Do you want a solution for blog stress?

Boy o boy, do I.

Sometimes I feel the stress of putting out another post almost as much as making that story deadline. Maybe more. Blogging is like the dishes or the laundry. As soon as the table is cleared, and everything put away, it’s time to start cooking all over again. Or take the laundry. I’ve no sooner folded the last towel then I turn around and the basket is full again. I swear there are elves bringing in their dirty duds for me to wash when I’m not watching. But I like to eat and I enjoy wearing clean clothes so what’s a person to do?

So when I read an article wrote by Will Blunt for Business to Community about A 6 Step Writing Process to Blog More and Stress Less, I felt relieved.

I’m not alone. Someone else understands this blog treadmill too. stress

Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve found a new family of friends and colleagues that have nurtured me and encouraged me as a writer that I wouldn’t trade for all the tea in China. So as with the dishes and laundry, I continue to reach out to the world.

Take for instance Mr. Blunt’s article, although I don’t have the time to organize my posts as well as he suggests, he does offer some good tips.

I hope you’ll find something helpful there too. A tip or two that will help you slow down and enjoy reading a blog or two from your readers on the web.

PS:

My tip: I make a day to write on my blog. On that day I try to write two or three posts and schedule them. The rest of the week, I’m writing on my WIP, answering comments and emails.

Do you have a tip? Please share.

I love reading your comments.

Please head over and “like” my Facebook page at Facebook at jeanswriting . Or to connect with me, click the “write me” tab. Don’t forget you can follow me on StumbleUpon,  on Twitter @jeancogdell , and Amazon.com.

Please stop by and say “hey!”  I’ll leave a light on. 

 

Are you ready to compete?

Ready, or not, maybe it’s time to dust off that story, novel or poem.

Dusty book

Look hard enough and you can find a contest for just for you.

Thanks to Virginia Anderson for letting me know about a The 2015 Green River Writers Annual Contest. Entry fees $3, now that’s a bargain. They offer cash prizes. The contest is open to poets, novelists, short story and nonfiction writers. Seems as if they have it all. Hurry, contest closes August 31, 2015.

Southwest Writers offer a bimonthly contest. Check out their website for deadlines and topics.

There is still time to enter Shonda Brock Paranormal Romance Author  Flash Fiction Contest and win $100 prize. Deadline closes August 24, 2015.

For a List of Creative Writing Competitions in 2015 check out Almond Press.

Now about that dusty novel…

Flash 500 Novel Opening Chapter Competition Annual competition for unpublished novels to be judged by senior editors at Crooked Cat Publishing. Win £500. Runner up £200. Opens on 1st May 2015. Deadline: 31st October 2015 Submit: opening chapter of no more than 3,000 words, plus 1 page synopsis. Check website for full submission details and rules.

Harry Bowling Prize for New Writing Intended to encourage new, unpublished fiction. Looking for genuine storytellers who entertain with drama, romance and great characters. Your novel must have an urban setting. Runs every two years: next due in 2016 with calls for entries in 2015. Win £1,000 and a critique of your work by publishing industry experts. Deadline: TBC  Submit: first chapter (no more than 5,000 words), synopsis (no more than 500 words), plus entry form. Check website for full submission details and rules.

For more, check out the list of Book & Novel Writing Competitions put together by Christopher Fielden.  

Anyone out there know of a good contest?

Let us know in the comments section because y’all know how much I love those comments.

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Good Manners Require Thank Yous

So a big thank you goes out to Charles French for his kind recognition for sending the

Dragon’s Loyalty Award my way. Be sure and check out his blog Words Reading and Writing.

In the spirit of gratitude I want to thank a few more bloggers who have enriched my life with great stories, inspirational motivation and educational content.

Here Are The Rules For This Award:

 * Display the award certificate on your website.
*  Announce your win with a post, and link to whomever presented your award.
* Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers.
* Drop them a comment to tip them off after you’ve linked them in the post.
* Post 7 interesting things about yourself.
 Me:
  1. Love music of all types, but Country is my favorite
  2. Love dancing
  3. Back pain stops me from dancing as often as I’d like
  4. I’ve lived in several states
  5. Half of my family lives in France (I miss them)
  6. The M in my name is my maiden name (McIntyre)
  7. Visiting Scotland and Ireland is on my bucket list. (Reason #7)

Below are 15 deserving bloggers. I can’t thank them enough for their loyalty, their comments of encouragement and their posts that inform and enlighten my day.

  1. Sarah at Mom Turned Mom
  2. Cassie at MY ETCH-A-SKETCH LIFE
  3. Viv at The Owl Lady Blog
  4. Sheila at Cow Pasture Chronicles
  5. Vanessa at Romance Done Write
  6. Donna at Heron There & Everywhere
  7. Kristina at Kristina Stanley.com
  8. Christine at Before Sundown
  9. Tracey at Finders Keepers
  10. V Rose at Fire Fly’s Journal
  11. Tamara at Orange Pond Connects
  12. Kimberly at Kimberly Cooper Blog
  13. Jo at Labyless
  14. hsampson at The power of Quantum Thinking
  15. jmpayer at J M Payer.com

I love comments, almost as much as I love clicks, so after you pass this on to your Facebook and Twitter pals remember to tell me what you think.
If you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!

Are ebooks here to stay?

I think ebooks are here to stay and one day self published ebooks will be available everywhere.

A while back I blogged about Self-e library service. [Post] As a followup I’m reblogging a post from Jane Friedman by  A Conversation With the SELF-e Team: Exploring Payment for Authors on July 14, 2015

This in-depth article explains a lot about the early stages of this program and its future.

Library Journal’s SELF-e Select is the curated collection of indie ebook submissions for the national library system.

I know this is not widely available yet, but I do envision Self-me or something very similar coming to our libraries in the future. Because ebooks are here to stay.

I love comments, almost as much as I love clicks, so after you pass this on to your Facebook and Twitter pals remember to tell me what you think.
If you’re not already, please follow me @jeancogdell on Twitter or jean.cogdell on Facebook!