Shiny Script

Yet Another Example

2012-02-09T23:24:00.003-06:00

On my personal Facebook account I had read a post from a person I follow that listens to the local police scanner frequencies. I told my husband that an ambulance would be driving past in a couple of minutes. And I got "that look". Well, "that look" turned into disbelief (and finally acceptance) when the lights and rolling of the siren flooded our house and drove on past to the town to the south of us.

Within seconds of a post that someone was in need of medical attention I was able to predict that the ambulance would drive by and approximately when. Hmmm...just think what social media could do for you...

Why You Need a Newletter (Even Though You Think You Don't)!

2011-09-07T20:59:00.000-05:00

Now why on earth would your business need a newsletter? Well, that's an easy question. Any company can benefit from a newsletter. Connecting with customers, offering up deals and incentives to bring more clients to your business, connecting with your own employees. All are great reasons to put out a regular newsletter.

One company uses duel newsletters-the first for their employees to educate them about new products, new proceedures, and to pass along information within the company. The second is to showcase new products and highlight employees or management to "put a face" on the company. This connects you and your company personally to each individual that reads your newsletter.

I have recently begun producing a newsletter for a local grocery store. It includes tips for healthier cooking, how-to's, and quick cooking hints. I throw in a recipe that combines with products featured on the weekly sales flyer, thus creating another reason to bring people in the door. Splash on links to the sales flyer, the Facebook account, and the store website and send it through an email list.

There are a variety of formats and choices of information you can choose to fit your business type and your industry style. By handing over a newsletter taylor-made for your audience, you can increase visibility both internally and externally and this can only help your reputation and image.

Welcome New Readers!

2011-07-28T23:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new look of my blog. Beginning soon there will be posts on all forms of subjects. If there is something you'd like to see, please let me know. The website will be up soon so you can see various samples of works I've done. Postcards and new business cards to follow!

New News

2011-06-25T20:44:00.002-05:00

Two rejections this week. That's okay. It teaches and builds character. Hubby's designing my new website and I hope it will be up and functional by the end of the week.

The garden is growing well except for the beans which were effectively taken out by local rabbits.

New kittens are on the way...how many will come? We'll find out soon!

The Well Fed Writer

2011-06-19T16:27:00.003-05:00

Reading a fantastic book titled: The Well Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. We shall see how that goes...

Please "LIKE" me on Facebook to receive updates on articles, reviews, upcoming books, and copywriting services.

Let the gardening begin! Most of my plants have started coming in, with the exception of my potatoes, but those tend to be one of the last to arrive as is.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers out there!

Best Laid Plans

2011-04-30T17:59:00.002-05:00

Hello all. Hope everyone had a great Easter. Well, I don't seem to be getting the book done by the end of the month, but I'm hopeful that it will be done shortly thereafter. I've been dealing with some stressful things in my life and it's been taking up more of my time that I'd planned.

I was reading an article on how to write reviews and it got me thinking about what I could write reviews on. Restaurants? Hobby shows? Books? Cooking? Shoes? Makeup?

If you could write reviews on anything-hopefully something that interests you-what would it be? And, more importantly, would it be profitable?

Some Positive News, For Once

2011-04-21T23:58:00.002-05:00

A letter I submitted to a blog has made it past the preliminary viewing process.

I have a new article in the Model Retailer May 2011 issue.

And I am making good progress on my book. I hope to have the rough, bare bones, preliminary draft done by the end of the month!

Happy writing and don't forget to keep your eyes on the prize!

Too Little Time

2011-04-12T23:14:00.005-05:00

How does one pursue a writing career, work a regular stiff job, and balance family and fun? Don't ask me; hell if I know. Today I worked a full shift at my 9-5 (really more like 10-5), commuted my one and a half hours each way to my job, did errands, chores, dinner, laundry...blah blah blah. How do you cope? How do you carve out time to chase the literary dream? I tell myself I'm going to write 10 to 15 minutes everyday. I try to do it in the morning but sometimes the creative bug bites me right after I get off work. I pull out my Alphasmart NEO which I LOVE because it has no distracting internet connections, just me and my words. More often than not I end up writing for 20, 30, or 45 minutes before the spark simmers and fades. I call it crash writing. It forces me to concentrate for a select amount of time each day and I can let me mind run wild-while my fingers try to keep up-and when the fountain sputters and begins to lose steam, I know my time is up. It's kind of like speed dating; you have only a limited amount of time to get out all the things you want to say and ask and yet portray yourself at the same time. Try it for a week. I bet you'll be surprise at what you can accomplish.

Windfall

2011-02-13T14:49:00.002-06:00

I was watching CASTLE last Monday and Castle and Beckett were discussing what they would do if they won $117 million. Castle said that money like that only amplifies who you already are and went on to say that when he sold his first best seller that he went and blew all his money right away. It worried him that him that he might be shallow and greedy until he realized that the possessions weren't making him happy.

He figured out that the money afforded him to stay at home and write. The money allowed him to be home to watch his daughter grow up. The money was his freedom to do what he pleased. And that was the actual amplification of himself.

I've been thinking about it all week and I agree with him (albeit he's a fictional character). Sure, I'd love a bigger house and a car built in this decade, but all I really want is the freedom to have that choice.

A New Beginning

2011-02-01T13:43:00.002-06:00

I can't really say that writing a book is my New Year's resolution as I am three quarters through it already. Things are starting to look up as I think I have finally harnessed my restless energy and have begun putting it down onto virtual paper. In between writing articles for magazines and learning how to take appropriate photos for said articles, I am getting in some much needed writing time.

Goal for end of 2011: finish fiction book and finish nonfiction book.

I'm still developing my own writing style and by reading books of authors and subject materials that I enjoy, I am finding out what brings me in, what hooks me and trying to incorporate that into my own. In future posts, I will begin to detail what my books are about and look for feedback from you.

Drive safely everyone. The snow is a-blowin'!