Entries Tagged 'General' ↓

It’s been a while since I posted but I’ve been busy over on my other two blogs.

For links, news and all things to do with your writing and books go to www.writerslittlebook.blogspot.com

and for longer articles about my work go to www.eileenparr.blogspot.com

Information for all budding writers in the East Midlands.

www.writingindustries.com

If like me you’re ready to take your holiday break then I’m sure it will come as a welcome relief from the challenges of the year.

So how do you make the best use of it to prevent loss of momentum in your writing?

The 5 stage writing process

I divide the writing process into 5 segments and believe you need a different mindset when you approach each segment.

1. Research
2. Writing
3. Pause
4. Editing
5. Proof reading

It’s the pause stage you can enjoy while you celebrate the holiday and feel virtuous that you’re doing something positive while you loll back in your chair.

Robert Louis Stevenson talked about ‘my little brownies’ by which he meant those unconscious procesess that play far more of a part in our writing than we give them credit for.

How can we use this Pause stage?

By focusing on where we want to go with our writing.  Assess the now position, make notes on your progress or lack of it and specifically ask your unconscious for ideas on certain topics.

With guidance it will stir the pot for you while you forget your work and enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

And when you start writing again, you’ll be amazed on how much progress you can make… and how fast.

What are e-books?

E-books are quick to produce, introductions to topics ranging from writing to knitting to training parrots.

Whatever your subject you can write an e-book on it.

Why write an e-book?

Writing e-books can provide you with an extra source of income whether you already have a business or not.  As a business person they can provide others with proof of your expertise, mark you out in a crowded marketplace and give you a marketable product.

If you have a hobby or interest where you have built up considerable knowledge, why not share it with others.  Teach them how you did it and you can grow extra income at the same time.

How do you write an e-book?

Fast, simple and with a method.  It’s not a long novel where you have to dream up characters and a plot.

An e-book is factual, should be easy to read and follow.  The shorter you make it the better for the reader to understand and learn from it.

How do you sell an e-book?

The process is automated, fast and digital.  You don’t need to meet your buyers, unless you want to and they can buy at any time of the day in any time zone.

What’s an easy way to write an e-book?

An easy way to write an e-book is using a simple method like the 5 day E-book Writing System.

Is it really possible to write an e-book in 5 days.  Yes it is because I’ve done it using the system.  That’s how my e-book was written.

What do you have to do to achieve that?

1. Commit yourself to the project by allocating the time.
2. Follow the method as outlined.
3. Keep taking action.

So if you really want to have your own e-book then you need to head over to:

www.5dayebookwriting.com

When you buy the book you’ll also receive a bonus to help motivate and keep you going through the process.

Do it now and one week from now you’ll have your very own e-book ready to sell.

www.5dayebookwriting.com

Went to see a client yesterday who wanted some updated text for her website.

Why should you update your site on a regular basis?

1. To include new aspects of your service.
2. To alert people to industry information they might not know about.
3. To let them know how delighted other clients are about your work.

Yes you can use your blog (you do have one don’t you?) for this.  But not everyone bothers to click through to your blog.

Yes you can Twitter about what’s happening.  But if they miss your update because of timing then they’ve missed it.

Building up your authority on your website is vital because you never know how or when a visitor ends up there.  So you need to think constantly of adding value to what they see and matching the information to what you know they need.

Markets are changing all the time.  Woe betide us if we sit back thinking we’re done once the website is up.

Most people would have me down as a disciplined worker and I can power through projects.

Last week was different because we had the builders in the house and so many chances for distraction.

How are you when your routine is upset?  If I’m tired because of the upset, I’m also hungry.  Which is a temptation to hit the chocolate biscuits – my excuse is I’m burning up nervous energy at twice my normal rate.

So creature of habit that I am, it took me till Friday to establish a different kind of routine.  What I found though was that despite the upset, distractions and noise, my productivity rate didn’t drop too much.

Instead I worked in shorter and more concentrated periods.

Conclusions?  That sometimes we need shaking up to keep a flexible response to changing circumstances.

And that I do love chocolate biscuits!

What a treat yesterday to go round this little gem of a library in the centre of Nottingham – between Barnardo’s charity shop and a newsagents.

Stepping into the house which contains the library is like stepping into a Jane Austen movie.  It feels, looks and smells like a private library.  The kind gentlemen created for their own pleasure.  No ladies alas among its founding subscribers.

On show just a few of the treasures of the place.  A book created like a special edition of Hello magazine to celebrate a royal wedding.  In this case the Prince of Wales and the Danish Princess Alexandra in 1863.  And just like a Hello sequence there was information about the guests, the celebrities of the day, the clothes, the presents and the going away outfits of bride and groom.

All this not in glossy photographs, but beautifully coloured pictures, painted with painstaking detail of setting and people.

I spent a happy hour in the library ending my tour with a look at the garden which has to be the quietest outdoor space in the city centre regardless of the traffic no more than 50 yards away.

Met Rachel Strong from Erewash Sound Radio station yesterday when I was networking.  She was telling me that Erewash Sound have just been awarded their licence which has had them whooping with joy.  That means they can extend their presence; already you can listen to them online.

If you fancy your chances as a radio announcer or a behind the scenes person, then why not contact them at www.erewashsound.com

Busy creating the email update I send out to my clients, colleagues and associates.  Every month I mix it up by including stuff I find on my wanderings on the internet, information about what I’m doing and something to lift the spirits.

You can’t please everyone so really I include anything that I think might help someone that has interested me for some reason.  Like this morning I had a link from Ken McCarthy of The System Seminar about the free videos on his YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/systemseminar

Even if you can’t manage the money or the time to see marketing experts there are still snippets you can learn from them.

If you think you’d like a look at the update email at eileen@words-for-you.co.uk and I’ll add you to the list.

This year’s Women of Influence lunch will be held at the East Midlands Conference Centre 9 November.

For more information contact carol.parkinson@ntlworld.com