Free Resources from Author Alton Gansky

I'm all about free resources. And when I stumble upon an author who shares what they've learned, I like to share those tips with you guys. 

You may not have heard of Alton Gansky. He's published dozens of novels and non-fiction books. He has co-written more. He runs his own writer's conference each year. 

One of the things Gansky offers is 'Writer's Talk' interviews. He chats with other authors, agents, and publishers, giving writers great information they might only get at writing conferences. Check out his YouTube channel for the complete list.

But that's not all Gansky provides. He offers a series of screencast videos where he explains how he uses certain software, and gives other tips for writers. I love his voice, and his calm, teaching manner. Here are a few I found interesting:

Google for Writers: several different Google applications that make a writer's life (and research) much easier. Do you use them?

Pitching Agents & Editors: how to pitch your project in a conference setting--great principles if you're gearing up for a pitch session!

Organize your novel: Gansky explains how to use a free online application called Trello to keep track of your novel's details and structure.

What are page proofs? What writers can expect when they receive page proofs (also called galleys) and what to do with them.

Manuscript formatting: How to format your manuscript in standard form before sending it off to an agent or editor.

Tight Writing: helping writers to look for what clutters manuscripts and invites rejection. Have you ever heard of 'pleonasm'? You'll want to watch for it in your writing.

Kindle Singles: for writers with shorter works, great information on the hows & whys of loading them onto Amazon, and he also demonstrates another platform called Atavist, where readers can choose to read or listen to the book.

What authors do you rely on for writing information?

Free Online Storage

The always-encouraging Jim Maxwell.

My dad is amazing. He's always passing on great ideas that help in my writing endeavors. Having been a journalism major, he loves the idea that several of his children and grandchildren write. So he definitely wants us to save our words in a safe place.

As writers, one of our biggest tasks is getting the words onto the page. But the next job is to make sure they stay there. Back in January I wrote a post about backing up writing, which listed several ways to get the job done.

Dad first encouraged me to sign up for Dropbox. It's an easy way to make sure my novel is saved automatically every few minutes, and it's free. Click here if you want to give it a try.

Just the other day, Dad sent me another great link. SkyDrive offers free online storage with greater amounts of cloud storage that's easy to access from anywhere. Users get up to 7GBs to ensure documents (and your amazing manuscripts) are safe and easy to access from any computer (and devices, too).

Quite a few companies have joined the online storage market. Many offer a certain amount of space for free, with paid options for more space. Check out this comparison chart to see how SkyDrive stacks up against Google Drive, Apple iCloud, and Dropbox. The nice thing is that you can take advantage of the free space from all these vendors--just be sure you know what you've stored where. Oh, and make sure that's not the only place you've saved your documents.

And after you've written the words, and saved the words, it's time to share those words. Whether in a critique group, with your family, with an agent or editor, or online to the world. Don't just keep them holed up in the cloud.

Do you spend more time writing, saving, or sharing your words?

Allergy update: So many of you have been so kind (and patient with my sporadic blogging!) during this transition into feeding my son with multiple allergies (if you missed the story, you can read it here). Things are getting better, but I'm sure getting a workout in the kitchen. This morning I've got three crockpots of different soups going, and I pulled three veggies from the dehydrator. On tap today is making 'gummies' and snack bars, and perhaps some cookies. Maybe I'll get to write in between!

The best New Year's resolution: back up your computer

Photo courtesy of Stock.xchng

The new year starts with all kinds of promises. This will be the year that you finish your novel. Or land that agent. Or self-publish another book. The biggest problem is just finding time to do it all, right?

But what if your computer crashed?

Do you have a back-up system in place to keep you from tearing your hair out, or holding a wake in honor of your digitally-departed novel? Here are a few ways you can ensure your peace of mind. We'll start small and move up.

Flash drive. These handy and inexpensive gadgets can hold quite a bit of information. Besides backing up your latest work in progress, they can be used to transfer a copy from one computer to another, so your novel is safe in several locations. Drawback: they can be lost or damaged.

Email. Many writers email their latest chapter to themselves, so they have a copy 'in the cloud'. Drawback: If you send multiple versions of a document, it can be hard to keep track of them all. Read how one author experienced a nightmare using email.

GoogleDrive. If you have a Google account, you've got this already (find it in your header). You can upload whole copies of novels, or group individual chapters in folders you create. There's lots of space, and the assurance that you can access your files from any computer. Drawback: it's not an automatic save. You'll have to go to the site, choose your files, and upload them.

Dropbox. This is one of my favorites so far. You download the free Dropbox application. A Dropbox folder appears on your desktop. Any files you place in the Dropbox folder gets automatically resaved in the cloud any time you make changes. I keep my Scrivener file for my novel here. As soon as I change one letter in my novel, it gets updated. Drawback: A decent amount of space is available for free. For more storage, you can invite other users, or pay for a membership.

Evernote. I'm just learning more about this organization and filing system (look for a post on Evernote soon). I think it could work well for copies of chapters. Drawback: you'll have to drag in a new copy of your file for it to be saved in the cloud.

External Hard drive. These can be purchased for less than $100, and can hold a huge amount of information (like backing up your whole computer). Most work in the background, saving your information whenever something gets changed. Drawback: as with any device, it can break down, get damaged, or stolen.

Online back-up system. These services act like the physical hard drive above, but your information is stored remotely. Most can restore your computer if it crashes. Drawback: Each charge a monthly or yearly fee. Check out this post on Five Scribes to read how several of them compare.

I'm sure there are many possibilities I haven't even touched on. The best idea, though, is to choose more than one so your words are saved in several places. That way, no natural disaster or tragedy can stand in the way of publication.

How do you back up your writing? What works the best for you--and is easy to keep up with?

Guest Post: Journaling Your Business, by Randy Ingermanson

 Gearing up for NaNoWriMo, this article seemed perfect for helping me get more serious. If you're not signed up for Randy's newsletter, it's free, and it's fantastic. The link is at the bottom.

Photo courtesy of Stock.xchng

Journaling Your Business, by Randy Ingermanson

If you're writing fiction and you intend to ever make money at it, then you're in the writing business. It makes sense to behave like you mean business from the get-go. Part of being in business is to set goals and then achieve them. In my experience, one of the best ways to do that is to keep a business journal.

This doesn't have to be complicated. Here's what I do, and it's been working well for me: At the beginning of this year, I created a document in my word processor called "Business Journal 2012."

Every day that I'm working, the first thing I do is to open the document and scroll down to the end. I type in the date and the day of the week in bold print. Then I spend a couple of minutes freewriting about the things cluttering my brain that I want to get down on paper somewhere. Often these are things I'm worried about or dreams I have for the future. Once they're on paper, my brain can let go of them and focus on the task at hand. I normally freewrite for one or two paragraphs.

If it's the first day of the week, I then make a list of bullet points for each major task I want to get done during the week.

Every day of the week I make a list of bullet points for the tasks I want to get done that day. These are
usually baby steps along the way to getting the major tasks for the week done.

I define what success is for the day by adding a note at the bottom that says something like this: "If I get at least five of these done today, then it's a good day."

Then I just start working. When I finish a task, I append the word "Done" after the bullet point for that task and I highlight it in red. The growing set of red "Dones" gives me a psychological boost as I work. The tasks that aren't done at the end of the day will be easy to copy and paste into tomorrow's list.

At the end of the working day, I type in a few notes about what went well and what went wrong. I might also do another minute or so of freewriting on anything that's cluttered my brain while working.

The entire process normally takes about five minutes, and it keeps my day ordered.

It also gives me a very complete record of what I've been working on all year. If I need to know what I was doing in March, it's easy to scroll to March and read a daily account.

Being productive is partly a matter of keeping focused. And you can't focus if your mind is churning with worries, hopes, fears, dreams. Get those on paper and off your mind. Then focus on the task at hand.

If you're going to keep a daily journal, you need to learn how to specify achievable tasks. An achievable task is one you can plausibly get done in the time you have available today.

"Work on my novel" is pretty vague, so it's hard to know at the end of the day whether you deserve to write "Done" after it.

"Spend 3 hours working on my novel" is a lot clearer. Either you worked on the novel for 3 hours or you didn't. If you didn't, you can't write "Done" in red, but you can make a notation that you worked for 2.5 hours and got interrupted by a phone call from Aunt Sally who's hitchhicking across Siberia and needs money. Again. It's not as good as a "Done" but it's partial credit.

"Maintain industry relationships" is a completely useless task for your list because you'll never know
when you're done. "Call my agent and discuss my questions on the Random House contract" has a clear endpoint. At the end of the day, you either did it or you didn't. When you're in the business of writing, you need to constantly be settting goals and achieving them.

If keeping a business journal sounds like something that will help you do that, then give it a try.

If it doesn't, then don't.

This article is reprinted by permission of the author.

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the free monthly Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 32,000 readers. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

Do you keep track of your writing activities? If so, I'd love to know what works for you.

Book Review: Screenwriting Tricks for Authors and Screenwriters

 I haven't done a book review for awhile, but this one's a fantastic one. And it's free today and tomorrow! Even if you don't catch it when it's free, the $2.99 pricetag is well worthwhile. Here's why.

I wandered over to Alexandra Sokoloff's blog after seeing the title of her latest post in the sidebar of another blog. The title was Nanowrimo Prep: The three-act, eight-sequence structure.

I'm all about getting as prepared as I can for Nanowrimo, so I was happy to read about some practical exercises I can do to get my story idea in the best shape possible to make the writing go faster.

Sokoloff is a multi-published novelist and successful screenwriter. She wrote a book called Screenwriting Tricks for Authors (and Screenwriters). She has a way of explaining concepts that is very easy to grasp, and she follows each one with an exercise or two that cements the new knowledge.

The Amazon page has a copy of the extensive Table of Contents, if you'd like to take a look (it's too long for me to post here). There are thirty-three information-filled chapters. And at the end of the book, she shares complete story breakdowns for four different movies to help readers get a feel for story structure.

This book will help writers understand story structure (by watching movies--how fun is that?) and applying the knowledge to a manuscript. Whether you're starting a new novel, in the middle of one, or tackling revisions, Sokoloff's expertise will help you find holes, discover unnecessary scenes, and place key scenes in the spots they'll do the most good. You'll find out why blockbuster movies get that way, and how to take those secrets and incorporate them in your work in progress.

I spent some time yesterday watching a favorite movie in my novel's genre, and writing down the scenes, while timing when they occurred in the film. Now I've used Sokoloff's index card system to tack them up according to the eight sequences they fall into. (Why eight sequences, you ask? Sokoloff explains the fascinating reason why in the first chapter.) 

My mind is already analyzing what I've written in my almost-complete novel. I know what I've learned in only the first five chapters will help me make some important decisions about what stays and goes. I'm using the book as a course to focus my mind on my Nanowrimo project. And I've also purchased Sokoloff's second writer's book ($2.99), titled Writing Love, which is her techniques geared for romance writers.

Here are the links to the international Amazon sites where you can get a copy:

- Amazon US

- Amazon UK

- Amaxon DE

- Amazon FR

- Amazon ES

- Amazon IT

Have screenwriting techniques helped you as a novelist? 

Preparing for NaNoWriMo

Today I'm heading out to the Rocky Mountain Chapter Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrator's Conference in Denver, Colorado. That's a mouthful! This will be my second time attending, and I'm excited to spend time with writers and illustrators I've met, or met online. Friends like Lois Rosio Sprague and Stacy S. Jensen and Kathleen Pelley.

With all the hospital drama my family has endured in the last couple of weeks, I'm really looking forward to a few days away. But NaNoWriMo has been on my mind, so I thought I'd give you something to think about over the weeekend: getting ready. If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, check out this post.

 National Novel Writing Month is only a month away. If you're on the fence about whether to participate, now is a great time to make a decision so you can plan ahead. November will be much less stressful if you do what you can to prepare for writing and prepare for living.

Prepare for writing. If you follow the 'rules', you'll be starting a brand-new manuscript. Although you can't begin writing till November 1st, you can work out your plot, an outline, your characterization, storyworld, conduct research. Basically anything short of actually writing the book. Many participants have a chapter or scene list ready to go. Seat-of-the-pants writers can still brainstorm major plot points.

Probably the best thing you can do to prepare for writing is to write something every day starting now. Just getting into the habit of daily writing is the biggest hurdle. You don't have to write 1667 words daily now. Just a few paragraphs a day to get your body and mind in gear for the big push.

I've collected lots of resources for writers preparing for November:

Dream up a new story with ideas from Storyist

Lots of links on this Squidoo lens

Work out your plot with this course, or these resources or more plot resources.

And if you want some printable workbooks to help out, check out these and these.

Prepare for living. You'll still need to eat in November. And possibly work. If you have a significant other, or kids, or pets, they'll be more than miffed if you completely check out for a month. That means thinking ahead to the easiest meals to fix. Cleaning the house ahead of time. Begging out of commitments during November. Anything to streamline life so you can relax and write.

Here are a few links with specific ideas for getting ready for NaNoWriMo:

11 ways to prepare for NaNoWriMo

7 more ways to get ready for NaNoWriMo

Will you take the plunge? What do you plan to work on this time?

How does a writer evacuate in an emergency?

Kind of a weird week here. A new fire was started on Saturday afternoon much closer than the one I mentioned last week. My son works not far from the spot where the fire began and he saw the fire start up. 

If you want to see what I see when I look out the window, check this webcam from time to time.

There is a possibility our family could be ordered to evacuate. Just a few streets away, homes are on pre-evacuation orders. We're gathering what we'd need in case that happens.

So what does a writer bring in an emergency? 

I live in Woodland Park, at the top of the image.

Laptop. The obvious choice for keeping posted on news, it also holds copies of my manuscripts (though not the only copies!). I also use the free DropBox service to back up all my manuscripts. It's a painless way to ease my mind about my writing.

Flash drives and backup hard drive. These hold stories and manuscripts from the last several years.

Notebooks. I have binders of story ideas, character 'bibles', and other writing-related records. 

Kindle. Rather than take up room with my favorite writing books, I can make use of the ones on my Kindle, and I can always add more.

Computer and Kindle charging cords.

That's all I can think of right now. How about you? If the unthinkable happened, what would you grab along with your important papers and photos?

Buckle Into Your Summer Writing Routine

My kids on an incredibly scary swing.

I'm back from vacation, and ready to get settled into my summer writing routine. How about you? Our family took some time last week to play in a couple of Colorado ski towns. When you have teenagers, it's hard to fit a family vacation around everyone's work schedules.

So now it's summer. It's really tempting to let fun activities and home projects take over writing time, but I'm setting some goals so that the summer doesn't slip by without dedicated progress on my manuscript. Here's what I'm thinking.

Eating at a vintage drive-in.

Each day will begin with writing time, before anything else. If I can get a good hour or two in, then any writing time the rest of the day is a bonus. And I'll keep the internet turned off till I'm done.

I'll make use of time on the road. Some of my best ideas come while I'm riding or driving for hours. I can really flesh out novel scenes and work through plot issues. There's something about watching scenery and disconnecting from stuff at home that spurs my imagination. Have you ever road-tripped a novel idea?

Projects will have a purpose. I'm replacing floors in my house, and doing some painting. What better time to think through a character's backstory, or develop new ideas? The more monotonous the project, the better.

How about you? Do you have goals for your writing this summer? How will you manage to keep summer activities and fluid schedules from eating up all your writing time? I'd love to know--I need even more ideas!

How To Keep Track of the Business of Writing

Tax Day is almost here, at least in the U.S., but it has me thinking. The year is not too far gone to keep better track of my business for next year. It doesn't matter that I haven't made much in earnings, deductions count, too. So I decided to uncover the information I need to do it well.

First of all, over at Seekerville, they have a quick ten-question quiz on how you rate at treating your writing like a business. They follow it up with a gathering of links that will help you with tax questions.

Agent Rachelle Gardner wrote a post on Keeping Track of Things. She writes mainly to unpublished authors, and encourages writers to get in the record-keeping habit early on--even when you're not earning anything. Check her comments section for more ideas. Rachelle also shared some good information in The Tax Man Cometh and Writers and Taxes.

Does the thought of creating some kind of filing system have you breaking out in a sweat? Check out my post here, where I share a link to Julie Hood's website. You can download her free 30-page Writer's Planner, with all the printable forms you need.

For a personal financial binder to keep everything in, here's a great article on How To Create a Financial Binder.

Here's Chuch Sambuchino's post on Tax Tips for Writers.

If you're freelancing, or doing research or other tasks by the clock, it may be helpful for you to be able to document the time you've spent. Or maybe you novelists just want to know how long your manuscript is taking you to write. Download the free Klok Program--a personal time-tracking program.

How do you keep track of expenses and income for your writing?

Planning a Writing Getaway

The cabin (though I didn't have the snow)

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to get away. I didn't go far, but I did go alone. I spent the time at the beautiful Lodge at Elk Valley in Colorado.

I prepared for this weekend in a couple of ways. In case you can set aside some solitary time to write, here's what I did:

I started out with a shot in the arm. I met with one of my critique groups. Talking about writing always spurs me to sit down and actually write. Normally, after crit group, I go home and end up buried in household tasks. This time, I went straight to my retreat.

I stocked my supplies. Since I didn't want to be tempted to run out to the store, I planned my meals and snacks and brought everything I needed. When my husband called to see if he could bring me something, I said, "I'm all set." My supplies included my daughter's iPod (with lots of movie soundtracks for the mood of different chapters), nuts for munching, and some creme soda. Oh, and a huge cup of Sonic ice. Can't write without it.

I left some things home. Namely my Kindle. I'd be way too tempted to curl up and read if it came along. Instead, I brought some Writer's Digest magazines for those moments where I couldn't stand to write anymore. I left uncomfortable clothes and (most) junk food, too.


I used a tried and true technique. To keep myself focused, I used the Pomodoro Technique. This involves setting a timer for 50 minutes of work, then taking a ten minute break. You can do anything for 50 minutes! On my breaks, I took a brisk walk (this old ranch is beautiful!), got a snack, or checked my email.

I'll be heading home in a few hours (when I finish my next chapter).

Getting away by myself is great, but it's not perfect. In The Lonely Cabin Myth, I wrote about why I'm sometimes more productive when I'm writing in the middle of a hectic life. Maybe you experience the same thing.

Do you get more done when you go away by yourself? Or does fighting for your writing time bring better results? What else would you bring on a writing retreat?

The beautiful view I enjoyed. That's Pikes Peak in the distance.

Write Your Novel with yWriter Software--it's free.

Writing a novel takes hard work, motivation, and organization. Sure, you can write on a legal pad, or type it into a Word document, but there are scenes, chapters, notes, research, photos, and timelines. It's easy to get overwhelmed with trying to find what you put where.

My favorite writing software costs $40. But there's an alternative. yWriter software is free. No registration, no time limit, no expiration date. Formatted for Windows PCs, you won't need an internet connection to use it. It's on your computer to use anytime. It was designed by Simon Haynes, a computer programmer and novelist.

While I haven't used the software myself, there are quite a few testimonials from satisfied users. And for those whose primary language is not English, the software can be used in several languages, including Chinese and Hebrew.

Here's a partial list of features from the website:

* Organise your novel using a 'project'.

* Add chapters to the project.

* Add scenes, characters, items and locations.

* Display the word count for every file in the project, along with a total.

* Saves a log file every day, showing words per file and the total. (Tracks your progress)

* Saves automatic backups at user-specified intervals.

* Allows multiple scenes within chapters

* Viewpoint character, goal, conflict and outcome fields for each scene.

* Multiple characters per scene.

* Storyboard view, a visual layout of your work.

* Re-order scenes within chapters.

* Drag and drop of chapters, scenes, characters, items and locations.

* Automatic chapter renumbering.

Check out the sample screenshots of the software, and a YouTube tutuorial of how it works. Who knows? This could be the tool that helps you conquer NaNoWriMo this year?

What software (if any) do you use for writing?

Get to Know Your Characters With Character Charts

I'm on my summer vacation in a Colorado ski town, where the snow is still five to ten feet deep. Enjoy this post you may have missed from early last year.

You know how it is. You walk into a room full of strangers, and start off with small talk. If you're lucky, you discover something you both have in common that extends the conversation a little further. But to truly get to know someone, you'll have to spend quite a bit of time together. Sharing hobbies, shooting the breeze, and going through the ups and downs of life together help you understand another person intimately.

When writing a novel, It's necessary to spend considerable time getting to know the characters in order to make them seem three-dimensional to  readers. It's like writing a biography of a person you've just met.

That's where character charts come in. You build a file on each character. There are questions you probably never thought to ask your protagonist--like what he tends to do when he's nervous, or what is the secret she's never told anyone.

I've found quite a few character charts peppering the internet. Each one is a little different, and you might want to try out a few to see which ones work the best for your characters. Once you've decided on one (or more), sit down and have a cup of coffee with one of your characters. You might be surprised at what they share with you.

Character Charts to Check Out

For the visual oriented writers, here is a fascinating group of 29 pages(.pdf)--everything from character attributes, to the evolution of a character's arc through the story. While there are a few pages I'm not sure how to use, I will definitely print out an make use of several.

A comprehensive chart (you can click on the .pdf download or see it on the webpage), includes a link to an astrological chart for your character.

The folks at Creative-Writing-Solutions have a whole group of charts. If you write fantasy, you may need a chart to help you identify the details of a new race, or a particular creature. They've also got charts for pets, vehicles, buildings, and new lands. You can access all of them here.

Writer's Village University has a free Character Building Workshop, with online quizzes that help you narrow down your character's traits.

Sandra Miller has compiled a list of questions you can ask your character in her character exercises.

PoeWar offers a free character building course.

What have you found to be the best way to get to know a character? Have you ever been surprised by what you've learned?

A Brand New Kindle: Could It Change a Fiction Writer's World?

My first Kindle arrived yesterday. I wrestled with the purchase for a long time, because I love physical books, and felt an e-reader was too much of a short-cut. My daughter, who is passionate about books is incredibly disappointed with my decision. So I'm thinking through the reasons why owning a Kindle might be beneficial to a fiction writer.

First of all, since money is an issue, I bought the cheaper Kindle with Special Offers. At $114, it's $25 less than the normal version. It's exactly the same product, but the screensavers might contain an offer from Amazon or another merchant. Your reading is not interrupted by ads, however.

Here's the list I've been accumulating in my head. Who knows? I might think of more.

I have access to books I'd probably never buy. As a reader, I love new books. As a writer, it's part of my job to read good books, bad books, and in-between books. To keep up with my genre, and what's new in the market. My small town doesn't have a bookstore (and Wal-mart doesn't count), so many of my purchases are made online. Through Amazon's free reading software, I've already been reading Kindle books on my laptop, and have accumulated more than seventy books--some of them books that are out of print, or otherwise inaccessible.

I'm reading books I might not read otherwise. It's possible to get thousands of titles of classic literature in an e-format, most of them free. The accessibility is encouraging me to read these books. Most of them I didn't own already. Other classics are sitting on my shelf, but the tiny font used is hard on my forty-something eyes. On the Kindle, I can adjust the size of the font, and even how many words appear on each line for faster reading.

Space. We have bookshelves in every room of the house. Even the laundry room. The bathrooms don't have shelves, but each one has a stack of books. In order to add more books to our collection, we'd have to *gasp*--give away some of them. Increasing the books available to us on a Kindle takes up no space at all.

Critique. I'm a member of several critique groups, and it's not always easy to carry the laptop around on errands, trying to get all my critique reading done. With the Kindle, I can email a .pdf file of the manuscript I need to read, and it will transfer to my device. While reading, I can make notes and highlights in the document.

For those that want to convert other kinds of files to a particular e-reader, there's a great site called Calibre that will walk you through it.

My husband. Of all the reasons above, the biggest one is my husband. He'd like to read my manuscript. He's not a computer guy. And I'm to cheap to print out the whole thing when I know I'm still making changes. So, this next week, he'll get to start reading my book on the Kindle. This is a technology he can handle. And I'll feel better, knowing that my writing is a part of his life.

There are other pluses of the Kindle I didn't highlight. You can get an instant definition of any word with the touch of a button. The Kindle can read out loud to you, or you can download audio books. It connects wirelessly to Wikipedia for checking out things that come to mind. The battery lasts a month, and it holds 3500 books. 

Have you thought about an e-reader? Maybe you know some benefits--or drawbacks--that I haven't mentioned. I'd love to hear your opinion.

Writing Your Goals for 2011: Part 5- Continue Your Education

The last part of our series on goal setting focuses on continuing your education as a writer. There are many ways to enhance your knowledge of the craft of writing, and many of them will cost you nothing. All you need is the determination to keep learning.

If you missed the previous posts in this series, here are the links:

Part 1: Making Time to Write

Part 2: Making Your Writing a Business

Part 3: Your Personalized Query Plan

Part 4: Workspace Goals

Since each of us has different styles of learning, and varying levels of comfort, we'll start from large-group activities, and work down to the individual level. Feel free to pick and choose what appeals to you.

Writing Conferences. 

Benefits.  You want to feel like you're not alone in what you do. There are many others out there, many with the same fears and insecurities that you have. Inspirational keynote speakers give you the vision to keep going if you're feeling burnt out. You'll network with other writers, meet industry professionals, and learn from dozens of workshop presenters. Many conferences offer opportunities for personalized critiques and chances to pitch to editors and agents.

Drawbacks. The size of some (but not all) writing conferences can be daunting for the shy writer. While many workshop sessions are offered, they may not line up with what you specifically want to learn. And conferences cost a significant amount of money.

What you can do. If money (or your geographic location) is a factor, consider attending an online conference. Several are free, like the Muse Conference and WriteOnCon, and provide many of the benefits listed above without the drawbacks. Most conferences offer scholarships as well. The key to choosing a conference is to find one that lines up with your needs, budget and location. A good spot to search for writing conferences is Shaw Guides or the list by state at NewPages. You can also look for smaller regional conferences and writer retreats.

Graduate Study.

Benefits. Focused courses on how to write, taught by successful authors in their field. Individual critique of your work. The camaraderie of learning with other writers. Most Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs have "low residency" options, where you do most coursework online, and in-residence attendance a few times each year.

Drawbacks. Not everyone has the money to invest in graduate classes. And some writers feel their writing style changes too much with this level of intense study. Before you decide, talk to writers and authors who have gone both routes.

What you can do. Research the different programs available at The Association of Writers and Writing Programs.

Workshops and courses.

Benefits. You can choose to attend the ones that target the topic you really want to learn. The smaller group lends itself to more personalized feedback. Online workshops and courses eliminate the complication of distance, and some of them are free.

Drawbacks. Depending on the course, prices might be prohibitive. If so, focus on the free courses you can take until you have the resources for the pricier ones.

What you can do. Sign up for newsletters from writer's organizations, and check their websites for courses. See if any of your local writer's groups offer free or low-cost workshops.

Books and blogs.

Benefits. It's surprising how much you can learn from books on craft. Read reviews to narrow down the possibilities, then borrow from the library before you decide whether to purchase a copy. Writing magazines offer a wide variety of information for a low cost. Check out magazines like Writer's Digest, The Writer, and Poets & Writers. They offer many articles online so you can get a feel for what they offer. And then there are blogs. Agent blogs are often as good as attending a workshop. And many authors offer free resources that can add to your store of knowledge.

Drawbacks. If internet time is at a premium for you, you'll want to lean more toward books and magazines. But if the cost of buying the books you'd like is prohibitive, then keeping up with a few blogs is worthwhile.

What you can do. There are so many books, magazines, and blogs to choose from, it can be paralyzing to sort them out. Check out book reviews and use Amazon's "look inside" feature to get a better idea of a book's value to you. Try out a few blogs each week before deciding which are the best fit for your current needs.

Individuals.

Benefits. Most people learn best one-on-one. This can be getting together with a writing friend, a critique group, or even reading a novel crafted by a competent author. Some writers decide to hire a professional editor, book doctor or coach.

Drawbacks. Be prepared for actual feedback on your writing. It means developing the skin of a rhino, but it will improve your writing. Hiring an editor can be quite expensive, so you may want to reserve it for after you've run your manuscript through several critiques.

What you can do. Start asking. Find writers around you who might be willing to get together. If that's impossible, join an online critique group. If you're considering an editor or coach, a few I recommend are A. Victoria Mixon, Mary DeMuth at The Writing Spa, and Meredith Efken's Fiction Fix-it Shop. If the cost is too high, keep an eye out on blogs for writing "auctions"--usually a fundraiser for a charity. Editors and agents offer critiques to the highest bidder, which can be far cheaper than hiring them directly.

Well, I threw a lot of information at you today. Don't get overwhelmed, just start with the information that's easiest for you to accomplish, and bookmark the page so you can come back each month to tackle a little more. By December, you'll be amazed at what you've learned.

Completing some online courses is first on my list. I think I'll start with some of Bob & Jack's offerings. How about you?

Writing Your Goals for 2011: Part Four-Workspace Goals

Fourth in our series designed to get you set to write your best in 2011 is a focus on your workspace. You may wish you could write in a secluded mountain cabin, or adopt the office of a famous writer, but reality dictates that all you have to work with is what you've got. Here are some ideas to make the most of it.

You may be dealing with a corner of your bedroom, or a spacious extra room. Perhaps you write in a coffee shop, or on your lunch hour. Think through your five senses, and see how you might be able to make that space your own with a few tweaks.

Sight. Visually, your space has a huge impact on you. It's time to figure out what inspires you, and what handicaps you, in regards to your writing. Some writers need lots of natural light. Others only the light of their computer. One writer is inspired by a fantastic view while the next finds it distracting. You may feel the need to work alone, or in a place bustling with activity. Try a variety of visual stimuli to figure out what works for you.

Sound. Quiet or noise? Classical music or rock? You may find white noise (a fan blowing, or a wave machine) helpful to block out distractions. Some writers work better when there is noise all around and they're able to create a quiet space in the midst of it. If you have small children, you may find you work well during nap time, or in the middle of a noisy kids' program.

Smell. We don't think about smell much. My daughter gave me one of those reed diffuser air fresheners for Christmas, and now my writing space smells like a spring rain. For you, it might be a scented candle, or the decision to remove the litter box from your office.

Taste. What gives you the energy to keep going during a long writing session? For me, it's a hot cup of tea, and maybe a scone or something. Keep a stash of nuts or seeds, and something to drink nearby. Train your body to realize it's time to work when you eat certain foods.

Touch. You may like the smooth feel of the keyboard under your fingers. Or maybe that's just the only way you've written. Try grabbing a legal pad, or a leather-bound journal and moving away from the computer. Yes, I know you'll have to type your words eventually, but sometimes a pen in hand connects to the creative side of the brain in a way that typing does not.

What have you done to create a workspace that makes you want to write?

Writing Goals for 2011: Part 3- Your Personalized Query Plan

Each Monday in January, we're focusing on different goals for writing. If you've missed the previous installments, here are some links:

Part 1: Making Time to Write

Part 2: Making Your Writing a Business

Today's focus is on queries. You may not feel ready to query yet, but to keep on top of all the details, it's a good idea to begin preparations a year ahead, if possible. A little work now will make the process far less stressful down the road.

I've broken the steps down into a timeline.Don't worry if you've got less time--querying can be done faster if you're ready.

One year out. At this point you're still writing your manuscript, but you feel confident you'll be done within about six months. 

1. Take some time each day to begin researching agents. Read their blogs (if they have them) and note which ones represent your genre or niche. Sites like AgentQuery and QueryTracker can help you narrow them down.

2. Seek out an online or in-person critique group, and get your manuscript critiqued.You'll learn so much that the rest of your novel will be stronger.

3. Keep working on your craft: always have a book on writing that you're working through (some great suggestions here), and try to attend any workshops or conferences you can, whether in person or online.

4. Don't stop writing until your manuscript is finished. You won't be able to query at all until it's done.

Six months out. Your manuscript is finished, but not necessarily polished. You have a list of potential agents. Where do you go from here? Is it time to query now? 

1. Using a spreadsheet or paper, make a chart of the agents you're interested in, listing their agency, email, preferred method of query (either email or snail mail), and what they request as part of a query. Double-check that your preferred agents are still with their agency--this is a constantly shifting business, and it's up to you to keep track of where people work.

2. Have your manuscript critiqued again, perhaps by a different critique group, or hire a professional editor, if finances allow.

3. Begin drafting your query letter, and bring it to your critique group for feedback.Here's a link to formatting an email query.

4. Format a synopsis, since some agents will ask for this.Have your critique group check this, also.

Three months out. You're feeling ready, probably itching to hit the send button. There are a few more things to do.

1. Consider setting up a website or blog if you don't already have a web presence. Many agents like to "check out" potential authors they're interested in. 


2. See if you can find some beta readers to give you overall feedback on your novel. It really helps if these are people you don't have a relationship with. Your friends and family will be impressed that you wrote a book, and won't be able to be as objective as strangers. Take their comments and make any necessary changes.


3. Take a little time to study query do's and don'ts. Here are a few links to get you started.
Five questions to ask yourself before querying. 
Tips from twenty agents to make your query shine.
A list of don'ts from SlushPileHell.

Time to release your query. If you're prepared, this should be the easy part--except for your nervousness!


1. Make a plan for sending your query. This article gives a plan for getting a 75% response rate to your query. Find out about the best and worst times to query.


2.  Check again that your target agents are still at the agency you have listed. Send your query in batches, a handful at a time, spaced a few weeks apart. Keep track (on your spreadsheet) of what you sent to each agent, the date, and their response. Note that agents who pass on your work may not respond at all. Don't take it personally, they're just too busy to reply to each query. When an agent does respond, send what they ask promptly.


3. If you're thinking of revising your query and resending to your target agents, read this first.

Where are you in the query process?

Writing Goals for 2011: Part 2- Making Your Writing a Business

 Whether or not you make much money from your writing, 2011 might be the year to begin keeping track of expenses and income. And the beginning of the year is the perfect time to set up the record-keeping that can save you money on next year's taxes. 


Not sure what you need to keep up with? Here are some links to help you sort out the possibilities.

First of all, take the Writing as a Business quiz on Seekerville. It may help you narrow down some areas you can focus on. 


Writer's Digest has a comprehensive article that explains the taxes you'd pay as a self-employed writer, and how to balance that tax with deductions. You'll find out whether your writing is an occupation or a hobby, and possible deductions you can take.


The Guide to Literary Agents adds a few more details with tips on deductions like health insurance and cell phones.

Agent Rachelle Gardner has two great posts. The Tax Man Cometh details how to treat your writing as a business. Keeping Track of Things adds a list of files you'll want to set up for royalty statements and book sales.


If you'd like some free forms to help you stay organized, check out The Organized Writer for everything you need.


Are you keeping records yet? Do you have a system that works for you?

Organize Your Goals With a Free Tool: Workflowy

On Mondays, we've been talking about goals for the year. Tuesday's post was a practical way to get yourself to write, even on busy days. Today, I'll share a free online tool you can use to keep track of the goals you make. It's called Workflowy.

Workflowy is basically an online list, set up like an outline. The user has the ability to collapse or expand the list, so no matter how many notes are made, the list is still manageable. There is a general video on the first page of the website, but if you go ahead and sign up for the free service, you can view a more detailed video that explains how to use it.

Users don't need any special skills for Workflowy--except the ability to type. I'm using Workflowy to list my monthly writing goals. The service allows me to break down my goals into smaller, more manageable pieces, and as I accomplish them, I can "cross them off" the list.

I plan to make more Workflowy lists: one for each writing project, and lists for other responsibilities I have. Let's face it: the non-writing activities in our lives can dominate our time and overwhelm our creativity. Keeping track of important non-writing tasks actually gives us the freedom to write when we know we've managed our time well.

How do you manage the tasks in your life?

How To Keep Track of Your Story Ideas: Be An Organized Writer

I don't know about you, but it happens to me all the time. I'm busy writing a novel, and another story idea pops into my head. Sometimes three of them.

They usually get written down on the back of grocery receipts or fast-food napkins, but I run the risk of losing a fantastic idea. Who knows which of these flashes of inspiration will be the seed for my next novel?


My issues were solved when I found OrganizedWriter.com. Its author, Julie Hood, is one of my heroes.  She's got a free writing calendar to download, to can keep track of deadlines and goals. 


But the best part is this: Anyone who signs up for her newsletter (right side of her web page), gets the free "Sidetracked Writer's Planner". This is a 30-page document with twenty excellent organizational forms for you to copy and assemble into a binder. My binder is well-used. A couple of examples:

1. Projects Index- Keep track of the different projects you are working on.
2. Clips Index- One sheet to keep track of all your clips (articles that you've published).
3. Clips Detail Sheet- One sheet for each clip where you can record who it was sold to, and any reprints sold.
4. Submission Tracker- If you are submitting articles, many magazines take a long time to get back to you (one of mine took nine months!). Don't forget about any submissions with this form.
5. Query Index- Similar to the Submission Tracker, it keeps a list of who you've queried, and when.
6. Income and Expense Record- This is very important if you need financial information for tax purposes.

My favorite form is her Idea Index. I list the names of my story ideas on the index sheet, and each of them gets a number. Following the index, I have numbered pages with the details of each story idea. If I'm looking for, say, a short story idea, I just scan the index and jump to the page with my description. It has saved me valuable time.

So pull those scraps of paper with ideas that are languishing in your purse or briefcase, and put them where you can use them.

Julie has links to many other articles and resources. Spend a little time there--it's worth your while.

How do you keep yourself organized as a writer?