Book Rec Around the Writers Block

If I can ever get caught up on all my Fiverr proofreading/writing jobs I might get a chance to read Around the Writers Block: Using brain science to solve writers resistance by Rosanne Bane.

Instead of having to pay the library more fines for keeping the book so long, Im just going to buy the dang thing! Heres where to get it on Amazon, along with some reviews!

Currently my struggle is procrastination. I mean, I even signed up to do proofreading to avoid querying national magazines, but I got honest with myself and figured out that its because I am afraid to have a Big Editor Boss in New York City telling me I have to edit a $1.50/word article within HOURS when I have something planned with my kids. Fiverr allows me to set my own schedule, and I suppose Im afraid to not be my own Big Editor Boss.

What are your writing challenges?

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Eight Influential Women Writers Throughout History

Often minimized, occasionally outright censored, women writers have nonetheless made major contributions to the history of literature. These eight women writers are just a small sample of the many who have written valuable, engaging, and entertaining poetry and prose over the centuries.

Sappho

Born in the 7^th century BC, Sappho was one of the most admired poets of the ancient world. Ancient Greek scholars counted her romantic lyrical poems, which were often dedicated to other women, among the greatest works ever produced. Though a great deal of her poetry has been lost, her immense reputation endures even today.

Murasaki Shikibu

Lady Murasaki is credited by many scholars with single-handedly inventing the novel as we know it today. A lady in waiting in the Japanese court, Murasaki wrote around the 10^th century AD. Her sprawling epic The Tale of Genji spans 1200 pages and took more than a decade to complete. Along with other Japanese women writers, she was instrumental in helping to create a written language out of spoken Japanese.

Christine de Pizan

De Pizan was a French author of poetry, prose, and nonfiction who wrote between 1390-1430. After the death of her husband in an epidemic, de Pizan, who was only about 25 at the time, completely supported herself and her three children on her income as a writer. Her best known work is The Book of the City of Ladies, a celebration of the contributions made by women throughout history.

Aphra Behn

The mysterious Aphra Behn was a contemporary of Shakespeare and also wrote several well-received novels and plays. All this was accomplished while working as a spy for the British Royal Court. Her short novel Oroonoko, about an enslaved African man, was inspired by time she spent in Suriname.

Jane Austen

Since the publication of her first work, Sense and Sensibility, in 1811, Austen has become one of the most widely read writers in the English language. She is the author of six books, all of which are undisputed classics. Unafraid to experiment with different styles and forms, her work was incredibly influential on future generations of writers.

Mary Shelley

Daughter of the pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft and wife of poet Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley had quite the family name to live up to. She accomplished this in a single stroke in 1818 when she published the novel Frankenstein. The book was a pioneering work in the science fiction and horror genres, as well as a thoughtful exploration of some of the social issues of the day.

Virginia Woolf

The brilliant Woolf was one of the foremost writers and scholars of the Modernist movement. Her most famous novels include the fantasy story Orlando (1928) and the more realistic character study Mrs. Dalloway (1925). Among her many works of nonfiction and criticism is A Room of One’s Own (1929), a book-length analysis of women writers.

Toni Morrison

Winner of the Nobel Prize in 1993, the American writer Toni Morrison is one of a kind in her ability to give voice to marginalized groups of people. Her novels focus on the struggles of poor rural African-Americans, telling their stories in a fresh and lyrical way. She is the author of ten popular books, published between 1978 and 2012.

This list only scratches the surface of women writers throughout history. Since the earliest eras of the written word, women as well as men have been leaving their literary mark. Check out the graphic below for more iconic female authors:


Presented By Book Pal

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Two Writers Walk Into a Pub

Dont you want to be able to say that youre in the same pub as me sometime? And NOT be talking about a drinking establishment in England?

Of course Im talking about PUBlications! Regional parenting publications, to be exact.

I LOVE being able to say Im in the same pub in the same month as one of you! Some of you bought my ebook way back in 2009 when I was still pregnant with my 4-year-old Samuel and had taken my first ebook journey. Thank you for taking that journey with me! I had had some success writing for these pubs and wanted to share how I did it, along with all the markets and emails and other fun information I had collected.

Some of you bought my ebook more recently than 2009, newer editions (working on 6th edition now!), and have also had success. I see Rhonda and Christa and Lara. This feels like that old show Romper Room! And Anne and Jan and Kelly and Robin and Carol and Lela. (If Im missing you, by all means call me out!).

I am so proud of these buyers and now writing friends being published, and when we are in the same pub in the same month I get all excited (just ask my husband and kids).

So do you want to be in the same pub as I am some month soon? My reprints from years ago still get published (thats residual income, folks), and I still write new pieces when I find the time.

If you havent grabbed my value of an ebook, now is the time! Its easier than you think to get published and make money writing for magazines.

See you in the pub!

*You can read here on how I got FOUR articles published in Calgarys Child magazine in the Nov/Dec 2013 issue (at $50 a pop!) and I had a lot of good company in there with some of you writers!

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Roughing Up Other Writers Im an Article Bouncer!

I like to get really drunk and rough up other writers online. I punch their articles right out of other magazines. (just kidding!)

So a fellow writer wrote me and said this (Ive edited the email severely so its definitely not a quote but its such a great story I had to share ... then below that is my response to her):

Hi Kerrie,

Just wanted to share with you a funny story because I think you bumped me right out of a spot in  the XXX Family Magazine August issue...!!

I sent Jane Editor an essay about blahdy blah way back in November and she liked it so she asked me to follow up with her closer to the summer months.  I followed up in May and she said she would schedule it for the August issue.  I didnt hear back from her again and wondered what happened so I took a look at the August issue online and found your wonderful article on the magazines blog instead!  Doh!

So, Im happy for you!  But sad for me...oh well.  I know I have to keep putting myself out there but this writing business is killing me...I get some great feedback from editors who say they love my stuff and want to/plan to print it, but then I never hear from them again. 

The same thing happened with the XXX Magazine where an editor planned to print a commentary I wrote and asked for revisions and everything. She followed up and told me she planned to print my piece within the next two weeks...and that was back in January.  Dang thing never saw the light of day.  UGH! 

Heres my response:

That stinks. Sorry about that. Ive always had problems with THAT EDITOR doing that ... I open it up expecting to see something she said of mine she would use and then its not there. 

I think you have to keep bugging her, which I dont always have time to do. Now they are switching editors ... if the email changes Ill send out an update if you subscribe to the blog emails. 

Hoping NEW Jane Editor will be all on top of it. All I can offer is KEEP TRYING. The only reason Im in something monthly is that I have about 70 pieces going at once on a reprint list. The odds are ever in my favor, you know? Keep it up. We are all basically writing the same stuff ... its not even always about who did it better ... just who is top of mind or which pub has the more organized editor. I am putting this on the blog ... to maybe help encourage others?????

Keep at it!!!!!!!!!!!! Or just scrap the RPMs and go for the nationals. Maybe thats your thing instead!

Kerrie

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The Pomodoro Technique Focus for ADHD Writers

Im reading The Art and Business of Writing by Chris Jones on my Kindle and its full of helpful advice. Ill review it in a later post. For now, please take this gem I got in there (then, interestingly enough, I also found the same gem the next day in a speed-reading ebook I was proofreading on Fiverr, which tells me the Universe wants me to try it).

Basically in the mornings, I put my butt in my seat after getting my coffee and something to eat. Focusing after that is hard. I want to check email, Facebook, my ebook sales, Fiverr, blog stats, do some blog social media, and more. Back and forth and then Ive wasted an hour! That is no way to make your dreams come true of moving to the country, traveling the world with your family and writing a bunch more books! 

So you start by hitting the app store with your smartphone (or you can just do it yourself with a timer, I suppose, but I am trying out this free app to see if it keeps track of stats and stuff ... there are also paid versions).

Then you handle your settings. I left mine on the default. So I proofread for 25 minutes and then take a break. I plan to also use this for writing so I can get articles and ebooks actually WORKED ON! After every 4 sets, you get a longer break. Ill have to use this to switch out the laundry, do some dishes, throw dinner in the slow cooker, brush my teeth, get dressed, etc. I am only doing this in the mornings so far when the kids are sleeping and I am not distracted or interrupted. Once the kids are up, all bets are off and its homeschool and family time until I can get more work done at night, usually about another hour until my brain is too tired to think.

The timer goes quietly for 25 minutes and then buzzes or can go off with an alarm with noise and then switches to 4 minutes of break (yes, you can pause it if you need to). Sometimes I might grab my 5-pound weights I keep by my desk (a 1950s Formica table in the corner of the kitchen, my "office") or do some planks or squats. Or check email. But the point is when that time is up I have to get back to work. No more languishing in Facebook land for me!

Id love to hear about your tips, tricks and tools for getting things done! And be sure to come back to read my review of Chris Jones book! Youll love it!

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American Baby Magazine Submission Writers Guidelines Fit Pregnancy and Baby

SUPER FRESH INFO AND BIG NEWS ABOUT AMERICAN BABY! 

I just got this info from over here at Writers Digest!!! And heres more updated info from Publishers Daily! Basically with this February 2016 issue, American Baby is no more and has merged with Fit Pregnancy to form ...

FIT PREGNANCY AND BABY!

Here are the submission guidelines from their website! You will also find these in the 7th edition of my book, Make Money to Write About Your Kids: Get Published in Regional, National & Online Parenting & Family Magazines. You can find the 6th edition here on Kindle (huge sale!) and in print version. You can download it FREE if you have Kindle Unlimited! You can also wait for the 7th edition to come out in a month or two and keep on writing and pitching queries in the meantime!

FIT PREGNANCY  is a website covering health, nutrition, exercise, psychology, food, fashion and beauty issues related to pregnancy. It also includes editorial for parents of babies up to 2 years of age.

Queries should be specific. Read our website and be clear whether you are presenting an idea for a feature or a specific column.

Features (1,000 - 1,800 words) cover broad, timely topics. Features for which we accept freelance writing include:

Prenatal Fitness:
Pregnancy-safe workout programs

You and Your Baby:
• A feature story about postpartum issues.
• A postpartum exercise story (often includes weight loss).
• A story pertaining to breastfeeding issues.
• Baby Pages (baby-care issues, with emphasis on the first six weeks)

Nutrition and Food:
Prenatal nutrition stories, often with a meal plan and recipes

Psychology/Health:
Topics relating to prenatal or postpartum issues

Columns  (550 - 1,000 words) for which we accept freelance writing include the following:

Your Family:
Parenting issues as they relate to the new family, sex and relationships, family and financial issues

Health:
Health issues for the pregnant woman

Healthy Baby:
Health issues for the new baby

Insight:
Psychological issues relating to pregnancy or parenting

Labor & Delivery:
Emphasis on hard news, scientific breakthroughs and practical tips

Nutrition:
Prenatal-nutrition issues

Small Packages:
A section of short, newsy items on all topics covered in the magazine

Bumpalicious (550 words):
A funny or poignant personal essay

Queries should be no more than one page in length. Tell us why your idea is new or particularly important to our readership. Please include experts you might interview, any expertise you may have in this area, other magazines youve written for and recent clips.

Please send your queries to:
Editorial Team, Fit Pregnancy, 805 Third Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10022

 Due to the number of submissions we receive, we respectfully ask that you not follow up on your idea more than once. If interested, an editor will contact you. We keep letters on file for 6 months.

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Bloggers Writers! My Book is on Free Days!!!! ArticleReprints ResidualIncome

**If you are coming to this post after November 28th, 2015, keep in mind you can still get this book FREE on Kindle Unlimited. You pay about $9.99 per month to download 10 books at a time that are enrolled in the KU program. You can turn one in and get another. Turn them all in and get 10 more. Please remember authors rely on your reviews so other readers know what to expect ... your thoughtful review really makes a difference and means a lot to me!

Its time for another 5-day FREEEBOOK (free + ebook = freeebook) EXTRAVAGANZA!

This time its "Make Money to Write About Your Kids: Get Published in Regional, National & Online Parenting & Family Magazines" that I have put up to bat. Five whole days you can download it onto your Kindle reader or laptop or other device FREE! I used to not have a Kindle but still got Kindle books because I utilized Amazons Cloud Drive. I love working with a company that is so accommodating!

Okay, so I wrote this book back in 2009 when I was pregnant with my 5th child, Samuel. I had been writing for regional parenting magazines for a few years and had been compiling all the magazine information I could find so I could submit all over the country and world. One day I thought, "Huh, so I have all this great information and I should share it! All the magazines, editors, email addresses, cities and states and writers guidelines and pay information because HOW GREAT WOULD THAT BE IF IT WERE A RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO OTHER WRITERS?!"

I mean, I would have bought it back then. Now its in the 6th edition and Im working on the 7th. Its truly like a Writers Digest Writers Market for the parenting and family category. The Writers Market annually only has a handful of markets for this niche. I have over 250. With details. And an at-a-glance table at the back. If you like a print book, you can get it that way too! What a great gift for the writer on your holiday list!

I have used this resource to get published in 155 magazines so far. You can find that list here!

*Please keep in mind I updated this back in February so some magazines have folded and I have found new ones as well. I will update all of this in the next edition and please let me know if theres anything else youd like to see!

Happy reading!

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Time Management for Writers at Home

As I was rapidly unloading dishes from the dishwasher (the kids usually do it but I was doing it tonight) I was thinking about how much writing and proofreading work I still had to do. I thought about all the laundry, dishes, homeschooling, meals, phone calls, errands and details I handle or take care of every day and how often people are amazed that I can crank out articles and ebooks while (mostly) keeping my sanity, maintaining a thriving marriage and having a blast with my kids.

And it came to me.

We all have the same amount of time every day to with what we will.

After my grandpa died my brain was mush and I needed some serious downtime. Its like God heard me because I got about two months of not being as busy as usual with projects. I put off my homeschooling ebook. I put off some other things that people were not depending on and handled what needed handling. I spent more time watching movies snuggled up with my kids and actually reading books for pleasure and sleeping more.

My Poppy, who died October 9

Then I got back into Work Mode. Projects are flowing and I have a full to-do list. Of course family comes first but Christmas is coming and my husband needs new tires for his truck and wouldnt a little, close-by family vacation be nice sometime next year?

Me. I guess its not a "selfie" if I take it with my computer!

So how do I fit it all in?

1. Well, I start by making sure I get enough sleep so I am in premium condition. I dont try to get by on 6 hours when I know I need 8 to be a kind, functioning human being.
2. I plan our meals in advance so Im not scrambling at the last minute for something for us to eat. I try to double meals when I make them so I have another in the freezer for another time.
3. I make a Work Sandwich. I do a chunk of my work in the morning when most of the kids are asleep, then fill up the Attention Tanks of my kids the rest of the day. At night when they are worn out and watching a movie, I flop down by them with my laptop and crank out another hour or so of work.
4. I do things as fast as I can and try to focus on one task at a time. Its hard! But if I keep getting distracted, ADD-style, the job takes FOREVER!
5. I keep a list in pencil of everything I need/want to do and put a number priority next to each thing up to only 10. As I finish something, I erase it. That leaves room for something else to fill its spot, but hopefully only after Ive finished two more things!!!!
6. Oh, and of course I have the kids help out around the house. After all, Im partially working to pay for gymnastics, so they can certainly toss the dry laundry in a basket and bring it up to my bedroom, right?

Id love to hear how you get it all done! Even if your kids are in school during the day while you work from home, Im pretty sure you still have some challenges with keeping on task. How do you power through?

And speaking of SAVING TIME, I have saved you hours by compiling editor email addresses and popping them into this affordable book full of advice, tips and writers guidelines.

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