Skip to main content

“So much time, and so little to do! Strike that, reverse it.”

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to lay in bed doing nothing? I found myself feeling exactly like this today. But as much as I wanted to just lay there in my warm cozy bed . . . I could not. Nope, there was just so much time and so little to do! Strike that . . . reverse it, as the wise Willy Wonka once said.

I have always loved that line from the 1971 version of Willy Wonka. I find I say it a lot, because it seems my life is always full of things to do. Wouldn’t it be nice to really have so much time and very little to do once in awhile?

I would love to say today was one of those days, but it wasn’t. Instead of relaxing, I start planning next week’s workload. I also look at the things on my To-Do list and see which ones might have to be moved out to the following week. I am glad to say … not too many things need to be moved out, however, website updates will be.

All authors know having a website is very important to building your marketing platform. After all, we all need a place to send our readers, new fans, publicists, and so on. However, many authors dread the thought of a website. Not because they do not understand how important having one is. No, authors dread websites because they have to figure out how to build one or pay someone money to do it.

I was like many authors. The thought of a website scared me. I knew my way around a computer, but HTML codes were something I knew very little to nothing about. Then the thought of paying someone to build a site for me came to mind. I researched different options to only come back to the idea of doing it myself. But which host company should I use? I really did not want to pay a lot of money for my website. I began the hunt and I was lucky enough to find a host site, which was in a beta testing period and by Microsoft to boot. I could not have been happier. I still did not know much about HTML codes, but I did not need to know much about them it seemed. I also did not have to pay anything for the first few years OfficeLive was in a beta test. That was nice. I do have to pay for my websites now, but it’s a yearly fee and very reasonable ($14.95).

Okay, problem solved. I now have an author website with content. But now the content needs to be updated. At first, I thought I needed to update my content bi-weekly or weekly. In truth, I did not. Yes, maintaining a website can take up time, but it really only needs to be updated bi-monthly, unless you have some news to share right a way.

In the end, I am glad I have my author website; plus two others. I update them on weekends so I do not cut into my writing time during the week. I do the updates late at night when less people are online and I do not have the kids interrupting me. I have found since having my author website and my company websites that more and more people online and offline have heard of me, my books, and Stories for Children Publishing and its many divisions.

I may not have all the time in the world to devote to my websites. I may have many things on my plate, but not having an author website would be the worst decision I could make. So if you do not have a website and you are serious about being a writer or have at least one publishing credit, I suggest you get one. There are free places like Tripod.com to yearly host sites like OfficeLive.com. You do not need to be computer savvy. Just look around at author websites and jot notes down about things you like. There are templates you can use on most host sites to help get you started, too.

An author website helps you look professional. It also lets people know you are serious about your writing career. And remember . . .

You have so much time, and so little to do! Strike that, reverse it.

Popular posts from this blog

Embracing Intuition, Mediumship, and the Journey to Holistic Wellness

In the recent episode of "The Soul's Whisper," we embarked on an enthralling journey through intuition, spirituality, and holistic wellness, led by Krystal Parry, an evidence-based medium and Reiki master. Our conversation meandered through the corridors of personal narratives and the subtle yet powerful messages the universe imparts upon us. As we delved into our own stories and laughed together, we discovered how engaging with our clairvoyant and clairsentient abilities allows us to gracefully traverse the chapters of our lives, fostering a more profound sense of connection. We ventured into the intricate tapestry that interlinks energy work, metaphysical understanding, and the pursuit of a holistic lifestyle. Krystal Parry illuminated our understanding of Reiki, aligning it with our body's energetic pathways. We pondered the crossroads where spirituality meets the empirical, touching upon the intriguing realms of quantum mechanics and cell biology. Our discourse ve...
Read more

Art, Spirit, and the Journey to Our Authentic Selves

What if creativity isn’t just a talent or a pastime, but a sacred path that helps us remember who we truly are? What if the act of making art—whether through paint, music, or words—could reconnect us with our deepest self and with something greater than ourselves? In a world that often rushes past mystery in pursuit of certainty, conversations about art and spirituality offer a chance to pause, breathe, and wonder. They remind us that creation and contemplation are intertwined. Art has long been a universal language, bridging the visible and the invisible, the personal and the collective. When we engage with it fully—not as a product to perfect, but as a process to trust—we open ourselves to profound transformation. This is the heart of our latest Language of the Soul dialogue with the luminous artist Joan Marie. From the awe that stirred in her heart beneath Michelangelo’s Sistine ceiling to the ethereal, soul-connected works she creates today, Joan’s journey offers a beautiful exa...
Read more

Guest Post Wed: I’m A Great Writer…In My Own Head

Today we have debut author Traci McDonald sharing her thoughts on writing, revision and critique groups.   A few years ago, I was listening to a series of audio books, while recovering from a kidney transplant. These particular novels were topping the best seller lists and taking the country by storm. I hated them. The characters were underdeveloped, the story line was too slow, and I was not engaged in the plot…blah, blah, blah. I can do better than this, I told myself. If I know what’s wrong with these books, then I can write better ones. Armed with my sure knowledge of how to be a great writer I set out to write a series of stories that would top this pathetic group I had been reading.  A year and a half later, I can’t read what I wrote; it is so bad. What was I thinking? Well, I was thinking that a little talent and determination are all you need to write good stories. While that may be true, being a great writer in your own head leaves your stories goo...
Read more