Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Back to Writing Event at StoryCrafters!



Starting Wednesday the 17th StoryCrafters will be holding a "Back to Writing" challenge.

Prizes will be awarded for total word count from the 17th until Oct. 31st along with several "challenge" days that will be announced as we go along.

So sign up at the StoryCrafters forum and read the details in our Announcements section.

If you need some motivation, you can check out my article at the StoryCrafters blog to help you get back into your writing schedule.

StoryCrafters...weaving imaginations.

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Friday, September 05, 2008

We're on the move!



Well, I am giving up on this template and the old Blogger format. For whatever reason, I can't seem to upgrade this template and I've started a new Aspiring Author blog here.

This new blog will be focused entirely on things important to the aspiring author: resources, tips, and motivational material. I haven't decided what to do with this blog yet. I've moved some of the material from the old blog to the new one and after that I'm not sure if I'll delete the original blog or refocus it.

Please check out our new home for The Aspiring Author!

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Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Will You Participate in NaNoWriMo 2008?



Hard to believe but before you know it NaNoWriMo will be here. So, are you going to participate in NaNoWriMo this November? Why or why not? Have you participated in years past? Has this influenced whether you will be participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

Feel free to share your NaNoWriMo writing experiences here!

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StoryCrafters - An Online Community of Writers



Join us at the StoryCrafters forum where we talk about all things important to writers, hold workshops and contests, critique each other's works in progress, and have a grand old time hashing out plots and characters.

StoryCrafters...weaving imaginations.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Registration Deadline for Muse Online Writers Conference




The deadline to register for the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference is September 1st. Now in its third year, the Muse Online Writers Conference offers writers the opportunity to hone their craft and learn about everything from book proposals to book promotion and beyond.

Don't miss this opportunity to attend a totally online and free* writers conference. Register now at http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/.


* Our conference is FREE but ask if you can donate to help support this site and our cause (to continue offering you FREE workshops each year). Your generosity is appreciated.

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Thursday, August 07, 2008

Off to the Beach



We're taking off for Cape Cod tomorrow morning, so it will be quiet around here for a few days. August is a busy month of playing mommy as we get the girls ready to go back to school, attend Vacation Bible School, and make the transition from our summer to fall schedules.

Starting in September, we'll pick up our discussions about the challanges aspiring authors face. Right now, my main challenge is trying to juggle my writing life with my personal life and not dropping the ball on anything. Good thing I know how to set priorities.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

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Getting it Done: Setting Priorities



You'll find my latest article at the Writer2Writer website. This one discusses how to use to-do lists effectively by setting priorities.

Enjoy!

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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Time Management articles on Writer2Writer




Here is a list of some of the articles I've written as a contributor to Writer2Writer:

Procrastination: Kill it Now!

Back to School and Back to Your Writing Schedule

Distractions: Don't Let Them Steal Your Writing Time

If You Over Commit, You Won't Submit: Learning to Say "No"

Falling in Love with SMART Goals: A Sure Way to Increase Productivity

These articles and many more from the talented staff at Writer2Writer can help you earn money from your writing. If you've ever dreamed of being a full-time writer, make sure you bookmark Writer2Writer and check back often. And don't forget to sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter.

You'll find more advice from Writer2Writer at our new blog.

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And we're back!



Sorry for the extended hiatus. The Outer Banks were lovely, as always. The weather warm and sunny; the beach clean and cool; the time with family, priceless.

Reality hit as soon as I returned. While away I read three books and had reviews to write. I have 5 virtual book tours to plan for August--which are coming along nicely. Plans for Vacation Bible School continue to come together and we're back into our schedule of Sylvan 4 days a week for our oldest daughter.

Make sure you check out The Book Connection for reviews, author interviews, and guest posts from some of today's most talented authors. Speaking of books and authors, I reviewed a wonderful resource that should be on every aspiring author's bookshelf.

The Dog Walked Down the Street: An Outspoken Guide for Writers Who Want to Publish by Sal Glynn is small on size and big on advice for the aspiring author. You can read my review here.

Look for more resources and tips to help you work toward publication coming soon from The Aspiring Author.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Outer Banks Here We Come




The Aspiring Author will be taking a break as our family travels down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to enjoy the sand, the beach, and fireworks over the water.

I hope all our readers have a happy, healthy, and safe Indepedence Day!

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Focus on You, Not Them



We've already discussed how negative self-talk can prevent the aspiring author from achieving success; but what about how others view you and your abilities?

In the Secrets of Spiritual Happiness, author Sharon Janis says, "Others can either help to raise us up into greater levels of awareness, or they can keep us limited to their small views of who and what they think we are or should be."

There will always be people who question your dream of being a published author. There will always be people who don't think you have what it takes to achieve your goals.

Don't listen to them!

Accept honest feedback, but don't allow another person to bring you down. You are in contol of your destiny. You hold the key to unlocking your potential. You lose that control when you allow what other people think to limit what you can accomplish.

Instead of focusing on what others think of you, focus on what you think of yourself. This is why getting rid of negative self-talk is so important. If you're focusing on you instead of others, but doubt your own abilities or put yourself down constantly, then you're back in the same river but in a different boat.

When I found this picture at Despair.com that I used for this blog entry, I thought of so many people in my past who did exactly what the caption says, "...live to crush those dreams."

Do I care why they want to crush my dreams? Not really. All I know is that it's important for my life and my career to not allow their negativity to become my problem.

While browsing online I came across a discussion about whether you should avoid negative people or change them. Depending upon who they are and the significance they have in your life will determine your actions. I don't always believe you can change a person, so I usually go with the avoid them idea. I surround myself with positive people and I feel better about my outlook on life. If I meet someone new and she is more concerned with problems than solutions, I don't usually foster a relationship with her.

On the other hand, negative people can be your spouses, your parents or children. It's not like you can avoid those people. This is where focusing on you, and not them, comes most in handy.

It's hard to keep going when you don't have the support you're looking for, but you can find it in places like writing groups and social networks, where likeminded individuals can offer the positive reinforcement that you need.

Plato once wrote, "The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depend upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily."

Focus on you and don't let others crush your dreams.

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