BLOGGING AGAIN! HELLO ALL!

Skagit Valley Tulip Fields

Sending you all a quick wave!  I am at the tail end of a week in Charlotte NC, riding shotgun with husband who gave a talk on Hydro Power Operations and Maintenance at the Hydro Vision Conference.  Why is this so amazing?  Well, he is … um … over 80 years old and had a stroke last September.  He is doing quite well!  Lots to be grateful for.

I am heading home with new resolve to finish revising my 3 manuscripts. I am considering entering bits and pieces of my writing here.  Give me _ _ _ _ if I don’t follow through!  Grin.

EXERCISE TO PREP FOR THE DAY

This should get me going on this Northwest Pacific rainy gray day. Puff puff.  Notice there’s a mattress and a pillow right next to the bike.

How about you folks? What primes you to hit your day running?

Organizing Content in Social Media

How sweet it is when we see a life rope headed our way.

Good morning, West Coast, and good afternoon in the East.

Jane Friedman, holding many credentials,  writes an excellent newsletter.  Anyone who participates in Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Tumbler, and so on, would find the newsletter listed here something to consider.  The links she shared promise great help in organizing possible social network posts/topics of interest to your friends and readers.  She calls these linked sites “Curators.”  I hope those interested can find something that helps streamline managing social media.

Have a great week, all.  Put yesterday away, let tomorrow come as it will, and enjoy today.

Self Discipline Versus Freedom

Sun Setting, Peaceful Time of Day

I promised a Thursday blog, but I didn’t say what time … did I?

Yesterday, as I dragged away from a 12 hour day at my  computer at 10:30 PM, I decided to approach Thursday by relaxing over my “do list.”  However I am a disobedient child, not to anyone else, but to myself, and today, when I planned to do some catching up on bookkeeping, I am writing. Yesterday, my list directed me to write, so I worked on the books.

Most folks don’t want to be backed into a corner by others. But me? I resist my own efforts for a disciplined approach to accomplishments.  There are a multitude of classes and books covering goal setting and motivate behaviors.  Goal setting to me, feels like a trap.  Self discipline again.  And there sits my trusty timer, smiling at me. I do know it works for others, so I’m not knocking the concept. We are each unique.

Forgiveness and love begins at home in my own heart, toward myself.  And it’s working.  I am relaxed today, and in five years no one will care about my “do list” including me.  The deep creative part of me is stirring amidst this peace.  The writing improves.

In a prior post we discussed the subconscious response to positive thinking.  Folks talk about “wanting to do something” and “believing you can do something” and both are important. It is getting to the “wanting with your whole heart” and “Believing with your whole heart” that is difficult.  We have constructed barriers or fences for protection. Michael Hague, writing teacher extraordinaire,  calls it living in our identity, but once we are brave enough to break through, we can live in our essence.   So if something in the subconscious is more powerful, the half truth must be overcome and the barrier removed.

I have a tight fisted grip on freedom.   What does freedom mean to you?   And I’d love to hear what you think about self-discipline, not mine, but yours.  Grin.

Readers and Writers – Enjoy

Kurt Vonnegut shares a simplified graph delivered with unique wit, showing three basic story structures.

Readers, Aspiring writers, Young writers, Children, Experienced writers, can all sit back and enjoy this clip.

Can you think of a good book that didn’t follow one of the 3 curving lines on the graph?

Reading provides an opportunity to experience emotion, live the story with the characters, and hopefully close the cover (or shut off the e-reader) uplifted by a happy ending but  feeling a bit sorry that you must leave the characters behind.

Some literary fiction explores deep problems of the human condition and seeks to increase reader understanding, but there is no resolution.  Nothing uplifting. Ouch.

But for today, I hope this video makes you smile.

Win a Copy of “Wild” by Pamela S Beason

A Child is Missing in the Wilderness

Win a copy of Pamela Beason’s autographed self published book, no longer available as her novel was picked up by a New York publishing house.

This story will debut with a different title, and a few minor changes … sometime in 2011.  I enjoyed reading it, and noticed that for me, a notorious ‘skipper’, I skipped no words in this novel.

To win, subscribe to my blog and add a brief comment with your most effective time organization tools, listing the major things you do, to keep those words flowing onto the pages, while attending to the business end of being a writer—and not neglecting personal obligations.

Last date to comment will be Sat, August 21 at midnight, Pacific Daylight Time.  I will choose the winner and post it on Monday, August 23.  It is my hope that we will all benefit from reviewing the time challenges that every writer faces every day.

I will pick the one (s) most likely to help me, totally subjective, and send the book.

Have a great writing day,  and a wonderful weekend.

The Business End of Writing: Documenting Travel Expenses: Tip # 2

Nothing like a view of nature's splendor to ease the need for bookkeeping

While pursuing a writing career, shocking numbers jump into focus when we track the total expenses during the pursuit of excellence, whether it be to learn, teach, establish a platform, a brand, publicity, social networking, computers, software, internet, business cards, while we dedicate our efforts to the most important part—getting those words on the page.

Spreadsheets help track writing travel expenses, other than personal vehicle mileage mentioned in Wednesday’s blog.

• Air Fare, including baggage charges
• Hotel/Motel
• Rental Car & Fuel purchased
• Taxi Fares
• Internet Usage
• Meals
• Meals and Entertainment (entertaining for the purpose of writing as in editor/agent)
• Cost of workshop, Seminar, Conference
• Supplies needed to streamline the attendance at conferences
• Phone
• Tips

I’ll share the spreadsheet I use. Email me at mspicher1@me.com with “Travel Expense Spread Sheet” in the subject line, and I will attach an Excel Spread Sheet copy and send it to you.

Wishing all of the conference attendees, presenters, and volunteers, experiences loaded with information that will move writing careers forward.  Bon Voyage, all.  For the rest of us, remember as members of RWA, we can purchase the DVD of the workshops later in the year.  They are worth every penny!