Multiple Intelligences -- How Do You View the World?

I happened to find a site that brought to mind ... how do I view matters, how do I think, how do I cope, i.e., how do I get through my day! I teach, so of course, how my students learn is one of my main concerns. However, I can see how this would affect one's writing. The choice of words, actions, etc. put into the story. In any case, this was a real eye-opener when I decided to take this survey. Some of the results I could have predicted, but others were a bit surprising. And the questions? Well, see for yourself and take the test!

Multiple Intelligences

Look at Me!

Look at me! I'm pretty :-) All adorned in bright spring-like colors. I just had to post about it, even though it has nothing to do with writing. Yet, then again, it might. Imagery is a part of what we write. And artistry "speaks" a cornicopea of words. Hand in hand they give us the "stuff" to fuel our imaginations. So, this is a bit of spring to announce what we expect will come, all with bright colors and hopeful images ... even if it won't stop raining here in Ohio and giving us temperatures that belong in February! I guess when I tire of looking out the window, I will click on my blog and stare at the page. So very pretty...

Stay Posted ... New Theme - Guest Authors

Just letting you all know that in a couple of weeks I will be having a guest blogger -- author, Michael Murphy, who has a published novel, Scorpion Bay, just released this month. I'm so excited for him! He will be writing about ... well, writing! And of course a bit about his novel, Scorpion Bay ... oh, did I mention that already? And that I'm excited for him?

Anyway, stay tuned for his visit, sometime around the middle of April. Until then ...

To Kindle or Not to Kindle - That is the Publishing Question

Hot off the presses .... Amanda Hocking's creations -- the Trylle triology, for one. If you've been following publishing trends in the news, you may already be aware of what's happening. Like it or not, self-publishing, especially in ebook format, is blazing a trail and aiming for the clouds or the heavens or however far up it can reach! With the creation of ebook readers, monster outlets like Amazon, easy to use tools provided by CreateSpace and Kindle Direct, an author can easily self-publish at little to no cost and be up and running on the Amazon website quicker than you can blink an eye ... okay maybe not quite that fast, but it's only a matter of weeks, not months or a year such as it takes with traditional publishers. And you don't have to "pass the gates of entry" to get by the agents and publishers who must approve you when taking the traditional route.
I know what some of you are thinking ... how good can those books be? Well, I had my doubts. Since the big hype, I've purchased a couple of self-pub books, ebook format, for my reader. I've been reading Amanda's Switched. It's for young adult readers and has the fantasy or paranormal element to it. It may not be great prose, but the story is engaging. At least as engaging as it can be for this adult reader! The thing is that her books selling. Selling BIG. I mean like 450,000 copies in the month of January alone. Now, at 99 cents a pop on Amazon, with the author's take of 30%? You figure the math. Not shabby. Right? Anyway, the whole new trend of this is something to think about ... for readers, for writers, for publishers, for agents ... everyone in the game!

Read much more about this interesting topic and phenom in USA Today ...

Authors Catch Fire

Making a Book -- How Hard Could It Be?

If you do nothing else today, and you really enjoy books, watch this video on book making from days gone by. It's fascinating and will make you appreciate just how easy the process is today!


Book Making

Writing Revisited

Hello all ... after a long hiatus, I am back to revisit a familiar topic, one I've commented on before, but that often needs to show its face, just to remind ourselves of its importance: avoiding the writing blues, keeping the craft in focus and thriving. It's not easy. We come up with more excuses than ... well, we could write a book on that! :-) Sometimes we need a cheerleader in our corner, one who will say, "You can do this. Just put yourself back in front of that computer and WRITE!" Well, actually, you say, that's easier said then done. So, here is yet another list of tips on the topic, expertly crafted by Noelle Sterne and featured in the latest issue (1/20) of Writing World .

1. Schedule realistic times to write. -- base it on daily responsibilities and your personality
2. Mark your calendar. -- then you're committing to it in writing, much more effective
3. The night before, plan exactly what to work on. -- gives you focus and concrete goals
4. Start with something easy. -- whether working on a new project or existing one
5. Set small goals you know you can meet. -- usually applies to a word count -- how many/day?
6. Sneak into it. -- going back over to edit what you wrote yesterday might "jumpstart" today's!
7. Make a list. -- might be an outline of your WIP or even materials you need, resources, etc.
8. Choose one thing from your master list. -- example, start in the middle of a story
9. Use the "diaper method." --overwhelmed? cover up all of your to-do list, but what to do NOW
10. Keep a log of your writing time. -- helps you to learn about your writing habits
11. Accept your "moody" feelings. -- taking a break -a jog, music, etc. - will help rejuvinate you!

For the full article, go to the Writing World website.

Pointing in the Right Direction

Ebooks have gained their place in the publishing world. No longer can we deny the impact on the market. With the availability of a variety of e-readers at very reasonable prices, there will be e-sales to cover that niche. Yet, give pause and think cautiously. After all, for authors there are advantages and disadvantages to consider when making a decision of what publishing route to take.

With e-publishing in its infancy and the economy in a slump, the stability of e-publishers to hang in there for the long haul can be precarious. An author may be taking a risk. If the e-pub goes defunct, so does the availability of his/her book. On the other hand, for new and emerging authors there is greater chance of acceptance.

For an excellent overview of this topic, check out this web page. It pertains to romance writing, but could apply to any genre.

E-Publishing