So, once again, the only writing I have been able to accomplish in the last two weeks has been a press release about a local business celebrating their 5th anniversary. Although it was fun, and reminded me about how much I enjoy doing that kind of thing, it did nothing to assuage my feeling of "stuckness." I don't have anything to show for it other than another clipping to add to my already stuffed portfolio. BUT, since I'm not trying to win any awards for business writing, I don't have a single thing completed that edges me closer to any of my goals.
The Elvis book remains unchanged since I submitted it to James a month ago, but I am taking three whole days at the end of February to write without any distractions -- a fellow author has a lake house on the Virginia border and I'm spending the 23rd, 24th, and 25th up there just to write, as is she. It should be heavenly! :) I'm counting the days, actually! I've never given myself that kind of time to write. I'm really hoping I can make some major headway on that project, so that I can complete the book in time for the anniversary of Elvis' death in August. Then I can pick up my own project and work on my own future as a writer.
I should also hear this month whether or not my short story submission to the Writers Guild contest has achieved any level of merit. I don't have any illusions about my chances -- I'm sure thousands of writers submitted stories, but I can always dream about how cool it would be if my writing were to be recognized at even a low level from among that pool. Fingers crossed...
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Wow! So my last post was in 2009! I had written a few articles for Suite101 with the intention of using them as a springboard to great success as a writer. I read a couple of books about making a fortune with writing, but it obviously takes a lot more work than luck to make that happen (surprise!).
So, now I'm working for a nonprofit that taps my energy and sometimes even my soul... so I try writing around the edges, sacrificing real constructive writing time for a bi-weekly paycheck that my family appreciates. My current writing projects include a few plays and a couple of short stories. Bigger projects that I don't have enough time to sustain include a ghostwriting project about Elvis returning to Earth to fortell the second coming of Christ, and my own novel called "Return to Blue Cove." I'm actually 190 pages into "Elvis Lives" and it's a great story with some biblical parallels that compliment the real Elvis' religious side, but what meager time I have for writing is spent on someone else's project rather than my own, and at some point I'm going to have to change that.
But, for right now, I will keep writing about Elvis in the hope that I will finish it in 2012 and get a chance to finish my own book in 2013.
I intend to post more often as I travel this road -- sometimes it will be venting and sometimes it will be crowing! Nobody reads this blog anyway, so it won't matter what I say 'cause nobody will see it! :)
So, now I'm working for a nonprofit that taps my energy and sometimes even my soul... so I try writing around the edges, sacrificing real constructive writing time for a bi-weekly paycheck that my family appreciates. My current writing projects include a few plays and a couple of short stories. Bigger projects that I don't have enough time to sustain include a ghostwriting project about Elvis returning to Earth to fortell the second coming of Christ, and my own novel called "Return to Blue Cove." I'm actually 190 pages into "Elvis Lives" and it's a great story with some biblical parallels that compliment the real Elvis' religious side, but what meager time I have for writing is spent on someone else's project rather than my own, and at some point I'm going to have to change that.
But, for right now, I will keep writing about Elvis in the hope that I will finish it in 2012 and get a chance to finish my own book in 2013.
I intend to post more often as I travel this road -- sometimes it will be venting and sometimes it will be crowing! Nobody reads this blog anyway, so it won't matter what I say 'cause nobody will see it! :)
Friday, August 7, 2009
Slave Labor and the Birth of an Idea
Halleluia! I'm a bonefide published author ~ now it's time to peddle my wares to bigger fish in the ocean! :)
My four articles on Suite101.com have garnered 234 page views ~ only 766 to go (the goal is 1000 page views)!!
In my constant quest for work, I stumbled across a web-based homeschool newsletter and I got to thinking... since it seems like a no-brainer to marry my writing and editing with my homeschool curriculum activities, why can't I create and publish a student newspaper or magazine that is mailed to homeschooled kids nationwide? I can do a better job than the one I saw the other night, and kids still love to get physical mail in the mailbox, so why not try it?
So, I thunk and thunk about the market and the potential of such a project, and Mark mentioned a former colleague who used to work with him who is a former teacher with a background in marketing. I contacted her with the idea, and she sounded interested, so we agreed to meet for coffee today. After meeting with her, I'm more excited than I was before. We have a lot of work to do ~ information to gather ~ but I am convinced that our focus groups will show us that there is indeed a market and that it doesn't necessarily have to be just homeschooled kids. If we find a vision that is unique, and use the medium to inspire kids to think outside of the box in everything they do, we can appeal to a wider audience than just homeschooled kids! Can you tell I'm pumped up about this?
The next step is to brainstorm our vision and work on a logo and a unified graphic design element for the website and printed piece, while we also develop a survey and focus group mechanism for determining the strength of the market we're trying to target. Stay tuned for updates as we move forward with this project!! :)
My four articles on Suite101.com have garnered 234 page views ~ only 766 to go (the goal is 1000 page views)!!
In my constant quest for work, I stumbled across a web-based homeschool newsletter and I got to thinking... since it seems like a no-brainer to marry my writing and editing with my homeschool curriculum activities, why can't I create and publish a student newspaper or magazine that is mailed to homeschooled kids nationwide? I can do a better job than the one I saw the other night, and kids still love to get physical mail in the mailbox, so why not try it?
So, I thunk and thunk about the market and the potential of such a project, and Mark mentioned a former colleague who used to work with him who is a former teacher with a background in marketing. I contacted her with the idea, and she sounded interested, so we agreed to meet for coffee today. After meeting with her, I'm more excited than I was before. We have a lot of work to do ~ information to gather ~ but I am convinced that our focus groups will show us that there is indeed a market and that it doesn't necessarily have to be just homeschooled kids. If we find a vision that is unique, and use the medium to inspire kids to think outside of the box in everything they do, we can appeal to a wider audience than just homeschooled kids! Can you tell I'm pumped up about this?
The next step is to brainstorm our vision and work on a logo and a unified graphic design element for the website and printed piece, while we also develop a survey and focus group mechanism for determining the strength of the market we're trying to target. Stay tuned for updates as we move forward with this project!! :)
Sunday, July 12, 2009
I'm Published!
Well, it worked! :)As of Friday, July 10th at 11:46am, my first article was published on Suite 101.com! It's entitled "Raising Kids for a New Economy" and has garnered 32 views in 2 days!! And the best part -- I've earned $.68! And all for a good cause -- filling my resume with publishing credits so I can get more writing work.
I have added the link on my blog page so you can check it out at your leisure. There will be more -- I have another article almost finished. It's about choosing the right high school. Mark wants me to write one on "Finding Your Mate on the Internet," and "The Sam Fowle Story: Standing Your Ground with Challenging Teenagers." We'll see what comes next! :)
Remember, make sure you go look at the articles when they're published! That's how I make my millions as an author -- one quarter at a time, apparently!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Let's Begin!
Okay, I started this blog a year ago, in a rather vain attempt to jumpstart my writing career, and as you can see, it so obviously did NOT accomplish that goal!
However, now that I've begun to write in other venues, it seems only right that I come back to this medium and document my journey into the world of publishing in a way I have not attempted before. To this point, I have been content to edit other people's work and only write when it was needed by an employer or a friend who needed a favor, etc. With the economy in the toilet, however, it has become much more apparent that I cannot rely on other people to write things and then pay a professional to make it look and sound intelligent, so therefore I must write my own intelligent prose and do my best to make it interesting and pertinent so I can gain a readership of my own. And why not? Everyone else is doing it (supposedly)!
The world of Internet writers is exploding, and I'm going to be left behind if I do not start writing now -- however meagerly it might pay -- so, I have stepped over to the dark side and applied for a writer's position on Suite101.com. Yes, I have prostituted myself to a website that will probably gain far more for my writing than I ever will (sad face). However, as long as I resolve myself to saving the good stuff for real venues, like magazines and the local press, I can't feel too guilty. AND, if what I write on Suite101.com earns me a following, then I might be able to leverage it for other paid writing work for real clients!! :)
So, I posted my first article today -- a mere 10 hours after being accepted as a staff writer for Suite101.com! It is entitled "10 Tips for Raising Money-Smart Kids" and as soon as it is actually accepted and posted on the site, I'll let everyone know. The more viewings my article gets, the more money I make -- it's still something obscene, like $10 for every 100 viewings or something like that, but visibility is worth its weight in gold, so...
I have another article waiting in the wings, called "Choosing the Right High School for Your Child." Again, I will post here as soon as it's up and viewable on the Suite101.com website!! :)
However, now that I've begun to write in other venues, it seems only right that I come back to this medium and document my journey into the world of publishing in a way I have not attempted before. To this point, I have been content to edit other people's work and only write when it was needed by an employer or a friend who needed a favor, etc. With the economy in the toilet, however, it has become much more apparent that I cannot rely on other people to write things and then pay a professional to make it look and sound intelligent, so therefore I must write my own intelligent prose and do my best to make it interesting and pertinent so I can gain a readership of my own. And why not? Everyone else is doing it (supposedly)!
The world of Internet writers is exploding, and I'm going to be left behind if I do not start writing now -- however meagerly it might pay -- so, I have stepped over to the dark side and applied for a writer's position on Suite101.com. Yes, I have prostituted myself to a website that will probably gain far more for my writing than I ever will (sad face). However, as long as I resolve myself to saving the good stuff for real venues, like magazines and the local press, I can't feel too guilty. AND, if what I write on Suite101.com earns me a following, then I might be able to leverage it for other paid writing work for real clients!! :)
So, I posted my first article today -- a mere 10 hours after being accepted as a staff writer for Suite101.com! It is entitled "10 Tips for Raising Money-Smart Kids" and as soon as it is actually accepted and posted on the site, I'll let everyone know. The more viewings my article gets, the more money I make -- it's still something obscene, like $10 for every 100 viewings or something like that, but visibility is worth its weight in gold, so...
I have another article waiting in the wings, called "Choosing the Right High School for Your Child." Again, I will post here as soon as it's up and viewable on the Suite101.com website!! :)
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