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

Some people wonder if years of hard work really pay off. Well it all depends on what you feel a good pay off is. I know for me a good pay off is seeing my hard work noticed by others, instead of the monetary compensation. Why? Because I like knowing what I'm doing is not only helping me grow but also helping others as well. As an author and freelance editor is it nice to be paid for my work. I need money to pay my bills, take my kids on fun outings, etc. However, the feeling I get when I get published or help another writer achieve their goals/dreams is nothing money can even come close to. Do I hope to make it BIG one day? It would be nice, but it isn't my goal. I don't dream of swimming in a pool full of money and living in some HUGE house I would have to hire a team of people to clean. What I do dream about is making a difference in people's lives and my leaving a legacy behind for my children, their children and the many generations after them. I'm happy t

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

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

2012 HWG Fall Conference Hello Writers! As the president for this year’s HWG Fall Conference for writers, I want to encourage all of you to join us at this exciting event! Regardless of your level of writing experience—from the published author to the uninitiated, never-before-published authors!—this conference has something significant for every participant! On this page you will find a short description of our speakers and their topics for your information and planning! This year, because of the diversity of topics, the number of speakers I was able to procure, and trying to fit everything in during the two days of the event, we have break-out sessions during each day’s programming. I think we have prepared the sessions in such a way that everyone will be able to attend speakers who will be most helpful and informative. Don’t forget that our “Early Bird” registration takes place prior to August 20th, 2012. Take advantage of the significant savings as wel