Super Seminars for Those Who Write

Lauren Carr Internationally Best-Selling Author and Publisher  OPERATION: Promote Your Book & More Internet Marketing That Works! Saturday, 3/21 Author and Publisher Lauren Carr and critically-acclaimed author Cindy McDonald have worked with many authors who have become paralyzed with uncertainty when it comes to marketing their books. For this reason, they have gotten together to offer an all day workshop designed to break everything down for authors. Time will be spent teaching writers how to build and project the right image for their website, as well as learning how to use Twitter and Facebook effectively. Visit Acorn Book Services for more information about OPERATION: Promote Your Book & More workshop.Online registration and payment is available . Advanced Registration is highly recommended. (Workshop will be cancelled and refunds issued if a minimum registration is not reached by March 10). Dates: Saturday, 3/21/2015            9:00 am-4:00 pm (lunch included) Place:   Oakland Church              70 Oakland Terrace              Charles Town, WV 25414 Cost: $65 before March 10   $75 After March 10 Click the PayPal Button to Sign Up Now for OPERATION: Promote Your Book & More   Writing That Bucket List Novel Sat. 3/14/2015: 9:00 am-12:00 pm Second Session: 1:00 pm-4:00 pm Is “Write a Book” one of the things on your bucket-that list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket? Got a story in your head that you’ve always wanted to write?  Thought about writing the great American novel?  Or just a memoir to pass to your grandchildren? If you’ve got “write a book” on your bucket list, this is the class to get you started.  Best-selling author Lauren Carr will share her experience in writing and publishing to get you started on your story. In this three-hour workshop, Lauren will pass on the secrets that most professional authors had to learn the hard way about how to check “Write a Book” off that list. Among the secrets she will divulge: Where and How to Get Started on Your Book Making Time for Writing Identifying Time-Thieves Getting Past the 40-Page Block The Secret Behind Getting Over Writer’s Block Date: Saturday, March 14, 2015 Time: 9:00 am-Noon (First Session)           1:00 pm-4:00 pm (Repeat Session) Place: Clarke County Parks & Recreation     225 Al Smith Circle     Berryville, Virginia 22611 Cost: $45  To register or for more information: Visit Clarke County Parks and Recreation website or call   540-955-5140. 10+ Most Common Mistakes Made By New Writers Sat. 4/11: 9:00 am-12:00 pm 9:00 am-12:00 pm: Book Writing: 10+ Most Common Mistakes Made By New Writers Does your book suffer from Good-Parent Syndrome? Do you know what your crutch word is?  Lauren will discuss all of these topics, and other writing errors that can negatively impact your book’s success, during her four-hour presentation entitled: 10+ Most Common Mistakes Made By New Writers (Grammar and Punctuation Are Not On the List). Date: Saturday, April 11, 2015   Time: 9:00 am-Noon  Place: Clarke County Parks & Recreation            225 Al Smith Circle            Berryville, Virginia 22611   Cost: $45  The above date for this workshop is currently tentative. Contact Clarke County Parks and Recreation for the final date. To register or for more information: Visit Clarke County Parks and Recreation website or call 540-955-5140. How To Be A Successful Author Without Getting Dressed  Sat. 4/11: 1:00 pm-4:00 pm 1:00 pm-4:00 pm: Book Publishing: Authors in Bathrobes: How To Be A Successful Author Without Getting Dressed   Every writer dreams of big book events in book stores with lines going out the door. Unfortunately, for 95% percent of published authors, this is not a reality. It is not uncommon to have a book event and have no one show up. Today’s technology has made it possible for authors to gain a following, and make money with very little overhead and without getting dressed. In this presentation, author and publisher Lauren Carr will discuss how writers can now walk through the doors that have opened to not only write and publish their own books, but how to do it successfully-without getting dressed! Date: Saturday, April 11, 2015   Time: 1:00 pm-4:00 pm  Place: Clarke County Parks & Recreation    225 Al Smith Circle    Berryville, Virginia 22611 Cost: $45  The above date for this workshop is currently tentative. Contact Clarke County Parks and Recreation for the final date. To register or for more information: Visit Clarke County Parks and Recreation website or call 540-955-5140.

Join Our Mailing List! Acorn Book Services 415 Moonridge Lane Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 25425

If you’re a budding writer, or even published author who wants to learn more about being successful in today’s publishing arena, then come out out. Take note of the deadlines and which courses you need to register for. I look forward to seeing your there!

Lauren Carr Seminar: Writers in Bathrobes

Want to learn the ropes of the writing/ publishing business? Want to work from home? Then you need this! Top Selling Mystery author Lauren Carr is going to be teaching all this and more in historic Harpers Ferry, outside Washington, D. C., in March 2015.

Here’s an excerpt from her e-mail!

BIG NEWS: I have just scheduled to conduct a SIX HOUR workshop in
March at the church called: AUTHORS IN BATHROBE. I am still working out  the details, but this workshop will break book promotion down into an understandable format for writers. Even if your book is not out yet,
then this will include things that you can do now to get the ball
rolling for sales when you book is released.

Focused completely on using the internet to promote your book and your
writing career, the workshop will include no less than an hour on
Twitter and an hour Facebook. (My own sales drop 10-20 percent on days I don’t tweet!) It will discuss the importance of a website and how to set
one up without breaking your budget. What is a blog? What goes into a
blog post. Virtual book tours. It will even cover the basics of an
author bio and what makes a good profile pic.

It will be 9 to 4 on Saturday, March 21. Lunch will be included. Price
is still being determined.

You are the first to hear this, so spread the word.

Hints for Using Twitter by Guest Author Shelton Keys Dunning

My recent remarks about learning to use Twitter sparked a terrific response from author  Shelton Keys Dunning (https://twitter.com/SheltonKDunning). Thank you, Shelton, for sharing helpful information for writers everywhere:

When my editor told me I needed to do the Twitter thing, I thought, what’s she smoking? I made fun of Twitter, calling those that used it twits. But she introduced me to another platform Tweetdeck (Twitter, only better) and I actually find I like the format better: http://www.tweetdeck.com

There’s also a Tweetdeck app for your smartphone that is set up the same way. You can break up your follows and topics into handy-dandy columns and set up alerts and what not. It’s fairly user friendly, but if you run into any trouble let me know. A good hashtag to follow for writers if you haven’t already come across it is #amwriting

I’m happy to see you in the Tweetsphere. I’ve only been here for a year so I’m not an expert, but it is fun if you know what to look for.

Mark Your Calendar — Sell An Article

For my science fans, here’s a nugget about a celestial show you may want to watch.

Comet PANSTARRS: March 10 to 24, 2013

Comet PANSTARRS discovered in June 2011 using the Pan-STARRS 1 Telescope at Haleakala, Hawaii, is expected to put on its best show during this two-week period. During this time, the comet will also be near its closest approaches to the sun (28 million miles, or 45 million kilometers), and Earth (102 million miles, or 164 million km).
 While Comet PANSTARRS was a very dim and distant object at the time of its discovery, it has brightened steadily since then. It still appears on target to reach at least first magnitude and should be visible low in the west-northwest sky shortly after sunset. On the evening of March 12, 2013, the comet will be situated 4 degrees to the right of an exceedingly crescent moon.

Why mention this now instead of in March?

Because, for those of you who write for social media like Yahoo news or e-How, now you have a time critical subject to research, write about, and sell! If you are unfamiliar with this market, as easy place to start is ezinearticles.com. Click here for the editorial guidelines: http://ezinearticles.com/editorial-guidelines/

Ezinearticles doesn’t pay for articles, but it does offer affiliate marketing. Advertisers link to your articles and you get paid for click throughs. It’s not big or easy money, but it is a place to start to learn the ropes.

Check out Associated Content. It pays for articles outright.

If you are a blogger, get paid to post at Blogger’s Pay Per Post. There are strings attached, but you can earn from $.50 to $10. per assignment piece.

Bukisa is a traffic driven buyer. So you have to write on popular topics to draw a paycheck.  However, Bukisa allows you to re-post material that has been published elsewhere. So using Bukisa can double earnings on non-exclusive material.

This gives you plenty to start your at-home writing career. So start researching that comet heading our way, write an article or two, and sell, sell, sell.

Simple Ways to Protect Your Internet Privacy

Would you hang a sign in front of your house with your name, date of birth, social security number and private family information in large block letters for anyone driving by to read and record? No, unless you want a ton of trouble.

Sometimes those using modern communication devices like a smart phone, iPad or portable computing device hang information about themselves out there for the taking. Kashmir Hill of Forbes magazine offers tips to protect your privacy.

• Password protect all your devices. This keeps someone from casually reading your messages or documents. So many internet writers confess to reading other people’s messages when left alone with a friend’s device.
• Use Google Alert to find out what others are saying about you on-line. It takes 60 seconds to fill out the form. http://www.google.com/alerts
• Sign out when you finish on e-mail, bank sites, auction or retail sales sites or social media. This is especially important if you are using someone else’s device. Don’t leave the door open to your private information.
• Use cash to buy things. Data mining companies know about your on-line and credit card purchases and sell that information to others. Next thing you know, you are bombarded with ads from embarrassing vendors who bought your name from a list.
• Set your Facebook page to Friends Only. No need to share your private life with the world — or ID thieves.
• Clear your browser history and cookies routinely. Hackers love to snoop to see where you’ve been on-line.
• Use an IP masker to confuse those snooping on you. Check https://www.torproject.org/ for more information.

 

When Procrastinating Made Me a Super Star!

Rarasaur is a charming blogger, full of enthusiasm and charisma. (www.rarasaur.wordpress.com) She nominated moi for an award about a month ago before a bunch of craziness took me out of circulation for a bit. When I mentioned the award before Christmas, it was the Blogger of the Year Award. However, Rarasaur has had a change of heart regarding BOTY, and re-issued her awards as

I promised to fulfill the requirements for the award after the end of the world as Mayan enthusiasts predicted. Oops. The Big Pffffft didn’t happen and neither did my promised 12/22/20012 response to Rarasaur’s nomination.

Today I discovered the change in her decision about which award she was bestowing. So procrastination paid off this one and only time. I like the new award better, Rarasaur. It’s prettier, shinier, more sparkly. Woo hoo! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for nominating me.

So here’s my fulfillment of the obligations.

1. I love a white Christmas, so I got my wish this year!

2. I am a birding enthusiast. I like feeding them, watching them, creating habitat for them, documenting sightings of them.

3. A favorite waterfowl watching site is Assateague and Chincoteague Islands. Every year on Thanksgiving week, the park opens remote areas that are normally inaccessible to tourists. One can roam and see migrating waterfowl and wild ponies all in the same place. It is glorious to see hundreds of snow geese bobbing in inlets with all manner of ducks, swans, gulls, terns and other wild geese.

4. My recurring nightmare is being drowned at sea. Or eaten at sea. Or both.

5. I decorated a Christmas tree this year for the first time in many years. Often we travel at Christmas, but not this year. In fact, this year Christmas is getting spread out over several days. So between getting snow, having a tree, and loving on family and friends, I am really enjoying Christmas this year!

I am nominating the following blogs of writers who help other writers as my Superstars:

M. S. Fowle  at http://msfowle.wordpress.com  cover design

E-BookBuilders at http://www.e-bookbuilders.com/ ideas galore

Karen Gadient http://karengadient.com/ cover design and more

C. J. Gorden http://cjgorden.wordpress.com/resources/  list of resources

Paige Nolley http://paigenolley.wordpress.com/ the bare naked truth of the writer’s path

The following entity is not a blog, but an honorable mention:

Kickstarter www.kickstarter.com uses cash to support creativity

SHINE ON, YOU TWINKLY PEOPLE!

Primp Your Blog, A New Leaf

In an update on an old friend, Kira, the creator of Primp My Blog, has changed her website, suitably calling it “Her New Leaf.”

In her words:

While working on my blog’s redesign, it was a (lofty) goal of mine to do all of the design work myself. Considering I am a self-taught Photoshopper, have minimal HTML experience, and little to no CSS knowledge, this was a lot to take on. I found it really difficult to find the information I was looking for out there on the big, bad internet, and the information I did find was often too technical for me to understand or poorly translated to English. But I accomplished my goal, and I love my new blog, and in the true spirit of Her New Leaf, I learned a ton of new things in the process!

I’m excited to share my knowledge with you in a  feature called Primp My Blog. I hope to present the information I find all over the internet in an easy and readable way so that someone who is brand new to blogging can utilize it. Please let me know what you hope to learn, and I will do my best to learn it myself, then share here!

Go here to see for yourself. There are lots of tips and tools to help you make the most of your social media sites.

http://www.hernewleaf.com/primp-my-blog/

Social Networking for Loners

Birth Of A Social Networking Loner.

Why am I always the last one to the dance? I didn’t find this post until days after it appeared. I was the 500th person to like it.

(I like nice round numbers, unless I am pumping gasoline. In that case, I end it where it shuts off. I refuse to round up. But then, who cares??)

Carrie Rubin offers insight into the marketing value of social media. It is a very worthwhile read.

Advanced E- Learning

My Aussie e-friend at e-Learning Provocateur has posted a collection of blog sites for advancing one’s knowledge. As writers, we are a curious lot who love to learn new things, so we can incorporate those things into stories.

For you “already professional” authors, one of the blogs cited deals with social business on a global scale. If you are planning to take your book products outside of North America, you may glean some tips to speed your process along.

Another blog mentioned focuses on futurism and related trends. Syfy writers take note. The remaining topics covered in Provocateur’s list are vast — a true treasure trove. Check it out. Feed your head.

http://ryan2point0.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/my-15-favourite-australian-e-learning-bloggers/#comment-2004

How To Use Facebook

This link leads to a tutorial for those who have never used Facebook. It is a step-by-step instruction guide to get you started.

http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2010/04/elder-geek-how-to-use-facebook.html