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Deb's Website

Website woes and wins!

What's a writer to do when she ships WIPs to Beta-readers? Update, or in my case, build an entirely new website. 

My old website was on Weebly. But I purchased Managed Wordpress and a dot com address through a different provider, so...

Unable to port my Weebly site (easily in a way I could manage without a Website Guru glued to my side) I decided to build new. What an adventure!

I discovered a number of things:

1. It's not as hard as one might think
2. It's as challenging as one might think
3. It speaks to my creative side
4. It challenged my analytical side
5. Searching for free stock photos is fun
6. Adapting and modifying free stock photos is even more fun
7. Creating a header and tag line...well, I did it
8. Deciding what pages to include and what to include on the pages...tough. And rewarding
9. I like the color scheme
10. I have no idea what else it needs, technically or creatively
11. It, like me and my writing, is a work-in-progress and subject to change
12. I'm happy with the result

Now, I really need to open Word and get to work on a new WIP!

DA

There are no rules. Just follow your heart. ~Robin Williams

Celebrate the Small Things Friday

Another great week and wonderful things to celebrate…

 

1)      I am half-way through the initial review pass of ALL THAT MATTERS, and I cried too many times to count; I even had to walk away from the edits because I was so emotional. This is definitely worth celebrating. It's also kind of surreal.

2)      I bought three new novels last week, and started reading the first, THE MARRYING SEASON by Candace Camp, a delightful—so far—read. Up next are Stuart Woods's STRATEGIC MOVES, and Dan Brown's INFERNO.

3)      I already received two RSVPs for daughter's bridal shower.

4)      I had another showing last week, as did my mother (we both have our homes listed for sale); no offers yet, though the feedback was positive.

5)      Sons' third-term report cards arrived—both boys have As and Bs.

6)      I learned how to "optimize" Search Engines by adding a plug-in to my new website and adding keywords to help make it easier to "find" on the web.

7)      Daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law popped in for surprise visit.

8)      Daughter starts her new job Monday!

9)      Eldest got to go shopping for a new fridge this week after his old fridge expired (always look for the silver-lining!).

10)  Had a good phone chat with an out-of-town friend (who will be an in-town friend once I get moved!)

11)  Enjoyed a coffee date with a current in-town friend.

12)  Everyone I know is safe and their homes intact. My prayers to the people of Oklahoma.

13)  Youngest child's visits to Chiropractor seem to have helped.

14)  Received information on an employment contract I'm considering.

15)  The last load of laundry is in the washer.

16)  Oh, and the sun shone today, after a two-day deluge.

I truly appreciate this Celebrate the Small Things Friday routine. It's an inspiring way to end a week—by reviewing and recounting the good things, no matter how small, instead of rueing the bad. If you're a blogger and interested in participating, check out VikLit's blog. If you're a reader, you can play along at home—all you need is a notepad and pen. J And if you're of a mind, please share in the comments what you're celebrating this week.

Take care and stay safe,

Deborah

Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey! ~Barbara Hoffman

Friday Round Up

Well, it's been a busy week. And a good week. I created more pages on my website, and I started reviewing (and editing, of course, because I can't read without fixing) the sequel to Everything That Matters.

All That Matters is about 3/4 complete (245 pages or so) and I haven't looked at it in a few years. Amazing what a few years can do to one's perspective.

The over-writing is glaring and obvious. And much as I'd like to skim the story to figure out where I left the reins dangling, I have to clean as I go. I'm that way with housework, too.

I start in the kitchen, but on the way to the bedroom to put away the folded laundry left on the counter, I end up clearing the dresser top. And making the bed. Then running the half-full laundry basket downstairs to top up the washer load. Back upstairs, I leave the hamper in the hall as I reroute to the kitchen and resume tidying. At some point, I'll return the hamper to its proper place and while I'm in the bedroom, I'll probably clean the closet, or realize the en-suite mirrors need a spritz and swipe. This is how I work. Circuitous, yet methodical.

I see a mess, or something out of place, I must tidy it or put it away, before moving on to the next thing. The same is true with writing.

I must clean (edit) what I encounter so I can move on to the next thing.

What about you? Are you stack and sort later kind of person, or do you need to put things away as you go? If you're a writer, are you able to skim the existing story on the way to the holes that need filling aware you'll come back and edit later, or do you edit as you go?

Please share. I welcome comments!

Deborah

Without the aid of prejudice and custom, I should not be able to find my way across the room. ~William Hazlitt

If it's Friday, it must be time to Celebrate The Small Things!

I joined Celebrate the Small Things Friday blog hop a while ago. The inspiration of Viklit over at Scribblings of an Aspiring Author. And great inspiration it is!

I have much to celebrate this week. On Monday, I finished the second-pass polish edits on my novel, Everything That Matters, and on Wednesday I sent it to a second Beta reader. And yesterday, I started building my website. I'm only so far as choosing a Word Press theme and creating two pages--the first page and the author bio page.

Building a website is not so easy as the "one click" advertisement. There's a lot that goes into a website...style, content, pictures. But I'm learning, and actually enjoying the process. Now If I can figure out how to link this blog to my website...or maybe I'll have to import the content to the website? I know not. Yet. But I will. Soon. And that's another thing to celebrate...persistence!

My mother will confirm, I have it (persistence) in spades, the ability to keep at a problem--like why can't I buy my own car?--until I succeed (thanks, Mom! (and dad, whose comment, "You can stop her buying a car but you can't stop her growing up (or some variation thereof--it's been a few years. Okay, thirty))), and though at times my bull-headed refusal to give up on some things has caused me, and maybe others, more than a little grief, it has also served me well.

I never give up on my kids. Ever. Even when they want me to.
I've never given up on writing, even when I wanted to.
I don't quit friends, though some have quit me.
I stick with healthy eating, and exercise, even when I'd rather not (which is almost daily).
I insist on working to keep my house clean, even when history (and long-haired cats and negligent teenagers) has proven it a pipe dream to achieve beyond the amount of time it takes me to let aforementioned critters loose in the house again.
And I continue to blog not knowing if anyone reads. (Hello? *waves*)

Other delightful things I'm celebrating this week:

Hubby's home.
Daughter landed an awesome job.
I wrestled Word and my printer into submission to create custom Bridal Shower Invitations (for said daughter who's getting married this year! *gulp*)
The sun is shining, and has shone all week, with temperatures more understandable in late July than early May--not that I'm complaining, because I'm definitely not.
#3 child and I helped my mom with her lawn and weed-whacking.
I bought chocolate. And red wine. And tonight I'll indulge in both with sister who's coming over to help stuff and address Shower invites for mailing.

What about you? What is one quality you possess that some might attach a negative connotation (stubborn vs. persistent) that has served you well? And, what are you celebrating this week?

Please share in the comments. I love to learn what bright spots are lighting people's lives.

Take care!

Deborah

The happiest excitement in life is to be convinced that one is fighting for all one is worth on behalf of some clearly seen and deeply felt good. ~ Ruth Benedict

Ask, And Ye Shall Be Answered

So, I've been tossing around the idea of whether I need a website. Well, maybe not need, so much as, would it be beneficial to have one? A fellow author, and friend, advised me, yes.

She believes the fact she had a website--despite the lack of a book contract at the time--played a part in her securing a contract with Entangled Publishing. To paraphrase our delightful conversation over coffee in which she divulged some of her long journey to publication, she believed that having a web presence via Facebook, Twitter, blog and a website helped legitimize her intent; it verified to the editor--who no doubt did a web search before contacting her regarding her submission--her seriousness in developing a career as a novelist. Personally, I believe her talent played a larger part in her success, but she has a point.

There are a lot of wannabes out there. And serious players. What sets them apart is one thing: action.

Words on paper. Finished manuscripts. Revisions. Query letters written. And mailed. Rejections received. And sobbed over. More words on paper. More manuscripts. More revisions. More queries. More rejections. And somewhere in this exhilarating, tedious, bewildering, circuitous--and productive--process, a blog, Twitter, Facebook, and maybe, just maybe, a website. With a real URL. Like my friend's:

http://www.roxannesnopek.ca


So, in recent weeks, between writing/revising stints, and life, I have contemplated the next step--a website. Host sites, domain names, reviews...I've read, researched, scribbled and scratched. But, overwhelmed by the concept of creating more than an imaginary world replete with oh-so-realistic characters, I dithered. And dallied. And then I did as I often do when stumped--or stuck on the fence--I asked for a sign. And boy, did I get one.

Another author friend wrote this . And I swear, she wrote it for me. Or at least, Someone or Something, inspired me to go online. While there, I got to considering a website again; I decided to review my blog with an eye to how it might be improved; I spied my blog roll and seeing Vicki Pettersson had posted for the first time in a long time, I decided to click through to read her post. And it happened to be about the very thing I was thinking about seconds before! (yes, this is where you shiver and hear the X-Files theme music). How cool is that?

And reaffirming.

Once more I am reminded that I am but a vessel, a physical entity housing a soul connected. All our dreams, all our wishes, all our desires...they're there, waiting for us--when we're ready. We need only ask.

And act.

God gives every bird its food, but he does not throw it into the nest. ~Josiah G. Holland


Deborah


**Have you had a similar experience, or have ideas on the theme? Please share in the comments!**