Well I've had an interesting day. For a large part of my day I was working on setting up a website to use for advertising my book of poetry. Boy do I have a lot to learn. I am definitely technically challenged.
The company hosting the website offers a tutorial to teach how to set up the site yet, I am having trouble getting it up and running. Go figure. In a way, this reminds me of an open book test I sometimes took years ago when I was going to school. Wouldn't you know, they were always the hardest. Now the tutorial is giving me all the information I need to put my site together within 5 or 10 minutes (so it states) but here it is at the end of the day and I still don't have my site launched. Well I refuse to go through another day like this one, so therefore I have no other option but to call out the big guns.....my 14 year old granddaughter will be here promptly after Church tomorrow. I expect my site to be launched within 15 minutes after she arrives.
In the meantime, if anyone is interested in the book, here is a direct link to the publishing company. www.xlibris.com/motivationalpoems There will be excerpts from the book available so you can get a better feel for the flow of the poetry. Actually the book wont be ready for distribution for another couple of weeks but I am trying to get what business I need to do on my end in place.
All of you young authors must keep in mind the need for a website to advertise your new book. There is no reason for you to spend a lot of money in developing a website either. Companies now days have all of the tools for you to build your own website for a very small fee. The good thing is,if you are technically challenged like myself, hopefully you can grab a friend or a family member (like I did) to help launch your website.
I'm starting to spend more time on one of my projects for children's stories. I'm very excited about this one. I decided to turn my little Cindy the story teller into a series. This should be interesting.....it has my juices flowing. If anyone wants to read my first short story featuring Cindy the Storyteller, you can visit my page at www.authorsden.com/carolynsands
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Five Tips for an Organized Writer
This is a great day and I'm very excited as I began this new blog because my book of motivating poetry is to be released from the publisher soon. I have been writing poetry and other works for some time now, and I am very pleased to report that my book of motivating poetry will be ready for purchase soon.
I've been asked more than once what motivates me to write a book of poetry. Well, I certainly have a great passion for writing. I know from talking to others that many people never follow up on doing what their passion calls them to do, even after they have officially retired from a life long career. Thankfully this is not the case for me.
My writing is actually a second career for me after I spent more than 30 years giving my best to another profession which I am happily retired from. If you are a new writer, I am including 5 tips here to help you keep organized.
1- Commit to a special time everyday to do your writing. If you don't commit, the day may get away from you and with all of your good intentions, nothing will get accomplished. My time is split. I allow myself a block of time most mornings, but 2days a week I give myself time in the evenings, due to other obligations.
2- Make an outline of your writing project. I find that when I make an outline, it helps me to keep my thoughts in tuned with what I am trying to produce. I know a couple of writers that do not make an outline and they are okay with that. But for me, I need the outline so I can see where I am going next.
3- Keep your focus on your project. Sometimes distractions are inevitable, but the fewer distractions the better. If you are working from home (the way most writers do) losing focus can be easy because you are so close to family and the goings on in the house. I have built a system where my family respects my "work time". Nor do I answer the phone during working hours.
4) Do your research first. If there is any research to be done, do it first. If you have to stop writing to do research, most likely it will slow down your project and even your train of thought in some cases. I believe it is a good policy anyway to have all the facts up front. For my poetry, I do not need to do research, but when I am writing for the children's book, I most certainly need to do this.
5) Keep your thesaurus and dictionary handy. You will need to have them close by at your fingertips. Of course these should be on your computer under favorites or bookmarks for easy access.
The poetry I write is intended to motivate and inspire. I basically like to write helpful words of encouragement to share with others while also encouraging myself. You are welcome to go to my website and read excepts of my poetry at http://www.motivationalpoetry.webs.com You may need to copy and past the address in your browser. Then there is the children's writing I do. I'm currently writing a series of short stories for children and one of them have received a lot of attention already at my page on the author's den. You can visit my page on the author's den and read that story for yourself if you care to by simply going to www.authorsden.com/carolynsands I am also writing about weight loss and the struggle it takes not just to lose the weight, but to keep it off as well. A lot of the motivating poems comes directly from my frame of mind as I struggle to lose weight myself. Believe me I know a lot about weight loss as you will hopefully find out as you get to know me better.
I'll be checking in again soon everybody and will give you an update on the book and website.
I've been asked more than once what motivates me to write a book of poetry. Well, I certainly have a great passion for writing. I know from talking to others that many people never follow up on doing what their passion calls them to do, even after they have officially retired from a life long career. Thankfully this is not the case for me.
My writing is actually a second career for me after I spent more than 30 years giving my best to another profession which I am happily retired from. If you are a new writer, I am including 5 tips here to help you keep organized.
1- Commit to a special time everyday to do your writing. If you don't commit, the day may get away from you and with all of your good intentions, nothing will get accomplished. My time is split. I allow myself a block of time most mornings, but 2days a week I give myself time in the evenings, due to other obligations.
2- Make an outline of your writing project. I find that when I make an outline, it helps me to keep my thoughts in tuned with what I am trying to produce. I know a couple of writers that do not make an outline and they are okay with that. But for me, I need the outline so I can see where I am going next.
3- Keep your focus on your project. Sometimes distractions are inevitable, but the fewer distractions the better. If you are working from home (the way most writers do) losing focus can be easy because you are so close to family and the goings on in the house. I have built a system where my family respects my "work time". Nor do I answer the phone during working hours.
4) Do your research first. If there is any research to be done, do it first. If you have to stop writing to do research, most likely it will slow down your project and even your train of thought in some cases. I believe it is a good policy anyway to have all the facts up front. For my poetry, I do not need to do research, but when I am writing for the children's book, I most certainly need to do this.
5) Keep your thesaurus and dictionary handy. You will need to have them close by at your fingertips. Of course these should be on your computer under favorites or bookmarks for easy access.
The poetry I write is intended to motivate and inspire. I basically like to write helpful words of encouragement to share with others while also encouraging myself. You are welcome to go to my website and read excepts of my poetry at http://www.motivationalpoetry.webs.com You may need to copy and past the address in your browser. Then there is the children's writing I do. I'm currently writing a series of short stories for children and one of them have received a lot of attention already at my page on the author's den. You can visit my page on the author's den and read that story for yourself if you care to by simply going to www.authorsden.com/carolynsands I am also writing about weight loss and the struggle it takes not just to lose the weight, but to keep it off as well. A lot of the motivating poems comes directly from my frame of mind as I struggle to lose weight myself. Believe me I know a lot about weight loss as you will hopefully find out as you get to know me better.
I'll be checking in again soon everybody and will give you an update on the book and website.
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