I enjoy writing, but have never published a book…for now, I express myself and my interests through a website, and blogs…like this one. I have always loved books and have adjusted to reading ebooks, though giving up turning pages one by one has taken a bit of getting used to.
If you are an author, whether you have been writing for years, or are new, a website is a must…and by the way, when you do put up your site, please contact me so that I can write a post about you and put your site in my blogroll.
There are many web hosting services, may I suggest that if you want to appear professional you don’t use a free hosting service, but consider paying for your web hosting service. Find one with a good a price so you can build a site that doesn’t have advertising banners on it unless you chose to add them for your own purposes. You also have much more freedom, and can often put up several sites for the annual price you pay for dedicated server hosting. For example, take a look at webhostinggeeks.com, spend a little time there learning about dedicated servers. They have a blog at the site that was helpful, you may want to read the post about what to look out for if you’re considering very inexpensive service.
Another thing you want to take some time to consider is whether you would like to do a blog or a website. Blogs are good if you want to write a post quite regularly…this keeps them active and they generally get more recognition by search engines. You can actually combine the two by having a site with a main page with your information, and a blog as part of the site.
If you have any questions or comments to add, please feel free to do so.
I can’t seem to get away from thinking “medical” when I post to my blogs after our experience with our son in the hospital last week. So when I came upon a site called http://www.medicalmags.com/ or “MedicalMags”, how could I resist visiting?
There are quite a few publications available at the site that would be of interest to those in the medical field…and many software resources as well. Oddly, even though I was visiting the site because it sounded like it was a magazine site, and I was thinking about reviewing it for this book blog, there were other things that interested me, and not all book-related.
When we were in the hospital for my son, I wondered if there was a way to get a box of the latex gloves that the nurses used, there was a box of 100 in the room, and I thought they’d come in handy for a number of things even here in my home. Well I found those at the site as well, and the price is good so think I’ll order some.
But this is a book blog, if you are in the medical field, consider MedicalMags.com as a valuable resource. It’s a family owned operation, drawing from experience of many in the medical community. They will serve you personally, and with a smile
Occasionally I try to imagine what it would be like to lose my vision…to no longer be able to enjoy reading a book, or an eBook on my computer. It is nice that technology has brought us to the point that with certain settings, our computers can “read” the text on the screen to us. Or that you can purchase audio books and listen to them through the computer or iPod. And of course the use of braille is a wonderful thing that has been available since long before the technological advances that we enjoy today.
Still, eyesight is a gift, and as long as we can keep it, obviously the better. Personally, I wear glasses…have worn them for reading for many years, and in the past several years wear them all the time. My glasses have a very small scratch now in the line of vision especially when I am working on the computer, which I do a lot, so new eyeglasses are something that are on my to-do list for the very near future. Like my husband did some months back, I’m considering getting them from zennioptical.com after I get my prescription and the other figures needed to be able to order online…they are so very inexpensive, a fraction of prices we’ve paid in the past. I like the glasses I have now, they are bifocals, and have magnetic clip-on sunglasses, such a great convenience when we are on the road traveling and reading maps.
Take good care of your eyes. If you get headaches while reading, there’s always a chance you need glasses, even if you haven’t needed them before. Happy reading!
Books and eBooks are not the only way to express creativity in writing. What about the song writer?
Below is an article on the topic that is helpful, and if you click here, you will find a resource especially for those who write songs, or would like to learn more about writing songs.
Please enjoy this article by Tiffany Provost, titled “Tips on Songwriting“.
Music is a form of artistic expression that can comfort and enhance your life. Songs can creates memories and allow us to interpret our emotions and feelings through lyrics.
And, you know, it’s not too hard to write your own music too. With the right tips, just about anyone can write a great song. These helpful instructions will guide you on your way to song writing and bring out the musician in you.
Understanding music theory. The language of music is unique. It is known as music theory. If you can find someone to help you understand how music is written it will help you to write songs that other musicians can read. It is a universal language. It may not be a good idea to get a professional musician to aid you in writing songs though, if you have no time or patience. Another option is to use a special computer program so that you can concentrate on writing songs and not worry so much about the technical information.
Understand how songs are created. Even if you don’t understand music theory, you still need to know a few musical concepts in order to write songs. You can learn a lot about choruses, verses, the bridge and much more. If you expect the songs you write to be well receive they should have a similar makeup to popular songs you hear on the radio.
Write your thoughts down. If you always have a tune in your head, you ve probably had a good idea for a song the whole time. Until you slow down and ensure that the song can be enjoyable for all, you won t get very far. So, find the nearest napkin, tablecloth, tissue or notepad and scribble down your masterpiece.
Popular music. Understanding trends in modern music is the key to writing successful songs. Try to get a good understanding of lyricists, current bands and artists in the music industry. Usually a popular song will be unique, the song will have a good rhythm or beat, and the song will make you want to sing along. To be successful at song writing, you need to keep up with the trends in music.
It s important to write lyrics that will be considered strong and memorable. Words to a song give it a meaning. To appeal to the audience’s emotions you need to have lyrics that are catchy. While you will undoubtedly have some rhymes in your song, it’s important that it also tells a story. By finding the ‘hook or the catchy part of the song you re writing, and repeating it throughout, you are halfway there.
Accept advice. If you have written a song, get people to listen to it. Seek feedback from people you trust. Doing this is a pretty important part of the song writing process. Those who are impartial to the song will definitely see the flaws or weaknesses in your music even though you may not. Practice AND constructive criticism make perfect. All parts of the song should go together nicely and flow together. Record it to CD once your audience agrees that you ve got a great song. You can then decide whether to release your recorded song for others to enjoy or just store it in your archives.
There are so many people who are “going green” these days, looking for ways to do their part to preserve our natural resources. As new as the concept may seem to many, it is not new at all. Back in the ’60s and early ’70s we were very much into living off the land, living simply, natural foods, organic gardening…it was as extremely popular a trend then as it is now.
When I was in college in the early 1970’s I took classes in Ecology, a wonderful course of study that taught me so much. Even before the “hippy” days when all were “into” saving the planet in the 1960’s - early 1970’s, I was already a lover of nature, always wanting to be in the woods enjoying God’s creation. “Mother Earth News” became a favorite magazine of mine at the time, and I still love living close to nature, am surrounded by lakes and trees where we live, and I enjoy organic gardening. I use organic pest control myself which makes me feel much safer when I eat the vegetables and herbs we may grow, and I feel better about having my little yorkie, Aspen, sniffing around the plants.
I do have an organic gardening ebook available for just a couple dollars, you will find the link to the ebooks I have to the right, and below you will find a video that discusses one way of protecting your garden from pests naturally.
