Tag Archives: blogging

Why I’m not Doing NaNoWriMo

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If you hang around the creative writing world at all, then you know that October is NaNoWriMo prep month – that is, the time to prepare for November, which is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

I’ve done NaNo before (let’s not talk about my pathetic word count). Earlier this year I was looking forward to doing NaNo again and at least bettering my word count for the month, if not actually “winning” (that is, writing 50,000 words in a month). But as the fall approached, I realized that perhaps I’d be better off not doing it.

My writing load has greatly increased over the last few months. Here’s a brief rundown of what I’m currently working on:

     Editing/rewriting novel #1 of a trilogy

     Writing first draft of novel #2 of same trilogy

     Writing weekly posts for my blog

     Writing 10-15 posts a month for my job

     Working on three short stories that I hope to have published by the end of the year

I’m not saying all this to brag about my writing endeavors (though I am excited about and thankful for the paid writing opportunities that have come my way recently).

I’m also aware that this laundry list of activities could sound like nothing more than excuses. Hey, we’re all busy: jobs, families, holidays, general life. Nobody has extra time lying around in November to devote to NaNoWriMo. If you want to do it, you have to make the time to do it.

I could make the time to do NaNo. I even have a story idea that just needs a little thought and outlining, and it would be ready to go for November. Even though I have a busy schedule, (and two other jobs besides the job I write for), I know I could make the time. I’m just not sure my brain could handle it.

My focus is spread thinner than I’d like right now. I’ve developed a weekly writing schedule for myself, so that I don’t try to write for everything every day. Switching between so many different subjects and styles of writing on a regular basis can easily sap my creativity and mental energy. I’m sure there are plenty of writers out there who manage the constant switching just fine, but since this is all rather new to me, I don’t want to put any unnecessary stress on my poor amateur brain.

I look forward to participating next year. I don’t know what my personal and professional writing life will be like in a year, but I want to be able to fit NaNoWriMo into my schedule and my mind by then. In the meantime, I will enjoy the writing that I’m currently doing, and will use this experience to become more disciplined with my mind and my schedule.

I love NaNoWriMo and everything it represents: getting people excited about writing, creating a sense of community for an otherwise solitary activity, a great platform for setting and tracking goals. Whether you’re a published author or you’ve never written a thing since your last essay in high school, I think participating in NaNoWriMo is a fun and inspiring thing to do.

So to all you WriMos for 2014 – go write!

So you Want to be a Social Media Expert?

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I wrote this post for the blog at Helps2, the social media company that I work for. You can view the original post here.

Social media manager. Content creator. Platform consultant. Growth hacker. Yes, this is a thing now.

Ten years ago, social media as we know it today didn’t exist at all. So is there such a thing as an “expert” in a field that is not only brand new, but is changing on a daily basis? And if you’re not Mark Zuckerberg or a Google employee, can you actually become one of these people?

Yes, you can. While I may not be considered an “expert,” as compared to the real pros, I have learned a thing or two about the social media world and how to stand above the crowd. I’m still learning, growing, practicing, and adjusting, but I will share a few tips that can help you move out of the “newbie” realm and on towards “expert.”

It’s okay to try all the platforms till you find your niche. If you’re just starting out with social media, especially if you’re wanting to use it to represent and promote your career, business, organization, or other pursuit, just experiment. There are the big social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc – but there are dozens (no – probably hundreds) of others, too. Some platforms suit a specific niche or industry – like Flickr for photography, for example. Don’t be shy about trying a lot of social media sites for a little while so that you can narrow down your list of favorites where you want to focus your efforts. This not only lets you find the sites that you enjoy and where you can reach your audience, but it gives you experience with many different platforms. Knowledge and experience are part of becoming an expert.

Interaction is key. Social media is all about being social. If you don’t interact with your fans/followers/clients, they will be less inclined to follow you or to seek you out when they need your product, service, or advice. The ways of connecting with other users differs from platform to platform, but again, this is where experimentation can help you. Making the effort to learn how to communicate effectively on social media – whether it’s comment strings on Facebook or retweets on Twitter – helps you to stand out.

Study the pros. The old adage is true – find someone who has what you want in life, and learn what they did to achieve it. Most social media professionals share much of their knowledge freely through blogs, podcasts, and the like. Read articles about social media tips. Find people who you respect who are doing it right (whether they are social media professionals, or just using social media effectively). Interact with them, ask questions, read blogs. Also know that no matter how much you might learn about social media, because of its very nature, there’s always something new to learn. You don’t have to keep up with every single trend, but develop a passion for constant study.

Be consistent! Consistency is the glue that holds this all together, and in my opinion is one of the main ingredients in the making of an “expert.” No one wants an “on again, off again” professional in any field. Be consistent with your learning – social media changes every day, both from a technological side and in the way people are using it. Be consistent with your own social media, whether you have just a personal Facebook page or you’re managing a website and a presence on five other platforms. Be consistent with your updates and with your interactions. If you want to be on the road to “expert” status, then people need to see that you have both the knowledge and the discipline to keep going over the long haul.

So there you have it. These tips are things that I myself have done (and continue to do. Consistency, remember?) Whether I’m truly an expert or not isn’t important, really. I’m learning, applying what I learn, enjoying what I do, and becoming more effective every day. And you can do it, too!

WorldWide Blog Hop

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It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done a blog hop, so I thought I’d participate in this one. I think these questions are the same as the ones I answered last time – but I’ve purposefully not looked at my previous entry, so that my answers for this one will be fresh and honest. So here goes.

First of all, I was nominated by my friend Bonnie Watson. She’s a writer of fantasy (as well as an artist and musician), and her work can be found here. Now, on to the blog hop questions:

1.  What am I working on?

Still editing the first novel of a fantasy trilogy. I really hate editing and rewriting. I guess it’s the drudge work of being a writer. I much prefer first-draft writing. I’m doing a bit of that, too. I’m hoping to finish the first draft of book two of this trilogy by the end of October, because I want to start fresh with a new project for NaNoWriMo.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Mine is a cross-world fantasy, taking place in both the real world and a fantasy world. That’s not exactly unique, but I think that primary world fantasy is the most popular right now. It’s also inspired by Finnish mythology and folktales. Again, not a one-of-a-kind idea, but perhaps a bit less common than urban fantasy with vampires or Norse mythology fantasy.

3.  Why do I write what I do?

Because the characters in my head tell me to! Seriously – I write because if I didn’t, I’d probably eventually go crazy. The ideas need an outlet.

4.  How does my writing process work?

Slowly. Discipline is my main problem. I also have to fight against Shiny New Idea Syndrome, and stay mentally focused on the two or three projects I’m currently working on. As far as specific writing process, I’m more of a plotter than a pantser, and so if I come to a spot in my story that I haven’t plotted out well ahead of time, I get stuck. Usually for a long time (that part is just a discipline problem.) Having at least a loose outline helps keep me from dreading my work too much.

And now I’m tagging…every blogger out there! If you’re a blogger, and you enjoy reading my blog, then jump on board and post your own answers to these questions (and tag my blog, if you don’t mind!)

Keep writing!

My Favorite Blogs

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They say writers are readers. I agree. I also think that a blogger should be a reader of other blogs. I usually blog about writing, travel, and music, and I read many blogs about similar things. So this post is a highlight (and promo) for four of my favorite blogs.

I’d Rather be in Iceland 

This blogger writes about everything from camping beside waterfalls to Icelandic chocolate. I’m a fan of anything Nordic, and I was reading Eva’s blog long before I took my first trip to Iceland. In fact, reading this blog and communicating with the blogger herself helped me a lot with my own traveling. I’ve also had the honor of writing a couple of posts on her blog.

The Magic Violinist

This is another blog where I’ve had the honor of guest-posting. Kate’s blog is a fun bookish blog with reviews of new YA fiction, writing tips, blog hops, and book memes. She’s young and super talented, and is starting early with her social media networking and platform-building. And her posts are good, too!

Helping Writers Become Authors

This is another writing blog. K.M. Weiland offers a lot of in-depth posts about plot, characters, themes, and everything in between. Her posts always make me think about my own writing in a way I hadn’t before – whether it’s my novel writing, or my blog writing.

Journey out of the Abyss

This blog is a little different from most of my regular reads. The blogger, Ashley, is a friend of mine, but the content of this blog stands on its own. She writes about her journey of overcoming a life of abuse, addiction, and self-harm. Many of the posts aren’t always pleasant – they’re real and raw, but full of truth and hope. I can’t help but feel compassion for Ashley and anyone else who has suffered similar circumstances. Compassion, I believe, is something that can help add depth to anyone’s writing because it adds depth to you as a person.

What are some of your favorite blogs and why?

My Writing Process – a blog hop

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I was invited by Libby over at Subourbon Mom to participate in a writing blog tour. You can read her posts about southern life and the writing life. Many thanks to Libby for tagging me to write about my writing! So here are the questions I was given, and my answers:

1. What am I working on?

Besides trying to come up with a witty and wonderful blog post each week, I’m working on a fantasy novel trilogy. I’m revising/rewriting book one, and working on the first draft of book two.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

That’s always the challenge, isn’t it – to write something that fulfills readers’ expectations while still being unique and unexpected. This trilogy I’m working on is cross-world high fantasy – it’s got magic, monsters, swords and battles, and hopping between this world and the fantasy realm. But it also has a lot of elements drawn from the mythology of Finland and the Sami (the indigenous people of Scandinavia). Hopefully that slant makes my stories unique without being so off-the-wall that one one will read them.

3. Why do I write what I do?

Because I have way too many ideas in my head to simply leave them there. I’ve always loved fantasy – reading it, watching it, and writing it.

4. How does my writing process work?

This question could be answered several different ways. I’m more of a plotter than a pantser. I don’t usually outline an entire book before I begin, but I have the basic plot worked out, all the main characters, and I know how I want the story to end. As far as my writing routine – well, I’m still working on that one. I’m generally more creative in the evenings, but I always seem to have a lot of other things to do then. I’m still working on making writing a priority.

And now I’m tagging three other amazing writers to carry on this blog-hop!

Abigail Bromilow says: Full time wife and mother, most of the time corporate crusader, and ever-constant fangirl. I love all things literary and want to be a writer when I grow up. I collect supplies for crafts I’ll never finish, am secretly trying to turn all of our farm animals into pets, and have finally accepted that I will never have clean floors or organized file drawers. I share my life with a husband who accepts me for everything I am (and am not), and three children that remind me how important imagination really is. She blogs at An Unorganized Mind.

Ashley Scott says: My name is Ashley, I created this blog in hopes of reaching people who are in pain…it doesn’t matter what kind of pain. I want to help you. Through my rough life I have gained the insight that I am supposed to reach out and make sure that no one going through hard times EVER has to be alone. Just know, you are never alone, especially now! Remember that you are loved. She blogs at Journey out of the Abyss.

Bonnie Watson says: Bonnie was first introduced to the digital world while attending Virginia Commonwealth University. As a writer, digital medium assisted in developing character and landscape references. Her collection of How to art books by various favorite artists (Gary Lippincott, Jessica Peffer, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law) continues to grow, and serves as an inspiration for future ideas. After graduating in 2005 with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, Bonnie went into Visual Design and Customer Relations. She is author of the Wisdom Novel series, and a freelancer on the side. She writes, paints, and composes music at Wisdom Novels.