Tag: planning

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Is It Too Late?

Hold Your Place

Recently, I had to pause several of my plans to help family. I got behind in my writing goals for the year. I kept doing basic social media posts, but that’s about it. My writing slowed and then stopped as I struggled to stay afloat. One morning, as I looked over my blank planning calendar, I felt a tremendous sense of discouragement.

What happened? How could I have messed up so spectacularly?

I filled in what I had done the weeks before. Doctor visits, babysitting, family obligations, and church. Had I failed? God called me to write, but He also calls me to care for my family. To reach out to people around me with love. While I filled in my planner, I prayed for God to show me where I could fit writing into my schedule again. I may not have moved forward with my goals for the year, I certainly hadn’t failed.

I’d held my place.

I hadn’t given up on my goals, only paused. A bookmark, if you will, in life. Holding my place until I can get back at it.

To set a goal is good, to meet the goal is great, to lose sight of the goal or miss it, is human.

If your goals seem like a distant memory or they are fading into the background, don’t give up on them. Remind yourself that you’re human and sometimes life calls us in a different direction for a bit. Just like a good book with a bookmark where you left off, your writing will wait for you while you hold your place.

Jill Chapman resides in Southern Indiana with her husband of forty-four years. They enjoy their country lifestyle and visiting with their children and grandchildren. Her life centers around her family and her yellow lab, Indy. She is an avid movie watcher, loves Mexican food, and enjoys watercolor painting. Jill says her life is like a good plate of nachos, a tiny kick of spice, and a whole lotta cheese.

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Writers Chat

Writers CHat Recap for April Part Two

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Increase Productivity with Flexible Time Blobs and Time Blocking

In this episode of Writers Chat, Patricia Tiffany Morris offers a fresh take on time blocking for increased productivity and mindful planning as we track the writing life. Whether you’re more creative right-brain oriented or organized left-brain focused, why fight with either side? We can discover greater peace when we allow ourselves to work in harmony with flexible yet orderly blocks of time.

Watch the April 18th Replay

Patricia Tiffany Morris is dedicated to bringing order to her life and making space for creativity. She invents geeky ways to wrangle the battling tendencies of her left and right brain endeavors. An award-winning artist, writer, and as an illustrator, tech enthusiast, and font creator, she uses color and mindful planning to increase her daily productivity and find time for a wide variety of pursuits. You can connect with Patricia on social media or at PatriciaTiffanyMorris.com

I Forgot But God Didn’t

Those who know Pam Halter usually equate her with fairies, dragons, and children’s books. But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, there was a time when Pam totally forgot she wanted to be a writer! In this episode of Writers Chat, Pam shares how God brought her back to what He had planned for her all along. If you need encouraging on your writing journey check out the replay.

Watch the April 25th replay.

Pam Halter is a children’s, middle grade, and YA author, but has fallen in love with writing short stories. When she’s not writing, she enjoys quilting, sewing, crafting, cooking, gardening, reading, Bible study, playing the piano, going down the shore (as they say in NJ,) and walking long country roads where she has discovered fairy homes, emerging dragons, and trees eating wood gnomes. It’s also the perfect way for her to enjoy God’s creation while praying and praising Him. You can connect with Pam on social media or at PamHalter.com

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for July, Part 1

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Plan Like a Boss, with Bethany Jett

In this episode, Bethany, an award-winning author and entrepreneur, shares a wealth of information about planning using Happy Planner products. This isn’t about a particular planner but about getting your life more efficient and organized. Remember, any planning system can be used, but take it from one super busy wife, mom, and boss, there is no substitute for keeping appointments and other important information at your fingertips with a planner or two. So, whether you are a veracious planner or you’ve never used a planner before, this episode has something for you.

Watch the June 30th replay

Manage Your Image Stream with Rhonda Dragomir 

Rhonda shares with us the importance of using the right size image with your message and how to use them across multiple platforms. It’s not enough to post several times a day on social media, but there is an approach for each platform

that can help you be more successful on social media. Are you needing to increase your platform? Are you struggling with platform? If you said yes to either question, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Watch the July 7th replay.

JOIN US!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Here’s the permanent Zoom room link. 

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming then we open up the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

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Magazine and Freelance

The Five Ps of Meeting Deadlines

Deadlines can be overwhelming. But with just a bit of preplanning, they can be managed without taking over your life. Here are a few tips to make the struggling and juggling a little easier.

Pray

Make prayer your first step in meeting every deadline. Take time to ask God’s blessing and direction on every project you undertake. The time you take to talk to Him about what you are working on will be multiplied as you write.

Prioritize

Make a written list or keep it in your head, but make a list. Which projects have the closest deadlines? (Sometimes it comes down to a few hours difference in the deadlines.) Which can be pushed into next week? All are important so be sure you don’t let one fall between the cracks.

Plan

Are there any projects that could share research? Even if not, decide what you need to learn, then set aside a specific time for research. Doing it all at one time will make your writing time more efficient. Just be sure to keep good notes as to what information goes with which project.  Also, plan some family time in the schedule. Even an hour at dinner with your spouse, playing with the grandchildren, or walking in the garden alone will refresh you and make you more productive.

Partner

No, I don’t mean look for a coauthor. Writing is not a solo occupation. Your spouse, your family, and others are an important part of what you do. If you have a season of heavy deadlines, discuss it with your family. Ask them to take some of your chores or to cook a meal to free your time time to write. Talk to your close friends and your prayer team and ask them to pray for you during this intense time of writing.

Persevere

Whatever you do, don’t let major deadlines weigh you down. Stand strong, work according to your devised plan, and don’t give up. Even though you are alone when you write, you have an audience waiting to hear the wisdom of your words. You are making a difference. Your words can change the course of someone’s day.

Now head back to the computer and write the words that will make you a life-changer. Martin Luther said it well. “If you want to change the world, pick up a pen.”

Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Her passion is helping others discover the joy of writing. Linda recently released Articles, Articles, Articles! and is the author of over a thousand magazine articles and 16 books including the new LINKED Quick Guides for Personalities. As Director of the Carolina Christian Writers Conference, Linda helps many writers take the next step in reaching their writing goals. Linda’s favorite activity (other than eating folded potato chips) is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by splashing grandchildren—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com

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Blogging Basics

Quick & Easy Blog Posting For The Holidays

Do you have a posting strategy for the holidays?

I read a post from a fellow author stating she will be off line for the rest of the year. She has already scheduled out all her content for the next six weeks. My first thought: I’m impressed. I am not a planner. I post manually and normally do not schedule. But after reading my friends post, I thought, how hard can it be?

Work Your Plan

Do you post your blog bi-weekly, weekly or monthy? Depending on your posting schedule, this will determine how many blogs you need to create to schedule for the rest of 2018.

  1. Schedule a time to brainstorm topics you want to post. For this column, I have a list of topics to cover into 2019.
  2. Set aside time to create your blogs with the topics you selected. This may be a block of several hours, or you may choose to write a blog a day for several days.
  3. If you are crunched for time or having writers block, considered updating an old post by adding new content. Or review an old blog and consider writing a Part 2 on the same subject.

You can find more content creation ideas here.

Posting Software

Once you have created your blogs, schedule your post manually or use scheduling software. Here are a few to choose from:

Buffer: Free Account – 3 social accounts, 10 scheduled posts per profile, Twitter, FB, Google+, LinkedIn, Instagram

Paid Account: Pro – $15/mo – 8 social accounts, 100 scheduled post per profile, Twitter, FB, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram

HootSuite: Free Account – 3 social profiles, 30 scheduled messages

Paid Account: $29/mo – 10 social profiles, Unlimited scheduling

Later – Free Account – 1 social profile per account, 30 Instagram posts, 50 Twitter Posts, 30 Facebook posts, 30 Pinterest posts.

Paid Account: Plus – $9/mo – 1 social profile per account, 100 Instagram posts, Unlimited Twitter Posts, 100 Facebook posts, 100 Pinterest posts.

Postcron: Free Account: None

Paid Account: $14.99/mo – 8 social media accounts (including FB, Twitter, Google+,Pinterest & LinkedIn) 2 Instagram Accounts, 100 pending posts

Whether you decide to post manually or use one of the above schedulers, have a plan to share your content over the holidays. Being consistent year around and continuing to build your blog content helps increase your visibility and helps with being discovered by search engines.

Do you post manually? What scheduling software do you use and like? What is your favorite feature? Comment below and share the goodness.

Evelyn Mann is a mother of a miracle and her story has been featured on WFLA Channel 8, Fox35 Orlando, Inspirational Radio and the Catholic News Agency. A special interview with her son on the Facebook Page, Special Books by Special Kids, has received 1.4M views. Along with giving Samuel lots of hugs and kisses, Evelyn enjoys hot tea, sushi and writing. Visit her at miraclemann.com.