Writers – Page 53 – Jean's Writing

What would happen to your story in a fire?

Published on September 30, 2016September 26, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell36 Comments

Or a flood, or should someone steal your computer?

I don’t know about you but, I’d have a freaking heart attack! laptop-fire

We’ve all know to back up our work. I do this religiously to an external hard drive. A hard drive that is in my closet, that would burn up with my laptop and house in a fire.

Geesh! Give me a minute while I bang my head on table.

September 15, 2016, the Associated Press reported about a fire. Nothing unusual about fires, they happen every day. Unless you are the victim. As was the case for Gideon Hodge a novelist that realized his only copies were on a laptop inside.

Mr. Hodge rushed past firefighters into the blazing inferno to save his computer.

superman-meme

Man dashes into house to save laptop, 2 completed novels from fire in New Orleans’ Broadmoor neighborhood BY MATT SLEDGE

So all of this got me to thinking. I better find a better way to back up my work. I have a lot of finished and unfinished stories on my computer.

But which is the best storage service to use?

I’ve used Google Drive for docs and pics I wanted to share but not for storage. I may give this another look as it is super easy to use. Google Drive is encrypted using SSL, the same security protocol used on Gmail and other Google services. 15 GB of storage won’t last forever but I can buy more as needed.

I’ve also used Dropbox in the past. It too is very easy to use and crosses many platforms. Dropping between my MS laptop to my Ipad with no trouble at all. The free version is only 2GBs but here again, I can buy more if I need it. Dropbox also allows you to encrypt each file for security.

I’ve tried Evernote for small things. I don’t know how it would work for larger items such as a manuscript.

For now, I’m leaning toward Google Drive.

But there are a lot more out there, including tips for Mac users. Check out this post:

Ask the Writers: Which Cloud Storage Service Do You Use by Laura Tucker

What about you?

Do you have a safety net for your writing?

Don’t let all of your blood sweat and tears be lost forever.

Which one do you use?

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Do you need to un-spam some of your friends?

Published on September 28, 2016September 26, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell7 Comments

Holy moly! I had no idea this could even happen! Did you?

But after reading a post on HUGH’S VIEWS AND NEWS, I opened my comments section and lo and behold there were 18 in the spam section. And guess what? Some were not spam! Some were comments from legit followers yet they were being dumped into my spam folder.

Y’all, I’m sorry! But this will now be part of my blog housekeeping.

Hugh explains in detail how to fix your comments if you are the victim of the filter gods at WordPress. But I think it’s also important that bloggers check spam folders for our legit readers.

Here is my little video for your viewing pleasure. But you must click on Hugh’s link below and read more in-depth about this problem.

What To Do If All Your Comments Are Ending Up In The WordPress Spam Folder Source: HUGH’S VIEWS AND NEWS

So what do y’all think? Have you checked the spam comments lately?

Have you found this to be a problem?

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.

Are your adjectives in the right order?

Published on September 21, 2016September 16, 2016 by Jean M. Cogdell22 Comments

Ever wondered why a certain sentence doesn’t work?

You’ve written beautiful adjectives to describe your heroine but the sentence comes off too much. The words trip across your tongue as if your mouth is filled with marbles.

After reading a tweet that went viral, I now understand why this happens.

The adjectives must be in the correct order.

Opinion-size-age-shape-color-origin-material-purpose and last NOUN.

When we talk the words usually flow correctly. We don’t even notice it. But when writing sometimes a word ends up in the wrong place.

What is the tweet that gave me this ah-ha moment?

A tweet by Matthew Anderson. Matthew tweeted a screen shot from a book he was reading.

The excerpt is from The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase.

To read more about Matthew’s tweet and how to write the perfect phrase go to The Daily Buzz link below:

Do You Know This Crucial Piece of English Language Advice? by ALAN JUDE RYLAND

Have you ever encountered a problem with the order of adjectives?

Have you read either book?

What do you think about this rule? Does it make sense?

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How to decide on the best book cover

Published on September 19, 2016February 19, 2018 by Jean M. Cogdell9 Comments

The cover of your book is a big decision.

We all want our book to stand out, to shine brighter than all the other books. Right?

But should you design your own or hire a designer?

I used Canva for one book, but I’m considering hiring a designer for the next book. Why? Because the more I read about book covers, the more I’m convinced a book benefits from a professional’s touch.

I think Bryan over at Become a Writer Today, has some terrific tips for a successful book cover. The idea of making a Pinterest board of covers is a great idea. With this type of board, whether you design your own or hire a pro, you have an idea for what is selling. I’d never thought of that, but that is now on my to-do list.

Click on the link below and read all of his tips.

Publishing a Book? Then You’ll Need a Eye-catching Cover by Bryan

Tell me…

Did you design your cover?

Or did you hire a pro? How did you find a professional designer?

I’d love to hear from you! Click the “write me” tab or contact me on Twitter @jeancogdell,Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! The lights are on, and I’m waiting.

Please remember to share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.