Category Archives: journal writing

Believe it, Achieve it!

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“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Thoughts are things!” ~ Napoleon Hill 

Last weekend, as I climbed the ladders to the caves of the cliff dwellings in Bandolier National Monument in Jemez Springs, New Mexico I was fulfilling a dream that for many years I had been wanting to see come to fruition. The ultimate pleasure of all was being able to share the dream with those that I love, my husband and my son! 

It is important to have dreams in our lives! They give us hope, they give us a reason to believe, things to aim for and things to fulfill. Without dreams, we accept life as ordinary and mundane, and we can fail to thrive. 

Before we reach our dreams,  we must first climb the rungs of the ladder! We need to set goals and reach them. Sometimes the steps to success can be fraught with fear, self-doubt and setbacks. The timeline we set for having our dreams come true does not always follow the path we would like it to. 

This weekend, I will be attending my second women’s retreat! Last year at the retreat, our leader, Mary Nelson of www.reclaimyourselfandmore.com  asked the retreat participants to map out, through pictures,  how we saw our lives. I am pleased to report, a year later, the picture of my life, is very different. Some of the images should be exchanged, old for new, some should be revised. Make no mistake, I have moved in the direction I set for myself because I have done the personal work it takes to find success. As I have climbed the ladder of personal fulfillment, I know that whatever I believe, I can achieve. Granted, sometimes change does not happen as quickly as I would like. Sometimes the situation is out of my control, and sometimes not. What is important is that I have learned lessons along the way. 

As time marches forward, so do my dreams!

Pain Free Writing?

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“..sometimes I wonder all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage …” ~ Graham Greene

CNN news recently took a survey and technical writing ended up #28 on the top 50 list for best paying jobs with best growth potential in the coming years. It also ranked as #5 for lowest stress (quality of life) jobs. My interpretation of these statistics is that if you have the technical knowledge in any field, and can write, it is a fulfilling way to make a living. Interested in seeing how other careers rank on this survey? Go to http://bit.ly/3L5eRk. 

However, I do question whether technical writing is low stress. Perhaps to the reader it is – if the writer has done a commendable job of researching then communicating his points and data to the audience. For a writer who is focused on excellence,  writing is rarely low stress. Editing, tweaking, rewriting to get the words to flow just right, so that the reader can easily follow the writing, is no easy task! 

Some of the basic things it takes to become a technical writer is addressed in a new article, Tips on How to Become an Independent Technical Writer.  Please visit http://bit.ly/aIo1L6. 

Are you someone who has technical or educational information to share? Consider sharing your knowledge through independent publishing! Technical writing is applicable in so many fields – cooking, science, coaching, how to paint, draw or sketch, how to play a musical instrument, computer science, medicine and much more! Wherever your field of expertise lies, there are always communities of like minded people who will search and find and buy your book through the internet, the big wide web of information!

 

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Get Behind Them, Encourage!

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“There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come through encouragement..” ~ George Matthews Adams 

Yes! I have finally found a cause that all sides of the political spectrum can agree upon. It is the importance of art and humanities in the lives of children. 

Since 1998, Presidential First Ladies, Republican and Democrat alike, have been Honorary Chairman (chairwomen, to be P.C.) of the Coming Up Taller Awards.  The National Endowment for the Arts has selected their list of 2010 finalists that fulfill the requirements to be considered for this award. All of them exhibit excellence in arts programs for children. 

There are three primary partners in this award:

  • The National Endowment for the Arts
  • The National Endowment for the Humanities
  • Institute of Museum and Library Services

 This award is not limited to organizations within the United States. There is an international component to this award as well. These awards recognize the good work arts and humanities programs do in providing outstanding opportunities for children to learn their craft, understand the discipline and commitment it takes to become artists and scholars in their fields of accomplishment. 

The deadline of January 29, 2010 is quickly approaching for selecting the award winners.To see the list of finalists for this year, please visit:  http://bit.ly/bVGkZv. 

Meeting the needs of children who thrive in the Arts is so important! When children are supported by parents and organizations in what they love to do, they do stand tall and they thrive!

 

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Weekend Indie Publisher News

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Have you written a book designed to improve daily living? The Living Now Book Awards are coming up and the first deadline has gone by. The sooner you submit your book, the lower the cost to enter your book into the competition, so all of you enter now!

Basic Information:

This contest is designed to reward authors for new publications that helps improve quality of life and how to live fulfilling lifestyles. 

Categories include:

  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • Cooking
  • Entertaining
  • Self Improvement
  • Animals/Pets
  • Green Living
  • Spirituality/Enlightment
  • Family    
  • AND MORE!! 

Next submission deadline and fee – now until November 20,  $85 per title,   After November 21st , $95 per title

                                                          Final Deadline February 21st. 

For more information – please visit http://www.livingnowawards.com/index.php 

Good Luck! Book awards are a sure -fire way to increase your visibility as an author and for your book!

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Old Concept, New Location

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“The thing I would encourage you to do is go where your love is. Go where your heart tells you to go.” ~ Bill Billachick 

Are you one of the many who has been traditionally published but for one reason or another wish to do things a little differently this time around? Perhaps you are disillusioned by the way the integrity of your writing can be changed by your publisher. Maybe you are interested in being more directly involved with the sales and marketing aspect of your publication. Is it that you would like to earn a higher percentage on your sales or do you wish to find out for yourself why, according to Bowker, independent publishing grew a whopping 181 percent between 2008 and 2009? All of these are good reasons for making a switch. 

One of the most valuable skills you will need to know as an independent publisher is how to reach communities of people, through social media marketing, who will purchase your book. 

Although the concept of social media marketing may sound “new age”, it really is an old concept, in a new setting. Instead of locating people that share the same interests as you do at church, at PTA meetings, in gyms, in bars, at knitting clubs or through fraternal organizations – you meet them over the internet and communicate with those like minded people. By building relationships, you will locate potential buyers. 

Don’t know where to start? Help is readily available. Search the internet for  e-commerce and e-marketing for independent publishers. Professionals can assist you in becoming more visible over the internet, which will increase the potential for sales of your independently published book all over the world.

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Nurturing Potential

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“It helps us to all work together, because its the parent and the teacher and the child – its that triangle..”

Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools has stated that the potential is there for students to become super men and super women, if given the opportunity for a great education. Our children’s inability to progress is due to the educators ineffectiveness in fulfilling the needs of the children in the classroom. It is the adults who are failing the children. This is a blanket statement, however, we all know that there are as many good teachers as there are inadequate teachers.

Every child deserves and needs a great education. They are the future of our country and students need to be taught in a way that recognizes and builds upon their strengths and gifts,so they can become global leaders as adults.

David Guggenheim’s new film “Waiting for Superman” will be premiering in New York and L.A. on September 24. This documentary film provides an inside look at education in America, our need for equal opportunity, America’s teachers and some answers to saving schools.

As highlighted in the film, the opportunity to obtain an excellent education should not be dependent upon the chance of winning a lottery to be admitted into one of the new high performing charter public schools.

Obviously, educational institutions can not be entirely held responsible for the success of a child. Parents need to do their part, too. Expose your child to the arts, to museums, to athletics, to faith and to groups of empowering people. A child has the potential to achieve what is set before them – so set the bar high! That way, your child will know you have confidence in their abililities and that you know they can succeed! It is all about nuturing potential.

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Weekend Indie Publisher News

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Hurry and Register! October Writers Conferences are coming up, soon! Writers Conferences are beneficial to all writers – seasoned and first time publishers! Click on the links to get all of the details of these popular conferences:

Emerald City Romance Writers – Greater Seattle Area October 1-3, 2010  www.gsrwa.org/conference.

James River Writers Conference – Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA  October 8-9,2010   http://bit.ly/bQ6Aph

Fisherman’s Wharf Conference, San Francisco, CA  October 13-17, 2010 www.fwalgonkianconferences.com.

Florida Writers Conference, Lake May, FL  October 22-24  www.floridawriters.net.

Can’t attend these conferences? You can always tune into “Cover to Cover” each and every Saturday on-line at www.wnzf.com.  There is a wealth of information free for writers and publishers on this radio show.

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Common Clarity

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  “Almost all new ideas have a certain aspect of foolishness, when they are first produced.” ~Alfred North Whitehead

Having good language and writing skills is important for all of us. It helps us to communicate in our jobs, with family, friends and through social media, too! But using lofty, big words that no one else understands can be frustrating and a turn-off for the reader. A book or film with a message that is clearly communicated, is the most fulfilling to me.

If you visited this blogsite yesterday, I am glad you returned today! Yesterday’s blog writing was filled with archaic words that may have left you feeling the need for a reference book on weird, wacky words. It takes time that few readers have, to continually look up words you do not quite understand. I will spare you and provide you with a clear interpretation, right here and now!

The internet is a sciniary( keeper of archives), so it should be able to rally to the task of helping me find the right words. So useful is the worldwide web to writers in so many ways. Without it, I would need to practice the art of scoteography (writing in the dark).  Poets seem to find words that work in the context of their writing, so very easily that I have become a musophobist (person who regards poetry with suspicious dislike). I believe that poets can’t possibly come up with all those magnificent, creative words without extra God- given gifts for language. A gift that was not given to all individuals.

This blog is becoming somewhat naufrageous (in danger of a ship wreck)! If I continue, it will end up a capilotade (hashed together story).You will call me a cumber-ground (someone who is useless in their job) and suggest that I become a bouquinist(a dealer of second hand books).

Does it sound like morology (foolish talking) to you? Well, PLEASE do not discerp (tear it to shreds) unless you have linguipotence (mastery of the languages).

Enough of being inaniloguous (full of idle talk). These words are not drogulus (not able to be verified). They can be verified. I will deliciate (make myself happy) by ending this blog.

In the meantime, I will go try to open some boxes of books, that are hard to get into because they have segilbond (encircling plastic bands that hold shipping cartons shut – you know- the kind that are so hard to remove until you use them as a handle).

A girl just wants to have fun on her new computer, and use a lighthearted start. In coming days this blog will be more recognizable with fulfilling content!

 

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Stepping into the Light after 9-11

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“..the whole healing process – art, colors and design – all that makes a difference.” ~  Barbara Weaver

I was never more cognizant of art fulfilling it’s purpose than during the days following September 11, 2001. As much as I wanted to do all that I could to shield my eyes from the ugly images of destruction, rubble and death, I found myself glued to the television watching images I never expected to see in the United States of America.

Going to work each morning, following the horrific events of 9-11 gave me the opportunity to escape from a world of ugliness into a environment  filled with beauty and light. I had begun my employment at West Wind Fine Art, where my introduction into a career of order fulfillment for independent publishers began.

Not only was I surrounded by inspiring art books and videos, I was also amidst magnificent paintings by master artists. Each morning after 9-11, as I stepped into the art gallery, my place of work, I lingered a little longer in front of each painting so I could forget the images of the destruction of the Twin Towers, and into an environment of beautiful landscapes, floral images and portrait paintings that exquisitely captured faces without pain, fear and horror. At the end of the work day, I would do the same, stand and be drawn into worlds far different than what the media was charged with covering.

Art fulfilled it’s purpose by changing my perspective, it connected me with peace and set me free from my emotions of sadness and doom. It allowed me to replenish and nuture the seasons of my soul.

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You are Worth it!

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“The best thing you can do is be a teacher to young people” ~ Rick Pitino 

Have you ever asked any kind of volunteer “if it is worth it?” In my experience, many will respond “YES,  that volunteer work is both fulfilling and satisfying, and that is payment enough.” 

Last week at our Kiwanis meeting, www.kiwanis.org, three mentors from the Partners in Routt County Program, a program associated with AmeriCorp., visited and spoke with the Kiwanians about the admirable work they do in mentoring children at risk.

The program pairs mentors with children, at local schools, who have been identified as being “at risk” for a number of reasons – perhaps poor family dynamics, drug or alcohol addiction problems, low self -esteem or kids who struggle socially or educationally. The mentors develop comfortable relationships with the at-risk children and they become someone the kids will confide in when things get rough. 

Did you ever wonder what your time is worth, as a volunteer? On average $20.58 per hour! However, it does to vary from State to State. To see what value your state of residence puts on volunteering, please visit http://bit.ly/cxvboF. 

I was glad to hear that these valuable volunteers from Partners in Routt County are compensated by way of a small stipend and the benefits include being able to “pay back” educational debt. It makes volunteering even more worthwhile. However, what the volunteers are paid does not fully compensate for what these volunteers are worth according to the statistics given by the www.volunteeringinamerica.gov  chart. 

By donating their time, volunteers from Partners in Routt County are saying to each and every child they mentor “YOU ARE WORTH  IT!”  And that is like music to children’s ears!! 

Thank you, Volunteers – you are worth it, too!

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