I’ve been blogging regularly since 2009. I’ve had several blogs on a couple different platforms. I started this blog in 2014 to show my writing journey to publication. I made it. I’m published. But I have other interests and things God is preparing me for.
So rather than publish every week, at least for this summer—I’m taking a bit of a break.
I’m only going to write when I feel I have something to say. Something important. Something eternally significant.
Feel free to enjoy the archives—which I know you do. What is it about “Stuck—A Winter Disaster Story” that intrigues you readers so much? It’s summertime, and people are still reading it. I am pleased and amused.
And let me know what you’d like to see on this blog. I’ve kind of changed the focus, and I may do so again—but I love feedback. Id’ love to know what you like about the website, and what you don’t.
Nearly five years ago, and next week we’ll celebrate more, I started this blog. I’d been blogging on another platform with other emphases. But I started this one after I closed my homemade organic chocolate truffle business in 2014. I’d been making chocolates for seven years. I was getting older and wanted a change. I decided to give writing one last push. #amwriting #BLOGbirthdayFeb172014 #fiveyears @donnalhsmith @a3writers
2014 was a pivotal year for me. I was gonna turn sixty, yes, sixty. Let’s put it this way, I wasn’t looking forward to it. My husband has always looked forward to milestone birthdays because that puts him in another runner’s category—being the youngest age in an age group, rather than the oldest.
For this week and next, I’ll be recounting and re-posting some of my earliest posts from this blog. Originally, I wanted to talk about “process.” How life is a process. That becoming a writer is a process, just as becoming published is.
You’ve seen my sorrows and my rejoicings on this blog—all about the process of getting my first novel published. #amwriting #BLOGbirthdayFeb172014 #fiveyears @donnalhsmith @a3writers
Thank you for reading this blog. I appreciate each and every one of you. From time to time, I either expand or cut back the number of posts per week I publish.
For several years now (and the blog is only four years old), mostly I publish twice a week. On Tuesday, I publish an encouragement or inspirational post. Wednesday posts have always been about the craft of writing.
I’m switching things up this year. Last year, I changed the WordPress template I’ve been using to get a new look.
Starting next week, I’ll continue the Tuesday inspirational post, but the Wednesday post may either be a continuation of Tuesday, or something completely. I’m not sure yet.
Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you.
I don’t know what else to call this. It’s a day late, which is kind of the story of my life. I’ve dreamt of being late to work, late to school, late to church––for many years. I also feel I’ve been “late” to life, although I was a preemie. I should have been born in September, but apparently, I couldn’t wait, and entered the world in August. #blogpost #lateinlife But ever since, my life feels “late.”
Last week, we established that “platform” is your sphere of influence. In today’s changing world of publishing, authors need to be entrepreneurs and help sell or entirely sell their own books. Publishers used to pay authors an “advance” on royalties. Many traditional publishers have dropped that practice, or offer extremely low advances, some as low as $1,000. Click to Tweet #amwriting #platform
The new “buzz word” is “discoverability.” How easily will readers find your book? That translates into how easily can readers find you? That’s what we’ll be talking about in this series. This week, I’ll be talking about blogging, but we’ll get into social media beginning next week.
On February 17, 2014, I started this blog with a very short post about a novel process. Since then, we’ve grown some. This blog has readers from around the world, well over 40 countries. I get the statistics, and I know what you read, and what you don’t. I think, and correct me if I’m wrong, but those of you from other countries like my stuff on writing. Many of you from the U.S. like my other stuff. So that’s why I’m doing two things with this blog, writing and faith/life.
I’m in the mood to give away some things. If you are a NEW follower this week, you may have already won a $10 Amazon gift card. Leave a comment and let me know that you’re new. 🙂
If you’ve followed me from the beginning, and are a writer, with a blog or a novel in process, I’m going to give you your choice of writing resources from my library – IF you don’t already have it. What you’ll get is one sent to you identical to mine. Write a comment that you’re interested. It’s a gift from me to you!
Giveaways for writers
Here’s what I’m making available:
The Emotional Thesaurus – Ackerman & Puglisi
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook – Maas
The Dance of Character and Plot – Mills
AND – if you love Christian fiction, I have a few giveaways here. Some are newer than others. But they’re all good. Max Lucado’s book is an uncorrected advance copy given to me last September. I’m not charging for it.
Christian Fiction and The Voice New Testament – claim yours!
Hearts Awakening – Delia Parr
Somewhere to Belong – Judith Miller
Between Us Girls – Sally John
Beyond All Dreams – Elizabeth Camden
Sixteen Brides – Stephanie Grace Whitson
Miracle of the Higher Grounds Café – Max Lucado
Special Non-fiction – The Voice New Testament – Thomas Nelson publishers
For your chance to win any of these, leave a comment. Tell me what book you’re interested in and why you want it.
The fiction books are open to anyone who reads this blog and enjoys it. The New Testament is also for anyone who wants it.
I want everyone to be a winner! Unclaimed prizes will be carried over to next week – until they are all gone – or I take them out of circulation.
I like to give, and pass along what I have. Leave a comment and let me know what you’d like!
Blessings to my friend who always passes along her awards to me – I can’t say thank you enough to Justina Luther who nominated me for the award. Check out her fantastic blog HERE.
I’ve been nominated for the Very Inspiring Blog Award by WONDERFUL lady that I haven’t actually met before except through Skype. You can find her HERE
Kelly Anne Liberto
The Rules of the blog are to share seven things about yourself, link to the blog of the person who nominated you and nominate eight more people for the Inspiring Blogs Awards. I’m getting this from Kelly Anne Liberto, whose link is above. I’ll keep her changed rules from nominating 15 people to eight.
It’s award “season” again, and I have three to post in the next couple of days. Here’s the first one.
Thank you Justina Luther, for nominating me for this blogging award! If you love imaginative fiction, you’ll love Justina’s stories. Click here to enter Justina’s magical world of fiction.
Justina Luther
To say a bit more in thanking Justina – nearly every award I have posted here is because of her. She’s nominated me and I’ll be doing her a favor and nominating her for something she doesn’t have yet – not this award, but another one! I’m happy to do that, too. She’s a great young woman, and I’m privileged to know her.
There’s the NaNoWriMo challenge which a bunch of friends of mine are trying to write a 50,000-word novel or that word count this month. There was another challenge, and I was tempted, the NaNoBloMo – which is to put up a blog post every day. I can’t do that either, but I will attempt to post twice a week.
In an effort to involve you, my readers, let me know what you’d like to see on this blog. So far, my best posts have been about my writing journey. I have many other things I could talk about here as well.
What do you think? Take the poll, leave me a comment. In a couple of days, I’ll post again. The poll is open for a week. I’d like to know what you think. Thanks.
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; let your light shine through your cracked pot. Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in and comes out.
I’ve been blogging regularly since 2009. I’ve had several blogs on a couple different platforms. I started this blog in 2014 to show my writing journey to publication. I made it. I’m published. But I have other interests and things God is preparing me for.
Feel free to enjoy the archives—which I know you do. What is it about “Stuck—A Winter Disaster Story” that intrigues you readers so much? It’s summertime, and people are still reading it. I am pleased and amused.
