Interview with Kelly L. Stone

Kelly L. Stone’s motto for writing is simple: “No matter how busy you are, you can always find time to write!” And that’s just what her new book, Time To Write  proves. With over 100 quotes from successful authors worldwide, you’ll discover just what it takes to turn your hobby into a paid career.


What was your path towards publication like?
Even though I have worked a full time job my entire adult life, I had dreamed of being a writer since childhood. About eight years ago, after deciding that I couldn't put my dream on hold one more minute, I figured out how to find time to write even though I had to work a full time job and take care of a family.

After spending a few years learning the craft of writing and how to break into the world of freelancing, I began getting my work published in national magazines, and Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort each published several of my essays, and I also wrote a novel called Grave Secret that got published with Mundania Press.

By this time people were simply astounded that I was able to do all this writing and get published and still maintain my job. Eventually, they started asking me how I found time to write. So many people kept asking me that I knew it was time I wrote Time To Write to explain how I did it.

The book teaches anybody how to find time to write no matter how busy they are. It also applies the principles I used to start my own successful writing career while working and taking care of a family, as well as tips and advice from 104 professional writers, including 50 national bestsellers, on how they found time to write before they were career-published.


How can someone breaking into journalism find people to quote and how should they approach them?
My editor helped me arrange the interviews for Time To Write after I got the book contract. But prior to that, when I was writing freelance articles, I would hunt down experts (or sources) after I got the assignment from the magazine.

After the assignment was given, I would write to the expert's media representative and explain that I was writing an article for such-and-such a magazine, on assignment, give them an idea of what the article was going to be about, and then request a brief interview.

You can also use your family and friends for anecdotal information when appropriate. Chapter 9 in
Time To Write discusses this topic and also gives readers more suggestions.


When using quotes, from sources and experts, what tips can you offer new writers?

1. Ensure that you will get the quote 100% accurate by recording your interviews (check to make sure the interviewee is okay with this first, though).
   
   
   
2. Always triple check the spelling of the source's name before you turn in the assignment.
   
   
   
3. Write to the person after your article is published, email or mail them a copy of the published piece, and thank them for being a source.
   

In your book you touch on how to create a realistic goal sheet for writing a 500 page book within a 12 month time period. What did your goal sheet look like for this book?
I was under contract to write Time To Write in 5 months so my goal sheet varied a little bit from what's described in the book, itself. But in general, my own personal goal sheets look like this:

• At the very top I write my overall goal—that I will write 500 pages in 12 months.
  
  
  
• I break that goal down further into how many pages I will need to complete per month.
  
  
  
• Then I break that down into how many pages I need to complete per week.
  
  
  
• Next, I break that down into how many pages I need to complete per day in order to accomplish my overall goal.
  

In this example, 500 pages in 12 months is roughly 40 pages per month. That's ten pages per week, and if you write 5 days per week, that's 2 pages per day.

So then the goal sheet itself has 5 columns.

• In the first column I write the date;
  
  
  
• In the second column I put down how many words or pages I wrote that day;
  
  
  
• In the third column, I put down what chapter I'm on;
  
  
  
• In the fourth column, I put down the collective word or page count for the book;
  
  
  
• In the fifth and last column, I put down my weekly word or page count goal so I can compare my goal with my actual progress.
  

This way, I know if I need to do some extra writing that week to catch up when I get behind.

Just the act of tracking your writing like this increases the chances that you will do it every day—that’s a psychological fact. And it does give you a thrill to see how quickly the words and pages add up.

What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
I received so much great advice when conducting the interviews for Time To Write, like:

• Work a writing schedule;
  
  
  
• Write even if you don't feel like it;
  
  
  
• Set boundaries with your family members so that they know that when you're writing, you're working;
  
  
  
• Write on a laptop instead of a computer to eliminate the temptation to surf the internet.
  

But in a recent interview for my next book, Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind, New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak said of her pre-success writing days, "I believed in myself. If I'm not going to be supportive of me, how can I expect others to take the risk?" That's probably the best writing advice I ever heard—believe in yourself.

If you have that belief that you will persevere and make it no matter what, then you will do everything else that is required to become a successful writer. I call this having a Vision of Success, and it's critical.

Visit her at: AuthorKellyLStone.com

It’s a Green Thing by Melody Carlson

This is a guest post by Tina L. Scott (formerly Miller). Tina is a freelance photographer from Merrill, Wisconsin with a passion for writing. She can be reached at PhotographyByTina.com

Book
It’s a Green Thing...Diary of a Teenage Girl

Author
Melody Carlson

The Review

While I confess I haven’t yet read the first novel in this Diary of a Teenage Girl series by Melody Carlson, I had no difficulty picking up It’s a Green Thing and getting to know 16-year-old Maya Stark in this, the second novel, to star Maya. I quickly learned Maya is the daughter of famous performer, Nick Stark, who is always on the road on concert tours and a dysfunctional mother, Shannon, who is presently incarcerated for a number of charges related to illegal drugs, and she used to live in Beverly Hills where her life was totally messed up living with a family in that situation. She’s pretty much used to being on her own and is seriously considering filing for emancipation so she won’t be at the mercy of her mother should Shannon get released from jail when she appeals her sentencing in the fall—which is the last thing Maya wants.

At the beginning of the story—which is literally a first person narrative straight from Maya’s diary—Maya has moved in with her Uncle Allen and her cousin Kim, completed a few weeks of high school at Harrison High, summer vacation has just begun, and now she is about to embark on a community project to paint a mural on a local youth center building downtown to help beautify the neighborhood. While she’s a volunteer, her project partner, Marissa Phillips, who is two years older than Maya and just graduated, is a less willing participant—having been drafted into working on the project as a part of the community service she will spend the summer completing after being caught with alcohol in her vehicle. Marissa smokes, drinks, and likes to party; she’s not a big fan of “church people;” and she lives more of a wild life than Maya is used to.

On the contrary, Maya is just settling into the community, recently became a Christian and got involved with the church’s youth group, doesn’t smoke or drink, is an avid and outspoken environmentalist, and wants nothing more than a “normal” life free from drama. Despite their differences, the two girls genuinely like each other and it doesn’t take long before the two are close friends.

Maya and Marissa round up additional volunteers to help complete the mural, among them Brooke Marshall and Amanda Groves, two girls from Maya’s youth group who alternately help with the painting and irritate all the others with their holier-than-thou attitudes and comments, causing Maya to question what it really means to be a Christian. And that is just the first of what will be several situations that will prompt Maya to seek advice from her new friend and mentor, Caitlin, one of the youth leaders at her church.

Interspersed with tips for “green living,” Maya’s diary provides insight into the life of a 16-year-old girl and her concerns for her life. Through Maya’s reiteration of conversations she has with others, her diary also paints a more complete story of her life and provides good counsel to other teenagers wrestling with some of the same issues Maya is facing—like whether dating is right for her, whether dating a friend changes the relationship, how far to go with a boy, how to stand up for what she believes without imposing on her friends’ ability to make decisions for themselves even if she doesn’t agree with them, and how to forgive someone who has hurt you.

I think this is a great read for teenagers and will appeal to teen girls, especially those in their early teen years. It provides a solid foundation for girls who are struggling with various issues in their lives and presents a good Christian perspective in a way that is not preachy or talking down to them.

The story also presents some surprises for readers—situations and circumstances I didn’t necessarily see coming that will challenge Maya, her friends, her convictions, and her faith. We get to see all of them grow through this story, and that was the best part of all.

Order It’s a Green Thing...Diary of a Teenage Girl Today!

Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of the book to review.

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles like this, check out The Dabbling Mum eMagazine.

Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity

This seems to be the year of slowing down and repurposing one’s life. It could be due to the economy’s financial crisis, or it could simply be time to get back to our roots—our Christian beliefs, the very beliefs that helped create this great nation over 200+ years ago. Whatever the reason, I have found that slowing down long enough to live a purposeful life, versus living a life that simply goes through the motions, has been a challenge. It’s not easy to intentionally slow down when the world around you seems to continue at a speed of 100 miles per hour. And it’s not easy to “plan to slow down”.

That’s why when I heard about Keri’s book, Rest: Living In Sabbath Simplicity, I just had to get a copy! The book take a unique approach to slowing down and living a life that is “sanely paced” and “God-focused” as it discusses the history of the church in regards to the Sabbath, shares insights from others who’ve developed their own “Sabbath Simplicity”, and reminds us to avoid legalistic rituals that often cause undue stress and chaos instead of a closer relationship with God or our loved ones.

In Rest, Keri reminds us that “for Jesus, the Sabbath provided an opportunity to heal, to restore, to renew, and to invite those who’ve been left out back into the kingdom.” It was about bringing freedom. She goes on to say that we cannot rest when we live a life of consumption and consumerism, when we live a life that’s always on the go with continuous and never-ending “to do” lists, when we refuse to set personal boundaries, and when we allow ourselves to get so exhausted that we cannot think straight, cannot function properly, and cannot build quality relationships.

“Living in Sabbath Simplicity”, according to Keri, is about being “intentional without becoming institutional”. And it’s about finding a Sabbath practice that works for your individual personality and fits your individual needs. It about finding a balance and it consists of “resting, reconnecting, revising, pausing, playing, and praying”. It allows us to celebrate life, to draw closer to God, to let go of all the “should haves”, and to finally get that good night’s rest that’s been alluding us for so long.
Furthermore, Keri says allowing ourselves to rest…

• Is a luxurious gift.

• Allows us to be our true selves.

• Allows us to feel joy and contentment.

• Allows us to see the good in others.

• Allows us to put an end to the negatives and pessimist attitudes.

• Allows us to balance life.

• Allows us to reflect on life’s experiences, thus bringing deeper insights and nurturing personal growth.

• Allows us to be fully engaged in relationships, thus building real community.

• Reminds us where our true values lie and prevents us from getting caught up in media hype and other people’s value systems.

• Allows us “Sacred Selfishness” so that we can grow closer in relationship to God and Jesus Christ.

• Prevents us from running on empty, which depletes life of meaning and causes us to feel stuck in our situations with no hope in sight.

In the end, unplugging from the daily stress of life allows us to renew our energy, build stronger relationships, and regain enthusiasm for life


There is one thing you should be made aware of, however. Rest is not a step-by-step guide to changing your habits. It’s not a book about rules, rituals, or legalities. Rest is a book designed to get you thinking about your own life, your own needs, and your relationship with your heavenly Father. Keri shares insights, she asks thought-provoking questions, and she even nudges you in the right direction but she does not give you another to do list.

Order a copy of Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity today!

Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy to review.

Hope Floats, Again...

I Recommend Your purchase supports this site.

I just finished watching Hope Floats for the upteenth time. It just resonates with me on a level like no other film has. You'd think I'd be tired of it by now, but it's timeless.

If you've ever found yourself in a position you didn't want to be in and don't know how you got there in the first place...if you've ever found yourself wondering what happened to "you" the person...or discovered that that "American Dream" that everyone keeps reaching for isn't the dream you want...then you have got to watch this film. Or at the very least, read my review...Hope Floats.

Disclosure: I purchased this movie to review. This is "my opinion" of the product. I was not paid to give a positive review.

City of Ember

If you haven’t watched “City of Ember” I encourage you to rent or buy a copy. I first saw the film in the theatre, then later rented it. It’s a film with lots of imagination and one that can cause you to stop and think about your own “footprint” on the earth—and the footprints of the wars going on, right now. It’s truly an entertaining and thought-provoking film geared towards the entire family.

I Recommend Your purchase supports this site.

The film begins with a group of scientists sealing off a room—a room to an underground world in which citizens of earth must now reside in hopes of surviving the damages of a nuclear war.

The scientists manage to gather up enough supplies to last 200 years. But when the time capsule to return to the surface disappears, the next generation of citizens continue living underground—hoping for best as everything in the city begins to fall apart and supplies diminish. With the city’s life support system—the generator—on its last leg, everyone is going to die unless someone steps up to save the human race.

When Lina, one of the city’s youngest mail carriers, discovers a family secret upon one of her mail runs, she realizes that there’s more to her aging grandmother’s rantings about a family keepsake then she ever realized so with the help of her friend, Doon, they set out to save the City of Ember before it’s too late.

I do, however, have to warn you that you cannot watch this film half-heartedly if you want to know what’s really going on or if you want to get the full effect of the film. My son is a multi-tasker. He tried to watch the film, for the first time, while playing his computer game, W.O.W., like he usually does and found himself having a difficult time getting into the film. Once he sat down to actually watch the film, and could see with his eyes the cinematography, everything began to fall into place and he found himself captivated with the storyline.





Disclosure: I was given a sample to review. This is "my opinion" of the product. I was not paid to give a positive review.

Win Polymer Clay Book

I Recommend Your purchase supports this blog.

There's an artist interview up with Christi Friesen on my art blog. It's a great interview and a quick look into the life of an exquisite mixed media artist.

She graciously donated one of her books to help promote the studio five series.

All you have to do to enter this drawing is to copy the banner on the art blog, save to your computer as a jpg, then upload it to the sidebar of your blog. Drop me an email with your blog address and I'll enter you to win a copy of her book! Feel free to share this drawing with other artists.

But hurry! Drawing to be held March 1, 2009!

How To Publish Your Articles

Have you ever read a magazine article and thought, I can write that? Have you attempted to get something published only to find you scratching your head in complete and utter confusion? Are you ready cut through all that confusion and finally see your name in print?

Thanks to Jump’s book, How To Publish Your Articles, you can stop the endless confusion-induced headaches and get your name in print. In How To Publish Your Articles, Jump not only covers the basics of how the publishing industry works, but she guides you towards publication.

You’ll learn why having a solid understanding of the publishing industry can make the right publication say, “Yes! I want to publish your work.” In 12 chapters you will discover 28 points designed to launch your freelance writing career. Points like:

1. Why having a clear destination in mind can help you develop achievable goals.

2. Why you must be realistic with your reasons for becoming a published writer.

3. Finding space to work as a writer.

4. Understanding the differences between various publications: trades, consumers, journals, newspapers, etc. and how they work.

5. The steps an article takes from idea to publisher’s desk to printable form.

6. Developing an article’s topic.

7. Understanding the difference between first, second, and third person.

8. Understanding the difference between various article types: a commentary, a filler, a featured article, a side bar, an op-ed piece, a profile, a round-up, a review, etc.

9. Why narrowing down the publication’s audience can make a better fit for your article.

10. Finding the right publication for your article.

11. Creating your own market list.

12. How to request writers’ guidelines when not are listed on the publication’s website.

13. How to determine if you have the correct contact information for your submission.

14. Composing a cover letter.

15. Writing a query letter.

16. Formatting your articles so they look great upon first sight.

17. How to keep both assignments when a simultaneous submission results into two buying editors.

18. How to use a submission tracking chart.

19. How to use a self-addressed stamped postcard instead of a SASE.

20. Understanding copyright law.

21. How to properly handle a request to rewrite your work.

22. What to do when you receive several rejections for the same query or manuscript.

23. How to use a critique service or group.

24. How to develop your ideas and turn them into articles.

25. What to say to your editor during the initial contact.

26. How to interview your source under different circumstances.

27. Using copyrighted material in your article.

28. What to do when you’ve gotten in over your head and don’t understand your subject.

But that’s not all you’ll get! You’ll also receive:

• A sample tracking chart,

• Six sample cover letters designed to cover various submission situations,

• Two sample withdrawal letters, and

• Six sample query letters including one for the unpublished writer and a side-by-side comparison of a query letter that didn’t work and one that did.

And if that isn’t enough, Jump shows you how to outline your article before you actually write the piece. Finally, Jump shares valuable insight on freelance writing contracts.

Whether you’re new to freelance writing or ready to take your writing to the next level, How To Publish Your Articles offers practical, useful hands-on advice designed to advance your writing career.


Disclosure: The reviewer received a complimentary copy of this book to review.