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Time management tips for writing your first book.

5/8/2015

4 Comments

 
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A wonderful old friend from the college days just reached out to me with this email: "My goal this summer is to start writing a book! Any advice on time management would be appreciated."

First off, I know she's much smarter than me and a far better writer, so very soon, she'll be giving me writing advice. But until then, this is the counsel I gave her. (I added subheads to help organize it for you, the reader.)
***

That’s so cool you’re going to start writing your best seller! What’s it going to be about? I definitely can offer some advice about what’s worked for me.

When is your high energy time?
For me, my high energy/focus time is first thing in the morning. I get 90% of my meaningful work done before noon, and when it comes to my own personal book writing, it all has to be first thing in the morning.

My morning writing ritual:
So my ritual is that I rise way too early, start freebasing coffee, put on some great tunes, and get to writing. I used to try and put in long days writing but that’s counterproductive. It’s not hard at all to fill the page, but clarity and focus are the real goal, not just hours invested. That being said, I’ll try to focus on a one-hour slot that I “schedule” or dedicate first every morning. Ideally, I turn Wi-Fi off and phone off so no emails, Facebook, etc. (breaking my own rule right now) so I won’t deviate or become distracted. If I get into the groove I can write longer than an hour, or come back to it at night or whatever, but that’s just bonus time and if nothing else, you can easily write a book over the summer with one hour a day, 5 or 6 days a week.

Part 1, planning and organizing:
I like to do two things when I’m writing a book. One is plan, organize, outline, research, read articles about my craft, and take copious notes. Because inspiration sometimes hits when you’re in line at the bank or when you’re trying to sleep at 3am, I jot them down as a memo on my iPhone or whatever and then bring those back in later. But the organization part really helps me know I’m on track and not just a crazy person spewing words (the jury is still out on that one.) This part can be done after the designated hour every morning or at night or whenever – it doesn’t take much focus.

Part 2, writing.
The second thing I do when writing a book (but most important) is write. Haha I’m not being a wise ass, so I’ll explain. During that hour, the goal is to get started and not stop. When I start a book, it’s impossible for me to sit down and say “Ok, chapter one page one. The night was hot and humid, etc.” 

So I start writing with stream of consciousness about the idea of the book, the themes, conflicts, dialogue, and especially the characters. Well in advance of actually writing any material that will be used word for word in the book, I’m purging my mind of ideas and developing them with brainstorming. Since characters are so important, I’ll spend a lot of time on characters, like I said, fleshing out their lives and desires, values and fears, quirks and characteristics, etc. 90% of that may not end up in the book, but I believe it really helps.

Practice turns into material for the book:
So every morning I’m just hacking away with this, fingers on keyboard for an hour without stopping much, and then one day it just happens: I start producing good content that will be in the book, whether that’s page 1 or around a pivotal scene or dialogue or whatever.

How to deal with pressure and high self-expectations:
For me, my great is the enemy of good and if I feel so much pressure to write well, it comes out like crap. So by “practicing” first, and then just focusing on one scene or whatever to get started, there’s really no pressure. I also remind myself daily that the goal is just to get started, not produce a polished, finished book. Everything will be edited and rewritten, several times. So that way I’m not worried about making mistakes or writing crap, and I’m free just to be productive.

Percentage of time spent on different facets of the book writing process:
It seems like it would take forever to write a book but for me, about 10% is preparation, 30% writing the first draft, and 60% is the rewriting and editing process. That process sucks by the way. But it’s encouraging to know you’re fixing mistakes and tweaking it to get it how it should really be, so someone actually wants to read it!

I hope this was helpful! Hit me up if you have any other questions or need more help.

-Norm   :-)

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For more writing advice and tips, check out The Book Marketing Bible on Amazon.com, with 99 essential marketing strategies for self-published and first-time authors, or any writer looking to skyrocket sales.
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4 Comments

Seth Godin’s blog posts are ridiculously short…and that’s awesome.

4/11/2014

1 Comment

 
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As a blogger and lifelong bumbling marketer, I look to articles by people who are “Internet famous,” in order to advance my craft.  One of the best I’ve found is Seth Godin; 20-time author, marketing philosopher, and ultra-cool über-nerd with funky eyeglasses.

I signed up for Mr. Godin’s blog and receive his wisdom in my inbox every morning.  To be honest, when I read his first blog post, it was so short, I thought it was a mistake. 

Maybe he was having a busy day and didn’t have time to write much?  I envisioned him hacking away at his iPad as his taxi was stuck in New York City gridlock, only to jump out, slide across the hood action-hero-style, throw the cabbie a 20 and say “Keep the change, Joe!” and sprint uptown toward his office, his assistant racing to keep up without spilling his boss’s latte.  Then again, I don’t even know where Mr. Godin lives or if he’s got an assistant or even likes coffee, but that’s how I picture the life of this dazzlingly-successful entrepreneezy. 

But day after day, the lack of length was confirmed:
Seth’s blogs are short. 
Ridiculously short. 
Comically short. 

In fact, the first thing you think when you see his posts (without reading them,) is, “Wow, that’s really not a lot of words.”  I actually started counting.  His word count can be anywhere from 60 words to 360, with most posts averaging less than 200 words. 

That’s remarkable in this day and age when writers tend to prattle on (I’m guilty, your honor!)  Most blog posts reach 700-800 words, and there are too many that look like an endless sea of words.  But Seth Godin’s blogs can be washed down in one easy gulp.

I’m here to tell you, that’s awesome.  And the more I learn about him and his work, I doubt it’s an accident.  Why? 
  • A blog is supposed to be one thought.  That’s it.
  • The point of a blog is to get the reader thinking, not tell them what you think.   
  • No one ever reads Seth’s blogs and says, “Gosh, I wish there were more words.”  
  • Written messages are unique in that the less you write, the more perceived value the reader attaches to them.  
  • In fact, I find myself rereading Seth Godin’s posts, to let the content really sink in.
  • Brevity conveys the author values the reader’s time and intelligence, not busying them with fluff.
  • You never close out one of his posts because you've lost interest.  
  • If anything, you end it and wonder if there’s more.  That’s the first rule of show biz – always leave them wanting more.  The reader is more apt to pay attention and pay the ultimate tribute – click through to is website. 
  • How wonderful that we can differentiate ourselves with what we don’t write.  We can give the reader the gift of space to think and breathe.  

But I’m afraid I’ve said too much, already- over 500 words!  So to wrap it all up, I’ve learned a lot from Mr. Godin’s ridiculously short blog posts.  And Mr. Godin; if you ever need someone to run behind you in traffic while holding your latte, give me a call – I have a lot to learn.

-Norm  :-)


1 Comment

Writers - I want to help you (and no, I'm not selling anything.)

8/30/2013

0 Comments

 
Have you ever seen an old war movie?  There's always a scene when a group of soldiers is pinned down by the enemy, surrounded by hostile gun fire and trying to escape against all odds.  There always comes a point when they make a break for it (and someone yells "Cover me!") and always one guy who leads the rally.  He charges the machine gun nest, throws himself on a grenade, or launches his body across the rolls of barbed wire so that his brothers in arms can make it through.

Writers - I want to be that guy for you, the one who throws himself onto the barbed wire so you may get on.

I hope this doesn't happen literally, of course, but I do want to help you go from Point A with your writing (wherever you are starting) to Point B (wherever you want to go with your writing, OTHER than having the sole goal of being on the Oprah Show.)  And no, I'm not selling you anything.  I swear, nothing at all, no hidden agenda - there's too much of that bullshit in the world already, I just honestly want to help you.

Why the hell do I want to do that?  Good question. 

When I was coming up as a writer and didn't know my ass from my elbow (and I'm not so far removed from that) it all seemed so overwhelming.  On a strict education budget (of 0$) I Googled every single article and blog I could find about writing.  There was some great info, but most of them were selling some form of book coaching or marketing plan.  I get it, we have to eat.  But when I tried to reach out to other authors, I was met with so much pretension and snobbery it sickened me.  

I mean, it's just ART, right?  Creation.  No matter how inexperienced or technically unaccomplished you are, or God forbid if you choose to self publish, if you have something to SAY, a human story to tell that SOMEONE will enjoy, then fuck all the ivory-tower attitude bullshit.  

Luckily, I had an amazing amount of help from the self-publishing firm I went through (I'm not even going to mention their name so you don't think I'm selling something, but hit me up if you want a recommendation.)  I won some and lost some, actually I lost a lot more than a won by about a 1,000 to 1 margin, but stumbled forward to a very humble modicum of acceptance for my work, and also a budding career as a pro blogger.

I now get emails and Facebook messages from people all the time saying they are considering writing a book, too.  Go for it, I say.  I support you 100%, and I'll even tell you everything I've learned (for free) so you may have a smoother learning curve than I did.  I will, essentially, throw myself onto the barbed wire for you, so that you may get on with it.

One caveat - if you want to be a writer or write a book, you have to write.  Not just talk about it, but do it.  Every day.  If you want to be a planner, not a writer, then I can't help you.  

So I've put together a small catalog of the blogs I've documented about writing.  Granted, I'm not the best writer you'll ever meet, and surely there are much smarter and more accomplished teachers out there, but you won't find someone who cares about OUR art form and encourages you to write your heart out more than me.  So dig in, and enjoy.

Norm  :-)

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33 Free Book Marketing Tools.

Writing and publishing a book can be overwhelming enough, but when you're done and feel like sitting back and relaxing, it dawns on you that someone has to market the damn thing - and that unlucky someone is you!  

But with the proper know-how, some focused time, and a lot of hard work you can set up a solid marketing campaign and sell a bazillion copies. The good news is that it doesn't have to cost you much, or anything at all.


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10 reasons why authors should love one-star reviews.

I'm more excited to write this morning than usual because I just received my first one-star review for South of Normal.  Yes, I do mean I'm excited in a good way, and no, "one-star," is not a typo.  Let me explain why, and offer how one-star reviews are actually nothing to stress about as an author.

I checked into my Amazon.com page this morning and saw a new review had been posted.  That’s usually a good thing, but this reader gave the book one star.    

The review was titled "horrible on EVERY level..."

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10 TIPS TO WRITING BOLD, FUN, AND LOVABLE CHARACTERS...DOWN TO THEIR SHOELACES!

Of all the elements of a good story, none are as important as your characters. They are so essential to your story taking life that every single sentence in your story needs to do one of two things:

1) Advance the action, or

2) Develop the characters.

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Confessions of a d-bag book marketer. (Best-seller lists explained.)

First off, let me correct that title.  It should read: Confessions of an Amazon.com Best-Selling d-bag book marketer.  That’s because, as of 8:14 am EST on April 26, 2013 AD, the year of our Lord, I joined the ranks of Amazon’s best selling authors.  

I know what you’re thinking: “Who gives a flying shiznitt?”  And I totally agree, but please grant me two seconds anyway, so I might be able to provide you insight into the highly suspect nature of best seller lists.

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Ethical Considerations When Writing Memoir.

Writing a memoir can be a fun, exciting endeavor, and cathartic for the author to get their version of real life onto the page.  It also has the capacity to piss off a lot of people.  

I ran into a few complex ethical questions while writing my second book, South of Normal…

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15 Tips to Rewrite Your Work to Greatness (part 1)

I am a firm believer that you write a book, but you rewrite your way to a good book.  Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page ofFarewell to Arms 39 times.  When asked by a reporter what technical issue he was struggling with, he replied “Getting the words right.”  Well said, Big Papa.  

Personally, filling up the pages is not a problem - I can bang out about 5,000 words a day…but the problem is that only a few of those lines are actually readable!  So to craft my writing into clear, effective communication geared toward other human beings it takes me a tremendous amount of proofreading and editing. 


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15 Tips to Rewrite Your Work to Greatness (part 2)

As a writer, it’s healthy to lose that image of yourself as a special prodigy who can summon other-worldly prose from the ether.  Instead, think of yourself a blacksmith.  You grab those words hot out of the fire and pin them to your work station, hammering mercilessly with all of the sweat and muscle you can muster, so you might just forge them into something useful.


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Writing Your First Book?  3 Questions to Ask Before Your Get Started.

One of my biggest thrills is getting an email from an aspiring writer, who asks for advice on how to start their first book. Some of them are bright eyed and optimistic, some seasoned and cautious, but whether they’re penning a business book or the next great teen-zombie-thriller, there’s one question they all have in common:  

Where the hell do I begin?  Great question! 


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The Basics of Story Structure.

All stories follow a three-part structure: the beginning, middle, and the end.  That may seem simple, but they each part requires different elements of the story at different times in order for it to work right.  When this is done well in a book or a movie you, the audience, don’t even notice.  But when something is out of place, it just feels wrong, and the whole story is uncomfortable or even objectionable.


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11 Tips to Adapt Your Book Into a Blockbuster Screenplay.

Have you written a book and you want to adapt it to a screenplay?  There are a lot of commonalities to telling a good story, but other than that it's a completely different animal.  Let me walk you through some movie-making basics that aren't too technical.  


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Hate Mail Can Be Fun!!!

Yesterday I was the lucky recipient of a comment on one of my blog posts, expressing mild displeasure with my new book, South of Normal.  And displeasure with my existence here on earth.  And any chance I might have of chillaxing in heaven one day.  

Granted, the comment was eloquent, passionate, and succinct, a good piece of writing in its own right.  It said:

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR FUCKING BOOK.  BURN IN HELL YOU SONOFABITCH"


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10,000 Hours.

Talent is a myth. I know, we all lionize the story of someone who comes out of nowhere and is “discovered” on natural ability alone.  That’s the plotline our media keeps feeding us, whether its on shows like American Idol, our cesspool of unreal reality shows, and even in old movies like the Natural.  But, more often than not, those overnight successes were years in the making.  So if it’s not God-given talent, what is the secret to success?  Hard work.

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On Writing, My Beautiful Failure.

A few years ago, when I started down this path, I wanted to be a WRITER. It all seemed glamorous – living in the tropics and banging out a best selling novel in between rum drinking contests, bull fights, and answering fan mail from exotic female admirers.  

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Not even a little bit.  

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33 FREE BOOK MARKETING TOOLS

8/30/2013

7 Comments

 
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Writing and publishing a book can be overwhelming enough, but when you're done and feel like sitting back and relaxing, it dawns on you that someone has to market the damn thing - and that unlucky someone is you!  

But with the proper know-how, some focused time, and a lot of hard work you can set up a solid marketing campaign and sell a bazillion copies. The good news is that it doesn't have to cost you much, or anything at all.

When I wrote my first two books I was broke even by starving artist standards, living with the locals in the Third World countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua with no possessions. But I had time, and a lot of hustle, so I compiled this list of free marketing tools:  

1. Build a website – I prefer one with an integrated blog, analytics, etc. like Weebly.  They have a free membership, or an inexpensive upgrade to a pro account.  To see an example, click here.  Cost: $0

2. Set up a PayPal account – Set up an account so you’ll be able to sell books right off of your website, from your blog, or even by sending an email link.  Cost: $0

3. Mailing labels – These will come in handy if you are sending out books yourself.  There are organizations who will do a sample roll, as will Vista Print.  Cost: $0

4. Order business cards – Vista Print will give you 250 one-sided, full color cards for free if you don’t mind their logo on the back.  Cost: $0

5. Offer to speak – Organizations like your local Rotary, Kiwanis Club, and Chamber of Commerce are always looking for speakers.  Talk about the topic of your book, without blatantly trying to sell books.  Cost: $0 (and you might even get a free lunch out of it!)

6. Contact your public library – Most libraries will provide a forum for authors to do readings and book events for free, and often do a good job of promoting it.  They may even highlight your book if you are a local author.  Cost: $0

7. Make a video trailer – A fast paced, fun video with great music will engage people and promote your book 100x better than simple text.  I use iMovie, and my existing songs from iTunes, my photos, and voiceovers.  There are even ways to download existing videos from YouTube and edit out parts and use them in your video (with permission, of course).  Cost: $0  (Check out the videos for my first book, and the second)

8. Shoot author videos – I love shooting short videos talking about my book, the topic, or even reading.  A cool technique is to shoot a video of you (the author) saying thank you for buying the book, which you can host on YouTube, and then every time someone buys one you can post it on their Facebook or email them the link.  Cost:  $0  You can see my thank you video here.

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9. Sign up for Pinterest – If you are looking for a demographic of 80% women who are educated people and make over $100,000 in the household, Pinterest is for you!  You’ll need some really clever images or infographics to use, but we’ll talk about those later.  Cost:  $0

10. Sign up for Instagram – This is another great photo site to spread awareness and create interest for your book.  Cost:  $0

11. Get a Twitter account – Twitter is the number one way to expand your reach much further than your local community and friends, and if you have some good information and value to offer, not just try to sell, the results can be explosive!  (read a fun case study of a blog I wrote that went viral on Twitter and got me 13,000 website hits within 48 hours)  Cost:  $0

12. Sign up for a Facebook Page – You’ll want a fan page for you as an author, and also one for the book.  Cost:  $0

13. Write a bio for the book – This will be used for the back of the book (usually 300-400 words), but also to post on all of these sites.  Also write a much shorter bio for introductions by media or on places like Twitter that only allow 140 words.  Mine is: South of Normal is a gonzo blast of laughter and adventure about a year living in the tropical paradise of Tamarindo, Costa Rica.  Cost: $0

14. Write an author bio – Same thing as the book, you’ll want to write a longer, and then short bio of you as a writer.  Make it fun, fresh, energetic, and use the active, third-person voice.  Cost:  $0

15. Set up your Amazon page, Goodreads page, and Barnes & Noble page – Now that you have a description of the book, a bio about the you, videos, and pictures, you can build author and book pages on these book distribution sites.  Cost:  $0 

16. Get a Wikipedia page – One of the coolest things is to have your own Wikipedia page!  You can’t write one for yourself, and there are specific rules for how to submit information, but it makes you feel like you’ve official arrived!  (for that reason I’ve yet to set mine up!)  Cost: $0

17. Write a press release – You’ll want a clean, tight, professional press release to send out to media.  I recommend drafting one that highlights the local angle for your hometown and home state, and a national release that is more topic-driven.  You’ll want to get this right, so do some research.  Cost:  $0

18. Cover image – You can take an amazing photo yourself and use it as your cover image (as long as it’s high enough resolution) or go to the stock image sites and buy one for cheap.  There are plenty of programs that will add your title and text in a variety of fonts, or you can post this job for a low cost on eLance.  Cost: $0 (though this is one I spend money to have professionally created)

19. Infographics – Social media sites are flooded with fun infographics, which have both an image and are stamped with your book title and website.  You can build these yourself with your images or graphics and then adding text.  I set mine up in PowerPoint and then save them as Jpegs.  Cost:  $0

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20. Reader photos – Here’s nothing more fun than seeing a cool photo of a reader holding your book!  It’s a great marketing tool, too, because you can share it on every social media site, and other people will wonder what it’s about (and what they are missing).  I started a tradition with readers taking wild, creative, and fun photos of them holding the book.  It was a blast!  You can check out a small number of them on the slideshow here.  Cost: $0

21. Banners for Twitter, Facebook, etc. – Several sites have cover images that lay out horizontal, so it’s worth having an image of the book cover set up like a banner.  The individual sites will tell you the perfect size, and then you can manipulate to those specifications in your photo program.  Cost: $0

22. Email signature – Build an email signature with a signature, your contact info, a clickable link to your website, and a cool photo of you or the book cover.  Cost:  $0

23. Custom email – Set up a custom email address for you as an author or the book, so you won’t have to use a .hotmail or .yahoo or .gmail address (nothing looks less professional).  When you register your domain or sign up for hosting they offer a few email accounts for free. (For instance, mine is [email protected] but I also use a [email protected] for professional interaction)  Cost: $0

24. Blog through your website – You’ll want to write a blog often (though it doesn’t have to be daily) to fill the search engines with valuable information about the topic of your book, tips and guides, and content from the book. This will get your name higher in the search engines and establish yourself as an expert, drive people to your site, and ultimately allow you to collecting email addresses of people who want to read your book.  Note – always allow for comments on your book and end with a question, welcoming feedback to engage your readers.  Cost:  $0

25. Send a weekly email letter – Once you have an email list of loyal followers, reach out to them via email with announcements, cool blog posts, giveaways, samples of the book, etc. to reward them.  I use MailChimp, which is free if your list is under 2,000 people.  Cost:  $0   

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26. Free book giveaways and raffles – Host free giveaways and raffles for copies of your eBook or a coupon to a local business (and team up with the business so it doesn’t cost you anything).  Set them up on your blog and share them on Twitter and Facebook, which will help you capture more emails and build excitement.  Also I like offering a free download (like of the first three chapters) on your site.  Don’t require an email address for that – it’s like a free advertisement, and if people like it they will email you and want to buy the rest of the book.  Cost:  $0 

27. Join discussion groups and comment on other blogs– Instead of always focusing on bringing your target market to YOU, go to where THEY hang out – blogs, forums, and chatrooms about the topics.  Engage them on “neutral turf” with genuine discussion and value, building relationships, without overtly selling your book.  It will pay off in the long run once you earn their trust.  Cost:  $0

28. Ask people to test-read – There’s no better way to get people involved and interested in your project than to ask them to test read it ahead of time and offer their feedback.  I would recommend only giving 2-3 chapters to each person.  They’ll be allies in the project and help you market.  Cost: $0

29. Collect all feedback – Whenever someone says something good about your book, or about you as a writer, save it.  I like to take a screenshot and highlight and save their comments.  Save them all and you’ll be surprised how quickly they’ll add up to dozens of testimonials, encouragement, and a fun marketing tool.  Cost:  $0  

30. Reach out to your schools – Call or email every single school you’ve ever attended, from pre K all the way through college.  Share with them that you’ve written a book and offer to send them a free advanced copy for review, (but that you only have a PDF or eBook).  They may write you up in the school newsletter, involve you in alumni events, or even have you in to speak!  Cost:  $0

31. Mobile payment processor – You’ll want a way to take payments other than cash in person, so a processor like Square can be plugged into your iPhone.  It costs $10 BUT they will credit you back $10 once you sign up with their service because they charge a small fee on each transaction.  Cost:  $0

32. Presell your books – there’s nothing wrong with offering your book for sale a couple of months ahead of time on your website.  You can offer them something of value if they order pre-sale, like signing their book, include a free ebook, emailing them a bonus chapter, etc. This will help pay off some of the publishing or marketing costs.  Cost: $0

33. Book release party – This is the fun part!  Contact a local bar or restaurant and ask if it would be okay if you brought in 50 or 100 new clients on some night.  Ask for drink specials and even free appetizers for your party guests.  Set up a Facebook event page and invite everyone and spread the word.  Contact the local media to cover it, and post the link to the event on all of those blogs and groups you’ve been chatting in.  Have a sign-in book to collect emails and sell books right on the spot.  This is your time to shine!  (And once it's done shoot a little video thanking everyone, mixing in music and photos of them at the event, and email it to them and post it on their walls)  Cost:  $0  

To see the video of the book release party for my first book, click here.
DOES THAT HELP? EMAIL ME TO RECEIVE MY FIVE TOP TIPS FOR BLOGGING TO SELL MORE BOOKS:  [email protected]


7 Comments

Virtual Jobs You Can Do From The Beach, Part 2 of 2

4/19/2013

2 Comments

 
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The day dream is a familiar one; you’re sitting on a white sand beach by the crystal clear ocean, a soft tropical breeze blowing as you sip your third mojito and finish up the day’s work – which took a grand total of an hour on your laptop. 

Read the rest of Part 1, 45 Jobs You Can Do From The Beach.

Virtual careers are a reality, and with today’s amazing technology, global marketplace, and increases in outsourcing, there are plenty of on-line jobs you could do to earn a living while traveling, living abroad, or just working from home.

However, I’ve seen a ton of websites that go that far and then stop, not giving you the nuts and bolts of WHERE you can find these jobs and HOW to get them. It’s hard to even do research because most links bring you to other links, paid sites, people selling you stuff, or downright scams. To be honest, it’s incredibly frustrating! There are virtual job sites, like FlexJobs.com, that prescreen employers for you, and their small fee might be well worth it in wasted time.  

So I did a little research for you (because I care) to offer some good resources to actually find a legit virtual job and get hired. I do not have any affiliation or get paid by any of these sites (I wish). I’ve clicked on all of the links to see if they were live and looked like credible job services, but I can’t vouch for their validity. 

So feel free to email me with any updates or experiences you have when you go to these sites and start your job search. 

Warning: 

There are a lot of scams out there in the world of virtual work because the bad guys prey on the anonymity of being online and the dream of “quick money from home” that many job seekers buy into. Here are 5 ways to make sure your virtual job is not a scam:  

  1. Make sure the employer is a reputable company. Check their feedback and reviews on LinkedIn, Elance, and Google them. Look up their Better Business Bureau rating.
  2. Confirm they have a home office with a real address, not just a PO Box.
  3. Ask for references from current employees and staff.
  4. Get a phone number and surprise them with a call to make sure they are there, working, and professional. If you are suspicious, ask if you can swing by and say hi.
  5. NEVER send money to them for ANYTHING.  

I had a friend who found a great job on Craigslist that paid $20 an hour and allowed him to work from home. He submitted his resume, got the job, and even talked to someone who was supposed to be his manager. They said they would ship him money to order a special computer and software for him to use. A cashier’s check came in the mail, but when he deposited it to his bank there was an automatic 7-10 day hold on it. The company made it clear that he needed to start immediately to keep the job, so he would have to front the money to get the laptop sent to him, and then of course the check would clear and he would be reimbursed. He was so excited to get started at an easy job that paid $20 an hour that he almost fell for it – until he asked me, and I told him to pump the brakes.  

Well, it turns out the check never cleared because it was bogus, and if he had sent money to buy that laptop, he would have lost $2,000 and the job never existed – it was a scam.

How will virtual work be different from a regular job?  

Instead of face-to-face contact with your coworkers and clients, you will have to do everything online. That means it’s so important to have a quiet place to work with a great Internet connection (which can be more difficult than it sounds in foreign countries.)

Since you won’t have managers looking over your shoulder, you’ll be tempted to go take a siesta instead of working. But to be successful at virtual work you’ll need to be organized, self-motivated, and have a great work ethic. Sometimes people mistakenly assume virtual work is easy just because you can do it from home, but most virtual professionals I know work even harder, for longer hours, and sometimes for less money. But if you factor in that they don’t have to sit in traffic, get dressed up, or pay for parking and lunch, and the flexibility to take care of the kids – or travel abroad and sit by the beach – it’s well worth it.

Tools:

Your laptop will be your best friend as you travel and work abroad. In addition a great Internet connection is a must. Most restaurants, bars, and cafes have free Wi-Fi abroad, but you will also want to get a home connection. Your new job might require a printer, and definitely get an external hard drive to backup all of your important documents and work. A good quality headset with a microphone will be needed if you are making frequent calls. Skype and teleconferencing software will replace personal meetings, and there might also be work-specific software or applications. Keep your U.S. (or home country) bank deposit for direct deposit and a Post Office Box to collect any essential mail.

How do I get the job?

You will need an organized resume, just like any other job, but a digital version. Since you won’t interview with your boss or Human Resource folks in person, the way you present yourself on paper (or computer screen) is extremely important. Take full advantage of testimonials, references from past clients, or employer recommendations. Highlight any education, certifications, professional awards, or projects you worked on. 

A web page with a service page also makes for a great online resume center, or some sites like eLance or LinkedIn let you to set up your own profile. Take advantage of every tool they allow – professional photos, work samples, uploaded videos, etc. A short video of you in professional attire, introducing yourself and talking about your job skills, experience, and goals for work is a wonderful tool, and the link can be emailed to any potential employer.

Expect a Skype interview, possibly more screening, writing samples, or even a skills test with a virtual job. 

Note: Because of the lack of personal contact, expect your employers to do a Google search for your name and probably also look you up on Facebook. Take down those half-naked pictures of you doing tequila shots and stop talking about how you make out with your cats sometimes.

Code of Conduct:

If you are traveling or living abroad, do you have to tell your employer where you are? Is it okay to work in your pajamas? At midnight with the television on? The fine line between professionalism and sloppiness often gets blurred with virtual work, but here is the bottom line: do the job well, exceeding expectations, and you’ll make your employer happy. It’s all about results, and if you need a babysitter to do your work, then you shouldn’t have a virtual job. Communication will key – there’s nothing that freaks your boss out more than if they email you for something important and you don’t get back to them for a long time.  

If the job is 100% virtual, you don’t have to disclose your whereabouts (they don’t know if you are sitting home in the next town, the next state, or halfway around the world,) BUT you should ask to review their specific workforce policies before you start. If something is going to create a conflict or become an issue in the future, then honestly address it with your manager ahead of time. Remember that there will also be a time change if you are out of the country, so you may have to work some strange hours!

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Be organized, professional, and expect to put as much time into your virtual job hunt as any other employment search. I promise you, it will be worth it to live the dream of spending time in a foreign country and still earning a paycheck!   

There are a ton more companies, lists, and job services I could offer you, so email me and I’d be happy to help. 

Happy travels!

Norm :-)


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An interview with Sara Sutton Fell, the CEO of FlexJobs.com

Sara, how would you define virtual or stay-at-home careers?

Virtual or stay-at-home careers include a wide variety of terms that all come to the same conclusion -- a job where your primary place of work is NOT a traditional office, but your home office. Other terms that essentially mean the same thing include telecommuting, virtual job, telework, and remote job. Each one of these is used to mean slightly different things so it's important for job seekers to pay attention to the description of any job that offers virtual or telecommuting work options.

Do you see a rise in virtual careers?

Absolutely! As technology makes it easier and easier for people to work from a variety of locations away from the office, virtual careers are becoming more popular and more mainstream. According to the Telework Research Network, there has been a 60% increase in the number of people telecommuting for work since 2005. At FlexJobs, we've seen the number of open telecommuting and flexible job listings increase over 50% since the end of 2011 and now, going from around 7,000 active listings to 14,800 currently. 

What is the best way to go about finding these jobs?

Of course, we think FlexJobs is a pretty great resource! Unlike other job search websites, FlexJobs specializes in finding, screening, and listing only telecommuting and flexible jobs, and we pre-screen every job and employer before adding them to our site. No matter where a job seeker searches for virtual or telecommuting jobs, they should know to use keywords like telecommuting, virtual job, and remote job. Phrases like "work from home" and "work at home" are commonly associated with scams. 

What is the biggest mistake people make or pitfall in getting a virtual job?

The biggest mistake people can make when looking for virtual work is to not pay attention to the scams in this niche. While many legitimate at-home jobs do exist, there are a huge number of scams out there and job seekers need to stay alert and educate themselves on those scams and how to spot them. At FlexJobs, we help job seekers identify the legitimate, professional-level virtual jobs amid all the scams. Our team of job researchers scour hundreds of job listings every day to weed out scams and find the legitimate listings, which get posted on our site for job seekers to view. 

Some examples for job seekers to steer clear of scams: Jobs that sound too good to be true, that promise easy money for no work, that ask you to "invest" or pay to get the job, that require wire transfers through Western Union, or that just sound "off" should be avoided.

Where/who are your employers?

We have over 3,300 employers with open job postings on our site, and over 20,000 who have posted jobs in the past. They are large and small, from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and nonprofits. We mainly have employers from throughout the United States, and we also have companies based in Canada, Australia, the UK, and other international locations. Some of the most widely recognized names of employers who use FlexJobs to recruit virtual job seekers include: IBM, Capital One, AT&T, Rosetta Stone, the IRS, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, TripAdvisor.com, and Kelly Services.

Where are your clients?

Like our employers, our job seekers are located throughout the United States, with some living internationally as well. According to a survey we did last year, 77% say they live near a big city, and California (11.7%), Colorado (7.7%), and Texas (6.6%) had the most respondents, though we do have job seekers from all 50 states. 

What advantages do job seekers get by using your company?

To put it simply, we make searching for a legitimate virtual job easier, faster, and safer. Because our team of job researchers is doing the hardest work for our job seekers -- spending hundreds of hours every week searching for, screening, and verifying virtual job listings -- our members can spend the majority of their job search time crafting excellent applications, rather than scouring through hundreds of job listings every day. On FlexJobs, job seekers have access to thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level telecommuting and flexible jobs, as well as our Company Database where they can research thousands of employers who offer telecommuting and flexible jobs, and our Community area with hundreds of articles, videos, and advice columns to help their job search and career development. FlexJobs is the leading job search service of our kind, and we are 100% dedicated to our job seeking members. 

Thank you, Sara!

Check out FlexJobs.com or email them for more information.


5 Fastest Growing Virtual Careers:

  1. Technology
  2. Medical
  3. Language
  4. Service
  5. Internet Marketing

Sites to search for virtual job:

Elance.com
Flexjobs.com
About.com
Media Bistro
oDesk.com
Indeed.com
HireMyMom.com
VirtualVocations.com
CareerBuilder.com
SimplyHired.com
SavyVirtualJobs.com
VirtualJobCandy.com
WorkingSolutions.com
Mashable.com 
HomeBased Mommie
AOL Jobs
WorkersOnBoard.com 
VirtualAssistantJobs.com

Links, Resources, Virtual Commerce, & How-To Sites:

Ebay.com
Homewiththekids.com
RatRaceRebellions.com
Paypal.com
LinkedIn.com
BusinessInfoGuide.com


Writing Jobs:

Write Jobs
PayPerPost
Your Online Biz
Write Your Revolution
Be a Freelance Blogger 
One Spoon at a Time with Paul Wolfe
OnText 
Envato.com
Patch.com
ReadLearnWrite 
The Renegade Writer 
Your Inside Guy 
Genealogy Today
Ecardia.com
Comstock.com
Signindustry.com
Ethos.com
Bella online.com
Iseeq.com
Active Server Corner
Content Corp.
Downeast Dog News
Landscaping ideas online
Sasee Magazine

Tutoring and Educational Jobs:

GetEducated.com
Kaplan.com 
Chronicle.com
ConnectionsAcademy.com
K12.com
ISpeakUSpeak.com
OpenEnglish.com
Online Teaching Jobs
Tutor.com

Specific Companies That Hire Virtual Workers:

(Look on their website or contact their Human Resources manager to find out if they are hiring now.)

1-800-FLOWERS
Alpine Access
LiveOps
TeleTech
Aetna
Cigna
United Health Group
Bluefly
Spiegel
American Agents
Hilton
Best Western

Leapforce.com
UserTesting.com.
Userlytics.com.

ChaCha.com
FocusForward.com 
20-20Research.com
Alpine Access
Arise
About.com
Home Shopping Network
Beta Test Beauty

I'll keep updating and adding links to this list, so drop me an email if you have feedback!  

More articles:

45 Virtual Jobs You Can Do From The Beach

9 Secrets to Booking Cheap Airfare

It's a Small World

10,000 Hours


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Check out South of Normal, my latest book about a year as an expat in Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

You can order it or download the first chapters for free HERE.



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15 Ways to Rewrite Your Way to Greatness (part 2)

3/24/2013

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Talent is overrated.  There, I said it.  As a writer, it’s healthy to lose that image of yourself as a special prodigy who can summon other-worldly prose from the ether.  Instead, think of yourself a blacksmith.  You grab those words hot out of the fire and pin them to your work station, hammering mercilessly with all of the sweat and muscle you can muster, so you might just forge them into something useful.  

How important is rewriting?  Neil Simon, maybe the most prolific American playwright and screenwriter, penned over 60 successful works in his career, winning him more Tony and Oscar nominations than any other writer.  In 1998 he released a memoir of his life and career.  What do you think he called it?  Rewrites. 

To be a good writer, you’ll have to edit with ruthless abandon.  Put your words into the coliseum and let them fight it out to see who is victorious.  They are the gladiators and the lions - let them wrestle in the dust for survival.  You’ve done so much already by giving them a life on the page, but that’s your only responsibility; from there they need to exist on their own merit.  

Here are 5 more tips to rewrite well:

11. The 10% Rule.

I learned from Stephen King, in his awesome book, On Writing, (a must read) that my goal is to clip 10% of my content every time I go through it.  Wait, does that mean if I went through 10 times there would be nothing left?  Obviously I’m a writer, not a math major.  


12. Reread with an agenda in mind.

Every time I proofread I have an agenda in mind.  One time it’s to focus on dialogue, the next time on characters, then action, etc.  Of course you catch other things along the way, but it’s a little overwhelming trying to polish the whole manuscript at once without a specific focus.


13. No humor is better than mediocre humor.  

86% of the population thinks they are funny, but only 127 people actually are.  There’s really no such thing as “mediocre humor” – it’s an oxymoron.  It’s either funny, or it’s not.  Likewise, if you are funny, you can study and work your ass off to create funny writing, but if you are not funny, none of that will help. Reading badly written humor leaves a taste in your mouth like chewing on a towel at a public pool, so understand your strengths and weaknesses.


14. Pay attention to the passive vs. the active voice.

Strong writing is written in the active voice, no matter what tense you are using.  You’ll slip with a lot of these, but catch them as you proofread. 

I was going to the store to meet her. (passive)

I went to the store to meet her.  (active)


15. Show, don’t tell. 

This is the Holy Grail of writing advice, which you’ll hear so many times from ‘experienced’ writers, as they look down their long, aquiline noses at you and apply hand sanitizer liberally after shaking.  I’ve had plenty of people tell me to “show, don’t tell,” but almost no one ever told me HOW to do that, because, of course, they don’t know either.  

It’s simple – follow this checklist when you have something you want to convey to the reader, in order of effectiveness.

First: Can I reveal it in Dialogue?

Second: Can I reveal it by showing the character doing something?  With Action, that would show well in a movie?

Last Resort: I, the writer, tell the reader in my Narrative voice.  

So… if I’m trying to say that a female character is sad because her boyfriend broke up with her, I can do it these three ways:

Narrative: She was sad that he broke up with her.  (sucks)

Action:  She saw a couple walking into the movie theater holding hands, and looked down at the ground.  (not bad!)

Dialogue:  “Sundays mornings are always the hardest,” she said.  (sniff sniff, I’m reaching for Kleenex)


Does that help?  I hope so.  What other rewriting advice do I have for you?  

Have fun.  Knowing that you’ll polish everything later frees you up to let go and write from your subconscious, not your rigid, outcome-obsessed brain.  Let it fly.  Get in the zone.  Write through the crap, because it takes sorting through a lot of coal to get to a diamond.

And take notes.  Keep a Word document open as a “slush file” while you write.  Use it like a clipboard to store new ideas, a style sheet for names, sayings, dialogue quirks, what you’ve covered, outlines.  Also clip and paste everything that you take out, so you might be able to use it somewhere else later on.  You’ll be amazed what comes out of that slush file – including ideas for later projects, like maybe a book about rewriting?  Hmmmm….

You won’t feel so bad about putting your words in the arena to get slaughtered if you know they might live to fight another day.  

Drop me a line some time to share your writing tips and experiences with the pen and the page:  [email protected]

Read Part 1 of this blog.

2 Comments

15 Tips to Rewrite Your Way to Greatness (part 1)

3/24/2013

5 Comments

 
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I am a firm believer that you write a book, but you rewrite your way to a good book.  Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page of Farewell to Arms 39 times.  When asked by a reporter what technical issue he was struggling with, he replied “Getting the words right.”  Well said, Big Papa.  

Personally, filling up the pages is not a problem - I can bang out about 5,000 words a day…but the problem is that only a few of those lines are actually readable!  So to craft my writing into clear, effective communication geared toward other human beings it takes me a tremendous amount of proofreading and editing. 

I used to hate rewriting, but as I kept doing it I learned the tricks of the trade, noticed patterns, and practice led to proficiency.   And guess what?  

I still hate it.  

But I do see its glowing effect on my finished manuscript.  I actually think that rewriting is more important than the first round of writing, and I dedicate about 75% of my time invested into a book into that process.  I’m coming to realize that this tedious hard work is the barrier to entry that truly separates the indie amateur from the professional wordsmith.  If you want to earn your place within that pantheon, put in that time.  

When I was inexperienced and naïve and didn’t know my ass from my elbow about writing (which was Wednesday) I studied books on theme, plot, conflict, dialogue, developing characters, suspense, emotion, etc. ad infinitum, but I couldn’t find a good book about editing and rewriting for a layperson like me, who slept through most of high school English class. 

A search for writing on Amazon (my new favorite thing to do is research target markets and competition on Amazon), 542,802 results come up.  However when I add those two important letters and search REwriting, only 1,973 results come up - in the whole civilized English-speaking world!  Including some parts of New Jersey!  

That’s the secret.  THAT’S what professional writers understand that novices don’t.  When you are green and intimidated by writing a book you think developing enough content is the real mountain to climb, and therefore you spend three pages describing what the waitress at the diner looks like.  Who cares?  Certainly not the reader.  Just tell them that Flo came over and poured black mud into your cup and they’ll fill in the gaps with their own imagination.

You can write one page a day and have a sizable manuscript by New Year’s Eve, so content is the easy part. (Note:  if you only can write one page a day you’re either using a blunt crayon or you’re holding on way too tight and you need to drink some wine, crank up the music, and let it go.)  But I assure you that no one has EVER started out with a polished draft.  

I’ve kept copious notes as I chug along with my red pen, struggling and failing fantastically, and here are the first 10 tips on rewriting to get you started.  (I’ll give you the other 5, including the Holy Grail of rewriting, in part 2). 

1. Never use two words when you could use one.  Chose the BEST word.

It was a hot, humid night.  (If your story starts with those lines, burn in.) 

It was a balmy night.  (Still sucks, but there’s less of it to suck)


2. For strong sentences place your subject and verb at beginning of the sentence.

As the sunlight faded, we walked down the street.

We walked down the street as the sunlight faded.  (much better, right?)


3. Trust your words, and don’t over-explain.

A good example of that?  Look at the sentence I just wrote.  I should have written, “Trust your words.”  That would have been far more effective.  Beginning writers try to bury you in an avalanche instead of letting one snowflake drift down and land on your nose.  


4. Adhere to the rhythm of three.  

In writing, three is the magic number.  A list of three is always stronger than a list of two or even four!  There is a rhythm to three items.  It’s a fundamental tool of humor writers, who use the first two items to set and reinforce a pattern, and then deviate from that expected pattern in the third item to create humor.  


5. Adverbs suck.

Do a Word search for words that end with -ly and erase your adverbs.  They are useless for the most part, don’t read well, and are a symptom of lazy writing.

She walked across the room, silently and carefully.

She tiptoed across the room. 


6. Avoid “filler” words.

Really, very, big, small, quickly, slowly, basically, actually, about, just, truly, some, all of, then, that, some, literally, both, other, for, I think, started, I believe, strongly, etc.

I could write a whole blog just on filler words (and maybe I will!).  But until then, feel free to email me [email protected] if you want the list I've compiled. 


7. Cancel out redundancy and duplication.

See what I did there?  You only need to say something once when you’ve said it correctly.  


8. Think ‘build up and pay off.’

This is the conscious tool of writing humor, drama, suspense, or emotion – blow up a balloon with conflict and then pop it with the resolution


9. EVERY line has to either advance story or build characters.

Anything else should be removed with extreme prejudice.  Your sentences may sound cool or be written well, but if they don’t reveal the character or jolt the story along, they have no use to you, or the reader.


10. “Murder your darlings.”

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, wrote in On the Art of Writing, that you need to “murder your darlings,” meaning that you’ll have to cut out lines and scenes and even whole chapters that you love.  Kill them.  It doesn’t matter what YOU love, the only thing that matters is getting the reader from the starting line to the finish line.  If you’re rewriting correctly you’ll have a lot of funerals for dead content, and then move on with a better story.  

***
Read Part 2 of this series, where I reveal the final 5 ways to rewrite a great book, including advice that is Holy Grail of writing!  

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    Norm Schriever

    Norm Schriever is a best-selling author, expat, cultural mad scientist, and enemy of the comfort zone. He travels the globe, telling the stories of the people he finds, and hopes to make the world a little bit better place with his words.   

    Norm is a professional blogger, digital marketer for smart brands around the world,  and writes for the Huffington Post, Hotels.com, and others.

    Check out South of Normal his Amazon.com best-selling book about life as an expat in Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

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