VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

Join Marsha Casper Cook & VS Grenier on a special edition of the What is Success show November 26, 2012 at 2pm EST - 1pm CDT - 12 (noon) MDT - 11am PST The What is Success show hosts will be discussing the crushing rejection letter and what writers need to understand about traditional publishers. The hosts will be joined by author Otis Rich, who has traveled over half the United States and has made a lifetime study of people, trying to learn what motivates them as they live out the drama of life. One thing to keep in mind as you read his stories is some of the things Otis Rich writes about may seem to be so fantastic it must be pure fantasy -- yet sometimes the truth is more fantastic than fiction. Learn more about Otis Rich at soaringeagleenterprises.net To learn more about The World of Ink Network and our hosts, visit http://worldofinknetwork.com Listen to the show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork/2012/11/26/special-edition-world-of-ink

It has often been said that writing is a pursuit best undertaken as a hobby or a genuine passion, with any financial gains resulting from it being viewed as a bonus. Although almost every writer, whether specialising in fiction or non-fiction, likely dreams of fortune, fame and topping a best-sellers list, the contrasting reality for many is that their writing barely pays the bills, even if they have a supreme talent. The writing profession as a whole is sometimes overly romanticised and writing is perceived to be one of the elite arts, with the printing press offering people a chance of immortality. When people speak of great writers, images of Shakespeare or Milton spring to mind, yet, on the flip side, there are a host of talented writers who have failed to achieve such far-reaching success and influence, or have failed to make money from writing during their lifetimes, despite seemingly having the talent to do so. It is clear, therefore, that the difference betwe

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 good for… on

I’ve noticed lately a few of my blogging friends have been taking some time off from posting to their blogs. A few of them have taken months off with no mention of when they plan to return. It started me thinking about something…blogger burnout. The first thing you need to consider are the warning signs you’re experiencing blogger burnout. Some of the signs are hard to recognize due to the nature of blogging. To help you identify if you have blogger burnout or on your way to experiencing it, ask yourself these questions. Count up how many you answered ‘yes’ to and then read on. Are you putting up blog posts the day they are due to show up on your blog? Do you have more reviews than you can finish each day, week and/or month? Are you having a hard time finding things to blog about? Do you forget to announce winners of giveaways only a few days after it ends? Are you staying up late or getting up early to get posts up and feel tired because of it? Do you have more than 5

Trying to write with kids in the house is difficult. They demand so much of your time, energy and concentration that getting anything productive done seems like a huge hurdle. However there are ways to write even with kids running amok. Here are a few ways to write with kids: 1.       Let Them Help – Children always want to help their parents work, even when that work seems dull to us. Give your children a chance to learn and experience a little of what you are doing by providing them with a task. They can create their own story book with just a few sheets of paper bound together with yarn. Have them write and illustrate their story. By the time they are finished you will have gotten some writing of your own done.  2.       Set Aside Time –The best way to get anything accomplished is to set aside a specific time for it. With writing it is best to find out when you are at your most productive and set aside that time every day just to write. No matter what else is going on

BTR's World of Ink Network brings you the Writing Mama show with VS  Grenier and her guest Marsha Casper Cook on October 15, 2012 at 2pm EST -  1pm CDT - 12 noon MDT - 11am PST They will be talking about VS  Grenier's Southern Utah Writer's Conference weekend as well as mini  novels and short stories how they can help you break into the publishing  world. Both women have an incedible career and doing so many  things to help writers. This is going to be a great show that will be  both entertaing and very informative. Learn more about them and the World of Ink Network at http://worldofinknetwork.com The World of Ink Network helps small publishers, authors and readers by bringing them together! Listen to the show at The Writing Mama Show 10/15 by WorldOfInkNetwork | Blog Talk Radio Here is the clip I mention on the show that was part of my PowerPoint presentation at the HWG Fall Writer's Conference.

I originally became a writer by default. With no regard for the well-being of my family I trained as a classical pianist, subjecting all around me to four hours of practice a day. I suspect the pterodactyls that landed in my stomach before public concerts had something to do with not taking up a career as a concert pianist. Instead, I found myself learning how to put rear ends on concert hall seats, otherwise known as orchestral management. My first job in that heady field entailed writing the program notes for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. Now, that was a job made in heaven. I wallowed in the music section of the Library of Congress and luxuriated in the incredible privilege of being allowed to take books home to read. The research was as much fun as writing the notes, if not more so. My job was to write such compelling notes about the music on the concert program that audiences would actually want to read them before scanning the donor lists to see who may