Wishing Everyone a
Happy & Healthy
2010!
- Rosemary O'Brien
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monetizing My Blogging Efforts
I must be missing something. I have been a blogger for a couple of years now and have yet to make much of a profit. My original blog is, if I do say so myself, a great idea. It’s called Writing Military Mom. I have many readers, I do tons of reading about monetizing my blog, but hardly anyone comments and my affiliate links do not produce cold, hard cash. Caffeinated Writer is my new blog now that I am a former military spouse.
What do I need to do with this thing to produce a decent income? Would anyone like to provide a blog makeover of sorts in exchange for some writing? I could write a press release for your latest product, website copy, or whatever you need. Heck! I can even write a letter to your mother, I don’t care!
While I am waiting for your comments, I am working on my next novel. At least I am almost sure it will produce an income at some point if my reader base is any indication. In the meantime, check out my first novel, First Saturday, listed to the right. If you have already read it, I would love to hear your comments, both good and bad, but be constructive, please. Calling me stupid or trashing my characters without a good reason doesn’t do anything except make me delete your comment.
What do I need to do with this thing to produce a decent income? Would anyone like to provide a blog makeover of sorts in exchange for some writing? I could write a press release for your latest product, website copy, or whatever you need. Heck! I can even write a letter to your mother, I don’t care!
While I am waiting for your comments, I am working on my next novel. At least I am almost sure it will produce an income at some point if my reader base is any indication. In the meantime, check out my first novel, First Saturday, listed to the right. If you have already read it, I would love to hear your comments, both good and bad, but be constructive, please. Calling me stupid or trashing my characters without a good reason doesn’t do anything except make me delete your comment.
Monday, December 7, 2009
'Found My Peeps
I love my yearly writer’s conference. When I first attended the ASJA a few years ago, I came home refreshed and full of ideas. “I found my people,” I said to my husband as we walked to the car in the Metro North parking lot. During the those two days in New York, I meet others who are in the same boat, learn new tricks on how to promote myself or use some new form of technology, and usually come away with a connection to a job or an area in which I am interested.
Since I am a busy mommy of two younger boys, I also relish my peaceful nights in the hotel. I book an extra night in order to have a day in the city before the workshops and seminars begin the next day. As luck would have it, my brother lives in NYC, so the evening finds me sitting at a restaurant having a grown up meal with grown up conversation, too. If he is unavailable, that’s fine, too. There are a gazillion museums, shows and even room service if I have walked my feet off by the time dinner rolls around.
No, it is not easy being a freelance writer sometimes, but it can be very rewarding. Do you have a conference you attend no matter what? Which organization do you willingly fork over hundreds to soak in the culture of your peers? While I wait for feedback, I’m off to make my reservations.
Since I am a busy mommy of two younger boys, I also relish my peaceful nights in the hotel. I book an extra night in order to have a day in the city before the workshops and seminars begin the next day. As luck would have it, my brother lives in NYC, so the evening finds me sitting at a restaurant having a grown up meal with grown up conversation, too. If he is unavailable, that’s fine, too. There are a gazillion museums, shows and even room service if I have walked my feet off by the time dinner rolls around.
No, it is not easy being a freelance writer sometimes, but it can be very rewarding. Do you have a conference you attend no matter what? Which organization do you willingly fork over hundreds to soak in the culture of your peers? While I wait for feedback, I’m off to make my reservations.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
No More NaNo-ing
NaNoWriMo is over and I did not reach my 50K goal. Business and life intervened, but I am still glad I entered. I have been attempting to enter for a couple of years now and am happy to have even participated! ('Sounds like when someone says they are happy to be nominated, but it's true.) As a result, I have about 16,000 words toward my new novel which has been turning over in my head for months. Now it is on paper and I can move forward.
To everyone who tried, whether or not you made the goal of 50,000 words in one month, a big congratulations goes out to you from me. Writers write, remember that when you simply talk about writing. Put pen to paper or fingers to keys and get that book out of your head and into the hands of the reader!
Rosemary
To everyone who tried, whether or not you made the goal of 50,000 words in one month, a big congratulations goes out to you from me. Writers write, remember that when you simply talk about writing. Put pen to paper or fingers to keys and get that book out of your head and into the hands of the reader!
Rosemary
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Donny Osmond tangoes
Donny Osmond rocks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dG82cGlnbk
This if for all of us who swooned over the little boy singing on t.v. He's the consummate showman and apparently he really CAN dance, too! I don't even watch this show, but I had to Google it when I heard he won.
Enjoy!
Author's note: The first link apparently did not work, so here it is again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dG82cGlnbk
This if for all of us who swooned over the little boy singing on t.v. He's the consummate showman and apparently he really CAN dance, too! I don't even watch this show, but I had to Google it when I heard he won.
Enjoy!
Author's note: The first link apparently did not work, so here it is again.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
What are you thankful for this year?
Don’t even get me started this year. Though it has been a difficult year in some ways, I have also seen many blessings. Below are a few of the things I am truly grateful for this year.
My best friend in the world, more like the sister I never had, survived cancer with flying colors. Though she is still undergoing chemo, she is almost finished and they got it all out during surgery.
My husband retired from the Navy in July and is now enjoying his new position at a civilian hospital not too far away. How he found a Monday through Friday Nine-to-Five job, I’ll never know, but he did and he loves it.
My little one started Kindergarten in September and is having a great time and enjoying school, while my older child is a stellar Fourth Grader having passed his CMT’s with advanced and top of the school goal scores.
As for me, I’m ploughing along with the National Novel Writing Month contest (which I should be doing right now!), and gaining writing clients every day. The new blog, Caffeinated Writer, is up and running and time will tell if it is as successful as Writing Military Mom, the other blog.
Plans for the future? I plan on completing my next novel in 2010 and spending more time with my beautiful boys before they grow up and leave home. Life is short and I want to be a full-time novelist “when I grow up.” I am off to move forward on that goal, but wanted to stop for a moment to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, near and far. Most of all to the soldiers and sailors serving our country, their families who support them and all of the veterans who have served before them. Thank you a million times for your service to our country.
Rosemary
My best friend in the world, more like the sister I never had, survived cancer with flying colors. Though she is still undergoing chemo, she is almost finished and they got it all out during surgery.
My husband retired from the Navy in July and is now enjoying his new position at a civilian hospital not too far away. How he found a Monday through Friday Nine-to-Five job, I’ll never know, but he did and he loves it.
My little one started Kindergarten in September and is having a great time and enjoying school, while my older child is a stellar Fourth Grader having passed his CMT’s with advanced and top of the school goal scores.
As for me, I’m ploughing along with the National Novel Writing Month contest (which I should be doing right now!), and gaining writing clients every day. The new blog, Caffeinated Writer, is up and running and time will tell if it is as successful as Writing Military Mom, the other blog.
Plans for the future? I plan on completing my next novel in 2010 and spending more time with my beautiful boys before they grow up and leave home. Life is short and I want to be a full-time novelist “when I grow up.” I am off to move forward on that goal, but wanted to stop for a moment to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, near and far. Most of all to the soldiers and sailors serving our country, their families who support them and all of the veterans who have served before them. Thank you a million times for your service to our country.
Rosemary
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Chastity Becomes Chaz
I saw a clip about Chastity Bono, that cute little blonde kid of the ‘70’s, talking about undergoing a sex change over the next few years. Chastity is now known as “Chaz,” and seemed very comfortable in his skin. After seeing him light up with happiness during the interview, I cannot understand how anyone would have a problem with this, but they did. The interview on GMA started a firestorm of comments on ABC’s message board. From people saying he had a mental “disease” to those who said he was offending God, the opinions flew. Now here is mine.
First of all, no one knows what God thinks and should not put their views of the deity on the rest of the reading public. Second, if he’s not hurting anyone and feels better about himself, what do the naysayers care? It’s as if they are so insecure about themselves or their own lives that they have to bash other people who are making positive changes for themselves. To these people I say the following:
Get a life, get a clue, and get off the message boards. You are taking up space that can be spent on intelligent conversation and debate.
First of all, no one knows what God thinks and should not put their views of the deity on the rest of the reading public. Second, if he’s not hurting anyone and feels better about himself, what do the naysayers care? It’s as if they are so insecure about themselves or their own lives that they have to bash other people who are making positive changes for themselves. To these people I say the following:
Get a life, get a clue, and get off the message boards. You are taking up space that can be spent on intelligent conversation and debate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)