Going the Distance Time Management Class by Kitty Bucholtz
January 9, 2016 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz tagged as Goal Setting, It's Worth It, Kitty Bucholtz, Online Class, time management, Writing Goals
I’m super excited to announce that my annual goal setting and time management class for writers is about to start up again! And in lucky year seven (can you believe I’ve been teaching this for seven years?!) I’m creating a new website and making an important change to the class.
The lessons will continue to be the same – helping you figure out your goals for the year, breaking them down into pieces for each month, and plotting everything on a calendar so you can be sure you have enough time for everything you’ve planned – but I’m also adding six (6) monthly live video calls to help you stay on track.
No matter how well we plan our days, something always comes up to knock us off balance, a little or a lot. Having someone there to help you set things straight again, to re-evaluate and restart your plan, is sometimes the difference between spinning your wheels and getting back on the horse (to mix some transportation metaphors 😉 ).
With this new version of the class, you won’t be left to your own devices. We’ll work to keep you on track for six full months! By then, you’ll for sure know what to do when things come up during the last six months of the year. Excellent!
The sign-up page is almost ready – I’ll edit this post in a few days when the link is live. If you have any questions about the class, please email me at kitty@kittybucholtz.com. I look forward to helping you make 2016 your best year ever!
Kitty Bucholtz decided to combine her undergraduate degree in business, her years of experience in accounting and finance, and her graduate degree in creative writing to become a writer-turned-independent-publisher. Her novels, Little Miss Lovesick, A Very Merry Superhero Wedding, and Unexpected Superhero are currently available on Amazon. The free short story “Superhero in Disguise” and the new short story “Welcome to Loon Lake” are available wherever ebooks are sold. You can find out about her courses on self-publishing, marketing, and time management for writers at her website Writer Entrepreneur Guides.
Happy New Year!
January 6, 2016 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Kindle, Linda O. Johnston, The Ballad of Jack O'Dair
Last month I mentioned here that I was writing a Harlequin Romantic Suspense novel, COVERT ALLIANCE, which will be published in August 2016, a sequel to my Identity Division book COVERT ATTRACTION. I sent it off to the editor early this week. I also mentioned that I was about to republish one of my backlist books, a time travel romance called THE BALLAD OF JACK O’DAIR, on Kindle. It was available then and now for preorder and will be available on January 25. And right now, I’ve started working on my third Barkery & Biscuits Mystery, but with family around suspect I won’t have a lot of time to write for at least a couple of weeks. Linda O. Johnston
http://lindaojohnston.com/books.htm
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION. . .INTENTION. . .PROMISE. . .WHATEVER LIST?
January 5, 2016 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as BookBub, Edgy Christian Fiction, New Year's Resolutions, Tracy Reed
Happy New Year. I thought that title would capture your attention.
I ended 2015 on a high. YEAH!! Not to sound preachy, but my getting a BookBub ad, truly was a blessing from God. I was hoping to share the details, but the ad didn’t end until January first and I’m still sorting through the “tails” or results. I’m truly amazed at the effect a BookBub ad can have for an author. I hope to be able to share the details with you next month.
Back to that extremely long and strange title. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions or Intention Lists or Promises. I tried to be diligent in creating a list, but failed to follow through beyond making the list. What does that say about me? I have my hands full with my daily To Do List. It’s funny, a vast majority of people spend the last week of the old year or the first week of the new year, scripting these elaborate lists. For those that are dedicated to this ritual and sticking to the lists, I say congratulations.
As it is, I’m wondering if I over shot the rainbow when I made my production schedule for 2016. We are only five days into the new year and I’m already starting to second guess my ability to complete the schedule.
See, I decided to finally be pragmatic and craft a detailed chart of my proposed titles for 2016. When I made the chart a few months ago, it seemed logical that I would be able to put a title out every month. What the crap was I thinking? And to make things worse, I scheduled January’s title to release two days before going out of town. I have been so tempted to push the release date, but if I do, my entire production schedule gets shattered. So, I “m going to muddle through and hope to stay on track.
In spite of me not having a sacred New Year’s Resolution List, there are a few things I hope to get accomplished this year.
- Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.
- Grow my hair out about 3-4 inches
- Not freak out if I have to push something back on my To Do List or Production Schedule
That third thing on my list is huge and is full of innuendo and really only makes sense to me. Hey, it’s the first of the year and I’m allowed to be a little deep, strange or still high from sugar. Smile. Besides, I think my daily To Do List, would be a little jealous if it wasn’t the center of attention.
Since I don’t have a Resolution, Intention, Promise or Whatever List, I want to share something I read on Heather Clawson’s HabituallyChic.luxury blog.
It’s a list of 45 Life Lessons by Regina Brett, the New York Times bestselling author of God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life’s Little Detours. I highlighted the ones I really like and might add to my DAILY To Do List.
45 Life Lessons:
- Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
- When in doubt, just take the next small step.
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
- Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
- Pay off your credit cards every month.
- You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
- Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
- Save for retirement, starting with your first paycheck.
- When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
- Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
- It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
- Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
- If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
- Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
- You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
- A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
- It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
- When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
- Burn the candles; use the nice sheets; wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
- Over prepare, then go with the flow.
- Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
- The most important sex organ is the brain.
- No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
- Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
- Forgive everyone everything.
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
- Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
- Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
- Believe in miracles.
- Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
- Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
- Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
- Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
- Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
- Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
- All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
- The best is yet to come.
- No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
- Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
- If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
- Yield.
- Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
If I was going to make a New Year’s Resolution, Intention, Promise, Goal or Whatever list, it might look a little like this one.
Here’s hoping you plan your year wisely and don’t over shoot the rainbow, but shoot higher than you did last year.
Happy 2016!!!!!
Tracy
Tracy Reed
www.readtracyreed.com
Fiction for Women Who Love God, Couture and Cute Guys
Wishing everyone a Festive Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
December 24, 2015 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as Isabel SwiftI will not break into all the possible “holiday” options you might be experiencing (or not). Just like in Sleeping Beauty, if you try to invite “all” the fairies, you will be sure to leave one out, and the thirteenth fairy will come to your baby’s christening and curse you all. So really, don’t go there.
I figure you can just wish anybody the best from wherever you are coming from. It’s the only solid ground you have. So whatever you celebrate, wish that happiness on others. If you don’t celebrate anything, then I believe Mr. Dickens has created “Bah, Humbug!” and it is available for use in any denomination.
But I do like to note that the January 1 “New Year” is only one of several options.
I am particularly fond of the Chinese New Year, as it involves animals and great yearly cards and ornaments, not to mention horoscopes. So just to alert you, Chinese New Year is February 8th. It is the Year of the Monkey. Apparently the Chinese Zodiac timing starts a bit before the New Year, on February 4th, and there is a further refinement of 5 elements (one more than other Zodiac of 4: Earth, Air, Fire, Water). Here the five elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. Apparently Air is not an essential element. Perhaps a mistake.
Software Programs for Writers by Connie Vines
December 13, 2015 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as A Slice of Orange, Connie Vines, OCC Slice of Orange, publishing, Software Programs, writing process
I also began to wonder exactly how many programs I used when writing, plotting my novels, balancing the reading levels for my YA stories, etc. I feel the content would be of interest to writer, readers, and those who man be looking for a program help them make it through the rigors of an AP, university level, or an extension class.
My go-to program is Power Structure purchased via Write-Brain.com. Since I work in segments: Chapter 1 – 3, etc. rather than scene-by-scene or chapter-by-chapter, this program is adaptable to my thought process. I am able to work in three Acts, Chapters, Scenes, or any structure model of preference.
Conflict, Subplot, plot point. You can also change almost any term used in Power Structure to suit your personal preference. Long ago attended a class held at OCC using a writer’s workbook written by Chris Vogler, a Hollywood screen writer, who uses Joseph Campbell’s “A Hero’s Journey” as a plotting bible. Since I have followed Joseph Campbell’s works and find the “A Hero’s Journey” the best way for me to write a story.
Beverly also mentioned Dramatica Pro. Pricey, yes. I believe for characterization, especially for detailed historical novels, or when writing a continuing series, this program was a good investment.
A Plot Progression Window allows me to examine where to place a pivotal point. There is also a Spin-the-Model Brainstorming option. This helps when, heaven forbid, I have writer’s block–and much, much less painful than pounding my forehead on mt desk until my muse comes up with a plan.
On my iPad I have several program: My Writing (which I seldom open), A Novel Idea (where I have grains of thoughts/names of future novels) this takes the place of scribbles from my lip liner on discarded pieces of paper I’d find in the depths of my tote bag. I Do Notepad & I Do Notepad Pro that I will use but it have a devil of a time retrieving what I have saved.
The Journal app is good for free-flowing thought/plotting etc. and also for using as a writer’s journal. You can create labels, change the font and even add a background picture. This is where I many place the notes from my character interviews.
