Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 71

December 26, 2016

Two Publishing Options ~ Two Editing Options . . .

This is the 35th post on this blog that will mention FastPencil publishing-aid company.

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Image Courtesy of Ivan Soares Ferrer ~ http://www.freeimages.com/photographer/ivanferrer-35808

In the past post, while inviting BetaReaders or editors to work with you
— Free

*Revise, edit, check multiple proofs,
upload a cover, work-out front and bac...

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Published on December 26, 2016 08:41

December 25, 2016

Honesty, Likability and Book Reviews

Excellent re-blog today — straight from a Reviewer’s Heart :-)

findingtimetowrite

Before I had my internet outage last week, I read a remarkably honest article about reviewing books when you have vested interests (are part of the publishing industry or are an author yourself). Sadly, I cannot remember the author nor find the article to link it here, but it left quite an impression. I started wondering just how honest my own reviews are, what my own hidden motivations are. I am about to write...

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Published on December 25, 2016 07:57

December 24, 2016

Writing when it’s hectic

Can’t write during the Holidays?

Perhaps this re-blog can change your mind :-)

Live to Write - Write to Live

I mentioned in my response to the Friday question that writing has helped me to keep my balance in 2016. It has helped me to handle the rocky ride that this year has been.

And of course, now we are entering the holiday season. It’s the time of year when kids come home from college, party invitations arrive, and there’s always shopping or baking to get done.

But if you are a writer wh...

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Published on December 24, 2016 09:40

December 23, 2016

Friday Story Bazaar ~ Tale Twenty-Three

The Inside Is Outside

by
Alexander M Zoltai

~~~~~~~~~

The answer was never really hidden…

Whatever was going wrong in the city certainly had a viable solution…

How to read the situations—how to resolve the problems?

Did it have something to do with people’s choices—their inner lives?

Were nearly all citizens to blame?

~~~

James Dickenson was tasked to create a program to radically reduce crime in the city.

He gathered a group of people around him—ex-drug addicts, ex-cops, ex-corporate psychol...

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Published on December 23, 2016 07:08

December 22, 2016

The Planner Conundrum

I count 5 links to more Planner info in today’s re-blog — have you sketched out the New Year yet ? :-)

Live to Write - Write to Live

Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that “plans are nothing. Planning is everything.” So what, I have to wonder, would he make of planners?

I am planner obsessed. It is more than a schedule for me–it is a roadmap. Happily, I have other friends who share the “what will be perfect for this coming year” focus, and we exchange flurries of emails this time of year. I used...

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Published on December 22, 2016 07:36

December 21, 2016

A Fascinating Story from Wattpad

If you scroll down to the Top Tags widget in the left side-bar and click on “Wattpad” you’ll find this post and 25 more (perhaps more yet if you’re reading this post well after Dec. 2016…).

And, if you can’t find the Top Tags (phones often cut off the side-bar) just click on that last link :-)

If you do take that link you’ll find posts about why I began using Wattpad, plus a number of interesting interviews with Wattpad authors, plus some of the benefits of exploring the Wattpad World…

Today...

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Published on December 21, 2016 07:01

December 20, 2016

Short and Sweet Advice for Writers – Showing Up

Basic — True — Powerful Advice in today’s re-blog :-)

Live to Write - Write to Live

If it’s true what they say, that 80 percent of success is showing up …

80percentMost often attributed to Woody Allen, the maxim “80 percent of success is showing up” has earned its place in the collective cultural consciousness. But, how does one actually “show up,” and is it as easy to do as it sounds?

According to a Quote Investigatorrundown on the origins of the Allen quip, the context of the writer/director’s obser...

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Published on December 20, 2016 14:22

December 19, 2016

New Year’s Resolutions from a Very Successful Author

This will be the 35th post I’ve done that relates in some way to Joe Konrath.

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Click this image to find out how to “borrow” Joe’s characters…

He was very successful when he used a recognized publisher and he became even more successful when he went Indie.

And, if I can offer an idea for a writer’s New Year’s resolution, I’d say pay close attention to what’s related about Joe in my past post,Should Rejection by a Publisher Be Praised?

Here are some excerpts:

In 2011, Joe Konrath wrote the artic...

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Published on December 19, 2016 08:38

December 18, 2016

Can We (as writers) Have Too Many Journals or Notepads?

Some folks may think today’s re-blog is “only” for writers…

Well, it can also be for friends of writers who share the link :-)

Live to Write - Write to Live

Small sampling of my journals and notebooks Small sampling of my journals and notebooks

I enjoyed all the responses to my post last week about personal libraries and how many books we have, don’t have, need to get rid of, and so on.

On a similar track… I’ve always enjoyed journaling and my mom and friends know that, so I’m always receiving beautiful journal books for special occa...

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Published on December 18, 2016 06:15

Forgiveness and intention for writers

This re-blog should have gone up yesterday… sorry………

Live to Write - Write to Live

It’s the end of another year and it’s time to think about what your goals will be for the next year.

Like so many of the writers here at this blog, I don’t make resolutions. They are just too difficult to keep and when you inevitably break them, you feel like a failure. No thanks.

Instead I reflect on what I did in the last year, how I can do better, and what it is I hope to accomplish in the coming New Year.

...
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Published on December 18, 2016 06:13