BLOGWORDS – Friday 21 April 2017 – FIRST LINE FRIDAY – ALONE by EDIE MELSON

FIRST LINE FRIDAY – ALONE by EDIE MELSON

 Reading is My SuperPower

Bookworm Mama

Singing Librarian

Faithfully Bookish

Radiant Light

Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen

All the Book Blog Names Are Taken

Fiction Aficionado

 

 If you’d like to join us on your blog for First Line Fridays, shoot Carrie @ Reading is My Superpower an email and let her know!

 

THE BLURB:    

After her family is killed in the cleansing, Bethany’s purpose in life has changed. No longer will she be allowed to work to save her dying planet. As a slave, endurance is her goal as she marks each day as one moment closer to an eternity spent reunited with those she loved. But when her planet is invaded, everything changes. Now she must decide either to align herself with those from her planet who condemned her faith and killed her family, or with the warriors who have conquered her world. Ultimately her choice will mean life or death for more than just her planet’s ecosystem. She alone holds the key to a powerful secret, and the fate of the entire galaxy depends on her decision.

 

THE FIRST LINE:   

Only the chimes, oddly sweet, told the passing of time. This far beneath the surface, day and night were arbitrary, dictated by necessity, not nature.

 

MY THOUGHTS:    

That first line sure intrigues me. What time is passing? What chimes? Are there no clocks? Why are there no clocks?

 

GENRE:

Science Fiction / Fantasy

 

 

#Blogwords, First Line Friday, #FLF, Alone, Edie Melson

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BLOGWORDS – Sunday 9 April 2017 – FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – THE ART of BEING STILL by EDIE MELSON

FRONT PORCH FELLOWSHIP – THE ART of BEING STILL by EDIE MELSON

Today’s post is taken from While My Child is Away © 2016 by Edie Melson, Worthy Inspires, an imprint of Worthy Publishing Group, a division of Worthy Media, Inc., used with permission.

 

The Art of Being Still

 

When I added parent to my list of job descriptions, life took off at light speed. Instantly my days were filled to overflowing with the things I should be doing. As my kids grew, instead of diminishing, the list continued to grow. Somewhere in the list of what I needed to do, the art of being still fell to the wayside.

 

Occasionally I’d get a much-needed wake-up call as a small voice pleaded with me, “Mommy, won’t you just sit down and play?” Those reminders helped me slow down and remember what was truly important. But as my kids grew and were away from home more and more, those requests diminished. It was up to me to keep my foundation with them strong.

 

One summer day, God gave me an illustration for this truth that I’ll never forget.

 

It had been a great vacation. We’d spent a glorious seven days at the beach. There had been plenty of time for taking long walks, playing in the water, searching for shells. But some of the best times were spent just lounging in our beach chairs, feet in the sand.

 

One late afternoon, the sky mirrored the dusky blue of the ocean and the tide began to turn. As the encroaching waves washed over my feet, I noticed something cool. When each wave receded, in its wake was left a shallow film of water. It was so clear and so calm I could see my face in it. This image was erased and replaced over and over again as rushing waves crashed upon the shore.

 

Then, like an oft-repeated saying, the truth of this visual lesson began to penetrate.

 

God was reminding me that when I get busy, rushing from thing to thing, it becomes harder and harder for my life to clearly reflect Christ. But when I slow down, living by His rhythm, His image is visible in all aspects of my life.

 

Where do you find yourself right now? Caught in the pounding surf or taking time to refresh yourself in the calm waters that reflect the light of His Spirit?

 

 

#Blogwords, Front Porch Fellowship, #FPF, Sunday Devotion, The Art of Being Still, Edie Melson, While My Child is Away

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NEW WEEK NEW FACE – GUEST POST – EDIE MELSON

 

 

 

7 Tips to Streamline Your Social Media Life

 

I’m just back home from several weeks of teaching at writing conferences. In spite of the fact that I’m a card-carrying introvert, I love getting to share what I’ve learning about publishing and marketing with other writers. One of the things I get asked over and over again is, “How do you accomplish so much and still have time to write.”

 

This question always thrills me, because I have some tips that can truly make a difference in the person who’s asking. My tips aren’t difficult or expensive or even hard to implement. Many are ones I’ve developed over the years as I’ve tried to give myself more uninterrupted writing time. Others are ones I’ve learned from fellow authors. Today I’m going to share them with you.

 

7 Tips to Streamline Your Social Media Life

1. Use a scheduling program. There is no way I could have such a consistent social media presence without the use of Hootsuite. Buffer is also a good option. Either one you choose will be a life-changer. I can schedule all my social media posts (not blog posts, just social media) for the entire day in thirty-minutes. Then I can appear to be online, while I’m actually working on writing.

 

2. Quit trying to be active on so many networks. Active is the key word here. I have accounts—and up-to-date info—on all the big networks. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope, LinkedIn, YouTube, Goodreads, and probably a couple of others I’ve forgotten. So anyone searching these networks will see a recognizable picture of me and a link to my website. BUT, I’m only actively posting to Twitter and Facebook. I just can’t keep up with more than that. And truthfully, that’s enough. Choose two or three networks and stick with those.

 

3. Spend some time and built a library. No, not a room—or building—in which to store your books. I’m referring to last week’s post about How to Always Have Something of Value to Share on Social Media. If you don’t have a ready-made list of places to look for social media updates, it will take you a long time to come up with things to share.

 

4. Use a timer to keep track of your time. I get it. I can spend hours on Facebook, just browsing. But that’s free-time activity, not publishing-related activity. Don’t waste your valuable writing time by getting lost on a social media network. If you have trouble with this, set a timer.

 

5. Quit posting different things to different networks. Yes, in an ideal world, where we all had paid assistants, we’d take time to compose social media updates specific to each network we’re on. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us don’t live in that type of world. We have to do the best we can, with the time we have. For me, that means composing one update and sending it out to multiple networks. I don’t think managing my time this way has hurt me. I have almost 18,000 Twitter followers, 1000s of Facebook friends and followers and 1000s of other connections across other networks.

 

6. Don’t spend so much time watching your numbers. You agonize over friends and followers, trying to anticipate the ups and down an stay on an even uphill trajectory. Relax. Your numbers will rise and fall for an infinite number of reasons—most of which you’ll have little or no control over. Do what you need to do (be consistent, use a scheduling program, don’t talk about yourself very often, etc.). Then take a deep breath and limit your number crunching to once a month. If you do the things I’ve mentioned here (and on this blog), your numbers will grow. But more importantly, you’ll make real and valuable connections that will be supporters and readers.

 

7. Make sure you’re being consistent on social media. By that I mean you skip a day or two (or a week or two). Then, to make up for it, you spend several hours at a time on social media. This All or Nothing Social Media Mindset (I did an entire blog post here)is as bad as doing nothing. It keeps you from gaining any kind of momentum with the effort you’re making. Spending ten or fifteen minutes a day, five days a week will get you way further down the road than spending two hours, once a week. The reason is because your name is out there more often. With social media, it’s how often your name shows up, not for how long a time it’s there, that makes the difference.

 

These are the main things I’ve found that suck my writing time into social media time. I’d love to find what time-wasters plague you—and how you combat them. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

 

Edie Melson—author, blogger, and speaker. Her popular blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands of writers each month. She’s the director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and an active member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Her bestselling ebook on social media has just been updated and re-released as Connections: Social Media & Networking Techniques for Writers. She’s also the social media director for Southern Writers Magazine and the Senior Editor at Novel Rocket. You can connect with Edie through Twitter and Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edie Melson, New Week New Face, NWNF, Social Media Life, While My Child is Away, While My Soldier Serves, While My Soldier Serves Prayer Journal, Fighting Fear, Connections

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BLOGWORDS – Friday 24 June 2016 – TIPS to SILENCE YOUR INTERNAL EDITOR

 

Hullo, All, and welcome! Today’s post is borrowed* from writer pal, the lovely Edie Melson, and was originally posted on her blog, The Write Conversation. http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/2013/07/tips-to-silence-your-internal-editor.html

A huge thanks to Edie for letting me share her words!

 

 

TIPS to SILENCE YOUR INTERNAL EDITOR

 

 

I’ve spoken with a lot of writers who have trouble disconnecting their INTERNAL EDITOR when they’re working on an early draft of a manuscript. This overly helpful person lives inside most of us and comes in handy when we’re putting the finishing touches on our manuscript. But when we’re in the midst of a creative surge, that same person can short circuit our progress.

 

Today’s post will give you the tips you need to silence your Internal Editor.

 

First you should know there’s a scientific reason for that roadblock. The creative act of writing your first draft stems from the right side—or creative side—of the brain. Later in the process, when polishing begins, the left side takes over. Here are some of the characteristics of each side.

 

 

Right Brain

• Visual in process, focusing more on patterns and images.
• Generally intuitive, led by feelings.
• Is the epitome of multi-tasking, able to process ideas simultaneously.
• Progresses from the big picture to the details.
• Lacks organization, utilizes free association.

Left Brain

• More verbal, needs to find specific words to express ideas.
• Analytical, led by logic.
• Takes things step by step, one idea at a time.
• Organizes details first before moving to the big picture.
• Very organized, utilizing lists and detailed plans.

 

 

Mixing up the process—trying to use both sides of the brain at the same time—can lead to a tangled mess and a major roadblock. All of this information is good to know, but what if our left-brained, Internal Editor won’t go away? How do we make her be quiet? Unfortunately, there isn’t one way that works for everyone, but here are some tips that should help.

• Don’t give in to temptation. Our Internal Editor gets stronger the more frequently we give in to her demands. If she thinks you need a certain word before you can finish that sentence, stay strong. Type XXX and go on. Later, during the rewriting process, you’ll have plenty of time to find the right word. This goes for anything that demands you slow the creative process. At this point in your manuscript speed is your best friend.

• Set a daily and weekly word count goal. This can often sidetrack the Internal Editor because of her need to meet a goal. Sometimes, in her drive to succeed she can even become an ally.

• Make lists in a separate notebook. Use your computer for the story, but if the need for details overshadows the creative urge, make a quick note in a notebook. Don’t let yourself get bogged down, but let the free association part of your right brain give you ideas to explore later with your more logical left side.

• Don’t give in to fear. Many times our Internal Editor is driven by fear. Fear that this draft isn’t good, won’t work or just doesn’t make sense. Remind yourself that this version isn’t written in stone. Sometimes just giving ourselves permission to write what Anne Lamott calls the sh*%&# first draft is all we need to derail our Internal Editor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of these can help, but I’d like to know what tricks you use to keep that INNER EDITOR quiet.

 

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

 

 

Thanks again, Edie, for allowing me to share your words of wisdom!

 

Edie Melson is a leading professional in the writing industry. She’s a sought after writing instructor; and her heart to help others define and reach their dreams has connected her with writers all over the country. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, as well as a popular faculty member at numerous others.

She’s a prolific writer, publishing thousands of articles over the years, and has a popular writing blog, The Write Conversation. Edie is a regular contributor on the popular Novel Rocket and Inspire a Fire websites, as well as social media mentor for My Book Therapy and the social media director for Southern Writers Magazine.

In keeping up with the leading edge of all things digital Edie has become known as one of the go-to experts on Twitter, Facebook, and social media for writers wanting to learn how to plug in. Her bestselling eBook on this subject, has recently been updated and expanded and re-released as Connections: Social Media and Networking Techniques for Writers.

Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle, is Edie’s heart project. This devotional book for those with family members in the military debuted on Veterans Day, 2011.

Look for her two newest books for military families debuting in January 2014: While My Son Serves and While My Husband Serves.

She’s a member of numerous civic and professional organizations, including Blue Star Mothers, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, The Christian Pen, and American Christian Fiction Writers.

Edie has been married to high school sweetheart, Kirk, for 30+ years and they’ve raised three sons. You can also connect with Edie on Twitter – @EdieMelson and Facebook.

 

 

* borrowed because I’m getting ready for my bit trip! (see First Friday Feature, 3 June) And because, well, networking and that’s how that works!

 

Tips to Silence Your Internal Editor, Edie Melson, The Write Conversaton, Stories by Design, Friday Feature, Right Brain Left Brain, While My Soldier Serves, Fighting Fear, Connections

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