The Friday Five Favorites of June 5th

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Though I've been back online since last week, getting a post updated has proved difficult. More on that later. For now, I merely want to get a Favorites out to everyone. This week I thought I would address five of my favorite RSS feeds. So here we go.
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No. 1—Words on a Page
I’ve posted a link to her blog more than once already, but it bears repeating. Lori Widmer is a great resource for freelance writers. She is also a champion for fair working wages [Writer’s Worth Day], and not selling oneself short.
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No. 2—The Urban Muse
I found Susan Johnston’s site via Twitter [UrbanMuseWriter], and find it to be another great source of information. See: 5 Tips for Organizing Source Material or I Said, He Said, We Said
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No. 3—Freedom From The Mundane
Okay! I’m more familiar right now with his website and Twitter posts, but— I’m a few chapters into Colin Galbraith's, Stella, [Yes. You read right! Review pending—and more about that soon!], and subscribed to his blog a day or so back. Check out his first stop on the blog tour for:

No. 4—Quips and Tips
Another Twitter find, Laurie Pawlik-Keinlen’s site is another great resource for both the beginning and seasoned writer. As goes her Tweets? They're filled with inspiring quotes and quips.

No. 5—Working Writer’s Coach
Lastly, I met Suzanne Lieurance during last year’s Muse Online Writer’s Conference, and subscribed to her Build Your Business Write newsletter soon after. Do yourself a favor and meet up with her as well.

Though I linked only a few, all [myself included] tweet regularly on Twitter.

That's it for today. More posts pending. Reeeeally!

Blessings

New to the RESOURCE & Favorite Sites Lists

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I want to post another quick update regarding a few recent side bar additions to my RESOURCE list; all found while following Twitter.
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Today's additions comes via Linda Jo Hutchinson's Twitter link to: 101 Essential Resources For Freelancers. From there I found: Social Media Starter Moves for Freelancers. Both are excellent must-read pieces. Needless to say I subscribed to Mr. Brogan's community and social media newsletter and I've bookmarked his site for further reference! And, there is still so much to review from the initial 'essentials' list.
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Yesterday's additional link came from Devon Ellington's Twitter update, and where I found her article @ Scruffy Dog Review: Where's the Work? I plan on visiting the boards she shared, sometime early next week.
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I also added a link to Suzanne Lieurance's: The Working Writer's Coach; an excellent resource for tips for writers at any stage. See Your Professional Writers' Resume.
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My Favorite Sites list also has a few new links; two of which are: Nathan Bransford Literary Agent, and Alan Rinzler's The Book Deal. Both found via Lea Schizas. Check out her new header @ The Writing Jungle. [And thank you again, Lea, for lending a kind ear yesterday. It helped to keep things in perspective!]
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More soon. I've got to go for now. The new stronger NSAIDs have me feeling quite exhausted.
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Blessings

Queries and Ghosts

This is a very quick post today.

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Stop by Lea's blog for a wonderfully insightful discussion [resulting from yesterday's post] regarding query letters, and whether a writer should seek help in writing one, hire it out to a freelance ghost writer, or summon up the courage and perfect it his or herself. The respect that we've all a right to expect, whether we be the writer, the potential agent, editor or publisher, also factored and weighed in from all sides of the table.

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You might also want to stop by the following blog: Nathan Bransford~Literary Agent [soon to be added to my Blogs I'm Following list!], and read More on Ghost Queries, which is what fueled Lea's post and subsequent intellectual rant. Their perspectives are invaluable; whether old or new to the business of words.

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Blessings

Partners in Marketing

Writing Tip of the Day: Dec. 7, 2008

Every book author (whether fiction or nonfiction)

needs to partner with their publisher to sell books.

Each author must create their own marketing efforts.

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I cannot emphasize my amazement enough, in regards to how much is expected of an author’s participation in initializing the marketing of their published work. It’s not just talent that writers must bring to the table, but their marketing skills as well. My fear is that I'll fall short in this area and my physical limitations will be seen as a hindrance. But, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

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First, I need to start looking at my writing as a job and not just what I do when I have time; when everything else is done and out of the way. I also need to look at marketing as part of the craft of writing. Where one goes the other simply follows. What time I carve out to write must also compete with the time allotted to market.

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Lastly, I’m devoting part of December to organizing my writing goals for 2009. Though it'll more than likely carry over into Jaunary [Christmas is nigh, so-- I've got to keep it real!], I’m readying my planners and To Do lists; updating my Wants & Needs; and pulling out my recent brainstorming Word docs. And, with this particular tip in mind, I recognized the one missing factor. Marketing is nowhere to be found. As of this post, that factor is now remedied.

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But first-- I believe I'm going to focus on getting something published! Well, before anything else, I truly need to focus on my health, or I'll accomplish nothing.

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[See my comment to Lea Schizas' question regarding Writing Habits]

Resource List Pending

Writing Tip of the Day: Nov. 20, 2008

Always take the attitude of a learner in your writing

and be open to new insights from any source.

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I'm a proponent of learning being a never-ending process. The creative mind simply never knows when inspiration might strike, and is many times clueless of what source may ignite the flame. There is never a promise of where one ends up discovering that perfect tidbit of knowledge they didn't even know to look for, and I believe it important to share what I found of value with those who may otherwise never have sought it out.

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As stated in a previous post [Click here for: Lea's Rotating Disc Method], I'm going to include a Resource List in the side bar that most likely will not appear until after the first of the year. The idea simply hasn't found its proper place, yet, in the milieu of goal setting priorities.

NaNo Day Nineteen Word Count:

NaNo Stats: 17,486 [currently & holding: ---]

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COLD, COLD, COLD!!!! That’s the forecast for— well, they don’t really know how long it'll be before we warm back up. Meaning, the local weatherman stated last night we're running at least 10 degrees below normal for this time of year. That holds with my belief that the seasons are off. Even last week there were still too many trees holding on to most of their leaves. Fall is not quite over and Winter is simply too fast setting in. And, while I'm on the topic of weather, the morning and evening clouds [though not the first time] were an odd shade of red yesterday. And the sky in the east last night— I grew up with the old grammar school adage, "Red Sky at Night, Sailors Delight" —it was not that kind of red.
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On a much lighter and healing note, a friend circulated a link to the YouTube video of Many Voice and their performance at the Maumee Powwow in October. Raymond Roach, [born on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, SD & sitting in the plaid shirt] is the drumkeeper. I responded to his email first to say thank you for forwarding the link, and that it was nice to finally see Many Voice on YouTube, but second to relay how listening just made me feel good. The best medicine doesn't always come via the traditional prescription pad. I just wish the video ran the full length of the song. Enjoy! powwow2008

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Now, on to the business of writing. I visited Lea Schizas' blog again yesterday and want to share the following post: Lea's Rotating Disc Method. I already have it noted for my upcoming goal setting sessions. I can see the benefit and this may well remedy the dreaded Out of Sight, Out of Mind Syndrome.

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As I finished sharing Lea's recent post, I gave thought to setting up a Resource header on the side bar. I like the idea of sharing posts, articles, etc., that I've found helpful. Look for that soon.

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Okay, though it's another late start, I'm off to NaNo. My goal today is to hit 20K!

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Have a great day!