Life Can Get Busy

While going through my AdSense account today, I realized I have a handful of very neglected blogs. I was happy to see however, that even though they have been severely neglected, they have been steadily earning me a small income. If a neglected blog can still earn, imagine what an active one will do!

The last year has been one of ups and downs in all areas of my life. A dislocated shoulder just over a year ago put me into a tailspin, as I was very limited in what I was able to do. After some physiotherapy and a lot of painful weeks, it is finally getting to the point where I can use my right arm for almost anything.

The early months of 2012 blessed us with two cria (baby alpacas), which were a surprise. March was also an exciting month for me, as I attended my first-ever Brier (in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). We will be attending the Brier in Edmonton Alberta this year, which is a few hours closer to home than Saskatoon.

I haven't done much in the way of crafts or quilting, although processing some alpaca fiber did get done. My daughter and I sheared our February cria, and the neck of one of our males. The funniest part was we had just as much fiber from the male's neck as we did the cria. I learned how to card the fleece and spin it using a drop spindle. I also attempted wet-felting, and made myself some mitten liners and a pair of insoles. The liners and insoles were what kept my hands and feet warm during the coldest chore times.

This post is only to let you know I haven't neglected you on purpose; life got busy and time just got away from me. I will do my best to keep you updated on a more regular basis; my goal is at least once a week. I will add pictures of the yarn I spun and the felt I made at a later time.

I have also been very busy with my books and even wrote a novel in November (NaNoWriMo Challenge), which has been self-published and is available on Amazon, Kobo and Kbuuk.

A Sunny Day!

We are blessed with another sunny morning...the question is, will it last throughout the day? We have had a cooler than usual spring, and we are all ready for some heat. I am anxious to get my garden cleaned up and planted, but the soil is too soggy and cold to do either.

I have been busy working on my book, as well as writing instructions for crocheted items. This little task is contracted, so I am unable to post where they will be going at the moment. I'm sure once they have been submitted and approved I will be able to link to the site. I am excited about it, but it has really made me think about what I am doing. Crochet comes natural to me, as I have been doing it since I was nine. What I haven't done much however, is write out instructions. It is a learning experience for me...my only hope is they are detailed enough to be followed by a beginner.

I have recently joined Book Blogs (see widget on the right of this blog), a site for those who write, read or love books. I think it will be a good way to learn more about promoting my book (Lulu link on the left), as well as expanding my reading horizons. The site will also help me gain more viewers and followers on my blog.

I have also set up a Facebook Page to keep my fans updated on new articles, book progress and pages of interest. I feel the more exposure I have the better. I am enjoying the benefits of working from home, and have my eye on a piece of property I would absolutely love to buy. I am hopeful my book sales and freelance income will allow me to do that. The hours are long and sometimes spread throughout the day, but that's what I love about it. I am free to go out and visit my animals when I hit a roadblock, then can come back in and carry on with a new perspective on my projects.

Publishing Online

I recently learned a very valuable lesson when it comes to publishing. This pertains mostly to self publishing sites such as Lulu.com, but is "good to know" information for any publishing you will be a part of.

When submitting your book to the publisher, remember to include all the important stuff besides your actual text document. I am talking about the Copyright page, Table of Contents, page numbers, and any dedications or thanks you have in regards to your book. I was fortunate enough to have noticed errors I made before I ordered a pile of my book. I ordered only one to see what the print and cover quality was like, and when I received it I realized what I didn't do.

As there was a basic copyright notice brought up within the Publishing Wizard, I has presumed it would be printed. Sadly, I was wrong. It is very important to include a copyright notice in any material you publish, as others may take it as their own. Without proper documentation, there will be nothing you can do about it. I was fortunate enough to have noticed the error when I received my proof copy...it was quickly rectified.

If you are unsure of proper layout and what to include in a book, the best thing to do is to go through some books you have. Open the front cover, and make note of what is on the first few pages. This will give you a good indication of what should be included. Not all books have the information in the same order, but it is included. For a great resource on what you will need for publishing your own book, visit Para Publishing. I have found the Book Writing Template to be a great resource and guideline.

I wish I had known about it the first time around. I was able to utilize some of its information when I fixed my first book. It is my only resource for the majority of the next one, as far as layout goes. I will have many sources of the actual information I include, which will be listed as well.

My New Book

As I started to write my new book, I wasn't sure how to organize it. Since it is about a combination of many things, I decided chapters was not going to work. I settled on 'sections' instead and it seems to be working quite well.

I was able to acquire a Book Writing Template from Dan Poynter's website, Para Publishing. It has been a wonderful tool in getting my thoughts organized. I would recommend it to anyone who is contemplating writing a book. The nice part is it is a generic template. Once you have your ideas in mind, it is easy to put them down on paper in an organized fashion.

Another very helpful resource is Mark Shaw's e-book How to Become a Published Author: Idea to Publication. This particular book is available on Lulu.com for less than ten dollars. It is 268 pages of valuable information; well worth the price. The best part is it can be downloaded so it can be put to use immediately.

I have written many articles, and have written one book. I only wish I had found the listed information before I wrote my first book. I will be receiving my printed copy of it in the mail any day now, so I will be able to fix what needs to be fixed. Working with a company which "publishes on demand" is good in the aspect changes may be made without a ton of books having to be tossed. For those who have purchased it the information is still relevant; the layout is missing a couple of pages.

As for the contents of my new book it will include How To's on many different things; mainly aspects of every day life. There are a couple of sections which may be more specialized, but I feel it is going to benefit all who read it in one way or another. My goal is to have it become a book which is referred to frequently. Perhaps like a favorite cookbook?

Published on Lulu

As I write and learn more, I am happy to say I was able to publish my book on Lulu! It is a book laying the foundation for anyone interested in starting a home-based business. I have learned through trial and error, as I did not have guidance when I started. I am positive this book will help you avoid some costly mistakes, which I unfortunately made. It is available in both paperback and in a downloadable format.

I anticipate publishing additional books this way as well. I enjoy writing and helping people achieve their goals, whether it be success as a writer or as a gardener. I have a new book in the making which covers my interests and hobbies...with How-To instructions as well. I have thought about writing fiction, but do much better with what I have experienced and what I know. I will post progress and will provide the link when it is published.

Writing and A Brief Book Review

As the snow falls and the wind blows outside, I can't help but wish for spring. Winter is inevitable in my part of the world, but it seems to drag on for so long.

Although I enjoy the warmer months, winter is not a total disappointment for me. It is the time when I can do more reading, more sewing, more crocheting and more writing. There are less outdoor demands for my time than there are in the summer. I do wish I didn't have to go outside at all days like today, but there are animals to be cared for.

This winter has been good for me in the respect of establishing my writing career. I am beginning to see monetary gain as well as increased knowledge. As the days and weeks go on, I learn more from fellow authors. It has been a learning experience for me, and will continue to be throughout my writing career. It is one of those careers where one never stops learning. Granted one can never know it all anyhow, and no matter the career there should always be new things to learn.

As I have written articles on Hobby Farming and individual animals, I keep referring back to The Backyard Homestead edited by Carleen Madigan. It provides garden layouts and information to produce as much as possible on a small piece of land. The information is well researched and well portrayed.

As I consider myself a hobby farmer as well, this information will continue to help me with my production. I have more acres to work with than the quarter acre highlighted in the book, but the same principles may be applied. It is a recommended read for anyone wishing to become more self-sufficient.

Good Day All!

I have been so busy the last couple of weeks writing articles I have neglected my main reason for starting this Blog. It seems the writing is taking over my days...but that is not a bad thing.

The more time I spend writing and submitting online, the more I earn. Plus, I also get to read others' articles and posts. There are many talented people out there who also pay attention to their spelling, grammar and punctuation. Then there are those who don't! I cannot stress enough if you are going to write articles and submit them online, at least have the decency to proofread your work and correct any mistakes. If your English isn't perfect, please have someone proofread for you. I understand the odd typo can occur...I've had it happen myself. It just makes a much more enjoyable read for everyone when they don't have to decipher what the point is.

I haven't even done much in the line of sewing. I have made a couple more crocheted dishcloths, and they were done as I was reading online articles. I do believe it is time to make up a schedule of how long to spend online and how much to spend doing other activities. I have learned a lot from reading articles about online marketing and using social sites to benefit one's business.

I have also chosen some interesting books on several different topics and added them to my aStore. They can be accessed through the Amazon widget on the right hand side of this Blog. The books range from writing to gardening to solar energy. I will be adding novels and children's books as well.

I will have to go for now, as I have been writing this while watching my 11 month old nephew. I had forgotten how busy children can be a t that age. He is into everything...my house has not been baby-proofed for years.

My Writing

I think today will be a good day as far as my writing goes. I spent the morning watching my three nephews, and now have the afternoon to put my ideas on paper. I managed to do a rough draft of an article as I was watching the two older ones play Mario Karts.

I read not too very long ago that a writer should have a notebook and pen in every room of the house. (I only wish I could remember which article it was, because I would include the link.) Plus, in a vehicle or purse (women only I'm presuming, but hey, who am I to judge) in the event an idea pops into your head while you're away from your desk. I feel this is very good advice, but I have to admit I still have not done so. I always think I will remember the topic I thought of, but in the end...I don't.

It is also sometimes difficult to stay on track. Persistence is the key to getting the articles finished in a timely manner and published. In the days of the internet and so many distractions it can provide, it is advisable to do your work away from the computer, or at least offline. I have email and Twitter notifications pop up occasionally and sometimes find myself checking them instead of concentrating on my work. I am just as guilty as the next person, and I do try to stay on track.

I find myself with hundreds of ideas, but when it comes time to write I draw a blank. Going back to that notebook and pen in every room theory one should collect those books once a week. Make a list of the ideas, and see which inspire you first. Never discard an idea, as it may be the one to earn the most recognition and/or revenue. The notebooks could be the spiral type, and idea pages torn out and placed in a three ring binder. This way time isn't being wasted re-writing everything, and all ideas eventually end up in one place. As the articles are written, they may be crossed off but not erased.
Back to my article I have started...which proves the distraction theory. Have a great day!

More Writing

As the days go on and I do more research, I find more writing sites where I am able to submit my work. I enjoy having the variety of sites to publish on, as it is increasing my audience as well as my earnings.

The latest I have found is Triond. They do much of the ground work, and publish my work on the sites most appropriate for the content. I have submitted four articles in the last two days and they have been published to as many different sites. Between my work on Triond, Helium, HubPages and here I will be building my portfolio quite nicely. I encourage anyone who is looking for a place to publish their articles to join one or all of the sites above.

As I was out and about today, I purchased more cotton yarn for dishcloths. I will be making another 10 or so and replenishing sold ones at a local shop. I went to see how things were selling today and got a nice surprise...over $50.00 worth of items had been sold. I paid my next two months rental fees and still had some left over.

I wrote an article on Home-based business ideas today and had it published. As I sit here writing this Blog, I can't help but think of more businesses. The one I am thinking of in particular is a Craft Consignment Shop. All one would need is a room or an out-building (the ATCO trailers work nicely) to display the crafts in. Let crafters in the area know about your shop and invite them to display their wares. Fees could be either a percentage of their sales or a fixed price for the space. Personally I prefer the latter as there will be income collected each month even if some clients didn't have any sales. Different booth sizes are set at different prices, and it doesn't matter how many items the client has in it. They are responsible for their craft display but it will be up to you to keep floors clean and ensure their items are not being mistreated. For an additional fee, you could keep the display tidy. This may be a service appreciated by those who live several miles away from your shop.

Now that I have inspired myself to write another article and you to work on your crafts, I bid you a good day!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all! It is hard to believe another year has come and gone! It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the arrival of 2010.
Now that the holiday season is practically over (we still have one more to celebrate on January 6) we can all get back to a routine of school, work and day to day activities. For those who have made resolutions, I encourage you to stick with them. I usually don't make them, but this year I have made an exception. I resolve to clear the clutter in my world and finish the quilts, wall hangings and rugs I have started. I do not see that as an unreachable goal...it is just one I have to work hard at.
When making your resolutions, never make them too hard to keep. If your goal is to lose weight, start with a 10 pound loss instead of the 50 pounds you may be wanting or needing to lose. Starting with a realistic goal is the key to keeping those resolutions. In my case, and many other quilter's I'm sure, there have been projects piling up as the years have gone on. It is time to put an end to the pile of unfinished projects and turn them into finished, usable items.
Today I am concentrating on making my list, and as I go through cupboards and closets I will undoubtedly be adding to the list. I suggest anyone with half finished projects do the same. It doesn't have to be a resolution if you don't want it to be...it could just be considered a thorough cleaning and organizing. Start with the closets, as that seems to be where everything gets stashed.
Go through the crafts and quilts that haven't made it to the finished pile yet and make a note of project, recipient and priority. I have a quilt I started for my daughter when she was a baby...needless to say I have to make it much bigger now as she turned 14 in June. It is the Apple Core pattern, and is being hand pieced. I am hoping to have it finished in time for her Sweet 16, so I had best get busy. I also have a Grandmother's Flower Garden and Kansas Dugout quilt in progress, which are also both being hand pieced. I can see myself being very busy with these three projects alone, not to mention the others.
Along with de-cluttering my world, I will be adding to my writing portfolio. I encourage anyone who is or wants to be an author to join HubPages, Helium and Constant Content. I have found these three sites to be rewarding not only monetarily but also experience wise. I have received very positive feedback on my articles, which is very encouraging.
As the coming days, weeks and months unfold, I will be sharing patterns, ideas and writing tips and sites as I find them. Wishing all a Happy New Year once again!