Writer Wednesdays: Jeff Goins "You Are a Writer"

Photo from Donald McAllister

I had a fabulous lazy Sunday reading Jeff Goin's newest ebook, You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One). But my relaxed mood quickly shifted into holy-cow-I-am-so-inspired-I-want-to-start-working-on-my-next-book-NOW mode.

Goins tends to have that effect.

This page-turner is a call to action for anyone thinking about becoming a writer. You can't read it and NOT want to go write something worthy of publishing immediately.

But as a freelance writer for over a year, it is also a great read for non-newbies too because it's a reminder of all the joys, and challenges, of writing. Most notably, Goins emphasizes how important it is to put yourself out there over and over, again and again, to new audiences and old, constantly.

Reading this book came at the perfect time for me as I get ready to self-publish my first novel. The book is an ideal confidence boost that makes me feel like I can do anything, not because he writes like my personal cheerleader or promises the journey will be easy, but because he emphasizes that you have the power over your success and only the truly dedicated and passionate will persevere.

It's an empowering message, and puts the accountability for your career squarely on your shoulders, where it should be. No excuses, no more stalling. The cliche "Just Do It" rings so true when it comes to your writing career.

Goins has the wonderful ability to make his words stir your greatest writing desires, and his style makes it feel like he wrote the book especially just for you. Which he did, because as a successful writer that is farther along in his career than me, I see his book is a roadmap to reaching his level of success.

And I know I can do it, because "I am a Writer."

Thanks again, Jeff, for believing in your fellow writers and sharing your knowledge.

Movie Mondays: J. Edgar Reaction

Photo via Unknowncritics.com

I am a big fan of biographies/autobiographies/memoirs. I guess that's the journalist in me, and why I love doing interviews and learning about why people open a business or play in a band. I've also really gotten into historical fiction lately--anything like The Book Thief and Water for Elephants. 

Anyway, I really enjoyed J. Edgar because I had no idea about his life and shaping of the FBI. But, I also liked the emotional analysis of this complicated, conflicted man played solidly by the always great Leonardo DiCaprio. 

I felt most strongly for Armie Hammer's character, who was in love with J. Edgar and as a result was at Edgar's mercy professionally and personally. Edgar was portrayed somewhat like the repressed cowboy Heath Ledger played in Brokeback Mountain.  The emotional turmoil and self-loathing seeped from DiCaprio and gave a thorough glimpse into Edgar's life.

It dragged at some points, and I definitely got angry at Edgar's treatment of Clyde Tolson for all those years, while denying him a real relationship. His bossiness, control freak-ness, and undercurrent of anger are palpable, and Tolson just puts up with it, even after having a debilitating stroke. 

A touching learning experience that is the best example of how history can be told--sometimes best--by the analysis of one person's worldview. 

 

SUPER Sharing Sundays: Best 8 Links of the Week!

By the always-uplifting Shelli Johnson: Need an Attitude Adjustment? Try Gratitude.

The Freelancer's Soul-Saving Mind Hack by Walt Kania, creator of my new favorite blog, The Freelancery.

Paydirtapp.com. This freelance tool has increased my productivity, awareness, and confidence exponentially in just one week of use. LOVE!!!

Kickstarter.com. I am shocked everyone hasn't heard of this fabulous crowdfunding site for creatives. I've decided to support at least one Kickstarter a month. Funding dreams=very cool!

The April Kickstarter I supported: Poor Girl Eats Well. Check it out! I'm so excited to add this cookbook to our kitchen arsenal :)

KickStartup: Successful Funding with Kickstarter.com and (Re)making Art Space Tokyo by @craigmod. Inspirational story and beautiful book!

Internet Business Mastery clues us in to "What the Experts Don't Tell You About Social Media."

Thought this was hilarious on Twitter by @ThisIsRobThomas: "Hey, touchy people. Music is subjective. I think nugent is an ass clown. Many people think that of me. The world turns on. Let it go."

Soul Saturdays: One Small Step

Photo by Bill Longshaw

In November 2011 on Thanksgiving Day, I hit the "publish" button for the first time on Yahoo (anyone can publish through www.contributor.yahoo.com). The thrill of that moment, and then seeing the article go live the next day, filled me with a sense of purpose and ecstatic joy, but I didn't fully realize what that moment meant at the time.

Now I do.

That one small step, which only took about two hours of my time, began a journey that I am still thrilled to be on and will be on until the day I die.

And I'm getting ready to hit an unbelievable, terrifying, and freakin' exciting milestone: publishing my first novel.

I'm launching a Kickstarter VERY soon, and it will fund the self-publishing expenses that are involved. It's scary as hell, but in that my-heart-is-fluttering-and-I-can't-stop-grinning way.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. I know how lucky I am to be doing work that I love, and it would be possible without you!

Eternally grateful,

Shawndra

P.S. What small step can YOU take today to put you on a path to reach your dreams? Share in the comments so we can support you!

Fiction Fridays: Novel Sneak Peek!

Photo by: Photostock

So, I took some MAJOR steps today towards self-publishing my novel (getting quotes from editors, finding a self-publishing partner and ebook cover designer, and in general setting the groundwork to start my Kickstarter very, very soon!), so I thought it was high time I shared a tiny piece of my novel, Couple Friends, with you. 

Please send me your feedback and let me know what you think about both my new fiction-focused website at www.shawndrarussell.com, and the little piece of my novel! Does it make you want to read more? Are you interested in Kieran's story? Hit me with your feedback; I can take it!

Novel Sneak Peak: Couple Friends!

Tune Thursdays: Steve Everett, North Carolina's "Tom Petty"

"Being compared to Tom Petty is pretty powerful stuff, but Steve Everett takes the compliment in stride and just focuses on making fan-worthy music."

To read the rest of the article, please visit: Steve Everett, North Carolina's "Tom Petty"

Writer Wednesdays: Amy Flurry, Author of Recipe for Press

Photo by Salvatore Vuono

Today I had the pleasure of listening to Amy Flurry, editor, freelance writer, and all-around "in-the-publishing-know" person give a presentation as part of #SCADstyle. She presented talking points from her book, Recipe for Press (which is now on my to-read list on Goodreads!), and how any of us can be our own publicist--especially in the beginning when money is tight. I can relate :)

Even though she is a stylist and in the fashion/design world, and the room was filled with people that create products over services like I do, I still found what she said very valuable. I am going to implement some of her tips into my future magazine pitches, and I will definitely be keeping up with her blog as she sends tips and friendly reminders such as NATIONALLY MAGAZINES WORK AT LEAST SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE, like in this blog post: BOO! Pitching October Issues Yet?

Little nudges like these are exactly what I need to stay on track. I know how important it is to think ahead, but so many of ideas are more relevant for the season I'm currently in, so I need to file those ideas away for the appropriate time--time for a new worksheet in my "Pitches" Excel document! It always amazes me that these editors and editors have to think that far ahead. It has to get frustrating, but of course there really isn't any other way I suppose...unless everything moves to digital mags, which I'm guessing would mean a shorter turnaround, like ebooks compared to print publishing?

I will definitely post a full review after I read the book, but I wanted to put her Recipe for Press blog on your radar as I've already found it, and Flurry's advice and insight, very helpful.

Let me know what you think after you visit her blog!

Travel Tuesdays: My Article Featuring Savannah As This Month's BeerAdvocate Destination for a Beercation

Photo by Ahmet Guhler

Sneak peek at my BeerAdvocate article, published in this month's issue #63, that features Savannah as the beercation Destination of the month:

"Savannah has grown into quite the beer destination in recent years, with bars large and small recognizing the demand for a stellar craft beer menu to thrive here. This unique, European-influenced city is heavy on charm and good times, even permitting open containers in the two square miles of the Historic District. Stroll the cobblestone streets, notable squares, and, of course, visit the quirky bars that dot downtown without having to be beer-less between stops. Talk about a beer drinkers’ bliss."

To read the rest of the article, you can buy a single issue of the subscription-only magazine here for only $2.99: http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/beeradvocate-magazine-63-trouble-brewing-monks-kettle-metropolitan-lazy-magnolia-bluejacket.8854/

15 Savannah establishments are featured, plus shout-outs to our Savannah Craft Brew Fest, a few noteworthy nuggets about Savannah's history with alcohol, and a fitting quote from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil to top it off.

Let me know what you think. Cheers!

Movie Mondays: The Girl With the Dragoon Tattoo

Photo by Createdoxfoto

I was somewhat leery of watching The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo because I tried to read Stieg Larsson's and had to stop around page 33 because it was boring me to tears (I've heard after page 40 it gets really good?). So I was thrilled that this movie not only kept my attention throughout, but I was completely flabbergasted by the events an honestly didn't know who the bad guy was that they were chasing.

But more than just the plot, I enjoyed Daniel Craig's performance where he showed a little more humanity instead of just the tough badass that he usually plays (he was still a badass, but a slightly defeated, more vulnerable one and an intellectual journalist that relies on brains more than brawn).

Yet the scene-stealer was most definitely Rooney Mara, who plays the title character Lisbeth by walking the line between bravery and stupidity, vulnerability and strength, sadness and hopefulness. She is a fascinating character that has been destroyed by the government and is used by her employers, trustee, and even Craig's character, who appears to be the only person she actually trusts in her life.

The ending was the perfect cliffhanger, with Craig shattering Lisbeth's faith in others once again after she'd finally opened herself up to someone. She's a therapist's dream (or nightmare, perhaps) with so many layers, walls built up, reservations about any and everyone--for good reason.

She's the product of what any of us could have gone through, and there is something so admirable about her strength and fearlessness in many ways despite all the hardships she's encountered.

I'm honestly not sure if I want to read the second or third books because I enjoyed this movie so much without having read the first book.

Have any of you read the series? What did you like/dislike? What do you recommend I do: read or just watch?

SUPER Sharing Sundays: Best 8 Links of the Week!

A good reality check about social media's powers and problems by Jacqui MacKenzie for Internet Business Mastery.

Very intrigued by this service (and it's so cheap!). Has anyone used it yet? Theauthorsally.com "How to Self-Publish."

5 Ways to Help Authors Without Spending a Dime by Michael K. Rose (I hope people are this helpful to me when my books launch this summer!).

And while we're at it, check out 5 More Ways to Help Authors Without Spending a Dime too!

8 Twitter Powerhouses You Must Follow (they communicate with the little guy!). On a related note, when do you move from little guy to medium guy to big guy on Twitter?

Why I Murdered My Successful Blog by Sean Platt of the Digital Writer (this guy is seriously amazing!).

An Essential Reminder: John Cleese on Creativity via CommuniCATE's Cate Russell-Cole. GREAT, inspirational video.

What I Learned On My Writer's Vacation by Aine Greaney (Hint: stop feeling guilty for taking time off--you'll be MORE productive when you get back to work!)

Soul Saturdays: Do Things that Scare You

I ran in my first mudrun this weekend (that's me in the picture above), and ever since my good friend asked me to join her team of Crossfit enthusiasts three weeks ago, I worried.

Worried I would be the weakest link.

Worried I would let them down.

Worried I would get hurt.

Honestly, these concerns aren't like me, at least when it comes to athletic things. I have played sports my whole life, and I love to do new things. But for some reason, this mudrun had me worried. Maybe partly because I know my health insurance isn't the greatest (hello, life of a freelancer). But mostly, I just didn't want to look stupid.

When the race began and we trudged into the first obstacle--a mudpit that was about 2.5 feet deep--a smile spread across my face. It was SO much more fun than just regular "running" races (I competed in my first (and only) half marathon last year at Disney's Princess Run), and a new silly grin creeped onto my face every time we encountered a new obstacle.

I was hooked.

If I would have given into my fears and backed out, I would have never known that I absolutely love mudruns, and I intend to do many, many more in my future. In fact, I'm doing my second one June 16 (http://www.fleetfeetsavannah.com/jcb). If you're in Savannah, you should join!

I also learned that I need to believe in myself and my preparation (in all things, not just exercise!). I run 3-5 times per week, but I thought that I was lacking in the strength department and would have trouble with some of the upper body obstacles. I should have had faith that I was strong enough (physically and mentally!), and the huge sense of accomplishment I felt as we crossed the finish line was blissful.

We have to do the things that scare us sometimes, be it taking a leap of faith in order to pursue your dream career, start a new relationship, attend a networking event, or trying anything new, like a mudrun :)

What "new" thing will you tackle this month?

Fiction Fridays: One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell

Photo by Damian Brandon

I read my first Candance Bushnell book in February (Lipstick Jungle, review here!), and selected One Fifth Avenue as my second Bushnell experience. BTW: Did you know they were making The Carrie Diaries into a tv show? I did NOT until I researched for this blog post! It's coming out Fall 2012, and I have to admit, I am pretty excited and hope they can capture that "Sex and the City" (tv shows, not the movies!) magic.

This novel would be a postquel to Sex and the City instead of the Carrie Diaries prequel IF Carrie and the gang all lived in the same building and a snoopy relative and a bratty twenty-year-old also moved in. Not that the characters are versions of Carrie and company, but similar enough because they are all powerful, rich, and independent women.

This book was plot-driven for me because while I enjoyed spying on the goings-on by the inhabitants of One Fifth, a prestigious building in NYC, I didn't really like any of the characters. They were all selfish, spoiled, and sort of empty. We didn't get to know their inner thoughts and feelings much, but instead watch as they make bad decisions and seem to not truly care about anyone else in their lives.

I wouldn't trade lives with any of these women despite their fabulous addresses, fat wallets, and social status because they all reeked of loneliness and dissatisfaction. But I think that's where Bushnell's intended message lies. No matter how great things look from the outside--literally when it comes to this building--the truth is, unless you're happy with yourself, the life you've built, and the people you keep company with, where you live and your possessions add up to very little.

I can't help but agree with the New York Times Review: "Bushnell is...the philosopher-queen of the social scene" and add that the her social commentary is welcome in an age when we make reality stars famous and go to excess not with just one or two vices, but several--many that hurt our relationships with ourselves and with others.

If you find yourself relating with any of these characters, consider it your wake-up call from Bushnell to get your life together and change course.

Tune Thursdays: Grammy-nominated Claire Lynch

"Claire Lynch had the kind of musical family that made her career as a bluegrass maven — two Grammy nominations and Female Vocalist of the Year with IBMA in 1997 — inevitable. She remembers as a young girl being sandwiched between her two older sisters on their piano bench, “my mother standing behind us.”"

Read the rest of the article here:

http://m.savannahnow.com/do/2012-04-12/music-matters-claire-lynch-returns-home-away-home-savannah

Writer Wednesdays: Jay Brooks, Beer Writer

Photo by Naypong 

My first "big" craft beer article was published in April's issue #63 for BeerAdvocate about Savannah as a beercation destination, so lately I have been scouring the Internet for more craft beer writing gigs and gurus to learn from. Jay Brooks falls into that category with his contributions for the Bay Area News Group with articles like: Brooks on Beer: Chocolate and Beer (which is delicious if you haven't tried it, by the way).

Brooks is great at writing timely articles such as this that came out right before Valentine's Day, or his article about "Session Beers" that came out before April 7th's "Session Beer Day." I really enjoy his matter-of-fact articles tied to beer news and, of course, his obvious love of good beer like me.

What beer writers do you admire? Please recommend books, blogs, and columnists! 

Travel Tuesdays: Savannah Winecation

Photo by Xedosa4

My first wine article for Snooth.com, about a Savannah Winecation. Check it out, and come visit soon! 

Movie Mondays: Midnight in Paris Reaction

Photo by Simon Howden

Hi everyone! Sorry for the unexpected hiatus...I've been hard at work getting my other blog into shape at www.shawndrarussell.com. It's related to all the fun, heartwarming, and sometimes heartbreaking stuff I write about in my novels. If you are a lover of women's fiction, I hope you will go check out the site so you can get a sense of what my novels are about.

Anyway, back to business as usual. This weekend my husband and I did a much-needed three-movies-in-a-row marathon. Our lives have been pretty chaotic due to our total life upheaval, so some "us time" was just what the doctor ordered, and Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris was a romantic thinker that had us BOTH considering moving to Paris (but if we don't do that, we figure Savannah's streets at night (not in the rain, though) are pretty darn awesome too.

Owen Wilson plays the lovable bozo who is in a relationship with a high-strung, controlling, and bitchy fiancee played by Rachel McAdams (had to be a fun role for her!). But the show stealers were the actors that played the literary and artistic heroes of the past: Heminway, the Fitzgeralds, Gertrude Stein, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso...

It was a ball seeing these greats as just regular people struggling through their days, fighting to get noticed by editors (I can relate!), and getting their hearts broken. And the commentary that many of us wish we could go back and live in a perceived "golden era" when really, whatever era you are living in isn't going to feel all that golden. History often highlights the best of each era, leaving us sometimes longing to travel back in time.

Wilson actually gets this wish, and of course falls in love with a young lady from the roaring 1920s. He loves everything about this era, and of course thinks that only if he could have lived back then, he would have been truly happy, walking the streets of Paris for inspiration. But isn't that what we all say? I'll be happy when...

I have more money
I have a better job
I live in _______
I get married
I have kids
I...

The message? Be happy now. We can only live in the moment we are in, so longing for the past or daydreaming about the future isn't going to make us any better off. Always a wonderful lesson to be reminded of, even if the acting lacked emotional depth and came up much more lighthearted than heart wrenching like I would preferred (I never once felt like crying! Humph!).

But this movie did get me thinking about all the great time travel books just waiting to be written.

If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be and why? Share in the comments!

Writer Wednesdays: Moi!

Hi everyone,

Sorry for not posting this week. I have been hard at work on my new blog about all things related to my novels, which I will be self-publishing VERY soon. Please go take a look and send me some feedback!

www.shawndrarussell.com

I'm currently working on:

• making a custom header  
• figuring out how to change the text from gray to black  
• make the "post" area wider so there isn't as much blank space to the left.

I may have to change the theme completely to be able to do these things without having to pay. Obviously a work in progress, but I hope you like it!

Any other suggestions?