Originally Posted Jan 13, 2012 Pinterest is an online pinboard. That cork board you have behind your desk with a variety of pictures and notes stuck all over it? Now you can put it online and add things, share things and repost things that catch your eye. (Yes, I hear the inner groan of some of you – another social network thingy?) But, oh. The potential. Click for full post. I posted more thoughts about Pinterest on Jan 27th, 2012, specifically for authors using Pinterest as a story creation tool. On May 14, 2012: Is Pinterest worth the addiction? See full reasoning here. The rest: Reasons to jump on the Pinterest...
Novel Research A.D.D.
I’m sure one day this will be an official diagnosis. Though I doubt there will be a true cure for this ailment. I do know that I’m severely afflicted with this now. I’m a history addict and horse nut, so researching horses and history is a daily venture. I routinely google certain horse breeds + “history” and love what I find. (If you want to follow my Pinterest account, you’ll see images from my searches.) But lately, I haven’t had the mental capacity (or discipline) to stick with one topic, one time period, or even one breed. Polish Arabian history is the focus of my latest full manuscript. And what...
Going through some changes
Blogging is like any other process in life—the more you do it, the more you learn and grow. My blog has grown a lot over the years and I’ve had to experiment with the content and purpose of it. I’ve shared my writing journey, my personal stories and my novel research. Lately, however, I’ve come to realize this isn’t what my blog is meant to be about. There are millions of blogs out there in cyberspace. What makes mine so special? (Well, I think I’m special, but that’s not enough.) 🙂 It is time for a revamped focus. It is time to go back to heart of what I truly...
Is Pinterest Really Worth the Risk of Addiction?
Yes. I say this after “pinning” for about an hour while scouring the inter-web for information and inspiration for my next manuscript. The above board is basically a collection of important links and images that all play a factor in my next novel. In the course of this research and content curation, I’ve connected with other horse lovers and even had the shock of a key association following my pins on Pinterest. (Following little ol’ me, really?) Pinterest is invaluable to a writer. Why? Because you’re reaching people with similar interests = i.e. potential readers. The beauty of different “boards” is your ability to show your own three-dimensional-ness. (Yes, I...
Sometimes things happen 167 words at a time
Chapter One. Twenty minutes of cardio. Five minutes of guitar strumming. These things feel insignificant and yet so daunting all at once. But in our crazy, hectic lives, sometimes we can only manage 167 words in a weekend. Five minutes of practicing that guitar. Twenty minutes of cardio. That’s enough—if you stay consistent. If you make that happen on a regular basis. Then you’ll have 1600 words, a few hours of guitar practice, better workout habits. If you keep waiting for that “right moment” to start something—it will never happen. Trust me. Be honest with yourself. What project do you need to start? Where can you squeeze in twenty minutes a...