Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 107

Updating Our LinkedIn Profile

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LinkedIn has always been one of the easier social media platforms for me to be a part of.  They make it easy to set it up and then forget about it.

From time to time I’d check the site, realize I had lots of invitations and messages (I had turned off notifications a while back when they  became annoying) and busily go through the mail.  But I hadn’t done much actual updating.

I’m trying, this year, to incrementally keep up with the sometimes overwhelming demands of keeping up with different platforms.  I figured maybe some of you were in the same boat and would like to follow along. I mentioned Goodreads last time, and the updates I’d made there. 

When I checked in on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago, I realized that there were plenty of areas that needed updating.  Here are some of the things I did (mostly general housekeeping):

I uploaded a background image.  I hadn’t realized that LinkedIn even offered backgrounds.  Although it can seem daunting, I just used the free cloud-based Canva, which is my go-to for all basic design projects.  LinkedIn wants the image to be “File type JPG, GIF or PNG, no larger than 4MB, pixel dimensions between 1000 X 425 and 4000 X 4000.”

I updated my bio and profile picture.  I’m now using a more general bio for some of these sites so that they don’t get so quickly outdated. For instance, I don’t mention my most recent release in my bio now.

I updated my publications, basically my book list.

I learned that you can upload blog posts to LinkedIn and it serves as a part of your overall portfolio there.  From what I was able to find out online, a best practice is to only update one a week at the most. Still, considering that my LinkedIn contacts (mostly editors, illustrators, cover designers, and other book people) frequently aren’t people I network with on other platforms, I’m reaching new readers with posts I upload there.  Here are LinkedIn’s tips for blogging there.  Some of them don’t apply to me because… well, I’m not trying to get a job.  :)   It seems to me that they’re recommending that our posts be less on specific topics there and more on the overall craft of writing or generalizations on the business, etc.

Other things to update are contact information, writing-related organizations we belong to, any honors or awards related to our writing, etc.

What do you do if you have a day job and also want to connect with the book world?  This is a good question and I’m curious what some of you are doing.  I do think, if you’re trying to network or build contacts with writers and other publishing professionals, it’s a good idea to at least mention your writing somewhere prominently in your profile. I know I’ve ignored a lot of invites from CPAs and realtors because I couldn’t tell if they were writers and I’m mostly connected with people in the industry (a few friends and family thrown in there, too).

For a long time, I wasn’t sure how LinkedIn really fit into my platform.  Now I realize that there are people there who aren’t on social media any other place…this is the one way I reach them.  Not only that, LinkedIn has served to increase my platform locally, something that I haven’t traditionally focused on.

Are you on LinkedIn?  Have you updated your information there lately?

Areas to update on our LinkedIn profile:
Click To Tweet

The post Updating Our LinkedIn Profile appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

How Writers Can Use Amazon’s “Look Inside” Feature to Get More Sales

by C.S. Lakin, @CSLakin

We writers just want to write, right?

But the sad truth is we have to be savvy marketers. And since most authors see the most sales on Amazon, and particularly through the Kindle Store, it behooves us to learn all the tricks to optimizing our product pages to entice customers to buy.

One of the ways you can help your potential customer to make that big decision to click “Buy Now” is to use the “Look Inside” feature to your advantage.

Usually when a potential customer lands on your page, the first thing she might do is read your description.

Remember, most of your description is hidden and can only be seen upon clicking the “read more” button. So if your opening hook—just like with your book’s first page—is not catchy, tantalizing the reader with a hint at what your book is about, your customer might not bother to click that tab and may navigate away from your page.

And at that point, she won’t even bother to look inside the book to read the first page.

So be sure to have a terrific book description and design it for appeal.

The Typical Steps a Potential Customer Takes

Let’s assume a potential buyer has landed on your page. She is glancing over the page, liking your book cover (which better be awesome!) and stops for a second to read the first line of your description.

Since you’ve now written your killer description, she clicks on “read more” and reads that long engaging summary of your book. Now she’s more interested. But she’s not sold yet. What does she do next?

More than likely, she’s going to click on the “Look Inside” feature to read your first page.

But, Uh-oh . . .

What happens often is the front section of an ebook is cluttered full of “front matter.” In addition to a title page, there might follow a copyright page, a lengthy table of contents (yes, I’ve seen them even for novels), a dedication page, an acknowledgments page, other books by the author, reviews, a “Note from the Author” page, and . . .

Oh, finally, the first page of the novel.

Listen, if your potential reader has to click and click . . . and click and click . . . and turn page after page before getting to Page 1 of your book, you might just lose her. She might get so bored and tired of clicking through pages (because no one has any patience anymore and three seconds for anything is just too long), she navigates away and . . . guess what? You just lost a potential sale.

Here’s what you want to do:

Make sure the first page of your novel is close to the front.

What this means is: take out or move to the back everything you don’t absolutely have to have so that your reader can read page 1 of your book quickly.

Yes, you need a title page. And a copyright page or a nice little note about not stealing ebooks. And having a few choice reviews that rave about your book is a good idea. The other things?

Do you really need a TOC (table of contents)? Yes? Then make it short. What about that list of other books? Maybe they’ll impress. But you could put them in the back with links to buy.

And same with acknowledgments. Honestly, do you think Jane Reader cares to read about all the people in your family you want to thank for encouraging you while you wrote your book. I think not.

You can put that and a note from the author in the back, after “the end” as well.

The point? You want to get your potential customer reading your book right away to see how your book opens.

If you’ve done your job right, and you’ve written a killer first page, your reader may keep reading and turning pages. At some point, if she’s hooked, she’ll get to the end of the sample and be asked to buy the book. Or she’ll stop reading, convinced this is the book for her, and she’ll click out of the “Look Inside” feature and then buy your book.

You want to make it easy for a reader to 1) get what you’re selling quickly and 2) decide to buy your book without much interference.

Make sense?

So, to review:

You want customers to get reading your book ASAP.
That means putting Page 1 of your actual book as close to the front as possible.
Eliminate unnecessary pages and material that will bore or turn away potential customers.
Stick as much “front matter” in the back as is tastefully possible.

While this is a fairly simple step, it’s an important one. The purpose of your product page is to sell your product. It’s a tool to convert viewers into buyers.

Your keywords will get them to your page. Then, what’s on your page will convert them to buy. If . . . you present a tasteful, appealing product page.

Yes, most writers hate marketing. We just want to write. But seriously, to keep writing, you usually need readers (customers). I would rather spend all my time writing, but I know I have to wear my marketing hat a couple of hours a day. I’ve learned to, well, appreciate marketing. No, I don’t love it, but it’s part of the job.

So even if you hate this stuff, you know you have to do it. Try to think like a business that is putting out a product for consumers. You’re a professional, and yes, you’re responsible for marketing your book.

Want to learn more? Take this free email course (7 emails) on the 8 Essential Steps to Selling Big on Amazon. Learning the key steps to optimizing your product page can mean the difference between a flop and a best seller. Using the “Look Inside” feature to your advantage is just one element of success.



C.S. Lakin is the author of twenty-two books and works as a professional copyeditor and writing coach. Her award-winning blog Live Write Thrive gives free in-depth instruction and advice to write for life.

Check out Lakin’s new online course Targeting Genre for Big Sales. It will teach you everything you need to learn to sell big and be discovered. Click here for more info. Register before 3-15-16 using coupon code TARGET22 to get $100 off the course!

Click To Tweet

The post How Writers Can Use Amazon’s “Look Inside” Feature to Get More Sales appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

NetGalley on Digital Expansion Internationally:  http://ow.ly/YMqRg @Porter_Anderson @NetGalley

7 Author-Friendly Changes Bowker Could Make: http://ow.ly/YMqpm

How To Connect on Twitter with Twitter Chats:  http://ow.ly/YkKGo @K8Tilton

How to Use Price Promotions to Market a New Book Release:  http://ow.ly/YkK9F @dianaurban                      

What 1 Writer Learned From His 1st TV Appearance: http://ow.ly/YkKWY  @nickdaws

Native Advertising on @Wattpad:  http://ow.ly/YN9FG @Porter_Anderson @AshleighGardner

Tips for Talk Radio and Podcasts: http://ow.ly/YkKPc @GuyADeMarco

5 Tips for Finding a Cover Artist:  http://ow.ly/YkKLo @ceciliaedits

Amazon Reviews for Indie Authors:  http://ow.ly/YjnNk @bookgal

8 Things To Remember When Rewriting Dialogue:  http://ow.ly/YkLyY @MiaJouBotha

Avoiding Bunny Trails and Tangents in Writing:  http://ow.ly/YkJLV  @_JennyMoyer

Creating Your Hero’s Fatal Flaw:  http://ow.ly/YkK5R by Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Does that book promo have value?  http://ow.ly/YkLaT @cksyme

Door-to-door salesmen in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/YMvJ7 @mkinberg

Structure: How to Train your Dragon: http://ow.ly/YkJSe  by Camilla Beskow

7 Steps to Jumpstart Kobo eBook Sales:  http://ow.ly/YkLjG  @Miles_Anthony

10 Tips to be More Productive in 2016:  http://ow.ly/YmuqM  @ErinMFeldman

The Copywriter’s Manifesto:  http://ow.ly/Ymuhf @wordselectric

The Art of Conflict:  http://ow.ly/Ymu9k @rachaeldthomas

Midpoints: A Breakdown:  http://ow.ly/YmuFn @sjaejones

The OpenEd movement for textbooks: http://ow.ly/YMvfe @Porter_Anderson @hughmcguire

Getting To Grips With Genre And Tone:  http://ow.ly/Ymut9 @AnthonyEhlers

5 Signs You Need To Start A Writing Project Now: http://ow.ly/Ymuem @writetodone

6 Tips To Avoid and Fix Bad Writing:  http://ow.ly/YmuoP @McgannKellie

The power of the punchline:  http://ow.ly/Ymulz @nevalalee

How to Sell Your Personal Essay: http://ow.ly/YmuuM @amypaturel

4 mistakes that sabotage your creative work:  http://ow.ly/YmuO3 @DanBlank

11 Tricks and Mythbusters of Writing:  http://ow.ly/Ymud0 @ReneeRosen1

Writing Night Scenes:  http://ow.ly/YmuaC @raynehall

Give Your Reader Space:  http://ow.ly/YreqB by Sue Bradford Edwards

7 Reasons to Outline Your Novel During Revision:  http://ow.ly/Yrfzn @KelsieEngen

The 6th Sense in Your Plotline: Psychics 101 for Writers:  http://ow.ly/YrfEO @FionaQuinnBooks

10 Tips for Your Elevator Pitch:  http://ow.ly/Yre1I @YAtopia_blog @sarah_nicolas

Use Your Verbs:  http://ow.ly/Yrfpe by Joel Orr

Truths and Myths about Purple Prose:  http://ow.ly/Yrflg @AJHumpage

Getting into the Head of Your Antagonist: http://ow.ly/YjnE3 @RainaSchell

An agent reminds writers to include contact info on our blogs:  http://ow.ly/YhIjX @Janet_Reid

5 steps to social media bliss:  http://ow.ly/YhIxL @DanBlank

Upcoming course on targeting genre, then targeting Amazon. Use code TARGET22 to save $100:  http://ow.ly/XGr5G @CSLakin

Should Editors Give Trigger Warnings?  http://ow.ly/YhIFI  by Rich Adin @InkBitsPixels

Drawing An Emotional Reaction From Your Reader: http://ow.ly/Yjnyr  @Jen_328 @writedivas

“Distraction-free” writing device looks similar to “your father’s typewriter”:  http://ow.ly/YMr70 @Porter_Anderson @iamadamleeb

On ‘Never Enough’ Syndrome:  http://ow.ly/YjnHb @ava_jae

The Fastest Way to Build an Online Home:  http://ow.ly/YjnKD @ckmacleodwriter

Tackling the Revise and Resubmit Request:  http://ow.ly/YjnFZ @LaurieTomlinson

7  Favorite TED Talks on Creativity and Writing:  http://ow.ly/YjnCt @kylieday0

Note Card Plotting Unwrapped:  http://ow.ly/YjnAY @artofstoriesAB

Book Reviews for Indie Authors: Paid Reviews:  http://ow.ly/YhIAz @BookWorksNYC @carlaking

Writing Reviews Without Spoilers:  http://ow.ly/YhIDU @BlueSunDeb

Putin Doesn’t Need to Censor Books. Publishers Do It for Him. http://ow.ly/YIwqj @mashagessen @the_intercept

Follow along as @ScholarlyFox writes a novel in 21 days:  http://ow.ly/YI3yt and http://ow.ly/YI3FP

How Writers Can Benefit by Outlining Their Scenes:  http://ow.ly/YfAuA @CSLakin

The Sad Economics of Writing Short Fiction:  http://ow.ly/YfxOG  @KameronHurley

The Older Writer:  http://ow.ly/YfzZH by Juliet Marillier

Creating and Authenticating Dynamic Characters:  http://ow.ly/YhIKf @mlgardnerbooks

How Not To Ask For A Free Review: From A Top 1000 Amazon Reviewer:  http://ow.ly/YhIUZ @selfpubreview

Metadata: Are You Using Subject Codes?  http://ow.ly/YhImp @SarahBolme

Facebook advertising for writers:  http://ow.ly/YhIrk @zackheim

Different Types of Promo Ideas for Writers:  http://ow.ly/YhItB @ninjadueces22

Artisanal Publishing vs Self-Publishing:  http://ow.ly/YhIgT  @bookworksnyc @roncallari

5 Reasons Writers Need Google Plus, Even Though New Google Plus is Awful:  http://ow.ly/YhIvc @annerallen

Plotter by Day, Pantser by Night:  http://ow.ly/YfzVv  @yvonnekohano

3 diagrams to make your plot a page-turner:  http://ow.ly/YF5px @Roz_Morris

A Writer’s Guide for the Informed Speakeasy Owner:  http://ow.ly/YF0CO @JazzFeathers @SueColetta1

Why Actions Speak Louder than Words:  http://ow.ly/YEkMV @p2p_editor

10 Writing “Rules” We Wish More SF/F Authors Would Break http://ow.ly/Yfzg1 @charliejane

How to Find the Best Editor for You:  http://ow.ly/YfxSQ by Jessica West  @K8Tilton

Amazon Search URL Anatomy: ISBN, Ref, and Keywords:  http://ow.ly/YfABK  @DaveChesson

A Simple Plan to Start Reading More:  http://ow.ly/Yfylv @farnamstreet

5 tips for finding motivation to write: http://ow.ly/YfzGk @karenYbynum

Why writers should use universal Amazon links: http://ow.ly/YfyzX @pokercubster

Indie writers and artists are shaking up modern comics: http://ow.ly/YfgaO by Andrew Harrison @guardianbooks

Lessons from the Gym:  http://ow.ly/YfzJu @rachellegardner

Culture Shock: A Window to Worldbuilding:  http://ow.ly/Yfzu7 by Gaëtane Burkolter @writerunboxed

Why writers should walk more:  http://ow.ly/Yfz15  @pubcoach

5 tips to protect ourselves from copyright infringement violations:  http://ow.ly/Yfy5r @pokercubster

How to Find and Work with Beta Readers to Improve Your Book:  http://ow.ly/YcE9u @shesnovel

Music for Writers: Dan Trueman: The Digital Piano, Well-Prepared:  http://ow.ly/YBqZq @Porter_Anderson @Q2Music

Track Your Amazon Royalties with K-Reports (video):  http://ow.ly/YCa8q  @MichaelLaRonn

Crime fiction: changes in character self-perception: http://ow.ly/YBrro @mkinberg

The Best Autoresponder Techniques for Authors (video):  http://ow.ly/YC9TZ @MichaelLaRonn via @LorraineBartlet

Writing routines and back pain: 3 danger signs (via @Colleen_M_Story):  http://ow.ly/YAYQ5

Childlike Wonder: Why ‘The Force Awakens’ Had it and ‘Jurassic World’ Didn’t:  http://ow.ly/YBp0f @AlexJCavanaugh

4 Ways to Plan Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/YcDw7 @worddreams

Writing as a Southerner:  http://ow.ly/YcE3l @keriford

Why So Many People Write at Starbucks:  http://ow.ly/YcEvA @Larry_Kahaner

Traumatic Stress:  Disasters 101 for Writers: http://ow.ly/YcEpa @FionaQuinnBooks

9 Habits You Need For Social Media Success:  http://ow.ly/YcDZY @writers_write

5-Minute-A-Day Writing Plan:  http://ow.ly/YcEcU @VAllenWriter1

How To Write In 10 Minute Increments:  http://ow.ly/YcDBG @10MinNovelists

Take Time To Think About 3 Things to Improve Your Writing Business:  http://ow.ly/YcEio  @Margo_L_Dill

Take 30 Minutes to Fix Your Novel:  http://ow.ly/YcDXw  @LindaKSienkwicz

Why You Really Don’t Need to Talk about Your Writing Yet:  http://ow.ly/YcDSH @reallucyflint

150 DIY Ways to Market Your Book:  http://ow.ly/YcEzW @AuthorAshleeM

Grow Your Audience: 8 Tricks Efficient Writers Use On Twitter: http://ow.ly/YcE5Z @sacha_black

The Basics of World Building:  http://ow.ly/YaY3W @RidethePen

Big Picture Story Structure: Three-Act Structure:  http://ow.ly/YaZ4U by John Wong

Beware the ‘Writing Rules Police’ :  http://ow.ly/YA0Fc @annerallen

“Amazing Disgrace”: @HuffPost doesn’t pay its writers: http://ow.ly/YA3CA @Porter_Anderson @writerunboxed

The links I shared last week:  http://ow.ly/YzLaA .All the links I’ve ever shared (30K+, free and searchable): writerskb.com

At 75, Avon Romances the Readers:  http://ow.ly/YA3nD @Porter_Anderson @Rachelrooo

Crafting Action For Thrillers:  http://ow.ly/YaXVH @Petrie_Nicholas

Do Your Characters Worry About Money?  http://ow.ly/YaYes @AndreaWriterlea

How Being a Journalist Can Help You Write a Novel:  http://ow.ly/YaXrJ @scottallanm

3 Tools for Getting through a Post-New-Year’s-Resolution Slump:  http://ow.ly/YaXl5 @writeabook

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

7 Author-Friendly Changes Bowker Could Make

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The subject of ISBNs tends to make authors anxious. Sometimes writers are defensive about why they choose not to use them or choose to use the  free ISBNs offered by CreateSpace and other retailers/distributors.

This isn’t a post debating the merit of ISBNs, although I do choose to use them myself.  Briefly, there are a few reasons for my choice.  One, I’m just old school.  Another, as a self-publisher, I like the idea of my sales being counted (just as my trad-published sales are counted).  For another, I like having my name listed as the publisher on record…not Smashwords or CreateSpace (nothing wrong with either of those guys and I use them both–just not their ISBNs).  Most recently, my publishing through IngramSpark has required me to use a personal ISBN, so it worked out well that I already have them.

That being said!  Bowker (the US agency that assigns  ISBNs) annoys the dickens out of me.   Here are some ways I believe the service could improve at Bowker.  Or, let’s call it 7 ways for Me to Love Bowker Better:

Any list of improvements has got to have pricing at the top of the list.   One ISBN is $125 (clearly, this is not the option to go with), 10 are $295, and 100 are $575.  I do tend to buy them on sale and write them off as a business cost. But it’s a high price for what we’re getting.  Especially if you consider the fact that each individual format does require a separate ISBN (an epub, a Kindle/mobi file, a print edition, etc.)  They’re used up fairly quickly.
BISAC. Metadata is so important.  But currently, my choices with BISAC categories on Bowker are limited.  With most sites, I can drill down in the categories until I’m at  FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths or  FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy.  At Bowker, I can only get to Book – FICTION_MYSTERY and DETECTIVE_GENERAL.  A metadata tip—anything with general in the category isn’t as helpful.  More specific BISAC would help me more than many of the current metadata fields Bowker has (weight, weight units, carton quality, etc.).
It would sure make it a lot easier if English were listed at the top of the drop-down menu.  It’s pretty time-consuming to get English to even pull up as the language. Lots of scrolling.  Just…considering this is a US-based service.  Nothing against all the other languages. IngramSpark, for example,  makes this process easier by having “Common” at the top of the list (including English, Spanish, etc.) before continuing an alphabetical drop-down list.
Since most people choosing the $295 option or even the $575 option are self-publishers…why not just go ahead and make us our own separate portal to your site?  Having to input my bio each time (and for each of the 3-4 formats!)  is a time suck.  I understand the service is also set up for publishers who order many thousands of ISBNs…but for those of us who are shelling out a good chunk of change to use this agency? I think having better default options with my login would be a perk.
How about a downloadable spreadsheet so I could track my orders/purchases. When tax time came, I had to call your customer service number to see how much money I spent with you in 2015. I was stunned this information wasn’t available under ‘My Account.’
While we’re at it (regarding a downloadable spreadsheet), how about one where I could track my formats and ISBN assignments?  Formats are very important and that’s not reflected on the site.   On the main page of my ‘manage ISBNs’ page, they’re all listed as electronic book text if they’re not print books.  But we have to purchase/use separate ISBNs for epub and mobi files.  Why make me open each entry to find out which is an epub ISBN and which is a mobi?
To make me feel better about these purchases (and to follow your sales better, and…heck, even maybe purchase more ISBNs) how about a subscriber newsletter with tips and sale notifications?  A blog?  Something that shows Bowker is attempting to give more value for an author’s investment.

Making these changes, many of them minor tweaks, would make me feel less of a chump for going through this cumbersome, expensive process.

Do you use ISBNs?  Any other suggestions for Bowker?

7 author-friendly changes ISBN agency, Bowker, could make:
Click To Tweet

The post 7 Author-Friendly Changes Bowker Could Make appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

3 Reasons Your Writing Routine Will Land You On the Floor

by Colleen M. Story, @colleen_m_story

I was working too many hours a day. I knew it, but I had deadlines to meet. As a full-time freelance writer, it’s not like I could tell my clients I was getting too tired.

I kept going. Thirty-something years old, I wasn’t even thinking about my body. Sure, my back was a little sore when I finally shut the computer down for the night, but no pain, no gain, right?

I operated like this for months. Long hours. I still exercised—jogged several times a week and did about 30 minutes of yoga every night. I met my deadlines. But one weekend, while cleaning house, I leaned down to pick something up and lightning hit my spine.

I dropped to the floor. I’d never felt anything so painful. After getting over the shock, I tried to get up. The lightning came back. I waited a little while longer, and tried again. More lightning. Fire in my lower spine. I couldn’t move without reigniting it.

I got a little frightened. I worried something really serious had happened. But I can be patient. I waited. About an hour later, I was able to get up on my hands and knees. I could crawl around, as long as I was careful not to twist too much.

I slept on my side with a pillow between my knees. The next day, I could stand up, but I couldn’t lean over, not even slightly, without re-experiencing the horrible pain. I learned to walk like a robot, dreading any slight movement that would take me off-center.

A doctor’s appointment revealed I had herniated a disc. I was referred to a spinal specialist. Meanwhile, I returned to my yoga. I did slow, easy stretches every night. By the time I got in to see the spinal doctor a few weeks later, I had a nice lump in my back—which I still carry today—but I could touch my toes. I wouldn’t need surgery, thank heavens.

For the next two months, however, I had to do my work on the floor, with a notebook computer balanced on my belly.

I couldn’t sit, not even for 10 minutes, without suffering serious pain.

I vowed I would never let that happen again.

Today, I take regular precautions to make sure that yes, I meet my deadlines, but that also ensure I can keep meeting them without having to work on the floor.

If you’re a writer, and you spend more than an hour a day working at a computer, you’re at risk for back pain. Here are three signs that signal danger down the road—and accompanying action steps to be sure you don’t end up like I did!

1. You have back pain for more than a week.

May seem obvious, but ask yourself—how many times have you ignored those little aches and pains? I had quite a bit of “warning pain” before I ended up on the floor, but I ignored it, figuring it was just a sign of working long hours and I would be fine.

I’m not saying you have to run to the doctor if your back muscles are sore. In many cases, surgery, especially, doesn’t help.

“Studies that have randomized individuals with back pain to get either surgery or non-surgical treatments,” says Dr. Howard Schubiner, clinical professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine, “show little benefit to surgery.”

Instead, if you’re experiencing back pain, take it as a warning that you need to make some changes. We’ll talk about several of those, but let’s start with the most important one.

Action step: Cut back on the hours you’re spending in the chair. Sitting is the new smoking, they say. Studies have found it’s bad for you, on a number of levels. (Find more on that here—one study, for instance, found that sitting for more than 6 hours a day increased risk of death by nearly 40%.) In addition to affecting your overall health, it’s also horrible for your back.

When you sit, the top of the pelvis rotates backwards, which flattens the natural curve of the spine, creating more pressure on the discs. The best solution—get up and walk around. Every hour, take 5-10 minutes to walk. Set a timer. It’s that important.

2. You’re suffering from sciatica.

Maybe you’ve had it before, that shooting pain down the back of your leg. Sometimes we get it after a long road trip, or airline flight. Women may suffer from it during pregnancy. But if you’re experiencing it and you haven’t been traveling and you’re not pregnant, it’s time to pay attention.

Sciatica is a pain in the backside or a burning, tingling feeling down the back of the leg. You may also have weakness or numbness in the foot, and the pain may feel worse when you’re sitting. Usually the condition affects just one side.

Irritated nerves in the lower back cause the problem. It could also be a herniated disc. Like lower back pain, this is a sign that something isn’t right, and you need to make some changes.

Action step: Stretch.

Sitting tightens and shortens your hamstring muscles, which puts more pressure on your spine. Regularly stretching those muscles and the muscles in your lower back helps keep you flexible and pain-free.

I swear by yoga for back health. It’s the reason why I was able to recover on my own, without medical intervention. It also helps reverse muscle tension, and increases your endurance for working at the computer.

If you’re not into yoga, though, there are some stretches you can do to help reduce the pain of sciatica—and to prevent any future back problems. I’d highly recommend you get into a regular stretching routine that you do every day, no exceptions.

Here are some options to get you started:

Lie on your back. Pull one knee up into your chest. Grab the back of the leg and pull it closer to your chest. Hold for 20 seconds and release. Repeat on the other side, and repeat both 2-3 times.
In the same position, bring the knee up, and then, while keeping your back flat on the floor, take the opposing hand and place it on your raised knee. Slowly, pull that knee straight across your body toward the floor. You should feel the stretch in the lower back. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Sit up straight with your legs extended straight out. Keeping your back straight, reach your hands toward your toes. Bending from the waist, lean forward as far as you can until you feel the stretch in the hamstrings. Hold for 20 seconds, release, and repeat.
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Cross your right ankle over your left knee. Grasp behind your left knee and pull your legs toward your chest. Take care to keep the right knee away from the chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds, release, and repeat on both sides.
Try the pigeon pose. This one is great for opening up your hips and stretching your backside. It can be hard on your knees if you do it wrong, though, so I advise you to check out this video. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_zPqA65Nok)

3.  You aren’t making time for regular exercise.

There are some experts that will tell you core strength is key to avoiding lower back pain. It makes sense—strong abdominals help support the back.

But recent research has questioned the whole “do sit-ups to avoid back pain” theory. In a 2012 review, for example, scientists found that in the short-term, core exercises were better than general exercise at reducing back pain and disability. At six months and 12 months though—during a long-term follow-up—there were no differences between the two.

“[N]o significant long-term differences in pain severity were observed between patients who engaged in core stability exercise versus those who engaged in general exercise,” the researchers wrote.

Today’s research shows that by far, regular, general exercise is your best bet for avoiding back pain. A very recent review from Australia of over 6,000 studies, for example, found that exercise reduced risk of repeated low-back pain in the year following an episode by between 25 and 40 percent.

The type of exercise didn’t matter. Participants engaged in core strengthening, aerobic exercise, flexibility, and stretching. In addition, exercise outperformed other treatments, like back belts and shoe insoles.

“The end result,” reads a report in the New York Times, “was that if someone with a history of back pain exercised in a regular way, he or she was considerably less likely to be felled by more back pain within a year.”

This isn’t the first time scientists have come to this conclusion. A number of other studies have suggested that regular exercise protects against the development of back pain.

Action step: Move. This can be tough when you have a busy schedule, but try not to fall into the trap I did. Don’t wait until your body proves to you that it deserves your daily attention. Schedule time for exercise.

Head to the gym after work. Take a walk with your dog first thing in the morning. Join some friends for a walk during your lunch hour. Sign up for a cycling, zumba, or dance class. The type of exercise doesn’t matter. What is important is moving at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.

Have you suffered from back pain as a result of too many hours at the computer? Please share your story.

Sources

Xue-Qiang Wang, et al., “A Meta-Analysis of Core Stability Exercise versus General Exercise for Chronic Low Back Pain,” PLoS One, 2012; 7(12):e52082, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3524111/.

Rae Ellen Bichell, “Forget the Gizmos: Exercise Works Best for Lower-Back Pain,” NPR, January 11, 2016, http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/11/462366361/forget-the-gizmos-exercise-works-best-for-lower-back-pain.

Steffens D, et al., “Prevention of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” JAMA Intern Med., February 1, 2016; 176(2):199-208, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26752509.

Colleen M. Story writes imaginative fiction and is also a freelance writer specializing in health and wellness. Her first book, Rise of the Sidenah, was recently honored in the North American Book Awards. Her first literary novel, Loreena’s Gift, is forthcoming from Dzanc Books in April 2016. She is also the founder of Writing and Wellness, a motivational site for writers. Find more at her website, or follow her on Twitter.

 

 

 

Writing routines and back pain: 3 danger signs (via @Colleen_M_Story):
Click To Tweet

The post 3 Reasons Your Writing Routine Will Land You On the Floor appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

One Reader: New and Old World:  http://ow.ly/Y7lOp @deanwesleysmith

Writers’ Consortiums and Co-ops: What They Are and How to Start One:  http://ow.ly/YaXCN  by Ursula Wong

Finding the Energy to See Our Writing Through:  http://ow.ly/YaWSs @reallucyflint

Has the Fantasy Literature Genre Become Stagnant? http://ow.ly/YaYWF by Nicholas Cockayne

5 Ways to get Unstuck:  http://ow.ly/YaWZO  @GuidedGoals               

The 17 Most Popular Genres In Fiction And Why They Matter: http://ow.ly/YaWGM @writers_write

Indie Publishing Paths: What’s Your Pricing Plan? http://ow.ly/Y7m2Z @JamiGold

98 Book Marketing Ideas:   http://ow.ly/Y7m5V @dianaurban

13 Productivity Apps to Help Keep Our Writing Goals on Track:  http://ow.ly/Y7lTW @InvaderVega

9 Different Ways Writers Can Make Money by Writing:  http://ow.ly/Y7lAD @aliventures

The Importance of Keywords to Ranking Your Book on Amazon: http://ow.ly/Y7lKN @DaveChesson

Writing subplots: http://ow.ly/Y7lXP @Rachel_Aaron

How to Rock Your Resolutions:  http://ow.ly/Y7lw8 from Rock Your Writing

In web-based novel organizer @Hiveword, you can now track anything: http://ow.ly/YjngX

Plot Waste: The Hidden Problem in Plain Sight: http://ow.ly/Y7lci @Chris_Kokoski

How to Use Tough Love to Succeed as a Writer: http://ow.ly/Y7lF4 @colleen_m_story

Want to Get Published? 3 Things a Publisher Must See: http://ow.ly/Y7lpJ @MargotStarbuck

Creative Writer Worksheets: Personal Archetypes:  http://ow.ly/Y7lkr @evadeverell

How to Start Writing a Book: Use This Trick to Find the Time:  http://ow.ly/Y7lfM  @NovelizeIt

Huff Post: Pay Your Writers:  http://ow.ly/YvMxl @ChuckWendig {lang} @huffpost

Termination Fees in Publishing Contracts: Why They’re Not Just Bad for Authors:  http://ow.ly/YvYT1 @victoriastrauss

Tech Tip for Writers: Don’t Like Double Space Between Paragraphs? http://ow.ly/Y3uck @worddreams

400 Years Later: Bumping Into the Bard at Every Turn: http://ow.ly/YvFsq @Porter_Anderson

Free book formatting tool for writers: http://ow.ly/YvNQR @ReedsyHQ

13 Ways To Fix A Sentence: http://ow.ly/Y2Dp0 @Chris_Kokoski

Kobo CEO has stressed a positive outlook for 2016″:  http://ow.ly/YvETs @Porter_Anderson @mtamblyn”

How to Construct a 3D Main Character:  http://ow.ly/Y3ufs from ProWritingAid

The Hard Truth: Why You Have To Hustle For Kindle Reviews:  http://ow.ly/Y3uv3 @nmeunier

10 Things David Bowie Taught Us About Creating Art: http://ow.ly/Y3uxn @SuddenlyJamie

7 Tips for Using Hands-On Research to Enrich Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/Y3uaY @DelilahSDawson

Ancient Authors Teach Us About 1st and 2nd Sleep:  http://ow.ly/Y3ug9 @JillWilliamson

What is Theme, and Why is it Important?  http://ow.ly/Y3u8X @FlynnGrayWriter

Put Your Writing First: http://ow.ly/Y2D8u  @Rachel_Aaron

Tips for Choosing Viewpoint Characters:  http://ow.ly/Y2DkC by Chris Winkle

5 Top Myths about Writing + 1 Truth:  http://ow.ly/Y2D0B @DrHelenKara

Tips for becoming a writer from @HughHowey: http://ow.ly/Y2D5c

5 Steps to Creating a Great Audiobook:  http://ow.ly/XZqWG  @jayonaboat @JaneFriedman

10 Simple Ways to Boost Your Creativity:  http://ow.ly/YsWkC  @BlotsandPlots

Are you working on the right thing?  http://ow.ly/XZruN @timgrahl

Building Blocks of a Novel: Word Choice:  http://ow.ly/XZr3j @JulieEshbaugh

Finding Balance Between Plotting and Pantsing:  http://ow.ly/YsW6k @DavidBCoe

7 Tips for Using Hands-On Research to Enrich Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/XZs8R @DelilahSDawson

The day jobs that kept famous authors going: http://ow.ly/XZrXL  @rxena77

Most Common Writing Mistakes: No Conflict Between Characters:  http://ow.ly/Y2Dq5 @KMWeiland

The Unlikely Character That Will Take Over Your Story:  http://ow.ly/Y2DnJ @Chris_Kokoski

Why authors shouldn’t worry about selfpub book launch sales: http://ow.ly/Y2CZ2 @JohnDoppler

Comedy Writing’s Top Secret :  http://ow.ly/Y2DfD by Mark Shatz with Mel Helitzer

A tip for deepening character:  http://ow.ly/Y2DlR @JMJAuthor

What The X-Files Teaches About Writing Scary Stories: http://ow.ly/Y2DiT @drewchial

Tiny gains add up:  http://ow.ly/XZsFb @annkroeker

What TV Dramas Can Teach Us About Dialogue:  http://ow.ly/Ys6PO  @chemistken

Relative Pronouns: How Not to Ruin a Sentence:  http://ow.ly/XZqqE @epbure

Crime fiction: when one character is manipulated by another:  http://ow.ly/Ys6L5 @mkinberg

5 Reasons Why Teens Should Attend a Writing Conference:  http://ow.ly/YpqzE @tessaemilyhall

Editing:  Plot Structure:  http://ow.ly/XXWhn t @LaneHeymont

Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make with Author Photos:  http://ow.ly/XZqQL @MillCityPress

A Self-Publishing Checklist:  http://ow.ly/XZsUP  @MillCityPress

Dialogue In 5 Easy Steps:  http://ow.ly/XZssM @MiaJouBotha

Straying from the Party Line: Transparent and the New Reality of Streaming:  http://ow.ly/XZrP6 @cockeyedcaravan

The Ultimate Guide To Creating An Authentic Villain:  http://ow.ly/XZrBy @kj_bags

5 Planners for Writers:  http://ow.ly/XZqFq @besscozby

Is Your Frasier Crane Showing? Using Big Words In Writing: http://ow.ly/XXWqG @carrie_rubin

Avoiding Bunny Trails and Tangents in Writing:  http://ow.ly/XXWjZ  @_JennyMoyer

The tyranny of the calendar:  http://ow.ly/XXW9m @nevalalee

5 Tips for Using Comp Titles:  http://ow.ly/XXWoO @ceciliaedits

3 Reasons Your Books Aren’t Getting Amazon Reviews:  http://ow.ly/XXVXV  @nmeunier

On Being a Writer Who Can’t Read:  http://ow.ly/XXVyz @jamestatehill

Effective Ways To Deal With Character Deaths: http://ow.ly/XT1OG by Claire Cao

51 Great Similes to Spark Imagination:  http://ow.ly/XT1G5 @worddreams

Indies get a free book formatting tool from @ReedsyHQ: http://ow.ly/YnttM @Porter_Anderson

9 Simple Ways To Sharpen Your Manuscript: http://ow.ly/XT2w5  @ClaireABradshaw

How to Create an Author Brand: 4 Easy Steps: http://ow.ly/XXVR8 @ET_Scribit

When is the Right Time to Discount Your Book? http://ow.ly/XXVZs @dianaurban

Build Your Own Writing Education in 5 Steps:  http://ow.ly/XXVO7  @tessaemilyhall

How to Live Cheaply and Finish Your Novel:  http://ow.ly/XXVI7 @sunilyapa

Effective Outlining in Scrivener with Custom Metadata: http://ow.ly/XTnm5  @belalampert

How To Find The Heart Of Your Character:  http://ow.ly/XT2h8 @stephmorrill

Great Endings: Hero Gets Something More Valuable:  http://ow.ly/XT2tj @CrackingYarns

Three paradoxes of the writing life:  http://ow.ly/YkKdl  @Roz_Morris

Apple Makes it Easier to be an Affiliate: http://ow.ly/YkSCV

Doomed characters in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/YkEAR @mkinberg

Marketing Strategy for 2016: There I go    Elizabeth S Craig

The Head and Heart of Your Character:  http://ow.ly/YkEsJ @cluculzwriter

Gut Wrenching Deep POV:  http://ow.ly/YkEll  @cluculzwriter

‘A Book Is a Book’: Europe’s Taxing Dilemma:  http://ow.ly/YkE1B @pubperspectives @Porter_Anderson

29+ Ways to Market Your Book:  http://ow.ly/XT1JA @worddreams

42 Fiction Writing Tips for Novelists:  http://ow.ly/XT29p @WritingForward

10 Tips for Picture Book Writers:  http://ow.ly/XT2pg @worddreams

Big Picture Story Structure: 3-Act Structure:  http://ow.ly/XT1YE by John Wong

The 7 Core Chakras and How They Influence Creative Expression: http://ow.ly/XT1Bn @CreativeKatrina

How (and Why) to Write a Logline For Your Story: http://ow.ly/XT2cL @beccapuglisi

3 Things “Die Hard” Teaches About Writing Action Heroes:  http://ow.ly/XT22D @RogerDColby

Great Endings: what sort of transformation profoundly moves us? http://ow.ly/XT1qL @CrackingYarns

Get a Writer’s Notebook and Fill It with 6 Things for Inspiration: http://ow.ly/XT1vb @kylieday0

The Art and Craft of Author Interviews:  http://ow.ly/XT2ln  @SophieMasson1

Building a Relationship with Readers:  http://ow.ly/XT264  @ronvitale

Great Endings: What does your hero sacrifice? http://ow.ly/XT1mA @CrackingYarns

The links I shared last week: http://ow.ly/YjoaC .All the links I’ve ever shared (30K+, free and searchable): writerskb.com

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Translating Research into Fiction: http://ow.ly/XNqKW @sacha_black

In web-based novel organizer @Hiveword, you can now track anything:  http://ow.ly/YjngX

US Writing Conferences for 2016:  http://ow.ly/XNr6J @Savage_Woman

The Different Faces of Sherlock Holmes:  http://ow.ly/XMVgp @GenevieveCogman

How to Set Up a Website: http://ow.ly/XNqOw  @PubCrawlBlog

Social Media Tips for Keeping your Sanity:  http://ow.ly/XNqn9 @sierragodfrey

Why Successful Writers Need To Do More Than Write:  http://ow.ly/XMUum @bwilliamsbooks

 

 

The best writing links of the week on Twitterific:
Click To Tweet

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Introducing the Reedsy Book Editor

by Ricardo Fayet,  RicardoFayet, @reedsyhq

When starting Reedsy, our ambition was not only to connect authors with vetted, hand-picked editors, designers and marketers. As I wrote when I first introduced Reedsy on Elizabeth’s blog, “we are a technology company at heart”. We wanted to be more than a simple marketplace, we wanted to reinvent the way authors and editors work together – let’s face it, Word wasn’t made for writing books.

That’s why we’ve spent the past several months now on something that we like to call the Reedsy Book Editor. I offered a demo of the tool at the NINC conference last year, and now we are ready to make it live.

There are several concepts that went into building this tool. The first one lies in its design and user experience. There are countless text editors out there, some more beautiful than others, but in the end they all get the job done, and preferences are just a matter of taste.

In our case, our preference lies in simple, minimalistic design. Our product and design team took most of its inspiration from the blogging/publishing platform Medium – with whom I imagine most of you are familiar. We wanted to replicate the same intuitive experience Medium offers to bloggers and adapt it to a much more complex format: books.

You can read more about the design process we went through and the technologies we used here, but I’ll get to the point you’re probably waiting for: the features.

Writing in a beautiful interface – ok, we covered this already.
Painless formatting and export to ePub: our Book Editor respects the layout of an ebook. Therefore, you literally have no formatting to do: the table of contents, copyright page, chapter breaks and other subtleties are inserted automatically.
Automatic typesetting: that’s where it gets really powerful. You can choose between two print templates and export a professionally-typeset, print-ready PDF file.
Not really a feature per se, but worth mentioning: it’s 100% free.

What does this mean? You can write your book, or copy-paste it, into the Reedsy Book Editor and export an ePub and a print file, for free, in a matter of seconds. We have tested our ePub file on all devices and on Amazon’s mobi converter (which means you can get a .mobi file as well from it). And we have been working with IngramSpark to make sure the print-ready file complies with all their guidelines – and it does. Here is an example of what you can do in a few seconds with the Reedsy Book Editor; click on the image to download an excerpt from Michael Doane’s book, The Crossing.

In a nutshell, this means you don’t have to learn how to format or typeset anymore, nor hire someone to do it for you – unless, of course, you want a customized print product. As our designer likes to say: “machines can’t do art yet!”.

This is only the first version of the editor. If you were in the room listening at NINC, you might recall me announcing many more features, like collaborative writing, track-changes, comments, timelines, etc. These are coming, along with a wider selection of templates for the PDF, and you can get a glimpse of what they will look like here.

In the meantime, if you want to test the Reedsy Book Editor, just sign up to Reedsy, create a book, and start writing.

Ricardo Fayet is a co-founder of Reedsy . An avid reader and startup enthusiast, he likes to imagine how small players will build the future of publishing. He also blogs about book marketing on the Reedsy blog.

Reedsy offers a free book formatting tool for writers:
Click To Tweet

 

 

 

The post Introducing the Reedsy Book Editor appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Apple Makes it Easier to be an Affiliate

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Although I don’t make a fortune as an affiliate with Amazon and Apple, so far it’s proven to be reliable income.  And it’s  fairly passive income.

The only problem is that it’s something of a hassle.  You run your links through the retailer’s affiliate URL link-maker, it assigns your affiliate code for credit, and then if someone clicks on your link, you make a commission from whatever they buy on the site during that shopping session. I do keep my affiliate links in a document so that I can just copy/paste them without having to run through the link-maker again, but it’s still a bit of a time suck.  We also have to be careful to follow the retailers’ terms and conditions for use and be sure to put a disclosure on our site when we use these links.

Apple doesn’t ordinarily make my business dealings with them easy. I’m definitely not an Apple fan girl.  I find their site difficult to use as an author and am dismayed at the number of readers who have written me telling me they’ve had a hard time locating my books on their site.  This spurred me to change my website, create dedicated pages for each of my books, and include a direct link to Apple. I also find Apple the most difficult retailer to upload to.  And their royalty reporting reminds me of the reports I get from trad-publishers–inscrutable.

However!  A pleasant surprise from Apple recently.  I discovered that we can embed code in our blog/site’s footer section to have all Apple links automatically convert to Apple Affiliate links.

The link-maker is here: https://autolinkmaker.itunes.apple.com/ .  And a detailed walk-through of how to add the code in our footer for WordPress, Blogger,  and Tumblr is here. 

Another cool thing Apple has that Amazon doesn’t offer is the ability to attach a geo-prefix to our links so that readers are automatically redirected to their country’s Apple retail site.  With Amazon, we have to go through a 3rd-party to have our links automatically open in the correct country (and the 3rd party services I’ve looked into charge a commission).

The service was briefly explained in my Apple Affiliate newsletter that I recently received (I’m starting to benefit from the fact that I’m now opening these newsletters):

“Affiliate Tip

Ensure your link works globally by adding a geo prefix to the beginning of your link as shown in the example below. You can add this geo prefix manually to your links, or it will be added automatically when you use Link Maker. Having links geo ready ensures links work globally; this is especially important for music where songs and albums may have different iTunes URLs by geo.

Example link: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/25/id1051394208?app=music&at=1010laH6 ” 

My question is….can we get this cool geo feature to work with the auto-link-maker? I haven’t fiddled around with it to see, but it would certainly be convenient.

Have you checked into being an affiliate for your retailers? Any cool tips to share?

Apple's tool automatically changes Apple links to Apple Affiliate Links:
Click To Tweet

 

 

The post Apple Makes it Easier to be an Affiliate appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Supporting Characters: Allies:  http://ow.ly/XLEP8 @JadenTerrell  @KillerNashville

Improve Your Writing Platform (or Author Platform) in 30 Days: http://ow.ly/XLEWU @robertleebrewer               

“Familiarize with” and “Habituate to”:  http://ow.ly/XLEYq @MaeveMaddox

Scrivener Tips And Turning Failure Into Entrepreneurial Success:  http://ow.ly/XMIAg  @ScrivenerCoach @thecreativepenn

Considering the Irrationality of Your Characters:  http://ow.ly/XLF9c @SeptCFawkes

10 Tips to Writing from Multiple POVs:  http://ow.ly/XNqdo @aimiekrunyan

The Ultimate Pilot Story Checklist: Transparent:  http://ow.ly/XNqqD @cockeyedcaravan

Big Picture Story Structure: 3-Act Structure:  http://ow.ly/XMV4t by John Wong @mythicscribes

A Handy-Dandy Do-Over Tip: http://ow.ly/XNqVA @writingtracy

You’re Not Alone: Creativity and Depression” http://ow.ly/YhJXj @BlueSunDeb

16 Self-publishing Predictions:  http://ow.ly/XIJ0C @DebbieYoungBN

5 Reasons Writers Need Google Plus, Even Though New Google Plus is Awful:  http://ow.ly/YhJTw @annerallen

Shepherding a Self-Published Picture Book to Success:  http://ow.ly/XGF3T @sangeeta_editor @bbowen949

36 Plot Ideas for your Novel:  http://ow.ly/XLFaW  @JillWilliamson

Teaching Writing: Making Structure Visible: http://ow.ly/XLFfX @Betsy_writes

“Confused With” and “Confused About”:  http://ow.ly/XLF5m @MaeveMaddox

Most Common Mistakes: Ineffective Setting Descriptions:  http://ow.ly/XLF6H @KMWeiland

Fiction Writing Checklist:  http://ow.ly/XLFe7 @AJ Humpage

Public speaking for indie authors:  http://ow.ly/XIIkd @denisebarnesuk

Goodbye Shelfari, Hello Goodreads:  http://ow.ly/XIIB0 @LynneCantwell

10 Ways to Generate Story Ideas:  http://ow.ly/XIIRK by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

A Room of One’s Own: the Place in One’s Head:  http://ow.ly/XIIWU @jaqhazell @womenwriters

What Writers Can Learn from Failed New Year’s Resolutions:  http://ow.ly/XIIGi @rosannebane

Using Kindle Scout as Part of a Book Launch Campaign:  http://ow.ly/XGEWx @kb_jensen

Don’t put off writing: who knows what tomorrow brings? :  http://ow.ly/XIITH  @mdilloway

How to Create an Advance Information (AI) Sheet: http://ow.ly/XIIhl @DebbieYoungBN

Time-Saving Social Media Tip for Writers:  http://ow.ly/XIIHF @sararosett

Turning a bad critique into a positive experience:  http://ow.ly/XIIZ7 @BetterScribe

7 Tips for Writing About Other Cultures:  http://ow.ly/XIINE  @kathryntanquary

When to Use the Present Tense:  http://ow.ly/XIIDV @ceciliaedits

8 Strategies for Marketing Your Self-Published Book:  http://ow.ly/XIIQg @CSLakin

Tips for outlining:  http://ow.ly/XIIL6 @AmberSkyeF

How to Start a Novel: A Checklist for Editing Chapter 1:  http://ow.ly/XFKKu @annerallen

Writing Practice Scenes for Character Development:  http://ow.ly/XFKrF @lindasclare

The Paid Reviews Debate:  http://ow.ly/YaRQN @Porter_Anderson @JaneFriedman

Don’t Worry, It Only Gets Harder:  http://ow.ly/XFJy1 @DanBlank

5 Things 1 Author Wishes She’d Known Before Publishing Her 1st Novel: http://ow.ly/XFJkR  @MirandaBW

Why Outlining Your Scenes Will Help You Write a Great Novel:  http://ow.ly/XFJ8l @CSLakin

Setup and Payoff: 2 Equally Important Halves of Story Foreshadowing:  http://ow.ly/XFJbK @KMWeiland

Self Publishing as a Lemonade Stand:  http://ow.ly/XFJKc @jamesscottbell

Breaking Writing Rules Right: Show    Elizabeth S Craig

Accounting 101 for Authors: Types of Businesses:  http://ow.ly/XFJE0 @LongValleyPress

The Key Differences Between Middle Grade vs Young Adult: http://ow.ly/XFIZ5 @marielamba

Walking Away From an Unfinished Novel:  http://ow.ly/XFJ5y @AuthorLBrown

What Happens When One POV is Better? http://ow.ly/XFJgW @Janice_Hardy

‘A Hybrid World’ of Publishing. Harper Collins on Print in a Digital World:  http://ow.ly/YaSZt @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

Writers and other artists: 4 ways to take a compliment:  http://ow.ly/YaSeN @gigirosenberg

What Does the New @AuthorEarnings Report Say to the Industry? http://ow.ly/YaRjG @Porter_Anderson

Writing and the Creative Life: “Get a mentor”:  http://ow.ly/XD4xJ @gointothestory

The Hot Sheet: industry newsletter for authors (30 day free trial):  from @Porter_Anderson & @JaneFriedman:  http://ow.ly/YaR09”

#Marketing: Finding 1,000 True Fans:  http://ow.ly/XD4MY @JeriWB

12 Easy Ways To Boost Attendance At Your Book Signing: http://ow.ly/XD5h1 by Self Publishing Relief

Micro-newsletters:  http://ow.ly/XD59P @Janet_Reid

How to promote a book without using social media: http://ow.ly/XD4Hh @sandrabeckwith

3 Typefaces for Books: http://ow.ly/XD5dU @JFBookman

Writer Dilemma: Private Life vs. Public Figures: http://ow.ly/XD4JT @jamigold

How to Set Up Your Goodreads Author Dashboard:  http://ow.ly/XD87Y @CaballoFrances

Spark Inspiration and Ignite Creativity: Mindful Concentration on Your Place in Space: http://ow.ly/XD4B8 @jthomasross

Author Newsletters: 6 Tips for Smart Strategies: http://ow.ly/XD85Z @jamigold

Is the weather a major character in your stories?  http://ow.ly/XAvzH @calebpirtle

How Writers Can Craft an Effective Setting:  http://ow.ly/Y7l6b @MaryBuckham

Convention Basics: 5 Tips to Make Your Book Stand Out http://ow.ly/XAvRM @AP_Fuchs

10 Tips for Kickstarting Your Writing:  http://ow.ly/XAv86 @Joannechocolat

How to Create a Professional Press Kit in 8 Easy Steps:  http://ow.ly/XAvKS by Jamie Jo Hoang

7 Tips for Creating an Antihero that Readers Will Love: http://ow.ly/XAvbk by  Stephanie Norman

A 5-Minute Guide to Evernote:  http://ow.ly/XAw0e  @ckmacleodwriter

The First 3 Things You Need in Your Scene:  http://ow.ly/XAvwj @CSLakin

How To Write A Story With A Great Open Ending:  http://ow.ly/XAvta  @kerrycreas

On Writers, Hoarders, and Their Clutter:  http://ow.ly/XAvCM  @barryyourgrau @thelithub

Creating Characters Who Live Off the Page:  http://ow.ly/XAw6A  by Joseph Gartrell

20-Minute Macro Course:  http://ow.ly/XAvXf  @ckmacleodwriter

5 Ways to Create an Em Dash:  http://ow.ly/XAw2a @ckmacleodwriter

Publishing Could Be Causing a Writing Block:  http://ow.ly/XAw3K by Margo Dill

Goodreads: Housekeeping and Book Stats:  http://ow.ly/Y4vTY

Crime fiction: when characters say too much, it can get them in trouble:  http://ow.ly/Y4nlB @mkinberg

How to be more creative with help from neuroscience and Margaret Atwood :  http://ow.ly/XxsGp @KirstenFogg

How to Use Periscope to Build Your Writing Brand:  http://ow.ly/XxsDV @WillieshaMorris

Nonfic social media experiment combines Instagram and essays:  http://ow.ly/Xxt1o @vqreview

How Blogging Connects Authors with their Target Readers:  http://ow.ly/XxrS2 @VoicetoStory

Just Add Tension: How to Make Any Book Better:  http://ow.ly/XxsUH @aprilhenrybooks

How a Writer Stays Committed With No Promise of Success:  http://ow.ly/Xxsn2 @LisaRomeo by Sandra Hurtes

3 Things You Should Be Writing About On Your Author Blog:  http://ow.ly/XxsuB @standoutbooks

Writing Fantasy Fiction: How to Make the Magic Work:  http://ow.ly/XxsxH @standoutbooks

What Not to Say in Your Cover Letter to a Literary Journal (or any media venue, ever):  http://ow.ly/Xxsrz @LisaRomeo

How to Take a Break from Blogging (Without Looking Flakey):  http://ow.ly/XxrWm @BrooksEditorial

How the ellipsis arrived in English literature: http://ow.ly/Xxszn  @alisonflood @guardianbooks

Good Marketing vs. A Good Pitch: http://ow.ly/XxsNe @LaurieAshbourne

Does Your Saboteur Push You into Writer’s Block?  http://ow.ly/XxrnB @rosannebane

The best writing links of the week on Twitterific:
Click To Tweet

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Problems with Multitasking

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

We had a winter storm in North Carolina a couple of weeks ago.  Winter storms in NC are a big deal.  There are a few reasons for that. For one, everything shuts down…there’s no school, no businesses open, and no one at work.  Since these are rare occurrences in the  Charlotte area, there’s not much in the budget for clearing the streets. So…the stuff sticks around until it melts. The problem is that it gets warm enough during the days (45-50 degree F) to melt and then goes back below freezing at night and refreezes the stuff. Then everyone slips all over the road on black ice.

My husband called me on his way home from work right before the storm hit and asked if we needed anything.  I said no, that I’d run a slew of errands all day and we were fine.

My teenaged daughter was listening to our phone  conversation.  “Why is Dad even asking?  Doesn’t he know it’s you? You’re always prepared.”

It’s true that I’m a bit of a Girl Scout.  But then, I was a Girl Scout.

My daughter added something else.  “You’re so organized that you’re disorganized.”

I had to think about that one for a minute.  But then I realized that she was right.  I have a tendency to get into a frenetic pace and hop from one task to another, remembering something that needs urgent (or seemingly needs urgent) attention right when I’m in the middle of another task.

It’s multitasking. And, while I can multitask anything if vacuuming is one of the tasks, when it comes to things that require careful thought, I need more focus.  What’s more, multitasking makes me stressed out and generally unpleasant to be around.  I’ve also learned that, for me, multitasking usually isn’t as effective as focusing on and knocking out a single task.

Apps and Smart Calendar Use Help Avoid Multitasking 

Calendar: 

What’s helping is my attempt to prioritize tasks and my (new) understanding that I need to assign some tasks farther into the future. For example, I saw a cool article by CS Lakin on Jane Friedman’s blog and decided, “Yeah, this is really important. Have they changed the book description “show more” that much?” And I dropped everything and started working on it.  But I didn’t NEED to. Everything isn’t an emergency. I need to slow down this fast pace I’m setting.

This time, instead of multitasking or dropping one task to pick up another, I put it on my calendar to review on a future day.

The main tool that I use for keeping things on schedule is Google Calendar. It’s free and, since I have it on my phone, I always have it with me. I particularly like the “week” view on the calendar. When I see an opening, I  click on the day to create an event, and then type in whatever task I need to take care of. This makes me feel relieved immediately–that I don’t have to remember the task, and that I’m on my way to addressing it.

Apps: 

Another tool that I use for both general organization and my blog editorial calendar is One Note (which came included with my Microsoft Office bundle, but you can also download it…it’s free).  Sometimes when I’m doing business-related work or working on my book, I will get ideas for things that I want to share on my blog.  That’s when I add the post idea to a page in my Blog Notebook on One Note (One Note is set up with a notebook and page structure.  Although I like Evernote and use it for a lot of different things, for some reason the way you have to do “stacks” on Evernote doesn’t work as well for me as the old notebook/page system in One Note.

A new app that I’m using is Remember the Milk.  It’s free and integrates with online calendars like iCal and Google Calendar. You add tasks to be completed and a reminder will be emailed to you.  The tasks will also show up in the sidebar of your calendar.  I like the app and I’ve been using it for the past few weeks.  But I’m not sure it adds any additional functionality to my original system of adding tasks as events on Google Calendar. I guess the lesson there is…if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  But if you don’t have an established method of handling tasks, I think this is a great tool to try.

Another free app/site I’m using is 135 List.  It helps me prioritize my tasks each day.  So far it’s been a useful additional tool to supplement what I’ve already been doing. And it helps me remember what’s most important to complete instead of my scrambling around thinking everything is an emergency.

So now I’m not so organized that I’m disorganized. :)  How do you keep your tasks straight and keep from getting overwhelmed with your workload?

Apps can help us avoid problematic multitasking:
Click To Tweet

Image: MorgueFile: Seemann

The post Problems with Multitasking appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.