Let’s Get Organized

Novel Clique, my writer’s group, determined 2012 the Year of the Agent. It went amazingly well, so we designated 2013 the Year of Social Media. We all plan to develop websites, continue to build our individual blogs, as well as the Novel Clique blog.

We’ll be busy, but maintaining a social media presence doesn’t have to be stressful. We sat down with our editorial calendar and brainstormed topics. Now, we have our group’s weekly blog posts planned for the year. It really took the stress out of figuring out what to write.

This morning alone, I changed topics three times. In an effort to find a balance between writing and the real world, we’re starting the Let’s Get Organized blog hop.

The rules are simple:

1. Create a 4-6 week editorial calendar (here’s a cool template). If you post more than once a week, feel free to cut this time-frame in half. Unless, you’re up for the challenge.
2. Publish the schedule to your blog. As with exercising, people tend to stick to goals when they’re held accountable.
3. Tag three bloggers to join in the fun, then contact them to let them know about it.

The party starts February 21, 2013. In the meantime, mark your calendar, grab the badge for your blog to help spread the word and start brainstorming topics for your editorial calendar.

****NEW****

If you want to join the party, please sign up using the Linky Tool below.

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Getting To Know You

Today, I’d like to take a little time to get to know the people who read/follow my blog a little better, whether you’re a writer or a reader or bloghopper or tweeter or Facebooker, it doesn’t matter. I’m curious about you and the things you like to do with your time. I invite everyone to participate in answering at least one question from the list below (please remember to put the corresponding number in front of your answer):

1. What did you have for breakfast this morning?
2. What are you reading? Favorite author(s)?
3. Favorite all time movie?
4. What kind of music do you listen to?
5. List at least one blog you’d recommend to other commenters. This is where you shamelessly promote your own blog. 🙂
6. What’s your favorite dessert?
7. Did you dream last night? Care to share?
8. If you’re a writer, what genre(s) do you write?
9. Who’s your favorite fictional character, either from a book or a movie?
10. When did you last laugh? About what?
11. Tell one random fact about yourself.

I’d like to end by saying THANK YOU! to all the wonderful people who stop by my blog and those who leave comments! I look forward to reading more about each of you.

Kreative Blogger Award

A big thanks to Melissa Maygrove blogger and romance writer who passed this award on to me. Her blog posts include Grammar Police Monday, features interviews with both new and seasoned writers, and other insightful information. Find Melissa on Twitter here.

The Rules:
1) Thank and link back to the awarding blog.
2) Answer the following 7 questions.
3) Provide 10 random factoids about yourself.
4) Pass this on to 7 deserving others.

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1) What’s your favorite song?
Love’s Theme by Barry White Love Unlimited Orchestra. This song lifts my spirits in ways I don’t understand. Though, when I’m writing I listen to completely different music.

2) What’s your favorite dessert?
Carrot cake (don’t judge me). My sister and Nicole are tied for making the BEST EVER carrot cake!!!

3) What do you do when you’re upset?
Serenity Now! Some of you may need to click the link to fully appreciate the term. Much like Melissa, my reaction depends on the cause. I first ask, “Is this a life-threatening situation?” and go from there. As a mother (twin boys + girl), I ask this question often, but it also applies to everyday situations as well. Plus, as writers, we should see upsetting situations as fodder for our work.

4) Which is your favorite pet?
Cats. Though I like dogs, too.

5) Which do you prefer? Black or White
Black, it’s my go-to color.

6) What is your biggest fear?
Afraid to say….

7) What is your attitude mostly?
I try to see the positive, though sometimes it’s difficult.

10 Random Factoids:

1) I’ve had the same best friend since first grade.

2) I cooked my first meal at age 4: pancakes for my mama.

3) I climb a tree every year, just to prove I still have it. I haven’t gotten around to it yet this year, yet.

4) I don’t like eggs anyway they’re cooked in a frying pan, but I’ve been told I make delicious scrambled eggs.

5) Even though the vampire/werewolf trend is on the way out (or is it gone now) I still LOVE them.

6) I love to cook, but I don’t like meal planning.

7) Until recently, I still used a VHS player almost everyday.

8) I can cross all of my fingers at the same time (which is worth four times the luck, I’ve been told).

9) Contrary to what my name will lead one to believe, I’m not Russian, but I do speak a little of the language.

10) I love to hear what people dream about, not their aspirations and life goals, but the ones they dream when sleeping.

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I’d like to pass this award to:

1) Susan Kaye Quinn, Young Adult Author [and marketing guru, seriously you could learn much from her.]
2) Carrie Butler at So You’re A Writer [She’s so funny, plus she celebrating her blogiversary. Hurry over, her contest ends soon.]
3) Nicole at My Writing Blog [I so enjoy her humor and her carrot cake.]
4) Susanna Hill [She’s a joy to read.]
5) L.L. McKinney at Info Dump a La El [Motivational post and she also provides contests links.]
6) Dawn Allen at Write On [Very informative.]
7) Rachael Harrie at Rach Writers… [for her role in connecting me to so many awesome writers.]

Please stop by their blogs to show your support!