How to Stay Focused Online

Guest post by Lauren Bailey


Like many writers, I need to be able to research topics quickly to sound the least bit convincing that I have any idea what I’m saying. This research relies heavily on the Internet, which as you may know, is filled with endless mountains of distraction.

I used to look down on those stay-focused-and-block-you-from-distracting-sites web applications and the people who used them, thinking, “How about you just learn some self-control.” But that was before I fully realized the time-wasting beauty that is Reddit. Since then, I’ve come to appreciate these time-management apps. In fact, one of the main reasons I’m writing this post as opposed to surfing YouTube is because my browser blocked me from those sites after I reached my time-wasting quota of the day.

StayFocusd For Chrome

I use the Google Chrome browser for most of my Internet needs. While Chrome didn’t always allow extensions or addons (as Firefox calls them) to their browser, the browser is now equipped with a full arsenal of extensions. StayFocusd is the extension designed to limit the amount of time you waste on the Internet at unproductive websites.

It works by allowing you to select which sites you wish to block; you can type in URLs manually or select popular sites from their list. You can also add sites to the list while you’re surfing the web with the browser extension button. The button turns red when you’re visiting a blocked site.

By now you may be a little confused, thinking, “Isn’t this supposed to block me from distracting sites?” The beauty of StayFocusd is that it blocks sites on your terms. You give the extension a “Maximum Time Allowed Per Day” value that sets the maximum time you can spend on all of your blocked sites combined. You can also specify StayFocusd to only actively restrict your blocked websites on certain days and/or hours of the day.

Let’s say you need to get some work done right now even though you haven’t exceeded your “Maximum Time Allowed.” Thankfully StayFocusd gives you “The Nuclear Option” which lets you block sites for the number of hours you indicate. If I know I need to get some work done in the next three hours, I’ll “Nuke” my time-wasting sites so that I have less distractions preventing me from getting things done.

One awesome/cute aspect of the web application is that it knows whether you are trying to “hack” it when you change settings. For instance, if I try to raise my “Maximum Time Allowed Per Day,” StayFocusd will prompt a series of dialogue boxes with the following:

(You get the idea.)

LeechBlock for Firefox

For those of you dedicated to surfing the web with Firefox, fear not because you have quite a powerful anti-time-wasting addon at your disposal. In fact, I would say LeechBlock gives you more options in terms of customizing which sites you want to block when.

Like StayFocusd, LeechBlock allows you to specify which days and at what time you would like to limit your time-wasting sites. LeechBlock also lets you set a time limit for how long you can surf your blocked sites before they are blocked for the day.

In addition to all these features though, LeechBlock also gives you six different “Sets” of sites in which you can make different parameters for different sites or time periods. So if I plan to work every Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., I will create one Block Set that might completely limit my time-wasting sites. After 5 p.m., I give myself more time to waste. Deep down I still know I have some personal projects to finish, so I create another Block Set for after 5 p.m., but it allows me to surf my time-wasting sites for three hours.

This also allows you to dictate more strict blocks on certain sites. My Google Reader page can actually help my research process or career path, so maybe I will allow myself to use that site five hours a day. Facebook, on the other hand, I think I will limit to only an hour a day.

Bottom Line

Both of these web applications can serve you well, provided you are honest about which sites you actually waste your time on. So it really all comes down to which browser you prefer. Also, I realize that you can easily “hack” either of these extensions by simply surfing on another browser, but honestly I think the strength of these applications is that they set visible benchmarks that allow you to see how much time you spend (and waste) on certain websites.

Sure, a much more top-down approach would be to simply prioritize the things that you really need to do in a reliable system which consistently reminds you of these priorities until they are completed. In other words, it would be more ideal to focus on the tasks at hand rather than focus on how to limit distractions away from those tasks. After all, distractions are often self-fulfilling desires stemming from a lack of motivation. At least that’s what they said before the Internet. Now that the Internet is around and everywhere though, I’m going to stick with StayFocusd to help me get things done.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for best online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

Seven Questions for Jessica Kristie

Welcome to the next installment of The Seven Questions Series. Thanks to Jessica Kristie for being my guest!

The Background

“Poetry is my heart, anchors my soul and documents my journey.” – Jessica Kristie

Born and raised in the California Bay Area, Jessica discovered her passion to write at the young age of ten. She regurgitates her heart and mind, sometimes in structure and sometimes in free flow, as a way to heal and understand herself and those around her.


Jessica’s inspiration comes in many forms, often inspired by just a word or quickly fleeting emotion.  Through years of writing she has been able to capitalize on her experiences, whether they are painful or joyous. Inside each of these moments lies a grand piece of her history. They are a documentation of much of the pain life has to offer, and the hopeful bit of empowerment required for survival. She hopes to draw you close to her world through shared emotion while inspiring you to forgive, remember, and heal.

You can find Jessica’s first volume of poetry and prose Dreaming in Darkness at Winter Goose Publishing. She has several other projects in the works including a second book of poetry and her first novel.  You can follow her at JessicaKristie.com for updated information.

Connect with Jessica

JessicaKristie.com

Twitter: @jesskristie

Facebook: facebook.com/jesskristie

The Review

When I first began writing at the tender age of about 12, I wrote poems. Some very bad poems. Over the years, as I explored fiction in the form of flash fiction, short stories and novels, I wrote an occasional poem. About five years ago I attempted to write a nature poem. I took it to a critique group, edited it, sent it to a poetry contest, received a kind rejection letter. 

Since becoming hooked on nonfiction writing, I haven't written any poems, but I still love to read poetry. I admire poets because it's nowhere near as easy as it looks to write a poem. It's hard work and craft and just as much editing as any other form or writing, if not more because the language in a poem is so much more precise.

I love to read poetry because I find it inspiring, especially when I'm stuck. To read poetry is to free and loosen up your mind. A writing exercise I've tried (courtesy of Natalie Goldberg) is to take a line of poetry and use it to start a timed writing session. It's a terrific technique to get yourself going. I've also read in several places that it's helpful to read some poetry before you start writing.

Poetry is pretty. Poetry is fascinating. Poetry makes you think and reflect.

Jessica Kristie's Dreaming in Darkness made me remember all the reasons I love poetry. Her poems are gorgeous snapshots of emotion, some of it quite painful, but she leaves room for healing, love and forgiveness, and I finished her collection with a sense of hope. 

I'm also a huge fan of prose poetry and loved the prose poems in the last section of her book, "Moments - Prose Poetry." The first poem in the book, "Behind my Breath," felt like a punch in the stomach that makes it hard to breathe for a minute. I could not believe how much I related to it, and I read it over and over, so amazed was I at how perfectly Jessica's words described my situation. I think that's the best part about poetry. The poet writes from his/her vantage point, and the reader reads from an entirely different vantage point and it resonates because of the universal theme from the poem.

I love this poem so much I asked Jessica if I could share it in this post, and she kindly said yes. 

Behind My Breath 

You wait on "Sorry,"

I wait on Forgiveness.

Bruised and broken,

changed and forgotten.

Yet between this truth and past despair,

there is a space that isn't there.

Behind my breath

and within your grasp,

where you cover and heal,

eternal forgiveness - is real.

Still this blank page, words won't fill.

Beyond my faith, pain stand still.

I wait on "Sorry,"

you wait on Forgiveness.

Out of these ashes

and out of this pain,

I will pull myself from the wreckage,

I left myself in.

I let you in,

to be what I am not,

to fix what I have broken -

find what I have lost.

But I no longer wait.

I am moving past and beyond,

through your spirit,

and your healing song.

You

are perfection.

What I strive to be.

That perfect grace note,

sung within me.

Dreaming in Darkness
COPYRIGHT © 2011 by Jessica Kristie

Excerpt appears courtesy of Winter Goose Publishing

I highly recommend this book for your poetry library, or as a gift for the poetry-lover in your life (today is Black Friday, after all, and the kick-off to the holiday shopping season). It's available in paperback and as an e-book.

The Seven Questions

The Chipper Writer: Tell us how you came to be a poet.

Jessica Kristie: I believe school helped me discover the wonders of poetry and writing. Poetry immediately caught my attention at the age of 10, when I wrote my first piece. Ever since then, poetry has worked as a place to lay my emotions down and a healer for many aspects of my life. Poetry creates a greater understanding of the human condition and gives me different eyes to see with.

TCW: Tell us a little bit about Dreaming in Darkness and what inspired you to write it.

JK: Dreaming in Darkness is my first collection of poetry and is not subject to any one theme. It contains work of mine from the last four or five years. The book covers every facet of human emotion, and I believe every reader will be able to relate and take away something from it.

TCW: I enjoyed the prose poetry section of your book. Can you talk a little bit about prose poetry and how it differs from the other poems in your book? 

JK: My prose poetry falls under a different form that relates more with a Spoken Word style. It is poetic verse that reads as less of a poem form than most people might be familiar with. Each piece is followed by a standard poem. This style came to me about a year and a half ago with my first piece “Remembering Closure” (which is in Dreaming in Darkness), and it changed me. I really enjoyed writing in this way and it has really allowed me to hone my skills as a writer and a poet.

TCW: Can you walk us through your poetry writing process?

JK: The need to write bubbles up in me and I have to get it out. I carry a pen and paper wherever I go and write down words and phrases that inspire me. I rarely force myself to write, and work hard at building my inspiration through all interactions and things around me. Every day I listen for things that may strike me, and always take time to write them down. When I write, I just let it go. I go back and edit as well as let each piece sit for at least a day. I always try to have another set of eyes take a look at my work that I want to post publicly.

TCW: What is your writing schedule like?

JK: My writing schedule is not set, but I do make time for it always. I write all day and whenever the need arises. I have been blessed the last year to put most of my time and heart into writing. It is amazing how much more you learn and become polished once you have the opportunity to put serious time into it.

TCW: What are you working on now?

JK: My second book is being queried as we speak to several publishers and I am half-way through my first novel. I am also working on a collaborative book with a fantastic poet and have several other projects in the works. You can always check my blog JessicaKristie.com for updates and fresh poetry and prose.

TCW: What advice would you give to aspiring poets?

JK: Try many different forms and ways to write your poetry. Don’t get stuck on the technical stuff, and just write. You will find the way that really flows with your creative spirit and then you can hone that skill. Know your weaknesses and your strengths. You have to be able to take constructive criticism as a poet or any sort of writer. If you are unable to hear what others have to say, then you will never grow. Sometimes it stings, but you must listen. Don’t always take it to heart, but always listen. You may hear something that helps you become the fantastic writer you always knew you were.

Happy Halloween

Someone put a lot of thought, time and money into this. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween from The Chipper Writer! If you're so inclined, please share your Halloween costumes in the comments.

An Innovative Way To Edit Your Writing

Guest post by Mariana Ashley

I’ve known a lot of different writers in my day. Hundreds of them actually, from all different writing backgrounds including short fiction, poetry, screenplay, playwriting, academic research, journalism, entertainment review and of course, blogging. Of all these different writing backgrounds, I’ve noticed one universal truth: Writers don’t like editing.

Allow me to clarify. All the good writers realize the value of editing and force themselves to do it. I have also come to the realization that many of the writers I know who do like editing are actually not that good at it. These writers tend to think of editing as quick and easy. Editing, if actually effective, is never quick and easy.

However, there are some aspects and methods of editing that are more enjoyable (or at least less boring) than others. Let’s quickly go over some of the more conventional editing methods:

• Take a Break. Writers will often go immediately into editing as soon as they’ve finished writing. Take some time to get some distance from your writing, and then your mistakes and errors will become that much more apparent. This will also give you time to rethink the goals of your writing, as these can often morph or become lost in the writing process.

• Close Reading. Every piece of writing should receive at least one close reading before any other eyes see it. While close reading, you may spot grammar errors, misspellings, and sentences or plot points that simply don’t make sense.

• Quick Reading. This can actually be extremely effective and is surprisingly underused. A quick read through a draft will get you to question more of the obvious, structural elements of your work as opposed to gritty details. Did you really need to dedicate those few paragraphs to that character? Is there any part of the narrative that’s completely underdeveloped? A quick read will point things like this out quickly.

• Read Aloud. This is one of the most effective ways for me to not only find mistakes but also find awkward phrasings. Great for proofreading.

• Change Document Formatting. You’d be surprised how changing the document formatting (font, spacing, color) will give you more of a fresh perspective when you edit. It’s an effective psychological way of distancing yourself from your first draft.

• Outline. A great way of determining whether your paper has optimal structure, outlining is extremely valuable both pre-writing and in the editing process. You can outline on your document itself by just segmenting different chunks of your writing and labeling them.

When the Conventional Methods Just Aren’t Doing it for You

As great as the methods listed above are, sometimes they still don’t give your writing the change and modifications it needs. I find this tends to happen mostly because of structural or thematic issues. Essentially, your writing is not hitting the meat of an issue it set out to examine or your writing is ordered in a strange way that undermines the purpose of the work.

This proposed method is an extension of outlining your writing, so be sure to outline your work if you haven’t already. Once your writing is outlined as you see fit, find some notecards, and write each segment of the outline on a separate notecard. Now shuffle them.

While this restructuring is random at first, it will immediately give you ideas as to which order of ideas in your writing is better than others. It’s hard to just look at an outline and decide what the best structure should be. Shuffling is a more hands-on approach that allows you to find the best structure through process of elimination and inductive reasoning.

You may also realize that your outline should be more or less detailed. Making a second or third outline is absolutely wonderful for this editing method. It allows you to base re-structuring on whatever components you see fit (ideas, evidence, plot, character introduction). Best of all, this type of editing, while time consuming, is also very fun and exciting. With this editing method, you can literally see a dead work of writing come to life.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

Photo credit: Jakub Krechowicz

Seven Questions for Steve Sears

Welcome to another installment of The Seven Questions Series! A huge thank you to Steve Sears for being my guest.

The Background

Bio: Steve Sears, owner of SGSWrite LLC, is a full-time freelance writer living in Bloomfield, New Jersey. A freelance writer since 1996, he writes food and dining, bridal and business profiles, has published fiction and poetry, reviews books, and also does commercial writing. He guest and ghost blogs often and maintains his own blog which can be accessed via his website, www.SGSWrite.com. This September, he will be married for 24 years to his beautiful wife, Lucille. Their daughter, 20-year-old Stefanie, is a part-time freelance writer.

The Review

Steve Sears' blog at SGSWrite.com will make you hungry. One of his specialties, after all, is food writing, and the way he writes about food is exquisite. You can see, smell and taste the food he writes about, along with feeling the ambiance of the restaraunts he describes, no matter where you live.

The blog focuses on four categories: Food and Dining, Freelance Writing, Health and Musings. A large portion of the Musings category are posts called "Saturday Thoughts," profound and deeply moving ruminations on life, family and writing.

"I do know this," Sears writes in "Saturday Thoughts: Desicions, Desicions." "At my funeral, no one will say that my music died inside of me."

One of the hard parts about writing, I think, is not letting our dreams die inside of us, since writers hear often from all over, how hard it is to be a writer. How hard it is to make a living. At times we want to give up and do things that are practical, that will make us steady sure money, that aren't silly pipe dreams. But those things are also unfulfilling and not really who we are anyway. Steve Sears is proof that you can achive your writing goals and make a living. His blog chronicles his journey and remindes us all to not let the music die inside of us.

The Seven Questions

The Chipper Writer: Tell us how you got started as a freelance writer, and how you made the leap into full-time freelance writing.

Steve Sears: That’s a very good question. I always enjoyed writing, was encouraged in both grade school and high school to be a writer, and wrote sports columns for the local weekly while writing for my high school paper. However, it was after I began a 23-year computer operations career that I realized how bored I was doing something that “was necessary.” Then, back in 1996, I had a heart attack at the age of 34. From my hospital bed, I vowed to one day be a full-time freelance writer, and I started as a part-timer during my disability, and worked like that until 2010. I eventually moved to full-time in 2010 when my company outsourced my weekend work to Pune, India, and were prepared to put me on a work schedule I didn’t approve of. I felt the time was right.

The Chipper Writer: What is your writing schedule typically like, and can you talk a little about how you manage your time?

SS: Sure. Every day I work from a to-do list that I create the prior evening. I normally work from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., and my day is a combination of working on current assignments (writing articles or conducting interviews) and marketing. I’ll normally start the day with articles, have lunch, do my marketing (which my wife, Lucille, helps me with by creating lists from jobs sites), and then finish up with more articles and creating the next day’s schedule. I carefully plan everything so that I am never bored. Boredom, to me, is a freelancer’s #1 enemy.

The Chipper Writer: What is the most important thing a new freelancer can learn?

SS: Two things, really: responsibility and to treat your freelancing as a business. My wife Lucille recently said to me, “I feel bad for you, working all by yourself down in the cellar like that.”

I responded, “I appreciate that, but why? This is the life I chose.”

I chose what I’m doing for a living, love it, and I claim 100% responsibility for it. I don’t blame externals, and when the roof caves in (and it won’t), it’s on me. Also, it’s one thing to be a hobbyist, quite another to “put your awning out” and shout that you’re open for business. This isn’t an easy thing to do – and I can certainly vouch for that. It’s no game, it’s work – and that includes marketing, networking, paying taxes and your own health insurance in addition to writing -- and you have to treat it as such. Also, focus on the type of writing you’d like to do, and read the advice from others who are making a true go of it.

The Chipper Writer: What advice can you give to writers as far as writing query letters?

SS: Two things: read the magazine, and be professional in your email. That means a properly constructed query letter, detailing why you are the writer for the piece, and what you’ll offer. Also, make sure you have a proper editor’s name to forward the query to, so that it winds up in the proper email box or desk. But most of all, make sure you “know” the publication. 

The Chipper Writer: I enjoyed your blog post called "The Benefit of a Writers Group." Can you talk a little about those benefits?

SS: Absolutely. I belong to two writers groups, one which is goal oriented with book and magazine authors, the other with budding novelists and fiction writers. We don’t necessarily share work at these meetings, but get together to discuss our writing lives. Even though I can perhaps more relate to the first group than the latter, all the folks in both of my groups are valuable to me. As a full-time writer, you NEED to be among people, especially other writers, occasionally. So, these groups are my escape, but also a well of inspiration. I may benefit from the professional knowledge of the first group, but the folks in the second group (who, by the way, are much better fiction writers than me) also give me advice I seek when I may be at a dead end. In the end, it ties in to my belief that you can be inspired by anyone at anytime anywhere, and nowhere – with the exception of my wife and daughter – do I feel that more than when I get together with my writers groups.

The Chipper Writer: You work on your taxes on the second and fourth Saturday of each month to stay ahead. What are some reasons to do your taxes this way?

SS: One of the things I least like to do is figure out my taxes and pay them, but rather than put off until tomorrow what I can do today, I break it down. I do it on a Saturday because Saturday is primarily a laid back day (blogging, update resume and website, PC maintenance, etc.), and keeping ahead of it makes it less “painless” to do when it comes quarterly tax time. The key here is to make things easier. There’s enough work to do with the writing.

The Chipper Writer: What books and other resources would you recommend to aspiring freelancers?

SS: There are many excellent ones, but here are a few I always reach for when need be. Kelly James-Enger’s $ix-Figure Freelancing is excellent, as is her Ready, Aim, Specialize! Kelly’s blog, Dollars and Deadlines, is also valuable. Also, I recommend Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell’s The Renegade Writer book and companion blog. What a wonderful wealth of information. If you’re seeking a copywriting career, Peter Bowerman’s The Well-Fed Writer, as well as his blog and newsletter, are super. Finally, read The Writer magazine. There’s something for someone in every issue.

Some New Stuff

I have exciting news, a Bitter Orange and Brown post and five new Patch stories to share with you.

First, the fun news. The Cleveland Browns blog I contribute to, Bitter Orange and Brown, was one of the blogs to be featured in a story in Fresh Water Cleveland. The story is written by one of my favorite writers, Erin O'Brien, and is called they heart cle: a city's biggest fans are often the bloggers.

Second, I wrote a new post for Bitter Orange and Brown called March MAC-ness Memories.

Third, my five latest stories for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch.

Poolside Book of the Week: July 22

Where Are They Now? Featuring Tyler Nelson

Poolside Book of the Week: July 14

July Attendance Starts Strong for Water Works

Where Are They Now? Featuring James Kane

Lost Your Muse? Five Easy Ways to Find Inspiration

Guest post by Alvina Lopez

Whether you're a blogger, journalist or a fiction writer, you'll have to deal with the dreaded phenomena of "writer's block" at least once in your career. There are some simple ways to find that inspiration you need to remove the road blocks and continue (or start) writing. To learn the five easy ways to find inspiration, continue reading below.


Free Write. By far one of the easiest ways to get those creative juices flowing is to just start writing. Anything. It doesn't matter what it's about. Just grab a piece of paper and start writing whatever comes to your mind—don't over think, don't edit and most importantly don't stop. Just write. Sure, your finished project will probably be filled with a bunch of unusable junk, but you might just end up with a gem—or at least a few note worthy lines.

Listen to Classical Music. This might sound silly, but some studies show that listening to classical music can actually help stimulate different parts of the brain that can help one retain more information and think more creatively. While the correlation between Mozart and the creativity process isn't proven to be 100 percent true, music can undoubtedly have a soothing effect and can change one's mood—this fact alone can help you relax, enabling you to embrace a flood of inspiration. But if classical music doesn't really do it for you, at least try some other soothing music genres such as trance or jazz.

Get out of Comfort Zone. Locking yourself up in a quiet room and forcing yourself to come up with an idea is one of the worst things you can possibly do. Instead, unglue yourself from your desk chair and get out. Go somewhere that is unfamiliar territory to you or someplace that you normally don't hang out and see if anything inspires you. While you may want to choose a place that's secluded so that you can gather your thoughts, sometimes it's best to go to areas that are typically crowded, such as the park, a coffee shop or the airport. This is because crowded areas are great places to eavesdrop and "people watch". You don't want to be a creeper about it, but sometimes things you hear or see from unsuspecting sources can make some of the best dialogue or topics.

Turn to the Pros. Another great way to get rid of writer's block is to read or watch material that you find to be exceptionally well written or clever—something you'd like to mimic or could create some sort of spin off. This can include anything from reading books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers or even watching movies. Whatever you choose, just make sure you're paying close attention to themes, writing style, voice, dialogue and rhythm.

Sleep. Lastly, while this may not have crossed your mind, sometimes just getting a good night's rest is all you need to clear your head and feel inspired. Sometimes your mind is so overworked that it can't think anymore, but getting sleep allows your brain to rejuvenate and build more brain cells that can help you think more clearly. Always make sure you have a notebook by your bedside table too—you never know when a dream will "speak to you."

By-line:

Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez @gmail.com.

Photo Credit: stock.xchange.com

Three New Patch Stories

I've published three new stories with Cuyahoga Falls Patch.

Where Are They Now? Featuring Eric Smead

Poolside Book of the Week: June 30

Where Are They Now? Featuring Krista Gregory

Thanks for reading!

"Tips to Eliminate Passive Writing": A Video Guest Post by Aggie Villanueva

Video guest post by Aggie Villanueva



A published author at Thomas Nelson before she was 30, bestselling author Aggie Villanueva published Chase the Wind and Rightfully Mine, both Thomas Nelson 1980s. She is now a multiple fiction & nonfiction Amazon/Kindle category bestseller, also making Top Rated list in three categories. Aggie founded Promotion á la Carte, author promotional services in July 2010 and six months later was voted #2 at Predators & Editors in the Promotion category. Among other sites, she teaches author promotion at BookBuzzr Blog, Book Marketing Technoligies Center Webinars, Promotion a la Carte Blog and Promotion a la Carte Radio. Villanueva is also a critically acclaimed photographic artist represented by galleries nationwide, including Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. Contact Villanueva at aggie@promotionalacarte.com.

A note from The Chipper Writer: The tips in the video are from Aggie's fabulous e-book, The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art No Matter the Genre.

For more from Aggie on this blog, please check out these links:

Seven Questions for Aggie Villanueva

Aggie Villanueva Interviews Paula Berinstein

Book and Blog Highlights

10 New Patch Articles & Seven Questions Series Note

I hope you're enjoying the summer. Patch has kept me busy (and writing). One of my favorite things about summer is writing outdoors. Here are the stories I've written this summer for Cuyahoga Falls Patch. If you can I recommend reading them outside (which is another of my favorite things about summer), and thanks for reading!

The Library After the Levy

Poolside Book of the Week: June 2

Owner of Hair & Nail Hut Opened Business at 20 Years Old

Hair & Nail Hut owner Amy Moore

Poolside Book of the Week: June 10

Cuyahoga Falls Woman's Club Flourishing in New Home

 Judy Saccogna, President, Cuyahoga Falls Woman's Club, in the club's new garden.



You may remember the cancellation of my first weekly feature for Patch, Patch Picks. I'm happy to be writing (for as long as it lasts as it all depends on traffic) a new weekly Q&A segment called "Where Are They Now?", which features Woodridge High School, Cuyahoga Falls High School and Walsh-Jesuit High School graduates.

The first in the series is Jessie Greene-Hill, jeweler and owner of Jessie's Jewelry, based in Put-in-Bay, Ohio.

Where Are They Now? Jessie Greene-Hill



Jessie Greene-Hill



Cuyahoga Falls High School graduate Carter Bailey roasts coffee and owns KC Coffee Company.

Where Are They Now? Carter Bailey



Carter Bailey

Poolside Book of the Week: June 16

Poolside Book of the Week: June 26

Statue outside of Cuyahoga Falls Library

Thanks again for reading, I appreciate it!

I've been so busy with Patch lately I haven't had much time to blog, and I've come to a decision about the Seven Questions Series. In January when I first started the series, I planned to post one interview a month. This was right around the same time I began as a freelance contributor for Patch, and juggling has been a challenge. I've decided I will continue the series, but the interviews won't be posted once a month, they will be posted when I can post them (read: when my paid writing obligations have been fullfilled first).  I appreciate your patience while I figure this whole writing/blogging thing out (which is one of the cool things about writing, figuring it out).

That said, I have two Seven Questions interviews to post, but at this writing I don't have a posting date. However, my goal is to have them up soon.

Again, I thank you for reading. Happy summer and happy writing from the Chipper Writer.

The Eleventh Day of May: One Year Later

It amazes me how fast an entire year passed since I wrote a post called The Eleventh Day of May. May 11 is a bittersweet day for me, one day for three anniversaries.

May 11, 2002: 9 years since I graduated college

May 11, 2009: 2-year anniversary for my writing log

The first year I kept my writing log, I averaged 8.5 hours per week. My original goal was 10 hours per week. This year, I'm happy to report I average 16 hours per week.

Today also marks the one-year anniversary of my Aunt Joni's passing. I miss her every day.

Last month, my husband and I visited my brother and his family. After interacting with my niece Piper, I realized how my aunt felt about me and my brother. It makes me miss my aunt more. But I'm glad I had the time I had with my Aunt Joni, because as a child I knew how much she loved me. I just didn't think of it in the terms I think of now, as I look at my own niece.

I knew because my aunt was always so excited and happy to see me, and she was always so kind to me. I loved her fiercely. Being with her made me happy.

My Aunt Joni & I on the day I graduated from Kent State University, May 11, 2002

I hope I can be that kind of aunt to Piper.

Piper & me March 2010

I love you, Aunt Joni.

Patch Profile Story: Zelio NOTO

I wrote a profile story for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch about Lauren Ward, owner of the hip boutique Zelio NOTO. The story is called Zelio NOTO Anticipates 2011 Fashion Show. NOTO's third fashion show, Fashion is a Choice, will take place on June 18 at 8 p.m. in Akron, Ohio. Here's a glimpse from last year's show:


2010 Noto Spring Fashion show from todd v on Vimeo.


Lauren told me the story of how her boutique got its name, and due to word contraints couldn't include the details in the article. Lauren's husband, Jakob, worked in a building which used to be called "Motor G Designs" by the previous owner. In the window was a huge "Motor G" decal, but part of the "M" was missing so it looked like an "N", and the "G" and the "R" were gone. So it looked like this:

Noto

When Lauren and Jakob looked up the word "Noto", they discovered it means "famous" in Italian.

As writers, how do you come up with things like titles and character names? I think the story of how Zelio NOTO got its name is a fine example of the creative process. Sometimes it manifests itself to you in ways such as a faded window decal. There are other ways, too, what are yours?

Thanks for reading and Happy Writing!

Photo credit: Zelio NOTO

A Little Word Association

One of my favorite of the new moe. songs is called" Little Miss Cup Half-Empty".



Which reminds me of this post by one of my favorite bloggers, Jenn. It had me in stitches. Still does.

Get the Kate Middleton Look for Less

The royal wedding is hours away (imagine the nerves!). You don't have to live in England, be a member of the royal family or spend a lot of money to dress like a princess. In my latest feature story for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch, called Get the Kate Middleton Look for Less in Cuyahoga Falls, I show you how. I even got to dress like a princess. Check out the photos! This was one fun assignment.

Do you have plans to watch the royal wedding?

Another Program Interruption

I'll be honest- April has slipped away from me.

I apologize, as there won't be a Seven Questions Series for the month of April (although I did say in January aspects would change as we went along, and now here we are). I am planning an interview for the end of May.

Instead, I'm re-posting a link to a blog post called Aggie Villanueva Interviews Paula Berinstein, with a hint. Since I've already interviewed Aggie, can you guess who I plan to interview in the near future?

Also, if you haven't, please check out:

Seven Questions for Jennifer Blanchard

Writing Fiction, with Taylor Stevens

Happy Writing from The Chipper Writer!

New Patch Feature Story: Water Works Prepared for Summer 2011

My latest feature story for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch is called Water Works Prepared for Summer 2011. It's about the Water Works Family Aquatic Center and what's new this season, along with some money-saving deals on admission and other stuff.

The picture below is the new frog tot slide at Water Works.

As I wrote this article, it once again occurred to me how the frog seems to be a symbol in my life.

In 2001, my husband (back then he was my boyfriend) gave me a tiny tree frog. I named him Marvin. He died the day after our wedding on June 20, 2004.

On December 24, 2006, my husband surprised me for Christmas with a White's Dumpy tree frog. His name is Fred.



Fred

Then, in November of 2009, a co-worker loaned me Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. This book changed my writing life. Not only do I think differently (although it's always a work in progress as I still procrastinate), I started this blog after I read it and I wrote about the book in an essay I entered in the Procrastinating Writers Blog Essay Contest. I won second place.

The companion piece to the essay, called The Finer Points of Frog Eating, was posted on the Procrastinating Writers Blog in April 2010.

My next "frog" assignment came in September 2010, when I presented at the 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop on how to "Jumpstart Your Writing Life." I wrote a handout with frog bullets, and if you'd like one, please email me at alannaklapp@gmail.com and I'll send you a copy.

Now in 2011 I wrote an article that involved a frog slide.

I love frogs. It's a happy symbol in my life. For the record though, I only eat them in the metaphorical sense.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Writing!

New Patch Feature Story: Prom Accessories Generate Brisk Business for Riverfront District Vintage Shops



1950s Lucite butterfly heels at Signature Gifts.

In my latest feature story for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch, called Prom Accessories Generate Brisk Business for Riverfront District Vintage Shops, I interviewed the owners of three vintage shops about accessory trends. I also took 81 photos, and since I couldn't pick just one, I thought I'd post a few of my favorites. The entire photo gallery can be found next to the article.



1950s royal blue prom dress paired with contemorary beaded necklace and silver gloves.



Trunk display of accessories at Signature Gifts.

Bevel set crystal necklace at The Hidden Pearl

These vintage leather and lace Stuart Weitzman heels have never been worn and cost $34.99 at Signature Gifts.

Jewelry, Signature Gifts

1950s Lucite purse at Signature Gifts.

Austrian crystal hairpieces, Signature Gifts

Evening bag from the Katherine Collection at Signature Gifts.

Pearls, Signature Gifts

Broach display at Secret Past.

Necklaces, Secret Past

Sequined evening bag, Secret Past

New Patch Feature Story: Prom Hair by the Pros

My latest feature for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch is called Prom Hair by the Pros: The Experts at MC Hair Consultants Talk Prom Hair.

Posted along with the article is this video, shot by my editor, Lindsay McCoy:



Thanks for reading and watching!