Book Review: "Blah Blah Blah: What to do When Words Don't Work

I just finished a great book; "Blah Blah Blah: What to do When Words Don't Work" by Dan Roam. Don't worry by how thick it is, it's made of heavy paper and has lots of pictures in it. So, it's a quick read--even for someone who reads as slow as I do.

It's a new take on how to communicate better. More importantly, how to think of your ideas and distill them down differently, better, so that others can understand your point quicker and easier. I love how the approach engages both the visual and "words" parts of your brain. 

While reading the book, I realized I sort-of already thought that way--must be the artist in me. But, I can tell that the book has already improved this way that I think. If you're an artist struggling to get people to understand your ideas, this book is definitely for you . . .  actually, this book is for anyone who wishes they could get others to understand them better.

If you play that popular "drawing" game with your friends, this book will improve your competitiveness--at least that I've found. This book is definitely a two-thumbs-up/5-star rating and I recommend it for anyone!

Happy New Year - 2012

I've struggled most the day drafting this post—my first after so many months of silence. And still I struggle. I decided I would force myself to sit here and pound out this, the final draft, however it may come out.

I tried all these eloquent ways to sum up the year, share the insights I learned, and look towards the future, but in the end, it comes down to the fact that 2012 was a rough year. I know I am not alone in this struggle, but it was hard nonetheless.

The good thing with all this time on my hands was that it allowed for a lot of inward reflection. I like to think I gained some new insight of myself and grew as a person. I definitely learned some lessons throughout the year. The lesson of patience—something I have struggled with my whole life—was the biggest one learned. Paired with managing stress, I learned how not to worry about the things I couldn't control or do anything about. Things used to gnaw at me at night while laying in bed, while now I find it easier to sleep. I still worry and, yes, I do still stress sometimes, but nothing like I used to. I just learned that if you can't do anything about it, why let it get to you.

I learned that I am a social creature and need to be around people to find energy and inspiration. As the months dragged on and I spent more and more time alone, I found it hard to have the motivation to much more than sit on the couch. It was a daily struggle to not fall into the pit of laziness. To that end, my house has never been as organized and cleaned. I am caught up on all my reading. Ok, well, one can never be caught up on all one's reading, but the pile of unread magazines is gone, and the couple unfinished novels are back on the shelves. The book is finished and editing is in progress. But, at the same time, I have seen way too much bad television and the list of shows I keep up on has grown drastically.

Although, with one of the latest big decisions I've made, I won't be having much time to keep up on any shows. After the career setback in losing my job and the struggle in getting back into the work force, I made the decision that I need to get my degree and registered for university. A week from today I start my first class with the University of Phoenix. I'll be working towards getting my bachelor's degree in Communication with a focus on Communication and Technology. I'm very excited and feel very good about this decision. I can't wait to get started and learn some new things.

While 2012 was a year of hardship, it was a year of growth and I find myself hopeful for the coming year. I managed to keep my home, and even my car, while being unemployed for pretty much the entire year. I learned the fine art of money management and feel even more like an adult these days than I did when I grew up and bought my first piece of property. And, I expect to hear by week's end that I get to start a new job. I've passed the interview and am waiting to hear if I passed the reference/background check. Which, not with too big an ego, I know I'll pass and will finally get to be back amongst the working.

Those of you who know me, know that I don't do resolutions. I have ongoing goals and objectives that I take time to evaluate each new year. I take this time to see where I've been, check it against the plan, and redefine the plan for the next year. This year is easy. While I had all the time in the world, I didn't have the resources to dedicate to much, so most of the goals and objectives I planned for 2012 will carry over. Books I plan to read will change, but I'm not sure what that list will be yet. Plus, there's the new goal to stay focused, keep up, and do well in school.

I am excited for what the new year will bring and the possibilities on the horizon. I will you all a very happy new year and best wishes for an exciting 2013!

Book Review: Revision & Self -Editing

Recently finished a book that I wanted to share with other writers out there: Revision & Self-Editing by James Scott Bell.
The book is very well done. It was one of those times when I wish I would've come across this earlier. Mr. Bell has done a wonderful job of bringing all the various sources, books, & articles around editing that I've come across into one useful volume. Every chapter gives you exercises on how to apply the techniques outlined--very effective & easy exercises.
More than just a technical manual on editing, Mr. Bell provides deep insight & expert advice on how to be a better writer & build a better story that will keep readers glued to the pages. He reviews everything from description & setting, plot & structure, to character development.
I came away with a whole list of to-dos & new ideas on how to make my book better. Now I have to get to work.
Revision & Self-Editing is definitely a 5-star rating & a must read for all writers out there!

Nesting

I've been doing a lot of nesting lately. I'm coming up on the one-year mark in my first home. It's a nice feeling, but was also a reminder of just how little I've done since I moved in. So, I made a list of projects & things I need, and then got started.
I sorted out my entryway & mess of shoes. The thing I'm happiest with so far is making my "patio" look like a patio.

It was nice to get dirty, & sort of therapeutic. I enjoy spending time out there & often catch myself in the chair, reading, sipping coffee, & enjoying the surroundings. I just need to figure out a good way to get the dog out there with me & without running away.
As the book goes, I've started the research I need & the "stuff" I need to figure out. It's been a bit slow with the focus on nesting, but progress is progress. I have a good friend giving it a read through & I'll see if there are other things I'll need to figure out.
All in all I have to admit that I am enjoying this sabbatical. I am starting to fret a bit that I still haven't found a new day job, but am taking it as a sign that I just haven't found the right one yet. Hope it comes soon ;-).
For now, I'm off to enjoy a lovely Friday evening on the patio!

Congratulations, it's a brand new baby . . . book!

After 5 years, umpteen different versions, combing 2 books into one, and a freaking lot of frustration, I finally finished it and have a draft I'm happy with. Granted, I think a lot of that time had to do with the issues I was having with the world and problems with breaking my own rules, but now that I figured all that out, things went smoother.

I took a day ignoring the book (titled The Resurrected), everything really—it was some evil hour in the morning when I finished, and if it hadn't been for the dog, I probably would've never gotten out of bed the next day. And then, started a read-through to see just how bad it is?

Turns out, I'm actually happy with what I'm reading so far. There's some holes that need filling, some research to do, but the story's there. As usual, the action is too. Can't really explain it, but I do love letting the monsters run free and have their bloodshed. Makes for some good reading.

My goal, since it's always nice to have goals, is to have a final copy I feel ready to submit to agents by July. Then, on to the next one. Tentative title is Faolan, but we'll just have to see how it turns out. Good thing is that I already have the first two chapters and the outline done, so it should go easy.

Angry Angel Enterprises

I wanted to tell you the story of where Angry Angel Enterprises came from, because—yes, I'll admit it—it's a bit weird.

When I first started chasing the dream of making a living as a writer, all the research I read said get a site, get a business, and get going. So, I did all the above. But, when trying to come up with a business name for a writer, I drew a blank . . . for a long time.

In the end, I was actually inspired by another writer. I was deep into my second book by this time, so when the inspiration hit, the answer was simple. The series I'm writing centers around one character, Dyllan, and his "team." One of the other characters, I would call him the most important supporting character, always calls Dyllan, "my angry angel." It's a term of endearment and completely fitting.

Yes, I can hear some of you moaning that it was the easy way out. Maybe it was, but considering I'm hoping to build my novelist career off this series, it seems right that it the name of my business should reflect that in some way. Plus, all those who love having "insider" knowledge, will get a kick out of it when they put it together—I know I did.

Now, the hard part begins; coming up with the logo.

Mission & Vision

I was recently "relieved" of my day job. After a moment of panic, I decided to turn my aspirations of writing into aspirations of a writing paycheck. It was already a goal for 2012 to get things going and continue focusing on the writing side of my life, but now I'm taking advantage of the sudden onset of a-lot-of-time-on-my-hands and launch a freelance writing/copyediting business.

The first part I needed was to finalize my mission and vision statements. After a lot of hard work and even more editing, I've finally came up with them. In the end, I created two sets; one for me as a writer, and one for my new freelance writing/copyediting business. Here they are for your viewing pleasure.

• My Writing Mission:
  To conjure wonderful, spellbinding stories and compelling characters that help readers escape reality and lose themselves between the pages. To have every story be an improvement to the craft and to be a leader and member of a supportive writing community, through blogs, critiques, and social networking. To create a body of novel-length works and collected stories that crosses genre boundaries to reach a wide audience.
• My Writing Vision:
  I am a prolific writer with a wide body of work and a cult-like following that allows me the success of living the dream of the craft.
• My Freelance Mission:
  Leveraging my unique point-of-view and experience in communications, I work with clients to develop compelling and powerful copy through customized content creation and careful editing.
• My Freelance Vision:
  I am the freelance writer/copyeditor of choice for the clients I serve and am the leader in customer value.

The next part, is to get my name and mission out there and start the search for clients. I've even drafted a schedule to maximize productivity and not fall into the laziness cycle with the newfound overabundance of time. Tomorrow, I start the project of updating and finishing my website. It's been woefully "under construction" for too long now. The "incident" with my last host that caused the complete loss of my previous site (including all its content) really set a daunting mountain to climb that I've avoided thus far. But, cannot have a freelance business without a site and online presence. (It all seems to keep coming back to that.)

Stay on the look out for more news in the coming days!

BuzzNet Tags: Mission,Vision,Writing,Copyediting,Freelance,Website