Bluestocking is an attorney and domestic violence victims’ advocate, so I was pleased that she said the characters were true to life, unlike what she normally finds in fiction.
WN: What techniques have you found effective for strengthening motivation when working on a book-length project such as Dream or Destiny?
LA: While I was writing Dream or Destiny, I belonged to a critique group. Each member was expected to bring a chapter for critique to each weekly meeting. Having that accountability was a powerful motivator. I didn’t want to show up without my chapter, and I couldn’t just not show up—the meeting was at my house. The group no longer meets so when I start my next novel, I am going to give myself deadlines. If accounting to myself isn’t enough, I’ll partner with another writer to be accountable to each other.
WN: The tension between raw creativity and literary polish often plagues writers. How did you achieve (and how would you recommend that other aspiring writers achieve) the balance needed for creating an inspired yet polished piece of writing?
LA: I learned in an online writing class that first drafts are supposed to be “pure green dreck.” I separate the raw creativity/the inspiration from the literary polish. The purpose of the first draft is to get to know the characters and find out what happens. The only editing I permit myself at that stage is primarily getting back into the story after a break. I re-read the last few paragraphs from the work of the last writing session, whether that was the previous day or weeks ago. I allow myself to make minor revisions in those paragraphs, then it’s back to “pure green dreck.”
The only time I would consider making major revisions during the first draft would be if I found myself completely off-track. That’s never happened, though. After the “pure green dreck” is poured out onto the pages of the manuscript, I like to put it aside for days or weeks. Then I go back to edit … and edit … and edit … and edit again. One way to look at it is you can’t polish a gem unless you have a gem to polish. That “pure green dreck” is the diamond-in-the-rough that you will turn into a stunning jewel.
WN: Tell us a bit about your road to publishing Dream or Destiny.
LA: It was a long road with so many twists and turns I couldn’t see the end until I was almost there. My road to publishing this book should encourage any other writer who is discouraged that their manuscript hasn’t sold. As I wrote in How Things Change—Editing a Manuscript Ten Years Later, “The road to publication for Dream or Destiny was a long one—more than ten years, in fact. For much of that time, publication seemed like a dream that, unlike Marilee’s nightmare, didn’t come true. Representation by an agent for two years resulted in nothing more than a stack of rejections. I put the manuscript away and tried to forget it, but the characters wouldn’t let me forget. They seemed to call out to me, demanding publication, claiming it as their destiny.”
Several times I put the manuscript away to gather virtual dust on my computer, only to have the characters clamor out again. I signed a contract with one publisher, then before Dream or Destiny went into production, the company decided to focus on publishing erotica. They released me from the contract because my book would not be a good fit. After some more virtual-dust-gathering, I sold the book to GASLight. However, there were delays as a result of health issues and other circumstances. Finally Dream or Destiny has come to the end of that long road and is now a reality.
WN: I understand that much of your experience has been with small press and self-publishing. What have you found to be the main advantages of each? Are there any disadvantages to these publishing methods that other authors should be aware of?
LA: Both self-publishing and publishing with small press allow the author much more input into the publishing process than is possible with major traditional publishers. Self-publishing gives the author total control, but not all writers are comfortable with the responsibilities and risks of self-publishing.
Small presses assume the responsibilities and risks but don’t offer as much control as self-publishing. Neither self-published nor small press-published books have the distribution of the large publishers. Writers will generally sell fewer copies of small- or self-published books, although they will earn significantly more on each sale.
In general, I think self-publishing is more viable for nonfiction than for fiction because it’s easier to find customers through niche marketing to people interested in the subject of the nonfiction book. I’ve written about the pros and cons of various kinds of publishing in my free Self-Publishing Primer.
WN: What advice would you give writers whose manuscripts are sitting around gathering dust and who feel they have little hope of getting them published?
LA: Re-read the manuscript yourself. If it’s been sitting around for awhile, it will be fresher than it was when you were working on it constantly. Ask yourself honestly if you still believe in this story. Do you like what you read … or would you quit reading if the book had been written by someone else? If you still love your story, ask for input from other writers or readers that you trust.
This is something else I’ve discussed in other blog stops, especially Getting Published with a Little Help from my Friends. If the readers like the story, submit it again …and again … and again. If the readers make suggestions for improvements, evaluate their suggestions and decide which you agree with and which you don’t. Revise, then start submitting again.
WN: Where can we go to read an excerpt from Dream or Destiny?
LA: You can download a free excerpt from Dream or Destiny in a PDF file on my Web site.
WN: Where can we purchase Dream or Destiny, and what formats are available?
LA: You can buy the book in paperback and e-book formats from the publisher, GASLight Publishing. If you order the e-book, you will download a zip file with several different electronic formats so you can choose the one you prefer. You can also order the book in paperback or Kindle edition from Amazon.com.
WN: I believe Dream or Destiny is your second published book. Would you mind sharing a little about your first book and your inspiration for it?
LA: Dream or Destiny is my second published novel, but my fourth published book. My first book, Look beyond Tomorrow: The Carola Spencer Story, told of the courage, faith, hope, and love exhibited by my friend and her employees after a double-murder/suicide at their workplace. I wrote the story to raise money for Carola’s medical expenses, and we donated the rest of the books to a literacy organization. I also wrote a nonfiction book on network marketing. Both are out of print now.
As is the case with many first-time writers, my first novel, Stroke of Luck, is autobiographical. The heroine has a stroke like the one I had. During my recovery, my husband had to care for me. I wondered how someone who did not have that support system would cope with devastating illness. That wondering led to Stroke of Luck.
WN: Where can we read an excerpt from Stroke of Luck, where may we purchase it, and what format(s) are available?
LA: You can read a free excerpt from Stroke of Luck on the publisher’s Web site. The book is available only as an e-book (a zip file with four different electronic formats) from GASLight Publishing.
WN: Tell us a little about your blog and what it has to offer writers seeking publication of their own work.
LA: A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye covers writing, editing, and publishing; freelancing; and books and authors, along with occasional patriotic and Christian topics. I write about working on clients’ books as well as my own, and I’m planning to host several authors on blog book tours in the coming weeks. Writers will learn and be inspired by other writers’ stories. I also give practical advice on writing and publishing as well as related topics, such as rejection.
WN: Share with us, if you would, a few blog posts or series you’ve written that writers might find especially helpful in preparing and publishing their own work.
LA: Readers can go to my Series and Related Posts page and look through the categories. The most helpful posts in preparing and publishing your own work will be in the following categories: Critique and Other Groups, E-Books and E-Publishing, Editing, Life Lessons/Inspiration, Rejection, Self-Publishing/Publishing, and Writing and Self-Editing.
WN: What plans do you have for your next book?
LA: Characters for two different books are struggling for dominance in my brain right now. I know my next two books will be about secondary characters in Dream or Destiny. However, I’m not sure which of the books I’ll write first: Tess, “the crazy lady,” or Bonita, who was involved with a married man.
WN: Thanks so much, Lillie, for sharing your experiences with us and giving away a free, autographed copy of Dream or Destiny here at Writer's Notes today!
LA: I’m delighted to be here, Jeanne, and look forward to answering readers’ questions.
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Learn More at Lillie's Other Tour Stops
Be sure to visit the other stops on Lillie's tour and read her other fascinating interviews and guest posts. You'll find links to all of them on her Dream or Destiny tour schedule.
Have Your own Publishing Questions Answered Right Here: Leave a Comment for Lillie
Lillie is ready and willing to answer your questions about planning and writing your book, preparing your manuscript for publication, and doing exactly what it takes to get that book published and in print--with your byline on it! So, ask away! Bring your questions about all those small--or big--matters you've always been curious about and ask them with confidence of a writer who's been there. Leave a comment on this post, and Lillie will be happy to answer your questions.
Hope you've enjoyed this Writer's Notes interview with Lillie Ammann, author of Dream or Destiny. If reading Lillie's story has made you the least bit curious about her book, why not purchase a copy of Dream or Destiny at one of the above links. And be sure to invite everyone you know who enjoys a good mystery to visit this post, read my earlier review of Dream or Destiny, and get a copy of this entertaining book!
Enjoy!
Jeanne
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About Lillie:
Lillie Ammann does freelance writing and editing for authors, publishers, and business and nonprofit organizations. She is also Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Your Information Center, a publisher of short, practical, free online guides on a variety of subjects.
As a freelancer, Lillie works with authors and publishers to prepare manuscripts for publication. She also writes and edits business documents and helps families and individuals compile family histories and memoirs. She especially enjoys helping self-publishing authors navigate the publishing maze and likes to think of herself as a book midwife. She can design the interior of the book, negotiate and contract with cover designers and printers, create and maintain the author’s website, and help with promotional activities, such as writing and distributing press releases. Lillie is as proud of the published book as the author is.
Source: Lillie's website
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Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? Any questions for Lillie? Perhaps reading Lillie's story has inspired you to write and/or publish your own book. What do you need to do to make that happen? What do you need to know to make it happen? Would it help you to get a bit of encouragement from one who's "been there"? If so, ask away! Lillie is waiting to give you the advice and encouragement you need to go for it and make your dreams of publication come true. Perhaps you'll find, after learning from Lillie's quest to publish Dream or Destiny, that publication of your own book is both your dream and your destiny!
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Marilee Anderson dreams about a murder and wakes to find it really happened. She and David Nichols, the victim’s brother, become the prime suspects. Though they have their secrets and aren’t sure they can trust each other, Marilee and David team up to find the killer....Will Marilee and David find the killer? Or will they end up in jail—or dead?
Excerpt from back cover, Dream or Destiny, by Lillie Ammann
Mark Your Calendar! Two WN Stops on Dream or Destiny Book Tour Start Monday
One week from today--Monday, November 10th--Writer's Notes will host the first of Lillie Ammann's two WN stops on her blog book tour for her newly released mystery-romance novel, Dream or Destiny. Two of Lillie's last stops (during the final week of her tour) will be spent at Writer's Notes (the second will be Friday, November 14th, the tour's final day) where she will share details about her book, her experience with the publishing industry, and a free print copy of her book (which will go to one lucky Writer's Notes reader).
So, please stay tuned for Monday's post, and plan to leave a comment so you'll be entered into the drawing for the free book. (The winner will be announced in Friday's post.)
Monday, November 10th: My Dream or Destiny Book Review/Book Giveaway
Monday's post will contain my review of Dream or Destiny, and, as mentioned above, everyone who leaves a comment on that post between posting time Monday and midnight U.S. PST Thursday will be entered into the drawing for a free copy of the book. (Both U.S. and international readers are encouraged to enter.)
Friday, November 14th: Interview with Lillie/Open Question Forum/Book Contest Winner Announcement
In Friday's post, aside from announcing the lucky winner, I will interview Lillie about her book and her experiences with book publishing and will offer readers the opportunity to ask Lillie questions about the ins and outs of getting a book published. So, bring your questions about your own novel or other book and plan to ask Lillie everything you've always wanted to know about getting your book into print.
While Lillie doesn't claim to be an expert on every area of publishing, she does have considerable experience in certain areas of book publishing and she'd be more than happy to help with any questions she's able to answer to help you get that much closer to publishing your own book-length manuscript.
Last Chance to Win a Free Copy of Dream or Destiny
Don't miss these two stops at the end of Lillie's blog book tour--and don't pass up your opportunity to win a free copy of her suspenseful murder mystery, Dream or Destiny! Be sure to visit Writer's Notes between Monday, November 10th and Friday, November 14th to learn what Lillie's book is all about and enter the drawing, and on November 14th to read some fascinating info about Lillie, her book, and book publishing in general, to have your questions about publishing your own book answered, and to find out whether you will soon be reading your own complimentary copy of Dream or Destiny!
Hope to see you here!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Do you have a novel or other book-length manuscript of your own sitting around gathering dust? Have you all but given up on getting it published? Do you have questions about the publishing process? What fictional genres do you prefer to read--or write? Or do you prefer non-fiction? How would YOU like to win a copy of Dream or Destiny?
Please note: If the StumbleUpon and other social bookmarking buttons aren't visible, please click the "Add Comments" link beneath this post. Thanks!
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!
Freelancers' Holiday Visions
With both the holidays and the end of the tax year drawing nigh, freelancers tend to have a slightly different version of the line from the popular poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas on their minds. For us, Christmas is the time when "visions of tax returns dance in our heads"!
Some Helpful Links to Lighten Our Mental Load
So, to help take a load off our minds this Christmas, I've listed links to some really helpful info on filing taxes for freelance writers. Some are lists of links to other resources about income taxes, and others are discussions of tax-related topics of interest to freelancers. (You'll find some very slight overlap in these offerings.) My hope is that knowing we have these great resources at our fingertips will help us to have a merrier Christmas this year, as well as an easier job filing when tax time rolls around in just a few short months.
Excellent Online Tax-Time Guidance
Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Tax Tips and Resources for Freelance Writers
Write Stuff's Tax Tips for Writers
Freelance Factor Tax Tips for Freelance Writers - Articles by Julian Block
Deborah Ng's Weekend Discussion: Tax Tips for Freelance Writers
Amy Derby's Blog Post: Don’t Sweat the Audit Threat
Chris Bibey's Blog Post: Health Insurance for Freelance Writers and Other Self-Employed Professionals
A Great Head Start
No doubt there are many other great online tax resources for freelancers; but these links ought to give us an excellent start in preparing for tax day 2008!
If you know of any great tax-related resources for freelancers, please feel free to share them with us in comments!
Here's to smooth sailing at tax time!
Jeanne
This is not a sponsored post.
Did you enjoy this post? Have any of your own tax tips, techniques, experiences, or resources to share? We welcome your comments!
Feed Rinse Cleans Up Your Feeds
K-IntheHouse, over at ShanKri-la, wrote an excellent blog post a while back (which I just discovered today) called How to Overcome RSS Feed Overload? Just thought I'd share this really comprehensive introduction to and explanation of a fantastic free online tool that can help you organize your feeds, selectively filtering out the items you aren't interested in and "filtering in" the ones you are! This powerhouse of an RSS-feed organizer--which can be thought of as a spam filter for RSS feeds--is called Feed Rinse.
Too Many Great Blogs!
I don't know about you, but I know that I, for one, have not yet gotten a handle on my feeds; simply because it seems as though I'm always too busy to keep up with them. Lately, it's all I can do to visit and comment on my favorite blogs, much less go through all the posts of the significant number of other great blogs I've subscribed to so I wouldn't lose track of them. If you tend to have this problem, you might want to check out this free resource. It can help make a difference. Haven't tried it myself, yet, but K-IntheHouse has, and he seems to feel it's worthwhile.
I'm certainly thinking of checking it out. How about you?
To cleaner RSS feeds!
Jeanne
This is not a sponsored post.
Did you enjoy this post? Learn anything new? Have anything to add? Please feel free to comment!
A Thoughtful Post That Strikes a Chord
Successful Blog's Advice for a Successful Life
Liz Strauss has a new post on her blog today called Positively Me, and it positively struck a chord with...me. In fact, it got me thinking about the amazingly potent effect that mindset exerts on all of us and how daring to break the mold of our past self-limiting thought patterns can be incredibly freeing.
This post describes a journey from limiting thought to freeing thought—a journey that every one of us is free to take once we've made up our minds that the place where we are today is not the place we want to be—or rather not the place we're willing to stay—but we're ready to move on. As Liz asks, "Do I have to keep listening to those ideas? Do I have to keep believing them?" The answer, I think, is "No." Here's my journey:
My Journey to Becoming Positively Me
Choosing Hurtful Emotions
I used to believe that other people—through their attitudes, actions, emotions, and words—had the inalienable right to dictate my own. Where that belief came from, I can’t really say. But, thankfully, I’ve learned a lot since then. Yet, I needed to walk that road just long enough to begin to see, with gradually increasing clarity, that my own attitudes, actions, and words—as well as my very emotions—were largely mine to choose, and that I myself had chosen the hurtful, destructive, and limiting ones over the healthy, nurturing, life-affirming, and freeing ones.
Absorbing Negative Energy
Prior to my “awakening,” my emotions were at the beck and call of anyone who saw fit to wreak psychological havoc on the closest vulnerable individual—who usually happened to be me. In those days, my entire day could be ruined by an unkind word, an angry glance, an “intentional” slight, or a sullen silence. My calling in life seemed to be to absorb and internalize the negative energy that others sent my way. (As I think back on it now, I realize that much of that negative energy wasn’t even intended to wound, but was simply the other person’s reaction to his or her own internal struggles or problems.) Yet, it rarely occurred to me to question the reason for it; I was far too busy embracing and reacting to it—far too involved in making it my very own.
A Turning Point: Refusing Negativity
When it finally came, the wonderful realization that I could choose my own response, that I wasn’t required to become upset, depressed, or angry when a hurtful word—or even a whole barrage of them—was aimed my way, felt like a cool breeze on a stifling hot desert. It freed me to focus on growth instead of nurturing resentment, depression, and anger—those incredibly destructive forces that suck the life from our souls and cause our spirits to shrivel. It allowed me to refuse that bundle of negativity that had been so unceremoniously thrust upon me—granting me permission to return it unopened to the individual to whom it rightfully belonged, thereby maintaining my own equilibrium amid the threatening storm.
I learned that it was indeed possible to rise above the negativity—to stop allowing it to become my negativity. By stepping back and looking at the situation as it actually was—recognizing it as someone else’s problem fast threatening to become my own—I was able to refuse it, retain my dignity, and restore my self-respect.
Learning to Forgive
Another amazing result of my new perspective was my growing ability to empathize with the troubled souls who, in their own weakness and inability to properly handle their personal problems, try desperately to give them away. In time, it even helped me to forgive and eventually reach out to those who, as a result of their own emotional ineptitude, had lashed out in different ways. Forgiveness is life-changing, and in human relations, at least, can be far more beneficial to the forgiver than to the forgiven—though both often benefit.
A Shift of Focus
I now realize that, back then, my focus was turned totally inward on myself—on my own very vulnerable emotions. I walked around in a state of hyper-sensitivity, effectively daring everyone to probe for the chinks in my emotional armor—my all-too-numerous points of insecurity—and amply rewarding them whenever they did.
But I have since learned that, by shifting my focus to the other person and attempting to understand the real cause of his or her negative attitude, I can effectively take control of—and thereby protect—my own emotions. I've discovered that, by not aggressively defending my emotions, I have quite ironically become far better at protecting them. In this way, I've learned to take charge of a situation that previously had always threatened to spin wildly out of control. I now experience far fewer feelings of defensiveness, insecurity, and low self-esteem. And while I’ve by no means eliminated these feelings entirely, I’ve come a very long way…and I fully intend to continue improving…just a little bit more…every…single…day…
How about you?
Positively happy to be me,
Jeanne
P.S. Why not use Liz's post as your starting point for a writing exercise of your own in which you explore one way your thoughts have changed for the better over time, bringing you positive growth.
This is not a sponsored post.
Did you enjoy this post? Have anything to add? Please feel free to share your thoughts!
A Great Article on How You Can Develop Confidence as a Business Writer
The following article was written by my friend and fellow blogger, Joanna Young, of Confident Writing. This article is offered for free distribution by EzineArticles.Com; so I thought I'd share it with my readers to help you become a more confident business writer, as well as to highlight the wonderful content you'll find on Joanna's blog. (Many of Joanna's tips and techniques also apply to other types of writing, as well; so bear that in mind as you read, and look for places in your own writing where you can practice these helpful principles.)
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Business Writing with Confidence - An ABC Guide
By Joanna Young
Confident writing is an essential part of effective business communication. Most people would agree with this statement but how many of us have the skills or the confidence to put it into practice? Anxiety about grammar rules can leave people tongue tied. All too often business writing is seen as a barrier, a stumbling block rather than something that can add value to your contribution at work.
But here’s the thing: you don’t need to learn the rules of a grammar book to write with confidence at work. You just need to work on three basic elements of good business writing: authenticity, brevity and clarity. It’s what I call the ABC guide to confident writing at work.
Writing with authenticity
Writing with authenticity means being real, sounding human, sounding like yourself. It’s great for creating rapport with other people, whether that’s your colleagues, customers or potential clients. Most people want to do business with another human being and it’s even better if that’s someone they feel they can get to ‘know’ and trust.
To make your writing more authentic:
* Make use of plain, everyday words: go for short, simple words; avoid jargon and clichés; use everyday words rather than corporate or business speak
* Use a conversational style: this doesn’t mean slang – it does mean feeling free to use short sentences and contractions like “I’m” or “we’ll” or “let’s” (all great for the flow)
* Find your own words: spend a little bit of time jotting down your own words for the things that are most important to you (ideas, your business purpose, your values) and start to work them into your writing. This is a great way to sound like you really mean business!
Writing with brevity
Most people are drowning in information overload. So much for the paperless office – most of us are suffering from too much paper, a deluge of e-mails and more reports than we’ll ever have time to read. You’ll really start to win friends and influence people if you keep your writing short and to the point. Your readers will thank you for the time and effort saved, and you’ll also make your message more punchy, powerful and memorable.
To write with brevity:
* Keep each sentence short: aim for an average of 18 – 25 words a sentence. This is good writing practice and will get you into the habit of writing less
* Cut out excess words: go back and edit your work once you’ve written a draft. Cut out as many excess words as you can. Then do it again (and again till it’s done.) Enjoy seeing your message emerge more clearly!
* Write within limits : set yourself a word limit and practice working to it. It’ll improve your skills of writing with brevity and help you stick to the point
Writing with clarity
You’ve got something important to say so you want your writing to stand out. Clear writing makes it easier for people to read, follow and understand what you’re saying. Now this is the place where grammar does come into play because there are some rules – whether you like it or not – that are there to help us understand your meaning. You need to master these basic rules if you want your message to be clear and easily understood.
To write more clearly:
* Know your point : be clear what you’re trying to say, and why, before you start to write. Boil your message down to no more than 10 words. That’s your message: focus on that and it will shine through your writing
* Manage your writing: work out which grammar points are stopping you from writing with clarity (like use of apostrophes). Ask a colleague or friend to help identify them. Then take responsibility for learning and applying the rules. There are plenty of books, websites and writing coaches who can help with this
* Keep it simple: use short sentences, cut out excess words, use plain, everyday language
I don’t know if you noticed some common themes running through these writing tips. Keep it short, keep it simple, use plain language, know your point and stick to it. These are the fundamental rules of good business writing and if you apply them you will find it easy to write with authenticity, brevity and clarity. Effective business writing needn’t be hard – it can be as easy as ABC.
Joanna Young is a writing coach who helps people to write with confidence - to realise the power of their own words. You can find out how to work with Joanna or read more of her writing tips at Confident Writing.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com expert=Joanna Young
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Hope you've enjoyed these great tips on confident writing by a very confident writer! Don't forget to visit Joanna's blog for more great content on writing confidently!
Happy writing!
Jeanne
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And, while you're at it, why not visit Joanna' s blog and do the same?
An Intriguing Article Reprint
The following article is reprinted with permission from Articles Alley Article Directory. It presents an interesting perspective on earning a living as a freelance writer online.
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There is a wonderful opportunity to make a substantial income by doing freelance writing online. However there are some things the aspiring freelance writer should be aware of.
If there is one maxim that has continued to remain true about the Internet it is that "Content is King". The fact that website owners need fresh and relevant content to keep browsers coming back to their website means that there is a secondary market for content creation.
This of course has created a wonderful opportunity for freelance writers who can spend their time creating content for others and be paid for it. But before you throw in your day jobs, register your profile with Elance or Guru and start banging away on your laptop, let's look at some of the truisms of the market so that you can enter the opportunity with open eyes.
Firstly, let's deal with the question of how much money you can make. Will you make a million dollars? No. Only very high profile offline authors make this sort of money. Is it possible to make $80- $100k per year. The answer is yes but like anything it will require some hard work and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit. In fact, to be truly successful you will need to spend nearly as much time marketing yourself as you will creating content. To command this type of income you will also most likely need to augment your writing efforts with some affiliate marketing. This isn't difficult: you still create content but you will also make sure that you embed some of your own affiliate links in the content that you create.
It also depends on your agenda. If you're looking to make a full time income then those figures are within your reach. If however, you're a student for instance and therefore do not have as much time at your disposal, then a $20k per annum secondary income at the upper end would be the more likely scenario.
Do you have to be a good writer to succeed online? No. In fact being a good writer may actually be a hindrance: simply for the fact that your work may not be appreciated and command the price that you feel it's worth. The nature of the market that you will be dealing with is one that is after fast and relatively cheap content. They're not after high quality writing so don't try and be Shakespeare. All you really need is a decent grasp of spelling and punctuation and be able to write in a conversational tone. Easy? You bet.
Do you need to have a subject specialty? Once again the answer is no and if you do specialise then you may be severely denting your income prospects. The secret here is to not put all your eggs in one basket. You want to have multiple sources of income: this means not only a multiplicity of subjects but also a multiplicity off avenues to get your writing out there. Bidding at auction sites such as Guru.com and Elance.com is certainly one way of getting the dollars in but it does not preclude creating monetised blogs or writing and submitting articles with embedded links.
It helps when writing online for a living to think outside the box. You can certainly make a steady income from just writing alone but by tweaking and monetising your approach with affiliate marketing you can put yourself in a position to really explode your income.
Article Source: http://www.ArticlesAlley.com/
About the Author
Scott is a successful freelance writer who makes the bulk of his income by writing online. To learn how you can create a secondary income through pursuing freelance writing opportunities go to Writing for Income.
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What Do You Think?
Can a writer expect to earn a living online while emulating the excellence of a Shakespeare, or are "a decent grasp of spelling and punctuation" and the ability to "write in a conversational tone," not simply the only things required, but actually preferable?
A penny for your thoughts,
Jeanne
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Today, I thought I would bring you this fascinating article on how to improve your Alexa ranking, compliments of Marketing Scoop. Check it out! You'll find some interesting strategies here!
7 Proven Strategies for Improving Your Alexa Ranking
By Michael Fleischner | Marketing Expert | Internet Marketing Secrets*
After spending two years building my own website, I was very disappointed that my Alexa ranking was still higher than one million. Alexa ranks each website based on the number of visitors it receives. The top ranked website, Yahoo! has an Alexa rating of 1 or 2. Less popular sites could be ranked up to 5,000,000.
In order to improve my Alexa rating, I spent about three weeks combing the web to find tips, secrets, and proven strategies for increasing my Alexa ranking. Unfortunately, many of the sites offering advice didn’t even have a high ranking themselves. Finally I discovered a number of sites ranked within the top 100,000 that were all applying the same “Alexa techniques” to improve their ranking. I’ve begun implementing a number of these techniques and have improved my Alexa ranking by 250,000 spots in just one week.
Here’s what you need to know. The basis for many of these techniques is the fact that your Alexa ranking is based reach and page views. However it only counts those who visit your site and have already downloaded the Alexa toolbar. Anyone can download the toolbar for free which is automatically added to your browser and tracks the sites you’re visiting. Increasing visits from those who do not have the Alexa toolbar installed will not help your Alexa ranking.
I’ve summarized the 7 strategies that I’ve discovered and applied to my own website to increase my Alexa ranking. Apply these strategies to your own website and see your ranking climb towards the top.
1. Download the Alexa toolbar and use it every day to visit your own website. Alexa even gives you the ability to co-brand the toolbar with your own logo and give it away. You can download the toolbar here: http://www.alexa.com/site/devcorner/associate_toolbar.
2. Use Alexa redirection whenever you can. No matter when or where you provide a link to your website, be sure to use the equivalent Alexa redirect URL. For example, when providing a link to my website, I use http://redirect.alexa.com/redirect?marketingscoop.com/. If you copy this URL into your browser, it will take you to MarketingScoop.com. To use this technique, simply replace the name of my website (marketingscoop) with yours.
3. Encourage your website visitors to add their positive testimonials on Alexa’s detailed listings page for your website. This can be done by placing a link to the appropriate Alexa page on your website and asking visitors to “Click here to rate this website”. You can find your detailed Alexa page here: http://www.alexa.com/data/details/?url=marketingscoop.com. Again, just replace the name of my website (marketingscoop) with yours. By clicking on the URL, visitors will be able to reach your detailed rating page and write a review using the review link located on the left hand side of the page.
4. Write your own site reviews on the top 100 rated Alexa sites and include your redirect URL. The top 500 domains, according to Alexa can be found at http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500. When you write a review, be sure to use the redirection URL we discussed in number 2 above specifically for your website [http://redirect.alexa.com/redirect?marketingscoop.com].
5. Download the Alexa ranking button, traffic history graph, info links, and other traffic counters onto the page of your website that receives the most traffic. For example, at the bottom of my home page http://www.marketingscoop.com, I’ve added the Alexa ranking box. You can do the same for your own site by visiting http://www.alexa.com/site/site_stats/signup. You’ll notice that I haven’t added the traffic history graph. This is because it wouldn’t look appropriate on my home page and because Alexa is only providing detailed history on the top 100,000 sites. So if you’re not in the top 100,000, site stats would not be available.
6. Take an inexpensive advertisement out on the ExactSeek search directory for only a few dollars per month at ExactSeek.com. Search engine results are directly correlated with Alexa rankings. You’ll notice that if a website is highly ranked on ExactSeek, chances are that it will be highly ranked on Alexa.
7. Get listed on as many search engines as possible by placing a free listing in DMOZ. This is the largest human edited directory on the web and is co-branded among hundreds of thousands of sites. Be patient though, it often takes up to 5 months before you see your website listed after submission. Even though it takes longer than it should, you have little say in the matter because it’s so widely used across the Internet.
These simple Alexa strategies are easy to implement and will make a huge difference in your Alexa ranking. Ultimately you want visitors to do more than visit your home page, you want them to interact with your site. Be sure to optimize your home page for SEO purposes, ease of use, and interaction. Creating a positive user experience will get visitors to return again and again.
*Michael Fleischner is a marketing expert and the president of MarketingScoop.com. Visit today for free marketing information and marketing blog directory. Michael has more than 12 years of marketing experience and had appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. Visit his marketing blog for further details.
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The above article is reprinted, with permission, from the Marketing Scoop website. Hope you find it helpful!
Happy Alexa-tising!
Jeanne
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Freelancing Journey, a blog which refers to itself as "The Road to Business Success for Writers & Bloggers," is literally loaded with info, tips, links, leads, techniques, advice, and other resources that can help you, the freelance writer, make the most of your own website or blog. Covering many different aspects of the freelance writer's creative, professional, practical, and even personal development, this site has something for everyone interested in any type of freelance writing.
One post, "Page Rank, Back Links and Blogging," posted June 22nd, 2007, explains why page rank is important and provides tips on how to obtain quality backlinks to your blog. Another, more recent post, titled "Definitive List of Paid to Blog Services," dated June 28th, 2007, links to a very comprehensive discussion of the subject found in a post on another helpful blog. In addition, Freelancing Journey's "Roll of Honour" includes a long list of links to other blogs about writing--and blogging--as well as numerous other writing resources, markets, and marketing blogs.
Freelance writers are busy people, whose time is often severely limited. But taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule today to pick up some timely tips and advantageous advice could just save you a great deal of time and trouble over the long term.
So, check out Freelancing Journey, and see if you don't agree that this blog contains some helpful literary and marketing signposts to guide you along your freelance writing travels.
Bon Voyage!
Jeanne
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I thought I'd post a link to the Science Fiction Writers of America's Writer Beware website, which describes the info presented there as "Warnings About Literary Fraud and Other Schemes, Scams, and Pitfalls That Target Writers."
In its article about Contests and Vanity Anthologies, SFWA cautions writers to carefully evaluate any such so-called opportunities and provides the specific guidelines that writers will need to do just that. There's a good deal of information here, including quite a few links to other helpful resources which also address this and other related issues.
There are links to such info as the following:
~How to increase your chances of winning once you've found a legitimate contest and decided to enter your work
~Personal stories of individuals who have been taken advantage of by some of these unscrupulous contests/groups
~Submitting and selling your work for legitimate publication
You may just find some info here that will save you a lot of grief--not to mention money!
So, why not check it out!
Jeanne
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If you're looking for a site that will help you master the writing craft and/or prepare you for your own personal journey on the path to publication, Writing-World.Com has a great deal to offer!
This site is chock full of great information for the aspiring--or practicing--writer! Some examples:
~An interesting variety of books on the writing craft itself and on marketing your writing, including volumes containing specific markets for your work. (Their book inventory also contains a few books on subjects other than writing.)
~An impressive list of more than 600 writing-related articles that can be read right on the site. These articles are all well catalogued and categorized for easy reference.
~A contest database featuring a wealth of info on entering--and not being scammed by--writing contests.
~A list of certain selected markets for your work.
~A long list of links to other online resources for writers.
~A call for articles on writing that they will purchase from you to add to their database, complete with Writer's Guidelines.
~A "Guide for Launching Your Writing Career," containing a wealth of great advice that can get you started on the road to a successful freelance writing business. (This section also includes a lot of great advice on the real nitty gritty, down-to-earth, seat-of-your-pants aspects of writing.)
~A great section on how to avoid writing scams, presented along with info on copyright issues, rights, and contracts.
~A free monthly newsletter, containing many great feature articles, as well as recurring topical columns that you might find helpful.
As far as payment for articles is concerned, here's what they themselves have to say: "We pay 5¢/word for original articles, to a maximum of $100 (regardless of word count; thus, a 2500-word article is still paid only $100). We pay a flat $25 for reprints, and we definitely welcome work that has appeared in other publications (especially print). Payment is on acceptance. For humor, we pay a flat $15 per item. We will also exchange advertising space for editorial."
That doesn't sound half bad for an online market! So, if you enjoy writing about your craft, check out their Writer's Guidelines and try submitting your work. But be sure to check their article database to be sure your topic hasn't already been covered. You can do this via their Topical Indexes or their Master Article Index.
Take a peek at what Writing-World.Com has to offer. I think you'll be impressed!
And good luck!
Jeanne
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Last time, I gave you four great websites where you can get your work published: Creative-Poems.com, MoonTownCafe.com, Helium.com, and AssociatedContent.com. A few helpful hints about each of these will make your experiences with them more pleasant, more productive, and less frustrating. In this post, we'll cover some of the idiosyncracies of Creative-Poems.com.
The Creative-Poems website is a wonderful site, where you can receive recognition for your work through member comments, weekly Featured Poetry Awards, and monthly Poetry Contests. They do not pay for the poems they post, though they do offer prizes in their monthly Poetry Contest.
At Creative-Poems, non-premium (free) members--as well as trial members--are allowed to place up to five posts on their site in a 24-hour period. (Premium members are allowed eight.) This is somewhat misleading, though, and requires a bit of clarification.
At first glance, it would appear that you'd be able to post up to five--or eight--poems to the site every 24 hours--and this can, indeed, be the case, provided you are very careful not to leave any typos or other errors in your poem, which might require its modification after it's been posted! The reason for this is that, should your poem require editing after posting, you will be resubmitting it after making your corrections--just as if it were a new poem--and thus you will be using another of the finite number of posts you are allowed daily. (This can be a bit frustrating.)
If you're anything like me, you could use an infinite number of posts to edit, modify, correct, and improve your poems to your satisfaction before final submission! But, alas, this is the real world, and every website is set up differently. So, always preview your work before submitting, to be sure your formatting is the way you want it and your work contains no typos. (Occasionally, you'll miss something and need to resubmit--we're all human--but at least you'll know that you aren't wasting most of your posts simply correcting errors!)
Another important point about formatting, while we're on the subject: At Creative-Poems, the default setting--for both poetry submissions and member comments--is centered. So, if you want your poem or comment to be left-margin justified (which is generally my personal preference) you'll need to select your text--if it's already been entered--and click the appropriate icon. (You can also simply click this icon before entering your text with the same effect.) Both regular and premium members may save, for later posting, up to five drafts in addition to the five--or eight--poems they may post in a 24-hour period, in case they aren't quite ready to post their work when they must leave the site.)
With a little prior knowledge of the workings of this great site and the obstacles you might encounter there, you can be well on your way to a long and fulfilling relationship with a dedicated group of site administrators and moderators who are friendly, helpful, responsive, and eager to showcase your work!
Creative-Poems.com is a fabulous forum for your work and a great community of friendly poets, who will help encourage you along the path of self-expression through that most magical of mediums: Poetry! (A very small word with a very big meaning!)*
If you are a poet and haven't yet visited this site, I would definitely--and without reservation--recommend that you check it out!
You'll be glad you did!
Till next time,
Jeanne
*I've written a short article on exactly this subject entitled "Why is Poetry So Difficult to Define?" Why not drop by AC and take a look?
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