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Category Archives: Writing
Another Brick & Mortar Bookstore Facing Problems
Last week we saw the filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for Borders Bookstores. Shortly after the filing, Borders CEO Mike Edwards sent a mass email out to all of the faithful. In it, he talks about Borders stores being … Continue reading
Posted in Life in General, Personal, Publishing, Reading, Writing
Tagged advantages of the virtual store, Another Brick & Mortar Bookstore Facing Problems, Borders Bookstores, Borders CEO Mike Edwards, brick and mortar stores, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, Circuit City, Digital Reader, e-book, iPad, Kindle, print-on-demand technology, the difficult U.S. economy, the Nook, the rapidly changing bookselling environment
3 Comments
Taking Pride in Your Writing
I am amazed when reading some of the missives written today. Sometimes, I think English teachers have failed all of America, but then again, maybe not. Maybe the electronic devices we use today have warped our brains, keeping us from … Continue reading
Writers Eloquently Insulting Each Other
In order to sell books or magazine articles with regularity, writers should write simply. In using Microsoft Word, one feature the software has is a spelling and grammar check, which reports the reading level of a document. I have often … Continue reading
Posted in Publishing, Reading, Teaching, Writing
Tagged bestselling authors, big words, books, cover letters, Ernest Hemingway, KISS principle, magazine articles, Microsoft Word, résumés, simple writing styles, spelling and grammar check, the eighth grade reading level, understanding the writing, William Faulkner, Writers Eloquently Insulting Each Other, writing simply, writing well
3 Comments
The End of 2010
It’s here! We have again reached the end of another year. Now it’s time to look back to see what was accomplished, what failed, what was good, what was bad, take measurement, and plan for a better 2011. What was … Continue reading
Posted in Life in General, Personal, Publishing, Writing
Tagged a better 2011, a real journalist, a writer’s mind, air shows, Anna, births, BluewaterPress LLC, business, colleagues, Congress decided not to listen, Eva, family, friends, grandmother’s delight, Joe Clark’s Photos, making your own economy, new baby, on guard for trouble, personal growth, photography skills, small daily newspaper, students, The End of 2010, the end of another year, the idiot talking heads, the media, turning a nickel, weddings, What was good?, writing assignments, “Nana”
2 Comments
Reindeer and Gun Sights
We were sitting around the table last night catching up. That was when my father-in-law hit on something close to the heart of every editor. Apparently, he and his wife were thinking back across their 85 years reflecting on terms … Continue reading
How to Blog
Many have asked where I find the time to blog daily. My secret is my telephone and all those small groupings of minutes which we commonly waste because they are too short a time with which to do anything productive. … Continue reading
Posted in Life in General, Publishing, Reading, Writing
Tagged computer, editing, editorial mistake, editorial work, finding time, first edit, fourth edit, fresh eye, How to Blog, my telephone, new perspective, paragraphs, perfect writing, second edit, sentences, Smartphones, the daily grind, third edit
2 Comments
The Owl Hoot Trail
Book two opens with Cliff and his new bride making their way back to Georgia. Cliff comes home to find the situation grimmer than the short message of his mother’s telegram. This leads to more adventure for Cliff as he … Continue reading
Posted in Life in General, Personal, Publishing, Reading, Writing
Tagged Clifford Brown, fertile imagination, Gold in the Red Desert, Louis L’Amour, Point Lookout Maryland, prisoner of war, Reb Brown, Southern Georgia, T.H. Bear, The Bear Lady, the gold rush, The Long Trail, The Owl Hoot Trail, the Pony Express, The Reconstruction Period, the War Between the States, The Withlacoochee Renegades, Wyoming
9 Comments
Tools Needed for Your Office
Starting your own business can truly be a challenge. There are certain things you need to acquire in order to create an effective, cost-efficient working environment. These “things,” if you will, can add up to a healthy chunk of change, … Continue reading
Posted in Life in General, Publishing, Reading, Writing
Tagged cats, computer, cost-efficient working environment, hardware, ink cartridges, ink jet printers, laser pointers, laser printers, office furniture, printers, receipts, smart phones, software, starting your own business, taxes, telephone system, Tools Needed for Your Office
1 Comment
The Problem with Bookstores
In a summer 2008 NPR broadcast, Lynn Neary talks about the elephant in the room of the book publishing industry. It is an eye-opening episode explaining why small publishers and their authors make little to no money in the book … Continue reading
Posted in Life in General, Publishing, Reading, Writing
Tagged authors, book buyers, book publishing, book selling, bookstores, lower prices, National Public Radio, outdated policies, prospect of profit, retail organizations, return policies, return rates, small publishers, storage, The Great Depression, The Problem with Bookstores, warehousing
1 Comment
The Great American Novel
OK, so you want to be a writer. You should ask yourself a few questions regarding your desire to write. First, Why do you want to write? The second is, What are you going to write? Writers have to be … Continue reading
Posted in Publishing, Reading, Writing
Tagged book reviews, discipline, endorsements, Fiction is fickle, great wealth, marketing, No man but a blockhead, once published, pleasure reading, radio and television appearances, rich and famous, Samuel Johnson, self-motivation, The Great American Novel, writer, writing for money, writing goals, writing well
1 Comment