*points to self*
Yes! I am a goldfish.
At least I think I am. I couldn't tell you for sure, because really… by the time I wonder if I'm a goldfish, I have forgotten what the question was.
My attention span is severely lacking these days and I get easily — Oh, look! A shiny new toaster!
Err.
Where was I?
Goldfish. Right. Sorry about that.
  My middle name should be Dory. (As in Finding Nemo, Dory) I often feel like her, especially while I'm writing. I'm somewhere else, people talk to me, and eventually that droning noise will get my attention and I'll give them a blank look — because I have no idea what they are talking about, even if I've been giving all the right responses.
My goldfish-ness is directly related to writing.
I'm antisocial. Or just solitary, I don't know, but I think antisocial hits the nail on the head. Most writers are, to some degree, because writing is a solitary business and we need to be able to tune out the rest of the world. Some might argue it's a lonely business, but I'd disagree. It can be lonely, yes, but most writers will interact with other writers on a daily basis. Just writers, though. Not other fellow humans.
We don't deal well with them, because they don't understand us. They don't get that your characters live inside you, are part of you, talk to you. All. The. Time.
Maybe we're all just antisocial schizophrenics? My teacher once told me point blank that there is "something wrong" with me and suggested to my mother to make me go see a shrink. Sadly, I was eight years old at the time, and I took it to heart. For years, decades, I actually believed there is something intrinsically wrong with me. I thought I was alone in the world with the way I "saw" stories and it took overhearing a conversation at a Romantic Times convention to make me realize that no, I'm not the only one this happens to.
Here was a writer who boldly told her fellow humans that she "writes it down as she sees it", that there is "a movie playing in my head". Picture my jaw falling to the floor.
I was not alone!
I don't know who she was. I didn't ask, didn't approach. I had to come to terms with the fact that my teacher was a stupid, unimaginative, destructive bitch who shouldn't have been let loose on children.
I would like to thank this nameless writer for her courage. She made me feel less like a freak, and I will be forever grateful to her — whoever she is. I truly hope all your dreams come true.
I'm still a freak among "normal" human beings. My mind wanders, I'm still antisocial and my inner goldfish is alive and swimming along nicely — finding ever new shiny things to divert itself -- but at least I know I'm not totally weird, now.

It helps!

However… seeing the clip below makes me reevaluate the attention span of goldfish!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjnUiyf5YJU

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Times are hard. We all know about credit crunches, spending cuts and tax raises.
So I've looked around for some free useful Writer tools for you.

1. Google Docs - a simple online word processor, with the ability to share and collaborate, as well as chat.
2. Open Office – a Microsoft Office alternative that's completely free. It has a few glitches, but it does the job rather nicely.
3. Lotus Symphony  – another free Office contender, with a variety of plugins.
4. Evernote – a free note taking application like Microsoft's OneNote. I highly recommend it.
5. WordWeb – free one-click English thesaurus and dictionary for Windows, Application independent.
6. Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary – free (online only)
7. One-Look Reverse Dictionary – free (online only)
8. RoughDraft - a free wordprocessor providing special modes for screenplays, novels, short stories etc. (Development discontinued, but don't let that stop you from trying it.)
9. Sonar 3 – Free submission tracking tool
10. FreeMind – Free Mindmapping software, which can be great for brainstorming.

Well, there you have it. That's just 10 of all the ones out there. I tried to be a little diverse and I hope you enjoy (and possibly benefit from) these tools.

Happy writing!

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Jesus, where the hell is everybody when they first deliver the typing paper? Where are all the "helpers" when those boxes full of silence come in? Blank. Both sides. No clues, no instructions enclosed on how to take just twenty-six letters and endlessly rearrange them so that you can turn them into a mirror of a part of our lives. Try it sometime.
  -Larry Gelbart

"QFT!" As one of my friends would say.
(QFT = Quote for Truth)

I hate parties.
There is always the inevitable "How's the writing going?" from friends who know I write (in my spare time), or a question of "So what do you do when you're not at work?"
If you tell them you write books, the general reaction tends to be "Really?" followed by "Is it published?"
These days I don't say "No.", these days I say "Not yet."
However, conversations such as these tend to go in similar directions every time.
The response is, very often, "I'm going to write a book one day." or "I thought of doing that."
I usually smile politely and change the subject.
Thinking about it isn't doing it.
Asking why they don't write it now, you tend to get "Oh I don't have time, like you do."
Ahem.
My day has 24 hours, just like everyone elses. The difference is, I shut myself away a few hours out of those 24 and get on with it. I take the time. No one is so busy they can't find an hour a day where they can sit and write.
Do it instead of watching the soaps.
Do it instead of browsing the web.
Do it instead of watching a movie.
Do it instead of reading a book.
I'll quote Nike at you: Just DO it.

Then you get the "How hard can it be?" brigade.
Oh, writing a book isn't hard. Anyone can do it.
Writing a good book… well now, that's a little different.
Writing a book others want to read is damned hard, and don't let anyone tell you differently. If it were easy, everyone would be a published author.

Of course, the ones that really get my goat are the "Oh when I write my book it'll be a bestseller."
In. Your. Dreams.
Quite -if you pardon the pun- literally.
"When" won't make it a bestseller. And even if you write it, chances are you won't ever sell enough to make it a bestseller. There's only so many books that make it there. If you do, great! But don't tell me it's going to be a bestseller, unless you're actually writing it.

I don't know who coined the "Pre-published" term for writers.
It strikes me that the individual (or group) has a little confidence problem.
If you have a confidence problem, you better start growing a very thick skin, or get out now. Because it won't be all 5 star reviews when you make it. Heck no, there are going to be people who will hate your book, and tell you so.
Still, the term "Pre-published" is bullshit, plain and simple. You're either published, or you're not. There is no "Pre-Published". You might have a contract in your hand, but that isn't "Pre-published", it's contracted. Or maybe you have an agent. Then you're agented. And you are still an unpublished hopeful even with an agent batting for you — until the contract arrives. Anything else is unpublished, and that's that. And until your book hits the shelves (or virtual shelves) you are contracted, but not published.
Stop trying to make it sound differently, just deal with the reality.
Personally, I think "Contracted" sounds a damned side better than "Pre-published".
Next they'll call it "Publistically Challenged", or some such nonsense.

Anyway, if you want to write a book, there is only one way to do it.
Butt in seat, hands on keyboard.
Or BISHOK if you like that kinda thing…

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Distractions are the bane of my life.
Not just my writing life, but in general. It's worse when I write, though.
Whether it's surfing the net, or playing an online game (Bad me!), a good movie on TV, or a book I'm dying to read — it's too easy to be distracted.
I am not the only one who has a problem staying focused, it's a common affliction for those of us with the attention span of an average goldfish.
Part of it has to do with the sheer number of distractions available to us today. Part of it is simply down to a lack of self discipline.

So what can you do to be less prone to procrastination?

I find there are some steps I can take to minimise how suceptible I am.

• I close email, browser windows, and any application I don't need to use.
• I get myself a cup of coffee (or make a pot) before I sit down to write.
• I get a snack before I sit down to write.
• I have a cigarette before I sit down to write. (I don't smoke indoors.)
• I set up my music to something I like. (I use headphones btw)
• I close the door, so no one disturbs me while I write.
• I often turn the phone down (won't help to take it off the hook, it'll only ring on the other phone then.)
• I get the reference books I plan on using out and stacked next to me.
• If you have a dog, walk it before you start.
• If you have kids… uh well. Try giving them something to do where they don't need to disturb you? (Don't have any, so I can't help you there.)
• If you're prone to headaches (like I am), have some Aspirin or Ibuprofen handy by your desk.
• I don't have a TV in the room where I write. Never did and never will. If you have one there… get rid of it. (No, I'm serious.) At least don't turn it on!

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
I don't do all those things every time, but the coffee and music is a ritual of mine.

I'm not saying this works for everyone. I'm not saying this works every time for me, or that I do this every time.
But it's a start, and it's worth a shot, right?

Any other suggestions?

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It's up to you.
I don't like being overly snarky, though sometimes I might be.
I don't want to go and offend anyone, but I also have my own opinions. If others don't agree with them – fine. Live and let die. Or something in that vein.

The topic of this post is content, and what your content says about you, the author.

Believe it or not, it says a lot.
The topics you choose tell your readers where your mind goes to wander, where it tiptoes through fields of daisies, or tapdances through minefields. (The latter is to be avoided, you tend to end up minus some limbs.)
Personally, I prefer to tiptoe through minefields, but hey… that's me.
The crux of the matter is this: What you post is out there for all to see. Once it's out there, you can't take it back. Even if you delete it, some search engine probably already archived it someplace you can't demolish — even if you want to.
And don't for one second think no one will see your unfortunate outburst. When you query an agent or a publisher, if they consider to take you on — they will research you. They'll see all that dirty laundry you hung out, rummage through your virtual drawers and navigate around your Pr0n collection. (I call 'em hunks, my other half calls it my dirty little secret. HA! What does he know…)
Anyway, what I'm saying is, people see what you write and they judge you by those posts. They'll form an opinion about what you're like. How well they may get on with you, or work with you.
If you post stuff you wouldn't want your boss to see — then don't post it.
Don't deceive yourself – any publisher / editor / agent out there is pretty much a potential boss.
They look at it with a far more critical eye than any employer ever would, because while you might never set foot out of an office -  having a book out there is rather different.
There is marketing to consider. Image.
Your image can be ruined before you even get noticed, and rebuilding it is a tricky business.
And Image is important. Sure, you can pretend to be nicey-nice and all that, but that just makes you a bit bland in my opinion.
You can have opinions, we all do, but if you post it, then be rational about it, and don't jump on people if they comment and disagree with you.
Some things (and I've seen stuff like this) are just a total no-no.
For instance, if you query a sweet historical with a publisher, yet on your blog you rant and scream about how the genre sucks, and is only read by imbeciles — you think they want to work with someone who doesn't believe in their own book? Or who insults their entire readership? Them?
Not bloody likely.
(I'm being very nasty and harsh above, that isn't reflecting how I feel about sweet historicals or it's readers, it's just an example — before someone comes and hits me over the head with a brick, or something!)
Or hey, go all political! It's not like anyone cares, right? Then add religion into the mix and you've found an almost guaranteed way to offend half the population. (While the other half likely agrees with you.)
As I said, I prefer to tiptoe around in my minefields. I have my own opinion, obviously, and it may (or may not) mesh with other people's opinions. But why take the chance? I don't need to ram it down their throats, they don't need to know what I think about how well a president or prime minister is doing, or whether I do or don't like the church. Keep that stuff private, or among friends. Not out there, for all to see (and judge). There are plenty of neutral topics, blog about those instead.
Keep it light and informative. Research anything you present as fact – or else it will likely come back to bite you in the ass.

If you have a writing blog, treat it as such. Stick to topics about writing, or writing life. If you mix business and pleasure, don't go into too much detail. In both cases, be aware of your audience and consider your topics carefully.
Your content is your marketing tool. If it would impact negatively on your career – then don't put it out there.

Ah. Now look what I've done.
I've put my opinion out there, for all to see!
(I tend to avoid writing about any of my real hotbuttons though…)

Obviously you don't have to take this advice, especially since I'm not always sticking to it either, but maybe it'll give you some food for thought.
There are many blogs out there where the authors rant about every topic imaginable. It gets kind of boring, you know? And they aren't doing themselves any favors, either.
I mean, if you were a publisher — would you want to work with someone who explodes on the page every two seconds?
I know I wouldn't.

So consider what you post, before you hit that publish button.

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One of the most asked questions in my critique group (and most other places where writers linger and mingle) is "Should I have a website?"

The answer isn't as simple as you  might think.
It isn't a simple yes or no.
In fact, it's not the right question to ask.
The real question is: Should you have a web presence.
Then the answer is a resounding "Yes"

Confused?
Isn't a website the same as a web presence?
What if I have a blog? Is it also a website?

It may be confusing terminology, but it is really very straightforward.
A blog, a website, a facebook page, a myspace place, Livejournal… any of those is a web presence. I don't count Twitter among those, btw.
A website is a static entity. Most "websites" you find are what web developers and savvy internet users refer to as "Cobwebs".
A cobweb refers to an unchanging, dead site. It goes up, and never gets modified. It's static. It's… dead.
Why should your visitors return? What is the point of having a page that never changes? (Or gets only minimal updates, maybe once a year.)
Most writers are far better served by having a blog. Blogs, while they can also be static if you never post anything, allow visitors to interact with the blog owner. (There are also tons of abandoned blogs out there. It's by no means a surefire way of being on the cusp of technology.)
Most blogs allow you to have a fixed page, or articles. Use those for static content, like book listings, useful link collections, biographies etc.
Use your actual blog posts to update your readers. Be that a new book release, a sale, an agent who signed you, an appearance, a contest, or maybe just what you had for breakfast this morning.
Keep it lively. Think of topics that might interest your readers. Maybe post a snippet of a WIP sometimes. That kind of thing.
Keep it interesting and you'll have people coming back. That's what you want. Build up a following.
Static webpages are a thing of the past, the web has evolved way beyond those, so really you don't want a webpage – you want a place where you can interact.

There are other considerations that go hand in hand with building a web presence.
Should you have your own domain?
The domain is the bit after the http://, in case you're confused.
Yes, you can certainly have a web address of iamagreatauthor.blogspot.com. Nothing wrong with that.
There are cost considerations too. A domain needs to be paid for. (About $10/pa for a .com). That's not a hell of a lot, now is it?
Then you need to consider your image. Do you mind if your "free" host (where your blog lives) puts adverts on your pages? (Most do, and they won't ask what they can put on your page, they just slap it on there.) What if that free host goes bust? It happens. Are you prepared to lose all your hard work and words of wisdom and find a new place for it? (Which you then have to set up and configure.)
If you write under the name Joan Smith – would you prefer if your readers found you via joansmith.com?
Another thing about those free hosts…
I am betting NONE of the writers who host their blogs on wordpress.com or blogspot.com / blogger.com ever read the terms of service.
Well, on those two your content is safe. It still belongs to you. I haven't really checked any others (I don't use them), but it behooves you to read those terms and conditions carefully.
For instance, a while back I posted about a "Buyer beware" when it comes to terms and conditions, after I read About.com's terms — which state anything posted on their site belongs to them and their affiliates. So make sure you read carefully before you sign on the dotted line, or you could find all those articles you write, snippets you post — belong to the service who is hosting your blog / webpages.
Hosting your own isn't as hard as people think, nor is it all that expensive.
You can get started from as little at $3 a month and often the hosting company will throw in the cost of the domain. (Beware on that, too, but I'll explain in a little bit. Bear with me.)
If you want your own, and want to host a blog, but you're not comfortable with installing it yourself, then look for a host who offers something like "Fantastico" which is a script that does it for you.
If you write erotica — make sure you choose a host who doesn't mind "Adult Content". Yes, I know it's a writer's site, not a porn site, but 99% of hosts out there will class the site of an erotica writer as an adult site. All it takes is one visitor to email your host and complain — and you will be minus a web presence because you violated their terms and conditions. (The same goes for free hosting — double check! If not sure, ASK!)
On that "Free" domain thing…
Domains cost very little to register. I would always — ALWAYS — register the domain myself, not let some webhosting company register it for me.
Why?
Because it's not hard to do, but if the hosting company registers the domain in their name (instead of yours) then it's their domain (not yours) even though you might think it is. And if you don't like it there anymore, and want to move, that super domain you found and which is associated with you — might not belong to you. Then you're faced with a domain name dispute and that's messy.
What's more, if you register your domain yourself, you often get the option to add privacy on it. That's important, because any domain out there is registered with a full address, which people can look up via a "Whois" service.
(Godaddy.com offer privacy registration, their domain panel is straightforward and they are good to work with.)
So unless you have a postbox, or you don't mind every stalker knowing where you live and what your phone number is — go for private registration.
Another thing on domains: Good, short, meaningful .com domains are practically gone.
Unless you have a name like mine, you'll likely find your name is not available as a .com.
There are other extensions available, but the first one people look for is a .com, so if you can get a great one — grab it now. Even if you don't use it right now, keep it registered. Because when you are ready to use it, and possibly need that domain… it may be gone.

Yes, it's a lot to take in, a lot to consider.
But ask yourself this:
Do you want freedom, no ads, and a domain name that never changes and which you can build on? Or will you be happy with what you can get from a free provider?

It's up to you, but I hope I've given you an idea of what is out there, and that it's not as daunting as it seems if you follow a few simple rules:

• Register a domain yourself
• Protect your privacy
• Read the terms and conditions
• Be aware of what you need, and get hosting accordingly (bought or free)

That's pretty much it.

I'll harp on about the content of a blog some other time. Because that's important too.

P.S. I'm not a Godaddy affiliate, I just like their service.

P.P.S If you come across "Myhosting.com" as a registrar… don't even think about it. If I could award them a -10 for ease of use and competence, I would. I am currently in week 5 of trying to get a domain away from them. So far, it's still sitting there, over two months after registration, and I can't do anything with it. AVOID them at all costs, it's the worst experience I've ever had with a registrar — and I've used plenty of them.

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We've been talking about writing habits, over at Passionate Critters. (My critique group)
Mostly about revision, but also writing in general. Harper did a very nice blog post about it.

There are different habits, different ways of doing things. None of us are the same, we all have our little quirks. Little things we like to do. What works for one person, might not work for another.
Personally, I'm a night owl. I do my best writing at night, way past midnight usually, slurping a tepid (or cold) cup of coffee that has sat on my desk so long, I forgot it's there. (I used to work in IT. Cold coffee is… not unusual.)
When I concentrate, when I'm in the story, I don't see or hear anything else. You could probably rob me blind while I am that deep into it, I wouldn't notice. Well, not until you tried to take my computer. I'd probably murder the burglar for interrupting the flow.
To concentrate, I often fiddle with little strips of fabric, roll it between my fingers while my mind goes into overdrive. For some odd reason the feel of the fabric helps me to focus.
I go outside, stare into the darkness while I have a cigarette (yes, filthy blah blah…) and my characters usually have a conversation in my head while I do it. If there is a particular pose I want to convey, I try it out, see how it would look or feel. My neighbors probably wonder about me. Oh well.
I write everywhere. There isn't a second of the day when I don't write — even if it's just in my head. I get incredibly annoyed when I have something I need to put on paper or screen, and I can't. Boy, do I ever!
But if you watch me — I won't write a word. Not even one. I will wait until everyone is out of the room, because I can't stand having someone watch me. It drives me nuts when someone does that.
Yep, weird.

That's me, you may well have your own habits.

So how do I revise?
Pretty much the same way. I don't have set formula. I don't do it chapter by chapter. I read my stuff many, many, times though.
Over and over. Sometimes just for pleasure. That's when I find things, when I read it as a reader, not as a writer.
I step away for at least a week before I revise. I won't open the file, won't read any of it.
Then I read it again and hopefully notice those odd bits that don't work, or the ones in the wrong place, or where the pace slows down, or… you get the idea.

I cut words. Sometimes just one, sometimes entire chapters. If I get bored reading it, then so does anyone else. Out it comes.
What I don't do is throw that stuff out. It goes into another file.
I look for duplications. I sometimes say the same thing twice, using different words. In fact, I do this a lot.
I look for repetition, words I use a lot, phrases too. Unless it's a trademark of the character, it comes out.

You could say I have a habit of culling my habits.

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From Writers Organizations –

• Ebook  / Print author equality 

  Join the 21st Century, people! Yes, it’s very nice to be published in print, but a lot of books are ebooks now. It’s time to treat a writer like a published author, if they are published, you know what I mean?
  You can’t have your cake and eat it. Either a published author is a published author regardless of medium, or we need a new categorization for writers on a whole. Anything else is simply unacceptable. And if those ebook authors don’t qualify for published status, then frankly, I’d like to see a dues reduction, as they often do not get the same benefits as other published authors.

   
• Global rather than National affiliations

  The Net has no borders! If you accept dues from international members, then how about broadening the horizon of the organization? How about embracing all writers, regardless of location? How about conferences in other countries, albeit smaller ones?
   

• Support for Local groups 

  And I mean SUPPORT, not just "You may use our initials". I am talking about providing those local groups with something more. Frankly what I don’t want to see is members paying extra to belong to a local chapter. That should be a given.
  If a local group has to rent space to meet, then I’d like to see a subsidy for this, or a bit of a discount on the fees. After all — they don’t have to belong to your "club" to meet up.
   

• Fair dues 

  I mean membership dues. Just because you do not live in the same country, you shouldn’t be penalized for it. (If you are a RWA member, you know I’m talking about the shipping costs for RWR, which you should be able to opt OUT of — and which, incidentally, should be available electronically. Global warming, carbon emissions etc!)
  I’d like to see a tiered approach to membership dues. The more you get, the more you’ll likely pay. But I don’t think an unpublished author (who, after all, doesn’t earn from their writing) should pay the same as a published author, who may have access to a great deal more resources than an unpublished one.
   

• Discount negotiations

  Things like writing books, paper, ink, toner, notebooks, software, insurance, web hosting, web design, travel, promotional items… you name it. Benefits, you know?
   

• Services

  Things like legal advice, mediation, that kind of thing. Discounted writing retreats, stuff like that.

I pay dues for benefits, so the more an organization can offer its members, the more people will be willing to join.
There are more I can think of, many more, especially when it comes to benefits. I’d love to see an organization take up the gauntlet I’ve thrown down here and run with those suggestions.
And if there isn’t one — maybe it’s time some writers got together and started a truly global "club". An inclusive, rather than exclusive one.
And if Nanowrimo.org can negotiate deals with various companies… then I don’t see why writers organizations can’t do this.

What would you like to see?

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