Showing posts with label Author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author. Show all posts

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Getting Personal is Easier Said than Done

Not long ago I talked to you all about sharing more of my life. I asked the question "How personal is too personal?" And based on some conversations I had with friends, family and readers (via facebook), I had decided I would go ahead and start writing some of that.

Well, turns out that isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I felt almost like I was stripping naked in a room full of strangers! Eeek! I spent a few hours typing, back-spacing, typing again, back-spacing more, etc...all while getting interrupted numerous times by my munchkins. I started two articles on Hubpages and both sit there today unfinished and unpublished.

It's hard sharing some of those life-defining moments that helped shape me into the person I am today. If I put it out there, I do believe my experiences can help others. But I also know I am making myself a target for some. Does that bother me? I'd be lying if I said it didn't to some degree. I do think I will end up finishing those articles, but I now understand that it's not as easy as talking to a person about it one on one. When talking to someone in person, I've decided that person is ready (or I hope they are) to know those things about me that most would never guess. When publishing my experiences on a public forum, well, I have no control where that goes or who sees it or how they take it. I guess I kind of knew that going into this, but thinking about it while writing makes me more careful about choosing my words.

So anyway, one day, hopefully soon, I'll find the right words and the courage to finish those articles and put them up for all to see. Until then, this will have to be enough :) God bless!

Friday, August 26, 2011

My eHow Divorce...

As some of you know, I started writing for eHow a few years ago. At first it didn't pay anything, since it all has to do with ad-generated revenue, and you have to have traffic to make anything off of that. Anyway, eventually I started making a little money off of the articles there, and even mentioned that I wished I'd written more before the changeover to Demand Studio's new program of only on-staff writers and flat pay rates for articles.

The way they first handled the changeover was that you were still paid off of ad revenue for your initial articles, but had to become a staff writer and accept the new payment terms to have any other articles published on the site. I believe that they made this change to improve the quality of articles published on their site.

They did initially accept me as a staff writer, but I hesitated to accept these new terms and so I never did become a part of their staff. I still received payments for my original six articles though, until early this year when they discontinued even that part of their terms. They offered me a dismal amount of money for the rights to my articles (it wasn't even an amount I'd have accepted for one article, let alone six) and said if I didn't accept the purchase terms, then I would retain the rights, but my articles would be removed from their site. Well, I refused the terms and kept the rights. So, I'm no longer an eHow contributor. Ah, well, life goes on.

I'll be moving those articles I wrote over to HubPages soon. My earnings there have started to increase over the last month or so, and so I have the motivation to get back to work! Now that the kids are back in school, I'm hoping to have more time to write. We shall see.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Inside Scoop on Those Credit Cards

Did you know that according to CreditCards.com 98% of the revolving debt (which is well over 800 billion dollars) is from credit cards? While the amount of debt carried by the average American family might be surprising, the fact that most households utilize credit cards is common knowledge, and I'm no exception.

If you've wondered how credit cards can affect your credit rating, then I've got the perfect article for you. If you've found yourself in over your head with credit card debt, then that makes this article even more perfect for you. If you're ready to become more financially fit then read my article on HubPages: The Truth about Credit Cards.

Getting a handle on credit card debt and taking control of your credit score would be a perfect New Year's Resolution! Good luck to all of you who have this goal in mind.

Friday, December 24, 2010

I'm a HubNugget Candidate!

I'm sure many of you remember me telling you recently that I wrote about an experience I had with a homeless person on HubPages. Well, I didn't expect anything to come from it, other than to get people thinking about this issue, but it turns out, it got me nominated for the HubNuggets Award!!!!

This is an award than can only be won by new writers to HubPages and I'm so excited that I got picked! Winning it though, happens on a voting system. So if you wouldn't mind going to this link and reading it (if you haven't already) and voting for it if you like it (by clicking the vote-up button), then I would be very thankful!

By the way, I  hope you all are having a Very Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Christmas Entertainment for Families

One of our favorite activities as a family is watching movies. We like all kinds, but at this time of year we take out the Christmas movies and start watching them in November to get into the Christmas spirit. I decided to write up a short list on HubPages (though I made add to it later, as I realize I've left off lots of really good ones!) of some of the great movies we've watched again and again.

It's entertaining, cost effective (as we're only out the one time cost of the DVD--oh, and the popcorn) and it can create some great memories of time spent together family. So, if you're looking for some ideas to watch with your own family, or even on your own, check out my list. I'm open to hearing what you're all watching too. The list is by no means all inclusive!

Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Family

Friday, December 3, 2010

What's in Those Video Games?


If you're anything like our family, then you're probably overwhelmed with all the possible Christmas gift ideas for all the people on your list. One of the things that is probably on that list is a video game (or two!). But unless you're a big time gamer with multiple subscriptions to those gaming magazines, then you might be lost as to what kind of game you want to buy.


I've learned what works and what doesn't and have narrowed it down in my article for HubPages for those of you who are in the same boat I found myself in. Take a look!




Monday, November 22, 2010

I'm Not Wicked, I'm Just Crazy

We all heard the fairytales growing up, and enjoyed hearing the antics of both the heroes and villains. Have you ever wondered though, what the other side of those stories would sound like?

Well, now you can find out what the wicked stepmother says really happened in Snow White. You might be surprised at how it all went down!

Check it out! :)
I'm Not Wicked, I'm Just Crazy

Don't Go Broke Buying Those Books


If you're thinking about buying books for Christmas gifts, or any other reason, be sure to check out my tips on how to get them cheaper in my newest article:

Don't Go Broke Buying Those Books

It will not only save you money, but will give you more bang for you buck!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Are Parents Really Just Addicts?



It seems I'm finding all kinds of reasons to write lately, and today is no exception. When I logged in to the internet this morning I saw the headline to an article I just couldn't ignore. What was it? Parents Are Junkies. Did that just capture your attention in the same way it did mine?

I read it and had such a problem with several things stated in it that I did something I've never done before, I wrote a rebuttal. So a positive came out of the experience and I got to vent with my writing.

If any of you are interested in what I had to say, you can click on the link below here. Let me know what you think of my view.
Are Parents Really Just Addicts?

Monday, November 15, 2010

Lost Time


I spent a part of the weekend polishing up more of my fiction. I've got another one on Hubpages for those who are interested in reading it.

I might not be making a ton of money by putting these up, but I love sharing them. They're likely to get more attention this way than sitting in my desk drawer, right? Plus, I really love going over it all again. The nostalgia is great! :)

Lost Time

If you like this, or any of my other short stories, feel free to share them. It's really easy to link to them :)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Forgive Me, Daddy


Here's another story I put up on Hubpages today. All-in-all I think it's been a very productive day. It's felt really good to pick up my fiction again for a bit. Even just polishing it up and then writing a short history on it is a great release. I think I'm learning from this experience too.

Don't worry though, I promise not to stop doing articles;-)

Forgive Me, Daddy

Shadow Of a Man


First of all, Happy Veteran's Day! I'd like to thank all the men and woman who have and are serving our country and protecting our rights. May God be with you always!

I decided some time in the middle of the night last night that I wasn't going to let my short stories sit in a drawer, gathering dust anymore. So I decided to put them on HubPages to share them, along with a little bit of the history behind them. There's even a chance that I can make money from doing something else that I love! So if you want to read some short fiction, the link for the first one is below here. It's an appropriate read for this holiday :)

Shadow Of a Man
*The picture here is of the war veteran this story was written for*

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Another Avenue for Revenue


After much research today, I've discovered another way to make money writing. If you like to share your experiences and wouldn't mind making money doing it, check out HubPages. You can also make money by referring others. It's a pretty straight forward process to write articles and then link your adsense, amazon or other affiliate programs to your page; therefore generating revenue for your pocket.


Here's the link to my first Hubpage:
How to Modify Your Mortgage

Another great thing about this is that I get the word out on how to be successful in modifying your mortgage. Two birds, one stone (not that I'm into killing birds, now that I think about it. Whoever came up with that saying anyway? Hah!).

Friday, April 17, 2009

Back to Writing

I've been thinking a lot about writing lately. I do consider what I do here as writing. After all, it's article writing in a sense. But truly, my first love has always been fiction. I've been blessed with an overactive imagination. My kids have always loved it when I come up with little "what would happen if..." stories for them, but that's not really the area I most excel in--though it is a lot of fun to make up a story that puts the wicked witch of Snow White as the good guy. Haha

I've had a story in my mind for several years now. I've outlined just about the whole thing in notebooks and know what I want to do with it in my mind. I also have a very rough draft of the first 80+ pages. The problem? I'm not such a good mommy when I'm in writing mode. I'm inattentive, impatient and totally absorbed in what I'm doing in front of me (lost in the world of my creation, is a good way to put it).

I thought about, and tried to put the story on hold while raising my munchkins, but it just won't stop running through my head. It's still there, no matter how many articles I write, different subjects I research, or boo-boos I kiss.

So, what to do? I got inspiration from reading an author's (whom I'm a huge fan of) website. She's written several books all while being a mommy to three (one less than me, but who's counting? LOL). She's become hugely successful and it all started with a dream (as coincidentally did my idea). If you haven't guessed who I'm talking about, it's Stephenie Meyer.

I actually haven't visited her site before yesterday, despite discovering and devouring her twilight series last year. When I did visit it yesterday for the first time, I found the story behind her popular series very inspiring.

I went to bed last night thinking about how I too, could try to make a go of my dream. Writing has always been a passion for me, and it's an incredible release. But the fact is, my family will always come first. I don't want to be a half-decent parent. I want to be the best mother. I'd started to assume that meant I couldn't do my book. But I think I was wrong. I think I just need to do what I've been fighting against, and create a workable schedule (I hate schedules--haha). I already know I have my hubby's support, and that helps.

This definitely isn't a get rich quick scheme, though if I'm lucky, and do it right, there is the possibility of making money at it. I think I'm going to go revisit those pages of my dusty novel--perhaps while the kiddies are still abed dreaming. I usually take that time to sleep too, but I know I could get by with a bit less sleep, and feel even more fulfilled than I already do (since I get a lot from being a mom).

If you're a writer looking to improve your writing skills or get your work published, there are some great places to start out there:

Writer's Digest is a great way to get started with access to books, magazines, competitions and more.

Zoetrope is a great place to network with other writers and share work. Though it is not one-sided and you require work on your side. The site is entirely free.

WritersNet also has it's value for the writer, publisher and literary agents out there with its resources and discussion forums. Another free site!

WritersMarket is a great resource if you're wanting to know where to submit your work. You can even try it online risk free for seven days. If you buy the book, I believe they give you a promo code to access their internet resources for less.

You shouldn't have to spend a lot of money, or even any at all to make this happen though. Your local library and the internet are great places to look for information when your wallet is empty. If you do have some money to spend and want to comparison shop to get more for your money. Amazon and Ebay are good places to look.

So that's what's been on my mind today. I'm glad to have shared it with you:) Keep dreaming and make it a reality!