Miscellaneous Monday

 
How has spring been treating you so far? Many of us here in the U.S. got a good dose of snow last week, greeting the new season with a chilly start. It's inevitable; warmer days will be here before we know it. In the meantime, here are a few links to ease us into spring writing.

Do you have challenges making decisions? Author Susan J. Reinhardt offers her insight and tips in this post, How to Overcome Decision Paralysis. Susan has great suggestions to help us gain perspective and balance.

Sometimes the smallest things trip us up when writing and editing. Author Laurel Garver of Laurel's Leaves discusses their proper use in Editor on Call: Using Then/Than and Lose/Loose. Her examples will clear any confusion right up.

Considering attending a writer's conference in the coming months? There are many benefits, as veteran freelancer Jennifer Brown Banks describes in 5 Reasons to Attend a Writer's Conference this Year. Let us know if you have plans to attend one! :)

Queries. Love them or hate them? They can be a bit intimidating, so I was grateful for L. Diane Wolfe's advice in her recent post, Checklist for a Great Query. Having worked in the industry for years, Diane's advice is always solid.

Other News 

I recently received the Sunshine Blogger Award from Lisa Ricard Claro. Thanks so much, Lisa!  :D If you aren't acquainted with her, Lisa is a long time blogger and author of several books. You can find out more about her writing services at her site. We really do make wonderful friends through blogging, don't we?

And Just for Fun
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This is totally off the writing topic, but if you're looking to get the exterior of your home in shape for spring, check out Checklist for Spring: 5 Steps to Get Your Home Ready. Yes, when I'm not writing posts here or doing the nine thousand other things I do, I'm blogging for this local business. :)


Did you get snow on the first few days of spring? What are you writing this week? Have any special spring plans?

Happy writing,
Karen



Photo credit: Pexels

Miscellaneous Monday

How is November treating you so far? Hope all is well! Thought I'd kick off the month with a few links:  

Want to promote your blog/business/book/etc. in a non intrusive way? Would you like to remain genuine and true to yourself? Author Susan J. Reinhardt shares 3 easy tips in her recent post, How to Promote Without Being Obnoxious. Her guidelines can help you promote in an organic and authentic manner.

Do you get your writing related mail sent directly to your home address? In 5 Reasons Freelance Workers Should Own P.O. Boxes, veteran writer Jennifer Brown Banks offers her experience and advice regarding privacy and safety for the freelancer.

Have you ever been asked to offer feedback on someone's writing, knowing that your input might not be well received? How to Give Writing Feedback that's Constructive, Not Crushing provides helpful insight that may help you navigate these waters.

Are you interested in writing humor? Jerry Jenkins' has great advice about writing anecdotes in his post, How to Write an Anecdote. This seasoned author highlights 6 time tested tips to get you started in this department.

Need help creating characters? Author Laurel Garver knows how to create good ones, and lends her expertise in Five Things You Must Know About Every Character in Your Novel. Sage advice, for sure.

What are your November plans? Participating in NaNoWriMo? Has fall weather arrived in your area?

Happy writing,

Karen



Photo credit: Pexels

Miscellaneous Monday

What have you been up to lately? Writing? Enjoying fall weather? (Or spring, depending on where you live.)
Been doing freelancing work here, teaching teen writing classes, and working on a plan to bottle this lovely October weather. I've also found a few interesting links, so thought I'd share them this week.

Does Twitter make your heart flutter with confusion? Last week's guest, author Laurel Garver shares great tips on her blog in Building a Twitter Following as an Author: Lessons From the Trenches. You don't have to be an author to use and appreciate her insight and experience.

How does the relationship between agent and writer work? Pen and Prosper's "Ask the Agent" interview with Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media offers an inside look at the process. Jennifer Brown Banks and her guest discuss marketing, myths, platforms, and more.

Complement versus compliment - do you know the correct use for each? If you're not sure, check out this post at the Grammarly blog. While there, try the Compliment vs. Complement Quiz.

Do you use automatic editing tools? The Write Life's post, A Review of 6 Automatic Editing Tools  lists the features and costs of the most popular ones available. A few are free. Good to know!

What projects are you working on this week? Soaking up the October sunshine? Read any good books this fall?

Happy writing,
Karen



Photo credit: Free Images
 

 

Miscellaneous Monday

Have you had snow this winter? I suspect many of you have. The second portion of the winter here in north central Kentucky has been colder, with more snowfall too. Not complaining, I don't mind the white stuff as long as the roads are clear in a timely manner and I can get out to replenish my dark chocolate stash. :)

For those of you who don't care for winter, take heart. Spring always comes! Here are a few links that might help take your mind off the chilly weather.

Who doesn't love great characters? Creating them however, is another story (no pun intended!). Jerry Jenkins shares his insight in 3 Ways to Create Unforgettable Characters.

Speaking of characters, do you know what head hopping is? Susan J. Reinhardt explains how to avoid this pitfall when writing fiction in this post, What is Head Hopping?

Looking to step up your freelancing game? 125 Quick Tips to Sharpen Your Copywriitng Skills might offer the assistance you need.

Dual versus duel - Laurel Garver helps us keep these tricky homophones straight in With Me or Against Me? Using Dual and Duel. 

How do you handle transitions when writing? My guest post, Making the Transition, discusses this topic at my publisher's blog. If you have a moment, please hop over and check it out!

What's the weather like in your part of the world? What are you working on this week?

Happy writing,

Karen

Photo credit: Free Images

Greeting Cards and Sunshine

Greeting Card Contest
 
The Hallmark Greeting Card Contest  is looking for anniversary card entries. The winner receives $250 with an additional $250 if they decide to put the card in stores nationwide. Deadline is April 26, 2010. See the site for official rules and guidelines.

Have you ever written for a greeting card company? I know that a few of you have. What tips would you share for success? Whether you've written for a card company or not, what do you look for when purchasing a greeting card? Have you ever gone through the racks, looking for the perfect card, only to think that you could write a better one yourself?

Sunshine Commenter Award

Laurel, of Laurel's Leaves supplied a lovely surprise by awarding me the

Sunshine Supportive Commenter Award. Thank you, Laurel, I needed some sunshine this week. Laurel's blog is a fun and helpful stop on my blogroll.

I pass this award along to all of my faithful followers and regular commenters. Your  kind thoughts and input are always an encouragement. Feel free to post this on your blogs and pass it along if you wish. If not, please know that your support and friendship bring sunshine to my life.

Don't forget to share your thoughts about greeting cards. We're all ears, and ready to buy your card if you win the contest!

Blessings and Happy Weekend to all! :)

Contests and Tags

Contests

The Writer's Digest Annual Writing Contest offers a grand prize of $3000 and a 'meet the editor or agent' trip to New York City. Categories include memoirs/personal essays, magazine articles, poetry, plays, scripts, short stories, inspirational and more. Entry fee is required; submission deadline is May 14.

Also, check out K. Dawn Byrd's listings for writing contests for 2010. She's got quite a listing; perhaps a few will appeal to you.

I've Been Tagged!

Laurel from Laurel's Leaves tagged me with a like/love/hate meme. In case you aren't familiar with it, someone tags you and you share a list of things that you like/love/hate on your blog. Then you share it with other blogger friends.

Thank you,Laurel! It was sweet of you to think of me. Forgive me for not posting it sooner.

Let the fun begin:

• I like the satisfaction of completing a writing project.
• I like learning new things about writing.
• I like chocolate chip cookies.
• I love to write.
• I love to hear a good sermon.
• I love to breathe clean, crisp fall air.
• I hate injustice.
• I hate saying final earthly goodbyes to loved ones.
• I hate feeling pressure to be something I am not.
• I love my blogging friends.

I'm passing this meme on to these fab blogger friends. If you feel inspired, join in the fun, if not, just know that I love your blogs and appreciate your friendship.

Raymonde of Everyday I Walk With You
Jill at Jill Kemerer
Becky at Inside Out
Dorothy at Ink Dots
Emily at Benedictions

Have a wonderful week. Happy writing! :)