“Blogs are like a box of chocolates…” Isn’t that how the saying goes? I love opening a new box of candy–the picking and choosing, the sampling, the enjoyment!
Well, in today’s blog, I’m offering you a box of chocolates from various blogs I read. Here are some of the best I’ve read lately. Pick and choose. See what looks good to you. Enjoy!
Take Your Pick
You’ll want to give yourself a whole weekend for this particular blog entry. It will take that long to check out the 100 Essential Tips and Tools for Writers of the Future. It covers marketing, creativity, niche writing, finding paying work, and much more.
How can you think outside the box and create a novel that is unusual and meaningful? In this hurry-hurry world, what can we do to unleash our hidden creativity? Author Gail Gaymer Martin gives you ten great ideas here.
When you land an agent, here’s how NOT to make your agent worry. Read Agent Wendy Lawton (Books and Such Literary Agency) on this subject.
If you’re hoping to write full-time, you need to do career planning. Here’s a realistic step-by-step guide from top literary agent, Chip MacGregor.
Time to Sample
Open your box of chocolates, settle back in a comfy chair, and enjoy this sampling of some fine articles!
Like many of you–especially those with kids and visiting grandkids–I’m wondering where the summer went. Lots of trips, company, overnights with grandkids, picnics–fun! But now it’s time, since school is back in session, for writers to settle down to a routine as well.
Revisit Your Goals
Last December I set for myself a “Self-Study Advanced Writing Program.” It consisted of studying certain writing books, reading many good books in my genre, and being critiqued weekly. Until school got out for the summer, our critique group and children’s book club met weekly.
However, because of summer schedules, both those things went by the wayside. We will be starting again in September. So now I’m “Dealing with Delayed Goals”. I intend this weekend to re-read everything I’ve blogged about on goals and remind myself of a few important strategies.
Set Up Your Schedule
Hopefully you at least journaled through the summer, but now it’s time to get serious again about your writing schedule. I intend to go back to using the highly effective (for me, anyway) “unschedule.” I will also remember the power of writing things down and keep track of my writing accomplishments–and celebrate them! This time I won’t forget to make the writing fun!
My ideal schedule includes two hours of writing time, two hours of teaching time, two hours of marketing (social networking and blogging), and two hours of study time. My schedule doesn’t always allow for my ideal day, but it’s what I strive for.
Stock Up on School Supplies
Don’t you just LOVE the displays of school supplies in every store this time of year? Every August I buy a year’s worth of supplies (well, actually, judging by the state of my office closet, I buy about two years’ worth every summer.) I just can’t pass up packages of college-ruled paper for fifty cents, Bic pens ten for a dollar, bottles of glue for a quarter, and pocket folders covered with psychedelic frogs and fish. I actually feel myself hyperventilating when I get near the school supplies.
The back-to-college supply sections are equally important. This year I got two new flash drives for only $9.00 each! And my new desk lamp, organizer and clock (all brilliant orange) only cost $5.00 each. Looks like I have a new office.
Set Your Alarm Again
Now to the least fun thing about “back to school”… If you’ve developed the habit this summer of sleeping in, reading a novel after breakfast, then taking the kids to the pool, you’re in for the same shock your school age children are feeling. Bite the bullet and set your alarm again. Get up early. Get the kids off to school with smiles on their faces. Pick up the worst of the clutter, then head to your office.
Not to your email. Not to your Facebook or to post some Tweets. Head to your writing desk. Stay off the Internet until you’ve put in some serious writing time. Take time to reward yourself a bit, but then return to your desk for as long as you can.
I know it’s a shock to the system at first, but even for writers, it’s time to get back to school!
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