The Chipper Writer

How to Stay Focused Online

2012-01-06T15:51:00.000-05:00

Guest post by Lauren Bailey

Likemany writers, I need to be able to research topics quickly to sound the leastbit convincing that I have any idea what I’m saying. This research reliesheavily on the Internet, which as you may know, is filled with endlessmountains of distraction.

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

StayFocusdFor Chrome

Iuse the Google Chrome browser for most of my Internet needs. While Chrome didn’talways allow extensions or addons (as Firefox calls them) to their browser, thebrowser is now equipped with a full arsenal of extensions. StayFocusd is theextension designed to limit the amount of time you waste on the Internet atunproductive websites.

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

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

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

Oneawesome/cute aspect of the web application is that it knows whether you aretrying to “hack” it when you change settings. For instance, if I try to raisemy “Maximum Time Allowed Per Day,” StayFocusd will prompt a series of dialogueboxes with the following:

(You get the idea.)

LeechBlockfor Firefox

Forthose of you dedicated to surfing the web with Firefox, fear not because youhave quite a powerful anti-time-wasting addon at your disposal. In fact, Iwould say LeechBlock gives you more options in terms of customizing which sitesyou want to block when.

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

Inaddition to all these features though, LeechBlock also gives you six different“Sets” of sites in which you can make different parameters for different sitesor time periods. So if I plan to work every Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5p.m., I will create one Block Set that might completely limit my time-wastingsites. After 5 p.m., I give myself more time to waste. Deep down I still know Ihave some personal projects to finish, so I create another Block Set for after5 p.m., but it allows me to surf my time-wasting sites for three hours.

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

Bottom Line

Bothof these web applications can serve you well, provided you are honest aboutwhich sites you actually waste your time on. So it really all comes down towhich browser you prefer. Also, I realize that you can easily “hack” either ofthese extensions by simply surfing on another browser, but honestly I think thestrength of these applications is that they set visible benchmarks that allowyou 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 youreally need to do in a reliable system which consistently reminds you of thesepriorities until they are completed. In other words, it would be more ideal tofocus on the tasks at hand rather than focus on how to limit distractions awayfrom those tasks. After all, distractions are often self-fulfilling desiresstemming 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 tostick with StayFocusd to help me get things done.

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

Seven Questions for Jessica Kristie

2011-11-25T13:57:00.000-05:00

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 myjourney.” – Jessica Kristie

Born and raised in the California Bay Area, Jessica discovered her passionto 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 andunderstand herself and those around her.

Jessica’s inspiration comes in many forms, often inspired by just a word orquickly fleeting emotion. Through years of writing she has been able tocapitalize on her experiences, whether they are painful or joyous. Inside eachof these moments lies a grand piece of her history. They are a documentation ofmuch of the pain life has to offer, and the hopeful bit of empowerment requiredfor survival. She hopes to draw you close to her world through shared emotionwhile 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 inthe works including a second book of poetry and her first novel. You can follow her at JessicaKristie.com forupdated 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: Ibelieve school helped me discover the wonders of poetry and writing. Poetry immediately caught my attention at theage of 10, when I wrote my first piece. Ever since then, poetry has worked as aplace to lay my emotions down and a healer for many aspects of my life. Poetry creates a greater understanding of thehuman condition and gives me different eyes to see with.

TCW: Tell us alittle bit about Dreaming in Darkness and what inspired you towrite it.

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

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

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

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

JK: Theneed to write bubbles up in me and I have to get it out. I carry a pen andpaper wherever I go and write down words and phrases that inspire me. I rarelyforce myself to write, and work hard at building my inspiration through allinteractions and things around me. Every day I listen for things that may strikeme, 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 eachpiece sit for at least a day. I always try to have another set of eyes take alook at my work that I want to post publicly.

TCW: What is yourwriting schedule like?

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

TCW: What are you working on now?

JK: Mysecond book is being queried as we speak to several publishers and I am half-waythrough my first novel. I am alsoworking on a collaborative book with a fantastic poet and have several otherprojects in the works. You can alwayscheck my blog JessicaKristie.com for updates and fresh poetry and prose.

TCW: What advice would you give to aspiring poets?

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

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T08:00:00.003-04:00

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

2011-10-15T15:37:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-22T20:28:00.005-04:00

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

2011-07-22T21:03:00.003-04:00

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

2011-07-11T22:28:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-10T22:52:00.000-04:00

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

2011-07-05T08:00:00.006-04:00

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

2011-06-27T21:56:00.002-04:00

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

2011-05-11T08:00:00.073-04:00

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

2011-05-10T21:34:00.003-04:00

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

2011-05-03T19:56:00.001-04:00

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

2011-04-28T22:27:00.000-04:00

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

2011-04-25T06:00:00.028-04:00

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

2011-04-19T21:37:00.001-04:00

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

2011-04-16T00:46:00.009-04:00

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

2011-04-13T20:41:00.001-04:00

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!

Subject Matters: How to Generate New Content

2011-04-07T21:43:00.001-04:00

Guest post by Alexis Bonari

If you’re a writer, you know how difficult it is to get any work done when you’re feeling uninspired. And even if you can buckle down and type out a few paragraphs, you end up rereading them and using the “Backspace” key liberally. At least, that’s what you do if you’re anything like me. I get convinced that circumstances are conspiring against me and that I’m just not going to feel inspired enough to write.

Like many other forms of art, writing tends to make you chase after the “perfect” conditions for producing your best work, but in reality, you’re always an artist. While you might have more energy at a certain time of day, there are very few times when you’ll just feel effortlessly inspired to write and keep writing. That’s why it’s important to actively seek out inspiration to help you generate new content. You probably have your own ways of approaching this challenge, but the following are five of my favorite strategies for courting the muse and I hope they’ll find their way into your writer’s toolbox.

Respond to an Inspirational Quotation

I find that discovering the wisdom and innovation of other great writers helps me to unearth the same qualities within myself. There are many witty, provocative, insightful, and even disturbing quotes out there to read and think about. One of my favorites that never fails to elicit a reaction is from E. M. Forster: “Let yourself go. Pull out from the depth those thoughts that you do not understand and spread them out in the sunlight and know the meaning of them.” I’m always able to write something in response to this call to action, feeling more attuned to my own thoughts and senses as I look inward for inspiration.

Read Old Personal Journal Entries

If you keep a personal journal, go back to it every once in a while to glean ideas, phrases, and even visual inspiration from it. If you don’t keep one, it’s a good idea to start a journal because it’s the perfect way to get everything out on paper where you can analyze it. A journal enables you to identify the material that has the potential for poetry, short stories, novels, articles, or other genres of writing – especially if you’re a visual learner like me. It also serves as an archive for ideas that haven’t found the right context yet, so it can be a great help when you’re seeking inspiration.

Give an Elaborate Description of a Familiar Object or Feeling

When I feel uninspired, it’s usually because I don’t feel much of anything. I’m not feeling motivated, creative, or excited about the time I’ve so carefully scheduled for writing. When this happens, I try to think back on strong memories that evoke emotions – not only does this give me a way of getting in touch with my feelings, but it also gives me something to describe in writing. Often, this kind of description helps with character development, but it’s also useful in writing poetry and intimate short stories.

Find or Create an Inspirational Location for Writing

I recently read Michael Pollan’s A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, a book that narrates Pollan’s own imperfect journey toward building the perfect writing hideaway. He designs his own one-room cabin of sorts with the help of an architect, insisting on building it himself (with some assistance) in order to form a connection with his inspirational location. It’s an interesting book, and the concept of having an inspirational and deeply personal writing location is intriguing. Reading this book can help you analyze your writing space, but you can also simply switch your location for an inspiring change of pace – try writing at the art museum, on a park bench, or even at a student orchestra concert.

Let Music Do the Hard Work

Listen to your favorite music or try something you’ve never heard before. I hate country music, but when I listen to it for writing purposes, I find that it has the ability to connect me with emotions and ideas that were somehow trapped in my subconscious. So if you know that a certain genre of music makes you uncomfortable, turn up the volume and start typing because you’ll probably have a strong reaction to it. Reactions always generate ideas, so it’s a foolproof way to start writing, no matter how uninspired you might feel.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she's been researching health scholarships as well as scholarships for left handed students. Whenever this WAHM gets some free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping.

Photo Credit: Flickr.com

My Last Patch Picks

2011-04-01T18:43:00.000-04:00

Snow leopard at the Akron Zoo

Today my last Patch Picks column for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch was published, called Patch Picks: Five Local Attractions to Visit on Spring Break or Staycation. This isn't an April Fools joke, I promise. The editors decided this week to discontinue this weekly feature due to not enough traffic. However, I'll still be writing for Patch, and for that I'm happy. I'm also grateful to have had the opportunity to write the column, as I learned quite a bit. I look forward to writing other types of features in the future (in fact, I'm working on one this weekend).

As always, I appreciate your readership and support.

Photo credit: Akron Zoo

My Patch Picks 3.25.11

2011-03-27T00:29:00.001-04:00

"In today's busy and stressful world it's important to take time out and treat yourself to things like massages, manicures and facials."

My column for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch this week is called Patch Picks: Five Spas to Help You Relax and Rejuvenate.

I need to remember to take my own advice.....

How do you relax and rejuvenate? (Spa treatments or otherwise.)

Thanks for reading!

Photo credit: http://www.mchair.com/

First Feature Story for Cuyahoga Falls Patch

2011-03-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

Display at Plato's Closet in Cuyahoga Falls

My first feature story (as in not a Patch Picks column) for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch posted today. It's called A Bright Spot in the Tough Economy: Consignment Shops. I had a ton of fun writing it, and it was also nice to write something positive with all the bad news these days.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Writing!

Photo credit: Plato's Closet

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T13:12:00.000-04:00

The Chipper Writer would like to wish you all a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day! My column this week is Patch Picks: Five Places to Get Your Irish on for St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy!

Photo credit: The Tangier

Writing Fiction, with Taylor Stevens

2011-03-15T08:00:00.068-04:00

Special thanks to Taylor Stevens, Paula Berinstein and Kim Urig for making this interview happen!

The Background

From Taylor Stevens, The Offical Site, under the Author tab:

In an alternate universe, I spent my formative years living with parents and siblings, showing up for school and getting acquainted with HBO, Michael Jackson, neon clothes and big hair. In reality, childhood and adolescence were spent begging on city streets from Zurich to Tokyo, preparing food and washing laundry for hundreds of people, and otherwise trying to survive dreary life as a worker bee child in a communal apocalyptic cult. My innocence and scholastic education stopped completely when I was twelve-years-old.

Cut off from personal family, at times under the care of sadistic individuals and without access to books or television from the outside world, imagination became a survival mechanism. As a young teenager, I secretly entertained commune children with fantastic stories that took us through time and space, until these sins were discovered by cult leaders. Several laboriously hand-written books were confiscated and burned and I was ordered on pain of--well, a whole lot of pain--never to write again.

The nomadic culture of the cult became an adolescent's journey across four continents and nearly two dozen countries culminating in four years living in East and West-Central Africa--this the primary setting for THE INFORMATIONIST.

Along this journey I have seen the best and worst of humanity and don't have to look far to find the depth of soul and tormented conflict that drives my characters; I pull heavily from personal experience and the experience of the ones I love when creating the worlds they walk in.

I was in my twenties when I broke free, and leaving everything I knew brought with the fear, a fresh beginning. Refusing to go to my grave with regrets, "what ifs," or tears over the lost years, I set out to take back what was taken from me. Through trial and error and observing the masters I taught myself the craft, and gradually the gift of storytelling returned. Learning basics that many take for granted has been a journey to be sure, but on the flip side, if I ever need to make breakfast for 150 people, I've already got that covered.

The focus of our interview will be Taylor's debut novel, The Informationist, published by Crown and available now.

The Review

The Informationist is the story of Vanessa "Michael" Munroe, who is an informationist, a job that takes her all over the world gathering information for corporations, governments and other private clients. Her latest assignment is to find a wealthy oil tycoon's daughter, who disappeared in Africa four years ago.

I'm not well-versed in the thriller genre, but I do know a thrilling book when I read one. The Informationist kept me awake past my bedtime on quite a few occasions. Each time I opened it, I felt like I was swept into Africa. If I hadn't had a deadline for this interview, on page 267 I would've slowed down just a bit to savor it. Then again, I may not have been able to help myself and gobbled it up anyway. It's that good and compelling a read.

I'm eagerly anticipating the second installment in Munroe's story, with the working title of The Innocent, due out next year. It was a pleasure and an honor to talk with Taylor Stevens, and you can listen to our conversation below. You can click the link and listen with a program like Windows Media Player, or download it to an iPod or other MP3 player. Enjoy!

http://www.writingshow.com/podcasts/Taylor_Stevens.mp3

Photo credits: Taylor Stevens, The Official Site

We Interrupt This Programming

2011-03-14T08:00:00.021-04:00

Instead of The Seven Questions Series this month, I have a special treat for you: an audio interview with Taylor Stevens, author of The Informationist. Seven questions just weren't enough. I plan to post the interview and a review of her book tomorrow, so be sure to stop back. Her book is amazing and so is the author!

Photo credit: Taylor Stevens - The Official Site

Countdown to St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-13T21:02:00.001-04:00

I'm writing this week's Patch Picks column for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch on the five best places to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, so I'm in the mood. My great-great grandmother was from Ireland, but everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Enjoy the widget from The Barley House in Akron, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My Patch Picks 3.11.11

2011-03-11T22:43:00.005-05:00

"Rampant cabin fever leads to thoughts of real cabins, tents and s'mores over campfires."

This is the first line in my Patch Picks column for this week, called Patch Picks: Five Summer Camps for 2011.

Break out the tents! (Or the camper, if that's more your style.)

Photo credit: Old Trail School

Writing Apps for Apple's iPad

2011-03-09T22:20:00.002-05:00

Guest post by Jeff Norman

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be Mark Zuckerberg to craft an app for the iPad to which people will gravitate. We repeat—you do not need to be featured in an Oscar-nominated film in order to create infectious, useful iPad apps! I understand how difficult it must seem though. The iPad is incredibly sophisticated, and it's easy to believe that a similar level of complexity and technological savvy is required to make apps that are just as techno-glammy as the iPad itself. Not so, my dear. Here are three tips that will help you, at this article's conclusion, head out and get started on your own dream iPad app.

To C or not to C. The most frequently used programming language for the iPad is Objective C, which is somewhat similar to C++. Computer programmers familiar with C++ will have very little trouble adapting to Objective C. But for those without a clue, here is a link to a primer on how to understand Objective C's most elementary components. Note to the weary: computer language is just as nuanced as French or Chinese, but does present some initial challenges, so take care to be patient with yourself when just starting out. You can also completely skip the challenges of Objective C with Runtime Revolution, a system that can convert into Objective C yet utilize dramatically less computer verbiage.

Learn from the masters. Admittedly, I'm no expert when it comes to creating mind blowing apps, or apps of any nature for that matter. However, what I am good at is ferreting out the Web's absolute best and most valuable resources for helping me to do so. I turn my head to the computer programming masters. But in my search for iPad gurus, I wanted to take extra special care to locate honchos who made me feel like even a non-techie like myself could get in the iPad app-making groove. In that spirit, I would definitely steer you, app-hungry reader, to iPadAppsPlus. This handy dandy page walks you step-by-step through the process of creating a noteworthy app, from scratch.

Reconnaissance and resilience. The most important edict in creating an iPad app, all matters of programming and comp language aside, is a whole lotta recon work. Rumor has it that at least a dozen new apps are appearing daily for the iPad, which means you'll need to get ahead of the contemporary trends in apps you're seeing right now. Anticipate what will be needed for a few months from now—that's the only way to make sure your app idea isn't someone else's current brainchild. The other skill you'll need in this journey is tenacity, tough skin. The sheer profundity of apps out there makes it extremely unlikely that your first app (which may take weeks or months to fine-tune to perfection) will hit a home run right out of the gate. Think of this first app of yours, successful or not, as a test run. The next app you helm will benefit from the savvy gleaned from this experience, and it might just take off as a bona fide hit.

Bio: Jeff Norman is a recent college grad, currently writing from New York City. He is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and writes for http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/online-schools.

My Patch Picks 3.4.11

2011-03-04T22:36:00.002-05:00

Statue outside Cuyahoga Falls Library

Are you looking for a good book to read? Five librarians from the Cuyahoga Falls Library share their favorites in my weekly column called Patch Picks: Five Falls Librarians Share Book Choices for Read Across America.

What are your favorite books?

Happy reading and writing!

Seven Questions for Jennifer Blanchard

2011-02-28T20:51:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the second installment of The Seven Questions Series! Many thanks to Jennifer Blanchard for being my guest.

The Background

Jennifer Blanchard is the founder of the Procrastinating Writers Blog (one of my absolute favorites) which offers "guidance for writers who struggle to get started." Jen writes fiction as well as nonfiction, and has published more than 100 articles in local and national publications. She's a Web journalist and marketer, a Writing and Creativity Coach and a Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). Her e-book, Butt-In-Chair: A No-Excuses Writing Productivity Guide for Writers Who Struggle to Get Started, which she wrote with Joe Williams, will be the subject of our interview.

The Review

Butt-In-Chair is a guide designed to get you to do just that: put your butt in the chair and write. Really, when it comes right down to it, that's the only way writing gets accomplished. This book gives you tools and strategies to help you sit down and actually write. Within each section is a box called "Sit Down and Write!" with writing exercises and prompts. There's also an appendix with printable worksheets and checklists. If you're serious about writing, this book is a must-have for your library, as you'll refer to it over and over again. You can work through it from beginning to end, jump around the table of contents, do the writing prompts all at once or you can complete the prompts as you read through each individual section. The best part about this book, I think, is that it doesn't dictate "how" you should sit down and write, but allows you to discover what works best for you when it comes to overcoming procrastination (each writer's journey is different and therefore we all work differently, there is no "one size fits all" method). At a super-affordable $19.95, this is one investment in your writing career you can't afford not to make.

The Seven Questions

The Chipper Writer: Tell me a little bit about Butt-In-Chair: A No-Excuses Writing Productivity Guide for Writers Who Struggle to Get Started, and what inspired it.

Jennifer: Butt-In-Chair is a workbook that guides you through getting started writing. It offers advice for working through the things that hold you back and helps you create writing habits that are effective for you.

It was inspired by my blog, Procrastinating Writers, and by all the questions and comments I get from writers/readers saying they “don’t know how to get started” or “they don’t have the time/motivation/energy/etc to write.”

I wanted to make it easy for people interested in writing to get started and maintain the momentum.

TCW: You wrote this book with Joe Williams. What was the collaboration process like and what advice would you give collaborating writers?

Jennifer: Our collaboration process was a bit easier than most because we live in the same house. But since we’re on totally different schedules for the most part, we divided and conquered. I split the book “to-dos” into two categories: stuff that’s already written, but needs to be edited; and stuff that needs to be written. Then we split the list up—he wrote some and I wrote the rest, then we both read through and edited the stuff that had already been written (since I pulled a lot of the content straight from the blog).

Overall I think the best advice I have for anyone who wants to collaborate is this: Find a writer who you can work with; someone who is responsible and who will support you and hold up their end of the deal. Without that collaboration just can’t happen.

TCW: What is the "All-Or-Nothing Mistake" and what can writers do to let it go?

Jennifer: The all-or-nothing mistake is a mindset that writers often have: They think they can only write under certain conditions, and if the conditions are not exact, they won’t/can’t write.

For example, if my goal is to write for an hour every day, but I only have 20 minutes available to me today, with an all-or-nothing mindset I would tell myself I can’t write because I don’t have a full hour.

But what writers don’t realize is that mindset is not only distracting, but also very limiting. Instead of all-or-nothing, focus on what’s important: Getting writing done! Even if that means writing for 20 minutes instead of an hour. Every little bit is moving you in the right direction.

TCW: There's a whole section for writers who fear rejection. What are some reasons writers fear rejection, and what are some ways to deal with it?

Jennifer: Writers fear rejection because they view rejection of their writing as a rejection of themselves when that is absolutely NOT the case. Just because your writing was rejected, that doesn’t mean you were rejected. Remember that and repeat it to yourself.

Putting yourself out there as a writer is a huge challenge. Many writers never take that challenge on and instead keep their writing hidden in a drawer. Your writing should be where it belongs: In the hands of readers. In order to get it there, you need to open yourself up to all possibilities, which includes the possibility of being rejected.

A wise business coach once told me, “There is no rejection; there is only selection.” I like that.

Some ways to deal with it could be:

• Practice putting yourself out there. The more you do it, the better you’ll get at it.

• Have someone sit down with you and for 10-15 minutes keep saying “No” to you over and over again until you’re sick of hearing it. Getting over the idea of “no” is a huge step toward getting over the idea of being rejected.

• Ignore the haters and naysayers! When your writing gets rejected you have two choices: believe the rejecter or believe yourself. If you choose to believe them, your writing career is doomed. You need to believe yourself. You know your writing, you know your talent and you (hopefully) know your worth. When someone rejects you or your writing, love them for it and make it your goal to prove them wrong. And anytime someone “hates” on you, make it your goal to love yourself even more. Fear of rejection will become a thing of the past.

TCW: What are writing affirmations and how can writers use them to produce a positive outcome?

Jennifer: A writing affirmation is a positive statement about your writing that you say over and over again to yourself. So, for example, a writing affirmation could be: “I am an awesome writer” or “I am a brilliant, confident writer” or “My writing is excellent and worthy of awards.”

I suggest making up a statement that sits well with you. A statement that makes you feel confident and motivated every time you say it. Different statements will work for different writers.

Once you have your perfect statement, write it on a Post-It note and hang it by your writing area. It’s also a good idea to hang it other places too, like on your bathroom mirror or in your car. The more often you can remind yourself of how great a writer you truly are, the better.

TCW: I've read in numerous places that you need to set yourself a writing schedule. What is the "un-schedule?"

Jennifer: The problem with writing schedules is the whole self-set deadlines thing. It’s hard for writers to work toward self-set deadlines because there’s very little incentive, apart from completing the piece of writing. That’s why you have to figure out a way to incent yourself for getting writing done. Sorry—that response is a little off the topic of the question, but I thought it was important to mention.

An un-schedule is a tool created by psychologist, Neil Fiore, that helps you identify where in your schedule you have free time. You figure out what you’re already doing each week (things that you know for sure you’re doing, not things you might do). Then you add up the empty time you have and that’s how you determine how much time you have available for writing.

You can read more about the un-schedule and get a free download of an un-schedule worksheet here: http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2010/05/a-useful-tool-for-managing-your-writing-time/

TCW: In the chapter titled "Productivity Methods," there are six methods writers can try. Which one do you find most useful and why?

Jennifer: Before I answer this, let me just point out that different methods will work for different writers, which is why I recommend trying so many. I highly recommend doing what works for you and not what works for someone else.

With that being said—for me—the most useful method has been the word-count goal method. It helps me measure how far I’ve come and I how far I have left to go. It also helps me stay on track because I know that every day I have to write at least 500 words (or whatever word count you choose). Some days I hit it, some days I don’t, but either way I am always heading in that direction.

***

Thanks Jennifer, for being a guest on The Chipper Writer's Seven Questions Series.

To my readers, as always, thank you for reading! You can contact Jennifer on her blog, Facebook page, or on Twitter.

Happy Writing from The Chipper Writer!

My Patch Picks 2.26.11

2011-02-26T17:27:00.000-05:00

This week's column for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch is called Patch Picks: Five Fun Boutiques. I profiled five local boutiques in and around Cuyahoga Falls. The Stow Patch picked it up, too!

Artwork at 3 Daughters and a Mom Boutqiue, one of the places I profiled in this week's Patch Picks column.

Thanks for reading, and happy writing and shopping!

The Chipper Writer's First Award

2011-02-19T20:54:00.002-05:00

I'm pleased to announce I've received my first blog award, from one of my favorite bloggers, Jenn at Endo Friendo. Thanks Jenn!

Here's how it works:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. Share seven things about yourself.

3. Award up to 15 blogs that are deserving (I'm awarding four).

4. Contact those bloggers and let them know about the award.

Seven things about me:

1. My husband, niece and I all have the same middle initial, J. (John, June and Joy)

2. I've been freewriting since September of 2004. I filled the 26th notebook today.

3. I've wanted to be a writer since the fifth grade.

4. My favorite books are A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Iriving and Paint it Black by Janet Fitch.

5. I love to camp.

6. My favorite band is moe.

7. Chocolate and stationary are two of my favorite things.

I award the "I Love this Blog" award to:

1. Kass from The K..................Is No Longer Silent

2. EK Carmel from EK Carmel's Blog

3. Ava Pennington's Pen Station

4. Janel from Janel's Jumble

And of course I would've picked Jenn at Endo Friendo but she picked me first.

Thanks again to Jenn! This is a fun way to share the link love and support each other's blogs.

Happy Writing from The Chipper Writer!

My Patch Picks 2.18.11

2011-02-18T20:23:00.002-05:00

This week's column for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch is called Patch Picks: Five Nonprofits Making an Impact in Cuyahoga Falls and Beyond.

Dr. Alison Fowle vaccinates a dog at Pet Guards Clinic, one of the nonprofit organizations listed in this week's Patch Picks.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Writing!

Call for Guest Posts

2011-02-12T17:44:00.002-05:00

The Chipper Writer is looking for guest posts. You may have noticed the "Guest Post Guidelines" tab at the top of the blog, but for those who haven't, I thought I'd also post them here. Please email me if you're interested.

Guest Post Guidelines
SUBMIT A GUEST POST TO THE CHIPPER WRITER
The Chipper Writer is looking for guest posts on the topics of writing, books, music, sports, and social media.

Here are three examples of guest posts published so far on The Chipper Writer:

Three Ways Social Networking Can Increase Book Sales by Angelita Williams

Find Focus by Eliminating Distractions by Maria Rainier

Copywriting: How to Put Your Portfolio Together by Maria Rainier

Submission Guidelines

Your post can be original content written for The Chipper Writer, or an adaptation (as in not a complete reprint) of a post from your personal blog that’s at least 6 months old. I do not accept posts that have been previously published on another blog, in a newspaper or magazine, or on a commercial site.

Your post should be between 300-1000 words.

Your post should be focused on writing, books, music, sports, or social media (overlapping is ok).

Your post should be useful to the reader. I’m especially looking for guest posts that include steps writers can apply to their own writing.

For your byline, please send me at least one link to include (for example, a link to your blog, Web site, and Twitter account).

Please send me a quality photo of yourself to run with the post, headshot preferred.

Please email your idea or the completed post as a Word or PDF attachment, to alannaklapp@gmail.com. In the subject line, please write Guest Post Submission for The Chipper Writer.

If your post is accepted for publication, The Chipper Writer reserves the right to edit. However, if I feel it’s a major change, I will email you before I edit.

I’ll acknowledge I’ve received your post via email as soon as I can (usually within 48 hours, but it may be longer), and will let you know if your post has been accepted for publication.

Thanks for your interest in writing for The Chipper Writer!

I also have some exciting news to share (which is part of the reason I'm looking for guest posts). I've acheived one of my life's goals and can now call myself a freelance writer. I'm a contributor for the Cuyahoga Falls Patch. Patch is an online newspaper backed by AOL. My first article for them is a column called Patch Picks: The Five Sweetest Restauants for Valentine's Dinner.

With Patch added to my long list of projects, I need some help. If you're interested in writing a guest post for The Chipper Writer, please email me.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Writing!

Photo credit: Damon Defago, Totally Cooked Director of Culinary Communications

Seven Questions for Aggie Villaneuva

2011-01-25T00:00:00.093-05:00

Welcome to the first installment of The Seven Questions Series! I want to thank Aggie Villaneuva for being guest number one.

The Background

A published novelist before she was 30, bestselling author Aggie Villanueva published Chase the Wind and Rightfully Mine, both at Thomas Nelson in the 1980's. Her two self-published books, Rightfully Mine and The Rewritten Word, each became bestsellers in three Amazon print & Kindle categories within months of publication, The Rewritten Word within weeks. She founded Visual Arts Junction blog in February 2009. By the end of the year, it was voted #5 at Predators & Editors in the category “Writers’ Resource, Information & News Source” for 2009. Aggie is founder of Promotion á la Carte, author promotional services. Villanueva is also a critically acclaimed photographic artist represented by galleries nationwide, including Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ. Contact Villanueva at aggie@promotionalacarte.com.

The focus of our interview will be The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art No Matter the Genre.

The Review

The Rewritten Word is a fast read, and a handy, concise guide to have next to you as you edit. The book consists of five lessons, and at the end of the first four are assignments, with detailed steps to apply to your work. Aggie takes a hands-on approach from the start when she asks you to have a work in progress with you while you read. I chose a blog post I was working on at the time, called A Look Back: The 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop. I read through Aggie's book and did the assignments, and saw an immediate improvement. I feel the results I achieved speak more than anything else I could say about how great this book is. Here are examples from the first three lessons.

"Lesson One: Organization- You Thought That Meant Outlining, Didn't You?"

"Sentence hotspots," which we'll get into more in the interview, is a way to organize sentence structure by placing important information at the beginning and end of the sentence, to aid in reader comprehension.

For example, here's the before and after versions of the first sentence from my blog post:

Before: The 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop took place at Lakeland Community College on September 25, 2010.

After: The 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop took place on September 25 at Lakeland Community College.

"Lesson Two: Verboten Verbosity"

Again, we'll get into this in more depth in the interview, but the basic idea is to cut as many words as you can.

For example:

Before: The thing I enjoyed most about this workshop is after she talked about each element, Stefanie gave us a few minutes to apply each one to our own essays. (29 words)

After: After Stefanie talked about each element, we took a few minutes and applied them to our own essays. (18 words)

"Lesson Three: Actively Rewrite- Active Voice vs. Passive/Past Tense vs. Present"

I looked for the word "was" and changed it to make it active (which is just one snippet of this lesson). The passive and active in each sentence are in bold.

Before: After the keynote address, the first workshop of the day was "Mastering the Memoir," with one of my favorite writers, Erin O'Brien."

After: After the keynote, I attended "Mastering the Memoir," taught by one of my favorite writers, Erin O'Brien.

Note also the reduction in words (22 cut to 17), which shows how many of these concepts work together.

This e-book contains a systematic approach to edit your work. New and experienced writers will find it indispensable. I wish I would've had it when I started writing seriously in 2004.

The Seven Questions

The Chipper Writer: Tell me a little bit about The Rewritten Word: How to Sculpt Literary Art No Matter the Genre, and what inspired you to write it.

Aggie: Hi Alanna. Thank you so much for having me today. I hope to answer a lot of questions people have about editing their writing.

The Rewritten Word is probably the shortest how-to book ever. According to one of the most important principles of rewriting (avoid verbosity) that’s as it should be. In fact, here’s a video commercial I made highlighting that fact. Scroll down about half the page. (I’m kinda heavy on the humor so be prepared for out of the ordinary.)

I have to be honest about what inspired me. I wrote it because I’m a terrible writer. My work isn’t publication worthy until I’ve done untold rewrites. When I first started writing, I heard and obeyed the pros who admonish “write, write and rewrite.” But my 10th rewrite wasn’t much better than the first. That’s because I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t understand the purpose of rewriting.

Its purpose is to clarify and organize, cut rambling & verbosity, switch from passive to active voice everywhere possible, and always use exactly the right word which electrifies your work. These basic necessities are overlooked more often than imagined.

I love the way Mark Twain said it. "The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is you really want to say."

When I got serious about studying the craft of writing, I was shocked by what I didn’t know about polishing my words. Reading books on editing, I found them lofty, using grammar terms that college level English students would have a hard time following.

So way back then I did exactly what I did with the examples in my little handbook -- I took the sentences and paragraphs that were unclear to me and clarified, simplified and shortened, rewriting until they made sense to me, and eliminating what didn’t relate and in fact distracted.

Many times this meant translating into words I could understand, and at times that required searching grammar books to find out what the heck the author had said.

What I didn’t realize was I was teaching myself to rewrite. It was years before I understood my own process, but this is what I did to rewrite my own work from that point. And, like most of us, I just wanted to share what I learned, so I compiled and published it, hoping someone else can relate.

Also, I want to stress I’m not a professional editor or English grammar teacher, but just a simple writer struggling to improve my own work.

TCW: I love the structure of your book. It consists of five lessons, and at the end of the first four are assignments, with detailed steps to apply to your own work. How did you decide on this structure?

Aggie: Funny you should ask. Originally, it was designed as an email course that nobody ever signed up for. I liked the assignment aspect of it, which is pretty common in how-to books, so I kept that when I rewrote it as a book.

TCW: In "Lesson One: Organization- You Thought That Meant Outlining, Didn't You?", you write about "hotspots," a concept from Philip Yaffe's article, "How Crafty Word Order Can Instantly Improve Your Writing." I applied "hotspots" to a blog post I worked on while I read your book, and saw an immediate improvement. Can you please explain what "hotspots" are and why they are important to organization?

Aggie: At various points in his 40-year career, Philip Yaffe has been a teacher of journalism, a reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal, European marketing communication director with two major international companies, a founding partner of a marketing communication agency in Brussels, Belgium, and much more. He knows the art of communication better than most. But I knew none of this when I read that article.

Hotspots are his ingeniously simple way to organize your sentence structure by knowing where to place important and secondary information within a sentence. I immediately recognized the concept because I’d unknowingly stumbled upon it while rewriting my fiction, but never developed it into such a complete and easy to understand concept.

I devoted a few pages to quoting Philip because I was so impressed with his insights about how to get readers to most easily absorb your ideas and deliver them with the most impact. After all, that’s exactly why we rewrite.

I wrote for permission to quote him and learned that he was just finishing his own book which, in my opinion, is the end-all expert writing manual, The Gettysburg Approach to Writing and Speaking Like a Professional.

We became internet friends and then he actually read my book. I’m so honored by a review Mr. Yaffe did for The Rewritten Word, and I’m now working on a review of his book, at his request, which also honors me beyond words that he’d want my opinion. I highly recommend his newest book to all writers.

TCW: In the assignment section in "Lesson One," you write: "Pretend you don't know what you meant and that you can only understand from what you say." Can you please expand on that a bit? Do you think that's possible without putting it in the proverbial drawer for some length of time?

Aggie: Most rewriting is impossible without the cooling period, especially for beginners. For many aspects you can set the manuscript aside for just a day or two. What you just mentioned requires a longer cooling period. But, as the writing years go by, it becomes easier to pretend you don’t know what you’re reading. It takes lots of practice, but it’s vital.

TCW: What is "verboten verbosity," and what are some techniques writers can use to overcome it?

Aggie: Using too many words to say something is always verboten (forbidden) and always diminishes the rate at which readers comprehend. That may not sound like a big deal unless you understand that if a reader doesn’t immediately grasp your thoughts, they bolt. No kidding. A reader will almost never read a sentence/paragraph a second time. If your verbosity persists beyond that first sentence/paragraph, your work is discarded.

And not only do we have to get our thought across immediately, with no effort on the readers’ part, we must do it with impact. We have to punch that idea across with staying power, the kind of impact that lingers in their thoughts long after laying aside our writing.

As to technique, my first step is to try and cut a sentence/paragraph in half. Don’t even think about it, just start cutting and then study what you have left, and especially those words and phrases you cut. You will learn more about your writing sins by what you eliminate than anything else.

Did you cut phrases that aren’t relevant to your paragraph/topic? Then you ramble. Are they all passive words? Did you cut a whole phrase and replace it with one or two perfect words?

TCW: Why should writers cut as many words that end in ly and ing as possible?

Aggie: These add to two writing sins, verbosity and passivity, which make writing boring, long and hard to understand. Cut words ending with ly as much as possible, so your adverbs will add punch when you must use them. They are a great tool, but when overused promote a jerky flow, as in this published sentence from my novel Chase the Wind, coauthored with Deborah Lawrence, Thomas Nelson, 1983.

He patted her hand and smiled sympathetically, but to Gomer his lips curved grotesquely and his lowered voice sounded more like a hiss than a whisper.

The adverb sympathetically is, in this case, unnecessary since patting a hand is a universal sympathetic gesture. The adverb grotesquely is also unnecessary since a lowered voice sounding more like a hiss than a whisper is grotesque. Besides being unnecessary, notice how the adverbs chop the flow compared to this:

He patted her hand and smiled, but to Gomer his lowered voice sounded more like a hiss than a whisper.

Words ending with ing also stir choppy literary waters when overused, as in this sentence.

For a year, I’d been researching and outlining my second novel.

The following seems a small, but evident improvement in the active voice. But not so small when multiplied hundreds of times throughout an article, eliminating hundreds of unnecessary words, or thousands within a book.

For a year, I’d researched and outlined my second novel.

TCW: Can you please tell us a little bit about "Lightning and the Lightning Bug," and how to do this in your own writing?

Aggie: It’s much the same as simply cutting every unnecessary and/or irrelevant word, in fact that is usually how you’ll discover those “almost right” words.

Circle all words that aren’t to the point. The thesaurus is invaluable here. I use it to find words saying precisely what I mean, and in some cases I can substitute one perfect word for five weak ones.

Mark Twain said that “the difference between the almost right word & the right word is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” As helpful as the thesaurus is, it is abused by those who try to emulate archaic writers who use exotic words.

Have you ever read a sentence like this?

Humanity is conceived here exclusively in terms of ritual function—man is made in order to offer sacrifices to the gods—and so the highly differentiated realms of history and moral action are not intimated in the account of man’s creation.

Wouldn’t it make more sense like this?

According to this account of man’s creation, our only function is to sacrifice to the gods. The many facets of our purpose, such as our varied history and morality, are not even hinted at.

My edit may not impress the intelligentsia, but I understood it. Use a thesaurus to make your meaning clear, not to amaze with your intelligence.

Alanna, thankx so much for having me. I have really enjoyed our time together. I’m so honored to be your first guest in this series.

I’d like to offer your readers a free copy of my industry report titled Working Amazon: The Importance of Amazon Tags & How to Get the Most Out of Them.

Some companies charge up to $135 to do tagging for you. Don’t waste your money. I teach how to do it yourself. The feedback on this report has been overwhelming, some marketing experts even blogging about the importance of purchasing it. Just email me saying you got this offer from Alanna’s interview and I’ll email you the pdf file. Email me at aggie@promotionalacarte.com.

***

Aggie, thank you for being the first guest on The Chipper Writer's Seven Question Series, and also for the free offer for my readers!

To my readers, thank you for reading! Also, Aggie is going to make herself available throughout today to answer any questions you may have, so please feel free to email her.

Happy Writing from The Chipper Writer!

Two Announcements from The Chipper Writer

2011-01-24T00:00:00.119-05:00

1. The Writing Show is now all slush pile workshops all the time.

Click to listen to Big Changes at The Writing Show. The site and the forum remain up, as well as the shows I did as a guest host. You can also purchase a DVD of all 330+ shows for $39.95 plus shipping. Please email Paula B if you'd like one at paula@writingshow.com. Paula will also still be doing her story consulting, and if you need some help with your writing, she's one of the best people you can turn to.

I'd like to thank Paula B for giving me the opportunity to guest host for The Writing Show. I'd also like to thank the writers who were my guests (John Derhak, Thrity Umrigar, Deanna Adams, Erin O'Brien, Michael Wilson, and Sarah Willis). A big thank you to all the listeners out there, and I hope you'll continue to tune into The Writing Show for the Slushpile Workshops.

2. I'm launching a new series of online interviews with writers for writers called The Seven Questions Series.

The first, with Aggie Villaneuva, author of The Rewritten Word, will run tomorrow. The basic layout of The Seven Questions Series will be The Background on the writer, The Review of a piece of the writers work, and The Seven Questions. I plan to post one installment a month (for now, as I'm sure aspects of this will change as we go along).

If you're a writer and would like to be a guest on The Seven Questions Series, please email me at alannaklapp@gmail.com for consideration.

I'm also excited that thus far I'm booked through May of 2011!

I hope you'll stop by tomorrow to read the first installment of The Seven Questions Series!

Thanks for reading, and Happy Writing!

Photo credit: stock.xchng.com

Copywriting: How to Put Your Portfolio Together

2011-01-19T00:00:00.031-05:00

Guest post by Maria Rainier

If you’ve always dreamed of breaking into the exciting field of copywriting, but aren’t sure where to begin, you’re not alone. A copywriter is one of the most coveted writing jobs since it combines creativity, strategy, and business acumen. With the allure of working in the advertising world so coveted, getting your foot in the door can take time. But you can’t get started unless you have a good book.

What’s a book? It’s your portfolio of work and is an essential way to show off your conceptual writing abilities to prospective employers. Here are some proven tips to create your portfolio and land that coveted job as a Copywriter.

Get Creative. The first step to putting together a portfolio that showcases your work is to start writing. If you’ve already been working as an intern at an ad agency, or have taken advertising and marketing courses, you’re halfway there. However, if you haven’t started yet, you’ll want to develop some spec ads on your own. Sit down and write some ad copy for a product or service that you’re already very familiar with – think food, drink, clothing, restaurants, etc. Now is not the time to try to learn about a new business. The key is to come up with some big ideas that will get the attention of the Creative Director at the agencies where you’re pitching your work. Once you have your headline and support copy written, partner with a graphic designer to have them create layouts that finish off your concept. This is essential – and if you don’t know any designers, then contact a design school to see if they can recommend someone who is in the same boat. You may need to look online to hire a graphic designer to do the work for you. It’s a small price to pay for a polished concept.

Compile Your Book. Once you’ve got five to seven solid pieces that showcase a wide range of work – print, online, radio and broadcast, you’ll need to head over to an art supply or office retail store to get yourself a portfolio case. These can run you around $100 so be prepared – but remember they’re worth the price when selling yourself. Make sure you enclose each sample of your work in the protective film, and don’t forget to put your name and contact information on the tag. If you can afford it, it’s a good idea to purchase a few portfolio cases in case you’re asked to leave your portfolio behind –which is very common. That way you’ll have another copy to shop around.

Hit the Street. The last, and most important step, is to make contact with the Creative Director, Associate Creative Director, or Senior Copywriter at the big advertising agencies in your city. A great place to start is at your local Ad Club, which often has a roster of contacts. You can also do a simple online search of advertising agencies and check out their website for contact information. Once you have their names, you can send them an email introducing yourself and asking for some time to critique your portfolio. It may sound daunting, but they’ve been in your shoes before, and are usually happy to squeeze in some time to give you feedback. During your meeting, make sure you let them know how much you appreciate their time, and ask for any advice or feedback on your work. Then make sure they know how interested you are in their agency. Who knows, maybe one of your ideas will make them want to give you a chance as an intern or a Junior Copywriter.

Good luck!

Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, where recently she's been researching different types of online physical therapy assistant degrees and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

Maria has written one other guest post for The Chipper Writer, called Find Focus by Elimination Distractions.

How to Stay Motivated as a Writer

2011-01-18T00:00:00.006-05:00

Last November, freelance writer and self-described blog junkie Maria Rainer wrote an excellent guest post for The Chipper Writer, called Find Focus by Eliminating Distractions. Tomorrow, I plan to run her second guest post, "Copywriting: How to Put Your Portfolio Together."

In the meantime, I want to post a link to another guest post Maria wrote for Dallas Woodburn's Writing Life, because I love it. Called Staying Motivated, I read it on a day when I felt down about my writing, and it was just what I needed to start back up.

Happy Writing, and please drop by tomorrow for Maria's guest post! Thanks!

Photo credit: stock.xchng.com

In Honor of MLK Jr. Day

2011-01-17T12:09:00.001-05:00

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Last year, my husband, mother-in-law, and I visited two museums in Cleveland, which for the holiday offer free admission. We'd planned to do it again this year, but couldn't due to work schedules. Here's a recap of our day last year, called Antidote for Winter Blues.

Photo credit: stock.xchng.com

Bitter Chocolate

2011-01-10T23:26:00.002-05:00

Those of you who read Chipper regularly also know I have a "Bitter" side. I am one of five ladies who blog for the only Cleveland Browns blog written exclusively by women, Bitter Orange & Brown. We held our inaugural event, Bitter Chocolate, at The Melting Pot in Lyndhurst. More details in my latest post for Bitter Orange & Brown, Bitter Chocolate.

Click here to read about our next event, March MAC-ness!

As always, thanks for reading, and Happy Writing!

Writing Goals for 2011

2011-01-06T21:46:00.001-05:00

At the end of my last post, I asked about writing goals for 2011. The same question was posed to me by freelance writer Kristine Meldrum Denholm, who blogs at Writing Stories of life: one writer's odyssey. To read my answer and the writing goals of five other writers, check out her terrific post, What We Want: 6 Goals Writers Have for 2011. Feel free to share your writing goals, too, and I wish you Happy Writing this year and beyond!

Photo credit: stock.xchng.com

A Look Back: The 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop

2010-12-30T23:56:00.000-05:00

The 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop took place on September 25 at Lakeland Community College. I participated as a presenter and a student.

Mystery writer and musician Don Bruns spoke on the importance of networking with writers and editors at conferences in his keynote address, "Writing the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of." He also treated us to a musical tribute:

After the keynote, I attended "Mastering the Memoir," taught by one of my favorite writers, Erin O'Brien. With Erin's guidance, we chose an object we connected with on a personal level, and used it to extrapolate details and draw out ideas for memoirs.

Then I learned about the "Elements of a Great Personal Essay" with freelance writer and essayist Stefanie Wass. Stefanie shared the seven elements of a personal essay (notice they are found in fiction, too):

1. "Theme"

2. "Clear story structure"

3. "Setting"

4. "Dialogue"

5. "Metaphor"

6. "Musing voice" (the reader sees the narrator work things out in his or her mind)

7. "Personification"

After Stefanie talked about each element, we took a few minutes and applied them to our own essays. I enjoyed this time to jot down ideas.

After the first two workshops, we broke for lunch. The Q&A Panel followed.

Poet Michael Salinger presented on public speaking for writers. He gave us an acronym, "PIPES":

"Projection"

"Inflection"

"Pacing"

"Eye contact"

"Stance"

The Q&A Panel (from left to right: Susanne Alexander, Alanna Klapp, Michael Salinger, & Deanna Adams)

I spoke next. My presentation, called "Jumpstart Your Writing Life," discussed how to avoid pitfalls and procrastination, and how to organize and make the most of your writing time. I shared pointers from my award-winning essay "Overcoming Procrastination with Logs, Frogs, and Blogs" and the companion piece, "The Finer Points of Frog Eating." I pulled tips from Jennifer Blanchard's e-book, called Butt-In-Chair: A No-Excuses Writing Productivity Guide for Writers Who Struggle to Get Started. I also prepared a supplementary handout with resources. If you'd like one, please email me at alannaklapp@gmail.com.

Next, editor and writer Susanne Alexander talked about the self-edit. She listed nine reasons to edit your work (my favorite part of the creative process):

1. "Action" (use active not passive voice)

2. "Beckon" (readable, invites the reader in)

3. "Brighten" (descriptive words)

4. "De-Jargon" (don't use big words to make your reader stop and get the dictionary, avoid cliches)

5. "Lighten" (you don't always have to write serious work)

6. "Tighten" (cut words that aren't necessary)

7. "Righten" (check pronouns)

8. "Shorten" (use a small word instead of a big word)

9. "Strengthen" (clear up vague writing)

Writer and teacher Keith Manos taught the last workshop, called "Write it Right!" This fun (yes, fun!) grammar course covered punctuation marks and how to write rhythmic sentences. He made me look at the hyphenated modifier in a new way, and after his class I found myself writing them more during practice (disclaimer: don't overuse them, but for warm-ups they are great to loosen up your brain). An example I wrote post-conference:

"So I wasn't going to write tonight, but the compulsive, feels-better-when-I-write-rather-than-when-I-don't part of me said I deserved to sit down and write."

Afterwards, Conference Coordinator and award-winning writer Deanna Adams said, "I'm proud to continue the work of my mentor, Lea Leever Oldham, founder of the Western Reserve Writers Conference, one of the longest running writers conferences in Ohio. Because we writers spend so much time at the keyboard, we really need to get out and mingle with like-minded folks who by nature are supportive, and simply interesting people. They become our mentors, our friends, our consultants. And that's why conferences and workshops are so necessary to writing success."

Deanna & me after the conference

If this piqued your interest, save the date for the spring conference on March 26, 2011. It's a half day instead of a full, but just as valuable, and an excellent way to ease into the world of writers conferences if you haven't attended one yet.

I'll leave you with a quote from novelist Thrity Umrigar. It's from a bonus section in the back of her novel The Space Between Us, called "Words to the Wise Would-Be Writer: 15 Tips." Here's tip #14:

"Be gentle with yourself. Great writing is always compassionate. The same compassion you bring to your observations about the foibles of humanity, you must bring to yourself. So don't judge yourself harshly if the writing is truly terrible on a given day or you decided to go for a walk with your daughter instead of working on your manuscript. Just get back to it the next day."

This always applies, but I think it's even more appropriate for this time of year, when the holidays eat into writing time.

What's your experience with writers conferences? What techniques do you employ to make sure you get some writing time in during the holiday season? What are your writing goals for 2011?

Special thanks to Jenn for the photos and your support.

Happy New Year and Happy Writing!

The Chipper Writer's First Blogiversary

2010-12-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

The inspiration for this post comes from Kass, who blogs at The K..................Is No Longer Silent. In July she wrote a post called Happy Blogiversary to Me, and as soon as I read it I knew I wanted to write my own blogiversary post. A year ago today I wrote my first post, called Alanna Klapp's Four Guest Host Podcasts in 2009.

In the spirit of my first blogiversary, I thought I'd write a recap of my two guest host podcasts for The Writing Show in 2010.

1. Writing Flash Fiction, with Michael Wilson, posted on March 21

Michael Wilson is the author of Flash Writing: How to Write, Revise and Publish Stories Less Than 1000 Words Long. He is also the creator of the JumpStart Jar.

2. A Conversation with Sarah Willis, posted on September 5

Sarah Willis is the author of four novels: Some Things That Stay, The Rehearsal, A Good Distance, and The Sound of Us.

I appreciate you dropping by to help me celebrate my first blogiversary. I've had so much fun blogging and meeting other bloggers. Despite some long gaps between posts (and the two month hiatus I took after the death of my beloved Aunt Joni, when I didn't write much), I'm happy to say I've stuck with it for a year. It's a huge milestone in my journey as a writer. The blog has truly helped me to log some writing hours. Thank you, readers, for giving this blog a reason to exist.

My focus for 2011 will be to make this more of a writing-oriented blog. A special interview series with writers for writers is in the works. I'm exploring in-depth the concept of flow and how to create it while you write, and I plan to post my findings and insights. I'm also working with other bloggers on upcoming guest posts with valuable info for writers (if you missed them check out Three Ways Social Networking Can Increase Book Sales by Angelita Williams and Find Focus by Eliminating Distractions by Maria Rainier). I'm planning on the occasional non-writing post, more book reviews, and of course some football thrown in.

My question to you: what kind of writing topics or other subjects would you like to see posted on The Chipper Writer?

Happy Writing and Happy Holidays from The Chipper Writer, and thanks again for reading!

Cupcake photo credit: stock.xchng.com

The Art (Not Modell) of the Touchdown Celebration

2010-12-04T11:41:00.003-05:00

My new post for Bitter Orange & Brown: The Art (Not Modell) of the Touchdown Celebration. Why Ohio sports fans have to celebrate every chance we get.

Go Bucks & Go Browns!!

Photo credit: Dr. Saturday

Addendum in Conjunction with Mrs. B's Browns Theory

2010-11-28T08:00:00.004-05:00

Earlier this month, I wrote a post for Bitter Orange & Brown called Confidence in Cleveland & Mrs. B's Browns Theory. I enjoyed writing this post because I found the ideal writers state, flow. At some point during the two hours and thirty minutes it took me to create this piece, I brewed a cup of Darjeeling tea (my favorite). I sat back down to write and forgot the tea. When I remembered it, the tea tasted cold.

Flow is a subject I'm fascinated with (and hoping to write more about). I just bought Writing in Flow: Keys to Enhanced Creativity by Susan K. Perry, Ph.D., and am excited to read this book (I've read 70 pages so far).

How have you found flow in your writing life?

Leftover Fun with Words & Food

2010-11-26T13:17:00.016-05:00

Do you have any leftover cherpumple in your refrigerator? How about leftover turducken? Along with food, I'm voracious for words, new words in particular. I started a word journal this year (an idea adopted from Barbara DeMarco-Barrett's Pen on Fire and perhaps the topic of a future post). I anticipate the Word of the Day on my Dictionary.com app for my iPad. So when a colleague handed me an article from the Wall Street Journal about the cherpumple (which I'd not heard of before), I knew I had to write about it.

After I read the article, I knew I'd been a bit behind the times (as I tend to be), so for those of you who are like me and had no idea that "the cherpumple is the turducken of desserts," the definitions:

Turducken: According to Wikipedia, a turducken is a "dish consisting of a de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed into a de-boned turkey." (Also gross if you ask me, but still a fun word.)

Cherpumple: It's the invention of Charles Phoenix. The cherpumple is "a three-layer cake with an entire pie baked into each layer—a cherry pie baked inside a white cake, a pumpkin pie baked inside a yellow cake and an apple pie baked inside a spice cake. He stacked the layers and sealed them with a coat of cream-cheese frosting," wrote Geoffrey A. Fowler in the WSJ article.

Below watch Charles Phoenix demonstrate how to make a cherupumple.

Both turducken and cherpumple are examples of what is called a portmanteau word, "a blend of two (or more) words or morphemes and their meanings into one new word" (from Wikipedia). Turducken combines turkey, duck, and chicken. Cherpumple combines cherry, pumpkin, and apple pie (stacked inside of cake, which I still can't decide if I want to try or if it repells me, but I think it's less gross than the turducken).

I hope you all had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!

Excuse me while I get a slice of leftover apple pie (just pie, not cherpumple).

Photo credit: SFWeekly Blogs

What is Mrs. B's Browns Theory?

2010-11-12T23:38:00.004-05:00

To read the answer, please check out my latest post for Bitter Orange & Brown: Confidence in Cleveland and Mrs. B's Browns Theory.

Go Browns!

Photo credit: Ctpost.com

Numero 99

2010-11-07T08:00:00.012-05:00

My new post for Bitter Orange & Brown: Numero 99. It's all about my favorite linebacker, Scott Fujita.

Follow all the Bitter Orange & Brown chicks on Twitter @BitterOrang

Photo credit: Scene

Find Focus by Eliminating Distractions

2010-11-05T22:08:00.017-04:00

Guest post by Maria Rainier

Full-time writers and those burning the midnight oil typing away at novels-to-be after long days at the office have a common enemy: distractions. They’re everywhere, and that’s no horror film hyperbole.

Whether you rely on your writing income to feed the kids or you have a story worth telling even if it means “working” after work, writing while distracted is an enormous waste of time. The right words don’t come to you, the sentences aren’t formed right, and they don’t flow one after another. I've sat across from my laptop for three hours and literally written one sentence (and then erased it an hour later).

We all work differently. Some of us can write on the train ride to work; others need absolute silence and solitude to function. Regardless of where you stand, keep these points in mind.

Have a Schedule

Some writers assert they don’t need one. If you’re a freelance writer and say you don’t need one, however, you also fool yourself. With a schedule, you can keep assignments in check as well as set aside a visual reminder for various tasks. Perhaps most importantly, with a schedule, you can dictate when you’re working and when you’re not. Remember, there’s no gray area. If you’re writing, focus on writing and on nothing else. Sticking to said schedule can be tough, but remember that it’s your own writing that suffers if you stray from the promises you make to yourself.

Give Yourself Space

Take a look at your workspace. Mine has a candle warmer, a framed photograph of my significant other, a few Italian and Japanese books, an old sweater I should probably throw in the washer, insurance papers, a broken necklace I need to fix, broken sunglasses missing a screw, and the AVID Friend Chip pet microchip brochure I need to fill out for my recently rescued mutt. These are all reminders of non-writing related things I need to do, things that could (and most days do) distract me from writing during designated writing hours.

Clear your desk. Find a bookcase for books, folders for documents, and a to-do box for to-dos—and put them under your desk or otherwise away from your workspace. It’s unfair to ask yourself to keep all these things in mind while writing, too.

Demarcate Writing from Everything Else

This can be difficult for people like me. I’m both a freelance writer as well as an aspiring fiction writer. When doing the former, I use the same desk with the same calendar, same candle, same cup of coffee, same books as I do when I’m writing fiction. Distinguishing when I write for pleasure and when I feel like I can squeeze in one more assignment for a bit more pay can be difficult. Distinguishing when I write at all and when I want to see what my friends are up to on Facebook or what’s going on in the world of television and movies can be even more difficult.

The Internet is probably the freelance writer’s strongest friend and most treacherous enemy, especially if you work from the same computer. I recently learned this lesson the hard way; because I Facebooked intermittently during work hours, my family and friends assumed I had an easy job from which I could take time off to socialize or help them with household chores. Soon, my mother-in-law was calling me to help her let the dogs out of their rooms or to water the plants while she was gone, and my friends overseas complained when I wouldn’t Skype with them in the middle of the day.

If you find yourself Facebooking or web-browsing often during designated writing hours, try using a different browser just for writing. Don’t include any social networks or leisure-related sites to your favorites list. Use another browser for leisure sites and keep this one off your desktop.

Stick with your schedule and write a certain number of hours a day, using those hours only to write. After hours, do with your time what you like, be it Facebook or YouTube, guilt-free. Motivation is hard to come by, anyway—why fight for it? Instead, give yourself the opportunity to write when you need to write, work when you need to work, and play when you need to play.

Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education performing research surrounding online universities and their various program offerings. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

"Get your pink on"

2010-10-28T21:38:00.005-04:00

My latest post for Bitter Orange & Brown: Pigskin Pink.

Photo credit: bizrate.com

The Chipper Writer Listed in The Written Connection

2010-10-25T22:27:00.003-04:00

I'm pleased to tell you The Chipper Writer is now listed in a directory of writers blogs called The Written Connection. A.M. Kuska, the owner of The Written Connection, gave my blog a nice review and interviewed me, all of which can be read here.

The goal of The Written Connection is "to make it easy for writers to find other writing related blogs, and their voice to be heard as well." Below are links to a few of the other writers blogs listed in the directory, and I recommend looking at them all.

Writing. Family. Life.
Author: EK Carmel

Write For Me
Author: Hallie Sawyer

Miss Rosemary's Novel Ideas
Author: Rosemary O'Connor

Tales from the Writing Front
Author: Dara Sorenson

A Writer of Wrongs
Author: Terry Towery

If you'd like your writing blog to be considered for the directory, or if you'd like to recommend one, please email The Written Connection at sskid2000@hotmail.com.

What are some of your favorite writing blogs? Please share!

Photo Credit: Blogging Research Wordle by Kristina B on Flickr

New Over at the Browns Blog: Of Course Not! It's the Browns!

2010-09-27T19:20:00.007-04:00

After yesterday's Browns game, I felt like this:

Which made me feel like posting this, over at Bitter Orange & Brown: Of Course Not! It's the Browns!

In case you missed them, here are my other football posts:

Ouch

Why Who Dat Nation Gives the Dawg Pound Hope

Hello Scott Fujita!

Football Quote #1

All I want for Christmas is one Brownies win this year. If I start asking now, I just might get it by then. Or not.

In any case, thanks for reading, and happy writing from The Chipper Writer.

Three Ways Social Networking Can Increase Book Sales

2010-09-22T21:19:00.011-04:00

This is the first guest post for The Chipper Writer, contributed by Angelita Williams.

While social media networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter can keep you connected with friends and family, they can also serve as excellent marketing tools for writers trying to promote their latest project. But it takes more than just creating a profile or fan page to keep the momentum and your number of readers up. Here are 3 tips to utilize networking sites properly and increase book sales.

Create a fan base. This might be the hardest part for new and upcoming writers. The key thing to remember is that you need to build a connection with your readers/fans so that you can prove later on to your publisher that you actually have them. Knowing fan base numbers may become beneficial when you want to get the green light on your next project. Creating a fan base can be accomplished in several different ways.

1) Responding to selected tweets/wall post every now and then. This shows your readers that you do care what they have to say and that you personally participate in your page. Fans prefer it when the writers themselves monitor their pages as opposed to a publisher. Take note that it’s not all about you either, meaning don’t only respond to things regarding you. Commenting on fans’ and other writers’ statuses/tweets that interest you is also encouraged.

2) Another way build a fan base is to create scheduled forums or “chat times.” For example, make a post saying, “From 3 to 4 p.m. I’ll answer any question written on my wall or tweeted to me.” Or, “Today from 3 to 4p.m. I will be having a forum discussing my latest book.” Readers will get to know you better and you’ll get to know your readers better as well. It’s important to note that some readers/fans may use this opportunity to criticize you, and it’s important not to respond rudely when/if they do.

Use all of the site’s applications. Whether it be videos, photos, or the events applications, make sure you use all of what the site has to offer to its maximum potential. Change your profile picture to be somewhat related to your project, for instance, the cover of your book if it is available. Use the events section to invite fans to promotional events such as book releases. Use your Facebook status and tweet updates as teasers like a line from your book, or the release date. You can also use your statuses/tweets to get ideas from your fans. You can post questions like, “Do you like this idea?” or, “I need a good name for this character, any suggestions?” Anything that can keep your fans interacting is best.

Previews/Trailers: Hollywood uses them to promote up and coming films, why not create them for your book to give your readers a little taste of what’s to come? This can be accomplished numerous ways. One way is to post a video of yourself reading a section of your book out loud accompanied with images or music that sets the theme of your book. This is an excellent way to plug your book. It will ultimately leave your readers wanting the whole thing. Whatever you choose to do, make it creative and make sure that it will leave your audience wanting to buy the book. To make sure that your fans see it and don’t pass it up accidentally on their mini feeds on Facebook, you can send the video in a mass private message.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topic of online college courses. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 @gmail.com.

A Conversation with Novelist Sarah Willis & Brian Martin's Community Short Story Project

2010-09-20T00:01:00.025-04:00

Greetings, dear readers. I have two writing-related tidbits to share with you:

1. My latest interview for The Writing Show, A Conversation with Sarah Willis, is now available for download here. Sarah Willis is the author of four novels: Some Things That Stay, The Rehearsal, A Good Distance, and The Sound of Us. I spoke with Sarah about her books and the writer's life.

2. Over at The Writing Show, Brian Martin's Community Short Story Project is well underway, but there's still plenty of time for you to participate and win some great prizes. If your story is selected as a winner, you have your choice of the following prizes:

-an appearance on The Writing Show

-a 750-word critique of a first chapter from Paula B.

-a perfect-bound paperback from the Espresso Book Machine at the McMaster University bookstore

-a copy of Maralys Wills' inspiring book Damn the Rejections, Full Speed Ahead: The Bumpy Road to Getting Published

-help with a query letter from Paula B.

Round 3 submissions will be accepted until October 2. Voting for Round 3 will take place October 3-9, and the winner announced on October 10.

To learn more, read the write-up on The Writing Show's Web site, and get into The Writing Show Forum to participate. Once in the forum categories, click on Brian Martin's Community Short Story Project.

Happy writing from The Chipper Writer!

New Bitter Orange & Brown Post

2010-09-19T00:21:00.005-04:00

I posted a new piece on Bitter Orange & Brown called Ouch. This is the picture for the post. Enough said, check it out, especially if you feel as snarky about Cleveland sports in general and the Cleveland Browns in particular as I do.

New Guest Post for Procrastinating Writers

2010-09-11T20:21:00.010-04:00

What is flow and how is it created? You can read the answer in my new guest post for the Procrastinating Writers Blog, called Time Warp: 5 Ways to Find Flow in Your Writing.

If you missed them, here are my two other pieces posted on Jennifer Blanchard's blog that "offers guidance for writers who struggle to get started":

My second place essay for the Procrastinating Writers Blog essay contest:
Logs, Frogs, & Blogs

The companion article to the essay:
The Finer Points of Frog Eating

Also, a reminder....the 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference and Workshop is two weeks from today on September 25. There's still time to register here.

Happy Writing from The Chipper Writer!

Photo credit: Day 79 – focus by margolove on Flickr

27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference & Workshop

2010-09-05T23:23:00.008-04:00

You may recall my post last March about the 19th Annual Western Reserve Spring Writers Conference. The fall counterpart, the 27th Annual Western Reserve Writers Conference and Workshop, will take place at Lakeland Community College (Kirtland, OH) on September 25 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

I'm pleased to tell you I'll be a presenter on the Q & A Panel this year. My presentation is called "Jumpstart Your Writing Life". I'll discuss how to avoid pitfalls and procrastination, and how to organize and make the most of your writing time.

Erin O'Brien will host a workshop called "Mastering the Memoir" and John Ettorre will talk about "Social Networking? There's a Better Way." Conference Coordinator Deanna Adams will hold a workshop titled "About Book Proposals and the Novel Synopsis."

The cost of the conference is $95 (which includes lunch if you register by September 10th), and for an additional fee of $10, you can sign up for a prearranged editing session with Nancy Piazza, Elizabeth Irwin, or Jo Gibson. For more information, including a complete list of workshops, the bios of all the presenters and editors, and to register, please click here. I'd love to see you there!

If you can't make it to the conference (or if you can) but would still like to learn some valuable writing advice from Erin O'Brien and/or Deanna Adams, you can download and listen to my interviews with them on The Writing Show. I spoke with Erin about fiction and nonfiction writing, and Deanna about memoir.

The Importance of Detail, with Erin O'Brien

Writing Memoir, with Deanna Adams

The main pitfall I encounter is procrastination, which I have to battle every day in order to get words down. The focus of my talk at Lakeland will be on how to overcome procrastination and organize writing time. I'm curious though, from my fellow writers and bloggers, what other difficulties do you face and what do you do to defeat them so you can write?

Thanks for reading, happy writing, and I do hope to see you at the conference!

Pearl Jam: Not Just for My High School Angst Anymore

2010-07-19T21:07:00.009-04:00

Watch the full episode. See more Austin City Limits.

I first heard this song two Saturdays ago while watching a Saturday Night Live rerun, and fell in love with Pearl Jam all over again. (Yes, I know this song was released last year, but I'm a bookworm and a writer and a bit behind on some things, like music.)

Here's a link to the lyrics: http://lyrics.url.com/show/5203/pearl-jam/just-breathe-lyrics

Where Will LeBron Play?

2010-07-07T18:31:00.011-04:00

Is Cleveland going to get kicked in the face on national television tomorrow night?

It's written on LeBron's new Web site (www.lebronjames.com) that he will announce his decision live on ESPN tomorrow at 9 PM ET. The special is titled "The Decision". As if a press conference isn't enough, we must have a nationally televised special to cap off all the hype that began in 2009. Funds will be given to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America as a result of this piece of television history, so that makes me feel less ill about it (but still, really?).

I hate to be cynical, but I'm shielding my face tomorrow.

I'd love nothing more than to be proven wrong.

LeBron Appreciation

2010-07-03T19:18:00.008-04:00

I found this cartoon in the June 24-30 edition of the West Side Leader.

If you're tired of all the hype and speculation like I am, take comfort in the fact that it's been reported that LeBron wants to make his decision by July 5th. That's the day after tomorrow, and he just went up a notch in my book for not dragging this out any more. That's probably the difference between me rooting for him even if he leaves Cleveland or losing respect for him. No matter who he plays for, LeBron is still from Akron, and he wants to win an NBA Championship, and I want LeBron to win a ring, too. Of course, I'd much rather have him win it here, but even as a girl I rooted for both the Cavs and the Bulls. I was a huge Michael Jordan fan and I think LeBron is next in line, no matter what jersey he decides to wear next season.

In the meantime, have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Stand Naked on Your Front Lawn

2010-05-15T18:34:00.002-04:00

In March, I wrote a post called 12 Steps to a Writing Life. Step Four, I make a searching and fearless inventory of myself and the world around me, and write it down, as I see it, resonated with blogger EK Carmel, who commented: "Great list. That 'searching and fearless inventory of myself and the world' gets me to the core. When I first started writing, I just wanted to tell stories. I didn't realize then just how much of ourselves goes into these stories. Sometimes, it seems like I'm standing out there in my underwear for all to see. I must be developing a thicker skin because it doesn't seem as scary anymore. Thanks for the wonderful insights!"

I responded to EK: "Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, in her book Pen on Fire, in the chapter titled 'Expose Yourself,' quotes novelist Jo-Ann Mapson on page 98: 'Exposing yourself means writing close to the bone. It seems to me writers are born with one less layer of skin, so that they are privy to hard truths and pain that others might not feel.' I think it can be a difficult thing to do, and I'm happy to hear it doesn't seem as scary anymore for you. I also think a writer needs a thick skin to handle the rejection that often comes when one does expose themselves through writing."

About a month later, I received an e-mail from my blogger friend Jenn, who felt anxiety blogging about matters that were extremely personal to her. She worried that she should blog about a less personal topic. Then she asked me if I thought she was crazy.

It isn't crazy to feel this way, it's natural. All writers feel this anxiety, whether we blog or write essays or fiction. No matter what you write, you have to expose yourself. The universal is in the personal, the hallmark of great writing.

In The Writing Show forum (please stop by and check it out if you haven't already), there's a discussion underway about exposing yourself through writing. Mark Leslie, the interviewee of Episode 10 of Getting Published with Mark Leslie (you can find the other nine episodes in the archives, under "Reality Show Archives"), wrote the following: "I interviewed science fiction writer Julie E. Czerneda many years ago shortly after she got her first contract with DAW books (prior to that she'd been a writer/editor of Biology textbooks) and she compared having a novel published with standing naked on the front lawn."

DeMarco-Barrett quotes Jo Ann Mapson again on page 99 of Pen on Fire: "I think that writers need to make a list of 'forbidden topics,' and then make themselves write about them. Such writing doesn't have to be shared, but it will help to access strong emotions, and strong emotions lead to intense writing. Intense writing can teach a writer how to approach and explore any kind of topic. But if all that stuff is moldering away in the heart, well, it's a kind of constipation that keeps a writer from creating believable, involving stories."

Give it a try. Make your list of "forbidden topics," and then write about them. Stand naked on your front lawn. Don't constipate your writing. If it's just too personal to explore in an essay or other type of nonfiction work, give it to a fictional character and embellish on it even more. Remember, you don't have to share it with anyone if you choose not to. By exposing ourselves through writing, we find the universal in the personal, and create connections with those who read and find value in our words. It's a powerful process.

Thoughts?

The Eleventh Day of May

2010-05-11T00:01:00.011-04:00

I graduated from Kent State University on May 11, 2002, eight years ago today. As a gift, my husband (who back then was my fiance) gave me a silver heart-shaped locket with "Alanna & Mark" and the date engraved on the back. That day is imprinted into my brain like the letters and numbers etched in the silver.

The photo is a picture of me with my Aunt Joni on graduation day. She's struggled with Alzheimer's for the past few years, and they don't know how much longer she'll live. I wanted to post this photo as my tribute to her. It's because of her I went to Israel at the end of 2000, it's because of her I took Hebrew for my foreign language instead of the usual French or Spanish, and it's because of her, in large part, that I am who I am today. She encouraged me to write and to believe in my dreams.

I didn't intend for this to happen, but on May 11, 2009, I created another important anniversary: I've kept a writing log for exactly one year. The writing log has been an enormous game-changer for me, as far as my writing life is concerned. Most of you have read this, but if you're new to my blog, I wrote about my writing log in my essay for one of my favorite blogs, the Procrastinating Writers Blog , called Logs, Frogs, and Blogs.

The partial inspiration for this post came from another favorite blogger of mine, John Ettorre's blog Working with Words. I can only link to it through the archives; it's the post dated 11/23/09 called Secret Anniversaries of the Heart.

This prompts me to ask you, fellow readers and writers, three questions. Please feel free to leave your comments on any or all of the questions, along with other thoughts.

1. What are your personal anniversaries?

2. If you are a writer, what devices do you use to keep yourself writing?

3. Who in your life has helped you to believe in yourself (as a writer or otherwise)?

Congratulations Are In Order

2010-05-08T22:36:00.002-04:00

Congratulations are in order in no particular order. Mo Williams "threw the hammer down" for the first time in a Cavaliers uniform on Saturday May 1st, in Game 1 against the Boston Celtics.

Earlier this week, LeBron James received his second MVP award.

Anderson Varejao received his first All-Defensive Team award; he made the Second Team.

LeBron made the All-Defensive First Team for the second year in a row.

And, oh yeah, the Cavs won Game 3 on Friday, 124-95.

I hope the Cavs can keep the momentum going in Game 4 tomorrow! I discovered Fred McLeod's blog on CavFanatic two days ago, and his post Reclaiming Home Court will prime you for tomorrow, which is also Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

Go Cavs!!

A Petition to Create Endometriosis Awareness & Understanding

2010-05-02T15:40:00.005-04:00

My friend and fellow blogger Jenn posted Please Sign the Petition, which contains the link you see above. Endometriosis is a disease that affects an estimated 89 million women, but few people are even aware of this disease. This petition was started by Jeanne, who blogs at Chronic Healing. I also have this link at the bottom of my blog, but I wanted to post it at the top and urge you, whether you have endometriosis or not, and regardless if you are a woman or man, to please sign this petition. It'll only take a minute of your time and it costs nothing. Your information will be kept private. If you'd like to post this petition on your blog or Web site, please contact me, and I'd be happy to send you the embed code. With your support we can make a difference to create awareness and find the cure for endometriosis. Thank you and God bless!

My Cavs Video

2010-05-01T14:44:00.004-04:00

I didn't even know I had this video on my camera until today. I shot this with my little Sony Cyber-shot at the Cavs game on 4/2/10 against the Atlanta Hawks; LeBron shot a jumper and I just happened to capture it. I think it's awesome. You can feel the energy from the Crowd at the Q! Cavs take on the Celtics tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Go Cavs!!!!!

Welcome to Cleveland, Scott Fujita

2010-04-29T20:19:00.006-04:00

With the Cavs off until Saturday, I had some time to think about my second favorite spectator sport, football. You can read what I pondered over at Bitter Orange & Brown, in my post titled Hello, Scott Fujita! Thanks for reading!

The Many Spectacles of Mike Brown

2010-04-24T22:52:00.014-04:00

I can't help but notice how Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown sports a stylin' pair of lenses every game. A Google search produced The Plain Dealer article Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown routinely wins, which reported Mr. Brown's glasses are the result of an endorsement deal with a frame designer. Fabulous.

I hope his luxe eye wear helps him to see clearly and make the necessary adjustments for a win against the Bulls tomorrow afternoon. Go Cavs!

moe. at the Moog

2010-04-16T18:58:00.008-04:00

Last December, Paste Magazine and Moog Music teamed up to record a web series called Live at Moog Music, which spotlights various artists as they have their way with Moog's synthesizers, guitars, and effects pedals. There are eight episodes; each band plays three songs. My favorite band, moe., is featured in episode eight. Below are links to the videos. Enjoy, and then check out the other episodes on the Live at Moog page.

Moog Jam

Tailspin

Blue Jeans Pizza

Aggie Villanueva Interviews Paula Berinstein

2010-04-11T18:51:00.013-04:00

It's unusual for Paula Berinstein, the producer and host of The Writing Show, to answer the questions instead of ask them. Aggie Villaneuva of Visual Arts Junction interviews Paula B.about her writing endeavors, how The Writing Show began, and the new features of the podcast, such as The Writing Show Slush Pile Workshop and the Forum, in a post titled The Woman & The Writing Show: Paula Berinstein. I'm a huge fan of both Paula and Aggie, and I enjoyed reading this interview between two of the best in the business.

Guest Post for Procrastinating Writers

2010-04-06T21:30:00.004-04:00

I wrote a guest post for the Procrastinating Writers Blog, a follow-up piece to my essay, Logs, Frogs, and Blogs. It's called The Finer Points of Frog Eating. As always, I'd love to read your thoughts, and I thank you for reading.

Welcome Back, Z!

2010-03-24T21:21:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, The Cleveland Cavaliers announced the return of center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Look out for the deepest team in the NBA!

For more Cavs goodies, check out the links below:

LBJ's To-Do List

Something Silly

About LeBron's Shoes

A Tribute to Anderson Varejao

Leapin' LeBron

Go Cavs!!

Writing Flash Fiction, with Michael Wilson

2010-03-22T22:27:00.008-04:00

I interviewed Michael Wilson, author of Writing Flash Fiction: How to Write, Revise, and Publish Stories Less Than 1000 Words Long, on The Writing Show. Click here to listen. Michael is the creator of the JumpStart Jar, and publishes two blogs:

1. Grist for the Muse: The creative writing resource that gets you writing and keeps you writing.

2. The 15-Minute Writer: Helping you achieve your writing dreams in just 15 minutes a day.

You know you want one of these! I do!

For a list of my other interviews for The Writing Show, click here.

Thanks for listening!

19th Annual Western Reserve Spring Writers Conference

2010-03-17T22:02:00.017-04:00

Writers will gather on March 27th for the 19th Annual Western Reserve Spring Writers Conference at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, OH. From 8:30 in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon, participants attend their choice of three hour-long classes. Among the variety of topics this spring are "Writing for Children: Words and Illustrations" (Annette Sheldon), "Creating Credible Characters" (Debbie Alferio), and "The Scoop on Agents" (Holly Jacobs). Each hour contains four subjects to choose from, and everyone is encouraged to hop classrooms within the hour if there's more than one they'd like to catch. The conference ends with a networking reception, refreshments, book sale, and author signing.

Unique to this conference is "Forming a Writers' Group", a special session facilitated by Diane Campbell Taylor. Her work has been published in The Plain Dealer and Grit magazine. The goal is to help writers get together to form their first writing group. "This is a wonderful, shot-in-the-arm way to learn more about the craft and business of writing and to make friends with other writers. Many writers groups - and success stories! - have been born as a direct result of these conferences," says Conference Coordinator Deanna R. Adams. Deanna has just released her new book, Cleveland's Rock and Roll Roots. (Deanna has also written a fabulous memoir called Confessions of a Not-So-Good Catholic Girl. I interviewed her about it on The Writing Show.)

The cost of the conference is $65, and for an additional fee of $10, writers can register for prearranged editing sessions with award-winning editor Nancy E. Piazza, a published writer with 21 years of editing experience. She works with novels, short stories, nonfiction books, articles, essays, memoirs, blogs, and letters for aspiring and published writers through her business, Writeperson Ltd.

For more information, including the bios of all the conference presenters, and to register, please click here. Enrollment is still open. Hope to see some of you there!

I Won Second Place in the Procrastinating Writers Blog Essay Contest!

2010-03-09T12:09:00.005-05:00

I wrote a post called Let Your Light So Shine back in December, and mentioned I was working on an essay for The Procrastinating Writers Blog essay contest. I'm thrilled to announce my essay won second place! You can read it here if you'd like. I'll also be writing a guest post for The Procrastinating Writers Blog which should be posted around the end of March. Stay tuned and thanks, as always, for reading!

12 Steps to a Writing Life

2010-03-07T18:53:00.016-05:00

In 2008, I joined a writers group for a few months. We did some writing exercises, one of which was to write 12 steps for writers, inspired by The 12 Step Program for Alcoholics Anonymous. Here's what I wrote.

12 Steps to a Writing Life

Hello. My name is Alanna. I am a writer. This is my version of Writers Anonymous: 12 Steps to a Writing Life (I write them in the present tense because they are never finished, they are things I must do over and over again).

1. I admit I am powerless without writing- that my life is empty without it.

2. I believe the muse can pour the words into my brain, down my arm, through my fingers, into the pen, onto the page.

3. I make the decision, sometimes hourly, to write no matter what else is going on in my life. No excuses.

4. I make a searching and fearless inventory of myself and the world around me, and write it down, as I see it.

5. I admit on paper the exact nature of my flaws through my characters and stories.

6. I am entirely ready to let the characters speak for themselves, and not force the characters into a mold or stereotype.

7. I humbly apologize to the characters when I do try to control them.

8. I make a list of all the characters in my story, and I am willing to listen to all of their backstories, even if it's time consuming, and even if the information doesn't go into the finished story.

9. I allow the characters and the story to evolve and change whenever possible, except when to do so would block the progression of the story.

10. I continue to take inventory of myself and the world around me, and write it all down, as I see it, and if I dance around the truth, I rewrite it.

11. I seek, though daily writing practice, books, classes, and my writing community, to improve my craft and discipline, to the best of my ability, and to draw inspiration and knowledge from these various sources to achieve my writing goals.

12. As a result of these steps, I have experienced a creative awakening, and I try to carry this message to other writers and would-be writers, and to practice these principles in my writing life.

Guess I'd Better Hurry Up and Write My 2012 Book

2010-03-06T17:53:00.008-05:00

Actually, I am too late; unless I wrote it tomorrow and self-published, it's probable, depending on the publisher, that the traditional pipeline is longer than the number of days until 2012.

IS IT SPRING YET?

2010-03-03T21:32:00.012-05:00

Last month, I posted about the snow creations at the Sapporo Snow Festival, and included the "snow art" I built with my neighbor and her son last year. Below is the 2010 creation (orchestrated by my husband). The sign reads, "IS IT SPRING YET?"

Check out this sculpture of "two feet of snow" seen in Chicago, and here's a video of a North Ridgeville, Ohio family who built a snow cylinder over two stories tall.

I don't know why I have such a fascination with snow art all of a sudden; I think if I don't look for the beauty in snow, I focus on the slush.

Antidote for Winter Blues

2010-02-27T11:02:00.024-05:00

Each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the museums in Cleveland offer free admission. My husband, mother-in-law, and I took the opportunity to visit The Cleveland Botanical Gardens and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. I've had a thing for dinosaurs since I was a kid, but the gardens proved to uplift our sprits from the blues and blahs that come with winter once the holidays are over. "Nice break from the dank," I heard one woman say as we walked around. Indeed, to be surrounded by green instead of gray for an hour refreshed and energized. In that regard, on this snowy Saturday (if you live in Ohio or on the East Coast of the US or anywhere else where winter packs a punch much of the year), enjoy these photos I took at the gardens and dream of spring, which according to the calendar is only three weeks away.

Me and my mummy-in-law, one of my favorite people in the world!

This photo explains the photo above

Here's a fun fact!

This is called a voodoo lily

The Army of Women (and Men)

2010-02-24T20:39:00.009-05:00

The Army of Women is a partnership between the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and the Avon Foundation for Women; the mission is to find the cure for breast cancer. The goal is to recruit one million women to partner with research scientists for studies to find the cause and cure. At this writing, there are 328,389 volunteers in the army (and yours truly is one of them). If you choose to sign up, click here to join and register your name, e-mail, age, city, and state. You'll then receive e-mail updates with details of new research studies searching for volunteers with and without breast cancer. If you fit the criteria the study is looking for, you can then choose whether or not to participate.

I was a member of The Army of Women for over a year before they sent out a study I could take part in. The Health of Women Study (HOW)is the first online study of one million women (to my male readers, they're looking for men, too!) with and without breast cancer. The study will compare those who have the disease with those who don't over a period of 20 years. Every couple of months they'll e-mail a new online questionnaire, or "module," for you to complete. The modules take about 30 minutes to complete and address topics such as health and family history. The results will be shared as the study progresses.

This is an easy way for you to contribute to the eradication of breast cancer. My grandmother had breast cancer, beat it, and lived to be 97 years old. Cancer in general and breast cancer in particular has touched all of us in some form, even if you know a friend of a friend. The Army of Women still needs 676,611 women (and some men, too!) for their cause and this study. There's no money involved, just a little bit of your time. If you do decide to sign up, please tell a friend, your mother, your sister, your niece, your girlfriend. If we all recruited just one person, think how much faster the million-women mark would be reached, and how much closer we could be to a cure.

The Winners of the Blogophobia Conquered Giveaway

2010-02-20T12:43:00.004-05:00

Here are the winners of a free copy of Laura Christianson's e-book, Blogophobia Conquered:

1. Kass, who blogs at The "K" Is No Longer Silent and ReDoingTheUndone

2. Letitia Suk: http://www.letitiasuk.com/

3. Lori Lowe: www.LifeGems4Marriage.com

4. Elisabeth, who blogs at Sixth In Line

5. Kristine Meldrum Denholm: http://www.kristinemeldrumdenholm.com/ and http://www.kristinemeldrumdenholm.blogspot.com/

Congratulations to the winners! Laura has e-mailed you your free copy. If you don't receive it soon, it may have gone into your spam box. If that happens, please e-mail Laura at laura@bloggingbistro.com . I'm looking forward to reading your reviews!

You can read Review: Blogophobia Conquered if you're interested in reading about this fantastic e-book for bloggers and wannabe bloggers. It's a gem!

An Announcement in Care of Blogging Bistro

2010-02-18T11:58:00.005-05:00

On Tuesday, I posted a review of my new favorite e-book, Blogophobia Conquered: Overcome the 7 Most Common Fears and Create an Amazing Blog, by Laura Christianson, who blogs at Blogging Bistro. Laura will send a free copy of her e-book (normally $19.99) to the first five people who post a comment on Tuesday's post, Review: Blogophobia Conquered, and who also agree to write a review of the book on their blog. So, if you're interested, please leave me a comment on Tuesday's blog entry! I'll need your e-mail to send to Laura so she can send you your free copy.

P.S. There may be more than five comments by the time you read this, but some of them are mine, so please leave a comment if you'd like a copy to review. If there are less than five at the time of your comment, you'll receive a free copy from Laura!

Review: Blogophobia Conquered

2010-02-16T20:58:00.018-05:00

After I wrote Book and Blog Highlights last month, I had the good fortune to connect with Laura Christianson, who offered to send me a copy of her latest e-book, Blogophobia Conquered: Overcome the 7 Most Common Fears & Create an Amazing Blog, if I wanted to write a review.

Not only did I enjoy this e-book, I learned a ton, and it's now my go-to guide. I'll read all 88 pages two, three, four, maybe five times. The advice is practical, concise, and not at all intimidating.

There are seven chapters, named for the fears that occur when writers ponder the great question: To blog or not to blog?

1. Technophobia
2. Decidophobia
3. Scriptophobia
4. Formatophobia (my favorite chapter, more on that in a bit)
5. Socialphobia
6. Borophobia
7. Addictophobia

I love Laura's writing style and her use of similes, metaphors, and analogies to make her point. For example, on page 5: "Fear is a powerful force. When you allow it to creep in, fear squelches you, paralyzes you, and keeps you stranded on Someday Isle in the middle of the writing ocean."

I also appreciated the idea of The Ready-Made Pie Crust Method, as someone who burns food often. Don't fear that you aren't technically inclined enough to write a blog. A blog-hosting service is like a ready-made pie crust. The shell, the structure, is already prepared, and all you have to do is pour in the filling you created.

Another great analogy, on page 13, discusses how a blog is the hub of your online social network. The spokes are sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and these spokes are attached to the hub. As I read this, I visualized a wheel.

While the focus is on how to write a blog, there's guidance that can be applied to all forms of writing. For example, the last paragraph on page 31, about voice, is some of the best advice I've ever read on this subject.

Chapter 4, "Formatophobia," my favorite chapter, contains step-by-step instructions on how to make your blog stand out and look pretty for bloggers who fear they can't design a blog (like me). I cheered when I read this section (literally).

Sprinkled throughout are text boxes to reinforce points. My favorite text box is "5 Types of Blog Commenters" on page 53. There are tips on how to deal with less-than-desirable commenters. The encouragement file on page 56 is such a great idea, too!

As I read, I kept going back to my blog to check and make sure it lined up with what's written in the book, and made notes for changes. I plan to utilize her suggestions on my own blog to the fullest. If you're thinking about blogging or you're a new blogger, this book is a must-read. Spring the $19.99 and avoid the pitfalls; it's more than worth it. Before I started writing my blog, I read and studied blogs I liked, and I learned some of the information that's contained in this e-book on my own. However, that process took me eight months. You can save lots of time reading and applying the information to your blog. I'm grateful to have read this book at the beginning of my blogging endeavor to save me time in the future.

Thanks to Laura Christianson for the opportunity to review her fabulous e-book!

From Snow to Sand

2010-02-13T14:26:00.005-05:00

I wrote my last post about snow art, and today's involves sand art.

The video below is Kseniya Simonova, the 2009 winner of Ukraine's Got Talent. She is a 24-year-old sand artist; she uses a light box, music (listen to the instrumental version of Nothing Else Matters by Metallica towards the end), and sand to create images of Germany's invasion of the Ukraine during World War II.

The Sapporo Snow Festival

2010-02-11T20:49:00.009-05:00

The 61st Sapporo Snow Festival came to a close today in Japan. The incredible snow sculptures make me think we could put the snow on the ground in Ohio and the Eastern United States (not to mention it's snowing in Dallas, Texas as I write this) to better use. However, I'm not artistic with snow as the medium.

I did help my neighbor Jenny and her son Josh build this snowman last winter. Does that count?

Are You a Dipper or a Drizzler?

2010-02-08T18:13:00.005-05:00

Last Thursday, H.J. Heinz Co. announced the revamped version of the ketchup packet. Come this fall, you'll have two options for eating ketchup on the go. But is it environmentally friendly? I don't even like ketchup, but I found all this fuss fascinating. Which brings to mind the question: Are you a dipper or a drizzler?

Bitter Orange and Brown

2010-02-06T19:32:00.006-05:00

Bitter Orange and Brown is a blog dedicated to the Cleveland Browns. It was created by Kristen Kaleal, an image consultant and wardrobe stylist. Also contributing are: Paige Boyer, Marie Cauley, and Kristine Meldrum Denholm. I wrote my first post today, called Why Who Dat Nation Gives the Dawg Pound Hope. Please check it out, tell a friend, and stop by the Bitter Orange and Brown blog and say hello!

Leapin' LeBron

2010-02-02T12:02:00.004-05:00

During the Lakers game on January 21st, LeBron James leapt over the Lakers' bench as he chased down the ball that ended up out of bounds. Can you imagine sitting there watching LeBron flying at you? I think I'd be terrified, but then, like the woman he landed next to, I'd hug him! (It's not shown in this clip.)

I hope for more leaping and our ninth straight win tonight against the Grizzlies! Go Cavs!!

Rest in Peace J.D. Salinger

2010-01-29T12:14:00.002-05:00

As many of you know, J.D. Salinger, most known for his novel The Catcher in the Rye, died on January 27th at the age of 91. You can read about his life and his work here. Rest in peace, Mr. Salinger. He will always live on through his writing.

Good Advice for People Who Sit

2010-01-26T21:08:00.003-05:00

"Remember, it's good to get up every so often, anyway. Sitting for more than twenty or thirty minutes at a time compresses the discs in the vertebrae and brings on early arthritis. Take care of your health. Move around. Go for walks. Enjoy your life."
-Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, from what might be my favorite book on writing ever, Pen on Fire. I'm seriously obsessed with this book right now. I first wrote about it here.

This is good advice for all of us, not just writers. I sit too much. And now I'm off for a stretch.