Critiquing your manuscript the toddler way

One of the first phrases my daughter picked up was “bye bye” right along with “uh oh.” Both of these common toddler phrases can be applied to your manuscript. As I say often, it is amazing what you can learn from your toddler.

Sometimes it’s easy to get attached. I love all my fictional characters so much it is hard to know when to cut. They are my fictional children! But some simple and basic toddler sayings can hold great meaning for your manuscript.

You must know when you’ve made an “uh oh” and must say “bye bye” to a scene or a character. Don’t worry you can save it for yourself. My prologue has taken on many versions all of which I love for different reasons. They may not have worked for the story but they can live in my personal collection.

Think basic and simple. It is so easy to over think things. I know because I do it all the time!

Another thing I do is read my work to my toddler. I know she doesn’t fully comprehend the non-fictions I write, articles or my fiction work but reading outloud is a great way to critique your own work. And though my daughter doesn’t care or understand it, I do pay attention to how she reacts to the flow of my sentences. Understanding the tone and flow of your sentences may help a troublesome scene that was missing its correct tone. Reading to a child can help with that.

Has your child helped you with your manuscript?

Announcements:

I had some great opportunities to guest blog for some great author’s and friends last month.

The ever-changing writing process at author Colin Falconer’s blog

Finding Inspiration from Unlikely Sources at author Kristen Lamb’s blog

Being a flexibly, trained writer at author Rachel Harris’ blog

Woof Wednesday: Doggy assistant, excuse or both? At author Amy Shojai’s blog.

Who Dares Wins Publishing offers fantastic writing craft and industry Write it Forward Workshops. Be sure and check them all out here.

Do you know the write you?

And yes I misused "write" on purpose to get my message across. This past month I've been talking about dog training on my Special Needs Dog Care Examiner column as a part of National Dog Training month. And now today I've been prepping my lesson plans for my upcoming Writing Moms Workshop and it occurred to me that writing, dogs and parenting has one major thing in common- do you know yourself?

This is an area that every professional no matter what you do can grow in. I'm currently rereading "Emotional Intelligence" while reading "The Brain and Emotional Intelligence: New Insights" both by author Daniel Goleman. i normally wait to talk about books, if I'm going to, after reading them but both of these books really take the concept of knowing yourself to a common sense level. I really believe in understanding your emotions, environment and desires and incorporating all of them into discovering the best routine for you.

Such understanding can be applied to all area of your life. Yes, even dog training because if you don't know yourself how can you control a dog?

For writers though, knowing yourself can really help you develop a pattern of when to do various tasks. For example, I know that I write better in the morning so that is when I work on my WIP's. The rest of my day is divided among various tasks along with chasing my very active toddler. I use the evening hours to work of revisions, social media and prep for the next day.

What have you done or read lately that has helped you better know yourself? How did you apply this to make you a better writer, parent, or person?

Announcements:

My Writing Moms Workshop starts this Monday, March 5. Registration is still open.

I had some great opportunities to guest blog for some great author’s and friends last month.

The ever-changing writing process at author Colin Falconer’s blog

Finding Inspiration from Unlikely Sources at author Kristen Lamb’s blog

Being a flexibly, trained writer at author Rachel Harris’ blog

Woof Wednesday: Doggy assistant, excuse or both? At author Amy Shojai’s blog.

Who Dares Wins Publishing offers fantastic writing craft and industry Write it Forward Workshops. Be sure and check them all out here.

Making the most of your writing space

Earlier this week I wrote about locations and how they can impact your writing (or work.) They can help you stay focused, organized, inspired or create chaos and career destruction. But you can prevent such catastrophe by knowing what works best for you and making it work. The same thing can be applied to what goes around your workspace.

I write from home while caring for my toddler and dog. As her nap times become shorter I must get creative with my office space. I’ve created an office/playroom environment that even accommodates Oscar, my dog’s needs.

In this picture you can see the corner of my desk with toys across from it. Sometimes the books on the lower shelf of my bookcase become great toys too. And yes, that is a ball pool. My house is like a slice of Chuck E. Cheese fun! And then you may be able to see a piece of Oscar’s velvet, memory foam stuffed bed under my desk. It is good to be a baby in our house (and yes I’m calling my dog a baby too!)

But you don’t need to have children or demanding pets to custom your workspace to your needs. What helps you focus? What makes you happy when you are stressed? What distracts you? These are just some questions to get you started in creating a productive work environment. In addition to my playground of toys I have white erase boards and story boards up on walls. I have inspirational quotes and pictures that make me happy.

It’s your work zone and you can create it to make it perfect for you. How have you made your work space a better working environment for you?

I’m giving away a free “seat” to my upcoming Writing Moms Workshop. Leave a comment and you will be entered in a drawing to win!

Announcements:

I had the great opportunity of guest blogging on author Colin Falconer’s blog. Learn about the ever-changing writing process.

February is National Dog Training Month. For helpful tips on training the furry friends in your life follow my Examiner column, Special Needs Dog Care.

I will be teaching another class of my Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind Write It Forward Workshop this March. It is a month long workshop focused on busy writing moms, something I know a lot about. Click here for more information.

Who Dares Wins Publishing offers fantastic writing craft and industry Write it Forward Workshops. Be sure and check them all out here.

My book, Caring for Your Special Needs Dog is out and a percentage of the profits go to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

Location, location, location

When I write I like to find my “groove.” That zen that helps my prose flow neatly from my mind to my laptop. Right…..if only it were that easy! But location can play a major role in maximizing the most of your writing time and maximizing my time is something I’ve come become an expert in since the birth of my daughter.

The first step to getting your location “write” for you is to know yourself. A fantastic, free and fast way to do this is to take Brigg Myers test. This is a popular test that can help you identify if you are an introvert or extrovert among other personality types. Here is a great online version of this test that offers immediate results (without spam!)

I always thought that I was an extrovert because I am outgoing. Growing up I danced, participated in drama and debates. But now I know that I’m actually an introvert. I get my energy by being alone. I love being with people to but I find it draining. I write best and “hear” my characters best when I’m alone. How you harness your energy is a crucial part to finding the best writing location for you.

Sometimes our writing location is chosen for us. It works out well in my case since I enjoy writing from home but even if this wasn’t the idea space for me, I wouldn’t have too much of a choice. I doubt many coffee shops would take kindly to my toddler running around while I cranked out my daily word count.

If you feel stuck in your writing location and know or discover that it isn’t the best for you, then adapt. If I was an extrovert and would write better in a public place there would be things I could do to change my at home location.

Write by a T.V. or radio. Something that can provide conversation. Find writing buddies online that you can communicate with through social media outlets. You may not be physically interacting with people while you write but you can get creative to make the situation most advantageous for you.

As I said, knowing you can make all the difference in maximizing your time and location. I love music. I can’t write without it and even categorize songs for various types of scenes. I know this works for me and I make the most of it.

How do you maximize the most of your writing location?

I’m giving away a free “seat” to my upcoming Writing Moms Workshop. Leave a comment and you will be entered in a drawing to win!

Announcements:

February is National Dog Training Month. For helpful tips on training the furry friends in your life follow my Examiner column, Special Needs Dog Care.

I will be teaching another class of my Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind Write It Forward Workshop this March. It is a month long workshop focused on busy writing moms, something I know a lot about. Click here for more information.

Who Dares Wins Publishing offers fantastic writing craft and industry Write it Forward Workshops. Be sure and check them all out here.

My book, Caring for Your Special Needs Dog is out and a percentage of the profits go to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

The out-of-town-writing-mom

It is inevitable. Working moms sometimes have to travel and sometimes we are lucky enough to include our little ones along on such a trip. I am not using the word “lucky” sarcastically because I am a huge fan of merging business and family.

This weekend I am from Arkansas to Houston with my husband, daughter and of course my dog, Oscar. For work I will be going to the North Houston RWA Lone Star Writers Conference on Saturday where I will get to hear screenwriter Alexandra Sokoloff speak and meet with some agents.

On Sunday I will be attending The Texas Renaissance Festival with my family and reviewing it for Examiner.com. But on Friday and the evenings I will get to spend time and visit family. Eager grandparents will get to see my daughter and I will have no problem cranking out some extra pages while an aunt or uncle chases after my running toddler.

Mixing out-of-town-work with family fun will not only get you closer to your goal but it can also show your dedication to your family. Share your story with them. Let them in on those exciting plot twists. Let them feel part of this amazing journey that you are part of.

Being a writing mom is a challenge. When visiting family, let them play with your baby. They will be happy to play with a baby they rarely see and you will be happy to finally finish that scene.

A percentage of the profits from Markey’s ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ go to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

What do you look for in a writing class?

Something I love about being a writer, is I’m always learning. This is true about all fields but after working in several industries, I find that it is very strong in the writing industry. And we make it easy for ourselves.

The writing community is very supportive and quick to help one another. Through networking, associations and lists among the writing community it is easy to learn about the many writing classes out there, including inexpensive and convenient online courses. I’m preparing to teach my first online workshop the Writing Mom: How to do it all without losing your mind. As I finalize my lesson plans I’ve been thinking back over some of my favorite classes that I’ve taken. Why did I love them? What made me take some of them again? What made me recommend them to other writers?

The first online writing class I took was Plot via Motivation by best selling author and renowned instructor Laurie Schnebly Campbell. I since then have taken several of her courses and I plan to retake this same course this year with new plot idea. I loved her teaching style, worksheets and feedback. The interaction within my class was also great and I made friends there as well. One of my fellow students from that first class is now my critique partner today.

I also have taken several online courses from best selling author Bob Mayer. He also offers detailed lectures with fantastic feedback. I’ve been known to ask him questions month after a class and he has responded to me, which shows you how dedicated he is to helping upcoming fiction authors. I’m currently taking one right now that he is teaching on the kernel idea, you know that original idea that inspires you to write the story. He’s discussing some really great stuff.

Kristen Lamb, author of the best selling books, ‘We Are Not Alone: The Writers Guide to Social Media’ and ‘Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer’ is offering a two month online course in October and November that will walk writers through building their brands. Now, I’ve never taken one of her courses but I have read both of her books and they are great. This is a MUST take!

Who Dares Wins Publishing offers great writing workshops. Coming up in November, we have author Jennifer Talty discussing the different publishing options, which is a very hot topic right now.

Tell me about some of you favorite writing workshops. What do you like in a writing class? Is it a great lecture? A useful worksheet? A great discussion among the class?

Announcements:

I am giving away a FREE "seat" to my class to someone who leaves a comment AND tweets about my class to their Twitter following. You must 1. Leave a comment below and 2. Include me @NatalieCMarkey in your Tweet so that I will know that you sent the Tweet. I will enter you name in a drawing to win a free entry to the class. GOOD LUCK!

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

I’m teaching a Write It Forward Workshop titled, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ online in October. Click here for more information and to sign-up.

If you are a writing mom I encourage you to visit the #WriteMom community of Twitter. Share your joys, successes and stress with others writing moms. Learn more here.

Why September 11 inspired me to work harder everyday

I was a senior in high school on September 11, 2001. Now that I have a daughter, one of my favorite things in her baby book is a letter that I wrote on that day in my homeroom leadership class. I remember one of my teachers saying that watching the images on the television were more important then anything he could teach that day.

He was right.

I took out a piece of notebook paper and wrote a letter to my future child. I told him/her what I thought it meant to be an American. I talked about the American Dream, how thankful I was for my education, family, safety and then I stopped. I realized that no one really knows how safe they are. The American’s in New York City and Washington and all those that boarded those planes that day, thought they were going to work for a normal day. They thought they were safe.

Now we all hope and pray terrorism is the extreme. But our lives can change in a second. It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t been personally affected by cancer or heart disease. There are so many risks and dangers out there. But the thing that I took away the most from September 11, was the bravery and heroism. The first responders, some of them ordinary people running to help others just so someone could have a chance to live another day. To have just one more ordinary day.

To live on.

Because of that day and that moment when we were all attacked, I never waste one second. That is why now every time I’m exhausted from caring for my beautiful 14-month-old daughter and I want to take a nap when she does, I don’t. I write. I wake up at 5 a.m. so I can get some good productive hours of writing in because I want to live my dream. I don’t want to wait.

It would be easier to write when she’s older and less dependant on me. But I’m not going to do that. I’m constantly moving forward. All those that lost their lives on September 11, 2011 never had a September 12 or the next week, month and so on after that to move forward towards their dreams. The fact is, you just never know. And that is just what I told my future child in that letter I wrote 10 years ago on September 11. I told her to never wait for anything she wants.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer, ever since I won the National Scholastic Writing Competition for a short story in high school. I’ve always kept moving forward with my craft and that is because of how that day affected me personally.

I’ve met some goals. I’m an accomplished freelanced journalist of ten years (yes, I started volunteering for local publications in 2001.) I’m published in non-fiction and working on my second non-fiction book. I’m teaching webinars and online writing courses and everyday striving closer to my goal of being published in fiction.

I will get there.

Are you working on living your dream? Are you moving forward? How did September 11, 2001 change you?

I had the great privilege of interning in New York City with Rubenstein Public Relations firm. It was an incredible experience and I still use what I learned everyday. This past summer I returned to New York City for the annual Romance Writers of America Conference. It was great to be back in the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple but I loved seeing the progress of the World Trade Center Memorial site (pictured here.)

Out of respect of honoring the memory of September 11, I’m not posting announcements this Friday. For purchase information on my book, workshop and upcoming events please visit www.NatalieCMarkey.com

Constructing an influential writing space

This weekend during a writing break I tackled the very needed task of cleaning my office. I know some of us (writers) don’t have an actual office but wherever you work, you should take it as seriously as you take your writing.

Before I had a spare bedroom I use to write from our kitchen table. For the record, I DO NOT recommend this! Every time we ate all of my notes had to be moved and things always got out of order. I spent the most of my time trying to make sense of my stuff. You really need to have a space of your own to devote to your craft.

But this space should not be just about writing. While cleaning this week, I noticed and smiled at the picture of on my desk of my daughter playing on the beach of Lake Michigan. I laughed at the picture of snowflakes on my dog, Oscar’s nose on the very picture that was published in my first book. Now yes, the last picture ended up being career related. I have no intentions of writing about my daughter and the fun we had at Lake Michigan but whenever I hit a snag in a scene it makes me smile and takes some of the stress away when I see her trying to figure out how that sand toy works.

I also incorporate quotes around my office to inspire me like, “I’m convinced fear is at the root of most bad writing,” said by Stephen King. New York Times bestselling author Bob Mayer recently mentioned that quote on his Write It Forward Blog and I loved it.

We are so easily influenced by our surrounding so construct an influential and inspirational workspace for your writing. Incorporate craft, humor and family. What do you have around your writing space that keeps you going during a rough day?

Announcements:

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

I’m teaching a Write It Forward Workshop titled, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ online in October. Click here for more information and to sign-up.

If you are a writing mom I encourage you to visit the #WriteMom community of Twitter. Share your joys, successes and stress with others writing moms. Learn more here.

Writers: How do you view Labor Day? Work or Play?

I typically blog on Wednesdays and Fridays, but I feel strongly on this topic so this is a special blog post. I hope that you will share your opinions in comment.

Writing is not a job it’s a vocation. It’s a passion. It’s a way of life and who someone is. That is why writers don’t take off holidays like Labor Day. I see and recognize the value. I’ve even worked ahead on my work so that I can devote some extra time to my family today, but I can assure you that today, I will still write. Even if it’s not the normal daily word count, I keep moving forwards.

Bob Mayer says in his book ‘Write It Forward: From Writer to Successful Author’ (formally titled ‘Warrior Writer.’) that writing is a marathon, not a sprint and he couldn’t be closer to the truth. I have to constantly keep reminding myself of this. In fact, I keep this quote in bold type taped to my white erase board in my office. I’m not a patient person but I love to write—it’s part of who I am and I will stick with it. I’ve already beaten the odds. I’ve finished two fiction manuscripts and published one non-fiction book with another in the works.

So, to me Labor Day doesn’t mean to take a day off and recognize the hard work that I’ve done, it means to take a little time off and recharge before diving into more hard word on the very holiday.

Today, my husband and I are taking our daughter to an indoor water activity park in the morning. She loves the water and it’s just too hot to play outside. This will be fun and successfully tire her out for a great afternoon of naptime. Then my husband can do yard work while I work. See what a planner I am? J

What are you doing on this Labor Day? Are you writing today?

Announcements:

My new website is up and running www.NatalieCMarkey.com I recently added some new speaking engagements and courses. I invite you to take a look around.

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

I’m teaching a Write It Forward Workshop titled, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ online in October. Click here for more information and to sign-up.

If you are a writing mom I encourage you to visit the #WriteMom community of Twitter. Share your joys, successes and stress with others writing moms. Learn more here.

How family meddling can help your writing

Being a writer doesn’t just have to be about you. Get your family involved. Your family should be your best supporters. They should respect your time but they need to know why. Let them know how important this is to you. Discuss your ideas with them and let them read your work.

My husband is a geologist. I had him read my YA fantasy thinking that he would only be able to catch typos and whatnot. Oh no. He found that I went against the laws of physics at one point. In my book, my heroine floods an underwater palace but the way she does could never happen in real life. I love it. I real life! It is a fantasy! However, all fiction should maintain a level of realism and my husband was right to point out such an era. So now, in this particular scene the palace floods exactly how an underwater palace would flood if one would today.

You never know in what way you family may help you. Personally, nothing makes me more proud or more turned on when my husband reads my work. I love how much he supports me and then to have him praise my writing and really enjoy reading it—it doesn’t get much better then that.

So, include your family in your writing process. As a writer this is a huge part of your life. Don’t shut out those you love. Let them join this journey with you and let them enjoy your success along the way. How do you include your family in your writing process?

Announcements:

My new website is up and running www.NatalieCMarkey.com I recently added some new speaking engagements and courses. I invite you to take a look around.

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

I’m teaching a Write It Forward Workshop titled, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ online in October. Click here for more information and to sign-up.

If you are a writing mom I encourage you to visit the #WriteMom community of Twitter. Share your joys, successes and stress with others writing moms. Learn more here.

Blog Mash-up:

By author Kristen Lamb ‘The Secret to Selling Books Part 1- Let’s Get Sticky’

By author Jennifer Hale ‘Behold the Power of a Nap’

By author P.W Creighton ‘Narrative Arcology’

Making good use of great distractions

I’m use to distractions. Being a writing mom, it comes with the territory. Normally my distractions come in the form of my adorable daughter, handsome husband, troublesome dog and nagging housework. This week something glorious has happened. I’ve been dreaming in book scenes. Perfect, beautiful book scenes. So, why is this a distraction? These scenes have nothing to do with my current WIP.

Ugh!! I know, right—HUGE DISTRACTION.

So, like a good author, after each dream I wake to say the following phrase, “I will not write this amazing new story….yet.” Then I proceed to grab the trustee pen and paper on my nightstand and jot down as many notes and things I can remember. Throughout the day I keep that pad with me and continue to keep notes on this new developing project but I will not start writing it until my current fiction project is complete.

I have a rule that I stand by. I will not write more than one fiction and one non-fiction project at a time. Working on those two simultaneously is fine but I will not take on more. For me, I like being able to switch back and forth between a fiction and a non-fiction project. As I’ve said before, it is the cure to all writer’s block.

So, this is how I’m handling my big writing distraction at the moment. And it is serving as a great sense of motivation for me to move along on my current project. I do love my current project but these dreams really make me excited to finish and dive into some new work. I was discussing this very topic over on the #WeWrite community this week with author Anna DeStefano and I love something that she said. I often agree with what she says, but in this case she said that dreaming about a new story is THE BEST place in a story’s journey. This is so true. So, until I’m able to get to work on this new and exciting project I’m going to enjoy this part of the journey. I’m going to enjoy and record the dreams.

Have any of you experienced this? How have you handled it? Please share in a comment.

Announcements:

My new website is up and running www.NatalieCMarkey.com I recently added some new speaking engagements and courses. I invite you to take a look around.

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

I’m teaching a Write It Forward Workshop titled, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ online in October. Click here for more information and to sign-up.

If you are a writing mom I encourage you to visit the #WriteMom community of Twitter. Share your joys, successes and stress with others writing moms. Learn more here.

Blog Spotlights:

By author Keli Gwyn ‘How to Get Your Blog Post on Google’s First Page’

By author Susan Bischoff ‘Respect for the Gifts’

By author and publisher Bob Mayer ‘The Changing Landscape of Publishing for Writers’

By author Joy E. Held ‘Getting Lost in Your Own Mind’

The power of #WriteMom

If you haven’t read Kristen Lamb’s book, ‘We Are Not Alone: The Writer’s Guide to Social Media’ then please stop reading this and go read it now. The writing industry in particular is very overwhelming. As Kristen points out in her book, the writing community is alive and well online so use it. Learn from others, network and ask your questions. A fast, easy way to connect is on Twitter through the #MyWANA hashtag. That stands for “My We Are Not Alone” based off Kristen’s book. Here writers meet up and spread the love. Learn more here.

But you have a bubbly toddler and can barely make time for plotting your book during her nap times. How can you make time to chat with some people online? The question is; how can you afford not too?

I’ve been a freelance journalist for ten years. When I decided to add author to my writing credentials I knew that I was going to have to learn a lot. The most important thing I’ve learned in a little over a year is the value of discussion. Of course you must make time to write in order to be an author but you have to also understand what you are doing. Connections are important and it’s those connections that sometimes pull you through that troublesome scene.

You—with the bubbly toddler are not alone. I’m right there by you. I hold multiple National and local freelance contracts, promote my published book, research and write my next non-fiction, submit my young adult, write my middle grade, manage my speaking engagements and online course teaching schedule plus all the other things that come with the job title of “writer” all while caring for my thirteen-month-old daughter. I apologize for the insanely long run-on sentence and that didn’t even include Oscar, my special needs dog that is very high maintenance. The point is we all are busy and juggle a million things regardless what your day is like. As Kristen’s book stresses, you are not alone. This goes for writing moms as well as writers. This is why I’m launching #writemom on Twitter.

When you Tweet, add #writemom to your message. Make sure you do this when you are tweeting about writing progress good and bad. Soon we will have a community of writing moms. We can share the joys of publishing milestones, the stresses of deadlines and the frustrations that being a mom can add to all of this. After having a career in public relations and television prior to writing full-time, I’m convinced that this is the most difficult job. And when you add the pressure and duties of motherhood to your writing role—it can get very overwhelming.

When times are stressful remember that you are not alone. So many writing moms are making it work and look easy everyday. Share your success, advice and stories at #writemom. There is power and strength in community. Use #writemom to celebrate, vent, cry, laugh, rant, etc. Let #writemom refuel you for your next writing sprint and help you reach your goal. I’ll look forward to seeing you in the community. Happy Friday and to the power of #WriteMom!

I’m teaching a Write It Forward Workshop titled, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ online in October. Click here for more information and to sign-up.

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

I’ve been out of the loop this week. Please share some great blog posts that you’ve seen for this week’s blog mash-up.

Give me a break! And it’s good for my writing!

As a writer I can relate to that constant nagging pull to keep writing and meet that writing goal. However, sometimes the best thing for your writing is to just take a break. As I’ve said before, there is no such thing as writer’s block. When a scene proves to be a challenge, just walk away from it. Even if it is just a little while. Any break, no matter how short it may be can help the quality of your writing and manuscript.

For writing moms, this advice is very easy to follow. When I feel like I’ve hit a dead end or I’m struggling with a scene, I take a break and play with my daughter. This accomplishes two important things. First, I get to play with the most beautiful little girl in the world. Secondly, it gets my mind off that troublesome scene. There is such a thing as working too hard. It’s easy to get so focused in work but really a break can do wonders for your work and for your life.

Rewards are also a great way to celebrate reaching a goal. I love rewards! I rarely go over my writing goal because I don’t want to overwork myself. Instead, I treat myself to an hour of reading a book of my choice.

What do you do for a writing break? Do you give yourself a reward when you’ve reached a goal?

Announcements:

I will be hosting a live webinar on September 26 6:30-8 PDT with Farm Dogs USA titled ‘Caring for Special Needs Dogs.’ My lecture will be based off my book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’ along with new research. Click here for more information.

This October I’ll be teaching ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind’ with Who Dares Wins Publishing’s Write It Forward Workshops. Click here to sign up or for more information.

Blog Mash-ups:

Author and social media expert Kristen Lamb’s “The WANA Theory of Book Economics: Why Traditional Marketing Doesn’t Sell Books.”

Pitch University’s Diane Holmes’ “Using Major Turning Points: Pacing Advice By Christopher Vogler” And FYI I’m currently reading his book, “The Writer’s Journey” and loving it!

Some motivation from author Candace Havens off author Anna DeStefano’s blog, How We Write Wednesdays.

From suits to burp rags: The life of a work-at-home mommy

I used put on a fancy business suit and heels to go to work on The Ave. of Americas in NYC or on Post Oak in Houston. Now I simply wear yoga pants/sweat pants, depending on the weather and a Baylor t-shirt to go to work in my at-home office in my house. Oh and don’t forget the burp rag that ordained my shoulder during the early days of being a writing mommy.

Time management can become a big struggle for any working-from-home mommy, especially since you cannot manage which you cannot control. As a mom, many factors control your day, none of which include you. Your baby always needs you and then there are the normal house cleaning, laundry, cooking needs. So, how do you work while getting all of that done while staying sane? Simple, you have to know yourself and control what you can.

By knowing yourself, you can identify what times of day you are most productive at various tasks. Use this knowledge to map out a day that will lead you to success.

Now flexibility is key. Many times that obligatory monkey wrench fins its way into our lives. That’s why you always need a back-up plan. Don’t stress over the things that don’t get done, celebrate the things that did get done. You can always make time for anything that is important to you. If writing is important, then you can make it work.

I’m teaching a month long Write It Forward Workshop, ‘Writing Moms: How to do it all without losing your mind!’ this October through Who Dares Wins Publishing. I hope that you will join the discussion and grow from it. Click here for more information and to sign up.

Are you a writing mommy or work-from-home mommy? What have you learned along the journey?

No announcements or blog shout-outs today as I’m out of town. Have a wonderful Friday y’all! I leave you with a great song by Bon Jovi, ‘Have a Nice Day.’

The privileges of being a working-from-home-mom

I work from home as a full-time freelance writer, author and speaker. I am fortunate to have a skill in which I can have the luxury of working from home. This gives me the opportunity to also care for my daughter, who is a one-year-old today.

I’m convinced that this is one of the hardest jobs. I’ve worked in NYC PR and ran creative services for one of the fastest growing CBS affiliates. I was the youngest business development director for a national advertising firm. So, I’ve had high-stress, fast-paced jobs and being a work-from-home- mom takes the cake. If you also have the privilege that I do, then I’m sure that you will agree. I am using the word “privilege” because I’m ashamed to be guilty of complaining about the some day’s seemingly impossible task of juggling both being a mom and a professional.

Currently a friend of mine from college is losing her baby boy to brain cancer. Hearing their story has been a wake up for me. I know I mentioned this last week in a blog post and I don’t mean to be repetitious, but I feel that this point cannot be stressed enough to moms that work at home. Last time I spoke about this, there was hope for this precious little boy. Now, the family has been given the devastating news and is being forced to decide where they want to be when this battle reaches an end.

Working-from-home-moms have the privilege of being winners in both aspects of their lives. We can have our career and hang on to something of ourselves that doesn’t involve Gerber hanging from our shirts. But the most wonderful thing is that we can be there for every milestone, every smile and laugh and answer to the wonderful call of “Mama.”

When you are your own boss, you don’t have someone hovering over you and setting your schedule. You can set your schedule for what is best for you and your family. I typically get the most of my work done from 5-7 AM and then 8 PM on. This blog is a little late today because I had the wonderful opportunity to spend my morning with a smiling birthday girl when she chose to wake up earlier and start her special day.

As your own boss, you do not have paid vacation, personal or sick days. Therefore, it is easy to get caught up in the always-growing to-do-list and take every moment that you can to work. The publishing industry is not for the faint at heart. It takes more than great ideas to make it as an author. It takes dedication, sweat and sometimes—tears. The work will get done. It is important for anyone that works from home to sit back and recognize special days that deserve a lighter load.

Today, my priority is my daughter. I will get some work done. I even have a scheduled phone interview at 8 PM tonight, after my daughter is in bed. Today is our day to celebrate her. I’m currently reading ‘Eat That Frog!’ by Brian Tracey, which Kristen Lamb recommended in her recent book, ‘Are You There Blog? It’s Me, Writer’ (a must read if you haven’t.) Tracey’s book talks about doing the hardest and most important things on your to-do list first and focusing on them. This is the best way to get ahead of game and accomplish your goals. I also think that it is easy for professionals that work from home to either get overly focuses on the career or the home. For me it is the career. Really, you don’t want to see the neglected housework at times. But I urge professionals that work from home, especially moms, to make every moment and smile count with your child. To be able to work from home is a gift not just for your benefit, but for your child’s as well. Don’t lose sight of it. My friend would give anything to not be going through what her family is facing. I am lucky to have a healthy, beautiful daughter and I’m not going to lose sight of it for a moment, especially today on her birthday. So, I’ll be seeing y’all later tonight on Twitter but for now, I’m taking some personal time and being a mom.

Announcements:

My friend that I mentioned, Kara Sikes and her family need all the prayers and thoughts that they can get today. Her son, James’ story is heart-breaking but serves as a critical reminder for us all to make every moments count and to treasure our children and loved ones. Her blog has been getting page views from all over the world. If you can spare a moment, please think of this family in their time of need. I pray that I never have to know what they are going through.

Dog’s are not immune to unwanted medical conditions. My recent book, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog’, helps owners learn common sense tips that can improve their dog’s quality of life and save some money. A percentage of the profits go to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

My RWA National Recap

This was my first Romance Writers of America National Conference and I must say I left even more energized and excited to be a writer. Yes it was overwhelming but I leaned from some amazing professionals such as Madeline Hunter, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Meg Cabot, Steve Berry, Diana Gabaldon and Tess Gerritsen. And these were just some of the group speakers.

I learned a lot from Carolyn Grayson and Lois Winston on what my author website should have. This was very important to me because I just launched my author webpage, which you can visit here.

The Young Adult market was widely represented with Rosemary Clement-Moore, Caridad Ferrer, Kristen Nelson and Aubrey Poole talking about the market. The bottom line is that no one knows what the next been thing is, or they’d be writing it! Simone Elkeles and David Levithan spoke about writing the YA bestseller. Was very interested in seeing the creative process that Simone went into in making a book trailer that stood out.

A workshop that I really feel that I grew from was Candace Havens’ Fast Draft: How to Write Your First Draft in Two Weeks. I know it sounds crazy but so far I’m working well with her information. There even is a popular #FastDraft hastag on Twitter were writers can work together and keep each other accountable to their goals.

It was also wonderful to meet Twitter pals such as Anna DeStefano, who spoke on After the show: Key Things to Do After a Writing Conference. Honestly, if it weren’t for her, I probably would have taken a few days off once I got home. But she spoke about the importance of jumping right back into writing after the conference. I did and now I’m great progress on my current project.

Another YA topic was writing YA that sizzles, which was hosted by authors Tera Lynn Childs, Kimberly Derting and Sophie Jordan. A popular topic was what can and cannot be in YA. I think by the end, everyone agreed that whatever was written in a YA novel had to honestly serve the development of the plot and character arcs.

It was fun to meet up with my West Houston RWA chapter members prior to the Awards Banquet. Our chapter had much to celebrate. Three of our members, Kay Hudson, Sarah Andre, and Jo Anne Banker were nominated for a Golden Heart., Jo Anne won the award. Deeanne Gist was also nominated for a Rita.

I met with many agents at the conference and was excited to hear interest about my YA, which is now out on submission. I met so many wonderful writers that I’m all ready tweeting and communicating with.

Overall, the conference was productive, exhausting and inspiring. Though I returned to my little forest in Arkansas exhausted, I found myself more energized then ever and thrilled to be an author. I highly recommend that everyone attends a large writing conference throughout their writing careers. It may be overwhelming but the benefits are endless.

Announcements:

I have launched my official writing website. You can visit it at www.NatalieCMarkey.com Thanks to my fabulous brother for doing such a great job. Now I'm sure I'll have some new ideas after this conference :-)

Speaking of websites, Who Dares Wins Publishing has a new one. Check it out.

My non-fiction, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog,’ is out. Vets will always be your first resource in pet care, but as owners, we have a lot of power in giving our dog the best possible life. It is currently selling for $2.99 with a percentage going to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

I’m participating, as an author in The 400 Hundred Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour. The purpose of this is to celebrate the upcoming release of L Carroll’s second book, ‘Four Hundred Days.’ A component of this tour is a social media contest. If you are interested in winning a free book read the rules below.

The goal behind this contest is to spread the word about Four Hundred Days as far as possible to as many people as possible.

Four Hundred Days is the second book in the Lor Mandela series by L Carroll. It’s a captivating trilogy.

Win Nice Girls Does Noir by Julia Crane

To Enter:

· Tweet “Join us on the 400 Hour to @FourHundredDays blog tour (participants add your link to this contest here)

· Leave a comment with the links.

Extra entries

· Facebook about the contest. (+1 entry)

· Change your Facebook Image to the 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour button for the duration of this tour. (+3 entries)

· Change your Twitter avatar to the 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour button for the duration of this tour. (+3 entries)

· Blog about this tour. (+5 entries)

· Grab the 400 hours to Four Hundred Days button and place it your blogs sidebar. (+3 entries)

· Youtube about the 400 hours to Four Hundred Days tour. (+10 entries)

As You can find more info and the 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour button at Woven Strands

The Working Mommy: What to do with separation anxiety?

This week I’m in New York City, where I use to work in PR, for the Romance Writers of America National Conference. I love being back in the Big Apple, but this does create some challenges at home for my husband. Since my almost one-year-old has started saying “Mommy,” or as she says it, “Mamamama,” it has been hard to leave her. Her normally cheerful demeanor becomes fussy and irritable. And let’s not even go into Oscar, the dog’s behavior. I’ve come to accept that if I’m not in the room, he won’t eat.

So what is a Mommy to do? Many of us still work, and I consider myself very lucky to work from the comforts of my home, with my daughter and Oscar. Now, I’m not pretending to be any expert on the topic, but here is my plan. Let’s call this an experiment and I’ll let you know if it works. Here are my steps to helping child separation anxiety for the traveling mommy.

1. Make sure that your child is with someone that they know.

2. Take time to call and talk to your child. My daughter is about to turn one and it made my day today when I called and she laughed and babbled back at me!

3. Bring your child a souvenir. I got my daughter and adorable bear from FAO Swartz.

4. As a writer, I still have work when I’m at a convention. I have columns, this blog, etc. Take advantage of what free time you might get and work ahead. This way you can afford to take a day or two off when you get home for a play day. Honestly, I could use a play day after this conference!

So, what do you think? Have you followed any of these ideas? Did they work? Share your suggestions in a comment and I’ll be sure to let you know how this little experiment of mine goes.

Happy writing, working or whatever you do as a working mom :-)

Announcements:

I have launched my official writing website. You can visit it at www.NatalieCMarkey.com Thanks to my fabulous brother for doing such a great job. Now I'm sure I'll have some new ideas after this conference :-)

My non-fiction, ‘Caring for Your Special Needs Dog,’ is out. Vets will always be your first resource in pet care, but as owners, we have a lot of power in giving our dog the best possible life. It is currently selling for $2.99 with a percentage going to The Texas A&M Foundation to the benefit of the Neurology Section, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinarian Medicine.

I’m participating, as an author in The 400 Hundred Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour. The purpose of this is to celebrate the upcoming release of L Carroll’s second book, ‘Four Hundred Days.’ A component of this tour is a social media contest. If you are interested in winning a free book read the rules below.

The goal behind this contest is to spread the word about Four Hundred Days as far as possible to as many people as possible.

Four Hundred Days is the second book in the Lor Mandela series by L Carroll. It’s a captivating trilogy.

Win Nice Girls Does Noir by Julia Crane

To Enter:

· Tweet “Join us on the 400 Hour to @FourHundredDays blog tour (participants add your link to this contest here)

· Leave a comment with the links.

Extra entries

· Facebook about the contest. (+1 entry)

· Change your Facebook Image to the 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour button for the duration of this tour. (+3 entries)

· Change your Twitter avatar to the 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour button for the duration of this tour. (+3 entries)

· Blog about this tour. (+5 entries)

· Grab the 400 hours to Four Hundred Days button and place it your blogs sidebar. (+3 entries)

· Youtube about the 400 hours to Four Hundred Days tour. (+10 entries)

As I mentioned, I'm out of town and I'm having some internet issues. You can find the 400 Hours to Four Hundred Days blog tour button at Woven Strands

Contest Ends at 11:59 July 15^th 2011