I didn’t hit all of my goals as I had wanted. But I sure gave it a better chance than last year. Every year things improve more for me.

This year I wrote more words than last year. I don’t think I hit 100k last year, but this year I’m at over 179k. I also “won” National Novel Writing Month, something I hadn’t done in the last three years.

I have learned some things this year. I’ve learned to use my Passion Planner better than in 2015, and I’ve figured more ways to use it for next year.

Goal 1

I will have at least two freelancing jobs and will contact at least three clients a week.

At the end of July, I took part in a 60-day challenge to help me get started with freelancing. The young man in charge did a great job of teaching us how to cold pitch ideas.

And I did land one job that paid what I had asked. However, it wasn’t a long lasting one.

I did continue to pitch after the challenge was over, but I realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I want to pitch ideas to blogs and websites online.

One of my new goals for 2017 will be to focus on getting editing jobs. I enjoy that work much better.

Goal 2

I wrote a short story, or prequel, to my novels to give away on my author website.

Just like I said I would in July, I did write this short story during Camp NaNoWriMo. I have put it aside since then. However, I will edit and format it the first part of 2017.

Goal 3

I published my Rick Springfield memoir.

I did get more editing on this book done, but I won’t get it published by the end of the year.

I have decided to put as much as I can into it, and I would like to add some photos, too. I have the huge project of putting a box of memorabilia in order before I can continue any further.

I am pushing to get this published as soon as I can in 2017.

Goal 4

I marketed my writing and editing business every day for 20 minutes.

I haven’t done the marketing of my business on a consistent basis, but I have done it from time to time. I want to be more consistent with this in 2017.

Rachel Thompson has published a book called 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge: How to energize your book sales in a month on Amazon this past week. It’s already a hit among authors. Even though I went through her email challenge, I will purchase the book because social media changes every minute.

I look forward to seeing what the changes are in the book and working on marketing my book and business.

Looking back at 2016, I haven’t done too bad, but I could have achieved my goals if I had pushed myself a bit more. I am determined to hit more of my goals in 2017.

Did you achieve your 2016 goals? Why or why not?

The post The Good and the Bad of My 2016 Writing Goals appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Four. Four times. Four times I’ve started this book, and for the first time since I “won” my first National Novel Writing Month in 2012, I “won” this year.

I pat myself on the back. I am so proud.

And it’s not that I’m proud that I finished the 50,000 words of the NaNoWriMo challenge. It’s that I finally got a great start on this novel.

That’s what I’m most proud of.

Strike one

I started writing the third book of The Divorce Trilogy back after I published the first book in 2013. That was the first year I tried to write this book. I made it to almost 33,000 words.

I didn’t get started until a few days in, but I still did a pretty good job of getting that many words. I pushed myself a little bit at the end of the month to finish, but the words wouldn’t come.

By the end of November, I left one job for another better paying one so writing didn’t happen. Or not enough to get me caught up.

Strike two

In 2014, I made it to almost 19,000 words, just a little over one-third of the way. I liked the fact that I had a great hook for the readers, but the plot still wasn’t working for me.

That year wasn’t the greatest year for me as it was. I was struggling with some personal issues so I’m surprised I even got that many words. But, at least, it was a start.

My heart wasn’t into it, or as much into it as I would have liked. I had sunk into a depression. Ms. D was kicking my butt, and writing was the farthest thing from my mind.

All I wanted to do was keep my head above water financially, and that was my biggest struggle among other things.

Strike three

I put the novel aside while I worked on other things and tried again in 2015. Once again, I tried NaNoWriMo, but I didn’t even make it past 6,000 words that year.

I was working two part-time jobs — ten hours a day. By the time I got home, fixed supper, and did the necessary things, I was too exhausted to even think about writing.

But at least I had tried. It was 5,329 words I didn’t have before.

The best part about this version? I ended up revamping it to help me get started for this last time. It’s the beginning for my current version.

The best results

Do you see why I’m so proud of myself? This year I spent a little time outlining the book before NaNo started.

I didn’t feel very confident with the outline, but I know sometimes the ideas will come as I write. Having a rough outline gives me the guidance I need.

And the ideas flowed.

What I had outlined has now changed to something else. With those 50,000 words, I’ve made it two-thirds of the way through the book. I still need to finish writing it, but after hammering out 3,000-4,000 words some days to catch up, I needed a short break.

I’m excited about the story and what has developed with it. I haven’t felt like this about my previous two novels. I can’t wait to see where it goes and how it ends.

Other authors, who are making a good income from their books, say it takes at least five novels before an author’s name gets out there. This will be novel number three for me, and I sure hope things start turning around for me.

I’ve got more ideas for children’s and middle grade books that I can’t wait to start.

However, for now I will focus on this novel and the three nonfiction books in various stages.

If you participated in NaNoWriMo, how did you do? Did you hit your goal?

The post Did you get good results with NaNoWriMo? appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Thanksgiving is a holiday in which we should be thankful for the people and the things happening our lives. Of course, we should be thankful every day for even waking alive each day and being able to take a breath.

I know I am thankful for each new day, and I’m thankful for several people and things in my life.

Writer friends share what they are thankful for

This year I thought it would be fun to ask my fellow writers what they are thankful for. Some of them were more than willing to share.

“I’m thankful for all of the author friends I’ve made online who are generous with their time and knowledge, kind in their praise, and gentle with their criticism.” — Carolyn Astfalk

“I’m thankful for my family and how helpful and supportive they are with my writing. I’m quitting work(!) after Christmas to have more time for homeschooling and writing, and my husband and mother are in full support of it. I know I’m lucky.” — Quenby Olson Eisenacher

“I’m thankful for a supportive family that I can share my writing with.” — Rachelle M.N. Shaw

“I’m thankful for readers. Getting feedback reminds me that writing is only half the equation.” — Pam Humphrey

What am I thankful for?

I’m thankful for each new day. I’ve had a few rough days the last year and a rough couple of years, but this year things are looking up for me.

My motto at the beginning of the year was “I am determined.” And I have been. I was determined to change my job situation, and it happened.

I’m thankful for my Nerium family. They’ve given me the positivity I needed in my life, and they support me in whatever way I need to grow my business. All I have to do is ask or reach out.

I’m thankful for my writer friends. They always give me the encouragement and support I need for my writing life. I’m most thankful for the 10 Minute Novelists. I’ve met several new friends there.

I’m thankful for my friends — you know who you are — who support me in my personal life and my writing as well as my Nerium and Thirty-One businesses. That means a lot to me.

Of course, I’m thankful for my family — my son, my parents, my brother and his family, my fur babies, and my daughter. My son may be a typical teen at times now, but he made me cry and laugh as he grew up. And he still makes me do thise things now. I love and support him in all he does. My parents have been there through both the good and the bad for me. They have loved and supported me through my high school activities to my divorce and custody battle. I wouldn’t have made it through without them. 

My brother and his family have supported me as well. My nephew and nieces give me the laughs and hugs when I need them the most. My fur babies keep me sane when I need it the most and keep me company when I’m alone. My daughter may no longer want me in her life, but I am thankful for the eighteen years I did have with her. I will never forget the memories I have of her, and I hope she knows how much I love her.

What are you most thankful for on this Thanksgiving?

The post What are You Most Thankful for This Thanksgiving? appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Are you a blogger? Do you have trouble coming up with ideas for your blog posts every week? I’ve struggled with this in the past, but I’ve been reading on how to find ideas.

So, I’m sharing how I find ideas for keeping my blog posts fresh and for keeping the ideas flowing.

1. Read other blogs

I spend one day a week, usually Mondays, reading blog posts from my writer friends. I try to comment on the post if I can relate to it and see if there is an idea I get write from a different angle.

Of course, I wouldn’t want to use the same idea, but every blog post or article always has different angles a viewpoint can be told. You have to find it.

2. Use writing prompt books/websites

For half of my ideas, I’ve found various websites and even some writing prompt books with some great ideas. Sometimes I can even tweak the ideas a bit to make them fit me, but usually I can make them work in some way.

3. Look at Quora

If you’ve never looked at Quora, you’re missing out. This website is full of questions about every topic you can think of. I’ve gotten quite a few ideas for this website on there, especially the ones about freelancing.

All you have to do is type in a topic you want to find, and it lists the questions associated with what you typed. You can even read the answers to give you some ideas about the topic, too.

4. Read everything

Writers should be readers, too. I will say this over and over. As a writer, I read as much as I can to learn about my craft. But I try to read articles that mean something to me, like health issues I’ve been dealing with.

If we’re going to pitch ideas to a publication, a magazine, or other blog, we need to read those anyway. We can’t pitch ideas to a publication if we haven’t read the articles and gotten to know the style.

The more we read the more we learn and know. In turn, we should have plenty of ideas for our own blog posts.

5. Write a review

If you’re really stuck on ideas, write a review. Remember all that reading you’ve been doing? Write a book review. Share what you thought about a book.

Maybe you’ve used a new product that helps you with your freelancing or even a new product for your family. Write a review about the product.

I’ve written a blog post about Scrivener — the best parts about it. I’m sure I could even write more about it if I thought about other angles.

6. Use journaling

I’ve kept a journal off and on since my college days. I’m sure if I went back and looked I could find ideas that I could easily turn into blog posts.

The blog post wouldn’t have to be too personal, but it could be something like an issue or experience you’ve had. For instance, maybe you’ve journaled about a trip to the beach. Write a blog post about how the beach helped you overcome your writer’s block or how it inspired a travel feature for another blog.

7. Invite guest posts

I’m always willing to let someone write a blog post for me so I’m open to accepting guest posts. I can’t pay right now as much as I would like to reward someone for their willingness to do write a blog post for me.

Many times the other writer can give a different perspective on a topic or has an expertise you may not have. I’m open to hearing those viewpoints.

Where do you find your blogging ideas? I would love to add to my list!

The post 7 Ways to Find Amazing Ideas for Your Blog appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

I’m ready for this novel to be done. Sometimes I think I’m weird that I feel like this novel has to be done so I can move on to the next novel. But a writer friend told me I’m not weird for wanting to do that.

Starting over again

I’ve written a different beginning the other times, and even some of the story was different. I’m looking at the possibility of combining the best parts from the other versions and rewrite the first part. Hopefully, I can finish the novel so that I have a good first draft, which I’ve never had before.

When preparing for NaNoWriMo in previous years, I’ve never done a detailed outline. I’m not that kind of writer, but some place between pantser and plotter. But this time, I would like to have more of an outline.

Participating in a chat

So, I’ve been following a weekly Sunday chat for a writing group using K.M. Weiland’s book, Outlining Your Novel. Weiland suggests using a notebook, but I’m more of a visual person. I’m trying to figure out how I can outline my novel so that I can see it — let it stare me in the face.

Back to Weiland’s book for a minute, this book is an awesome resource if you are a detailed plotter. She goes into every little detail you can ever think of for getting all of the details worked out. She makes you think of everything that could happen with each character and fills notebooks full of notes. While that is great, I don’t want to outline that much, as I’ve stated before.

Visualizing the outline

During one chat, the writer friend leading the chat gave us ideas on how we could outline using a white board. I don’t have a white board, but I’ve often thought about getting one.

In the meantime, I have a pink bulletin board that I’ve had since I was a kid. My room was the girly pink one so everything was pink, and I’ve kept it all this time. It’s always been useful.

Until this chat, I had been using it for one of my other businesses, but I decided it was time to use it for writing. I stripped it clean of the business stuff and put up the index cards I’ve filled out for the other versions of my novel. Making this change is definitely helping see my story visually, and I’m glad I went to that chat.

I could also use Scrivener as it has a great way to outline using the index cards within its software. But that’s harder for me to see. I can’t be as visual with it.

Getting back to the actual outlining, I will review the index cards staring at me and see what I can do to get the plot outlined the best I can. I do know I need a road map of some kind, or I won’t write and do well. I have to know where I’m going even if it’s brief.

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? If so, what preparations do you do before the big event begins?

The post Why is Preparing for NaNoWriMo so Difficult? appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

All writers need to be readers, too. After all, reading makes us better writers. We not only need to be better writers by learning grammar and punctuation, but how to structure our stories. Most importantly, we need to be the best communicator we can be.

Becoming a good writer takes time and practice. Reading books about writing help us learn our craft better. Like with any job, we don’t learn if we don’t take classes or read books to learn the skills.

I’ve created this list on the most helpful writing books I’ve seen over the years of being a writer. Several of them I’ve read and even have on my bookshelves. The others are on my wish list for books to be read in the near future.

1. On Writing by Stephen King

King’s On Writing is a classic writing book. It’s full of his own personal story of how he became a writer — from his childhood to his near-fatal accident in 1999. At the same time you learn how you can avoid the mistakes he made.

I’ve been a fan of King’s novels since high school. The first book I ever read written by King was Christine. I was hooked from then on.

I’ve read On Writing a couple of times, and each time I get a little more out of it. When I’ve seen the question about the best writing books posted in my writing groups, this book is always named over and over.

2. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Lamott’s Bird by Bird is a book about inspiring writers. She inspires you by writing in a direct way. She doesn’t beat around the bush.

I read this book as part of a creative writing class as a sophomore in college. I remember how blunt Lamott was. This book was like no other book I had read at this point.

3. On Writing Well by William Zinsser

On Writing Well has sold over a million copies, making it one of those must-have writing books. This book will help you learn to write and, if you’re already writing, will help you write every day.

This books sits on my bookshelf. It was another required book for that creative writing class. I learned quite a bit from this book even though it wasn’t as inspiring as Lamott’s book was.

4. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

Published in 1918, The Elements of Style is a book every writer should have on their bookshelf. The book is thin and has nothing but rules of writing, a simple and easy-to-understand book.

I have owned this book for a long time — since I started writing. It’s right up there with King’s On Writing. I still use it as a reference from time to time.

5. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

Annie Dillard has a great way of telling a story. The Writing Life is a must-read for beginning writers, but, of course, all writers could read it. It’s a short reflection about the writing craft.

I haven’t read this book by Dillard, but I did read An American Childhood for an English class in college. I loved this book because it was true stories I enjoyed.

6. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

If you’re looking for a writing book to inspire you, Writing Down the Bones is it. Goldberg’s book is a personal reflection about writing. She inspires writers and helps them push through writer’s blocks.

This is another book I read for that creative writing class. I haven’t read it in a long time, but I remember how inspired I was after reading it.

7. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Pressfield’s The War of Art is a book that teaches writers to get writing and stop procrastinating. He is direct in what he says. If you need help breaking through obstacles to writing, then this book is one you should read.

I’ve seen this book recommended by Jeff Goins. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my wish list.

8. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

If you’re having trouble writing, then give The Artist’s Way a try. Cameron teaches you how to write morning pages, a free write you do each morning to get the creative juices flowing. This book offers other writing techniques to help you.

I hadn’t heard of this book until the last couple of years. I have a hard time writing in the mornings because I don’t always have the time, but I have journaled in the evenings at times.

9. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas

For beginning writers as well as those already published, Writing the Breakout Novel is a book all writers need to read. Maas teaches you all kinds of techniques to help your books stand out above all of the other books.

Again, like the previous book, I’ve heard of this one in the last few years.

10. Show Your Work by Austin Kleon

Show Your Work isn’t so much about writing, but it’s more about “stealing” from the creative community and becoming known. This book offers rules to help you do just that.

I learned about this book from the 10 Minute Novelists group. The leader of the group did a series of chats over this book. I found it to be an interesting book even though I hadn’t read it yet.

11. Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland

If you’re struggling with the plot of your novel, then Weiland’s Structuring Your Novel will help you. She helps you strengthen your novel by looking at its structure, like the weak spots in the plot and the saggy middle.

I’ve been following Weiland for the last few years. Her website, Helping Writers Become Authors, is a great resource, too. I’ve read a third of this book and find it to be a great resource as is her outlining book.

12. Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day by Katharine Grubb

Grubb’s book will get you writing 10 minutes a day. Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day teaches you ways to find at least 10 minutes a day, if not off and on throughout the day, to write that novel you’ve always wanted to write.

A couple of years ago, I found a group on Facebook called 10 Minute Novelists. The leader of the group, Katharine Grubb, published this book in 2015, and, of course, I had to have a copy. I was working two jobs at the time and didn’t have much time to write.

I actually ended up with an autographed copy from the author herself! This book is full of helpful tips, and I’ve learned so much.

If you’re a new writer, I hope I’ve given you some resources for you to get started. And if you’ve been writing for a while, I hope I’ve given you a refresher of resources or maybe some new ones.

What other writing books would you suggest? I would love to hear about any that I’ve not mentioned!

The post The 12 Most Helpful Writing Books Every Writer Needs appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Have you added blog plugins to your WordPress website? If you have, you may be using some of the best plugins there are. If you’re not, then you will want to take a look and see which ones to add and make your website run the best.

The majority of these I’m either using right now or have used in the past. The couple that remain are ones I would like to use in the near future and make my website the best they can be.

1. Yoast SEO

This plugin handles all of the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for you. As you type in your blog post, you can fill in the keyword, and it gives you the items you need to make the SEO the best it can be. Yoast SEO is free.

I have used this app almost since the beginning of my website, and it’s easy to use. At first it was hard getting the right words so you get the green light, but the more you use it the easier it gets.

2. SumoMe

SumoMe has several different tools to help you make your website a great one. It has social media share buttons as well as image sharing. It helps you build an email list and helps generate leads. This plugin is free, but for more options, there is a premium version which is a monthly fee.

I started using this plugin a few months ago after learning about it during a webinar with Jeff Goins. He taught the step-by-step process of how to set it up and touched on how to use it.

3. Wordfence

Wordfence is a basic security plugin that keeps people from hacking your website. It also blocks the IP addresses of bots. This plugin is free.

I’ve used this one since the beginning as well to protect my website from hackers as much as I can. I’m glad I use it because I get emails quite a bit saying someone in France or even in Ukraine has tried logging in. I can’t imagine what would happen if they actually succeeded.

4. Google Analytics

This plugin gives you basic information about your website, such as page views and which posts get the most views. It’s free.

Google Analytics is one I’ve started using in the last few months after I stopped using Jetpack. I don’t pay attention as much as I should to what’s going on, but I’m working at being better.

5. CoSchedule

CoSchedule helps you plan and schedule your blog content. You can also schedule your social media, such as Facebook. Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. While the plugin is free, CoSchedule does charge a monthly fee.

I haven’t used this plugin yet, but I do use the free headline analyzer for every blog post I write. I also read their blog because they have some great ideas on how to run your website and how to market.

6. Akismet

If you want to keep your comment spam to a bare minimum, then you need Akismet. This plugin gets rid of the comment spam and is easy to use. It’s also free.

Askimet was one of the first plugins I got, and I don’t have to do much once it’s set up. It keeps the spam down to almost nothing.

7. Social Media Widget

The Social Media Widget is a great tool if you want to share your blog posts. You can add links to all of your social media and can customize the widget from three sizes and four icon styles.

I used this plugin before I discovered SumoMe. It’s a great plugin if you don’t want to mess with SumoMe.

8. WP Rocket

This plugin is one of the main ways to speed up your website’s loading time. It’s easy to configure and can be done in less than five minutes. An alternative to this plugin is W3 Total Cache.

I haven’t used either of these plugins, but I’ve heard great things about W3 Total Cache. However, when I discovered it’s hard to configure, it makes me wonder if the fee for WP Rocket is worth the money.

9. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a great plugin for selling things on your website. I haven’t used this one, but if I ever decide to sell things, I would use it.

10. Revive Old Posts

Revive Old Posts was once known as Tweet Old Posts. This plugin helps you repost old blog posts. You choose the time interval and the number of posts to share. You can add hashtags and include links. You can also use it with Facebook and LinkedIn.

This is another plugin I haven’t used before, but I like the idea that I can do this easily. I have several blog posts that I would like to tweet again so this plugin looks like it would do the job easily. And it’s free.

WordPress has plenty of other plugins that are useful for various things depending upon what you need. I’ve included the ones here that I found to be the most useful to me or the ones I would like to use in the near future.

Please feel free to share plugins you are using and you’ve found to be useful. I would love to hear about them!

The post 10 Useful Plugins You Should Have on Your Website appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Back in June, Bamidele Onibalusi, a young blogger I’ve followed for a couple of years, asked us about doing a challenge. He would set it up, giving us the steps he used to build his website called Writers in Charge. He would show us how to cold pitch and get other freelance jobs. Many of us said yes so the challenge started July 25.

Bamidele called the challenge, Earn Your First $1,000 Freelance Writing. He started a Facebook group so we could support and cheer each other on. He could share the steps of the challenge.

Steps of the challenge

1. Writer website

When I started the challenge, I was a step ahead of many of the others. I already had a website for my freelance editing. However, the website didn’t have the writing because I hadn’t planned on making it a freelance writing website. With a few minor changes, Beach Girl Publishing was updated and ready to go.

2. Social proof

Over the past couple of years, I’ve done a bit of freelancing, but I haven’t written any articles for social proof. Bamidele suggested pitching the Huffington Post so that was my next step. I rewrote an article about 9/11 since the anniversary was approaching and published my first article on the HuffPo.

3. Social media

I have a Twitter account for my novels, but I opened an account for my freelancing. I’ve been told to separate the two as I have two different audiences.

I still need to do this for Facebook, but I wanted to get started with the challenge. I updated my LinkedIn profile and created an About.me page.

4. Upwork alternatives

Signing up for Upwork alternatives was one of the items we could do. I did sign up for all but one of them. The writing test for that one was a bit crazy so I didn’t do as well I had thought. The pay on these alternatives looked better than Upwork.

5. Job boards

Before the challenge, I had a few job boards I checked every day or every other day. Bamidele suggested a couple of different ones so I added those to my bookmarks. I have used several job boards in the past and have gotten responses but only one job. Too many people are competing for those jobs.

6. Cold pitching

To prepare for cold pitching in my niches, I researched companies on the Inc. Top 5000 and Forbes Top 100. I will need many more companies than what I have, but for now this gave me a good start.

Breakdown of my results

When the challenge began, I had started a new job so I didn’t start pitching until the second week. Bamidele gave us spreadsheets to help us keep track of our progress.

In the middle of the challenge, I dealt with some health issues so I wasn’t pushing myself to do much more than what I needed to do. As a result, I didn’t pitch much for about two weeks.

Even though I didn’t pitch the 30-50 cold pitches or apply to 10-20 offers on the job boards every day as Bamidele suggested, I did what I could. Like I said, I work outside the home to pay the bills until the freelancing takes off so my hours are limited.

During seven of the eight weeks for the challenge, I sent 28 cold pitch emails and 43 emails for offers on job boards. I checked the Upwork alternative sites, but no jobs interested me. I was supposed to pitch publications that paid writers. While I did research the publications, I haven’t pitched ideas yet.

Out of the 28 cold pitches, I got the chance to do a trial run at blog posts. If I do well with the three the client asked me to do, we’ll sign a contract. I had one client say he would keep my name on file. Another client added me to the freelance pool, which I’m not sure when I’ll ever write for them.

I almost did a phone interview for a client, but he told me the job required me to be at their office part of the time. I can’t relocate to Dallas, but he will keep me on file if a remote job comes up.

Of the 43 offers on job boards, I had to do a couple of sample tests for editing jobs. I have the possibility of writing a middle grade short story if my outline is accepted. I’m hoping to hear back from the client in the next week. I applied for another short story through a website I found by accident and was invited to give it a try, which I will do.

Overall, I have done okay. I haven’t done as well as I had hoped, but if I hadn’t done this challenge, I ask myself, “Where would I be right now?” I wouldn’t have the client on a trial run and I might not have the short story possibilities. And I certainly wouldn’t be published on the Huffington Post.

Even though the challenge ended Sunday, I won’t stop pitching ideas or trying to get jobs. Full-time freelancing has been a dream of mine since high school. I can feel I’m on the brink of landing some great jobs as long as I continue pitching and trying to get jobs.

The best part about this challenge? I’ve gained new writer friends who have the same goal as me. They’re supportive and encourage me to keep trying. That makes this all worthwhile.

The post What I Learned From This Writing Challenge appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Of course, figuring out how to write the article may not be as fun, but it’s not as bad as you might think. If you want to be successful writing travel articles, then these tips will help you.

Research before you go

Before traveling to a destination, especially a place where you’ve never been, research the area. Find the hotel where you want to stay, one that suits your needs. Look for things to do. Usually most places have something for each person in the family.

Find restaurants that appeal to you. Depending upon the kinds of food you like, you can find something that you’ll enjoy. If you’re a history buff, destinations sometimes have historical places.

Every trip I’ve ever taken as an adult has been researched for at least a few hours, if not many. Since I travel with my dogs, I always research for hotels that take them. I won’t go any place without them. I also research for things to do and places to eat.

I’m not an adventurous person, but I do enjoy history so I seek those things out. I prefer not to eat at places where I can eat at home, but sometimes that can’t always be the reality.

Journal

While traveling, journal about your trip. Write down the things you see and describe them as much as you can. Write down your feelings about the things you see. Jotting down the details will help you remember every little thing about your trip.

I have journaled about several trips I’ve gone on since I was a teenager. I like remembering the details of the trip. Journaling these trips has helped me write about them later.

Pick one moment

Choosing what to write about a trip can be hard. But the best thing to do is pick one moment. That trip has many possibilities for several different articles.

For every trip you take, you have several articles you can write. You can choose an angle for different things you’ve done, places you’ve eaten, or hotels you’ve stayed.

For instance, you could write a review about a restaurant or a hotel. You find a local person and write an article about what’s it like to live there year round. You could interview a person who works at a historical place.

Use vivid language

When you’re writing a travel article, make sure you use vivid language. You want the readers to feel like they are right there with you. Describe the restaurant, hotel, or historic place with your five senses.

I entered a travel piece for a contest on a website called We Said Go Travel. While I didn’t win the contest, the website published my travel article, and I shared it with my readers. One reader commented that she felt like she could hear the waves as she read it.

Hook the reader

Like a novel or a feature story, you must hook the readers. If you don’t, they won’t read any further than the first paragraph, and you’ve lost them to another article. Ask a question, tell a story, or write a fact that makes the reader want to finish the travel piece.

Personally, I use either a question or a story to hook my readers. Obviously, the story worked in the article I mentioned above because of the compliments I received.

If you’ve written a travel article, are these tips you follow? Do you have your own tips for writing a great travel article?

The post How to Write an Awesome Travel Article appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.

Choosing an editor is not an easy task. The success of your novel depends on how well it’s written and how well it’s edited.

Finding an editor is much like finding a doctor or a caregiver. You want someone who will take care of you and/or your baby. Your novel is like a baby to you. You want it to be successful.

Much like when you are looking for a doctor or caregiver, you can research and find an editor. This will take a little time, but it’s worth it.

Gather a list of editors

People will say to “Google” for editors. Of course, you can do that, but who knows who will you find. One of the best ways to find an editor is to ask other writers.

I joined a writing group I found on Facebook and discovered my first editor. I asked a few questions and ended up using her. However, she didn’t edit as she said she would. For my next book, I searched for another one through the same group. She worked out much better.

Another good place to look for an editor is the Editorial Freelancers Association. This website helps you with all aspects of finding an editor, including helpful tips and a rate chart.

Even if you’re not done with your novel, keep your eyes open and start making a list of editors now. I still have some editors bookmarked now, but I will probably use the second editor I used before.

Check out their websites

Once you have a list of editors, look at their websites. Look at the genres they edit. Look for testimonials from other authors.

Depending upon how long your list is, narrow it down to two or three and send messages to each of them. Ask them any questions you have and make sure they answer your questions.

Know what kind of edit you need

Editors do different kinds of edits. As I explained in a previous blog post, you need to understand the different kinds of editing.

Ask yourself these questions. Do I need a developmental edit? Or do I need line editing or copyediting? Maybe all you need is someone to proofread.

If you don’t know the kind of edit you need, the editor may do more or less than you want.

Know your budget

One of your questions will be what the editor charges. As an editor and proofreader, I don’t post my rates on my website. Every job is different so what I charge for each client varies.

What an editor charges could be your deciding factor, especially if you have a budget, or an amount, you can afford in mind. That’s okay. This helps with that final decision about choosing an editor.

Ask for a sample edit

If you still not sure or if you think you have found the editor you want to use, ask them for a sample edit. The second editor I used allowed me to give her the first chapter of my novel. She did a great job with it so that sealed the deal for me.

An editor should always be willing to do a sample edit. I have done them occasionally, but not everyone asks for one. I wouldn’t refuse to do this because that person could be a potential client. And a client you could get again and again as she publishes more novels.

Understand the editor

Seeing your novel all marked up from an editor is tough. You have to understand it’s for the best. Editors, like myself, want to help you make your novel the best it can be. I want to see you be as successful as you want to be

You don’t want grammar and punctuation mistakes. Do you? You don’t want a huge plot hole. Do you? Of course, not. You want readers to buy your novel, and you want to be successful.

If you have a great tip to add or if you’ve a good experience finding a great editor, I would love to hear from you!

The post How to Choose an Editor for Your Novel appeared first on Beach Girl Publishing LLC.