Looking Back on 2012 and Looking Ahead to 2013

One year is coming to a close and another is about to begin.  I made two lists to help me see where I have been and where I would like to go.

What I accomplished this year:

1. Wrote a post for the Writers on the Move blog every month
2. Attended three different day-long workshops and conferences
3. Attended SCBWI meetings
4. Participated in two online writing conferences
5. Read books, magazines and blogs on writing
6. Enrolled in two online writing classes
7. Participated in NaNoWriMo
8. Joined two online writing clubs
9. Worked on picture book
10. Learned about critiquing

Currently I’m reading a book written by a member of my local writer’s group before it’s published. She is in the revision process.  This will finish out 2012.

What do I hope to accomplish next year?

I went to the Diy MFA website, http://diymfa.com/writing/write-it-goals-sheet, and downloaded goal sheets to assist me in this process. I tried to print my copy in color but it printed in black and white. It’s still serviceable but not as pretty!

A partial list of my writing goals: (I’m still working on this.J)

1. Learn Scrivener (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php)
2. Participate in NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/)
3. Attend online conferences and in-person conferences
4. Blog for Writers on the Move
5. Attend more SCBWI meetings and events (http://www.scbwi.org/)
6. Work on picture book
7. Read the stack of books that has been sitting in my home office, some of which are on writing
8. Have professional photo taken to use for author platform

What did you accomplish this year? What are your writing goals for next year?  I hope you find inspiration in my 2012 and 2013 lists.

Debbie A. Byrne has a B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in History. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is working on her first children’s book.

10 Gifts for Writers

Are you still finishing your holiday shopping?  Here’s my top ten gifts for the writer on your list.

·        A gift certificate for a writers retreat - A perfect gift for any writer.

·       ·          Books – Writers are readers, so a good book or a gift certificate to a book store is always a good choice.

·        ·        A subscription to writer’s magazine like Writer’s Digest or Writers and Poets

·        The 2013 Writer’s Market – If you know a writer getting ready to submit their work, this is an invaluable tool.

·        The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the perfect gift for someone who is out there marketing their book.

·       Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott – An inspirational book for any writer

·      A journal – Even if the writer you know generally works on a computer, give them a journal and they are sure to write in it.

·         An electronic reader – Kindle, Nook or iPad.  Eventually, most writers will need to join the digital age.

·         Scrivener - A great application for managing complex writing projects or keeping track of the research for that next project.

·         Voice recognition software – Dragon Naturally Speaking is a great voice recognition program that can help make the writer more productive.

Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life strategist who has helped writers move their writing careers forward.  Combining intuitive insights with practical know-how, Mary Jo has helped clients discover how to chart their course of action and live their authentic path—their True North.   Mary Jo offers Artist Breakthrough Sessions at reduced rates. (Gift certificates are available.)

For more information check out  www.donorth.biz
or folllow her at:
http://theadvantagepoint.wordpress.com
http://www.helpingchidrencope.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/do_north
http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz  

Reading makes you a Better Writer

As Ray Bradbury said, “You’ve got to love libraries. You’ve got to love books. You’ve got to love poetry. You’ve got to love everything about literature. Then, you can pick the one thing you love most and write about it.”

This quote speaks volumes about what writers should make time for as part of their daily writing routine.

Another Bradbury quote that speaks volumes is, “You must write every single day of your life… You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads… may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.” 

Many say write what you know, How about writing what you want to know? This is another opportunity to read diverse books and diverse subjects.

By reading various genres, writers might chose to add some literary techniques into their present project. Writers might also try opposite gender writing.

I had such an experience while taking an online writing course. I crafted a piece where two women thought a female wrote it. I’m not female.

I’ve heard from numerous sources that there is a touch of poetry in my prose. I’ve been an avid reader of all genres for over 50-years.

It is up to writers to read books from various authors, so they can become better writers.

Robert Medak

Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, Reviewer, Marketer

http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak

End 2012 With a Great Plan for 2013

 

As we celebrate the holiday season of 2012 and take time to enjoy family and friends most of us will also be planning ahead for success in 2013. Setting writing and publishing goals will be a big part of the plan.

The key is to look closely at what has worked this year and what has had you spinning your wheels. I mean an honest and critical view of what you have done right and what you need to do to get better. It can be similar to revising your work and it can be difficult.

When we revise, sometimes it is hard to cut out a character that we have grown to love or delete words that we just have to put in there because we like them even when they don't move our story along. The same goes for our goals. Sometimes we hate to cut out an activity or delete a routine even when it isn't moving our career along.

Now is the time to cut, hack, redo, undo, delete and make drastic changes to the way we do things especially if we don't have the results we long for.

Start with a clean slate.
List projects that need to be finished.
List projects that you have planned and decide if they are viable.
List your financial needs.
List outrageous possibilities for your writing.
List realistic possibilities for your writing.
Begin your plan.
Set specific goals for 2013.
List action steps for each week to attain those goals.
Schedule these action steps on a brand new calendar.

This is the beginning of a successful 2013. Having a plan with realistic goals goes along way to providing success. Having a plan with at least one outrageous goal that you would love to attain gives you power to succeed.

We are only held back by our own fears so make a plan, set goals, and soar.

Fight Your Censor

Intuition: that tiny voice that speaks from your gut.
Recently, I made a goal of trying to slow down and listen to my gut, listen to that voice that speaks to me about all manner of things that are good or bad for me. What have I found? The voice of intuition is much quieter that that of my writing censor.

My writer's censor is easy to hear. She comes to me loud and clear as I'm working on a first draft. Generally, she throws phases at me like: That's awful! Who would read that? That's stupid. You're not good enough!

It seems her "job" is to stop my headlong progress. It's a battle where the lines are text and I must be armored if I am to win. My censor also is present the next day, when I review my previous day's work. Once again, she gives her thoughts, none of which are positive, most are not even helpful. Sometimes she almost dares me to throw my the work away and start over.

As writers we all have that voice in our ear - the one that tells us to stop writing, that our words are not worthy. But as writers, we also have a story to tell. That story is in you, and your job is to get it down on paper. So in thinking about goals for 2013, perhaps one could be to listen to the story in you, armor yourself against your censor and get the words on paper. There will be plenty of time later to refine your work during the editing process. Fight back.

_________________________________

D. Jean Quarles is a writer of Women's Fiction and a co-author of a Young Adult Science Fiction Series. Her latest book, Flight from the Water Planet, Book 1 of The Exodus Series was written with coauthor, Austine Etcheverry.

D. Jean loves to tell stories of personal growth – where success has nothing to do with money or fame, but of living life to the fullest. She is also the author of the novels: Rocky's Mountains, Fire in the Hole and, Perception. The Mermaid, an award winning short story was published in the anthology, Tales from a Sweltering City.  

She is a wife, mother, grandmother and business coach. In her free time . . . ha! ha! ha! Anyway, you can find more about D. Jean Quarles, her writing and her books at her website at www.djeanquarles.com

You can also follower her at www.djeanquarles.blogspot.com or on Facebook

Book Marketing - Bring It Up A Notch by Creating an Effective Author Online Presence

CREATING AND BUILDING YOUR AUTHOR ONLINE PRESENCE:
Website Creation to Beyond Book Sales

I'm conducting another online class through WOW! Women on Writing that will definitely benefit you if, you want to:

•     Create or increase your author online presence
•     Build or tweak your website for better conversion
•     Learn to blog for success
•     Learn how to do effective article marketing
•     Learn how to create an ebook and cover as a freebie or for sale
•     Learn how to use PayPal buy buttons to sell your books
•     Learn how to create your own product line

CHECK OUT THE LESSON TITLES

1. The Bare-Bottom Platform Basics: The Foundation and Creating an Author Website

2. Blogging for Success: Creating Effective Content

3. Article Marketing: 10 Steps to Writing for Article Directories with Properly Formatted and Optimized Content

4. How to Create eBooks for Freebies and for Sale, Including Creating a Cover with Microsoft Office 2010

5. How to Create PayPal ‘Buy Now’ Buttons for Your Site/s

6. How to Create a Product Line and Attracting Customers Through Information Marketing

This class is for authors and those who are trying to get a foot in the online visibility door, and for those who want to become more effective marketers.

So, go to the WOW page NOW for the details. You'll find out exactly what each Lesson includes. And, there are two bonus lessons and at least one screen-sharing webinar!

The class size is limited, so SIGN UP FOR CREATE YOUR AUTHOR ONLINE PRESENCE TODAY!

~~~~~
Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Online Marketer, Affiliate Marketer
Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012

To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars, join us in The Writing World (top right top sidebar).

Twelve-Twelve-Twelve

As I write this posting, I realize I'm scheduled to post on a significant date or supposedly a significant date - 12/12/12.  According to the Mayan calendar, it will be a day of rebirth or the end of times as we know it.  The world will not end this day or this month, but the collective of society will go through a transformation, or being reborn.  Many religions around the world are also prophecizing this same thought pattern. 

On that note, this past week or so, I've been trying to recreate stories featuring my protagonist, Kelly Watson, and really make her a series like the Nancy Drew series.  I've printed out the winners of the MysteryNet's contests from all the months they actually held the contests; I've printed out several postings of tips on writing mysteries; and I've printed out a few "mystery story prompts/starters" to help me along the way.

The biggest problem I'm up against is having set my first tory, Finally Home, in a small town, population of under 1000, in South Carolina, which is even smaller than the town I live in which has a population of around 3500, and that my girls are only 13 or 14 - upper middle school, about to enter high school aged.  They aren't driving age and therefore can't zip over to the big town to "solve mysteries" and there probably isn't much in the way of things happening in the town to be a mystery.

So, I'm looking to my readers to give me some suggestions on how to bring Kelly and Emma out in several mysteries - shoot me some ideas by way of comment and if I use your idea, I'll send you an ebook copy of Finally Home for Nook or Kindle along with an authorgraph.

See you all in the postings - E :)

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Ms. Eldering is the award-winning author of the Junior Geography Detective Squad (JGDS), 50-state, mystery, trivia series. Her stories "Train of Clues" (available in print and as an ebook on kindle), "The Proposal" (available as an ebook), "Tulip Kiss" (available as an ebook), and "Butterfly Halves", all placed first, second, or runner up in various contests to include two for Armchair Interviews and two for Echelon Press (Fast and ... themed type contests). Her story "Bride-and-Seek" (available as an ebook) was selected for the South Carolina Writers' Workshop (SCWW) anthology, the Petigru Review. She also has written several other short stories for contests including the second place winning story, "Zombies Amuck", and "La Cave". Ms. Eldering makes her home in upper state South Carolina and loves to travel, read, cross stitch and crochet. When she's not busy with grown children still at home, working her full-time job as a medical transcriptionist or participating in virtual classroom visits, she can be found at various homeschool or book events and festivals promoting her writing.
For more information about the JGDS series, please visit the  JGDS blog or the JGDS website.

For more information about Elysabeth's other writings, please visit her general writing blog or her author website.