Becoming A Writer Seriously

While this blog was on “cruise control” for a week, with several pre-posted articles, it also went silent for almost a week, as some of you may have noticed. The amazing thing is that during these two weeks, subscriptions have soared over 300, Technoriati has finally taken notice of the blog [counting links from 82 different blogs] and the current poll has attracted lots of attention.

Thanks to all for pushing our community of writers forward.

I have a three-week working trip to Europe coming up in June-July.  Hey, maybe our readership will jump to 500 this next time around.  At the instruction of Dustin Wax of The Writer’s Technological Companion, I’ll try to pre-post a month’s worth of items to cover the blog while I’m travelling — it’s a convenient trick made possible by my blogging software Word Press.

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I got home yesterday after a draining, but successful two-week trip and discovered that I failed to catch a recent Giveaway of the Day program: RecentX.

I was so impressed with the program’s demo that I downloaded it anyway for evaluation — and perhaps purchase. If you juggle lots of documents, folders, programs and websites, you know how frustrating it is to dig down through Windows Explorer and various history lists to get to what you are after. RecentX makes it a snap. It intuitively gathers locations of your most-accessed files and sites into clear lists. To see how it works, just view the demo’s at the program’s homepage.

For me, the program still seems worth the purchase price of $19.95 for the time and frustration it will save.

Today’s Giveaway — not productivity-related, but it may be useful

If you ever need to make screenshots, you may also wish to download today’s Giveaway of the Day program: TNT Screen Capture. I use several such programs, and this one looks like it’s one of the very best and most powerful. I’m sure you will be seeing screenshots on this blog taken with the program. Grab it, while it’s free — today only. By tomorrow, the program will slip down onto the “recent giveaway” list

Now back to my heaping backlog of work. Next week, I expect to have a software review or two to post.

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Since I have been knocked completely off schedule due to a family medical emergency, now is a good time for you to become completely familiar with The Writer’s Technology Companion.

Dustin Wax’s new blog is beginning to establish itself within its first two months as perhaps the best blog covering issues relating to writer’s productivity. With several years experience as one of the top blogger’s on the internet as a major domo at Lifehack.Org, Dustin brings to his writer’s blog perhaps an unparalleled range of experience and knowledge. His blog shows it: meticulously conceived and designed, any blogger can learn just by examining the structure of his blog. King, however, is the content.

Dustin has just finished a clearly written, 5-part series on publishing your own ebooks. And following his own advice, the series is now available as a short, free ebook that many writers should download to their ebook library. He has a bunch of other 5-part series up his sleeve. You see, Dustin mapped out months of content even before going public — talk about a writer who’s organized!

Anyone who has subscribed to Becoming A Writer Seriously — at last check about 280 subscribers! — should definitely subscribe also to The Writer’s Technology Companion. These two blogs closely parallel each other: similar in concept and coverage, but with somewhat different styles and emphases.

Other Diversions

While I’m at it, directing you to other sources, check out the recently released Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers. You will find it in the current issue of the magazine, which hit the newsstands just a week ago. Eventually the list will appear at the magazine’s website too, if you prefer to wait. Or you can order the magazine’s Writer’s Ultimate Resource Guide 2008, a CD which also contains the website list.

While on the subject of the list, I’m rather surprised that there is not a category there for blogs and sites which deal with “productivity.” Maybe next year, Maria? But then, I’m prejudiced, aren’t I?

Mac users should check out the computer section of your neighborhood magazine stall for the magazine [I forget which one] with a cover story comparing iWorks and Microsoft Office. One of the reviews compares the word processor component of these competitng suites, with some startling and informative conclusions. And there’s a companion article identifying many of the other word processing programs available for the Mac. I was surprised, however, that Scrivener was not included.

I hope these diversionary suggestions will keep you occupied for another week or so. I hope to back with some new software reviews by mid-month.

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The free Open Office suite can now be dressed up with a bunch of tools designed especially for writers, offering some tricks not readily available anywhere else. This extension is aptly called Writer’s Tools, now in version 0.9.1, but still in development with new refinements announced periodically.

Here are some of the extension features, as described at the tool’s download site:

• Lookup Tool allows you to lookup the currently selected word in several online references, including Cambridge Dictionaries, WordNet, and Google Define.
• Google Translate allows users to quickly translate selected text fragments between different languages using the Google Translate service.
• Show on the Map tool allows you to select a city, a street name, or a postal code and map it using Google Maps.
• Email Backup can be used to quickly send a backup copy of the currently opened document to a specified email address.
• Multi-format Backup macro saves the currently opened Writer document in the Word, RTF, and TXT formats. The backup files are stored in a separate folder with a date stamp. On Linux, the macro also archives the resulting folder using the tar utility. On Windows, there is an option to use the 7-zip compression tool.
• Remote Backup allows you to quickly save a backup copy of the current document on a FTP server.
• Wikify Word tool links the selected word in the current document to the created on the fly page. For example, if the word “Monkey” is selected, the macro automatically links it to the created Monkey.odt document.
• Start/Stop Timer tool can be used to keep tabs on time spent on the currently opened document and save the time data (the document name, used time, and date) in the accompanying WriterDB database.
• Word Hunt Game is a simple game, where you have to guess the word randomly picked by Writer.
• Word of the Day tool picks and displays a random word and its definition from the from the accompanying WriterDB database. As a writer, you may often come across a new word or an interesting expression. The WriterDB database allows you to store your language findings in one place, while the Word of the Day tool helps you to keep them active in your memory.
• Add to Basket tool designed to quickly add text snippets, links, and notes to the supplied database. You can also categorize and tag the added entries.
• Tasks tool is a no-frills to-do manager that allows you to quickly add, view, and purge tasks.
• Writer Templates is a separate extension that contains an article and a book templates.

That’s an awesome array of tools. I’ve been procrastinating about installing Open Office, but this suite of tools has kicked me into a download. I wish to thank Lifehacker for bringing to me the announcement of Writer’s Tools, along with a screenshot of the extension’s drop-down menu of tools.

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One of the genuine classics in books about the writing life is Dorothea Brande’s Becoming A Writer, first published in 1934.  Fortunately, it has been reprinted, with a foreward by  John Gardner.  This book offers very wise insights into the process of writing.  It served as one of the inspirations of my blog.

You can order a copy via Amazon from the Productivity Store, an Amazon “storefront” which I have personally customized for writers.  You’ll find there the books that I recommend in many different categories of writing.  Consider this your very own online store for your writing needs — books, hardware, software, it’s all here.  And it is often updated with new selections, carrying my own brief blurb — and a click will take you to the Amazon page featuring full information about the book, with especially useful user reviews.

I consider this “store” one of the more valuable features of this blog/website.  I hope you’ll take a look.

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Words can be very visual — and lots of fun.  By happenstance, I’ve come across a couple of websites that truly demonstrate that.

Visuwords

Visuwords is an absolutely intriguing website that does graphical wonders exploring meanings and connections of words.  It’s been around for almost a year, but I only discovered it within the past week.  If you care about words, you really must take a look.  It’s a truly valuable and FREE tool.

Hot For Words

I can hardly believe this discovery:  words can be very sexy indeed!  Something of an internet sensation, Marina is a Russian who’s put up her site Hot For Words to teach people about the etymology of English words.  Would you believe that the site has received over 47 million hits within 8 months?  And that she’s just been featured on the Bill O’Reilly show — talking about words, not politics?

How can etymology be such an astonishing hit?  To give you a hint, she’s been nominated as “the sexiest geek” on the internet.  You will have to take a look — first, tuck the children in bed and buckle your seat belts — and you will see what the fuss is all about.

Lest we be distracted, the material which Marina covers — or uncovers? — is genuinely interesting to word lovers.  Just close your eyes and listen.

WordWeb

While I’m on the subject, I’ll mention again another useful and free tool to help you with words.  WordWeb is a software that has several faces:  one can access it online, install a free version on your computer, buy a more powerful PRO version — or even get the developer’s version so that the dictionary-thesaurus can be tucked into word processors.

Since this post focuses on the fun side of words, you may also be interested in this company’s tool for crossword fanatics:  Crossword Compiler.  This program actually has been around for quite a long time.

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Frankly, I’m astonished at the results of our poll about the word processor preferences of you, the readers of this blog. Just take a look to the right to check the poll — and vote on your choice, if you already have not done so. Once you vote, you will see the results.

As I write this, over 100 readers have voted. And, to my amazement, the results are absolutely evenly divided among the four choices. Only a quarter of us rely exclusively on Microsoft Word, while another quarter of us supplement Word with other word-processing tools. Yet another quarter prefer other word processors, but turn to Word occasionally, and the remaining quarter never use Word at all.

These results point to an interesting hypothesis: Aside from the business world, where Microsoft Office is so dominant, folks who identify themselves as “writers” are much more adventuresome in their choice of word processor. I was not expecting this outcome.

Perhaps the results are a reflection of this blog’s readership, writers who are attracted to discussion about the tools of writing. The results also mean that our readership obviously have a lot to share about their own thoughts and experiences regarding writing tools.

Now I would really like to know: what writing tools do YOU use? what are the reasons for YOUR choices? Please take a couple of moments and share your thoughts by clicking on the COMMENTS link at the end of this post. It’s time to speak up!

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I’m posting this newly uncovered group of blogs and websites about book promotion as much to gather feedback from writers, as I am to pass on information that might be useful. I recognize that these are “commercial” sites, selling services to writers seeking to promote their own books. I raise the question: Are services such as these productive? Or just a waste of time and money?

This constellation of sites revolves around its central point at Cyber Book Buzz. Essentially, the site promises to write and post a review of your book online — for a pirce, of course [$99 or more for a one time posting] Cyber Book Buzz also claims that over 100,000 people, many in the media, read their RSS feed. It has two affiliated blogs where reviews are posted: AuthorList, which does not appear to be very active, and Blogging Authors, which features book reviews and author interviews and which seems to be the most active of these sites. The first two of these sites are infrequently updated, suggesting the services are not catching on. Blogging Authors, however, the site I uncovered first, seems to be different. Also offered via that site is an eBook, Blog Your Book To The Top, available for download for $29.95. The content appears to be mostly elementary, but the undercurrent information about driving traffic to your site, may be useful to newcomers to the blogosphere.

I’m always dubious about sites where one pays for exposure. On the other hand, I’ve certainly come across some that look like they really would be helpful.

What are your thoughts? Have you had experience with such book promotion sites? Can you recommend other such sites for consideration by our readership? Click on the COMMENTS link, and share with us.

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Maximum PC, of all places, has uncovered some new ventures into book marketing and distribution and provides a very brief news item in its May issue, just now hitting the newsstands. The news is so fresh that it’s not even up on the magazine’s home page yet. Of course, I had to dig deeper.

Random House has come up with a clever new marketing ploy, selling individual chapters of books. It describes the scheme this way:

Sometimes what you want is a slice instead of the whole pie. That’s why we’re offering a new reading experience– the ability to purchase individual chapters. Imagine that! Downloading and reading exactly the part of a book that meets your needs.

The publisher is testing this scheme with the book Made To Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, with a website page devoted to offering chapter by chapter downloads for $2.99 per chapter. Of course, such a scheme works best with books with “stand-alone” chapters. BUT perhaps this might lead to the re-invention of serialized novels, like those of Dickens a century ago.

Random House also offers at its website a very useful “Browse and Search” facility for many of its books, powered by Insight widgets. A click on any book cover with the “Browse and Search” tag will bring up pages that you can flip through, rather like browsing in a bookstore. Bloggers and writers with websites can even embed selected books into their sites to help readers find and buy the books. I’m intrigued by this feature and have posted a sample at the bottom of the sidebar of this blog.

Harper Collins has an even more audacious marketing strategy. It picks certain books to feature for one month on its Browse Inside page. From this page, one can open the book online and read the entire book for free. The premise of this scheme is that some of the readers who look into a book for free will decide to buy a copy. Maximum PC reports that this “enticement model” was pioneered by Boing Boing editor and sic-fi writer Cary Doctorow, who has offered his books for free downloads. His own publisher, Tor Books, has picked up on the idea by offering free ebook copies of some of its titles. A new Tor website is coming, but in the meantime, curious readers are invited to subscribe to the publisher’s newsletter, which will offer a different free ebook each week.

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I’ve come across a few items on the internet that may be of interest to you, so here they are:

Gateway to Research Resources

The blog Write to Done carries a recent guest column by Clay Collins which is the best post I’ve seen anywhere about the various online options for serious research. I do tons of online research, but Gary has uncovered routes I’ve never heard of. This post deserves a bookmark on your browser for easy access.

From Blog To Book

The New York Times has published an article about yet another blogger who has been signed to a big book deal. Talk about a “fast track”! Christian Lander launched his blog only in January, and by late March he had a $300,000 book deal.

One insider quoted in the article suggested that there’s a trend developing among literary agents to scour the internet blog world for potential books and authors. Read the details here.

By the way, nobody has called me yet.

Organizing Your Start Menu

Yesterday I noticed a sidebar ad at CNET for a how-to video on organizing one’s cluttered Start Menu. A cluttered Start Menu truly slows me down enough that I’ve done something about it on my system. I’ve written about that task a couple of times already, but the topic deserves occasional revisits.

Today I went in search of that sidebar ad, but it had rotated off the page. A Yahoo search turned up something similar, from months back — I thought it worth sharing. The demo how-to is at Lifehacker.

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The online Publisher’s Weekly newsletter earlier this week offered an important article looking into the recent announcement by Amazon intimating that it may only distribute print-on-demand books prepared by its subsidiary Booksurge. The implications of such a move are signficant for writers considering the self-publishing route.

The article includes reactions from the CEO of Ingram Book Group, which has an interest in the competing POD publisher Lightning Source. Obviously, Amazon’s announcement is raising a lot of questions within the industry.

These questions are more fully explored in a blog article by Richard Curtis at EReads. Richard brought my attention to his own reactions via the comments section under the PW article.

Late in the week, PMA, an association of independent book publishers, issued its own statement, again reported by Publisher’s Weekly, objecting to the Amazon announcement and has called on Amazon to rethink its strategy.

Both the PW articles and the EReads reaction are important reads for writers as they look toward the future. This is a matter worth tracking.

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