Guest Post By Poet and Writer, Yasmin Morais

Writing a Novel in 30 Days: Reflections of a Newbie Wrimo

As many of you are aware, November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and The Office of Lights and Letters (OLL) has been hosting this popular challenge since 1999.

For the “uninitiated,” here are some interesting NaNoWriMo facts and stats: http://www.nanowrimo.org/about/facts-and-stats/.

This year, I participated for the first time, and though it was grueling (30 days, 50,000 words, 0 excuses, according to OLL), it turned out to be a really fun experience, that enabled me to grow as a budding writer.

I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but procrastination has been winning. Taking the NaNoWriMo challenge forced me to carve out some writing time, so on November 1st, I took the plunge. 50,000 words seemed daunting at first, but aiming for the recommended 1,667 words per day helped a newbie Wrimo like me to press on.

The structure was a definite plus.

My motivation? I told myself that I couldn’t and wouldn’t quit (after all, I had already blabbed about it on Pen and Prosper, Twitter and my blog). Blabbing keeps you accountable. :-)

The camaraderie and encouragement from other Wrimos in my region, truly helped me to press on. Sometimes, I wrote well into the early morning hours, going well beyond the targeted word count.
Though I wanted to, I didn’t make it to any of the write-ins, mainly because of scheduling and in some cases, distance.

But I soldiered on with the help of countless cups of tea, soothing music and encouraging emails from previous Wrimos who are now successful writers.

On November 25th, with my manuscript validated, it was a proud moment for me to receive my congratulatory email, certificate and web badge. NaNoWriMo was an intense process which demanded a lot of time management and perseverance.

I discovered that I actually write better when I have deadlines. I would recommend the NaNoWriMo challenge, writers. And I just might try it next year.

Push yourself to new limits to reach greater heights. It’s a philosophy worth embracing for 2013.

Your turn.
Have you ever participated? Has it helped you to become more serious about your writing goals?
What’s your experience been with NaNoWriMo or other kamikaze type writing challenges?
Do tell.

You're Good...But Are You Strategic? 10 Tips for Today's Savvy Writer

---“If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.”

Some time ago, while watching post election coverage, I discovered that political candidates actually hire “strategists” to help navigate their careers and increase their odds of overall success. Imagine that.

When I thought about it, I recognized that many of us writers would also benefit from becoming “strategists” when it comes to elevating our careers, and making the most of our time, talent, and resources.
The savvy scribe realizes that to remain competitive in today’s market, and to be profitable, necessitates much more than a gift for words and a few creative ideas. To go the distance requires ingenuity, insight, and intellect.
“Go big, or go home!” :-)

With this in mind, here are ten ways you can become more strategic and achieve greater writing success to meet your goals in 2013!

1. LOOK BACK
Take inventory. What lessons did you learn from pursuits of the past? Were some editors more problematic than others? Did you spend too much time doing research and not enough writing? Did editing projects prove more profitable than writing creative copy? Examine what worked vs. what didn’t and act accordingly.

2. PLAN AHEAD
Explore Editorial Calendars online, and plan for national observance days in advance. This will enable you to devote quality time to producing quality work, and insure that you don’t miss any important deadlines.

3. PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS
What is your niche? What do you do better than the “average Joe”? Identify it and hone it!

4. ASSESS THE COMPETITION
With the many perks afforded to today’s creative writer, the field is becoming as fierce as competitive sports. Consider--- who’s at the top of the game in your particular genre of writing? What local businesses or freelance writer offers the same services or has a similar focus or style? How can you become more individualistic? Better? Quicker? Decide then deliver.

5. DIVERSIFY
Dabble in different creative pursuits and genres. The more you do, the greater your perceived value to clients and editors. For instance, if you’re a poet, consider writing greeting card verse. If you write non-fiction, try your hand at professional blogging. And if you are an avid reader, writing reviews can be profitable. Get the idea?

6. JOIN A WRITERS’ GROUP
The support and feedback will propel you to new heights! My participation in C.W.A. exposes me to like-minded individuals with similar goals and lifestyles. We serve as both a cheering squad and sounding board for ideas and projects, and help keep each other motivated and on track. Why not join a group in your local area, or sign up for many of the online groups for writers across the country? Ask other writer friends for recommendations.

7. GET ORGANIZED
The ability to successfully juggle multiple writing projects and thereby create multiple streams of income is best achieved by being organized in terms of your time and resources. Purge outdated files. Clean clutter from your workspace. Start today. Remember that time is money.

8. BUST A MOVE!
When opportunity doesn’t knock, learn to create your own good fortune. For example, if you think that you can fill a void at a particular publication or Website, don’t wait for a position to open. Pitch your ideas to the editor, and explain why you’re uniquely qualified to write that column or cover story. It’s how I got my first paid column writing position.

9. CAST A WIDE NET
Seek guest blogging opportunities, or submit a few pieces to article directories, along with a well-crafted Bio and a link to your site. More exposure for you and your work could bring in potential clients and future fans.

10. WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER
Use your email signature line like an electronic business card. Set it up so that it is attached to each outgoing email message. Make sure that it includes your web address, along with the business services you provide and/or your title.

By following these ten tips you’ll have a New Year of new projects, new adventures, and new money!

Your turn.
Any of these tips resonate with you? Agree or disagree?


Image Freedigitalphotos.net

How to Put More "GO" Into Your Goal Setting

Can you believe that 2013 is right around the corner?

            As a writer, where will it find you?

A). Celebrating an array of accomplishments from 2012 and optimistic about the future

B). Stuck---Lamenting over how little you got done and suffering from the “should-haves-would-haves”

                             OR

C). Happy with your progress, yet not where you want to be...

What dreams do you envision next year?

  Next month even?

Whether you aspire to write that steamy love novel, win a prestigious literary award, or operate a full-time freelance business, establishing goals should be a part of your game plan.

Here’s why:

• Goals serve like a road map to help navigate your direction and have fewer detours on the road to success—if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you get there?

• Goals keep us mindful and accountable. Without them, often times we’re just “winging it,” which causes us to work harder, not smarter.

• Goals help us to stay focused amid the daily demands and “distractions” of life.

• Goals, once achieved, give us a greater sense of accomplishment and empowerment. And there’s great truth to the adage, “Success breeds success”.

Now that you know the “Why,” here's the 4-1-1 on “How” to achieve more through goal setting:

1. Buy a pretty journal from your local Dollar Store or stationery shop. Or create a spreadsheet on your computer. There's really no right or wrong approach here; do what works best for you.

2. Brainstorm.

3. Make a list and check it twice. Don’t worry about how grandiose or ridiculous it may appear on paper. It’s okay to dream big, until the universe tells you otherwise. :-)

4. Divide your aspirations into short term and long term goals. For example, my short term goal would be to expand my client base for next year. My long term goal is to produce a book on relationships or creative writing. I'd say a short term goal would be anything that can be executed within six months or less.

5. Identify (and address) any needed resources or obstacles to achieving your goals.

6. Establish a deadline. Studies show that you’re three times more likely to achieve your goals if they’re written down, with a designated deadline.

7. Revisit your goals periodically--whether it's once a month or once a quarter, (to assess status). And stay encouraged!

8. Allow for flexibility. Things happen. According to Moira Allen, author and Writing World editor, "The most delightful thing about goals is that you can change them. They're not graven in stone."

With this in mind, why not start setting your goals today, for a better writing future?

 Recommended Resource:
The Magic Lamp: Goal setting for people who hate setting goals-By Keith Ellis
Order it at Amazon.com.


How about you?
Do you set goals for your writing career each year?
In the words of Dr. Phil, "How's that workin' out for ya'?" Do share.


Image: Freedigitalphotos.net

Veteran's Day & Monday Morning Announcements

Pen and Prosper wishes to take this opportunity to recognize and remember those who have served in battle to protect the rights and freedoms of this country.
To them we owe a debt that can never fully be repaid.

Announcements...

Blog Break---Due to the upcoming holiday and related preparations, I will be taking a break from November 13th-November 24th. Though I'll miss you guys, I really need it. :-) Please feel free in the interim to leave any comments or questions, as I will periodically be checking in for anything interesting.

Contest Winners---As I now have all the contact info from winners of our recent "Chocolate" contest, I will be sending out prizes during my blog break. Thanks again, to all who entered. Stay tuned for more contests, fun stuff, and cool events in the upcoming months.

Coffeehouse for Writers---If one of your goals this year is to hone your craft and increase your cash, signing up for a class at Coffeehouse for Writers is the "write" move! Classes start this week. Due to site construction under way, if you have difficulty registering for a class, or paypal glitches, please send an email to Coffeejens@gmail.com for assistance.

Write to Done Sponsors its 7th Annual Top 10 Writing Blogs Contest---This competition is one of the most prestigious and most popular in the blogosphere! And I'd love your vote. If you have found this Blog to be a benefit in any way, (and you're not able to send chocolate to show appreciation), I'd certainly accept your nomination in lieu of. :-) Please remember to convey Why you wish to nominate Pen & Prosper, and the link, in order to have a valid entry. See it here: http://writetodone.com/2012/11/12/nominate-your-favorite-writing-blog-7th-annual-top-10-blogs-for-writers-contest/

...And in closing, I would like to share, that as I prepare to celebrate this Thanksgiving holiday season, I count each and every one of you among my blessings. Thanks so much for your readership, faithful follow and avenues to learn, teach, and grow. :-) You are appreciated!


JEN

Image: Freedigitalphotos.net

How to Build an Author Platform by Blogging a Book* By Nina Amir

When I advise aspiring authors to become bloggers, they usually ignore me. They don’t want to begin a promotional activity that might take time away from writing their books. When I tell them they can blog their books and build author platform at the same time, they pay attention.
If you are like most writers, you don’t like building an author platform, the built in readership for your book that comes from all types of promotion including social media, speaking and traditional media appearances. You may realize you need a platform no matter how you plan to publish—indie or traditional—if you want your books to sell to lots of readers or if you want to become an attractive publishing partner for a publisher. Yet, you simply would rather write.
Blogging, however, is the one activity that allows you to do what you do best and enjoy most—write—while promoting yourself and your forthcoming book. Not only that, you can blog your book—accomplishing all these tasks at the same time.

A Blog Builds Author Platform

Let’s look at why a blog promotes you and your book, thus building author platform. First, a blog makes you discoverable (easy to find) on the internet. Every time you publish a blog post, you provide new content for the search engines’ automated mechanisms, called spiders or bots, to catalog. The more keywords and keyword phrases you produce on any one topic, the higher up in the search engine results pages your blog (or website) rises. This means that after you have been blogging for a while, when someone searches for a particular keyword relevant to your blog, your website or blog will come up closer and closer to the top of that first Google or Yahoo search engine results page.

Blog readers and potential book buyers may discover your blog via the search engines. You can easily tie into social networks via your blog. This increases your fan base there and drives more readers to your blog.

Also, journalists search for experts using search engines. If you are discoverable, you may land radio and television interviews.

You Can Write Your Book on Your Blog

Now let’s look at how to write your manuscript as you blog. Make each one of your blog posts one tiny installment of your book. Nonfiction content is filled with keywords and keyword phrases and easily can be broken down into post-sized bits. However, fiction writers and memoirist also can blog their books if they are creative with their content plans.

Here’s how you blog a book:

1. Create a content plan.
Brainstorm every topic you might include in your book. Then create a table of contents, or an outline.

2. Create content you will not publish on your blog.
Look at your content plan and decide what pieces you might hold back for use in your printed book or ebook.

3. Break your content into blog-post sized pieces—250-500 word chunks.
Create subheadings (blog titles) for each small bit of content you will write. For nonfiction, this is fairly simple. For fiction, it can seem more difficult; think in terms of scenes and give each one a title.

4. Create a blogging schedule.
Maybe you will write two days a week—the very minimum amount—or seven days a week. Maybe you will write Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Decide and commit to your schedule.

5. Write one blog post on each day of your blogging schedule.
Each post should take about 45 minutes tops for nonfiction, maybe an hour for fiction. Remember, they are short. Compose them in a word processing program in sequence so you create a manuscript in the process.

6. Publish your posts.
Copy and paste your blog post into your blogging program and publish it using the same schedule mentioned in steps #4-5.

7. Publicize your posts.
Share your blog post via your social networking sites.


When finished, you need only edit and revise your manuscript and get that query letter and proposal written (unless you’ve been discovered by an agent or publisher in the process). Or, go ahead and self-publish your book. You’ll have created a platform that will help you sell books.

About the Author

Nina Amir is an Inspiration to Creation Coach and the author of How to Blog a Book, Write, Publish and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time (Writer’s Digest Books), 10 short self-published books and 5 blogs. She inspires people to combine their purpose and passion so they Achieve More Inspired Results and motivates both writers and non-writers to create publishable and published products, careers as authors and to achieve their goals and fulfill their purpose. Sign up for a free author, book or blog-to-book coaching session with Nina or receive her 5-Day Published Author Training Series by visiting www.copywrightcommunications.com or visiting www.ninaamir.com.


Readers, we'd love to get your thoughts and questions here...

Why Some of My Greatest "Writing" Days Don't Involve Writing...

Conventional wisdom contends that in order to be a "successful," prolific writer, you MUST write everyday.
Not true. Not always.

As a scribe who has produced over 700 articles, columns, feature pieces, interviews and poems, (for more than a decade), I can assure you that this ritual is not required for everyone.

As a matter of reference, I admit that I don't feel compelled to put pen to paper 24/7.
Even the Lord took a break on the 7th day, we are told. :-)
Some days, I find that my time is better spent doing research or reading. Other times, I may go blog hopping to see what's up with you guys. I also try to have enough activity, variety and interaction that would create a life interesting enough for folks to want to read about. Hello!

From an analytical perspective, here's what I have found to be true about my creative process. See if you agree, based upon your experience or mindset...

1. Anything that feels "forced" tends to be more draining than productive.
In other words, trying to write when I am physically fatigued, or when I'm not thinking clearly, or when the computer is driving me mad with glitches, pop-ups, and slow speeds can be a bit counter-productive. To allow for these "off days" I always make sure to work ahead of any deadlines I may have with editors and clients, so I don't feel any added pressures. You should too.

2. Hanging out with other creative artists should be a part of every writer's creative process.
I find that my mind is elevated and my soul is fed when I spend time with other poets and writers. Rarely is gossip on the menu when we get together. Instead these brilliant individuals allow me to connect, converse about important social issues, deal with the blows of editors' rejections, and kick back, laugh, eat, drink and celebrate life.  Whether it's through meet-ups at your local coffee shop, attending book signings, or having a wine and cheese party at your place, make sure to spend time with other artists to broaden your horizons. To quote Joel Osteen's sermon this morning, "Go where you're celebrated, not tolerated."

3. All writing with no marketing efforts will make for "a broke" writer.
Let's face it: for many writers, having to get on the phone to cold call, or doing the many other tasks that support our writing business can be a bit boring. Still, every savvy scribe knows that it must be factored in to the success equation. Though I don't relish marketing for myself, (I'd rather do it for my clients), I am always tickled pink when it results in a new business relationship. A day devoted to marketing is a must.

4. Watching movies allows me to relax and inspires my muse.
At least once a week, (typically on weekends), I like to unwind to a good movie or two.
This activity actually helps me to examine plot, dialogue, characterization, and discover the many tools and techniques needed to engage an audience. Not to mention, many times it results in a movie review, (with pay). Which is a great bonus for my leisurely efforts.

Keep in mind that each writer must establish consistent, diligent habits to go the distance and make a difference.
But this doesn't mean that great writing days have to always involve writing.

What do you say? Thoughts here?

Image: SPFF