Epublishing Versus Traditional Publishing

Electronic publishing, or epublishing, has come a long way since it first appeared on the Internet in the mid 1990s. With everchanging technology, new hardware and software devices are being offered all the time, and more types are certain to be developed in the future.

Ebooks allow publishers to get information to readers quickly and efficiently. Special software, such as handheld electronic readers, are lightweight and quite practical for large size books or textbooks.

But will epublishing ever replace traditional publishing?

Probably not, but then again, it all depends on your point of view, or preference, both as a reader and an author. Most avid readers prefer the traditional paperback or hardcover books. The same can be said for most authors. While ebooks, excluding POD, may be less expensive to purchase, for many they don't have that same "feel" as a paperback book. When it comes to a preference of traditional publishing over epublishing, most authors agree on one thing--they want to be able to go into a bookstore and see their books on the shelves.

Is it a matter of conditioning? Or perhaps a matter of loyalty?

Epublishing is still a relative newcomer to the scene, whereas traditional publishing has been around for centuries. There will always be those who will remain loyal to the traditional method of publishing, while others slowly venture into the dawn of a new era of epublishing.

With ever-changing technology, and ebooks becoming more popular, it would seem epublishing is here to stay.

Characters We Love, Writers Quirks, and More....

Hope everyone is having a great writing week so far. I’m sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve last written. Good ole’ Murphy decided to throw several wrenches and a few curveballs my way. Gotta love Murphy! (No, honestly not so much).

Well today, I thought I would blog about how close an attachment we form with our writing spaces, worlds, and characters (or as I like to refer to them as our “imaginary children").

When you ask a proud parent about their children, they beam. It’s really no different than when you ask a writer about a particular character they have created and are excited to get to know, and introduce to the world. And yes, characters having striking similarities to children. Sometimes you may have your mind made up that they should do or say one thing; but then they surprise you, and decide to take off in an entirely different direction, and say and do things you wouldn’t have originally imagined! Of course, that's half the fun and adventure of writing!

There’s no denying when you spend a lot of time with a particular character, watching them grow and learn, and yes, witness them making a mistake or two, or three…you can’t help but feel a special attachment to them. And like an old friend, sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye. (I think that’s one reason I’m dragging my feet on finishing my novel. Quite honestly, I don’t want to say goodbye to my characters.)

On another note, I was so happy, my husband surprised me with an early birthday present (my birthday’s not until July, but hey, I'm not complaining) He bought me a new computer. Not a moment too soon either, as my computer was beginning to show its age and act a little quirky.

Now, I’m proud just knowing how to type on a computer, please, don’t get me started on the technical aspects of them. Which by the way, (disclaimer) I’m definitely not the one to contact if you have computer questions and/or problems. My husband on the other hand is a genius with them. He actually bought parts for a computer, and is planning on building one from scratch!

So, here I am sitting on the couch, getting my weekly fix of American Idol, watching him from the corner of my eye as he takes my old computer tower apart to reuse some of the parts. Aaaaggghhh! I know he knows what he’s doing, but my maternal instinct for my characters and stories wants to kick into overdrive. Like a mother bear intent on protecting her precious cubs. Must protect my babies…Are my children and stories safe? Are you sure you’re not going to lose any of my work? (I know it’s not smart, but I haven’t always been the best at backing up my files. However, I have been working on changing this bad habit).

So, here I am with baited breath, really looking forward to having a new computer to weave my stories on, and at the same time feeling like I’m losing a dear old friend.

Crazy? Maybe. But you know us writers definitely have our share of quirks. Still, that computer’s been my writing companion for several years, even before the new millennium, which now seems like a lifetime ago. I remember like most people, being concerned about what would happen when the clock struck midnight and the celebration confetti fell, would people be popping their New Year's champagne corks and celebrating the New Year in complete darkness, when everyone lost power? Would people’s computers, banks, and various other technologies be able to cope with the rolling over of the clocks to 2000?

Okay, now all that sounds silly; but at the time…well, what can I say?

Anyway, does your Mama Bear maternal instinct kick into overdrive when it comes to your imaginary children? How do you handle the anxiety of sending your “babies” out into the world?

Also, a lot of writers have different writing quirks and superstitions (I’ve heard of some writers still insisting on using their old electric typewriters or only using a certain color of paper for rough drafts, etc.) What are your little writing quirks?

Happy Writing,

Tressa Shelton Russell

Beginnings

Everything has a beginning. Even multi-published best selling authors had to start somewhere. Some writers discover their talents at an early age, while others may take years to develop an interest and a passion for writing.

I fall into the latter category. Or maybe somewhere in between the two. I've had a life-long passion for the written word, starting out as an avid reader at the tender age of five. Throughout the intervening years I often thought about picking up pen and paper and trying my hand at crafting a story of romance and intrigue. Yet something always prevented me from trying. Worse still, I never shared my dreams with anyone. Looking back on it, I realize the something holding me back was a lack of self confidence.

Not until the year my son turned seventeen did I voice my yearning to write to another living soul. Being the loyal and thoughtful person he is, my son immediately went to his room, came back down with pencils and notepads, sat me down at the kitchen table and told me to go for it. He said I would always regret it if I didn't at least try. And he was right. We didn't have a computer at that time, so I wrote the first draft of my very first manuscript in long hand. It took me about three months to complete, and I'm the first to admit, my writing then was anything but professional. But it was a start.

As long as I live, I'll never forget that day, or my wonderful son for teaching me to believe in myself and helping me to find the courage within myself to follow my heart.

I promised my son that I would dedicate my first book to him. I even knew exactly how I wanted the dedication to read. A few years, and many rejections later, I sold my second manuscript to a small press. I'll never forget the look of surprise and pleasure on my son's face, the tears in his eyes when he read the dedication. Maybe he'd forgotten my promise to him, or thought I had, but I just know the happiness it brought him was more than worth all the years of waiting and longing.

To this day, my son remains my champion. My hero.

Do you have someone, a close friend or family member who helped you overcome your doubts and fears, who taught you to follow your dreams? I'd love to hear your story.

Writing and Isolation

Today after replying to posts and responding to e-mails, I realized how lucky I was to have supportive group of online friends. I tend to isolate myself and enjoy being alone with my daydreams, ponderings, and my books. But I do miss going out to Starbucks for long discussions with my best friend of fifteen years, who I met my freshman year of college. And I imagine that my blogging buddies and I would have a blast if we are ever able to get together.

However, since moving to Florida last August, I’ve only met a few people. (I had a few writing friends and stay-at-home mom friends back in Indy.) My husband and I are planning to buy another car and I’ll be able to get out more (for now I’m without a car most of the weekdays). I plan to do a search for reading groups and other possible group activities that I might enjoy. But I know I’ll have to force myself to do so.

I’d love to be able to meet with a friend and discuss books, writing, children, art, history, men, heroes, ect-- someone who understands my addiction to Starbucks shaken iced –teas and iced café con leche drinks. But where does a writer/stay-at-home mom meet new friends.
No luck with my neighbors as they all work day jobs. And when I told the only mom who lives across the street that I am a writer, she replied, “Oh, how nice. You can lay in a hammock in the backyard all day and write.” Hmmm. . .that would be a no. I don’t own a hammock and I’m pretty sure that writing in one would present a challenge.

So, this is a big THANKS to my fellow blogger partners/critique partner/goal buddies! Your support and encouragement during the ups and downs of a writing life chip away at the isolation.
And for all you other writers – how do you deal with the isolation aspect of writing? Where do you meet friends? After all, writers can’t isolate themselves forever. We need to interact and observe (I love to people watch) others to fertilize our imaginations!

Quotes for Writers

This week I thought I'd share some of my favorite writing related quotes with you. Some are motivational, some are just a bit on the humorous side, and some deal with writing in general. But one thing they all have in common is their ability to uplift the spirit. Whenever I'm feeling a little down, or out of sorts, I pull out my trusty list of quotes for writers and (as Julie Andrew's character, Maria, in "The Sound of Music" would say) then I don't feel so bad.

Here's just a few of my most favorite favorites:

"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."
~~ Cyril Connolly

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
~~ Mark Twain

"I've always believed in writing without a collaborator, because where two people are writing the same book, each believes he gets all the worries and only half the royalties."
~~ Agatha Christie

"Read a lot, finding out what kind of writing turns you on, in order to develop a criterion for your own writing. And then trust it—and yourself."
~~ Rosemary Daniell

"Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for the love of it, then you do it for a few friends, and finally you do it for money."
~~ Moliere

"The difference between reality and fiction? Fiction has to make sense."
~~ Tom Clancy

"Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer."
~~ Barbara Kingsolver

"You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like."
~~ Phyllis A. Whitney

"What no wife of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he's staring out the window."
~~ Rudolph Erich Rascoe

"This manuscript of yours that has just come back from another editor is a precious package. Don't consider it rejected. Consider that you've addressed it ‘to the editor who can appreciate my work’ and it has simply come back stamped ‘Not at this address’. Just keep looking for the right address."
~~ Barbara Kingsolver

"Most writers can write books faster than publishers can write checks."
~~ Richard Curtis

"Everything stinks till it's finished."
~~ Dr. Seuss

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try."
~~ Beverly Sills

"I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning."
~~ Peter De Vries


Do you have a favorite quote on writing you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you.

What Makes You Buy a Book?

I'm an avid reader of the BookEnds LLC blog, mostly posted by agent Jessica Faust (one of the agents I'd love to have represent me!). In one of her posts at http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/, "Is Good Writing Really Enough?" she poses the question to her readers to tell her of a time when we tried out a new author we'd never heard of and what was the reason we picked up that book? In a later blog, You Do Judge a Book by Its Cover, her conclusions, based on our responses, is that we, readers, do indeed judge a book by its cover. It turns out she was surprised by the responses since she (and other agents) are continually harped on for judging the merits of a book from a simple query letter.

That got me to thinking. Why do I buy a book? In all the press to have a sexy or cute cover, a quirky or catchy title, what really makes me, as an avid reader, pick up a book to spend $7.99 or more of my hard earned money?

For me, it's neither the cover or the title. Both might get me to look but none of them will encourage me to buy.

Frankly, I love romance covers. I love the clinches, the historicals with the women in their beautiful gowns, the men in, well, all of it, the futuristics with sexy women shouldering a gun and the paranormals with spooky covers. The only ones I don't tend to pick up and check out are half naked men - okay, I MIGHT pick one of those up - depends on how much I see. A gorgeous torso is enough for me. :D I won't pick up one with a half naked couple in bedroom poses (a lot of erotics) and I'm not fond of cartoonish covers.

Covers will stop me, tease me to look. A title combined with a the right cover will entice me to pull it off the shelf. Then its up to the blurb and even the writing on the inside to get me to plunk down my hard earned money.

I don't care about the reviews or big name author recommendations - I'm not one to go along with the crowd and for me, no one knows my tastes better than I do so despite Big Name Author's endorsement, it doesn't make me pick up or buy a book.

I start with the blurb. If it doesn't include some of the things I've been staying away from (like same old vampire story, time traveling, werewolves or, even worse, destined or soul mates) then I move on to the first few pages and maybe a few pages in the middle. Of course, totally NOT cracking the spine or rumpling the book. Don't you all just hate to see a "read" new book?

That, and only that, encourages me to buy. I've been "fooled" by the gorgeous, out of this world cover, enticing blurb only to read the story and my expectations fall flat. After all, the blurbs are a marketing tool. I know that. I just wish they were more "honest" at times. It is so disappointing to get excited about a story only to find out it's the same as others.

There are only a few authors I'm on automatic buy - Jim Butcher (love that man!) and his Dresden series, Rob Thurman (great new urban fantasy - she's wonderful), Nora Roberts paranormals, Simon Green's Nightside series and Jayne Ann Krentz futuristics set on Harmony. Great cover or not. Cute title or not, I buy them because I love the story lines and know my expectations will be met regardless of the cover, title or blurb.

So, what makes you buy a book? What catches your attention? As Ms. Faust asked, would you pick up and try a new author because of a cover or a title?

Happy writing!

The Power of Positive Thinking

You've probably heard the saying, "Think Positive" at least a time or two throughout the course of your life. Not everyone believes in the power of positive thinking, but those who do are happier with themselves, their careers and life in general.

Have you ever noticed that if you start your day off with a negative approach,the rest of the day just goes downhill from there? On the other hand, when you start off the day on a positive note, chances are the remainder of your day will go much more smoothly. That's not to say that as long as you keep a positive attitude, nothing will go wrong. Life just doesn't work that way. But it will make a big difference in how you approach life on an every day basis.

According to Remez Sasson, author and teacher of positive thinking, "Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds."

Harriet Beecher Stowe writes, "When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."

A positive outlook can be applied to every aspect of your life, including your writing. Forget procrastination, start thinking positively. Procastination is mostly brought about by self doubt and self doubt is a negative thought process. Once you start approaching your writing on a more positive note, and really start believing in it, you'll soon notice you have a healthier grasp on your writing.

Positive thinking is the key toward a successful and fulfilling life.

Goals

Finally, I am recovering from a horrible flu that has been going around this year. I was down all of last week and still feel very tired, but thanks to fellow blogger, Kathy, I have started the BIAM program with the goal of a completed outline for my next paranormal romance.


I’ve also had time to re-evaluate my writing goals, checking off those I’ve accomplished and rework those that I have not. Self-evaluation is an important part of goal setting and writing. Through review of our goals, we learn how to set more realistic goals that fit with our writing and lifestyle.

For example, I have decided that I will not set “hard” deadlines for completed works. Another words, I am not going to set a deadline for my finished manuscript. Instead, I am going to set my goals by the number of pages. I will rewrite and edit a certain number of pages per day. I believe this method will work best in my life at the moment, as I have been discouraged by my failure to meet self-imposed deadlines. Meeting a daily page goal will provide immediate results and further encourage my writing process.

Do you take the time evaluate your goals? Set new goals? Please share what works for you.

Writing a Synopsis

Hello fellow authors!

Just popping in to tell you all about a link I found today on how to write a synopsis. What makes this one different from all the others out there? Well, it gives examples. Yes, examples of what a selling synopsis looks like. And it offers information/suggestions on writing a synopsis when the book is finished and before the book is even started.

At the bottom of the article are links to other authors who have generously offered up their selling synopsis for perusal like CE Murphy, Patricia Bray, Diana Francis, Jackie Kessler, and more. It's called the "The Great Plot Synopsis Project" by Joshua Palmatier. And yes, he's published. His books look great too. I'll have to check them out. :D

Check it out! And, if you can, thank the authors who so generously shared their synopses.

http://jpsorrow.livejournal.com/143076.html

Happy writing!
Cassie

Rejection as a Learning Tool

Whether you're an aspiring author, or a multi-published best seller, sooner or later you're going to come face to face with the one thing writers fear above all else--rejection.

There's no getting around it, rejection is as much a part of writing as that potential best-selling manuscript just waiting for the right publisher to come along and snatch it up. But rejection doesn't have to be feared. It's not the end, but rather a beginning. When approached in a positive manner, rejection can be a useful learning tool for both published and aspiring authors.

Think about some of your favorite authors and where they would be now if they'd given in to their fear of rejection. They might be waiting tables, or even working in an office environment. One thing is for sure though, they wouldn't be your favorite authors today if they had given up. But a publishing contract in hand is not a guarantee against rejection.Even national best selling authors such as Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz and JK Rowling, for example, are not immune to rejection, both before and after signing onthe dotted line.

Rejection can be a very useful learning tool. Don't just dismiss it right off the bat as a negative, and toss it away as another piece of useless garbage. Not all rejection letters are created equal. If it's anything more than the standard "Dear Author" rejection letter, take heart. It means your writing is improving and has serious potential. Read the letter over carefully and try to determine the tone of the message. What is the agent or editor trying to say to you? Does he or she refer to your work by name? Does he or she point out certain likes or dislikes, or even perhaps, offer suggestions on how to improve the overall quality of the material? Remember, agents and editors are busy people. While they may not specifically request more material, trust me, they wouldn't be wasting their time with a personal reply if they didn't think your work had potential.

Keep in mind also that agents and editors are not all cut from the same mold. What doesn't appeal to one, may very well appeal to another. Every agent or editor is looking for something specific and will keep searching until they find the one piece that meets their individual requirements.

Never give up in the face of adversity. Perseverance and determination have been known to overcome many an obstacle. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.

Accept rejection for what it is--a learning tool.

A healthy, positive outlook will go a long way toward seeing the fulfillment of your dreams. More on that next week with "The Power of Positive Thinking".

Book in a Month - Week 2 Recap

The Week 2 Book in a Month, The Fool-Proof System for Writing a Novel in 30 Days objectives included: Staying Solution-Oriented, Planning Your Post BIAM Celebration, Identifying Character Motivation, Develop a Plot Snapshot, Inserting Cliffhangers, Spicing Up Your Story, Balancing Description, Intensifying Your Character's Main Problem, Developing Your Temporary Triumph, Crafting Your subplots, Evaluating Your Scene Sequence, and Finding and Filling Story Holes.

And, for an outline / synopsis, as in Week 1, I am on track for Week 2. The consistency and trackability of the BIAM system continues to be of benefit to and rewarding for me.

Please visit http://kselkins.blogspot.com/ for a daily update of my BIAM journey.

Planning Ahead

As the saying goes, time flies . . .

Before I've had time to clear the cobwebs from the dusty attic of my mind, my week to blog has rolled around again. And, wouldn't you know it, I'm no more prepared than I was the week before. My mind hits a blank wall as soon as it hears the word "blog".

It's like a spur of the moment stop at the video store. I keep a mental list of all the latest and greatest movies I'm itching to see, and sure enough, no sooner do I step through the doorway than the almighty cosmic delete button wipes the entire list from my memory. And/or (take your pick), every Christmas whenever my son and his family ask for my wish list, do you think I can come up with one single thing to put on it? Nope. Not a one. Then, as now, I wrack my scrambled brain trying to come up with "something", preferably "something" coherent, and at least mildly legible.

I keep telling myself to make a hard copy of that mental list, but myself keeps forgetting to remind me--until the moment it's needed. As you'd expect, myself has no trouble remembering after the fact.

But I digress, as I tend to do when babbling incoherently.

Last week I had a long talk with myself and we agreed it would be most beneficial to start planning ahead for upcoming blog posts. I know, I know, I should have thought of this sooner. I'll admit, the thought did enter my mind once or twice, but sadly got swept away along with my mental list of must-see movies. But better late than never I always say.

So the next time you see me, or hear from me in this case, I'll be oh-so-prepared you won't even recognize me.

Ha! myself says. Good luck with that one.

Road to Recovery

Several weeks ago I suffered a severe back injury which left me with considerable pain and limited mobility. For the longest while I could not sit, stand or even lay down for any length of time without being in excrutiating pain. And I thought childbirth was the most painful ordeal I would ever experience! LOL Well, let me tell you, childbirth doesn't come close in comparison to the feeling of a horde of stampeding elephants continually marching across your lower back.

Because of my inability to sit still for very long, which I sort of liken to a young child's attention span, my writing began to suffer. And me along with it. The more pain and discomfort I endured, the less time I was able to devote to writing. And that led to more suffering on an emotional level, since, like any good aspiring romance author, I love to write. Correction, I live to write.

Writing is my passion. It's as much a part of me as the color of my eyes. Okay, so that's a lame and overused cliche. But it's true. Writing keeps me alive. It invigorates me and stimulates my mind. It's my reason for getting up in the morning, even when I haven't yet had my first cup of coffee of the day.

Now that I'm well, and finally, on the road to recovery (thank Goddess), I can start on the equally long road to resurecting my sadly neglected writing schedule. And all those lovely ideas floating around in my head with nowhere to go, can at last find a home.

Book in a Month - Week 1 Recap

This week, in following the guidance in Book in a Month, A Fool-Proof System for Writing a Novel in 30 Days, I accomplished the following objectives: One-Sentence Summary, Story Idea Map, Scene Cards, At-A-Glance-Outline, Initial Research, Character Development, Act I Turning Point, Scene Writing, Backstory Balancing, and Finding and filling Story Holes.

An awesome amount to accomplish in one week, yet even with my busy schedule, at the end of today, Day 7, of the Week 1 of the Book in a Month system, I will have completed 25% of either an extensive synopsis or a sketchy first draft.

Had my schedule been lighter--and right now, I ask myself, Is it ever?, I truly believe I could have completed a solid first draft by using the Book in a Month system. As it is, in spite of my work and family commitments, I am thrilled to have gotten so much accomplished in only 7 days.

Please check out http://kselkins.blogspot.com/ for my daily accounting of my Book in a Month adventure.

Awakening and Inspiring Your Muse Through Music

“If music be the food of love; play on.”

---Quoted from: William Shakespeare

Just like movie directors use music to help set the mood and spark emotion, I find it extremely helpful to listen to different types of music to get in the right frame of mind for whatever scene I’m trying to portray.

The first time I ever heard singer Michael Bubblé, my husband and I were staying at the Ruebens at the Palace (fantastic hotel by the way if you find yourself in London). When his heartfelt ballad Home came on the radio, I was immediately captivated by this young crooner’s classic, but oh so sultry voice. Although we enjoyed traveling around Europe immensely, just hearing that song touched my heart deeply, making me ache a little for the home and family I had left thousands of miles behind.

No doubt, music can be powerful. It can convey such a vast array of emotions, from utter joy and delight to deep pain and regret. It can help us remember important milestones from our pasts that can help us inject that sparked emotion, to make our writing come across stronger. Music may remind us of what it was like the first time we fell in love, or help us to remember all our senses that were awaken with our first kiss. And even as much as we might not want to remember a painful heartbreak, the memory of it all can actually make our writing voice stronger when we recall all these hurt feelings through our writing.

With all that said, that is why I am so passionate about listening to music while writing my novel. Somehow, it does seem to help me get into my character’s heads a little better.

As a fun reward this past weekend, I finally bought one of Michael Bubblé’s CDs. Now, back in the states, I still get a little teary-eyed whenever I hear that song of his. I’m still working on building a playlist, a soundtrack of sorts to listen to while working on my new novel. Guess half the fun is finding the perfect mix; but considering I’m a bit on the technically challenged side, my husband has promised to set aside some time to help me make one. With the wintery weather planning its return this weekend, this might make the perfect weekend to work on that list.

So, do you find music therapeutic to your writing? Does music seem to help you reach different emotional levels while writing the scenes of your novel? What kinds of music do you enjoy listening to? Do you like to download a variety of songs that go along with the personality of your characters, setting and/or mood of your work in progress? Or do you prefer a quiet writing atmosphere? I’m interested in hearing your feedback.

Until next time,
Happy Writing!

Tressa Shelton Russell

Keeping Up With the Roberts

Okay, so maybe you've set your sights just a tad too high. Nora Roberts is, after all, the number one best selling romance author of all time. But she wasn't always the Goddess of Romance. Even Nora Roberts had to start somewhere.

As an aspiring romance author, you may not be in Nora Roberts's league, but the important thing to remember is that best selling authors aren't born, they're created. Created from hard work, perseverence and excellent marketing skills.

So you think you're a talented writer with the skills and the determination to succeed? Well, all that talent and know-how won't mean a thing if no one knows who you are. Fortunately, the world, and a bevy of adoring fans, are at your fingertips, just a moment's click away. Internet marketing can provide you with unlimited opportunities. And best of all, so many are free. Why pay for something if you can get it for nothing, I always say.

MySpace (http://www.myspace.com) is probably the biggest and most popular networking site on the Internet. Search out old friends, other authors, or persons with similar interests and add them to your "Friends List".

Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) is another popular networking site. While not yet as big as MySpace, it's becoming vastly popular.

Link exchanges such as Link Partners (http://www.linkpartners.com) provides numerous links to other writer's sites in exchange for a link back.

Search out other aspiring authors on the Internet, email them and ask if they would be interested in swapping links with you. This can be a long and tedious task, but well worth your efforts in the long run. Join other blogs, writing groups and email discussion lists and add your link to the associated website if possible. When participating in email discussion lists, always use a signature that includes the URL to your site.

Search out and add your link to writing related websites and directories such as dmoz - Open Directory Project (http://www.dmoz.org).

Start your own link exchange program. Add an author's homepages to the links section of your website, with a direct method of contact for reciprocal links. Create your own newsletter, direct link it to your website and advertise it with the unlimited resources at your disposal on the Internet.

And, last but not least, use your imagination. The possibilities for free Internet marketing are endless. I could probably sit here for a good long time citing the opportunities available. But I won't. LOL I'll leave that to you.

Happy hunting and--er--keeping up with the Roberts!

Gratitude and Writing

Last week, my writing barely crept forward due to a painful migraine, which is why I did not post a blog entry . My frustration grew because my exercise routine and my writing routine had to be put aside as I slept , while my children were at school. In the past, a week like this, has thrown me off my goals, both writing and personal, for a few weeks. I’m determined not to let this happen.

Frustration has a way of taking over one’s life, and when such emotions spiral out of control, depression holds back progress and success.

I spent my weekend outside in the Florida sunshine acknowledging all that I am grateful for. I am gifted with a bounty of resources, family, writing friends, and my health. I am grateful that my migraine is gone! I am grateful for the fact that I have the education, time, and the supplies needed (computer, paper, ink, ect.) to write.

A week ago Thursday, author, Maggie Shayne’s house caught fire which gutted most of her house. She lost both of her elderly dogs who died from the smoke inhalation, along with the first fifty pages of her new book, and many of her possessions.

What inspires me is her attitude in the midst of this experience. Of course, she mourns for her pets and other destroyed prized possessions, but she is grateful for many reasons. A week after the fire, she posted her blog entry even as she began to plan the next few weeks of her life. Eventually, she will move into her office/workout room as her house is rebuilt.

Instead of concentrating on all that she lost, she acknowledges all that she has – her family, writing friends, best friends, all the supportive e-mails, a place to live while her house is rebuilt, and the fact that her lost pets did not suffer.

She writes about her friends chipping in money to buy her a notebook computer so she won’t have to wait for insurance money to replace the one she lost. She will continue writing and posting her blog.

Maggie exemplifies how gratitude changes one’s attitudes and outlook on their life and goals.

What are you grateful for? And how does that affect your writing and writing goals?

Book in a Month

For the next month, I will be reviewing and following the guidance from Book in a Month: The Fool-Proof System for Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Victoria Lynn Schmidt.

Book in a Month is a spiral-bound workbook that presents a tracking / worksheet system to write your novel in 30 days.

Victoria Lynn Schmidt is also the author of Story Structure Architect and 45 Master Characters.

According to Amazon, Book in a Month shows you how to:

• Set realistic goals and monitor your progress
• Manage your time so that your writing life has room to flourish
• Select a story topic that will continue to inspire you throughout the writing process
• Quickly outline your entire story so that you have a clear idea of how your plot and characters are going to develop before you start writing
• Draft each act of your story by focusing on specific turning points
• Keep track of the areas you want to revise without losing your momentum in the middle of your story
• Relax and have fun--you are, after all, doing something you love

Please check out my daily Book in a Month journey on http://www.kselkins.blogspot.com!

Useful Sites - Part One

For my next several posts, I will share some awesome sites I’ve discovered that either provides information about the publishing industry or writing help. This week I’m highlighting four terrific agent blogs. There are certainly much more than these, but I never miss checking these blogs each day. Some of the others only post sporadically, but these four consistently post if not every day at least every other day (mostly they do post every day) and I’ve found the information a godsend:

BookEnds, LLC – http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com - Jessica Faust predominantly blogs but Kim Leonetti will at times. Jessica posts every day and deals with a wide range of issues from an agent standpoint. She also will hold query letter, first line or first paragraph critiques which are hugely helpful when trying to write your own query to get an agent’s interest. A fantastically useful blog.

Pub Rants – Agent Blog by Kristin Nelson – http://pubrants.blogspot.com – Another awesome blog by agent Kristin Nelson. For the most part, she blogs every day but will occasionally miss a day depending on what’s going on with her. She also posts lots of terrific information from her position as an agent. Lately, she hasn’t blogged as much about queries, synopsis and what she is looking for but for her insights on sales and what happens then, her blog is terrific.

Et in arcaedia, ego. – Agent blog by Jennifer Jackson – http://arcaedia.livejournal.com – Jennifer posts information about how many queries she gets each week and how many she requests including what genre. She’s very blunt and open to questions with every effort to answer as many as she can. She’s also big on sharing kudos about her authors and what they have coming up. Her information about queries – what to do and not to do are hugely helpful.

Ask daphne! – on kt literary agency website – http://ktliterary.com/daphne.html - this blog is by “shoe-obsessed superagent Daphne Unfeasible (name changed to protect the innocent J ). I found this blog recently upon a recommendation on Kristin Nelson’s blog announcing a new agency, and I’ve quite enjoyed reading it. She does post every day as well and offers information and thoughts on a wide range of topics. I submitted a question and within several days, my question and her response were posted. A great response too!

This last one is not an agent blog per se; however, the blogger (name unknown) is an assistant at a literary agency and is the “first line of defense for my boss.” For the most part, posts every day. I haven’t followed this one as long. I have found the information extremely useful especially regarding tips about sending material. Do you know how many agents /assistant hate stapled pages? Very fascinating!

Happy writing!

Writers Block, Persevering and Rewarding Yourself

“There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you.” ----Maya Angelou

Today I’m struggling with a little touch of writer’s block. I think it’s because I haven’t been feeling so great this week; but in truth, a lot of people go to work when they’re not feeling a hundred percent. So, this morning after resetting my alarm twice, and finally convincing myself to get out of bed, I padded into my office, admittedly, less than enthused.

Unfortunately, after two-and-a-half hours of sitting in my office organizing a few files, rearranging the post-it notes along my computer terminal, and answering a few emails; but producing very little text, I’m convinced my muse must have decided to heed the winter weather warnings and took this cold, dreary day off.

So today, I’ve decided the best thing to do is to stop stressing over my chapter in progress, and take the afternoon off. I think I’m going to curl up on the couch and read a good book that I started reading last week. Then, I may actually address the towering stack of magazines taking up oodles of space beneath my coffee table. (Believe it or not, sometimes just thumbing through magazines can be an inspiration for story ideas!) I may even attempt to sort through some old photographs that have been in desperate need of organization for quite some time now.

We hear the saying all the time that we are our own worst critics. I think there is a lot of truth in that statement. A good writing friend of mine brought up the idea of rewards. Honestly, this is something I had never really given much thought to before. Unfortunately, publication is not an instantaneous venture. Even if you have work accepted, it could take weeks, months or even years before you see tangible proof of all your hard work. This can be extremely frustrating. Therefore, rewards are a fantastic way to stay inspired, encouraging you to persevere with your craft.

So with that said, I think I’m going to reward myself today by allowing myself to step away from this chapter without any guilt. Hopefully, when I come back to work either later this evening after the house quiets down, or tomorrow morning, I will be able to see this working chapter that has given me so much grief, with fresh eyes and lots of bright new ideas.

What helps to inspire you when your muse has decided to take the day off? Do you make a point of including rewards in your writing schedule? What rewards do you typically include?

Until next time,
Happy Writing!
Tressa