by Joel Friedlander
The instructions to authors have been repeated up and down the publishing line over and over: blog, blog, blog.
Last year, Simon & Schuster urged all their writers to get going on their author blogs. Every author I’ve spoken to in the last year has told me they are either trying to get a blog started or planning on setting one up soon.
Traveling the web, you come across many of these blogs. Some are lively places where readers and bloggers spend time together. Too many others look like ghost towns, places rarely visited, and not welcoming to the casual passerby.
How did all these blogs end up abandoned, dusty and neglected?
We can’t know for sure since we weren’t there. But I know the thing that makes or breaks your blog, if you’re an author trying to attract a community of readers: reader engagement.
And I don’t just mean readers who don’t visit or don’t leave comments or don’t participate in events, either. This is what I do mean:
I mean bloggers who don’t engage their readers. Bloggers who write about whatever comes into their head, or about nothing at all.
I mean bloggers who publish sporadically, whose writings vary in quality, in voice, in subject matter.
I mean bloggers who appear to have given no thought at all to what readers might actually want to read or learn about.
And I also mean bloggers who use their blogs as a place to post bits and pieces of various works in progress as a way of fulfilling their “blogging quota.”
How to Tell When Someone Cares
The blogs I read regularly are the ones that engage me as a reader. They leave me satisfied that the blogger has produced something useful, or entertaining, or educational, or all three. I get the feeling the blogger actually knows the kind of information I’m looking for and is working to give it to me. I trust them. And so I follow them.
Now what appeals to me, what engages me, may not be what appeals to you. But there are things bloggers can do to get people excited, make them happy they read your post, and make them want more from you.
As authors, we ought to be able to use our blogs to test just how appealing our ideas are, shouldn’t we? After all, if we can’t attract an audience and involve people in what we care about, how much success can we imagine for the books we want to publish?
So blogging, besides all the other benefits you can get from it, is also a great place to test ideas you want to publish. Why? It puts both the writing and the marketing of your content directly into your own hands. Not only that, it allows you to measure, on a daily basis, just how successful your writing has been.
We all want our blogs to be “sticky.” We want readers to anticipate the next post, leave comments, tell their friends, tweet our articles and do all those things we do when we’re really engaged. But you’ve got to have a good foundation to begin with. Here are some tips to get grounded and get started on your engaging writer blog.
5 Essentials for Engaging Your Blog Readers
1. Make sure you know what your blog is about. If you write about Egypt today, and what you’re planning for lunch tomorrow, and your work in progress on Friday, can you blame readers for being a bit confused about what your blog is about? We’re all interested in many things, but usually only one at a time. Pick a subject and stick to it. If you can’t, at least make a stab at explaining or showing why this is related to your topic.
2. Have a publishing schedule. Bloggers are media publishers, plain and simple. If Time magazine decided to be a monthly, then switched to weekly, then started publishing every day, then didn’t publish for a couple of months, I don’t think they would have many subscribers? Whatever schedule is comfortable for you is likely to work. It’s really important, I think, to enjoy blogging, because people can tell your mood when you write.
3. Take care of your readers. It doesn’t matter how many readers you have today, take care of them. Take care of them by being on time, answering questions or comments, and thinking about who you’re writing for and why they might come to visit your site.
4. Get familiar with analytics. Blogging is at the foundation of web interaction. In its simplest form, you publish content, and invite comment. This two-way conversation is one of the things that makes blogging such a powerful way to connect with your readers. Analytics helps you to find out which articles resonate weeks or months later, which ones continue to provide enough value that they keep attracting traffic long after they’ve been publishing. That information is incredibly valuable to you as a publisher.
5. Ask for it. Hey, if you never ask, how will readers know you want their opinion, their input, their comments? As writers, sometimes we get caught up in the creative process. We live inside our heads a lot, maybe we’re used to sitting in a dark room by ourselves and the whole idea of social interaction is a bit weird. But this works: if you want a response, ask for it directly. “I’d love to hear your opinions on this issue. Please let me know by leaving a comment.” Do it.
So let’s recap: Having a focus for a blog that publishes regularly, cares about its readers, works to find subjects in which they are interested, and asks for involvement is much more likely to promote reader engagement. These are all things within the reach of authors who blog, so go out there and engage, you’ll be glad you did.
Joel Friedlander is a self-published author and book designer who blogs about book design, self-publishing and the indie publishing life at TheBookDesigner.com. He's also the proprietor of Marin Bookworks, where he helps publishers and authors who decide to publish get to market on time and on budget with books that are both properly constructed and beautiful to read.
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A lofty place for authors, writers, and readers to connect! Articles and podcast about the craft and business of writing, publishing, and book marketing. A host site for virtual book tours. Much of the material here has been submitted by our readers.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Book with a View August 2011
Book Title: The Pineville Heist
Author: Lee Chambers
ASIN: BOO5DST2U8
Reviewer: Dana Micheli
In Pineville, Nothing Is As It Seems...
Lee Chambers' novel The Pineville Heist (based on his award-winning screenplay of the same name) may have been intended as a teen thriller, but anyone who reads it--regardless of their age--will find it impossible to put down. I know I did, and I absolutely loved it.
Seventeen-year-old Aaron Stevens has everything a kid could want. As the son of wealthy mill owner Derek Stevens, he lives in a luxurious mansion, surrounded by hi-tech toys and a designer wardrobe that most people only dream about.
But underneath this idyllic surface, Aaron's life is anything but perfect. He's lost his mother to cancer, and his relationship with his workaholic father is turbulent, to say the least. To make matters worse, the Recession has taken its toll on the small town of Pineville. Businesses are closing, people are losing their homes, and they've begun to look upon Aaron's father—and Aaron--with a combination of jealousy and distrust. Aaron's wealth has begun to feel like a prison, and his father, a warden. He finds solace only when he is rehearsing for his lead role in the school production of Hamlet, or when he is walking in the woods on the outskirts of town.
One day, after a particularly nasty fight with his father, Aaron is hiking among the trees when he discovers a mysterious white van with two security guard uniforms and two Halloween masks on the seat. He wants to investigate further, but he's late for play practice and continues to school. It is only after he overhears the sheriff talking about a $5 million heist at Pineville Savings and Loan that he realizes he has found the crooks' getaway vehicle. Along with his two friends, Mike and Steven, Aaron returns to the forest. But when they get there, the van is gone, along with any proof of Aaron's story. The boys are about to leave when they stumble upon the robbers' hideout and are pulled into a web of violence, intrigue and murder that threatens everything that Aaron holds dear.
As he races to uncover the truth about the robbery, Aaron is faced with the realization that everything he had believed about his life, his town, and those closest to him may be a lie. For every layer he peels back reveals yet another secret, and Chambers' tight prose promises—and delivers-- a hairpin turn with every page.
Learn more about Chambers' work at http://leechambers.com/
Purchase for Kindle Reader only 99¢.
Title: L.A. Blues
Author: Maxine Thompson
ISBN: 978-1601623072
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2011
Reviewer: Yvonne Perry
Healing the Racial Divide
Nine-year-old Black/Spanish Zipporah Saldano (a.k.a. "Z") made a panicked phone call to her father, who lived across town, to let him know that her mother, Venita, was being beaten by her latest live-in boyfriend. That phone call changed Z's life forever. Even though Z was sent to live in a loving, foster home, she blamed herself for getting her father killed, having her pregnant mother put in jail, and sending her siblings into multiple foster homes. She turns to alcohol to cover the pain she refuses to feel.
Z decides to become a cop and join the LAPD, hoping to stop some of the gang violence she and her people have seen way too much of. Her time on the force is cut short when her drinking problem causes her to be fired after her partner is killed. Her downward spiral lands her at rock bottom where she has no choice but to deal with the pain that is destroying her life. She joins AA and finally begins sorting through the years of emotional agony she has buried within her heart.
This story takes the reader deep inside the home and hearts of Z's infertile foster parents, Daddy Chill and Shirley, who love all their foster children unconditionally. Even after Z and her foster siblings reach adulthood, Shirley continues to provide emotional support during the hardships this bunch experiences quite often. Shirley even takes in the children of her drug-addicted foster child, Chica, and raises them as if they are her own grandkids.
When death hits close to home and nearly devastates the entire family, Z, who has become a private detective, begins her search for their loved one's killer. That search turns up more answers and secrets than she ever anticipated finding. I'm thankful for a happy ending to this tragic story that caused tears of compassion to well up in my eyes as I read.
The storytelling skills of this author are great. The story is told in first person. While I was a bit puzzled by the narrator's shift from present to past tense (sometimes in the same sentence), I must admit it helped define the protagonist's character. I finished the book in one weekend even while tending to my young grandsons because I couldn't put the book down. I had fallen in love with the characters and had to see what was going to happen next. The pace of the story is perfect.
Knowing that inner healing can change an entire culture—and ultimately our world—I recommend this well-researched book to all races because it gives hope that our Black and Latino brothers and sisters can take responsibility for their choices and find peace within themselves. There is no place love cannot reach!
Title: Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road
Author: Neil Peart
ISBN: 1-55022-546-4 (cloth) 1-55022-548-0 (paper)
Publisher: ECW Press
Reviewer: Tracey L. Brackett
At the tender age of sixteen I was introduced to a band called Rush. The Canadian trio filled my ears as well as my soul and to this day Rush still rocks my world.
Unfortunately, after the tour to support their album, Test for Echo, ended on July 4, 1997, the band disappeared. Rumors spread that one of the trio had cancer while others heard they simply broke up.
In 2002 the explanation about the band's hiatus was finally revealed to the world and the truth was exposed. Neil Peart, Rush's King of Kings drummers, lost his nineteen-year-old daughter to a car accident on August 10, 1997 and his common-law wife went into a deep depression and died of cancer ten months later.
So, on a rainy, late summer morning on August 20, 1998, just two months after his wife's funeral, without any reason to carry on and having no interests in his work or his life, the drummer of drummers secured his home, revved up his BMW R1100GS motorcycle and rode down the driveway of what used to be a happy home. He didn't know where he was going, but he would let his bike lead the way.
For fourteen months, Neil ventured 55,000 miles of highways and byways from eastern Canada to the American west coast and Mexico. All the while, keeping a journal of everything he experienced.
When he finally placed the kickstand down on his bike in early autumn of 1999, he began piecing together the notes from his journal and titled the book to describe how he felt about himself. Thus, Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road was born.
This book will warm the hearts of Neil's long-time fans as well as anyone who wants to read a sad, yet uplifting story. While Neil details out the events of his travel, he sprinkles in the memories of his once-happy life. By the time you finish the book, the entire picture is before you—and you understand.
Neil divides his piece into two books: Book One is titled Riding the Healing Road, which specifically records every rain drop and winding turn he experiences on his journey. Book Two Homeward Angel, On The Fly is peppered with his reflection and his determination to look and move forward.
The author brings humor and intimacies into the book and allows the reader to watch the dissection of his spirit, his mind, heart, and his "little baby soul." Neil introduces us to his best friend, Brutus, and his alter ego, Ellwood, which is actually his middle name. We also become acquainted with Carrie Nuttall, the woman who was ". . . the answer to a prayer I hadn't dared to voice, or even dream" and on September 9, 2000 became his wife.
The only frustration I had with the book is the amount of ad nauseam and unnecessary detail. I found myself many times in frustration screaming "GET ON WITH IT" and would rifle through pages of description-overkill of a rock or how the wine tasted on his tongue.
Many words the author uses such as nadir, majordomo, euphoniously, gelid, and vicissitudes were so unfamiliar to me that I found myself looking to Webster for clarification. The extremity of pointless detail became so exhausting that it took me quite a while to get through the book. I found his writing style arrogant and vain.
I've labeled Neil a narcissistic wordsmith as I now realize how much he loves his words. It is very clear to me after reading this book and listening to his lyrics for the past thirty years that he wants his readers and listeners to know just how much he loves his words and how well he can put a plethora of complicated words together to invoke a simple meaning.
Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, although frustrating and sometimes exhausting, is a must read for any Rush fan, rocker, or those who like a complicated read with a good ending. Delightful and fun, yet heartbreaking, this book will not only give you a new outlook on life, but will motivate you to buy a motorcycle and "Take off to the Great White North."
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Sunday, August 14, 2011
Rock Your Business: Leverage, Package, & Market with Group Support!
This is the time to shake yourself out of excuses and limitations and rock your business. Over the last eight years of ACPI’s growth, I’ve seen coaching practices thrive; and I've seen new coaches become overwhelmed, and a few practices collapse. Why?
You enter the helping professions for the right reasons. Your natural talents, so perfect for coaching, teaching, counseling, or care-taking make a huge difference or serve people in an awesome way. You've learned powerful transformational strategies. Moreover you want to share those ideas with others. Therein lies the dilemma.
Does this sound like you? Most people in the helping profession are so passionate about the content they spend the majority of their time focusing on it. They fail to see that this content must be organized, packaged, structured and leveraged into an effective business model to consistently connect with your customers. Without this demonstrated business model, everything comes to a sudden halt. Why?
Without a proper business system, the numbers of people that you actually reach and the extent to which you connect with and eventually serve them remains small.
There are two simple reasons. First, you feel like you have to create new content consistently to be fresh and new. The second reason is the lack of leverage. You don’t use the principle of leverage, which is comprised of the system to re-purpose and package your content and the action can use those gifts to make a HUGE difference and have a thriving business along the way.
Wouldn’t you like to create a specific action plan so that you know exactly what you should be doing in your coaching business every day? Organize your overwhelmed mind into the system to leverage your expertise? The benefit to you is no worry, increased clients, and a larger income.
Dr. Caron Goode is offering “Leveraging Your Expertise & Expanding Your Incredible Presence” –a 6-month mentoring program for a unique group of six persons. The program starts September 1, 2011.
Leveraging Your Expertise is for more advanced business owners—visionaries and big thinkers who have business success and are ready to expand credibility and influence leverage with social media, packaged content, and marketing.
In this small group, you’ll be developing some specific skills:
Developing content
Packaging content in several forms
Developing an E-book , a white paper or webinar, if you desire
Engaging through social media
Mastering the principle of leverage is an extraordinary experience, and the nature of the training itself results in relationships that will last a lifetime. Your business will be transformed.
Read more here
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You enter the helping professions for the right reasons. Your natural talents, so perfect for coaching, teaching, counseling, or care-taking make a huge difference or serve people in an awesome way. You've learned powerful transformational strategies. Moreover you want to share those ideas with others. Therein lies the dilemma.
Does this sound like you? Most people in the helping profession are so passionate about the content they spend the majority of their time focusing on it. They fail to see that this content must be organized, packaged, structured and leveraged into an effective business model to consistently connect with your customers. Without this demonstrated business model, everything comes to a sudden halt. Why?
Without a proper business system, the numbers of people that you actually reach and the extent to which you connect with and eventually serve them remains small.
There are two simple reasons. First, you feel like you have to create new content consistently to be fresh and new. The second reason is the lack of leverage. You don’t use the principle of leverage, which is comprised of the system to re-purpose and package your content and the action can use those gifts to make a HUGE difference and have a thriving business along the way.
Wouldn’t you like to create a specific action plan so that you know exactly what you should be doing in your coaching business every day? Organize your overwhelmed mind into the system to leverage your expertise? The benefit to you is no worry, increased clients, and a larger income.
Dr. Caron Goode is offering “Leveraging Your Expertise & Expanding Your Incredible Presence” –a 6-month mentoring program for a unique group of six persons. The program starts September 1, 2011.
Leveraging Your Expertise is for more advanced business owners—visionaries and big thinkers who have business success and are ready to expand credibility and influence leverage with social media, packaged content, and marketing.
In this small group, you’ll be developing some specific skills:
Developing content
Packaging content in several forms
Developing an E-book , a white paper or webinar, if you desire
Engaging through social media
Mastering the principle of leverage is an extraordinary experience, and the nature of the training itself results in relationships that will last a lifetime. Your business will be transformed.
Read more here
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Friday, August 12, 2011
WITS Tip of the Month on Microsoft Word
An index lists the terms and topics in a document, along with the pages they appear on. First you must mark the index entries: Select the text and press ALT+SHIFT+X then "mark all." Microsoft Word will insert an XE (Index Entry) field formatted as hidden text. The hide/show feature will automatically pop up. To hide the marks, click on the backwards "p" (paragraph mark) on your toolbar.
Once you mark your index entries scroll to the place at the end of the document where you want the index to appear. Then go to insert/reference/indexes and tables and select the index tab. Click ok. Word then collects all your index entries, sorts them alphabetically, references their page numbers, finds and removes duplicate entries from the same page, and displays the index in the document. Don't modify index entries in the finished index; if you do, your changes will be lost when you update the index. If you make changes in your document and want to add new entries to your index you can right click your mouse somewhere inside the index and click "update field."
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Once you mark your index entries scroll to the place at the end of the document where you want the index to appear. Then go to insert/reference/indexes and tables and select the index tab. Click ok. Word then collects all your index entries, sorts them alphabetically, references their page numbers, finds and removes duplicate entries from the same page, and displays the index in the document. Don't modify index entries in the finished index; if you do, your changes will be lost when you update the index. If you make changes in your document and want to add new entries to your index you can right click your mouse somewhere inside the index and click "update field."
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Entrepreneur Marketing to Inspire You, Not Tire You
By Dr. Caron Goode
Last week, a student in the ACPI coaching marketing class floored me with her praise, “Caron I have to say that your class inspires me, not tires me. I took a year-long marketing class at a prestigious business school last year, and I thought this marketing class would be the same old. I was wrong, your marketing mentoring is uniquely different...finding my passion and taking it forward. Just WOW!”
Language of Marketing Old
Her comment gave me cause to watch the words and sales of other marketing ezines I read. I noticed how subtly different my marketing mentoring program is in that does inspire as opposed to the language of my marketing email within the last 10 days, which asked these questions:
What problems are you solving?
Why aren’t you making a six-figure income?
Not working hard enough? Outsource what you hate!
Want to be a millionaire like me?
Of course I want all of those things, but I never sign up because the energy doesn’t feel like a compatible match. Here are my answers:
Well, I’m not solving problems. I like inspiring people to solve their own problems.
Well, I am making a six-figure income, I just don’t shout it to the world or belittle others who don’t have a six-figure income or tease them to find an easy way to do so.
YES! I am outsourcing, and I still work long hours by choice – if enjoying your passion is work. I love it!
Yes, I want to be a millionaire too, like everyone else who buys a lottery ticket a week (I don’t) because isn’t that the American myth and motivator. We can all see it and feel it.
Language of New Marketing
The marketing questions from other ezines are old school; they are based on being competitive.
Instead, The heart is where we start. I’d rather ask questions like . .
What does your heart tell you is true in this situation?
What is the possibility of you making a six-figure income? In what time frame?
What is working for you right now?
What is true and possible with these products?
You can learn any marketing system, but if you still aren’t focused on the “doing” aspect, you won’t move ahead. Marketing fatigue is doing all of it by yourself. Inspiration comes from high energy of group support and mentoring.
When seeking marketing information, we want role models to emulate, and we make our decisions from emotional compatibility. Do the following marketing principles resonate with you?
Your self-esteem, not your mentor, is the foundation of your inspiration.
Yet, we all need a buddy system or group support to keep focused on the work.
Move beyond competition to seeking cooperative marketing efforts with a group that shares your values.
Finding ways to take your expertise and wrap it like a Christmas gift for your clients and having partners to do it with is exceptional!
Leveraging Your Expertise & Expanding Your Incredible Presence
You’ll find Dr. Caron Goode’s mentoring programs unique, and an inspiring investment that results in products, group marketing, and master-mind friendships. If you have six-months and three hours a week to invest in grounding and solidifying your business with packaged content and social media marketing, then please visit http://acpi.biz/.
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Last week, a student in the ACPI coaching marketing class floored me with her praise, “Caron I have to say that your class inspires me, not tires me. I took a year-long marketing class at a prestigious business school last year, and I thought this marketing class would be the same old. I was wrong, your marketing mentoring is uniquely different...finding my passion and taking it forward. Just WOW!”
Language of Marketing Old
Her comment gave me cause to watch the words and sales of other marketing ezines I read. I noticed how subtly different my marketing mentoring program is in that does inspire as opposed to the language of my marketing email within the last 10 days, which asked these questions:
What problems are you solving?
Why aren’t you making a six-figure income?
Not working hard enough? Outsource what you hate!
Want to be a millionaire like me?
Of course I want all of those things, but I never sign up because the energy doesn’t feel like a compatible match. Here are my answers:
Well, I’m not solving problems. I like inspiring people to solve their own problems.
Well, I am making a six-figure income, I just don’t shout it to the world or belittle others who don’t have a six-figure income or tease them to find an easy way to do so.
YES! I am outsourcing, and I still work long hours by choice – if enjoying your passion is work. I love it!
Yes, I want to be a millionaire too, like everyone else who buys a lottery ticket a week (I don’t) because isn’t that the American myth and motivator. We can all see it and feel it.
Language of New Marketing
The marketing questions from other ezines are old school; they are based on being competitive.
Instead, The heart is where we start. I’d rather ask questions like . .
What does your heart tell you is true in this situation?
What is the possibility of you making a six-figure income? In what time frame?
What is working for you right now?
What is true and possible with these products?
You can learn any marketing system, but if you still aren’t focused on the “doing” aspect, you won’t move ahead. Marketing fatigue is doing all of it by yourself. Inspiration comes from high energy of group support and mentoring.
When seeking marketing information, we want role models to emulate, and we make our decisions from emotional compatibility. Do the following marketing principles resonate with you?
Your self-esteem, not your mentor, is the foundation of your inspiration.
Yet, we all need a buddy system or group support to keep focused on the work.
Move beyond competition to seeking cooperative marketing efforts with a group that shares your values.
Finding ways to take your expertise and wrap it like a Christmas gift for your clients and having partners to do it with is exceptional!
Leveraging Your Expertise & Expanding Your Incredible Presence
You’ll find Dr. Caron Goode’s mentoring programs unique, and an inspiring investment that results in products, group marketing, and master-mind friendships. If you have six-months and three hours a week to invest in grounding and solidifying your business with packaged content and social media marketing, then please visit http://acpi.biz/.
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Editor's Corner August 2011
By Yvonne Perry
What a wonderful month—past two months actually. Two of my grandsons turned two years old and had fabulous birthday parties. Now we have all new toys to play with. Yay! No matter how old I get, I will never lose my love for children—I even act like one at times. Hopefully, that doesn't mean I'm child-ish, but that I'm child-like. Hahaha!
Speaking of children, I have completed the audio story album for The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children and these sweet stories are now available individually (99¢ each) or all 12 stories as one MP3 download ($8.99) on Amazon.com. Try a few for traveling with the kids this summer. I think you'll like the sound effects!
Two WITS team members have recently taken full-time jobs and are only available part-time. I hadn't planned to take on a new writer, but this occurred about the time I decided to take a sabbatical from working with clients. (I want to focus more on my spiritual endeavors.) I had a student enroll in my 6-week freelance writer training program. After reviewing her work and professionalism, I realized she was highly skilled and well prepared to work well with clients. So, please welcome Tracey Brackett to the Writers in the Sky team.
One of the things I'm focusing on is organizing "Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth" to be conducted all four Tuesdays in September 2011. The purpose of this telesummit is to help people understand the science of the Earth's shift in consciousness as we approach 2012 and how this is affecting all people—especially empaths. A panel of eight experts will give tips for getting free from detrimental energy and staying joyfully clear. Sign up at http://live-spirit.com/empathytelesummit or read more about the free event and the expert panelists at http://dld.bz/adU8s
Yvonne Perry,
Owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com/
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What a wonderful month—past two months actually. Two of my grandsons turned two years old and had fabulous birthday parties. Now we have all new toys to play with. Yay! No matter how old I get, I will never lose my love for children—I even act like one at times. Hopefully, that doesn't mean I'm child-ish, but that I'm child-like. Hahaha!
Speaking of children, I have completed the audio story album for The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children and these sweet stories are now available individually (99¢ each) or all 12 stories as one MP3 download ($8.99) on Amazon.com. Try a few for traveling with the kids this summer. I think you'll like the sound effects!
Two WITS team members have recently taken full-time jobs and are only available part-time. I hadn't planned to take on a new writer, but this occurred about the time I decided to take a sabbatical from working with clients. (I want to focus more on my spiritual endeavors.) I had a student enroll in my 6-week freelance writer training program. After reviewing her work and professionalism, I realized she was highly skilled and well prepared to work well with clients. So, please welcome Tracey Brackett to the Writers in the Sky team.
One of the things I'm focusing on is organizing "Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth" to be conducted all four Tuesdays in September 2011. The purpose of this telesummit is to help people understand the science of the Earth's shift in consciousness as we approach 2012 and how this is affecting all people—especially empaths. A panel of eight experts will give tips for getting free from detrimental energy and staying joyfully clear. Sign up at http://live-spirit.com/empathytelesummit or read more about the free event and the expert panelists at http://dld.bz/adU8s
Yvonne Perry,
Owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com/
Friday, August 5, 2011
Where Do You Like to Write?
By Sarah Moore
While I appreciate the wonderful technology that is the home computer, and consider it an indispensable tool of my chosen profession, there is still something to be said for grabbing a spiral notebook and a pen and putting ink to paper. I love to write outside while sitting on a blanket that is spread in a field or perhaps on some flat rocks by the side of the lake. There is something about communing with nature that helps me to tap into the artistry that comes from the written word. Beyond the scenery, I simply love the smell of paper and ink. I feel more connected to the sentences I am crafting when I see each letter formed from my own hand.
Through my work with Writers in the Sky, I have had the opportunity to interview dozens of authors about their work. One question that I always like to ask is, "Do you have a specific way that you like to write?" Some people with whom I spoke dedicated the same three hours to progressing on their manuscripts every morning without fail. One gentleman opted to do his writing while sitting at the kitchen table and listening to a baseball game on the radio. (I'm not sure what he did during the off-season.) Yet another author had created a space in her home that she only entered to write, and she made sure it was painted and decorated in such a way to pull out all maximum creative energy.
Writing is a very personal and emotional process, whether you are writing a graduate thesis for a chemistry program or your memoirs. You leave a piece of yourself on the page. You are forming something and then presenting it to the world for their enjoyment and scrutiny. Where you choose to create is important.
So, what about you? In what environment do you feel that your writing is best able to develop and flourish? I would love to hear from you!
Sarah Moore has nearly a decade of experience in higher education administration, having worked at University of Maryland, Boston University, and Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she taught research and writing courses at these institutions. Sarah also taught high school government and history for several years, and always included a strong emphasis on writing in her students' assignments. Sarah was raised just outside of Washington, D.C., but has called Nashville home for nearly eight years and enjoys life there with her two young children.
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While I appreciate the wonderful technology that is the home computer, and consider it an indispensable tool of my chosen profession, there is still something to be said for grabbing a spiral notebook and a pen and putting ink to paper. I love to write outside while sitting on a blanket that is spread in a field or perhaps on some flat rocks by the side of the lake. There is something about communing with nature that helps me to tap into the artistry that comes from the written word. Beyond the scenery, I simply love the smell of paper and ink. I feel more connected to the sentences I am crafting when I see each letter formed from my own hand.
Through my work with Writers in the Sky, I have had the opportunity to interview dozens of authors about their work. One question that I always like to ask is, "Do you have a specific way that you like to write?" Some people with whom I spoke dedicated the same three hours to progressing on their manuscripts every morning without fail. One gentleman opted to do his writing while sitting at the kitchen table and listening to a baseball game on the radio. (I'm not sure what he did during the off-season.) Yet another author had created a space in her home that she only entered to write, and she made sure it was painted and decorated in such a way to pull out all maximum creative energy.
Writing is a very personal and emotional process, whether you are writing a graduate thesis for a chemistry program or your memoirs. You leave a piece of yourself on the page. You are forming something and then presenting it to the world for their enjoyment and scrutiny. Where you choose to create is important.
So, what about you? In what environment do you feel that your writing is best able to develop and flourish? I would love to hear from you!
Sarah Moore has nearly a decade of experience in higher education administration, having worked at University of Maryland, Boston University, and Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she taught research and writing courses at these institutions. Sarah also taught high school government and history for several years, and always included a strong emphasis on writing in her students' assignments. Sarah was raised just outside of Washington, D.C., but has called Nashville home for nearly eight years and enjoys life there with her two young children.
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Thursday, August 4, 2011
Network with Us August 2011
Check out the e-books designed especially to help authors promote their books online. http://tinyurl.com/DanaWITS.
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Each story in The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children focuses on life skills such as environmental awareness, helping others, being true to one's self, overcoming fear, and following inner guidance. http://thesidseries.com/
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Kristen House has developed a summer writing program called "A Novel Idea." It is aimed at teaching middle-grade students (rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders) and high-school students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) to write a novel in a month during their summer break. Contact Kristen for details.
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"Empaths Shifting into 2012: A Telesummit to Help Energy-sensitive People Understand Their Spiritual Role on Earth" is scheduled for four consecutive Tuesdays this September. There will be eight panelists sharing more than 12 hours of useful information about helping humanity shift into higher consciousness. More info at http://dld.bz/aaK6e.
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Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You is a guidebook for empathic people who have been unknowingly carrying energetic burdens that belong to someone else. See all purchasing options at http://whosestuffisthis.blogspot.com/p/purchase-book.html .
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Read the first chapter for free and then decide if you want to download the 3-hour-long mp3 audio book of More Than Meets the Eye ~ True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife for only $7.00 http://deathdyingafterlife.blogspot.com/p/chapter-1.html
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Tracey L. Brackett has joined the Writers in the Sky team as a ghostwriter. After thirty years as a high-level executive assistant, which placed her in a position of becoming the sole editor and proofreader for company proposals, presentations, and business correspondence, Tracey decided to take Yvonne Perry's six-week course "How to Start and Manage a Freelance Writing Business." Through the knowledge she gained in that course, she successfully opened The Feather Walker Customized Writing Services and is now affiliated with WITS. She is excited to be a part of such a phenomenal team of writers.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
The August Issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is Now Available!
The August issue of Writers in the Sky E-zine is now available! This publication provides a rich resource of articles and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing, and book marketing. Go to http://writersinthesky.com/writing-newsletter.html and scroll down to the archives and click the link to this month’s issue. It will download as a PDF. If you would like to get once-a-month email delivery of the e-zine, you may subscribe for free at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065
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Tuesday, August 2, 2011
WITS & We Are One in Spirit Podcast Schedules
WITS Podcast
August 19 -- Ian Anderson speaks to Dana Micheli about Modern Disciples Vol. I, his first novel and the first in this fantasy series about a group of mythical heroes.
August 26 -- Lynee Davis sits down with Dana Micheli to speak about A Widow's Walk: From Pain to Peace, a memoir chronicling her journey to healing after the untimely death of her husband.
We Are One in Spirit Podcast
August 11- Carl Bozeman will be joining LavendarRose to discuss his new book, On Being God Beyond Your Life's Purpose. Carl is a spiritual pioneer who's message is to provide new ways to inspire, uplift and challenge everyone to see through the limiting illusion they accept as life - to challenge their beliefs and all limiting behaviors in such a way that a new awareness surrounds them; an eternal awareness where no boundary exists. On Being God is a testament to our divine nature and a guide to show us how to find that place inside where God dwells. We can find our way back and many will find the words of the book compelling and uplifting as they rediscover that under all the trappings this reality provides there is so much more.
August 18- Tisha Morris will be joining us to discuss how our world is changing. As the news stations ‘Countdown to Doomsday’ over the debt crisis, shootings, suicides, and anxiety are meanwhile at an all-time high. What’s going on? Is the world going crazy? Is the world ending? Is it 2012? I can’t help but think of the REM song, “It’s the end of the world as we know it.” The phrase, as we know it, is the key. Our world is changing and changing very fast – as we have known it. Tisha Morris is a certified life coach, feng shui consultant, energy healer, yoga instructor, and the author of Feng Shui Your Life: The Quick Guide to Decluttering Your Home and Renewing Your Life and 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home (Turner Publishing).
August 25- Angelica Rose will be joining us to discuss her book, Living Life As You Always Dreamed. Angelica is a national gifted Essence Specialist since 1991 presents group talks and offers private sessions to spiritually gifted, heart centered and creative people which provides opportunities to expand spiritual and creative gifts and into greater levels of awareness. In Living Life As You Always Dreamed, you will learn how to identify, minimize and even eliminate the distractions that divert you from living a happier productive life. Angelica defines these distractions as beliefs-programs such as insecurities, fears, self-induced limitations, that hold you back from being the 'great' person you are meant to be.
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August 19 -- Ian Anderson speaks to Dana Micheli about Modern Disciples Vol. I, his first novel and the first in this fantasy series about a group of mythical heroes.
August 26 -- Lynee Davis sits down with Dana Micheli to speak about A Widow's Walk: From Pain to Peace, a memoir chronicling her journey to healing after the untimely death of her husband.
We Are One in Spirit Podcast
August 11- Carl Bozeman will be joining LavendarRose to discuss his new book, On Being God Beyond Your Life's Purpose. Carl is a spiritual pioneer who's message is to provide new ways to inspire, uplift and challenge everyone to see through the limiting illusion they accept as life - to challenge their beliefs and all limiting behaviors in such a way that a new awareness surrounds them; an eternal awareness where no boundary exists. On Being God is a testament to our divine nature and a guide to show us how to find that place inside where God dwells. We can find our way back and many will find the words of the book compelling and uplifting as they rediscover that under all the trappings this reality provides there is so much more.
August 18- Tisha Morris will be joining us to discuss how our world is changing. As the news stations ‘Countdown to Doomsday’ over the debt crisis, shootings, suicides, and anxiety are meanwhile at an all-time high. What’s going on? Is the world going crazy? Is the world ending? Is it 2012? I can’t help but think of the REM song, “It’s the end of the world as we know it.” The phrase, as we know it, is the key. Our world is changing and changing very fast – as we have known it. Tisha Morris is a certified life coach, feng shui consultant, energy healer, yoga instructor, and the author of Feng Shui Your Life: The Quick Guide to Decluttering Your Home and Renewing Your Life and 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home (Turner Publishing).
August 25- Angelica Rose will be joining us to discuss her book, Living Life As You Always Dreamed. Angelica is a national gifted Essence Specialist since 1991 presents group talks and offers private sessions to spiritually gifted, heart centered and creative people which provides opportunities to expand spiritual and creative gifts and into greater levels of awareness. In Living Life As You Always Dreamed, you will learn how to identify, minimize and even eliminate the distractions that divert you from living a happier productive life. Angelica defines these distractions as beliefs-programs such as insecurities, fears, self-induced limitations, that hold you back from being the 'great' person you are meant to be.
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