Blogging Insights NF # 61 – Distraction So. Here’s the quote: I have never been distracted by the internet. I’ve been distracted by life. Illness. Moving. Remodeling. Major life changes that fall out of the sky. Reading a book too… Read More ›
#Writing
FIRE AND ICE – Robert Frost
He was our “local” poet. I have always loved his poems, but even more since I moved to New England. He understood this place and its people. We have a portrait of him taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt hanging in our… Read More ›
STATS AND OTHER BIG NUMBERS
IN RESPONSE (IN PART) TO “VIEWS” BY FANDANGO We all want to know why some posts are popular and the rest? Not so much. Everyone wants to know the secret. I think the secret is getting Google to notice you… Read More ›
FOLLOWERS AND COMMUNITY
Blogging Insights NF # 56 “Successful blogging is not about one time hits. It’s about building a loyal following over time.“ — David Aston I don’t know who David Aston is, but that’s a pretty solid, reasonable statement. A lot… Read More ›
THE ART OF THE HEADLINE
Blogging Insights NF # 55 — Headlines “On the average five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” — David… Read More ›
LORD OF THE WHAT?
Fandango’s Provocative Question #183 The right question, but the wrong “slant.” I could care less what race they show them to be, but I do care how much they distort the story and how little they apparently care for J.R.R. Tolkien’s… Read More ›
1,203,989 MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE?
Blogging Insights NF # 53, hosted by Tanya Today’s blogging quote doesn’t really make sense, at least not to me. Aside from its obvious and intentional rudeness — I don’t think any context could change its meaning — it’s snarky,… Read More ›
PRINTERS AND WHY I HATE THEM
This is not new. I hated copy machines first because we had copy machines before we had personal printers. Once we “advanced” from dot-matrix to laser and/or inkjet printers, I really started to hate them. If you are a child… Read More ›
BLOGGING AS AN EXERCISE IN WRITING?
Blogging Insights NF # 53 — ‘Finger exercises’ In all the years I took lessons and practiced piano, my teacher never gave me finger exercises. She gave me music to play that would accomplish the same purpose. She felt “making… Read More ›
Y’GOTTA READ BEFORE Y’WRITE, RIGHT?
Blogging Insights NF # 52 — Reading “The first step in blogging is not writing them but reading them.” — Jeff Jarvis I agree, although for me, it’s just reading, then reading more. I’ve always been such an insane reader…. Read More ›
GET TO THE POINT
Blogging Insights NF # 51 — “Good value for money” TODAY’S QUOTE: First, I never believe any blogger who says he or she is “only writing for him/herself.” If you are writing for yourself, why do you have a blog?… Read More ›
WHAT DOES “SEO” MEAN?
Blogging Insights NF #50 “Conversation is King” TODAY’S QUOTE: Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about. ~ Cory Doctorow So there I was at the start of this post and realized — I don’t know what SEO… Read More ›
Stick-to-it-ive-ness
Blogging Insights NF # 49 – “Stick-to-it-ive-ness” ” The difference between writers who finish books and those who don’t– is that the finishers don’t stop writing until they get to : THE END.” – Brian Hutchinson, author of Writer’s Doubt…. Read More ›
BALLS, NERVE, AND חוצפה
“You’re one tough broad,” my friend told me. I recognized this as a compliment. Maybe you have to come from New York or New Jersey to “get it,” but I got it. “Tough” includes brave, determined, and hard to kill…. Read More ›
PRO VS AMATEUR: TALENT & MONEY
Blogging Insights NF 48 Here’s the quote: This is probably more relevant to the hopeful authors of novels in the crowd. I never wrote novels and when I tried, it reminded me why I didn’t. It wasn’t for lack of… Read More ›
THE CRUELTY AND JOY OF EDITING
Melanie left a comment on my “Paper Moon” post suggesting that I’m smart and clever and that’s why I write well. The real reason is probably my span of more than 40-years as a working writer. That’s got to be… Read More ›
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 