Edie Melson's Blog, page 413

Weekend Worship—Changing My Please to Thanksgiving

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12
We live in the midst of a material world. Everywhere we turn, someone is trying to sell us on the idea that things and circumstances lead to happiness. If I just have the perfect, house, car, kids, husband, wife, agent, publishing contact, etc., then I’ll be content. The list just keeps getting longer. And If something gets crossed off, three more things take it’s place.
So often my prayer is a reflection of this. It’s a laundry list of things I desire.
Not all of them are bad things. Often they’re a requests for someone to get well, someone to be protected, someone to get something they desire. But no matter how good the things on the list are, they miss the point.
This week I began trying to change the focus of my prayer life. I’m moving from a list of please, to a list of thanksgiving. Because truthfully, if I spent every second of every day that I have left, thanking God for the way He’s blessed me I couldn’t cover it all.
I’m not giving up on praying for others. But I’m throwing away the laundry list. In addition to prayers for healing and salvation, I’m going to add contentment beside the name of everyone I pray for.
I want to understand and experience what Paul described. I want to know the depth of contentment he wrote about. I want to be so confident in God’s provision that I can face anything with peace and thanksgiving.

Care to join me?

Social Media Image—What's your foundation?

I'm thankful that in these uncertain times I have something firm to stand on!


Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 
I also invite you to use this image any way you like online. Post it to your blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, anywhere you'd like. All I ask is that you keep it intact, with my website watermark visible.
Don't forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie

Life Lessons—14 Things Writers do to KEEP From Being Successful

by Edie Melson
I’ve never met a writer who didn’t want to be successful. Sure everyone’s definition of success is different, but we all want to succeed. And a lot of writer blogs offer advice on how to find that success. And while it’s vitally important to learn how to write well, network, and market. Often those aren’t the only things that stand between us and our goals.
The one thing I’ve discovered on my own writing journey is that I’m often my own worst enemy. I’m the person who has—most often—stood between me and success. So today I’m sharing 14 things that writers do to KEEP from being successful.
1. We spend too much time watching TV. There are some great television shows out there right now (Castle, Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D, Bones, are some of my favorites). And while they can provide inspiration, they can also stand between me and writing time. I have to decide which is more important, writing or watching TV.
2. We spend too much time reading about writing instead of writing. You’ve seen this one a lot on my blog lately. But the reason is that I’m running into this a lot with wannabe writers.
3. We don’t track our time online. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re surfing the web. Social media (can anyone say Facebook?) is a big sinkhole for time. Because of this, I pay very close attention to the clock when I’m online.
4. We don’t follow a schedule. I get a lot done during my writing day, and the primary reason is that I follow a schedule. I’ve learned that it’s the best way for me to stay productive with my ADD tendencies.
5. We don’t set goals. It’s really hard to get somewhere if you don’t know where you’re going.
6.  We don’t have a plan or track our progress. Just like #5 above. If you don’t have a plan, it’s hard to tell if you’re actually making progress. Beyond that, if you’re not tracking your progress, it’s much easier to get discouraged and give up.
7. We rely too much on inspiration and motivation. Inspiration is great, but perspiration is gold. The transition from writing as a hobby to serious writing comes right here. It’s when a writer can and will put words on paper even when he doesn’t feel like it.
8. We make too many assumptions. Making assumptions is rarely a good idea, and that’s especially true in the publishing industry.
9. We aren’t willing to wait. Waiting is never fun. And patience isn’t in my arsenal of super powers. But I’ve learned how this business works and waiting is part of it. If you’re willing to wait, good things will come.
10. We don’t listen to the experts. I can’t tell you how many times someone has come to me as a freelance editor and paid me to edit a manuscript. Then, completely ignored my advice. I get that it’s our work and we’re in charge, but don’t ask my advice if you’re just going to argue with my expertise. That’s a waste of my time and your money.
11. We take the advice of EVERYONE. No this isn’t contradicting #10. Choose the people you take advice from and realize that not every piece of advice is the right thing for you.
12. We read passively. Words are our business. Don’t waste an opportunity to learn. Look at the book or article or blog you’re reading as an opportunity to improve. Why do you like it? Why did you choose that book? Don’t pass up what amounts to a free workshop when you read.
13. We don’t believe in ourselves. Ultimately my success and my failure rests with me. If I don’t believe in myself, in the calling and gift that God has given me, then no one else can help me.
14. We give up too early. This one is related to #9. When I started writing seriously, I was part of a group of women and we were all about the same level. Today, I’m one of the few left. I’m not more talented than the others, I just refused to give up. Talent will only take you so far. Success comes from pig-headed diligence.
Well this is my list of things that stand between me and writing success. What would you add to the list?

Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESAre you the roadblock to your own writing success?@EdieMelson shares 14 things that can stand in your way. (Click to Tweet)

14 things that writers do to KEEP from being successful –Are you guilty of these? via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Writers, Are You Taking Advantage of Your Email Signature Line?

by Edie Melson

It’s important that in today’s digital age, writers don’t pass up marketing opportunities. Unfortunately, I see a lot of writers doing just that when they send out emails. Your email signature line is prime marketing real estate.
If you’re not certain what a signature line (sometimes called a sig line) is, it’s the line or lines including or directly below your signature. You can set up one that is automatically generated within your email program. Just go to settings, signature, and set it up.
The addition of my book, blog, and social media info in my sig line has made it much easier for people to:Find my blog.Buy my book.Follow me on social media.
Here are the basics you should include: Your name and/or the name you write under.A link to your website.Your blog address.Your twitter account name.Your Facebook Fan Page link.A link to your latest book (if you write books).
When you include links in your sig line, make certain they are clickable. For instance, I don’t say follow me on Twitter, @EdieMelson, I actually link to my Twitter profile. That way the person reading my email doesn’t have to go to Twitter and do a search for @EdieMelson, they can just click and are taken to my Twitter homepage.
Warnings:Keep your signature line to a maximum of 15 lines. Anything more and people lose interest.Try NOT to add graphics, except for book covers, gimmicky graphics take longer to load and the person who receives the email often has to click on a permission tab to see them and most of us don’t bother. 
Here’s a screenshot of my email sig line to help you see what it looks like.


Special Note: don't forget to set up email signatures on all your devices—anything you send email from—like: Cell phone.Tablet.Ereader.
Now it’s your turn, what questions do you have about adding a signature line to your email?

Don’t forget to join the conversationBlessings,Edie
TWEETABLESWriters, your email signature line is prime marketing real estate - @EdieMelson shares how to use it wisely (Click to Tweet)
Writers, Don't waste the prime marketing real estate in your email signature line -  tips from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Dollars & Sense for Writers—Guidelines on Where & When to Spend Your Money—Part Seven

By Edie Melson
This is an ongoing series designed to give writers guidelines on where & when to spend your money. If you missed the first six posts in the series you can find them here:
Part One : What Organizations Should I Join and Why?  Part Two: Which Books Should I Own and Which Should I Get at theLibrary—and What About Magazines, are They Still Relevant? Part Three: How to Evaluate Writing Workshops &Classes  Part Four: When & How to Hire a FreelanceEditor  Part Five: Writing Conferences—When Am I Ready for One& Which OneShould I choose PartSix: Websites—WhenShould I Spend the Money on a Writer’s Website?
This week I'm covering computers and the programs you need to succeed.What does a Writer Need in a Computer…and Which Programs do you HAVE to have?
I get asked this a lot, and beyond that, it frequently comes up on the email loops I’m a part of. I’m not going to get deep into the Mac versus PC debate, but I am going to give you some ideas about what’s available and what may or may NOT work for you.
Mac versus PCIt’s a fact that Apple products cost more. So if price is your deciding factor, you’re probably not going to go that route. That said, they usually last longer than a PC (unless your cat dumps a huge glass of water on it—but that’s another story, for another time).
They are also much less susceptible to computer viruses. Technically a Mac can get a virus, but I have never seen documented proof that it’s happened.
NOTE: a VIRUS is a self-replicating malware.
There are other types of computer issues that can affect a Mac, like a malware Trojan horse, but even with those, Mac is exceptionally resilient.
Beyond this information, I’m not going to comment on Mac vs. PC. I drive a Mac and love it, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone.
Desktop versus LaptopFor me, this one’s a no-brainer. I travel—a lot—so I have to have the freedom of a laptop. I also move around a lot, even in my own home, writing where the mood strikes. Because of this a clunky desktop just doesn’t work for me. I know other writers who do best with one set place to play…er…create. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either school of thought. The important thing is to know which one fits you best.
How Big a Laptop?Early on in my writing career I let my engineering husband help me pick out a laptop. For some reason, I’ve discovered engineers have a bigger-is-always-better idea about laptop screen size. I let him talk me into a monster 17-inch laptop and then had to lug that massive thing through airports and around conference campuses for two year before it finally died. I seriously urge you to think along the lines of how heavy a laptop is early on in the shopping process.
That said, You need enough internal room to load the programs you use regularly, and to store your files. You also want a computer that runs at a reasonably quick rate. For this, you want to consider the CPU of the computer (Central Processing Unit). These are critical to computer speed. For example, you might see this advertised: 4th Generation Intel Core i5 1.6 GHz processor. i.6 GHz is the level of the clock speed, as this number increases, so does the speed of the CPU. And a 4th Generation will run faster than a 2nd Generation.
What about a Notebook, Netbook or Any Other Kind of BookI had a computer notebook for several years and loved it. I know others who have other books and love them. The one thing you must have, though is Microsoft Word. If your BOOK won’t run Microsoft word, then it’s not going to work well for you.
Can’t I Just Use a Tablet?Again, it must be able to run Microsoft Word—FULLY. You need track changes capability, highlighting, formatting, etc. If your tablet allows that, then yes, you can probably get by with one.

Programs NeededAs I’ve alluded to above, Microsoft is absolutely necessary for writers. As I said, I own a Mac, and Apple’s version of a word processing program is Pages. I love Pages way more than Word, but that doesn’t matter. When I turn in something by attaching it to an email, I need to do it in Microsoft Word. That is the publishing industry standard.
I can hear the arguments now:But I can use Pages and save the file as Microsoft Word, won’t that work? No, not always. Often your formatting won’t translate completely. That means your perfectly formatted manuscript submission may contain odd characters, misaligned tabs and wonky tables. Not something you want when you’re trying to convince an editor or agent to publish your work.
So if you’re serious about writing professionally, you MUST have Microsoft Word.
There are other programs that are helpful, but none make my list of absolute must. So I’m going to end here. I’d love to hear your thoughts about what to look for in a computer and what programs a writer needs to have. Be sure to leave your comments below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESTime for a new computer? @EdieMelsonshares what a writer needs and the programs you can’t live without! (Click to Tweet)
Dollars & Sense for writers – what you need in a computer and the programs you must have – via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Mad Juggling Skills—A Requirement for Today’s Writers—Indie, Traditional & Hybrid

by Edie Melson

Image credit:
HeNkiSdaBro / 123RF Stock PhotoI don’t care if you’re a freelance writer, nonfiction writer, novelists or something of a hybrid. The truth is that you have to wear a lot of hats to find publishing success. You have to be able to write on a deadline, plan marketing campaigns, utilize social media, and of course, write.
The increase pressure to do it all has led to frustration and burnout in a lot of writers I come into contact with. But even with the downside, there are those of us to whom writing is like breathing. Without it, we’ll die.
We have come to a point the mad juggling skills are a requirement for today’s writers. But don’t give up hope. There are some things you can do, some ways to organize your time, that will help you accomplish more than you thought. Beyond that, you can make a conscious decision to give yourself a pass on some things.

Here are some tips that keep me sane:
Due date list. This can be due dates for articles, books, edits, even my own self-imposed goals.Submission list. If you do a good bit of freelance writing, this one’s a must. It’s also important if you’re submitting queries or proposals to agents, looking for representation.Special events list. Each event gets its own list. If I have a book signing, or a book launch, or I’m promoting a conference, I have a list for that. I include a goal of what I’d like to accomplish. Then I map out things I want to do to help me achieve that goal.Social media list. I keep an ongoing list of websites and blogs that I check regularly for possible social media updates. This is where I get a lot of the Tweets and FB posts that I share.Book blogger list. Anytime I run across a book blogger I add them to my list. Now, when I’m ready to launch a book, I have 100+ bloggers I can look at as possible contacts.Set goals. I’ve learned that I don’t get very far down the road when I don’t know where I’m going. So I have goals. I know where I want to be in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc. These incremental goals are mandatory for me. Even if I don’t have an official contract with a deadline, I work better when I have a plan.
Take a Sabbath—if you’ll forgive the pun—religiously. I’ve learned, the hard way, that I’m no good to anyone if I don’t get a regular, weekly time off.
Look at the year ahead. This is one that has helped me a lot. I look at the things I know I have upcoming—about a year in advance—and use that to plan ahead. If I have a book releasing in September, then I know August, September, October and November are going to be heavy marketing months. I co-direct the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in May of each year, so I do my best not to take any out-of-town speaking engagements or deadlines that month. Sometimes it doesn’t work that way, but I try to control what I can.
Ask for prayer support. I was messaging back and forth with a writer today who is on an almost impossible deadline. She was asking for suggestions that would help her succeed. One of the first things I told her to do was to call in the prayer support. Ladies and gentlemen, we are on the front lines in today’s society. Words have power and when we wield that power for good, we can expect to encounter resistance. So often writers tell me they’re hesitant to ask non-writer friends for prayer support. They feel like their writing is unimportant. I say POPPYCOCK! I also recommend you have a group or team that prays regularly for you.
Be accountable. This is another biggie for me. If I don’t have someone who is expecting me to report back to them, I can let things slide. I have someone I exchange texts with daily, for prayer and accountability. I also have a group of writers online that I’m accountable to, as well as a couple of local writers I meet with regularly.
Ask for help. I have an ongoing agreement with several writers. We can borrow blog posts from each other without first asking permission. This means that at 2am, when I wake up in a cold sweat because I forgot to write a blog post, I can visit one of their sites and voilà a guest post. I always link back to the site where I got the post, and include a bio. Believe me, this arrangement has saved several us on several occasions.
These are the things that I do to juggle the things necessary to succeed. What would you add to the list? Be sure to leave your tips in the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESNews Flash: Mad juggling skills required fortoday’s writer! @EdieMelson has some tips to help you cope (Click to Tweet)

Being overwhelmed - common complaint for writers - @EdieMelson shares tips to make juggling easier(Click to Tweet)

Social Media Monday—5 Simple Things You can do to Keep Your Social Media Identity Consistent

by Edie Melson

As writers in today’s digital world, we all know the importance of having an online presence. The savvy writer works hard to leverage social media to do everything from building a platform to interacting with readers.
Even armed with the knowledge of how important engaging online is, many authors have missed one vital component. 
Consistency. 
So today I’m sharing 5 simple things you can to do keep your social media identity consistent. Does it really matter that I seem like one person on Facebook and another on Twitter? To a certain degree, it definitely does. While interaction styles do vary from network to network, our audience will still expect us to be recognizable. Think about it from this perspective. Do you really trust someone who is drastically different from situation to situation? I don’t. The same thing holds true with your social media personality. It needs to ring true, no matter where you audience finds you.
So now we know that we need to have a certain level of consistency, what exactly does that entail. Here’s my list of 5 things that will help you build the trust of your audience, while still interacting normally on a given network.
1. Keep your profile photo consistent. It doesn’t have to be the exact same picture, but it better be pretty close. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to find someone on Twitter by looking at their Facebook photo as a reference and missing them entirely. I have several different photos I use for profile pictures. They were all taken around the same time and are a large enough shot of my face, that people can tell who I am.
2. Write your updates like you talk. If you’re trying to be something you’re not, or present yourself in a way that’s not natural, it will show.
3. Be consistent with how often you post updates. Today’s audience has a short attention span and even shorter memory. To build a consistent picture of yourself online, you have to be online often enough for people to remember you. What does consistent look like? It varies from person to person, but I would say, at least a couple of updates a day, per network, four or five times a week. This is different from growing your platform, this is just to remain in the short term memory of your audience.
4. Don’t change the basis of your message from network to network.For example, if your online identity is built on being a YA author on Twitter, don’t make narrative nonfiction the basis of your posts on Facebook. Let the independent networks work together to paint a more complete picture of who you are. Don’t be an alligator on one and a fuzzy bunny on another.
5. Keep your online information current. If you update your Facebook bio because you’ve signed a new contract, don’t neglect your Twitter or LinkedIn bio.
These are some of the more obvious irritants that can stand between you and social media consistency. They also happen to be some of my pet peeves, and things I’ve been guilty of. Learn from my mistakes.
What about you? What inconsistencies have you seen online? Be sure to share your thoughts below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESIs your online personality consistent from network to network? 5 Tips from #SocialMedia Mentor @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

5 Simple Things You can do to Keep Your #SocialMediaIdentity Consistent – via  @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Weekend Worship—A Stone’s Throw from Grace

When they persisted in questioning Him, He stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7
Imagine with me the scene that day. A woman has been caught in the act of adultery. In biblical times, it’s a crime punishable by death—death by stoning. The men and women drag her into the public square. I can hear the voices of her accusers, raised in hatred and condemnation.“You’re nothing but filth.”“You knew what could happen when you made your choice.”“Get rid of her. We can’t have someone like her contaminating our town.”
She’s thrown at the feet of a famous teacher, for him to pronounce the death sentence. Why did they bring her to him? Because he’s known for his compassion. By bringing her crime to his attention they can literally kill two birds with one stone. They can get rid of a sinner and either expose him as a liar, or a lawbreaker.
Instead, Jesus introduces them all to the concept of grace.
And He does it without compromising the law or the heart of compassion he’s known for.
Back in the viewpoint of our sinner, I can imagine her laying there at His feet, covering her head with her arms as she tries to make as small a target as possible. Every muscle is tensed, waiting for the first stone from the angry mob.
As the crowd begins to quiet, instead of the sound of stones whistling through the air, she hears the words of the teacher. His pronouncement takes them all by surprise—even her. And I can imagine that the next sounds she hears are the thumps all around her as the stones drop to the ground, before the crowd disperses.
Those in the crowd learned as valuable lesson as did the woman. They learned that they have a choice when it comes to confronting sin. They can be stone-throwers or stone-droppers.

It’s a choice we still have today. Starting today I’m going to make a conscious effort to drop those stones and be an instrument of grace.

Restore the Joy of Writing—a Social Media Image to Share

by Edie Melson

I've shared several posts over the past few months on how to keep moving forward with writing. I think the basis of that momentum is the joy we feel when we write. Sometimes, circumstances reduce that joy to a dying ember. 

The image today is a short cut to help you rekindle that joy. I'd love to know what else you'd add to this short list.

Restore the JOY of WRITING by giving up these 5 simple things - Edie MelsonShare your thoughts in the comment section below. 
I also invite you to use this image any way you like online. Post it to your blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, anywhere you'd like. All I ask is that you keep it intact, with my website watermark visible.
Don't forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie

TWEETABLES
Restore the Joy of Writing by giving up these 5 things - a social media image to share - via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Write Like a Reader—Tips to Discover Your Inner Reader

Discover your inner reader.by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Yes, you read that right. 

The title offers tips to discover your inner READER. 
To be successful writers, we must do more than just write. We must engage with our readers. That means we have to be able to communicate with them in mind.
1. Read it out loud.When we read out loud, we engage different pathways in our brains. What flows when we read silently, can be a major roadblock when we read it out loud.
Keep an emotion journal.2. Keep an emotion journal. For years I’ve made it a point to write down what I’m feeling. I have pages of how angry feels, how happy feels, how peace feels. All of these are valuable research tools when I need to show those emotions in my writing.
3. Practice description. Look at something around you and practice describing it. Work to be able to describe anything without repeating words. Make it a skill set to be able to describe something so well others can picture it clearly.
4. Expand your vocabulary with small words as well as big ones. The point to expanding your vocabulary isn’t to impress anyone, it’s so you have a larger choice when you’re looking for just the right word.
Become an armchair traveler.5. Become an armchair (or online) traveler. Even if you can’t travel physically, in today’s digital paradigm there’s no excuse not to immerse yourself in the local culture half a continent away. Experiencing different parts of our world will enrich your writing in the same way physical travels can.
6. Read deep and wide. Don’t just pick one or two genres or even worse, just one or two authors. Be eclectic in your reading choices and get out of your comfort zone.
Take pictures just for you.7. Take pictures. No, not for your blog or your family. Take them for yourself. Does the color of that leave intrigue you? Snap a picture. Do you love the way the rain sheets down a window? Again, snap a picture. Then refer back to the pics when you want to set a scene.
8. Join a book club.Here’s where the rubber meets the road. If you really want to feed your inner reader, hang out with readers. If you can’t join a local book club, join one online or at least join the discussions at GoodReads.
9. Practice the art of storytelling. Some people are born storytellers. The rest of us have to practice. Tell your family stories about what happened to you during the day, share life moments on your blog with your reader. Everything is more interesting when it’s told as a story.
These are the best tips I have to discover your inner reader. Now it’s your turn. What would you like to add to the list? Be sure to leave your thoughts below.And don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,
Edie
TWEETABLESLearning to #write better is as simple as discovering your inner reader - via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Connect to your readers on a deeper level by discovering your own inner reader - tips from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)