Quiet Keystrokes and Midnight Ramblings

On September 1st I filled the whiteboard above my desk with a list of goals for the month.  So far, with the day still young and a couple more items to be completed, I have met 12 out of 20 goals and I know that I'll knock out at least two more before the stroke of midnight. Were we having a two sided conversation instead of this rambling monologue, you might ask me why I set so many goals for September.  The simple answer is: Because I want to succeed.  At this juncture in my life, I am blessed to have no boss and no one to answer to aside from my own conscience and as with many things in life this blessing comes with a double-edged sword. On the one hand, life is a breeze without the hassle of being micro-managed by someone who has little time for anything other than pestering me about projects past, present and future.  I don't use an alarm clock any more, can go run errands whenever the mood strikes and can spend as much of my day watching Judge Judy as I wan...

Now that I have several articles in the pipeline for Associated Content , three manageable blogs and 1/3 of my novel edited, I decided it was time to add something new.  I want to start writing for magazines! I decided that I should make an attempt at writing for a magazine that I currently buy and read and so I contacted Action Pursuit Games to see what it would take to write for them.  As it turns out, to submit articles and photos to their magazine is a lot more simple a concept than I thought it would be.  To get set up, I had to fill out a W-9, and fill out a release of content for any written content and photographs that I might submit through the end of the year.  APG's writers and photographers have to fill out new W-9's and releases annually, which is nice so that it doesn't have to be re-done every time I submit something. Now that I've got all the paperwork submitted, all that I have to do is find something to write about!  I love the ne...

I spent the last weekend roaming downtown Atlanta for Dragon*Con 2010, and the experience gave me so much writing material that 9 days into the month I'm already meeting  my writing goals for September. Whenever you are feeling the pinch of writers block or you are backed up against a deadline and can't think of what to write, get out of the office and live a little! One of the easiest articles to write is a review of a product, service or event that you have used/experienced recently. Travelling (whether around your home-town or across the globe) gives alert writers volumes of experiences to write about.  Airlines, restaurants, shows and events, classes and films are all fair game for your review, and all you really need in order to write a compelling review is your own opinion. Although writing reviews may not be your favorite type of writing, and may not spur your most creative thought, they can help you to keep the writing habit going.  Getting into a dry-spell of ...

There comes a time in every writer's life when it's time to walk away from the computer and head out into the world for some inspiration!  For me, that time is now and in 24 hours I will be on my way to experiencing the fantasy, fun and intrigue that Dragon*Con has to offer! Heading out to conventions, especially those that surround the literary world, will hopefully give me a chance to meet other writers and see what is happening in the world of fantasy/sci-fi/fanfic.  It sure does help to know that not only are there other writers out there writing fiction, but that some of them are actually a success at it!  I intend to leave Atlanta on Monday enlightened, encouraged, and bursting with new ideas and concepts. If you aren't familiar with Dragon*Con I encourage you to check out their website at www.dragoncon.org and check out the immense width and breadth that this convention has to offer writers, painters, musicians and people who aren't creative but wh...