Aug 27, 2004 - Back to School Means Back to Writing
Volume 3, Issue 20
The weekly ezine with a road map for
sidetracked writers.
"Be better writers today
than we were yesterday."
Thought for the Week - Back to School Means Back to Writing
It's back to school and back to writing at my house.
First, have you hit the back-to-school sales yet to stock up on office supplies while they are so inexpensive? Here's my list of the must-have supplies:
-- Notebooks (my best deal this year was 25 cents for single subjects and I got 20 of them. I wonder how long they will last?)
-- Bookshelves
-- 3-ring binders
-- clicker pens (no lids to lose, and you only need one hand)
Secondly, I apologize for the lack of newsletters. A wise author (and I wish I could remember her name) once said that it takes a lot of goofing off to write a book -- and she was absolutely correct.
Have you had some time to recharge, relax and reassess where you're going this summer? With an impromptu vacation in July and lots of consulting in August, this newsletter unfortunately had to wait. Thanks for your patience!
But we've got some great stuff this issue... so let's get to it...
P.S. Congrats to Katharine Kroeker from http://www.shorthandpublishing.com who won a free copy of The Organized Writer ebook in the July survey!
Write More in 2004™ Audio CD now available!
How are you doing with our goal to Write More in 2004™?
If you need a little inspiration, check out my brand-new audio CD, Write More. It's 45 minutes where we run through the Organized Writer 30-Day Get Organized plan with some of my favorite new tips and resources. If you need a little jump-start to get your summer writing in gear, this CD is perfect. You can listen on the way to work (or even on the treadmill).
Until September 25th, this CD is available for with free shipping for only $19.95 (US shipping only).
"The CD came yesterday afternoon, and I listened to it as I was
zipping around the kitchen making dinner. It's terrific, and I learned
several things." --Joyce Heiser, Inspirational Writer, http://www.mychristiansite.com/ministries/lhchristianwriters/
Payments can be made through Paypal (with just a credit card if you don't
have an account).
If you have questions, require international shipping or would like to use another payment method, just
email me with
"Audio CD" in the subject line
For authors.... How well does your website showcase your book?
The first step in creating a website for any book is to think about your purpose for the site.
Do you just want a here's-what-my-book-is-about site? Then a simple site with a short excerpt, information about the book, a page about the author and a link to Amazon is probably enough.
Or are trying to sell the solution to a problem? Then your site needs more. You need to showcase your expertise... and the best way to do that is to provide solutions on your site. Answer questions. Give examples. Have a newsletter where you give answers. Use lots of "you" sentences, and show your visitors how you help them. Then instead of convincing them to buy, your book is simply answering their request for more.
Are you trying to entertain (for example, with a romance novel or fiction)? Then make sure your site is entertaining and gives a visitor the feel for the experience they will have with your book.
-- The site design is very pleasing to the eye and consistent with the book's colors.
-- The book cover is featured on the right with a buy now button (you wouldn't believe how many sites that are trying to sell books don't even have the cover on the home page!).
-- You can download a sample PDF of the book (and a sample of the teacher's manual). This is the "give me more" principle at work.
-- The site even includes sample grants and grant resources for schools who need money to fund a goal-setting program.
-- The quick start guides on the left-hand side address the different audiences for the book (teachers, parents, students and principals).
-- The author set up a media center to make it easy for reporters to cover the book.
So... if you've got a student who is starting school and setting goals for the upcoming year, does the site make you want to know more? http://www.goalsettingforstudents.com
For freelancers....The Well-Fed Writer: Back for
Seconds
Have you heard? Peter Bowerman, author of the The Well-Fed Writer, is back for more with his new book,
The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds. I can't wait to review it for you, but starting in September it will be available from his website with
free shipping and some very neat bonuses.
One of them is the Well-Fed Toolbox, a 44-page e-book with letters, lists, questionnaires, scripts, contracts, style guides, checklists, samples, tips, follow-up note formats, web sites and commercial writing resources.
If you've ever considered writing for businesses, you need Peter's books. I went to his seminar a couple years ago and left it pumped about the possibilities.
Like Organized
Writer.com? You'll love the ebook.....
"Julie, I love your book. I have read (or at least opened) more than a trunk load of books about writing over the years. Yours is the first I have seen that gives readers so much in one place. For me, the Master List and putting that together was more than worth the cost."
-- David Stoddard
Motivational writer, trainer and publisher of the
Terrific Life Concepts ezine.
http://djstoddard.net
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
2004!
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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Copyright 2002-2004 Finally Organized LLC. All rights reserved worldwide. This
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