down the writer's path

Internet Tools for Writers: Catch it with Stickies

I am old enough to remember life without the Internet, typewriters prior to word processors, and index cards before the dawn of Post-its. I love stickies. Canary yellow, pale pink, turquoise blue, and spring green, the list goes on and on. Now there are Super Sticky notes, ruled notes, sticky index cards, and even color-coded half-index-card stickies. It's a beautiful world for writers today.

My library is littered with flags and notes on stickies. I use stickies as I read through books that I use for research or that I'll review. I arc out a character's life on stickies. I manage a novel visually scene-by-scene using stickies in a blank book I keep close at hand. Notes, ideas, questions all mark up my stimulating rainbow of stickies.

But wait! Let me tell you about my desktop. It, too, is littered with Stickies. I've tried several note-taking software and my favorite is--what else?--a software called Stickies. Offered by Zhorn Software, this is a simple, clean program that will soothe the soul of any stickie manic. You can color-code, alarm, and play hide and seek with them. They can live on your desktop or hibernate in a particular file. They can be huge, tiny, or Post-it sized. Bless them, they can even be printed.

I use my cyber-stickies to capture random thoughts that accumulate during the day, to run ongoing shopping lists, and to capture quick notes for phone calls or emails. They function as terrific reminders. If you prefer to have a clean desktop, hide your stickies until you need them. What's the best thing about Stickies? It's free! Download it now.
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More info: USING FURL; USING OUTLOOK; USING GOOGLE ALERTS; USING GOOGLE DESKTOP SEARCH; USING THE BLOG READING LEVEL TOOL; USING VISUAL THESAURUS; USING JACKETFLAP.COM SOCIAL NETWORK

Internet Tools for Writers: JacketFlap networks people in the children's book industry

Social networking is here to stay. So if you're among the thousands of writers who have not made an attempt to tickle any social networks such as MySpace, Facebook or Twitter, it's time. Anyone remotely connected with the children's book industry should take a look at JacketFlap.com. You'll not only find authors and illustrators, but you'll run across reviewers, librarians, agents, booksellers, publicists, teachers, and even students. This is a growing community with a database of books, just released books, reviews, children's book-related blogs and publishers. If you're already published, you may discover your name and book is already listed. If that's the case, it's time to update your profile before anyone else does. Best of all, JacketFlap is free.

I came across JacketFlap yesterday during a search of my name. The site only had my name and the info on DIVIDED LOYALTIES. So I cruised around the site, read all about it, and updated my profile. It was easy and didn't take long. You can make it as concise as you wish. I was even able to have a feed to this blog show up on my profile page. If you're a writer or illustrator, JacketFlap is one more way to promote your books and your work. In addition you can find other writers and "friends" who will network with you. At the very least your profile is one more page that will show up on a Google Search. The best JacketFlap offers is a connection to the publishing community that may lead to more book sales and possible future work.

In order for the community to grow, JacketFlap awards points when you update publisher information, new contacts, or referrals. The points accumulate and gift certificates are earned. So, don't forget where you first heard about JacketFlap and spread the word. I find the site pretty impressive. Take a look and then come back and give me your thoughts. If you're in the kiddie lit field, why not join me--and don't forget to "friend" me--at JacketFlap.com.
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More info: USING FURL; USING OUTLOOK; USING GOOGLE ALERTS; USING GOOGLE DESKTOP SEARCH; USING THE BLOG READING LEVEL TOOL; USING VISUAL THESAURUS

Internet Tools for Writers: Save Time with Google Alerts

If you're guilty of losing time on the Internet surfing for research and information, one great tool for writers is Google Alerts. Instead of you going out to find the information, Google surfs the net, mines the web for any info particular to your alert, and bundles it in an email that lands in your mailbox. You determine whether you want the alerts daily, weekly, monthly or whatever. The alert can be as broad as monitoring "dinosaurs" or as narrow and specific as your name. (Setting up an alert to monitor your name is something I think every writer should do; you'd be amazed at what you discover.)

You can create up to 1,000 Google Alerts. That should satisfy even the most versatile and research-needy of writers. Check the Google Alert FAQ page to learn the hard facts. Right now I maintain an alert on my name. I also have one that pertains to a subject for a future book and one that is directly related to one of my current characters. Both alerts float in once a week. Now Google doesn't know exactly what you are looking for but just having something that goes out and searches the web for every mention of that particular word or combination of words greatly reduces the time you spend foraging. The magic inherent in surfing isn't eclipsed, either. Serendipity snaps into focus the moment you click on a link that is even remotely interesting.

Google Alerts has an easy manager. This little program is so easy to set up and use that anyone will benefit from its use. Mine are sent directly to my gmail account. (You will need to open a Google account but you don't have to use Gmail.) Filters funnel the alerts so they are easily retrievable. They also show up in my Outlook in a folder titled ALERTS. There they sit, silently awaiting my attention on my timetable.

When you get an alert, it may contain one, two, three, even seven, eight or ten websites. They probably won't all directly relate to your needs but it only takes seconds to click, check and delete. Save the ones that may matter in the email. When I find one that obviously has something I'm going to want or need later--you guessed it--I Furl it.

If you haven't discovered Google Alerts, give it a try.
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More info: USING FURL; USING OUTLOOK

Internet Tools for Writers: Lower your Email Anxiety

Are you sucked into a whirlpool of email every morning only to finally be spit out to discover 1-2-3 hours have gone by? Take advantage of the software and Internet tools to gain control. I use filters and folders so that much of my e-mail is automated. I do NOT have to read everything, nor do I need to read it immediately. Some items accumulate and if I don't have time at the end of the week or month I may even delete an entire folder's contents. That often happens with a few subscription-type emails.

I use Outlook and that has really helped me upgrade my efficiency in handling email and tasks. If I read an email that requires attention--not immediate--I'll flag it. If it's something I need to do, I'll task it. I make quick decisions that enable me to sort the mail that is not automatically sorted. There are only about 3 or 4 people whose emails I feel I should read quickly. Those are automatically filtered into folders but their folders are moved up to the "favorites" section so I see them first. Newsletters, alerts, and group email are immediately funneled to their appropriate folder to be checked. I use downloadable timers that are set to 2 minutes for immediate response and 15-20 minutes to limit the amount of total time spent on email. My goal is to go through all legitimate email every morning, usually within 15-20 min. so I can clear decks for the day's work ahead. If an email requires more than 2 minutes for a response I either flag it or convert it to a task. Since I don't use any sound to let me know when the emails come in, I'm able to maintain focus on my daily work and set specific times for email checks.

The use of filters, folders, flags and tasks allow me to move quickly through my email and the Internet. Any internal tension or anxiety about "growing email" or losing myself in the research abyss of the Internet is eliminated.

Internet Tools for Writers: Furl

When I go online to research or surf, one of the Internet tools I rely on is FURL. If I find something that may be interesting but not something I need to read or spend time on right then, I FURL it. In seconds I've given given it a filter and a tag or two so I can find it easily later. t takes a few seconds. FURL is an online service. I use their online storage so it functions like a giant file cabinet full of links that I've already filtered and tagged. Instead of reading through the article, essay, tip, or site, I'm able to make a quick judgement, FURL it, and tag it. Everything is stored, ready for me to read later when I'm ready for to take in the content. With Furl Im able to stay focused during the time dedicated to online research. If you need a little help, give FURL a try.

Living a Google-enhanced writing life

Google's impact on writers is growing. The dawn of the Internet search engine forever changed the way writers conduct their daily lives. Today Google's influence and assistance is expanding at a phenomenal rate. I confess: I have become Googlized.

It began innocently enough. Tuesday I began the day firing up my computer while sipping my first cup of coffee and indulging in my latest writerly fantasy. My inbox bulged with its usual conglomeration of junk mail, group posts, friend's emails, business matters, writing-related messages, and Google Alerts. Nevertheless, I intended to write.

I'm still not sure how it happened — my brain in its usual morning slumber — but somehow my fingers tripped me onto a site that asked if I wanted to try Google's Desktop. It was innocuous enough. I obeyed and initiated the download. That was 48 hours ago. Today I am a fully Googlized writer.

Google Desktop and its seductive mate, iGoogle, kept me enchanted for hours. Think cyber-office on steroids. My desktop now hosts the best 4-tabbed To-Do list gadget ever and it sits on top so I can sporadically — 'cause that's how my mind works nowadays --add to my lists. This phantom cubicle contains the to-dos for my computer guy, daily writing goals, reminders, and calls. All I do is click and the next list appears. The sidebar? It's an explosion of tools divinely inspired to feed my inner office junkie and lure my muse out to play.

But wait, I'm not done.

There is this thing called iGoogle. It's like a ramped up, totally personalized Google Desktop. Now an array of gadgets inhabits my iGoogle home page and tabs (additional pages, what a great feature). My homepage reflects my general needs. (Yes, they're all that necessary.) One tab is dedicated to my main writing project (the novel) and another to general writing. A fourth is for pure reading pleasure (it’s research, okay?). I have stop watches, countdowns, alarms, project trackers, activity trackers, progress bars, and stickies — let me tell you about stickies. I never knew there were so many types of note-taking gadgets available. Writers embrace note-taking but its management? That’s another issue. With no end to styles, any writer should be able to find the perfect cyber-sticky. (Have I told you before how much I adore Post-its?)

Of course there are ways to have quick access to Outlook, documents, links, and RSS feeds. But more playful spirits will laugh in delight at the gadgets that feed your inner child and tickle your muse. You can get lost for hours in a Google Gadget jungle. I know. iGoogle. It’s a writer's wonderland.

The result? A vortex of organizational energy swirled pulling my Outlook into view. I've been ill for several weeks; before that, out of town for three; and the two months prior spent dealing with a critically ill dog that required daily visits to the vet. My unread messages had burgeoned to a whopping 18,000. It was time. I attacked the keyboard and waged war. I downloaded and downloaded and downloaded. I set up folders, created rules, and redistributed the lot. Emails flew. Junk mail exploded. In 10 hours I dealt with 25,000 emails.

I wanted more. I searched the web eager for tools, tips and strategies until I finally stumbled onto Gmail. Wow. Let me sing its song. It's perfect for a writer and why not? Gmail is set up to operate intuitively; writers are intuitive creatures. With the labeling and filtering system, their end-of-time archiving, and email subject conversation flow feature, it's a writer's perfect marriage of technology, inspiration, research, and organization. Imagination is the writer’s only limitation. I opened an account.

Now let's get real. Why spend days downloading, researching, and setting up systems when all that’s needed is the discipline to put your butt on the chair, start up the computer (or pick up a pen, pencil, and paper), and write?

Overkill? (Shrug.) Maybe. (You should see me skate the aisles at Office Depot — this was free.) But thanks to my obvious addiction, I now have tools that will make my writing life infinitely more manageable and my writing happily more productive. The mountain of ignored emails simply vanished. Incoming is now a snap. My desktop helps me develop my goals and intentions. My ability to focus is sharpened. When I marry my Gmail account to my Outlook, life will be complete.

What about you? Are you a fully-Googlized writer?
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This article originally appeared on Blogcritics 10/20/2007.

Writing Tools & Strategies: Five minutes to story

Start off the week with a quick batch of 5-minute timed writings. To make it easy, I've found a handy tool called TimeLeft. In minutes I had the program downloaded and installed. Ten minutes later I had a clock, a stopwatch, a 5-minute timer, a countdown clock, and a sign on my screen. There are any number of uses for the program but for writers the timers, countdowns, and stop watches can actually become part of a strategy to make sure time is spent writing. So what is TimeLeft?

TimeLeft is a versatile desktop utility, which may be used as a countdown clock, reminder, clock, alarm clock, tray clock, stopwatch, timer, sticker, auction watch and time synchronization utility.

Since I'm such a fan of timed writing exercises, I created the 5-minute timer first. I suffer from major muscle spasms and often need a timer or stopwatch. I have to make myself get up from the computer every hour to give my neck, upper back, and shoulder a break, so I write for 45 minutes and then walk away for 15. So a 45 minute tool is on my to-do list.

When it comes to writing, I pretty much have two words that make up my discipline: "breathe" and "write." Using the signage utility I created a stamp that displays those words so they constantly inform my subconscious during my time at the computer. All these items that TimeLeft creates stay on the computer screen and are visible no matter what program you are using. I have mine in the lower righthand corner. Finally I have a countdown clock that lets me know how many months, days, hours, minutes and seconds until the new year. With NaNoWriMo around the bend, I'm sure I'll set one up for the month of November. The countdown can be used for writing or contract deadlines, contest deadline reminders, and those personal phantom deadlines. Because I'll be going back to the Donald Maass Intensive workshop in Portland in March of 2008 and want to have a completed first draft of my novel, I will also need a countdown clock for that, too.

Over the last 20+ years I've discovered many different strategies that have enabled me to stay engaged with my work, actively creating stories, and remaining full of energy and the desire to write. If one doesn't work, I go quickly to another. All have been tested by me and by my fellow writers and artists; they work. But when it comes down to it, the best way to remain productive is to breathe deeply, relax, and write.

To download TimeLeft, go here.
More information:
Use 5-minute timed writing exercises to create 55-word stories.
Use 5-minute timed writing exercises and a computer-generated story starter to create stories.
Use 5-minute timed writing exercises to write a novel.
Use 5-minute timed writing exercises to write a memoir.
Use 5-minute timed writing exercises to overcome writer's block.
Use 5-minute timed writing exercises to free yourself from the dreaded internal editor.

DWP discovers: MyBlogLog

These days I feel like I'm running faster and faster to catch up with the world only to discover I've slipped back a few yards in the process. Somehow I missed the talk about MyBlogLog and hadn't heard about Yahoo's recent acquisition. At the moment I can't even remember who or what tripped me into the MyBlogLog universe; but, after logging in and setting up my own account I spent several hours skimming over a multitude of blogs. MyBlogLog is a social network primarily made up of bloggers.

What's a social network? Well, for the intense meaning, read the entire Wikepedia explanation on social network; but for a quick reference try this:

A social network is a map of the relationships between individuals, indicating the ways in which they are connected through various social familiarities ranging from casual acquaintance to close familial bonds. The term was first coined in 1954 by J. A. Barnes (in: Class and Committees in a Norwegian Island Parish, "Human Relations"). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network

I like this short explanation:

The personal or professional set of relationships between individuals. Social networks represent both a collection of ties between people and the strength of those ties. Often used as a measure of social “connectedness”, recognising social networks assists in determining how information moves throughout groups, and how trust can be established and fostered.
www.parliament.vic.gov.au/sarc/E-Democracy/Final_Report/Glossary.htm

MyBlogLog takes the MySpace model and applies it to bloggers. (Look for a future spot on MySpace for authors.) For a writer, this can be a great way to build a community of shared-interest members. I joined Wayne Hurlburt's community when I found his member link. I've been a big fan of his BlogBusinessWorld since my early blogging days so that was an instant connection. I also found Georgeanna over at Writer's Edge, another DWP favorite blogger. But I discovered a number of other blogs well worth reading.

Now check out my MyBlogLog group for DWP. Look to the right and find my DWP cartoon under "Author" and click. That will take you to the member page that shows all three blogs that are featured on MyBlogLog: Down the Writer's Path, Writers Quote Daily, and PowerPOPP. (So far DWP is getting the most hits. I'll have to find out how to get the other two going.) Why not log in, set up your blog or website, and join in the fun. Don't forget to say hello, join my group, and start expanding your social network on the web. Oh, and the "Recent Readers" photo list on the left side is a tie-in to my MyBlogLog membership.
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For more on bloggers and social networking, read Wayne's article Blog introductions: Sharing those you know : Blog Business World.

For a look at Georgeanna's experience, read her short posts on MyBlogLog.

If you're wondering what the "Linked in" button is at the upper right, it's another way, though not blogging specific, to social network on the Internet. Use it to expand your professional network and provide you with contacts and references.

Pack power into your writing life. PowerPOPP!

Okay, I've been working on a new site called PowerPOPP. If you want to pack power into your writing life, practice these four principles: Plan, Organize, Pursue, and Persist. Take a look around. Don't forget to sign up for the mailing list. If you have any ideas, want to contribute a mini-article, or have other suggestions, let me know. Your input is definitely appreciated.

I've added subscription boxes here and on PowerPOPP where you can join my mailing list. (There's some kind of glitch in the text for DWP's mailing list subscription but I'm trying to work that out. I truly wish I had a better handle on all this html and widgets and web whatnot stuff.) 2007 should be a busy year. The hoppers around here are bursting with new ideas, plans, and projects. Of course, that means I'm on an intensive learning curve. Hey, I've even managed to come up with a banner for PowerPOPP's feedburner.

Sharing news: I am the Blogcritic of the Day and why I blog

Went to Blogcritics today and found my name right at the top under the publisher's and listed as the Blogcritic of the Day. Given that they have a pool of more than 1,500 bloggers, I'm delighted to be chosen.

For those who haven't been here before, I've been blogging for a number of years and about two years ago I started contributing to Blogcritics.org. In that time, they've grown to become huge online magazine with more than 100,000 hits per day. I've reviewed books and even had one of my books reviewed and subsequently chosen for syndication. In addition, Blogcritics will sometimes submit my reviews to the online syndication Advance.net. The syndication is affiliated with a number of online newspapers.

Why do I blog? Well, for one thing I love to talk about writing and publishing. As you'll discover if you read further, my blog centers around the craft and business of writing. My one rule is that I cannot post anything unless I can bend or slant or somehow make the topic relevant to writing or publishing. For another, it's a good way to build a name and a reputation. It's also a good way to get your books reviewed or mentioned in different venues.

Will over at Youngest of One has not only read and review my YAs, he even spent his own money. :)

Obviously, I needed another method by which to utilize all the effort still remaining. So, I read a book. Admittedly, it was not a lengthy book. Still, I can’t help but feel gleeful saying that I read a whole book today. The book was Video Magic by Vikk Simmons, talented author and kindly friend of “Youngest of One.” As you may recall, months ago I had some very good things to say about her first novel, Divided Loyalties, and my reaction to this more recent book is just as positive. Throughout the book, character development is genuinely remarkable. It wasn’t only my effort that practically glued the book to my hands today; it was the story as well. I highly recommend Video Magic to all the folks in my general age group (Feb 23, 2006)

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...but there is one very important recommendation I must make—last night I finished reading “Divided Loyalties” by Vikk Simmons, and it was absolutely delightful. I highly recommend it to all teenage-types (confused and non-confused alike…assuming there are any non-confused teenagers, which is not entirely likely). (Sept 11, 2005)

I've also had my blog, my name, and my books featured in posts on several business-oriented blogs, including Wayne Hurlburt's over at Blog Business World. He featured Fan letters: Are they for bloggers too? : Blog Business World and quickly helped out on an experiment I conducted with Best seller list book marketing experiment : Blog Business World

All this goes to expanding the universe for my work. I even had an invitation from MJ Rose to submit a post to one of her blogs, Buzz, Balls and Hype. But mostly I do it because I like it. And no, I don't post every day. What matters is the content of your posts when you do post.

I enjoy the complete process of writing from the initial creative spark to the final edit with the finishing touches. It doesn't matter whether I'm writing a novel, reviewing a great book, writing an essay about a subject that has been rumbling around in my brain for a while or responding to a recent headline.

Why do I submit material to Blogcritics? Well, when I joined up a couple of years ago they had about 700 writers signed up. Now they 1,500 and receive 100,000 hits a day. It helps that they are great people, from the publishers and owners, Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn, on down. They provide a venue for me to contribute content that is apart from writing and publishing. Also, when I do articles, in addition to the books that pertain to the review or post I can also include my books at the end of the article. Now, I don't do it every time but I do take advantage of it. It's just one more way to get my books out there. For more info on Blogcritics.org, read here.

I hope you have some time to read through my blog and let me know what you think.
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A little housekeeping here: My domain name is www.thewriterspath.com but I'm in the middle of changing domain registrars so the address is showing up as the Typepad one.