How Not To Get Published

Editorial Anonymous (A blog of a children’s book editor) is an astonishing blog. It is written with truth, a bit of bawdiness and most of all some real good information laced with humor.

While surfing I found reference to two outstanding and outrageous posts. I highly recommend the read and if you aren’t wiping tears from your eyes then you aren’t reading it.

The Biggest Mistake Would Be Writers Make

And

How Not To Get Published

Write it down,

Carma

Blogging Versus Writing

I was reading Dwaud Miracle’s post about “I’d like to blog but I can’t write” and was moved to put in my 2 cents on my blog instead of commenting on his. Besides maybe a new reader will stop by and check out his blog, therefore spreading the link love.

I agree that someone who maintains and develops a blog does not have to be a writer. The crème de la crème of writing a blog is the message. Communicate your message effectively and passionately and the mechanics of writing will develop naturally.

What we believe will determine our attitudes toward that one thing. Since whatever you believe about yourself will end up affecting what you do, you can be sure that if you believe you are not a writer, your belief will turn out to be correct, true or not.

Belief does not require that something be true, it only requires that YOU believe it to be true.

If you believe you are a writer, then by golly you ARE a writer. Just because you can’t spell good doesn’t mean you can’t write substance. After all that is why there are people in the business of editing.

What you believe can also work against you. Let’s say you believed you had trouble being accepted easily by others. As a result you found yourself standing back at parties and unsure of yourself. This can harm your self esteem. Most of the beliefs we have of ourselves are not true but our mind will believe if we let it.

Are our beliefs like birth marks? Do our beliefs one day spring out of no where? Our beliefs are not accidents of nature.

Write it down,

Carma

Is Blogging a Spectator Sport?

“I want to watch you blog” my grown-up daughter said. I laughed out loud because I had not thought of blogging as a spectator sport. When I think spectator I think football and tennis, not blogging. I also wondered how many people do not understand what blogging is? When I began this year, I did not have a clue, but I have come to love it. Blogging gives me opportunity to write to and for others.

Let’s imagine for a moment that blogging is a spectator sport. How would a spectator cheer you, the Blogger, on? I don’t know about you but I would be distracted if someone sitting next to me or standing over my shoulder, as I wrote, cheered me on.

“Hooray! That’s a great sentence”

“Wow you type so fast! You’re awesome, Rah, rah, sis boom bah.”

I must admit that I am no different than most. I love to receive lavish praise but not while I am writing. Blogging is personal… private…my space… until I publish my words. Plus it would be distracting and take away my creative ability.

The best way for blogging spectators (supporters) to cheer for their favorite blogger is to read their writing and comment on their blogs. In addition to that, read their books and Ebooks, subscribe to their blog. Blogging is not a spectator sport, it is a writer’s life and most bloggers are striving to improve their blogs on a regular basis. One way is to read other blogs.

For instance Ben Yoskovitz of Instigator blog was a guest blogger for Brian Clark at Copywriter.com the other day and He discusses the reality of using links and provides 5 types of links that are regularly used each with a different purpose. Jump over there and check it out.

The above is a fine example of how to learn, improve and educate yourself about blogging.

Write it down,
Carma

Chambers & Bloggers - A Good Mix

In my post Social Conversations, I compared blogging and social networking to chamber of commerce’s mixers. Let's take a look and find out how blogging/social networking stack up against an organization that has been around since the sixteenth century. I don’t think you can really compare the two entities fairly, however there is one important statement that fits both worlds.

The basic mission of a chamber is to create and promote a climate where business can operate in a productive and profitable manner.

Responsible bloggers do encourage and support a climate where writers, designers, copywriters, coaches and many more entrepreneurs can be productive and profitable. Instead of meeting face to face, we meet screen to screen providing factual information and motivation for learning. We are all citizens of this blogging community and communities are what their citizens make them.

Internet marketing has also made a huge impact on chambers of commerce. Click here to see a video of how this North Sacramento chamber markets to prospective new members via YouTube. Their energetic message, Lead, Serve, Inspire is riveting.

Entertainment is sometimes used to liven up a chamber mixer. Bloggers have access to all kinds of entertainment as well but this local chamber really knows how to get your blood pumping. Sign me up! I think the content of this conversation is self explanatory. Chambers of Commerce have joined the global bandwagon too.

I hope this helps those of you, (who are like me), to understand what people are talking about when they have conversations about conversation. The conversation is the glue that holds relationships together. I think I’m getting it now.

I highly recommend that you join your local chamber of commerce. All you need to do is spend a total of two hours a month handing out business cards and meeting other people who probably need your services.

Write it down,

Carma