Writer Helpers

I hope you're set for a wonderful day! After moving, I'm trying to get back into the biz flow and back into a story that has waited. Maybe you are, too? Sometimes one little tidbit of information can really help and that's my intention with this article. The following is take it for what it's worth--from my personal experiences. Good luck!

I've just tried something new: Mel Jolly's recommendation of timing your writing/computer work for 1 hour. (Yes, I am just now trying to time writing, this after a long-long career as a writer.) As writers, we get so into projects that we sit too long, no matter how comfortable the work arrangement. (Oh, how I miss my recliner now, but making-do until getting a new one.) The timer app that I am testing for my iMac is: Smart Countdown Timer. I like how you can change the alarm sounds, if you want it on the menu bar or in the dock. I have yet to find a timer for my iPad, which I really like--very handy gadget, especially with this "stand-up" keyboard.

Highly recommend this set-up, for anyone who prefers a regular keyboard. The batteries on this Logitech keyboard (costs about $24-25) last forever, and you can separate the units which use Bluetooth to communicate. You may wish to place the iPad at eye level, the keyboard lower. That arrangement works just fine and you can get different stands for the iPad. Ergonomics, you know. A friend says her mini-iPad works great, and the keyboard also accepts android. Oh, my gosh. I have 1 min and 26 seconds... 17 secs... The timer pressure is on!

I always pay attention to Mel Jolly's newsletter, very upbeat and helpful. I would love to attend one of her seminars or talks. Joanna Penn is also really great with top marketing information and videos. She is partnered/teamed with others, creating a dynamo of information and also has a top newsletter, filled with information.

Joanna's YouTube video on Vellum is super. Vellum is the go-to for Indy publishers, keeping formatting simple. No more programming for me, I just go to Vellum. A little pricey for the beginner, it can also be used in creating rough draft. With a number of books ready to be published, I truly appreciate Vellum as a top helper. The support is wonderful, too. I have an ongoing project, a collection of my How-to-Write articles in Vellum, which organizes my information.

Scrivener is another top recommend. Many, many features are included and formatting, too. I haven't tried the poetry or scripts features yet, but I do love the easy reference to characters (looks, oddities, etc.), notes (more on ?, tone), time frames, specific/details on scenes, quotes to remember, etc. I am using it more for data, reference information for projects because I have several series loaded with different information. The Con on Scrivener (and I am not the definitive reference on this topic( is that I have had difficulty coordinating it with my iPad, which is older. I've used Dropbox as a cross-over. Highly recommend Dropbox, too.

As for a comparison between WordPress and Blogger (Blogspot.com), etc. I can only say that I developed my own websites since beginning the Net experience, and am currently at Bluehost.com with no complaints after many years. (My website is behind due to this move, but drop over, will you?) I am using WordPress there. However, I have always loved Blogspot.com from the beginning. At one point, while developing/learning Wordpress creation, I switched my name domain to Blogger and it does work well as a Website with the capability to add pages. When my website was finished, I switched my name domain back to Bluehost. There are many website options to choose from, different newsletter options, etc. We're all in trial/error/flux now, it seems.

I have always loved Twitter. Join me there?  I like Twitter because it is fast and sometimes offers new insights off my beaten track/favs. I am not in love with automated posts, however. I'm on Facebook as CaitLondonBooks, too. However, when I'm writing heavily, not so much on social media. Keeping up with social media and ad work does challenge writing time--a problem for most writers. I've written articles on Making Time, Not Finding Time to write.  I prefer the word Writer to Author somehow, not exactly certain why.

In today's electronics ball game, everything changes daily. New services, new techniques. We're in a river of information that sometimes floods us. Keeping up is difficult, but a good basic set-up, regimentation--which I am pretty well regimented (I think) helps. If you're having difficulty with software, go to YouTube, which I call "My university".

If you have time, drop over to my other blog and catch up on my move to a whole new state, changing houses, cooking, trekking poles, no-knead breads, etc.