Writers On The Move

Royalty Free Music!

Music can spice up your website or serve as background on your book trailer. But you must respect the rights of the artist. There are lots of musical pieces in the public domain that can be used. many artists are willing to give you permission to use their work if you ask them.

If you do a search on "Royalty Free Music" or "Public Domain Music", the search results will give you several sites to explore. Some of the music will be royalty free but there may be a small cost associated with obtaining the music track. In other cases, musical artists may be willing to allow use of their music for free on your website as long as they are credited as the artist. Many of the sites provide the code (.HTML) to install on your website.

Here are some examples a friend of mine used foraccoustic guitar instrumental music. He found a fellow whose music was just what he had in mind. So, he messaged him directly and asked if he could use his music on his website and he granted him permission. He copied the .HTML code from the music site and installed a different selection (along with the widget/logo from the artist's site) on several pages of his website.

http://www.soundclick.com/kurtlewisneufer

Kathy Stemke
Award Winning Author/Educator/Freelance Writer

Trouble on Earth Day earned the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Sh Sh Sh Let the Baby Sleep won the Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Keep Your Writing Goals Front and Center

As a writer, you have to move forward to keep up with the onslaught of books and authors in the book publishing arena. And, you especially need to be sure you're keeping in alignment with your writing goals. This means every now and then you need to stop to evaluate what your core goals are and if you’re actually heading in that direction.

Every marketer will tell you that the beginning of each year you need to create a list of core or major goals. It's important to make your goals realistic and obtainable, and not to burden yourself with too many goals.

Three is a good number of writing goals, not too few, not too many. Then under each goal you can list a few tasks that will you will do on a daily or weekly basis to help you reach your objectives.

In addition to creating and typing your goals down in a document, they need to be printed and kept visible. It's important to put them somewhere you'll be sure to notice on a daily basis. You might put your list on your computer, inside your laptop case, on top of your daily planner, on the inside of a kitchen cabinet you open everyday.

You get the idea, your writing goals need to be visible each and every day. Not just visible though, they need to be read each and every day.

Why is it important to keep your writing goals front and center?

Here's another question to help answer that question: Did you ever hear the expression, ‘Out of sight, out of mind?’

That's your answer.

On January 1st of 'any year,' you may tell yourself, and maybe even write it down, that you will:

1. Write a minimum of five pages of your new book each week
2. Effectively market your published books
3. Submit articles to three paying magazines on a monthly basis

Okay, that's great, but suppose it's now July and you haven't even written 10 pages of your new book, and you haven't gone past the very basics of promoting your published books.

What happened to your writing goals?

Easy. You didn’t keep your goals list front and center, so you got sidetracked.

While you may have had the best of intentions on January 1st, without keeping those writing goals visible, it’s difficult to stay on course.

Maybe you decided to add the writing of unrelated e-books to your workload. Maybe you decided to do book reviews and started a critique group of your own. Maybe you devoted too much time to social networking and your online groups.

These additions may not necessarily be a bad thing, but before you continue on, ask yourself three questions:

1. Are these additions to your workload moving you in the direction of your major writing goals?
2. Are they actually keeping you from attaining your goals?
3. Are they providing some kind of income?

If your answers to these questions are NO, YES, NO, then you need to step back, redirect your steps, and get back on track. If you keep your writing goals front and center, you’ll be amazed at how you automatically work toward achieving them.

Image courtesy of MorgueFile.com / Photographer: Gracey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:

Aim for Writing Success
Determination, Focus, and Perseverance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn about writing and marketing with Karen Cioffi at http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. Sign up for her free newsletter, A Writer’s World, and get TWO free site-related e-books for subscribing, and ONE more just for stopping by. For professional and affordable writing services check out http://dkvwriting4u.com

Teaching Through Books with Molly Nero

What captivates our young people these days? Stories. Yes, stories, but not the stories in books like we remember. Kids today are enamored by the digital device that is held in their hands or sitting in front of them as they play games to a STORY! Every video game made has some kind of plot, conflict, characters, and our kids are in charge of creating the outcome by the video “ability” they possess after hour upon hour of “gaming”. Fight it if you want, but I think relating it to stories you read in books is much more productive. You are creating a bridge between the “old school” reading and the “techno” gaming of today. Teaching lessons through books helps validate their importance and value.

Books give us an amazing teaching tool, especially when dealing with social issues. I’m a big advocate of creating purpose for skills being taught by relating them to real life experiences kids can connect to. Books help you in this process. When teaching the skill of cause and effect, the youngest learners can grasp this concept when reading a story about a boy who jumps on his bed. You ask something as simple as what happened because he jumped on his bed? The answer is he fell through the floor. You have a story that kids are hooked into because what kid doesn’t jump on his bed? But the follow through with the skill is taught through the story; therefore he fell through the floor. Books offer such enrichment to a lesson with their pictures walking the children through a story depicting a needed skill. Social issues, friend problems, acceptance, and rejection are all subjects easier for kids to learn and process with books, since you are reading about someone else and someone else’s problems, not theirs. Teaching division? Drawing cookies on the board is okay, but reading about a boy sharing the cookies on his tray as more and more friends come is relatable to your students. Every kid has to share at some point and who doesn’t want to share with their friends? Another great book helping you teach a difficult skill with a story.

Stories are a huge part of our kids’ lives though media and gaming. Books need to be as predominate, so use them to teach with. No matter what the skill; there is a book to help you teach it.

About the author: Molly Nero loves to sing, dance and read. She spent over 18 years teaching elementary school. Reading to her own children, she was inspired to write. The second book in the Smarty Pig book series Smarty Pig and the Test Taking Terror releases in Spring 2012.

Smarty Pig is the only one in the pig family who hasn’t given up on school and doing her homework. Although she is teased, her report card shows her hard work, while the others fail. The other pigs reach out to her and she becomes their tutor, by creating games in their home. They all realize learning can be fun and that it’s not just for school, it’s for life.

Get a sneak peek of the book at http://youtu.be/E2L_NS2QqgM

You can find out more about Molly Nero’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/MollyNero.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Nero and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

To Cap or Not to Cap

A couple years ago, I participated in an impromptu editors’ discussion (via email) on the rules for capitalization of titles. We were trying to reach a consensus in terms of our in-house standard (we all worked for a small publisher).

Titles such as president and secretary general can cause much confusion over whether or not to capitalize. However, The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) contains explicit guidelines on the topic. For instance, consider the president of the United States. The following lists the correct usage of capitalization (or not):

- The president of the United States (unless used formally, such as in a citation or an introduction)

- President Barack Obama

- Barack Obama, president of the United States

- U.S. president Barack Obama

Another variation might be “the president Obama,” although I doubt that particular phrase is ever used.

Now let’s look at Captain Crunch (just for fun). If used as a substitute for Crunch’s name in a direct address, “Captain” is capitalized, e.g. “Hand me the spoon, Captain. We’re taking on milk.” But in general reference, he is simply “the captain.”

One aspect of the online debate that generated some discussion was the question of parents, e.g. when and if you should capitalize “mom” and “dad.” In the end, we agreed to treat the terms as titles. By that standard, when “mom” or “dad” was used in place of a person’s name in direct address, it should be capitalized. By contrast, if a term was used in indirect reference, it should not be capitalized.

- “Hey, mom, where did Sarah’s Dad go?” INCORRECT

- “Hey, Mom, where did Sarah’s dad go?” CORRECT

The CMS contains several pages of examples that can answer most capitalization questions…and any other usage and style questions you might have. The 16^th Edition is currently available from Amazon.com for less than $36 US. That just might be the best $36 you spend this year.

Betty Dobson is an award-winning writer of short fiction, essays and poetry. She also writes newspaper and magazine articles but is still waiting for those awards to materialize. In the meantime, she continues to run InkSpotter Publishing, which has three new books available and several more in the works for 2012.

How to Write and Publish Your Own eBooks with Jim Edwards

I'm a big fan of creating your own information products, as long as it's one of your writing goals, or if it can be profitable. And, while simply writing an ebook is pretty easy, to make it become profitable is another story.

I don't recommend products too often, for ONE primary reason: I have to trust the author of the product. Meaning I have to know the individual provides quality information and fulfills his/her promises.

The second reason I limit my recommendations is I need to make sure the price is reasonable (to the majority of us) and what you receive is worth more than what you pay.

I've been following Jim Edwards, reading his content, attending his webinars, and have purchased his products - he delivers on his promises.

So, I'm recommending How to Write and Publish Your Own eBook… in as Little as 7 Days V2.0

Click Here! to see all the information Jim will teach you on writing, publishing, and selling your own ebooks.

And, here's a bit on Jim's qualifications:

You need a proven expert to guide you straight through the process… with no bull. Jim Edwards has helped well over 1,000 authors write, publish and promote their ebooks, print books, and audio books!

Jim is a 10-year veteran newspaper columnist and author whose reputation for writing and promoting ebooks online is legendary!

•    Just one of Jim’s ebook info-products made him $45,000 in only 3 months!
•    Over the last 14 years, Jim has published several best-selling ebooks – including “Selling Your Home Alone”, “The TEN Dirty Little Secrets of Mortgage Financing”, and “Turn Words Into Traffic”.
•    Jim recently made $7,704.37 in one week with a single ebook… and what makes that even more amazing is he didn’t even promote it – someone else did!
•    Authors have paid Jim as much as $6,000 to consult with him about their ebooks and info-products!
•    In fact, an ebook-based information product Jim created went over $90,000 in sales in less than 5 months!
You need step-by-step details spelled out quickly! … by a real-world expert who can teach you the ropes.

Over the last 14 years, Jim has written, created and sold *millions of dollars* in ebooks and info-products online. He has helped thousands of authors.

ClICK HERE TO CHECK OUT How to Write and Publish Your Own eBook… in as Little as 7 Days V2.0

~~~
While I have my own ebook on 'how to create and sell ebooks,' Jim has lots and lots more information, instructions, and tips to effectively teach you how to quickly and profitably turn out your own best selling ebook through this ground-breaking, completely revised NEW ebook course!

For a more in depth information on what you'll learn and to get your copy now,
CLICK HERE!

This is an introductory offer of $29, and I'm not sure how long it will last. The regular selling price will be $49. So, if you're thinking about it, buy now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
To check out my writing and marketing ebooks go to:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/karens-books.html
eBooks on Writing

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/p/ebooks-on-marketing.html
eBooks on Marketing

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn about writing and marketing with Karen Cioffi at http://karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com. Sign up for her free newsletter, A Writer’s World, and get TWO free site-related e-books for subscribing, and ONE more just for stopping by. For professional and affordable writing services (for businesses and individuals) check out http://dkvwriting4u.com

My Life as a Writer

My Life as a Writer

by Nancy Carty Lepri

My biggest dream has always been to become an author. An avid reader since a toddler, books have been a constant, a friend and an escape. I cannot comprehend living without the written word. To me, reading is second only to breathing. From cereal boxes to fiction, I devour everything and anything I can get grab. I read in the morning while eating breakfast to at night before going to sleep. Some of my favorite genres include contemporary women’s novels and thrillers.

I guess this love of books is what propelled me to become a writer. The fact that I am always talking, thinking and plotting does not take away from this ambition. I have a need to create and to put into words feelings, thoughts and desires.

To me, books should present a diversion from the stresses of everyday, a way to relax and unwind. We are filled with horrors around us. Just pick up a newspaper or turn on the nightly news and realize crime is rampant. Novels can carry one away to another place, to forget, for a short time at least, all that is going on in life. Any type of reading stimulates the brain and give a change of pace. Children require fantasy and play, and adults also need a break from reality.

An author’s career is lonely and often times tedious. Writing requires discipline and perseverance, a thick skin and the knowledge of the difficulty of getting published. For every wanna-be writer, many give up or fail. I kept trying with the burning desire to succeed, and I could not go through life wondering "what if." I needed to try.

My first writing experience started as a freelance reporter for a small, now defunct, tabloid. Almost twenty years ago, the newspaper, “The Tightwad Times,” was introduced to southeastern Massachusetts where I had lived. I submitted two articles for each of the three months the paper was published. The first month, I was assigned to cover a bridal show and write an article on how to prepare an elegant, yet inexpensive wedding. Some other commentaries with the exception of one were written from telephone interviews. Two local Cape Cod newspapers gave me assignments for various topics, and realized this is an excellent way to get one’s feet wet as a writer. I found reporting is gratifying, but recognized this was not the type of writing I wanted to pursue.

My goal was to write fiction. Whether creating short stories or "the great American novel," I enjoy make believe and conjuring up fictitious people and tales about their lives. Though I prefer genres geared to adults, I decided to try crafting a children’s chapter book. I first started working on this in 1995, writing by the seat of my pants. After reading the extremely rough draft, I recognized the text was a mish-mash of information haphazardly thrown together which was too much for children to digest. I broke up the ideas, planning to turn them into a four-book series.

Unfortunately, life took over with the need to shelve the work for a while. After my husband and I moved to North Carolina, I returned to reporting, receiving several assignments for the “Wilmington Magazine” and two national and international food-trade magazines, which proved to be monetarily rewarding.

Nevertheless, I kept returning to the children who wanted to have their story told. The desire to polish and submit the manuscript for publication. I fortunately become a member of a wonderful critique group that offered support as well as excellent suggestions. Tiny Angel, a chapter book geared to ages 8 – 12, was accepted by Guardian Angel Publishing and released in November 2009. The sequel, Tommy’s Amigo is almost completed for submission, and to this, I hope to add two to three more to this series, though all books can stand alone.

Meanwhile, four unfinished adult contemporary novels are calling to me, and I plan to get to them one day. Between writing, reading, reviewing and being with family I enjoy a busy and fulfilling life. I may never become well-known, but my dream is satisfied. I encourage anyone who desiring to write to “just do it.”

If you enjoyed my article, please check out my website: http://nancycl.webs.com and feel free to make a comment.

RELEASE EXPECTATIONS AND RECLAIM YOUR WRITING DREAM

RELEASE EXPECTATIONS AND RECLAIM YOUR WRITING DREAM

Fulfilling your dream of being a professional writer can be especially difficult when you feel pressured to live up to other people’s expectations or desires. Well-intentioned parents and teachers often tell their children how to think, feel, and act in an effort to help kids fit in and avoid life’s disappointments. For example, youngsters are often told things such as “You are the pretty one and your sister is the athletic one.” As a result, the child who might have grown up to be an excellent basketball player instead focuses solely on maintaining her physical appearance. Or maybe your mother always wanted to be a lawyer but never seized the opportunity. As a result, mom relentlessly attempts to live her dream through you, even though you are now fifty years old and have no interest in attending law school. These unrealistic expectations that we feel pressured to live up to are frequent triggers for emotional paralysis, writer’s block, and life dissatisfaction. One of the first steps in fulfilling your inner writer is uncovering and releasing the expectations of others and reclaiming your own life.

We have tiny voices in our heads that repeat instructions and warnings we learned a long time ago. Some of these voices implore “Money does not grow on trees:” “Writers are poor and long suffering.” or “Nothing good comes easy.” Often times these old tapes play in our heads and prevent us from living spontaneously and learning new things. These voices may have served us at some point in our lives but often become ways that hold us back from living the inspired ,meaningful life we desire. This week, make a list of ten statements that you tell yourself that no longer serve you or support your writing goals. Replace each item on your list with a new belief that you want to incorporate into your life. For example, perhaps you were taught “People who are wealthy do dishonest and deceitful things to get rich.” Discard this old belief and replace it with a new one such as “When I am living my purpose, money flows easily and effortlessly into my life.”

Now take the list of the ten statements that no longer serve you and hold it in your hands. It is important that you remove this list from your life to make room for your writing project to unfold. A great way to do this is to bury the list or burn it in a safe manner. Or you may choose to attach the list to a helium balloon and release it into the sky. As you watch your list disappear from your life, feel the weight of other’s expectations being liberated from your soul.

Aileen McCabe-Maucher is a licensed clinical social worker/psychotherapist and registered nurse who has helped many people find inner peace and discover their unique life purpose. Aileen has fifteen years of experience providing individual and group counseling to a diverse client population. She is a graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Widener University, University of Delaware, and The Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia at Bryn Mawr College. Aileen studied yoga and the chakra system at The Yoga Lifestyle Center in Paoli, Pennsylvania. She is the author of the book, The Inner Peace Diet, which was published by Penguin/ Alpha Books and released nationwide on December 2, 2008. Aileen can be reached via email at innerpeacediet@gmail.com

A sample of Aileen's first book,The Inner Peace Diet, can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Aileen-McCabe-Maucher/e/B003IUBRLK