Yesterday, on that brouhaha over at a writer’s forum, when I offended the sensitivities of one published writer, by my article on self-publishing, one of her supporters accused me of being bitter. Or was it embittered?
Her reasoning of course, was the fact that my editorial pulled the pedestal from under traditional publishers, figuratively. My words were a bit blunt and snotty.
It’s not that I have a loathing of traditional publishers, I am just not particularly impressed. That doesn’t mean I am not impressed by a writer’s accomplishment when being published by a traditional publisher.
Actually, if the writer is able to get published by their own merits, meaning they aren’t already a popular movie star (or related to one), or a relative or lover of the publisher, then I am very impressed. It is an amazing accomplishment.
Back to that bitter thing.
If a writer composes a passionate (or ranting) editorial on sexual child abuse or spousal abuse, some readers might assume the writer is writing from personal experience. But, that is not always so. I had a non-traumatic childhood (don’t tell Mom, I like to occasionally guilt her out), and my husband of 32 years doesn’t even kick the cat. Not even when the shedding beast climbs into Don’s chair. Don, by the way, is very allergic to cats.
My point being (if I can find it again) is that if I write an editorial on either of those topics, it could definitely become rant like. Not all editorial expressions stem from some deep emotional trauma or bitterness. (Actually, I have written on those subjects.)
If I can’t muster up any festering bitterness over the Chemehuevi Tribe, and their Council’s shameful treatment of my family, why would I have any personal bitterness towards traditional publishing?
So what is my deep, dark, resentment towards traditional publishing? Why do I resent them so?
I suppose it is about the same reason my husband refuses to go to the movies with me. He believes movie stars are paid an obscene amount of money, while their fans are forced to pay high prices at the box office. Does this mean my husband had a secret desire to be a movie star, and now resents those super rich actors?
No. It means he is tired about hearing every gory detail concerning the movie star’s life, much of it sordid and disgraceful. Simply put, he doesn’t respect the entertainment industry. Bitterness is not part of the equation.
But what about me? I do self-publish my own books, via our company Robeth Publishing. Isn’t there some hidden resentment? Am I jealous of those big guys? The “real” publishers? Don’t I have stacks of rejection letters, that have been sent to me over the years, making me feel unloved, unappreciated and bitter?
Nahhh….I just like to rant occasionally. Can’t you tell?
Actually, during my lifetime I have sent a few manuscripts off to traditional publishers. And those rejection slips? I deserved them. The books needed a lot of work.
The first book I wrote was written in the 8th grade. Not a bad accomplishment for a kid, and it was a little less than a hundred pages. The story wasn’t bad. But, it was written by a teenager with poor grammar and spelling. (You think my grammar is bad now, you should have read me as a Freshman!) I never sent that book off to a publisher. After all, I was not a child prodigy, but I was smart enough to know it would be a waste of postage.
The second book I wrote was a re-write of the screenplay I wrote for a college course. I was pretty happy with the re-write. Unfortunately, I misplace the completed manuscript during a move, and the idea of doing a new re-write, from my notes and draft, isn’t on my current to do list.
The third book I finished was in the league of those 1980’s Harlequin novels. Definitely not a literary gem, but could hold its own with similar published works. By the time I was willing to give a publisher a try, the company began reorganizing and submission requirements changed. I delayed in pursuing a publisher, and as time elapsed, I realized the story line was outdated, considering the changing morals of our society. Back then virginity was a big issue in those early generic bodice rippers, sold on the discount shelves at K-Mart. I enjoyed the books, and writing one was fun. But is it marketable in today’s world? No.
A year later Robeth Publishing was up and running, and publishing a monthly community magazine. The project kept me pretty busy. While I had several employees and contributing writers, I was busy writing articles on history, nature, local government. There was no time for writing fiction, or even books of nonfiction.
When we moved back to Havasu to assume management of Havasu Palms, when my dad became terminally ill, our magazine was sold and our time was occupied with running the resort. Dad died in 1992, and we continued to manage Havasu Palms for another seven years.
In 1995 I wanted to pay tribute to my father, so I wrote the brief history of Havasu Palms, the oldest resort on Lake Havasu, entitled Where the Road Ends. I never considered a traditional publisher, there was too limited an appeal.
A few years later I wrote Lessons, a contemporary romance. I sent off several inquiries to agents, and to be expected, garnered no real interest. Yet, I don’t think I sent out a dozen letters, if even that. I’ve heard all those stories about well known authors who get hundreds of rejections before getting published. As persistent as I am in other areas, the process bored me.
Lessons was accepted by an eBook publisher, and I decided to give it a shot. They designed the cover, and performed typical publisher’s marketing chores, yet not very well. Fellow authors began complaining about the company, and soon many of us were jumping ship.
So, I rereleased Lessons through EbookAd, which allowed me to self-publish the book. I was happy with the results. Unfortunately, EBookAd had some issues with PayPal, which reportedly led to the demise of the company. Or so went the rumors.
Since 1999 my writing and publishing is focused online. I’m publishing another community magazine, this one online. And I’ve published several books. These are projects that are dear to my heart.
And traditional publishers, how do they figure in all this? They really don’t.
So why the tone of the article, that made some believe I was embittered?
Simply put (or repeated) I don’t especially respect the trade publishing industry as the embodiment of quality literature. It is a business, nothing more, nothing less.
Let me give you an example of just one reason I feel this way.
I have a favorite romance author. I have always loved her work, and have read most of her books. (She shall go nameless) After I finished one of her epics, I was so moved by the story, and compelled to write her a letter. I never write those kinds of letters.
She sent me back a nice thank you note, which I tucked into the covers of the book.
So, when she released a trilogy, telling the “rest of the story” of three characters from the epic, I raced to the book store, unable to contain my excitement at being able to read more of her fascinating story.
Boy was I disappointed! The books were nothing more than the publisher’s attempt to cash in on the excitement of the original novel. I suspect they hired ghost writers. The books were bland, lifeless, and someone with good grammar and sentence structure, yet no creative writing ability, threw the books together over a long weekend.
If my once favorite author did write the books, then it’s time she get out of the profession.
For me, it's an example that traditional publishers frequently publish crap, just as self-publishers are accused of doing the same. Many care nothing about literature, just money. But that’s okay, they are a business.
One final note, that offended author claimed one reason she was so opposed to self-publishing any of her work, was that self-publishing on her resume would be a black mark against her, and the publishers would no longer take her seriously.
Bullshit. If a publisher finds a self-published, talented writer that is MARKETABLE, someone they can make money from, do you think they will walk away? If they can make a buck from a successful writer who already has a following, it wouldn’t make business sense to shun her.
Of course, I imagine there are traditional publishers who encourage this line of thinking. After all, with the rapid changes in technology and the internet, other publishing industries are already suffering.
Someday there may be a new breed of self-publishers, who are savvy enough with production, editing and marketing, who will no longer need the traditional publisher or the archaic marketing practices of a changing industry.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
I need to stay off the forums!
Forums are a definite time waster, even worse than sharpening pencils.
Sometimes I have a knack for pissing people off. I don’t know why, Mom keeps telling me I’m a nice person.
What this rambling boils down to is this…I wrote an editorial about how some writers, editors and publishers distain self-publishing, and how some writers need validation from traditional publishers, to feel like real writers.
Since I didn’t say all writers, all editors or all publishers, I don’t know why anyone would get so insulted.
Of course, if the words touch a chord, some sensitive, vulnerable spot, like taking a spoonful of ice cream when a filling has just fallen off a tooth, leaving a nerve exposed, then LOOK OUT!
My big mistake (other than publishing the article and forum posts under my real name) was having this pissing contest with a very popular resident of the forum.
Never ever get on the bad side of the nice, popular girl on the forum.
Funny thing, when I initially posted the person, I sincerely was trying to give her a helpful suggestion.
When things started getting out of hand, I decided I would simply send her a private email, and explain to her my point of view. I figured the drama on the board was getting silly.
Well THAT was a stupid idea. The poster announced publicly about my “unprofessional” email, and instructed me NOT to contact her personally again. I imagine her post conjured up all sorts of sordid images.
It was really, a very sneaky strategy on her part. Especially considering all my email was, was a copy of her posts, with me responding to each point. Nothing inflammatory. Maybe kinda boring.
Perhaps her strategy worked, but I felt it lacked class. If someone contacts me personally, I will respect that privacy, even if I dislike what they have said. I certainly won't post inuendos on a public forum, hinting at their message. The only time I would take it public would be if they continued to contact me, after I privately asked them to stop.
In her final public point (I think it was her final post to me) she tells me how I obviously know nothing about her, or who she is.
Actually, I believe I gleamed an incredibly intimate insight into who she is. Seeing more, than I really wanted.
Sometimes I have a knack for pissing people off. I don’t know why, Mom keeps telling me I’m a nice person.
What this rambling boils down to is this…I wrote an editorial about how some writers, editors and publishers distain self-publishing, and how some writers need validation from traditional publishers, to feel like real writers.
Since I didn’t say all writers, all editors or all publishers, I don’t know why anyone would get so insulted.
Of course, if the words touch a chord, some sensitive, vulnerable spot, like taking a spoonful of ice cream when a filling has just fallen off a tooth, leaving a nerve exposed, then LOOK OUT!
My big mistake (other than publishing the article and forum posts under my real name) was having this pissing contest with a very popular resident of the forum.
Never ever get on the bad side of the nice, popular girl on the forum.
Funny thing, when I initially posted the person, I sincerely was trying to give her a helpful suggestion.
When things started getting out of hand, I decided I would simply send her a private email, and explain to her my point of view. I figured the drama on the board was getting silly.
Well THAT was a stupid idea. The poster announced publicly about my “unprofessional” email, and instructed me NOT to contact her personally again. I imagine her post conjured up all sorts of sordid images.
It was really, a very sneaky strategy on her part. Especially considering all my email was, was a copy of her posts, with me responding to each point. Nothing inflammatory. Maybe kinda boring.
Perhaps her strategy worked, but I felt it lacked class. If someone contacts me personally, I will respect that privacy, even if I dislike what they have said. I certainly won't post inuendos on a public forum, hinting at their message. The only time I would take it public would be if they continued to contact me, after I privately asked them to stop.
In her final public point (I think it was her final post to me) she tells me how I obviously know nothing about her, or who she is.
Actually, I believe I gleamed an incredibly intimate insight into who she is. Seeing more, than I really wanted.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Self-Publishing, a writer must
have faith in their own work
On one of the forums I visit, a writer was discussing the fact that one of her books was going out of print. The book was her “baby”. Naturally, this was a painful experience for her, but she planned to re-release the work on eBook.
I asked her why she didn’t consider self-publishing as a paperback or hardback. She wasn’t thrilled with my idea, stating she refused to self-publish. (Although I didn’t point out the eBook was self-publishing.)
Her reasoning: she said she wasn’t about to pay someone to publish, when in the past she has found people who believe enough in her work, to publish at no cost to her.
It’s really very affordable to self publish today, with print on demand books. No longer are would-be self-publishers obligated to pay the high fees of the vanity press.
Her comment reminded me of one of my Associated Content articles, which coincidently published today, covering this very topic.
It also reminded me of something that was once said to a friend of mine, who was desperately trying to get pregnant. One of her friends, who was encouraging her to adopt asked the question: What do you want, to get pregnant, or have a baby?
For those who don’t understand my analogy, that pregnancy is being picked up by a traditional publisher. The writer’s book is the baby, which can be a reality by self-publishing as well as traditional.
But in self-publishing, it is the writer who must believe in their own work.
To read more on the topic, visit my article.
I asked her why she didn’t consider self-publishing as a paperback or hardback. She wasn’t thrilled with my idea, stating she refused to self-publish. (Although I didn’t point out the eBook was self-publishing.)
Her reasoning: she said she wasn’t about to pay someone to publish, when in the past she has found people who believe enough in her work, to publish at no cost to her.
It’s really very affordable to self publish today, with print on demand books. No longer are would-be self-publishers obligated to pay the high fees of the vanity press.
Her comment reminded me of one of my Associated Content articles, which coincidently published today, covering this very topic.
It also reminded me of something that was once said to a friend of mine, who was desperately trying to get pregnant. One of her friends, who was encouraging her to adopt asked the question: What do you want, to get pregnant, or have a baby?
For those who don’t understand my analogy, that pregnancy is being picked up by a traditional publisher. The writer’s book is the baby, which can be a reality by self-publishing as well as traditional.
But in self-publishing, it is the writer who must believe in their own work.
To read more on the topic, visit my article.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Writing, when is too much, too much?
I think I am spending waaayyyyyyyy too much time on the computer these days. I’ve been on some sort of writing marathon, working on short articles covering a variety of topics. Sometimes (when I’m home) I take a swim break, then back to the keyboard.
Perhaps I need to get away from the computer, and spend some time living.
Then, I will have more to write about.
(Sounds like a vicious circle!)
Perhaps I need to get away from the computer, and spend some time living.
Then, I will have more to write about.
(Sounds like a vicious circle!)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
A writer's companion
There is something comforting about the image of the faithful family dog, sleeping by a fireplace as the flames crackle and snap and snow falls silently outside, visible through the glass panes of the window.
We no longer have a dog, although my husband and I had one for eighteen years, and another for thirteen. Both were beloved members of our family.
And then, a few years ago, a black cat adopted us, and moved in. We no longer had a dog in our home, and never considered ourselves cat people. In fact, the thought was absurd.
But things are different these days. There is now something comforting about our large black cat napping on the window seat in our den. It’s as if he belongs there, a designer addition added to the picture as if the decorator was trying to capture that Norman Rockwell feeling.
At the moment he is curled on the rocking chair, next to my desk. When I’m gone during the day, he seeks other places to nap, such as the pot shelf or on the rocker in our bedroom. But, when I’m home, he stays close to me. A fitting ornament for my cozy den, and a good companion for a writer, who sometimes needs a warm distraction, a friendly purr and a nuzzling reminder that it’s time to take a break.
We no longer have a dog, although my husband and I had one for eighteen years, and another for thirteen. Both were beloved members of our family.
And then, a few years ago, a black cat adopted us, and moved in. We no longer had a dog in our home, and never considered ourselves cat people. In fact, the thought was absurd.
But things are different these days. There is now something comforting about our large black cat napping on the window seat in our den. It’s as if he belongs there, a designer addition added to the picture as if the decorator was trying to capture that Norman Rockwell feeling.
At the moment he is curled on the rocking chair, next to my desk. When I’m gone during the day, he seeks other places to nap, such as the pot shelf or on the rocker in our bedroom. But, when I’m home, he stays close to me. A fitting ornament for my cozy den, and a good companion for a writer, who sometimes needs a warm distraction, a friendly purr and a nuzzling reminder that it’s time to take a break.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Regrets
I think I am a tad melancholy today. We sold our Jeep to our son, which was the best thing. It didn’t have air conditioning, and with the Havasu heat, that meant we couldn’t use it come summer. With the high price of gas, I don’t see us driving out, exploring in the desert come the cooler seasons.
But the Jeep was always my dream car. I was never much of a car nut. Never dreamed of sports cars or Corvettes or Beamers. I wanted a Jeep, exactly like the Wrangler we bought.
Although it was a 1997 it was in mint condition when we bought it in 2004. It had a soft top and on warm sunny days I wanted to take the top down, and drive it like a convertible. But I never did. Because of our area, it would not be practical to leave the top down, so if we took it down for one afternoon, we’d need to put it back when we got home. I’d never done it before, and didn't know how. My husband insisted it was too big of a chore to take the top down for just a few hours. So, we never did. He promised that someday we would. Someday never happened.
Our son sent us a picture of he and his new bride, driving the Jeep on an Oregon beach. The top is down. He tells me it is very easy, only takes a couple of minutes to take down, and put back up.
I don’t regret selling him the Jeep. I do regret never putting the top down.
But the Jeep was always my dream car. I was never much of a car nut. Never dreamed of sports cars or Corvettes or Beamers. I wanted a Jeep, exactly like the Wrangler we bought.
Although it was a 1997 it was in mint condition when we bought it in 2004. It had a soft top and on warm sunny days I wanted to take the top down, and drive it like a convertible. But I never did. Because of our area, it would not be practical to leave the top down, so if we took it down for one afternoon, we’d need to put it back when we got home. I’d never done it before, and didn't know how. My husband insisted it was too big of a chore to take the top down for just a few hours. So, we never did. He promised that someday we would. Someday never happened.
Our son sent us a picture of he and his new bride, driving the Jeep on an Oregon beach. The top is down. He tells me it is very easy, only takes a couple of minutes to take down, and put back up.
I don’t regret selling him the Jeep. I do regret never putting the top down.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Turn your blog into a book
Writers often dream of authoring a book. Unfortunately, many become paralyzed by what they perceive as an enormous task. How to start? What to write about? Do I outline? Should I research first? Maybe I need to sharpen pencils?
Blogging has become a great outlet for writers. Blog entries are not intimidating. They can be just a few lines, or several pages. Writers receive instant gratification, as their entries can be immediately published, and indexed within minutes. A dedicated blogger can create a substantial number of pages in a manner of months.
A blogger can also easily convert their blog entries into a book. And while it may not be a best seller (that will depend on the quality of your writing and your marketing skills), it could make a wonderful gift for family and friends. Or perhaps, as a gift to yourself.
You will begin by creating a word processing document, which will be uploaded at Lulu.com. At Lulu it is easy to self publish your own book. After you upload your file, the book can be delivered to you within a week or so. It is also fairly inexpensive. I've published paperback books for under $10.
To create your document, cut and paste your blog entries (beginning with the first) into your document. After all your entries are included, you can then begin the task of formatting your document, by adding page numbers, and pages such as a title page, dedication page, or copyright page. You can even include photographs and go full color or create a hardback book.
When formatting your document, you will want to set page size, margins and gutters. While those measurements are listed in the Lulu.com website, you will first want to decide what size book you plan to create. They offer various size, such as 6 x 9" or 8 ½ x 11". The various choices are listed on the website.
Depending on the quantity of blog entries, you may decide to self-publish a book every year, giving you a hard copy of your writing. This might be a wonderful gift to hand down to your children or grandchildren.
You may discover your first book has already been written. All you need to do is retrieve your blog entries, and format your document for upload.
For detailed information on self-publishing, check out our Self-Publishing Handbook, available on eBook!
Blogging has become a great outlet for writers. Blog entries are not intimidating. They can be just a few lines, or several pages. Writers receive instant gratification, as their entries can be immediately published, and indexed within minutes. A dedicated blogger can create a substantial number of pages in a manner of months.
A blogger can also easily convert their blog entries into a book. And while it may not be a best seller (that will depend on the quality of your writing and your marketing skills), it could make a wonderful gift for family and friends. Or perhaps, as a gift to yourself.
You will begin by creating a word processing document, which will be uploaded at Lulu.com. At Lulu it is easy to self publish your own book. After you upload your file, the book can be delivered to you within a week or so. It is also fairly inexpensive. I've published paperback books for under $10.
To create your document, cut and paste your blog entries (beginning with the first) into your document. After all your entries are included, you can then begin the task of formatting your document, by adding page numbers, and pages such as a title page, dedication page, or copyright page. You can even include photographs and go full color or create a hardback book.
When formatting your document, you will want to set page size, margins and gutters. While those measurements are listed in the Lulu.com website, you will first want to decide what size book you plan to create. They offer various size, such as 6 x 9" or 8 ½ x 11". The various choices are listed on the website.
Depending on the quantity of blog entries, you may decide to self-publish a book every year, giving you a hard copy of your writing. This might be a wonderful gift to hand down to your children or grandchildren.
You may discover your first book has already been written. All you need to do is retrieve your blog entries, and format your document for upload.
For detailed information on self-publishing, check out our Self-Publishing Handbook, available on eBook!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tripping over my grammar
My dad used to say I had an excuse for everything. I don’t think he meant it in a nice way.
I was recently visiting a writer’s forum, where I was seeking help on an article I was working on. One of the forum members gave me some advise which I hadn’t solicited. She corrected my grammar.
The really irritating part, I felt she was right. She told me: If you're going to start with a singular noun, keep it singular.
Yes, yes. I knew that. Honest. But I have a real good reason. (Which only goes to support Dad’s belief.)
At one time you could simply write “If a school teacher wants his students to behave..” And then with the Women’s Movement (which had my total support), we became aware that the “his” could also be a “her”.
But, writing “If a school teacher wants his or her students to behave” made me feel as if I was being over sensitive. It seemed easier to simply write “If a school teacher wants their students to behave…”
Which brings me to this recent chastising. Initially I believed she was right (and she probably is). After all, I have been known to screw up in this area.
I hate doubting myself, after all I am a college graduate, and I took about every writing course available at the four year university. In spite of the fact I received A’s for all of those classes, I know I am not a grammar wiz. I frequently stumble.
But, I hate doubting myself. I should know and understand all the rules. Yet, I don’t. I decided to revisit the rules in my trusty set of “Practical English”, that has been in my library for over thirty years. I looked up the section on pronouns, only to discover it clearly stated: “In cases where it is not clear whether the antecedent is masculine or feminine, use the pronoun his.” Obviously the book is outdated.
I understand language changes over time, but doesn't grammar? When exploring this question online I found support for my usage of “their” on Wikipedia. But Wikipedia is Wikipedia, no insult intended.
Heck, I should be thrilled I know the difference between their, there, and they’re.
Anyway….after surfing around I found another site, from Purdue University, which clearly supports my usage was WRONG. They write:
“It's a common mistake arising from good intentions: you want to use gender-neutral pronouns, so you write "their," "they," and "them" instead of "his," "he," and "him."
There's just one problem: "their," "they," and "them" are plural pronouns and should not be used with singular subjects or objects.”
Back to that singular plural thingy.
But, the web page was written back in 2004, so who knows, maybe I am right after all.
:-)
This was an interesing web page on the subject http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/austheir.html#X1a
I was recently visiting a writer’s forum, where I was seeking help on an article I was working on. One of the forum members gave me some advise which I hadn’t solicited. She corrected my grammar.
The really irritating part, I felt she was right. She told me: If you're going to start with a singular noun, keep it singular.
Yes, yes. I knew that. Honest. But I have a real good reason. (Which only goes to support Dad’s belief.)
At one time you could simply write “If a school teacher wants his students to behave..” And then with the Women’s Movement (which had my total support), we became aware that the “his” could also be a “her”.
But, writing “If a school teacher wants his or her students to behave” made me feel as if I was being over sensitive. It seemed easier to simply write “If a school teacher wants their students to behave…”
Which brings me to this recent chastising. Initially I believed she was right (and she probably is). After all, I have been known to screw up in this area.
I hate doubting myself, after all I am a college graduate, and I took about every writing course available at the four year university. In spite of the fact I received A’s for all of those classes, I know I am not a grammar wiz. I frequently stumble.
But, I hate doubting myself. I should know and understand all the rules. Yet, I don’t. I decided to revisit the rules in my trusty set of “Practical English”, that has been in my library for over thirty years. I looked up the section on pronouns, only to discover it clearly stated: “In cases where it is not clear whether the antecedent is masculine or feminine, use the pronoun his.” Obviously the book is outdated.
I understand language changes over time, but doesn't grammar? When exploring this question online I found support for my usage of “their” on Wikipedia. But Wikipedia is Wikipedia, no insult intended.
Heck, I should be thrilled I know the difference between their, there, and they’re.
Anyway….after surfing around I found another site, from Purdue University, which clearly supports my usage was WRONG. They write:
“It's a common mistake arising from good intentions: you want to use gender-neutral pronouns, so you write "their," "they," and "them" instead of "his," "he," and "him."
There's just one problem: "their," "they," and "them" are plural pronouns and should not be used with singular subjects or objects.”
Back to that singular plural thingy.
But, the web page was written back in 2004, so who knows, maybe I am right after all.
:-)
This was an interesing web page on the subject http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/austheir.html#X1a
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Avoiding SEO -
Search Engine Optimization
The other day I wrote about the Our Story Project, which is currently underway with the Lake Havasu Museum of History and Robeth Publishing, LLC.
I mentioned our quest for writers, not for us to hire, but possibly to be hired by our sponsors. Yet, it will be the Our Story Project who ultimately approves the submitted story. As long as the article meets the guidelines posted at www.Our-Story.org , there should be no reason a story will get rejected.
I thought I would mention something about these online stories, which makes them unique from other articles written for the numerous Internet websites. They will NOT be written for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
The Internet has redefined what it considers good writing. More important than sentence structure and good grammar are keyword use and density. Which may be great to gain attention from the search engines, yet changes how writing is perceived. We tend to be writing for some non-living robotic search engine, and not for real, living, breathing readers.
The other day I read my mother an article I had written for an Internet site. In her critique, she pointed out I had used one word too many times in the first paragraph. I had to explain that the word was a keyword, and I was aiming for 6% concentration. My mother has limited knowledge of the Internet, and I imagine she thought I was making excuses for poor writing.
The articles of the Our Story Project will not focus on search engine optimization. They are not being financed by keyword click on ads, their focus will be the story, and hopefully, good writing from the perspective of the pre-internet days.
I mentioned our quest for writers, not for us to hire, but possibly to be hired by our sponsors. Yet, it will be the Our Story Project who ultimately approves the submitted story. As long as the article meets the guidelines posted at www.Our-Story.org , there should be no reason a story will get rejected.
I thought I would mention something about these online stories, which makes them unique from other articles written for the numerous Internet websites. They will NOT be written for SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
The Internet has redefined what it considers good writing. More important than sentence structure and good grammar are keyword use and density. Which may be great to gain attention from the search engines, yet changes how writing is perceived. We tend to be writing for some non-living robotic search engine, and not for real, living, breathing readers.
The other day I read my mother an article I had written for an Internet site. In her critique, she pointed out I had used one word too many times in the first paragraph. I had to explain that the word was a keyword, and I was aiming for 6% concentration. My mother has limited knowledge of the Internet, and I imagine she thought I was making excuses for poor writing.
The articles of the Our Story Project will not focus on search engine optimization. They are not being financed by keyword click on ads, their focus will be the story, and hopefully, good writing from the perspective of the pre-internet days.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Our Story Project, opportunity
for writers to earn money
Yesterday I attended the meeting of the Havasu Writer’s Club, which is held at the local Library. I was just there for about twenty minutes or so, to introduce the new Our Story Project, which I am working on with the Lake Havasu Museum of History.
The Our Story Project will be a collection of Havasu historical articles and biographies. We hope to create a rich, online data base, that will grow over time. We are seeking sponsors. A sponsor will pay $200 to sponsor a page on www.Our-Story.org. Half of the fees will go to promote and maintain the site, with the second half going to support other projects of the Lake Havasu Museum of History.
Sponsors will be acknowledged on the page they support, and will be given a link back to their business website (if desired). They will not have to compete with Adsense type ads, or banner advertising, and the project’s goal is to keep the site up indefinitely.
We went to the meeting yesterday, not seeking sponsors, but seeking writers. Although the project will not be paying the writers, the sponsors may. Sponsors are responsible for supplying their story, and should they not be in the position of authoring a suitable entry, they have the option of hiring a capable writer.
At the meeting of the Havasu Writer’s Club we collected a list of local writers who would like to participate. We will be giving the list to potential sponsors, who may be in need of a writer. This could be an opportunity for a writer to earn additional revenue and to promote their work. Authors will be given bylines, with links back to their websites. Like the sponsors' information, the information will remain online for the life of the website.
If you would like more information on the project, visit www.Our-Story.org.
The Our Story Project will be a collection of Havasu historical articles and biographies. We hope to create a rich, online data base, that will grow over time. We are seeking sponsors. A sponsor will pay $200 to sponsor a page on www.Our-Story.org. Half of the fees will go to promote and maintain the site, with the second half going to support other projects of the Lake Havasu Museum of History.
Sponsors will be acknowledged on the page they support, and will be given a link back to their business website (if desired). They will not have to compete with Adsense type ads, or banner advertising, and the project’s goal is to keep the site up indefinitely.
We went to the meeting yesterday, not seeking sponsors, but seeking writers. Although the project will not be paying the writers, the sponsors may. Sponsors are responsible for supplying their story, and should they not be in the position of authoring a suitable entry, they have the option of hiring a capable writer.
At the meeting of the Havasu Writer’s Club we collected a list of local writers who would like to participate. We will be giving the list to potential sponsors, who may be in need of a writer. This could be an opportunity for a writer to earn additional revenue and to promote their work. Authors will be given bylines, with links back to their websites. Like the sponsors' information, the information will remain online for the life of the website.
If you would like more information on the project, visit www.Our-Story.org.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Easily Positioning Pictures
in a Word 2007 Document
Inserting a picture into your Word 2007 document can cause aggravation for some users. After inserting the image, the user begins typing in text and suddenly the picture is bouncing all over the page, refusing to stay put. For those users who can't seem to position their images, without the pictures moving around erratically, there really is a quick fix.
After you insert your picture in a Word 2007 document, click on the image. Little handles should appear around the image, which will let you know you have selected the picture correctly. Once the picture is selected, a tab entitled PICTURE TOOLS will appear above your Word 2007 control ribbon. If the picture is deselected, the PICTURE TOOLS tab will vanish.
Once you select the image by clicking it, click the PICTURE TOOLS tab above the ribbon, and a new menu will appear in the ribbon. You will see several sections; Adjust, Picture Styles, Arrange and Size. Under Arrange you will see a little icon that looks like a lined box with a dog in the center, called TEXT WRAPPING. Click on the TEXT WRAPPING icon.
It is in Text Wrapping that you will tell the picture how to behave. This is the setting that will end your aggravation, and stop your picture from hopping around the page. If it is set INLINE WITH TEXT, the picture will move with your cursor as you type.
If you make the Text Wrapping setting to be SQUARE, your type will move around your image. If you were creating a newsletter and wanted to include a photograph, with the text wrapping around the image, this would be the setting to choose.
You can also set the image to be in front, or behind the text. Setting the image to fall behind the text is a good choice if you want to include a headline or other text copy over the image.
Should you want your pictures to always be inserted with the same Text Wrapping setting, you can make that setting by changing your Word Options. To do this, click on the round OFFICE BUTTON icon at the upper left hand corner of the screen. A new menu will pop up, giving printing and saving options. At the bottom of that menu you will see WORD OPTIONS. Click on that, and another menu will open. Choose ADVANCED from that menu, then CUT, COPY AND PASTE. Under that section, change INSERT/PASTE PICTURES AS: to the option you prefer. Then click OK and the menu will close.
If you make this change in your Word Options, and decide you want to change one of your image's Text Wrapping, you can still do that individually, as described in the first part of this article.
With a few simple commands, it is fairly easy to tame Word 2007, and make it behave as you desire.
After you insert your picture in a Word 2007 document, click on the image. Little handles should appear around the image, which will let you know you have selected the picture correctly. Once the picture is selected, a tab entitled PICTURE TOOLS will appear above your Word 2007 control ribbon. If the picture is deselected, the PICTURE TOOLS tab will vanish.
Once you select the image by clicking it, click the PICTURE TOOLS tab above the ribbon, and a new menu will appear in the ribbon. You will see several sections; Adjust, Picture Styles, Arrange and Size. Under Arrange you will see a little icon that looks like a lined box with a dog in the center, called TEXT WRAPPING. Click on the TEXT WRAPPING icon.
It is in Text Wrapping that you will tell the picture how to behave. This is the setting that will end your aggravation, and stop your picture from hopping around the page. If it is set INLINE WITH TEXT, the picture will move with your cursor as you type.
If you make the Text Wrapping setting to be SQUARE, your type will move around your image. If you were creating a newsletter and wanted to include a photograph, with the text wrapping around the image, this would be the setting to choose.
You can also set the image to be in front, or behind the text. Setting the image to fall behind the text is a good choice if you want to include a headline or other text copy over the image.
Should you want your pictures to always be inserted with the same Text Wrapping setting, you can make that setting by changing your Word Options. To do this, click on the round OFFICE BUTTON icon at the upper left hand corner of the screen. A new menu will pop up, giving printing and saving options. At the bottom of that menu you will see WORD OPTIONS. Click on that, and another menu will open. Choose ADVANCED from that menu, then CUT, COPY AND PASTE. Under that section, change INSERT/PASTE PICTURES AS: to the option you prefer. Then click OK and the menu will close.
If you make this change in your Word Options, and decide you want to change one of your image's Text Wrapping, you can still do that individually, as described in the first part of this article.
With a few simple commands, it is fairly easy to tame Word 2007, and make it behave as you desire.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
10 Reasons to Be Happy About High Gas Prices
The other day we paid more than $4.50 for a gallon of gasoline. I never imagined I could find anything good about these high gas prices, but then it hit me. I realized there was an upside to hikes, and if I tried, I could find more than one reason to view today's gas prices as a positive thing. It is that old glass half empty or half full thing.
So here it is: ten reasons to be happy over higher gas prices.
1. I hate pumping gas. It probably has something to do with the fact that when I was a teenager I worked at my parent's marina and had to spend hot summer days pumping gas into boats and vehicles. With these higher gas prices, I realized it hardly takes any time at all to pump $20 of gas into my vehicle. What a time saver, it used to take me three times as long to pump $20 of gas.
2. I'm not crazy about people just "dropping in". I don't mean to be inhospitable, but unexpected visitors always seem to arrive when my hair needs to be washed, I'm wearing unflattering and moth ridden clothing, and in the middle of cleaning my walk-in closet, after hauling its entire contents into the middle of the living room floor. Now, with the high price of gas, people tend to call first, to make sure you're home.
3. I don't want to spend money on a physical trainer, but I need one to stay motivated. With high gas prices, you naturally tend to walk more. For example, our bank is located down the street from our office. I used to drive to the bank during work hours, but no more. Now I walk. With all this walking, who needs to pay a trainer to keep you on track?
4. I hate going to Weight Watcher Meetings. It is embarrassing standing on that scale. Now with the high price of gas, I have a great excuse to miss the meetings. And since I can no longer afford to buy junk food, who needs Weight Watchers?
5. A great time go buy a motor home. My husband and I have been dreaming of buying a motor home. I bet we can get an amazing deal on one now.
6. No reason to budget. I hate making and staying on budgets. With the current price of gas, there is no money left to budget. So one less depressing task I need to do!
7. Gets those Hummers off the road. I really hated the way people with money were showing off their brand new Hummers. Every successful Yuppie had to have one. Now they can't get rid of them fast enough. Ha! Shows them!!
8. Takes the focus off the war. Now the news is all about gas prices. We no longer have to think about the war, and all our young people in harms way.
9. Gets people thinking. Nothing like a major gas price hike to get the country's creative juices going. Discovering new energy sources and finding ways to stick it to the gas companies is becoming a national obsession. An improvement over our obsession with Paris Hilton.
10, Number ten.....what is the tenth reason for being happy with higher gas prices? Sorry, can't find one. There is just so much optimism one can muster.
So here it is: ten reasons to be happy over higher gas prices.
1. I hate pumping gas. It probably has something to do with the fact that when I was a teenager I worked at my parent's marina and had to spend hot summer days pumping gas into boats and vehicles. With these higher gas prices, I realized it hardly takes any time at all to pump $20 of gas into my vehicle. What a time saver, it used to take me three times as long to pump $20 of gas.
2. I'm not crazy about people just "dropping in". I don't mean to be inhospitable, but unexpected visitors always seem to arrive when my hair needs to be washed, I'm wearing unflattering and moth ridden clothing, and in the middle of cleaning my walk-in closet, after hauling its entire contents into the middle of the living room floor. Now, with the high price of gas, people tend to call first, to make sure you're home.
3. I don't want to spend money on a physical trainer, but I need one to stay motivated. With high gas prices, you naturally tend to walk more. For example, our bank is located down the street from our office. I used to drive to the bank during work hours, but no more. Now I walk. With all this walking, who needs to pay a trainer to keep you on track?
4. I hate going to Weight Watcher Meetings. It is embarrassing standing on that scale. Now with the high price of gas, I have a great excuse to miss the meetings. And since I can no longer afford to buy junk food, who needs Weight Watchers?
5. A great time go buy a motor home. My husband and I have been dreaming of buying a motor home. I bet we can get an amazing deal on one now.
6. No reason to budget. I hate making and staying on budgets. With the current price of gas, there is no money left to budget. So one less depressing task I need to do!
7. Gets those Hummers off the road. I really hated the way people with money were showing off their brand new Hummers. Every successful Yuppie had to have one. Now they can't get rid of them fast enough. Ha! Shows them!!
8. Takes the focus off the war. Now the news is all about gas prices. We no longer have to think about the war, and all our young people in harms way.
9. Gets people thinking. Nothing like a major gas price hike to get the country's creative juices going. Discovering new energy sources and finding ways to stick it to the gas companies is becoming a national obsession. An improvement over our obsession with Paris Hilton.
10, Number ten.....what is the tenth reason for being happy with higher gas prices? Sorry, can't find one. There is just so much optimism one can muster.
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