“Write while the heat is in you.… The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.”
— Henry David Thoreau
Tag: tools
Motivation IS Possible
[found on time.com; by Eric Barker]
“You make goals… but then you procrastinate.
You write a to-do list… but then you don’t follow through.
And this happens again and again and again. Seriously, what’s the problem?
Why are we so good at thinking of what to do but so terrible at actually doing those things?
The problem is you’re skipping an essential step. Here’s what it is….
Productivity systems rarely take emotions into account. And feelings are a fundamental and unavoidable part of why humans do what they do.
We can’t ignore our emotions. Because of the way our brains are structured, when thought and feelings compete, feelings almost always win.
And we can’t fight our feelings. Research shows this just makes them stronger….
We need to think to plan but we need to feel to act.
So if you’ve got the thinking part out of the way – how do you rile up those emotions and get things done?
Get Positive
When do we procrastinate the most? When we’re in a bad mood.Get Rewarded
Rewards feel good. Penalties feel bad. And that’s why they both can work well for motivating you. Research shows that rewards are responsible for three-quarters of why you do things.Get Peer Pressure
Surround yourself with people you want to be and it’s far less taxing to do what you should be doing.”
To read the rest of the motivating article from Eric Barker, and add his knowledge to your toolbox, click HERE.
[found on http://time.com/2933971/how-to-motivate-yourself-3-steps-backed-by-science/]
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Promote & Market Your Book
[found on jdscottnovels.wordpress.com; by J.D. Scott]
“How to make the most of social media marketing, where do you start? You need detailed, accessible and practical advice on what to do and how to do it. Planning and research are often forgotten in the rush of getting a book published. Drawing up a marketing plan and carefully thought out campaign are the only ways to ensure the success of your book and to meet the readers’ requirements. Initiate these concepts and you will see the benefits immediately!”
“Who is it For?
Any author who wants to create and launch a successful book, or people who chose publishing as a career.
What Will it Help You Do?
This guide walks you through the development of author’s brand and improving sales.
What is Included?
…valuable resources lists, such as book bloggers, publishers, literary agents, newspapers and magazines, independent booksellers, Facebook groups, sites to promote a book, and radio shows for authors.”
How Can You Buy This Book?
Barnes & Noble
Kobobooks.com
[found on http://jdscottnovels.wordpress.com/the-writer/featured-article-tips-from-a-publisher-with-the-heart-of-a-writer/]
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A Writer’s Time Management
[found on wrwdc.com; By Joan Whetzel]
“Many writers find time management at least a minor issue, while for others it may be a major issue, especially those who can never seem to find the time to write. The following tips may not completely get rid of all writing time management issues, but hopefully they will reduce the time management problems to a minimum.
1. Track Your Time. If you find you simply have no idea where the time went on a consistent basis, then it’s time to start tracking your time. Take a week or two to record how you spend your time from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed. Use a spiral notebook, split into columns: left hand column for the start and end time, middle column for a brief description of each activity, and the right hand column for the amount of time to complete that activity. Record the day and date at the top of each page. Then go through the journal to determine where you can shave time off activities (or remove them from your routine) in order to create more time for writing.
2. Set Goals. Goals give writers something to aim for. It could be a minimum word or paragraph count per day, a minimum word or page count per week, or a minimum article count per month. Meeting your goals will keep your writing progress moving forward.
3. Set Aside Time Just for Research. Having to keep stopping to research facts that you don’t know disrupts any writing schedule, cuts down on the available writing time, and distracts writers from their writing goals. Set aside a regular time to research the information you need to do your writing for the week. Then your writing time will be available for writing only….”
To read the complete article by Joan Whetzel, click here.
[found on http://wrwdc.com/15-time-management-tips-for-writers/]
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Two Words? Oops, One Word
[found on quickanddirtytips.com; by Bonnie Trenga Mills]
“Do you want to get ahead (one word) or are you cooking an esoteric dish and want to get a head (two words)? That one little space can make a big difference in meaning: Either you are moving past others in business or you are purchasing a skull…..
When it comes to pairs such as “apart” with no space and “a part” with a space, the spelling doesn’t matter when you’re talking; both sound the same. When you write the words, however, you might forget to add a space, or you might add an unnecessary one. This problem crops up with all kinds of words, but in this episode we’re focusing on words beginning with the letter “a.”
Words That Start With “A”
Here’s a short list of pairs like “ahead” and “a head”: “alight” and “a light,” “abuzz” and “a buzz,” “apart” and “a part,” and, lastly, “ahold” and “a hold.” As you can see from this list, the one-worders beginning with “a” can be various parts of speech: “ahead” is an adverb, “alight” is a verb,” and “abuzz” is an adjective. The two-worders, on the other hand, consist of an article—the word “a”—and a noun: “light,” “buzz,” “part,” and “hold.” True, these words can sometimes be verbs, but when something follows the article “a,” it’s a noun (unless something such as an adjective comes between the article and the noun, as in “a delicious cake”).
“Alight” Versus “A Light”
Let’s see these four pairs in action. The first two—“alight”/“a light” and “abuzz”/“a buzz”—are the easy ones. You could say, “That annoying bee wants to alight on my nose.” This means the bee wants to land on your nose, and there’s no space in “alight.” If you say, “He turned on a light”—with a space—that means he was no longer enveloped in darkness.
“Abuzz” Versus “A Buzz”
In keeping with the bee theme, here’s our next example: “I heard a buzz.” A quick test for those listening: Is there a space or not? Well, yes, there is! “A buzz” with a space means “a buzzing noise.” “Abuzz” with no space is an adjective that means alive with activity, as in “The room became abuzz when the grammarian entered.”
To read the entire article from Grammar Girl, click here.
[found on http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/a-hold-or-ahold]
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Not All Is Possessive
[found on grammarphobia.com; by The Grammarphobia Blog]
Nouns: Possessive vs Genitive
“Normally, nouns used with numbers to form adjectival phrases are singular, as in “two-inch rain,” “three-year-old boy,” “two-dollar word,” “eight-volume biography,” and “four-star restaurant.”
However, where a plural noun is used by tradition to form such a phrase, it’s generally followed by an apostrophe, as in “the Thirty Years’ War” and “the Hundred Years’ War.”
The plural followed by an apostrophe is also used in phrases like “ten dollars’ worth” or “five years’ experience” or “two days’ time.”
Apostrophe constructions like these aren’t “possessive” in the sense of ownership; strictly speaking, they’re genitive.”
To learn more from grammarphobia.com, click here.
[found on http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2010/08/sui-genitive.html]
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Punctuation Is Your Friend . . .
[found on thepunctuationguide.com]
. . .
“An ellipsis is a set of three periods ( . . . ) indicating an omission. Each period should have a single space on either side, except when adjacent to a quotation mark, in which case there should be no space.”
—
“The em dash is perhaps the most versatile punctuation mark. Depending on the context, the em dash can take the place of commas, parentheses, or colons—in each case to slightly different effect.
Notwithstanding its versatility, the em dash is best limited to two appearances per sentence. Otherwise, confusion rather than clarity is likely to result.
Do not mistake the em dash (—) for the slightly narrower en dash (–) or the even narrower hyphen (-). Those marks serve different purposes and are further explained in other sections.”
!
“The most flagrant way a writer demonstrates contempt for his readers is by ignoring punctuation altogether. A close second is the abundant use of the exclamation point. Some writers even use three or more exclamation points, lest the reader not fully grasp the significance of what is being said. To be effective, the exclamation point should be used in moderation.”
[ found on http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/index.html ]
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Want a Great Book?
[found on helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com; by K.M. Weiland]
“Twenty-five ways to write an awesome book:
1. Hook readers with a strong first chapter that doesn’t waste time.
2. Create a sympathetic and/or entertaining character.
3. Give the character a strong goal.
4. Obstruct the character’s goal with equally strong opposition.
5. Create a theme that arises from the character’s inner conflict.
6. Craft a strong plot with proper structure.
7. Do your research and get your facts straight.
8. Expunge unnecessary scenes, settings, and characters.
9. Balance action and character with properly structured scene/sequel pairings.
10. Write realistic, entertaining dialogue.
11. Maintain a consistent POV.
12. Create original and entertaining voices for narrating characters.
13. Tighten descriptions with more strong verbs and nouns and fewer modifiers.
14. Show more than you tell.
15. Dig deep for original ideas and turns of phrase.
16. Properly foreshadow your climax—without giving away any big reveals.
17. Build realistic and engaging settings.
18. Add only meaningful subplots.
19. When you build tension—always fulfill it.
20. Create a dynamic arc of growth for your character.
21. Add interesting minor characters who can power the plot forward.
22. Choose the right tone to enhance your plot and theme.
23. Rock readers with a climax that fulfills all their desires for the story.
24. Don’t tie off all the loose ends in your story’s ending.
25. Proofread, proofread, proofread.”
For more excellent tips from K.M. Weiland, click here.
[found on http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/2013/11/top-25-ways-write-awesome-book.html]
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Want Your eBook to Sell? Read On.
[found on inboundpro.net; by hector cuevas]
“14 Invaluable Tips For Writing Ebooks That Sell
1. Lisa from Niche Website Success says:
“Take the time to survey your core audience to ensure your book meets their needs. We often assume we know what people want, but you never really know unless you ask.
Prior to writing my eBook, I used my email list to survey my subscribers. The feedback was invaluable and inspired much of the content in the book. Not to mention, it’s a great way to win over your readers. They ask. You deliver.”
2. Steve from Steve Aitchison says:
“Ask your audience what type of ebook they would like before writing one word of your ebook. I have made the mistake of writing an ebook, thinking, this is a great idea my readers will love this, only to find that they didn’t love it. The ONLY way to find out what type of ebook your readers will like is to ask them. You can do this in a blog post, an email to your subscribers, or use social media better yet ask them using all three.
Another thing is, make your ebook look fantastic. Presentation is everything and you want to give a professional looking ebook with a great cover. A lot of ebook creators write their book in a word document and turn it into a pdf without much thought for presentation. In this day and age of information overload, you need a great cover to catch the readers eye, a great title to capture their imagination, and a great presentation on the inside. It’s well worth spending a few hundred dollars to get a professional to design your ebook once you’ve written it.
One last thing, get someone to proof read your ebook. Again, I’ve made this mistake of not getting an ebook proof read only to find I get lots of emails pointing out errors in my book. If you don’t get it proof read it shows you’re not willing to invest that little extra to make it look and read great, and this will come across to the reader.””
To see more excellent advice from InBoundPro.net, click HERE.
[found on http://www.inboundpro.net/how-to-write-ebooks-that-sell]
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What Real Authors Use For Tools
[found on flavorwire.com; by Alison Nastasi]
“It’s no secret that writers can be quite particular about their writing tools. Some might call it an obsession or fetish, but the pens, pencils, notebooks, and other implements that authors have used to create their most famous works endlessly fascinates us. After reading an ode to the beloved Eberhard Faber Blackwing 602 pencil, adored for its smooth, firm graphite, we had to find out more about the tools of the literary elite. Take notes, and save your pennies to purchase these writing instruments for yourself.”
To see these incredible writing tools listed from Flavorwire, click HERE.
Editing Addict, LLC 