Book Project Update and Other News

Book Project Update

My latest book project (working title: Say “Yes!” for a Change) is moving full steam ahead. Latest contributors are Jason Hanson, Mark Barnes, Fr. Paul Keenan and Marian Baker. Thank you all!

I am currently looking for contributors for the following topic: Say “Yes!” to Being Honest — how not being honest with others under the guise of “being nice” has held you back, made you unhappy, or otherwise hurt you or those around you, and how you learned to “tell the truth with kindness.”

If you’d like to share your insights and experiences, e-mail me with your story.

Latest Links

Here’s some useful sites that have been added to my Writers Resources section: Ask Oxford, Online Maps of the World, Free Dictionary and Word Origins, and of course the latest in Writing Conferences!

Speaking of which, those of you who have attended writing conferences in the past undoubtedly have some great tips for getting the most out of them. Share your insights so the rest of us can benefit. ("Wear comfortable shoes" is one of my top tips!)

Blogging Tips and Techniques

This month’s topic is on blogging—to do or not to do, how to do it effectively and where to get your blog listed.

Admittedly, I am a newbie blogger, having resisted it for more than a year because I just couldn’t see adding one more “writing chore” to my already overflowing list.

However, everything I have been reading and hearing indicates that blogging is a great way to communicate with others in your industry as well as get your name out there. So I dove into the blogging waters last fall with this blog as well as the Make a Change blog on my Community of Change site.

Right now, I am engaged in getting my blog listed in blogging directories as well as including links to my blog on my monthly Change-A-Gram e-newsletter. In addition to hitting Web-surfing for blogging tips (check out James Chartrand’s tips on Copyblogger), I’ve also reached out to the LinkedIn community for some additional suggestions.

John Ettorre says to “be sure to put something up there that adds value and causes people to continue to read,” and recommends that you “let the blog cumulatively unfold over time.”

“It’s important that your blog really show what you can do,” says Marijke Vroomen-Durning, who also has a network blog at www.helpmyhurt.com. “Pay attention to how often you show up on Google. Post, post, post on other blogs. And, you should post regularly. If you develop a following of sorts and you post irregularly, they'll stop coming by to see if you've posted something. If you post every day and they come every day, then you have regular traffic.”

Sallie Goetsch The Author-izer says “I try to blog about subjects of interest to people who might hire a ghostwriter,” although she admits that “while I often refer prospects there for information and to see samples of my writing, no one so far has said ‘Oh my god, I read your blog, I want to hire you.’”

What about you? Do you blog? If so, how often? And what’s been the outcome?