Don’t miss out on this HUGE copywriting event!

Guess what?? There's something BIG hitting the Internet VERY soon and I'm excited and honored to tell you all about it!

If you've only tinkered with the idea of getting into business writing or if you're already a business writer looking to take your skills to the next level, this is THE big writing event of the year you won't want to miss out on!

Some good friends of mine have put together an amazing event for freelance copywriters called Copywriting Success Summit 2008 http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2603405 --THE online event for copywriters who want to grow their business.

---WHAT IS THIS EVENT??---

This is the first-ever online event dedicated to helping copywriters win high-caliber clients, better market their services and earn an executive income in the world of no-hype copywriting.

They've really got an all-star line-up.

Presenters include bestselling authors and experts such as Bob Bly, Peter Bowerman, Steve Slaunwhite, Michael Stelzner, Copyblogger's Brian Clark and others.

Check the bios on these folks here. http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2603405

And if that hasn't grabbed your interest YET, take a look at these tempting little courses served up just for you:

* How to Be a Highly Paid Copywriter as a One-Person Business
* Contact to Contract: Turning Prospects Into Clients!
* Your 60-Minute Marketing Plan
* Becoming the King (or Queen) of the Hill in Your Niche
* How to Gain Exposure Using Social Networking Sites
* Becoming a $125-per-Hour Writer and Beyond
* Making Top Dollar Writing White Papers
* Pricing Your Copywriting Services

Go here to see all 12 sessions. http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2603405

This is more than just an event. It's also a way for women and men just like you to come together, share their experiences, meet the experts and network.

And as a stay-at-home mom, I gotta tell ya, ANYTHING that'll help me earn even more of an extra income from home as a writer with better skills than ever is DEFINITELY worth the time and investment! YOU can make that happen for you, too!

---MORE GREAT NEWS---

They've added more than $450 worth of giveaways. These are high-value products, books and classes that the presenters actually sell in their own successful copywriting businesses. When you sign up for the event, you get all these included at no extra cost!

Here's a sample of the more than 12 really valuable books and classes that they're giving away:

* The Psychology of Selling and Marketing
* Writing for Big Companies
* Maverick Marketing: Innovative Selling Ideas to Make You More Money
* Succeeding as a Freelance White Paper Writer

Go here now to learn more: http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2603405

AND if you want a heads-up on writing white papers, check out Michael Stelzner's awesome book on the topic: http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2608186

Here's to your success!

Much love,

Dawn

P.S. This event does not require any travel. You simply attend sessions, meet the experts and network with peers from the comfort of your home or office. (How cool is that??)

To see how this works, go here: http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2603405

P.P.S. As a way of saying "thanks" for checking out the summit, there's a gift just for copywriters (valued at $39) waiting for you here. Go get it: http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2603405

P.P.S.S. FYI, the $100 early bird savings expires REAL SOON.

Publisher interest

Great news! My co-author has queried publishers for the haunted houses book, and one publisher responded asking to see the rest of the manuscript! Woo-hoo!

The problem is, I haven't finished editing one part of the book. I am only halfway done with that. So I REALLY need to hunker down and finish that up! I guess I won't be getting much sleep this week, but once that is done and the rest of the manuscript is sent off, I'll breathe a lot easier. And catch up on that missed sleep, too.

I was REALLY excited about this news! Woo-hoo!!!! I wanted to yell with excitement, but the baby was sleeping. So I had to go outside and let out an excited, "YAY!!!!" I don't care if people looked at me funny. I HAD to let that out!

But I've got mucho editing to finish up before it can get out the door. So I'll be a little busy for a while working on that. Then catching up on the book I'm writing now. And starting a new side job on the 26th. Then doing NaNoWriMo....

Busy, busy, busy.

Please wish us luck! Woot!

MySpace and the power of networking

I have a love-hate relationship with MySpace.com. On one hand, it's a good way to keep in touch with others and you don't need to worry about missing out on bulletins posted while asleep because the bulletins last for 10 days. On the other hand, though, it's a playground for hackers, spammers and overall irritable people who think I'm on MySpace looking to score or meet up. (*rolls eyes*)

It is also really annoying when people on there post bulletins that are all, "ME! ME! ME! Look at ME!!!" Granted, I realize we all need to promote, but doing it again and again and again is a real grievance. It's definitely a huge gripe when people do that when a natural disaster is wrecking havoc and killing people, and they don't take a minute to post a bulletin about it or anything on their blog about rescue efforts/Red Cross relief/etc. Sorry, but I'm one of those people who CARES about stuff going on in the world!

But at the same time, I have discovered MySpace to be a useful tool when it comes to networking. Being "friends" with so many writers on MySpace moves me a step closer in trying to communicate with them, and learn about them. It also helps that, when I need a writer to interview, finding one is just a click away. Many interviews I have done have resulted from knowing people on MySpace, and many writers are happy to oblige.

It has also helped familiarize me with subjects I don't know much about. Part of being "friends" with others is reading their bulletins posted. When I friend someone involved in an industry I want to learn about, reading the bulletins they post about their industry or checking out their profiles helps clear away the confusion. This has helped when I need to write about said industry, and find people to interview for it.

Although I am deaf, I am friended with a lot of bands on MySpace. Some of the people on my profile have actually taken the time out of their busy schedules to actually TALK with me (which means I'm more than happy to include them and promote them on my page), and knowing that these very people are actually levelheaded enough to talk with their fans has helped me see that they are not ALL self-centered snobs. (And I love these guys, too! They are just awesome to communicate with. I guess it helps that a few of of them on my page are actually my neighbors!)

And speaking of music: My chick-lit manuscript includes a bunch of songs that my character listens to. Using MySpace to learn more about bands has really helped in that regard. I've included songs my musician friends have done, and I'm always reading lyrics and looking up more songs to include. (Allison gave me a list of bands to check out, too. Thanks, Als!)

Despite its shortcomings, MySpace has definitely had a lot to offer me as a writer. It has helped me find people to interview, find resources for my writing but, most of all, it has helped me, as a writer, to stay connected with other writers.

Writing and not writing on 9/11

I noticed something a little unusual about my email account today: There weren't that many new emails today. And I sniled at the possibility that maybe it was because all the people I usually get emails from practically every day were taking a break in honor of what today is. Perhaps they were stepping back to take the time to reflect on 9/11/01, and to remember those who were lost on that day.

The thing that I do as far as commemorating something or honring something goes, is I write about it. I write a poem in honor of the occasion, or I write a blog post or an essay. This was not how it went for 9/11. For a long time after the attacks, I was too numb and shocked to write about it. I know of other writers who were the same way. One writer was so depressed for several months, she couldn't write a word.

But writers are writers at heart. They are writers of the soul. After some time to heal wounds or find closure, there will once again be that ability to write. To honor the memories of someone through the written word.

But I, too, took a break from the "norms" of today. I spent extra time with my children. Instead of working on my books, I wrote about 9/11. I composed a poem and have blog postings about it.

In a way, we're still "taking a break" from our usual rush of the day when we just step down for a moment to reflect and pray. And we are also being true to our desire to express how we feel as far as 9/11 is concerned.

They say that life goes on. Well, so does the writing, but in its own time.

Was it stress to meet a deadline, or poor research?

In light of the recent story about a financial writer who dropped the bomb with reposting an old story as "news," I have to wonder if this was the result of her trying to rush and beat a deadline or if she was just too lazy to do a little further reading to verify her information. Regardless of what it was, United Airlines took a hit for her screw-up.

Case in point: A writer for a newsletter Income Securities Advisors Inc. caused a stir among investors when she took a story about United Airlines filing for Chapter 11 protection which ran on the South Florida Sun-Sentinel website she came across on the Internet and posted it as a current story. Problem was, the story dated back to December, 2002, which she failed to figure out herself. In other words, she screwed up big time. I guess this writer was too lazy to look into that story any further than the actual report because she took that story as gospel and passed on the news to the newsletter. And that very act made the news story get posted on Bloomberg. Five seconds later, the stocks for United Airlines plummetted.

Ouch.

And no matter how you look at it, it seems like this writer decided not to look for the source of that article. It was reprinted from the Chicago Tribune. Had she looked THAT up, it would've shown it was a 2002 story. It really irritates me when someone sees something on the Internet and thinks it's "news" or "current" without even looking into it further. If you do a little digging, maybe some scrolling, the date of a story, blog post, work posted online, etc., will be revealed in all its glory.

In the writer's defense, the date of the filing (December 9, 2002) was not revealed in the story. Okay, fine. That's no excuse for sloppy reporting.
And she must've had to search for a long time because I did the same thing she did and didn't see that story come up until after several clicks.

But guess which kind of related story came up first? That's right: The story telling the WHOLE world about her mistake. Link after link after link.

All I will say is, writers, do your homework. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Question everything and READ everything.

Here is the link to the story online:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-united-old-story-sep8,0,7800230.story

Here is the original story, courtesy of chicagotribune.com:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/chi-021209ual,0,4177704.story

For further reading on this subject:
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=150236

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2008/09/sunsentinel_error_temporarily.php

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/tribune-findings-united-airlines-story/story.aspx?guid=%7BF42DE17B-72B9-46D6-AB0A-2FB2B0D278F1%7D&dist=hppr

Must...not...write!

I shouldn't be blogging. I shouldn't be typing or writing, either. Because I hurt my wrist, I got it into my head to put a STOP on that until it heals. It's not like I'm in agonizing pain, or anything, but the pain DOES flare up from time to time. I have been taking pain killers (Tylenol, ibuprofen) and wrapping my wrist in an ice pack from time to time, but the pain is still there. I'm beginning to contenplate sleeping with a wrist brace (I can't put an Ace bandage on it myself and I don't think my daughter could efficiently help me wrap it with the bandage, either. It's like my mitten dilemma: I can't wear gloves because of my left hand, so I wear mittens. I can't wrap the bandage on my wrist myself, so I have to wear the brace instead. I guess that would be the next best thing?). These are measures I am taking to ensure it will heal (hey, I'm no doctor -- I'm figuring out and learning this stuff as I go!), and holding back on the writing and typing is one other thing.

And, for a while, my wrist wasn't acting up when I was writing. But this morning, I had 15 minutes to kill and, wouldn't you know it, my muse INSISTED I write stuff down! I was trying to focus on reading instead, but all of those words just kept cluttering my mind. It became URGENT that I write them down!

So I sat down to write. But I figured, just a little bit. I'll only write a little bit. Just the things I can't chance forgetting later.

Yeah, right.

I ended up writing a whole freaking chapter. Sigh! (Wow, how weird it feels to feel disappointed in myself that I wrote a whole chapter. LOL)

Granted, I didn't go into heavy detail with the chapter. I made notes on where to insert quotes, where to insert examples of something and I only went over the main points to cover in a bulletin list I'm including. But, still! That was a definite no-no.

And as I was writing, my wrist started to hurt again. I tried to pull myself away from the writing, but it didn't happen. I couldn't stop writing! Even when it hurt! (Good grief, it wasn't like I was trying to stop a bomb from going off, or something! Sheesh!) Thankfully, though, I brought the chapter to a close and just stepped away from it. I didn't go over it for edits or to see if there was anything I left out. I just put it away.

I am thinking that is what I should do with writing in general, just to ensure this wrist thing doesn't get worse. "Put it away." Lock it up in a drawer for a week and take a break from it. Take a break from the writing and the typing AND the blogging.

The challenge comes in actually trying to DO that. Maybe I should consider this an opportunity to catch up on my reading, catch up on a bunch of movies I have YET to watch and just catch up on any other thing that needs catching up on. (Anybody got any good movie or book suggestions??) It will be hard NOT to write. It'll be almost impossible NOT to revisit the computer to do the blogging thing or check email. But I know I have to do it all the same.

I have to take that break. I will give it a week and see how that works out.

And now I have typed too much as it is, so I will close here.