Writer-Reminders
.... the
weekly ezine for sidetracked writers.
Oct 30, 2005 -
Analyze Your Writing / Sell Your Book with Gifts
Thought for the Week -
The Holidays Are Coming! The Holidays Are Coming!
Don't forget to sign up for the
Feng Shui for Your Home Office telephone class. There
are only a few days left! Feng Shui for Your Home Office
Wow! I can't believe the holidays are almost here. We
actually start gearing up in October when I start buying
Christmas presents, then it's Halloween and school
parties, and we always host Thanksgiving dinner. Then
Christmas is a whirlwind because we have three birthdays
to celebrate in addition to regular Christmas events....
so you can imagine how crazy it gets around our house.
This year I put together a special presentation for the
Working Women's Survival Show on 10 Steps to a Happy,
Healthy and Peaceful Holiday, and I thought I'd share
them with you over the next few weeks.
Step 1 is to Determine What You Love and What You
Hate About the Holidays. Think back over the last
few years. What were you most memorable moments? What
drove you crazy? What can you change this year because
of that?
Step 2 is related to Time. How much do you NEED?
How much do you HAVE? and How much can you MAKE?
Whip out your calendar, and start blocking out all the
stuff you know about already. Then spend a few minutes
thinking about what else you need to do and what blocks
they will fit into.
In order to make time, you need to cut out some things
(maybe you use paper plates or use your lunch hour to
get an errand done), do other things faster (eat soup
and sandwiches once a week instead of an elaborate meal)
and what can you simplify (instead of 10 kinds of
homemade cookies maybe you only make three this year. I
promise it will still be a great holiday)!
Step 3 is to create a planner to use as your Holiday
Organizer. Here is a link to the one I'm using. It
has forms for tracking your gift purchases, getting your
schedule under control, planning holiday meals and
parties, even tracking your favorite holiday shows (and
more)!
One of the most difficult parts of writing (in addition to getting rid of all
the typos!) is being able to analyze your own writing like an editor.
It can be so difficult to be objective when you've spent hours searching for the
perfect phrasing or tying in the perfect quote.
I came across this list for educators on how to assess analytical writing. It is
based on six areas:
* Ideas and Content
* Organization
* Voice
* Word Choice
* Sentence Fluency
* Conventions (grammar, punctuation, etc.)
Take a look at it to see if it can help you be more objective and write better
articles:
I also got an email from Pam White at Food-Writing.com. She's
got five slots open for her next class, in case you're interested (I know I'd
love to write a cookbook -- it's on my someday list!). http://www.food-writing.com
For authors.... The Holidays are Coming
Faster Than You Think
One of the secrets to selling your book is to create a gift package out
of it.
If your book were in a high end bookstore as a package, what kind of
person would you buy it for? Who would buy it? What extra goodies would make
it one of those presents you actually remember next year?
I really like this idea because you are creating a product at a higher price
point (so fewer sales results in higher revenue) and you can capitalize on
your buyer's feelings of "What am I going to give them this year?" dilemma.
For example, C. Hope Clark of FundsforWriters.com
has put together such a package for her book, The Shy Writer.
You can read all about it here:
As writers, we think books first when pondering presents
for our friends and relations. We respect the meaning
of a well-written message. And if a writer partners her
writing with a tangible item like a cooking utensils,
bath salts, a candle or pen, we smile and think "What
a cute idea for a gift."
Now is the time for those "cute little ideas" to come
forth. If you have a book, have you considered this
concept? I asked around and obtained some feedback for
The Shy Writer. Now I have a gift package available for
those who wish to gratify their introverted writer or
embrace a new writer seeking ways to come out of the
closet.
--Blank gift tag, for you to create your own message for
your beloved writer.
--Wrapped in cellophane and yellow ribbon.
Add The Shy Writer to your gift list. We all know we
give what we'd love to receive, so don't discount a set
for yourself. You've worked hard this year, and maybe it's
time for a reward!
"Julie, I am sending a quick note to thank you for your well measured and extra-ordinary website. You have
a tremendous amount of information at a very reasonable cost. I subscribed to your free site and, for the
first time in forty years of writing, found a planner that works for me.
I felt so guilty for receiving so much information free from your
site that I have now ordered and downloaded the e book. I have found that you have struck a cord among so
many writers regarding procrastination and simple organization. Keep up the good work.
-- Raymond Freeman
M T W T F S S
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1. Declutter (only 5 minutes)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. Read (only 5 minutes)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. Assess (30 seconds to 5 minutes)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4. Write (at least 5 minutes)
Weekly Checklist
For freelance writers: Use this weekly checklist to find, write and send a query every week of
2005!
Monday
__ Make notes on a new idea.
Tuesday: Accounting Day
__ Post your accounting records.
__ Pay bills.
__ Follow up on outstanding invoices and queries.
Wednesday
__ Find a new market using links below.
Thursday: Errand Day
__ Make copies.
__ Return books to library.
__ Make deposit at bank.
Friday
__ Finish query and submit.
__ Match your query to the market.
Saturday Weekly Review
__ How was this week?
__ What's up next week?
__ Review your Projects list in your planner and check the
status.
__ Jot the next action steps for your projects on next week's
calendar.
__ Backup your computer files.
__ Virus scan your computer.
__ Update windows software at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
__ Update Microsoft(R) office software at http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate/default.aspx
Sunday
__ Relax and enjoy!
__ Do something fun today!
Thanks for visiting Writer-Reminders! If you have comments,
success stories, or suggestions, reply to this message or e-mail
me at :julie@writer-reminders.com
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