Authors Tools Blog

NaNoWriMo Tip -- Editor on 12seconds.tv

To really be successful during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), you need to ignore your inner editor. Send her off on a nice, restful vacation. You’ll need her to be well rested and ready to go to work after November.

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

NaNoWriMo Tip--Muse on 12seconds.tv

If you are going to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), you need to make sure your muse is home and ready to work.

If you are going to start at the stroke of midnight or want until after a good night’s sleep, turn your muse lose …

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

NaNoWriMo Preparation Tip c on 12seconds.tv

If you are planning on participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), before November starts, clean off your desk and clean your house.

If you start with a clean environment, your muse will be free to soar. Things will get messy as the month progresses.  That’s okay. Just have things neat and tidy to start out.

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

NaNoWriMo Tip -- be different on 12seconds.tv

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is the time to try different things. This year try changing your writing style.

If you usually write detailed outlines, try plotting as you go. You may find the freedom that you have been lacking.

If you usually write by the seat of your pants, try doing an outline. At least, define your plot’s turning points or write some scene notes on index cards and pull them out when you get stuck.

NaNoWriMo is a perfect time to see how the other half lives. Try it.  You might surprise yourself.

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

Prepare for NaNoWriMo -- trim your fingernails on 12seconds.tv

To prepare for doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) Take the time now to trim your fingernails. It will help you type much faster.

Your fingers will need to be able to keep up with your brain when your muse really gets going.

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

Introducting NaNoWriMo Tips using http://12seconds.tv

NaNoWriMo Tips on 12seconds.tv

You know I’m a big fan of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). You may know that I’m also a big fan of Twitter. You probably don’t know that I’m a big fan of Twitter’s video cousin, 12seconds.tv.

Twitter is a great way to get over your fear and jump into blogging 140 characters at a time. 12seconds.tv is just that, videos that are 12 seconds long. 12 seconds uses your web cam, cell phone, or video camera. It’s a brilliant idea that puts video in everyone’s reach. Anyone can get in front of a camera and talk for 12 seconds.

If you put your Twitter account in your profile, the URL for your video is Tweeted automatically. It’s a wonderful way to combine two great services.

To show you that anyone can do video, I’m going to combine 12seconds.tv with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I’ll post 12 second NaNoWriMo tips here.

What will you do with your 12 seconds?

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

Every year when I do National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November, I find look for resources to help me plan or help when I get stuck. The NaNo forums are a great place to find help.

I’ve put together a bunch of resources that should help us plan in October and procrastinate (I mean do research to keep the plot moving) in November.

Read more…

Blog Action Day this year focused on poverty. Over 12,000 bloggers wrote a post about the subject. So, how is this a writing exercise?

Most new writers are afraid of someone taking their ideas. If you’ve been writing any time at all, you know that no two writers approach any subject the same way. If you’ve ever been part of a group where you’ve done writing to prompts, you know how widely the results vary.

Blog Action Day was a huge writing prompt experience. If you read through the Blog Action Day entries, you will find amazing differences in the subjects and the causes promoted.

Here are some samples of what one group of business people wrote. We are all in different businesses and all look at poverty, life, and most other things differently.

Let’s celebrate our differences.

Please take a moment and check out what my friends shared…

Read more…

Today is Blog Action Day.  This year the focus is on poverty.  I feel that everyone should focus on propagating abundance rather than eliminating poverty. It’s much more useful to focus on the positive.

If anyone understands poverty and abundance, it’s writers. The 2006 US figures show that half of all writers earn between $34,850 and $67,820.  The lowest paid earn less than $25,430 and the highest earn more than $97,700.

The gap in earnings is enormous. Forbes recently released figures for the highest earning authors. Romance authors didn’t show up on that list (except for Danielle Steele, who really isn’t a romance writer). I’d like to think that the big names of romance told Forbes that it was none of their business what they earned.

We write for many reasons. Fame and fortune isn’t usually high on the list.

Although most of us aren’t making great fortunes, we know abundance with plots and story ideas. We have scores of characters whispering in our ears demanding that their stories be told.

No matter how much or how little we make, there are people all over the world who have fewer choices and resources than we do. One organization I’ve found that actually makes a difference is Kiva.

Kiva lets individuals lend small amounts of money to entrepreneurs in developing countries. As a lender, you can study the requests and loan to the person you chose. Most loans are less than $25.

I’ve been a member for a couple of years. I’ve found the experience very rewarding. If you are looking for a way that you can make a difference, check out Kiva.

Whatever else you do today

• think thoughts of abundance
• give thanks for what you have
• practice a random act of kindness

Write on,

Lynn Jordan

The Giveaway of the Day site often offers useful software for free. The catch is that you have to download it during the day it’s offered.

You can subscribe by email to see the daily offerings. Sometimes the programs are of special interest to writers.

Today they are giving away a typing assistant software.

Type Booster is a highly customizable typing assistant that lets you type faster by automatically unfolding shortcuts, completing the words as you type and expanding the Clipboard. It gives your messager or email program the power of modern text processor. Every popular software is supported (MS Word, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Thunderbird, Outlook, Notepad, etc.)

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/type-booster/

If you read the comments, people list other software that does the same purpose.

One person mentions Phrase Express which is a freeware download.

I haven’t tested either of these products. I’m still trying to get Dragon Naturally Speaking to load on my Vista machine. I seem to be having a problem with Visual C++. I may have to upgrade to SP1. I really didn’t want to do that right now.

It might help if you are planning on participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year.

Please let me know what products you use to assist you in writing.

Write on,

Lynn Jordan