Sea of Books

Bonus post today: Feel free to visit my guest post, Finding Your Writing Zone, at The Writer's Round-About. Don't forget to peruse the site while you're there and see how talented, creative, and inspiring author Rebecca Laffar-Smith is!

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Wow, am I ever overwhelmed! I'm swimming in a sea of books too excited to even choose which one I want to read first. :-) Of course, I've browsed through this one and that, but haven't accomplished any major reading as of yet. I'm in awe that they arrived so quickly. That's amazing! Especially to an impatient kind of gal who was waiting on pins and needles! Well, with one exception: Feminine Wiles hasn't arrived yet, but that's ok. It should be here soon.

I feel a lot more confident with my future travels over to WordPress since I have WordPress for Dummies to refer to. I can breathe a sweet sigh of relief and know it's right there for me to grab when I need it.

I guess you know what I'm up to this weekend.

So, what do you plan to do with yours? Are you aching, stiff and exhausted trying to meet a deadline? Have you taken the weekend off to enjoy with your friends or family? Come on, jump into the comments and share!


Be sure to drop by Writing FORWARD. Melissa Donovan is running an awesome contest!

Grab my feed so you can travel the cyber highway with me, or subscribe by email.

My Amazon Shopping Spree

As promised I'm sharing the books I recently purchased during my Amazon shopping spree thanks to the $100 Amazon Gift Certificate I won from the Writer's Round-About contest. It was a close race and everyone wrote fabulous entries, so I am honored and blessed to have placed 1st with the serious competition I had! In retrospect, I do believe this certificate is the first thing I've ever won in my life! That makes it even more special.

I really put a lot of thought into my purchases. None of my selections were made in haste as I've been dreaming of the following titles for quite some time now. I don't know how many books someone else would have ended up with for $100 but I came out with a total of eight. Yes, eight! Can you believe it? I will admit that I went over budget a smidgen. Normally, I'd cringe to go over budget as I take great pride in my wise spending abilities - or call it cheap if you want. :-)

Onto the lovely bookshelf additions.... Here's a list of the eight books I'll soon be able to hold in my hands and gobble up every page of, along with the reasons why I chose them.


1. Contracts Companion for Writers (Literary Entrepreneur series) - I've wanted this one since I read about it in Hope Clark's newsletter (Funds for Writers) and I'm really excited that it's on its way! I feel much better about my future dealings with contracts knowing I'll be able to reach for it anytime something is in question. This one, along with the Copyright book below, comes with forms on CD-Rom!




2. Copyright Companion for Writers (Literary Entrepreneur series) - I think this is an awesome resource for writers to have. It sounds like there is a lot of information about the copyright of our work and I think it's wise to educate ourselves as much as possible so we know how to protect our words.




3. Feminine Wiles: Creative Techniques for Writing Women's Features Stories That Sell - Many of my readers who have been around a while know my story: I'm a survivor of domestic violence, had a complete hysterectomy in my twenties, have lost over 100 pounds, along with other valleys and triumphs. Writing stories that speak to women's hearts, souls, minds, and makes a real impact on their futures (and of those who love them) is so important to me. Before I can do that, I have to kick it up a notch with my writing so I can make it into the bigger magazine markets and reach a bigger audience of women readers. This book, I believe, will be a huge stepping stone in that direction.




4. The Associated Press Stylebook on Briefing on Media Law - Some markets/clients want you to use AP Style as a reference. So, to cover myself I decided to get both this book and The Chicago Manual of Style you see below. It's something I thought about a lot and am pleased with my decision to have both as handy references. Regardless of which publication or clients I end up writing for, and whichever style they request I use, I'll be covered.






5. The Chicago Manual of Style - I've seen a lot of magazine guidelines and other guidelines that require the writer to use this manual as a reference. I'm on pins and needles to get my hands on this one! I look forward to devouring the wisdom that lays within this (nearly 1,000 pages) hardcover gem!





6. The Copywriter's Handbook, Third Edition: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells - When I first got to the place where I could use my hands and type and write again, I never thought I'd even consider copywriting. Why would I? I only wanted to write in magazines, anthologies, and newspapers. But the longer I write, the more avenues I open my eyes to, and I think you should too. There's a huge world out there and a lot of writing opportunities are available by stepping out into new horizons, experiencing new things, and quenching my never ending thirst for knowledge and learning by taking those opportunities. I feel what I learn from this book will take me far!


7. The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock: The Freelance Writer's Guide to Selling More Work Faster (The Renegade Writer's Freelance Writing series) - Need I say anything? I've heard (ok read) on blogs, Websites, in reviews, and even personal emails how totally amazing and helpful this book really is. I was going to get the other book in this series but my other selections won out as I felt they'd really help me the most at the moment. I would recommend you get both books in this series, though, if you can.


8. WordPress For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) - Ok, a while back I ran a poll. The majority of my readers voted in favor of my move to WordPress. The tech side of the writing business is something I was never aware was so important and to say it's not one of my strong points is an understatement! That's where this book comes in. I checked out other WordPress books but from the excerpt I read from this one, I feel it will lead me through all the steps so I'll feel more confident as I spread my cyber wings and fly off to another blogging platform, one I know nothing about.



And, there you go, my faithful readers. These are my selections and my thoughts for choosing them. Do you disagree with my choices? Do you have any of these books? Do you recommend any of these books? Do you feel I've made sound choices and will experience a huge boost in my writing adventures and sales? Don't be shy! Share with us in the comments.

Oh, and I'll be reviewing each of these books as I wade through them, so keep your eyes peeled for those posts!


Be sure to drop by Writing FORWARD. Melissa Donovan is running an awesome contest!

Grab my feed so you can travel the cyber highway with me, or subscribe by email.

Writer's Resources & Advice

*If you're following my personal writing journey, stay tuned. I'll have another post on that topic soon.

For the time being, I wanted to go ahead and share this awesome resource I came across today. 23 Places to find freelance writing jobs and freelance blogging jobs compliments of Deborah Ng of Freelance Writing Gigs. It will take quite a while to read through these job ads! Thanks, Deborah!

Be sure to stop by Write-from-Home also and check out Amy Derby's post How a Positive Attitude Produces Positive Results.

She has a no nonsense approach to life and writing we can all easily relate to. Through great advice, she instructs us how to increase our writing success--it's all in the attitude! As always, we appreciate your leadership, Amy!

Have a great Tuesday, Writing the Cyber Highway!

I wish you much writing success!

Writer's Market

I think some writers are afraid to spend their money on writer's markets books or even subscribe to the online version, writersmarket.com, but in my opinion, either one can be well worth the money.

After all, where else are you going to get so much information from one source? Most of the time as you search for markets to submit your written work to, you must scour the internet googling and searching for magazine markets or online markets. All you have to do is simply purchase Writer's Market and loads of information is right at your fingertips.

Many writers use the Writer's Market 2008 (Writer's Market) as well as the online version. It's really up to you, but for the time you save, it's definitely worth the cash.

So, order your copy or subscribe to the online version at the link above. You will be glad you did. I sure am!!

Always,
Writing the Cyber Highway...

Writer's Blogs

• a BLINDING heart - Julia Ward - This colorful, creative, amazing woman shares her adventures in life, writing, art, and is such an inspiration. She's been hit by lightening (more than once!) and survived. A true survivor, her strength and character shine through so brightly you'll understand why she chose to call her blog: a BLINDING heart.
  

• Addicted to Writing - Opal Tribble - Enjoy the journey of this freelance writer as she juggles being a single mom, business owner, writer, blogger, and more! Her genuine, caring personality is evident and you'll enjoy every moment of following her freelance life.
  

• April Aragam - Canadian freelance writer and blogger, this amazing lady lets us take a peak into her life as she racks up publishing credits while accomplishing her personal goals. She's more than half way there. Way to go April!
  

• A Writer's Words, an Editor's Eye - Lillie Ammann - Christian Author, Editor, and huge inspiration to the writing world, this terrific lady shares her expertise with anyone who cares to take time out of their busy day to stop by her blog. What a treasure!
  

• Becca's Byline - A breath of fresh air, this unique, special woman allows a peek into her heart--a heart that's warm, vibrant, alive, and too beautiful for words. Check this link out. You'll be captivated....
  

• Beth Morrissey -
  

• Christine Hassler

• Confident Writing - Joanna Young
  

• Deborah Wilson

• Freelancing for Newspapers - Sue Fagalde Lick
  

• From Ink to Ether
  

• Functional Schmunctional - Mary Grandy

• Getting it Write for You - Lisa Vella

• Good is the Enemy of Great - Michael Jones
  

• Heather Strang, Writer

• Hot Diggity - Jenna Glatzer
  

• Inkthinker - Kristen King

• JM Writing and Editing Services - Jessica Mousseau

• Kicking Off A Writing Career - Colleen Wright

• Life of a Writer - Misti Sandefur

• Make Money Freelance Writing and More - Katherine Huether
  

• Mary's Writing Nook - Mary Alward

• Mridu Khullar

• Musings from the Mitten - Erika-Marie S. Geiss

• Renie Burghard's World

• Sharp Words - Catherine Sharp
  

• Something She Wrote - Janna
  

• Swan's Blog - Katharine Swan
  

• Sylvia's Insight - Sylvia C.
  

• The Golden Pencil - Anne Wayman
  

• The Urban Muse - Susan Johnston
  

• Tina's Odds and Ends - Tina Coruth
  

• Vigorous Writing - Jesse Hines
  

• Web Writing Info - Courtney Ramirez
  

• Words on the Page - Lori Widmer

• Writer's Notes - Jeanne Dininni

• Writer's Round-About - Rebecca Laffar-Smith

• Writer's Unbound - Allena Tapia
  

• Writing FORWARD - Melissa A. Donovan

• Writing Thoughts - Laura Spencer
  

Freelance Writing Resources

• Absolute Write

• Coffee Break for Writers

• Constant Content

• Cooper's Homonym List

• Funds for Writers

• Grammar Police
  

• Grammar Slammer

• Guide to Grammar and Writing

• Katherine Huether - Writer
  

• Non Stop English

• The Dabbling Mum

• The Writer Magazine

• Writer Beware

• Writer's Digest Magazine

• Writers Weekly

• Writing for Dollars