The World of Writing Distractions

I saw an awesome image by Zachary Petit about all the crazy distractions we writers delve into once we actually put that BIC ("butt in chair"). Head on over to view the infographic and see where you fall, after reading and commenting here, of course.

The graphic is amusing to most of us because it is something we can relate to. This got me to thinking: Why do we procrastinate so much as writers. We LOVE our craft and we love everything about the writing world. So what about it makes us get distracted?

To start, writing is tough work. We love it, but it is hard - even for those of us who are quite gifted in this area. It can take a while to get your brain working, which probably explains the massive amounts of caffeine we find irresistible.

Then there's the writer's block. No matter what we do, we've hit a wall. Really, the best thing we can do is to keep writing. Add another word. Take it one word at a time. Often though we tend to allow the distractions to enter:  "I'll just take a small break while I check my e-mail, roam Facebook, tweet how horrible writer's block is..."

But there may be a glimmer of hope to us procrastinating writers. For some, the distractions aid in the thought process. How many times has a plot twist or story idea hit you while you're doing the dishes or taking a shower? How many times while playing a game with your child have you thought, "You know, if this happened and then that happened, I'd have a great picture book!"  How many times after googling about writing did you find one sentence that inspired you? This blog post alone was inspired by an image someone posted on Facebook. Something stirred in me and I dropped everything to get the post in. (Being a mom too, I had to pause here and there to feed the kids, but it got done. )

So, maybe there is a method to this madness and that is why we not only are able to laugh at ourselves, but also embrace our distracting habits.

Now, stop procrastinating and get back to work!

Happy Writing!

A Star in the Night featured on Blog Talk Radio's show Halo Kids

I'm excited to announce my book A Star in the Night, illustrated by K.C. Snider and published by Guardian Angel Publishing, will be featured on Blog Talk Radio's show Halo Kids. JD Holiday will be there as well to ask a few questions. This is a great opportunity to see if my book is something you might want to purchase.

What is the book about? On Christmas Eve, David sees this is no ordinary night. Accompanied by a shimmering star David encounters three experiences that will change his view of Christmas forever.

At Halo Kids Tales, JD Holiday reads 2-3 stories per show and talks briefly with the authors of the books. What a fun way to connect with books and an author. 

Where:  Halo Kids Tales  Be sure to click the show link.

When:  Thursday December 19, 2013  1:00 PM

 So tune in, give my book a listen and get the book for this Christmas season.  See you there!   

Book Review: Wild About Books

                                      Wild About Books  

What do you do if you drive your mobile library to a zoo? Why, share the books of course.  That's just what the mobile libarian Molly McGrew does in Wild About Books. In this rhyming picture book, the librarian ends up in a zoo and decides to introduce the animals to the world of reading. The flow of the poetry was music to my ears and it captivated my preschooler's attention the entire time.  Favorite lines of the book mentioned other popular children's classics, which exited my class even more. The illustrations by talented illustrator Marc Brown were engaging, colorful and fun.

However, as an author I have to say MY favorite part of the book was how naturally the readers turned into authors. What a great lesson and how true to life that is. The book beautifully painted how authors begin as avid readers then grow to have a desire to create their own story.  This is a must read for children, teachers and of course authors. You won't regret it! 

 Where to get it:

• Barnes and Noble

            or

• Amazon

The Words of a Teacher

Tonight was a big night. I took my oldest daughter out to a high school open house. It wasn't just any school. This open house was at the school I went to. As soon as we pulled up, a flood of memories rushed over me.

 As we entered through the auditorium door, I remembered the last day of Junior Year. It was dismissal time and we juniors were anxious to start our summer vacation, when we heard the words "Seniors, you may now leave the auditorium." It took us a minute and then we realized the speaker was talking to us. We broke out in cheers and began our summer vacation.

As my daughter and I made our way into the cafeteria to wait for our tour, memories of friends, dances, and warm cheese reminded me of high school days.

However, the highlight of the night was the tour. Our group entered into the English department in Room 107. As soon as I saw the classroom, chills ran down my arms. This was THE room. This is where it happened. It was the first time someone ever called me a writer! In Senior Year, we worked what seemed like an entire semester on an essay. We worked in groups and critiqued each other's work There were rewrites and more rewrites. Finally, we were ready to turn in our papers. A few days later I got my paper back and it said, "Great job, you little writer you!" I've never forgotten those words and I wished she was there tonight to tell her that her words helped give me the courage I needed to become an author.

The words of a teacher can shape a child. As a teacher and an author I try to remember that. As my daughter and I made our way home tonight, I left the school cherishing the memories and honoring that little encouragement I received so many years ago. Now as my daughter embarks on her high school journey, I hope she finds the same support.

Funding an Author Visit

Summer 2013 is coming to a close at a speed faster than lightning. Pretty soon new classes will form and friendships will be made. As the school year begins and routines take shape, it is important to spark and encourage the children's interest. It may be challenging, as students may still be thinking about the beach. Or their thoughts may turn more toward Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. One way to spark some interest is to host an author visit.  It brings the world of books alive for children and integrates language arts skills.

As much as an author visit sounds like a fairy tale come true, funding it can be as tricky as a Harry Potter spell. Here are some tips to help you:

• Check with organizations such as the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) or the American Library Association (ALA) for grants  that may be available. This is most helpful if you are hosting an out of town author where expenses can triple.
• Hold classroom fundraisers to raise money for the visit: hold a bake sale, art sale, Movie Night, etc. ----Be creative.
• See if a local business will help sponsor a visit
• Auction off an autographed copy of one of the author's books -contact me and I can help with any of my books-just ask!

Need more ideas, check out my fundraising tips!

To contact me for your next author visit, please visit my Author Website contact me via e-mail.

MY LIGHT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2013 ISSUE NOW AVAILABLE

MY LIGHT MAGAZINE SUMMER 2013 ISSUE NOW AVAILABLE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America

July 15, 2013 --

Jennifer Gladen, Editor-in-Chief of My Light Magazine announced the latest issue of the magazine is now live online. “We’ve made many changes and improvements this time,” stated the magazine’s founder, “and I think you’re going to love it!”  

Ms Gladen announced several new departments including the new special nonfiction section titled God’s Amazing World. “This is exciting,” the Editor-in-Chief said, “to highlight God’s creation like this and at the same time, teach the children all about how it works.” In addition to this new department, there is also a section for Devotions, Bible stories, and Catechism studies. “There’s something for everyone,” Gladen stated.

Perhaps the newest item to the magazine is the Children’s Submissions. “My Light welcomes submissions from children in addition to our authors and illustrators,” Gladen said. “With a parent or guardian’s permission, children may submit a story, poem, prayer, or artwork.” More information on submissions for children is available on the website.

The entire My Light team worked tireless hours putting the new look together. “It’s been a rough road,” stated Gladen, “but like the winning team that we are, we pulled together and came out with another super issue of My Light Magazine.”

For more information about My Light Magazine, please visit www.mylightmag.com

And their blog

http://mylightmag.stblogs.com/ 

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Writer's Cafe - a Cool Writer's Hangout

How did I not know about this before? Was I living under a rock? I recently discovered a great site from a teacher friend (gotta love those teachers) called Writer's Cafe. It is a free writing community where writers can post their work, get reviews, make connections, etc.

I am just getting familiar with it as it is a recent discovery for me. It has the option of connecting with Facebook (another way to promote your books, etc with out the BUY MY BOOK post we occasionally come up with). At times, it is difficult to get reliable critique partners, so this can be a nice alternative. 

However, as a published children's author, I want to remind my readers to be careful what you put up there. If you're looking for critiques on work you will send to a publisher, do not put it online as it could be viewed as "already published" or seen in its entirety publicly, which greatly reduces the ability to sell your work. If you are honing your craft or are writing a piece just to write, this is a great place to start. Other experienced authors will give you positive and constructive feedback. 

When the time comes you want to write something to submit to a publisher, pick a few of your most trusted critiquers either from your Writer's Cafe friends or your own private critique group and privately send your work to be critiqued. 

For authors of books, you can use this as another way to promote your books. Just go in to the Add Writing section and from the drop down menu select "book". This is meant for people to write a book there, but you can do what I did and just add your book's blurb. If you connected your account to Facebook, it will show on your  Facebook newsfeed. 

My blurb on A Star in the Night at Writer's Cafe

There's plenty to do there at Writer's Cafe. If you're there, look me up at   http://www.writerscafe.org/jengladen

See ya there!