I enjoy the dark cold days of January and February. Often the pace of life seems to slow as the sun goes down, leaving longer hours of meditative quiet. But the days don’t have to be dark or depressing, especially with music to lift the soul and brighten the mind.
Like a first snow, story ideas come dancing towards me during the dark winter days
In winter, I dream of frozen forests, snowy tundras, and far-off places
What are some songs on your winter playlist?
I read a lot of blog posts and articles about how to properly utilize social media to share and promote your content. Since I’m a big user of social media myself (this fabulous blog, my Facebook, my Twitter, etc.), I thought I’d make a contribution to the how-to’s of social media etiquette – with a little twist.
So in no particular order, here are five sure-fire ways to annoy your followers and alienate your readership. If you’re tired of the decent or even excellent success you’ve been having with your social media, then try these tips to make everything worse.
So there you have it – five simple ways to become that person that nobody likes on Facebook or Twitter.
Just remember that if you actually want to gain fans and make positive connections, do the opposite of these and you’ll be soaring high with your social media!
I wrote a guest post for the amazing Ashley over on her blog Journey out of the Abyss. Her blog is different from many that I follow, as it’s about her personal journey out of a life of abuse, addiction, and mental illness. She’s a great writer and has a phenomenal story to tell, so check out other posts on her blog if you feel led to. I’m honored to have a guest spot on her blog here!
“Fewer” and “less” – I often see these two words used interchangeably. While they both have to do with amounts and numbers, they should not be sued as exact synonyms of each other. “Fewer” is used for plural nouns, and “less” is for singular nouns.
Here’s what I mean:
Fewer
“The lake was empty today – I saw fewer than ten boats all day.”
Boats is plural, and so the plural modifier of “fewer” should be used.
A way to remember this is to use the word “few” with the noun you’re wanting to modify. Would you say “There are a few boats on the lake today”? Yes – therefore, “fewer” is the correct choice rather than “less.”
Less
“We got less snow this winter than we did last year.”
The word snow, though it can be a collective or mass noun, is singular.
If you were to use “snowflakes,” however, the modifier would be “fewer,” because “snowflakes” is plural.
“Fewer snowflakes fell today than yesterday.”
“Less snow fell today than yesterday.”
In everyday usage, “less” is used for everything. Ever go to a supermarket and see the “10 items or less” express lane? Items is plural, so “fewer” would be the accurate word to use in these signs.
But as I like to remind readers – despite these grammar police posts that I do periodically, I understand that everyday conversational English is not the same as proper written English. If you’re chatting with a friend and you say something about “less emails,” don’t stress about it.
However, if you’re writing an article or a school paper or giving a public speech, check your nouns before you choose your quantitative modifier.
Remember, less is more.
And proofread so you have fewer mistakes.
As I mentioned in my New Year’s post, one of my goals/resolutions for 2014 is to read more. I had a very modest reading goal last year, and I didn’t come close to hitting it.
Since leaders are readers and writers are readers, I really can’t call myself a leader (of myself, let alone anyone else) if I don’t read. Nor can I expect my writing craft to improve tremendously if I don’t read other well-written works.
To be fair – lest you think I spent all of 2013 rotting my mind with nothing but trashy TV or lolcat pictures – I have been constantly reading content online. Articles and blog posts about writing, social media, linguistics, daily devotionals, travel – I read more than a few posts every day. But it’s still not the same as reading books.
So here’s a list of some of the books that I intend to read – or re-read – in 2014.
Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland
I’ve followed her writing blog for some time, and found valuable tips to help me improve my storytelling. I’m sure her book will help me even more.
A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert
Having loved the Little House on the Prairie books, this book about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter Rose looks like a fascinating read.
Imagine Big by Terri Savelle Foy
I read this book last year, and I want to read it again. In fact, this is a book that could – and perhaps should – be read every year. It’s about using the power of imagination to set goals and create the life you want for yourself.
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
Another re-read for me, and another “success” book that is really just about living a productive and fulfilled life. Who doesn’t want that?
East by Edith Pattou
I found this book at a used bookstore some time ago, and it’s been sitting unread on my shelf for ages (along with too many other books). Time to get caught up on those.
The Legend of the Ice People – Spellbound by Margit Sandemo
Another on-the-shelf-too-long unread book. A friend sent it to me, so I will be (finally) reading it this year in her honor.
Prince by Bonnie Watson
I read the first book in this trilogy last year, so now I want to read the next one. Hopefully I’ll finish it just in time for her to publish book three.
Bone series by Jeff Smith
I’ve mentioned this series before, so it’s another re-read. It’s been several years since I’ve read all nine graphic novels in order, plus the prequel stories (yes, graphic novels count as reading). This epic saga is a masterful combination of humor, high fantasy, and hand-drawn art.
I intend to read far more than just these few books this year, but I didn’t want to make this blog post any longer. If you want to see how I’m progressing with my reading goals, you can find me on Goodreads.
What are you reading this year?
StorytellerGirl 