4 Discounted Resources For Writers

Here is the latest batch of ever-popular, discounted offers from Writers Store and Writers' Digest. These resources are helping hundreds of thousands of writers all over the world and are becoming even more popular because they are so useful.

Take a look at some of them and see for yourself.

Save 75% on Writing and Selling Christian Fiction at Writer's Digest Shop
Writing Christian fiction is equally challenging and rewarding. The Christian fiction genre places great responsibility on its authors while at the same time provides a sense of accomplishment that is arguably unmatched in any other genre. In this specialized value pack, you’ll find three resources chocked full of exercises and instruction on writing Christian fiction.

Get 50% off OnDemand Webinars with coupon code Save 50 at Writer's Digest Shop!
Writers Digest has the best online writing seminars, classes & tutorials online. Whether you're looking for advice from experts on how to write a fiction book, how to write a screenplay, or how to use the best writing software to outline your next novel, our writing webinars can help you improve your writing skills across a multitude of styles & genres. Valid 27th March to 31st March 2015.

Get $20 off Writing Mysteries & Thrillers That Sell with offer code THRILL20 at Writer's Digest Shop
Writing mysteries and thriller novels can be a very lucrative career. Mysteries and thrillers are one of the most exciting forms of fiction being written today, with millions of readers eager for new stories. Your readers seek accuracy, compelling characters, and suspenseful plots. With this collection, you'll learn how to add these elements to your writing and keep your readers turning pages all night long.

On Sale! Write a TV Pilot in 90 Days package at the Writers Store
It’s no secret that some of today’s best storytelling is happening on the small screen. Looking to jump in to this exciting new world of TV, but are uncertain of how to start? Give the Story Specialists 90 days, and they’ll help you complete a polished, viable TV pilot and Show Bible you can use to break into television writing.

Writing Articles Quickly: 4 Steps That Can Really Turbo-Charge your Article Writing Speed

As an online writer, I find that time is money. I can waste 15 minutes idly surfing the internet or use that time to write another marketing article or short blog post.

If you can write an article in 15 minutes you can write 4 in an hour which is 32 articles a day if you work an 8-hour day.

Even if you’re a bit slower and only manage 3 articles an hour, that’s still 24 articles a day.

Can you imagine how much you could increase your online income if you could write that quickly?

How do you write articles fast?

1. Research. This needs to only take one minute or less to search online for 3 or more points to cover in an article.

2. Outline. You can’t write an article quickly if you don’t have an outline to follow. It would be like trying to make a cake without a recipe to follow.

3. Write Quickly. Don’t get distracted. If you have an article to write, write it. You already have your outline so start writing and don’t stop until you’ve finished.

4. Edit and Proof Read. This should be quick to do. If you write often you work will be good because you’ve  had plenty of practice so your articles won’t need much editing. And a final quick proof read will pick up any typos and spelling errors.

And that’s all there is to it.

Just don’t let the Writing Nazies tell you that writing quickly will produce bad writing. It won’t, unless you’re a bad writer to start with.

Writing fast will make you quick AND efficient.

Write by Hand Or Write Straight to Keyboard?

This is an age-old question that writers have been debating for years.

Is it better to write by hand and type your work up later, or write straight to keyboard?

Personally I prefer to write by hand first because I’m more creative when I work this way.

But when you do the math of the extra time this takes compared to writing straight to keyboard, it seems like a much slower way of doing things especially when hand writing is slower than typing AND I have to type my work up as well.

On the surface, it looks like I’m always doing things the slow way, but I disagree.
I’ve tried writing straight to keyboard many times because the way I work can seem frustratingly slow sometimes.

But what I find is that I’m not as creative when I try and write straight to keyboard.

I use JDarkRoom  on my Mac computer which is a free-to-download, distraction-free software that’s meant to block out any of the usual distractions to help enhance creativity. And while it helps, it doesn’t solve everything. I still feel less creative and my writing doesn’t flow as well as usual.

This ends up in wasted time stopping and thinking about what to write, lost creativity and extra time editing and correcting what I’ve written, or completely deleting everything and starting again from scratch.

So while the way I work may look time-consuming and slow, for me, it works.

And as the saying goes, if it aint broken, don’t fix it.

3 Ways to Make Money Writing Online Articles For Your Own Blog/Website

Writing online articles is what being a writer is all about.

You can’t get away from it. If you’re a writer you need a website and that means writing articles/blog posts regularly.

You website needs to grow and to be filled with regular articles. But what are the articles you’re supposed to write? And how can they help you to make money?

Every article that you write needs to have a reason for being. In other words, what is the article for? How does it help the reader? And most of all, how can it help you to make more money online?

Below is a list of 3 ways that you can use article to make money from your own blog/website.

1. Blog/website Articles. Your website or blog can be a site about you as a writer to promote your books, or a niche website where you sell products and write articles around the products you sell to help drive sales. Use your online articles to help promote what you sell while providing worthwhile information for your readers.

2. Article Marketing. Once you have your blog/website set up, you need to drive traffic to it. You can do this with article marketing. You can write press releases whenever you begin promoting a new book/product, write articles for other blogs/websites and link them back to your site, or write articles to publish on the article directories. Short articles are fast to write and can go on helping you to make money for years.

3. Emails. once you get people to your website you need to get them to subscribe to your email list so that you can continue to market to them long after they’ve left your site. Writing regular short email articles can help keep your subscribers entertained, educated and, hopefully, turn them into regular customers.

So set up a blog/website, fill it with informative and entertaining articles that help you make sales, drive traffic to your site with article marketing and then keep in touch with your website visitors with regular emails.

This is how many people have been making money online for years.

You just have to keep on writing.

New Work Routine Forced Me to Unclutter Which Lead to an Easier Way to Write

As I told you in the last post, I now use two computers; one for writing and one for all my other work such as uploading, emailing, accessing online accounts, etc.

This has really changed the way I work because my writing computer is distraction-free so I can't check emails, play games or log into online accounts because I don't have access to these on my new computer so I just have to keep writing.

This in turn has made me much more productive and has helped to increase my writing income.

My main computer is a Mac Book Pro and my new computer is a Mac Book Air which is light to carry around which is what I intended to do with it because I bought it so that I could also work on it away from home.

But one of the things I discovered is that I can't carry around all my usual notebooks and writing pads that I use at home.

I have several different websites in different niches and I always used different notebooks for each different site.

But with wanting to move around more I found that I can't carry it all. Not only that but it makes me have to pay more attention to EXACTLY which note books I'll be needing depending on which websites I was writing for.

So I had to streamline the way I work because I can only carry one notebook with my computer plus my usual clutter (purse, cell phone, etc). Even if I'm not going very far and only intend to work outside on the deck because it's raining (and I can't go and work in the park, and the deck has a big roof), I still can only carry so much with me otherwise it turns into several trips in and out of the house and the same again once I've finished working for the day.

So now I only have one notebook/writing pad that I use for everything, no matter which website I'm writing for.

At first I thought it was going to make things more difficult but it has actually streamlined the way I work.

No matter where I'm going to sit and work I only have to grab 3 main things - my note book, my computer and my pencil case.

And whatever helps me to unclutter and makes my life less complicated is always a welcome change.

I love having a simple life.

So why didn't I think of using less "stuff" when I'm working before?

At least I know better now.

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brings the benefit of an hour’s advanced meditation.

The program uses special ‘brainwave’ sounds to meditate for you. This means you don’t have to actively try to quieten your mind, stop fidgeting, or focus only on the meditation. And you don’t have to reschedule your day. Each session lasts just 12 minutes, and you only need to meditate a few times a week to reap the rewards.

Immediate benefits:

• Dissolve stress, worry and anxiety
• Greater relaxation
• Increased focus levels
• Enhanced creativity
• Improvement in mood

Longer-term benefits:

• Increased brain power
• Dozens of proven health benefits
• Greater inner peace and serenity
• Higher stress threshold
• Emotional mastery

Download your free audio now.

Why I Use 2 Computers and How It Helps Me to Write More and Earn More

As you know, I have a publishing company and I'm a full-time writer. These two things keep me really busy.

Up until late 2014 I only had one computer, a 13" Mac Book Pro.

Then in early December 2014 I splashed out and bought a 13" Mac Book Air.

I didn't buy it because my other computer wasn't working. On the contrary, My Mac Book Pro still works like a Pro, but I wanted the other computer so that I could write more and earn more.

You see, my original computer contains everything I use to run my business. It has all my files, my passwords to particular website accounts, etc. So I used it all the time.

The problem was though, that it also has my emails and several computer games. So whenever I wasn't in a complete working mood I'd start constantly checking emails and clicking links in them and browsing the internet or I'd start a computer game and get lost in that for an hour or two.

I kept telling myself I'd stop doing doing these things, but every time I time I got bored, I'd open my emails to check them again or I'd play a game. I also have quite a few RSS feeds on my computer so they kept disrupting me too because I just HAD to read the latest article on my favourite websites.

Eventually, I realised that there was no way I was going to stop wasting time with these things. I was a distraction junkie. I needed my distractions to get my fix every day.

So I needed a way to stop myself.

I had two options.

The first was to delete my email accounts, computer games and RSS feeds from my computer. But this wasn't really an option because I need my email accounts and some of the RSS feeds are to websites that I'm affiliated to so I need to know what's going on.

So I decided to turn to my second option which was to get another computer and not fill it with these distractions.

I hummed-and-hahed about it for while because the thought of spending $1,000 to stop myself being distracted seemed wasteful. I hated spending that much money for such a flimsy reason.

So I thought about it for several months, while trying to not let myself be distracted so easily by other non-important things.

In the end I made a deal with myself.

I'd buy another computer, a Mac Book Air, and take it out with me every day and work away from home because it's really light to carry.

That would work out great because it wouldn't have the usual distractions on it plus when I work away from home I get more done.

It was a win-win situation.

Plus the added benefit was that if I got more writing done, I'd earn more money so that the new computer could pay for itself in no time at all.

So that's what I did.

I bought the new computer and I use it when I'm writing.

Sadly though, almost instantly, as soon as I bought it our weather got really hot.

Here in Australia December is a summer month and it heated up quickly and became incredibly hot so I started working from home working inside in the cool air-conditioning which was also much appreciated by our two dogs.

I didn't mind too much but I really wanted to go out and work every day but it was far too hot and it made me really thirsty all the time so I needed to drink a lot of water while I worked, which isn't easy to do away from home. The hot weather also attracted a lot of flies and they were everywhere outside.

So I figured once the weather cooled down a little I'd start working away from home.

But then we had a cyclone which brought weeks of rain and strong winds that lashed our little tiny house and flooded the garden.

When it was all over and the sun came out again, it took weeks for the ground to recover and we were  all slipping in mud for a while.

But now it's back to hot weather again and I still haven't taken my new computer away from the house, except when I go to teach my classes once a week at the local college where I show others how to make money as an online writer.

In my classes I hook my computer up to a projector and show everyone what I do for a living and teach them how to do it too.

So my new computer does get out now and again but not in the way I first intended.

And it feels like it's not so much a computer as a glorified word processor because I only use it for writing and nothing else.

But it has earned it's keep because even when I work from home now I mostly work outside sitting on our big wooden deck that has views of miles and a nice cooling breeze, even though most days do end up too hot to stay out there, but winter is on it's way which, here in Brisbane, means warm (but  not hot) days which should be just about right for outdoor writing.

So eventually I know I will take my computer out to the local parks or the library to work but in the meantime, I'm enjoying using it at home as a distraction-free writing tool.

And I was right that it has enabled me to get much more writing done.

And more writing always means more money, because I'm a working writer, I need to earn from my writing.

So if you are distracted by time-wasting apps on your computer, you might consider getting another computer and using it just for writing.

For me it was a great investment which has not only earned it's own keep, but is still helping me earn money every day.

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Living The Laptop Lifestyle: How to Start & Grow a Profitable Online Business So You Can Quit Your Job

Is going to work something you suffer through all week so you can enjoy the weekends?
Do you bury your dreams and passions so you can chase a paycheck every week?
Do you spend Sundays with a feeling of dread because you know Monday is right around the corner?

Click the image to find out how you can escape.

Latest Writing Products, Discounts and Offers

I like to tell you when new products for writers are available.

It's sometimes hard to sit down and write, especially if you're facing a big project or a writing project that you've never tried before like screen writing.

So here is a list of new writing products that can help get you up and running and also some well-known products that are on a limited-time special offer.

Develop Your Idea Into a Novel That Sells Only $69.99 at Writer's Digest Shop
Your story ideas are the very first step in the book writing process, the building blocks upon which all other steps in the process rely.
Without solid, commercially viable novel ideas, your time spent writing, editing, pitching and selling your work is wasted.
In the 10 specialized resources in this value pack you’ll find exercises to come up with new story ideas and groom them so they are perfectly suited for your target market.
Valid until 31st March 2015.

Contour Now $29.99 at Writers Store
On Sale until 3/23/15, Contour is a proven story development writing software that streamlines the process of turning your movie ideas from first glimmer to full outline.
Using Contour software and its story development system created by Jeff Schechter, Emmy Award nominee and creator of TotallyWrite, you'll learn how to apply the same character-based structure that nearly all blockbuster movies use to create solid stories that hold together from Fade In to Fade Out.

Hollywood Screenwriting Directory Now $14.99 at Writers Store
On Sale for JUST $14.99, The product of The Writers Store’s three-plus decades working directly with the people behind the world’s favorite films, The Hollywood Screenwriting Directory is a specialized resource for discovering where and how to sell your screenplay.
Valid until 31st March 2015.

StoryBoard Quick 6.1 Only $189 for a Limited Time at Writers Store
StoryBoard Quick will help you design storyboards fast that look great, even with no artistic ability. Adding graphics to your storyboards is as easy as pointing and clicking, so you can design and plan your shots for better end results.
Now On Sale until 16th March 2015.

Free Shipping for Thinking on the Page at Writer's Digest Shop
Unlike most writing resources out there, Thinking on the Page uses research from years of working directly with students of all skill levels to provide writing tips that work for everyone.
This resource helps a wide range of students learn how to write better with techniques that work with their specific writing style.

Plot & Structure: Build a Strong Foundation for Your Screenplay - Only $99 at Writers Store
Perfect your story structure and learn the art of plot development with this one-of-a-kind value pack! Every great story is made up of crucial scenes that piece together the film as a whole.
With instruction from some of the best storytellers in the business, you'll learn why story structure is the most important element of your script writing and how to build your foundation piece by piece.

Power Structure for Only $99 at Writers Store
Created by the same team that brought you Movie Magic Screenwriter, Power Structure brings the same ease-of-use, power and flexibility to the story development process.
StoryO 2 takes story organization to a whole other level!

StoryO 2 Download Edition for Only $49 at Writers Store
With StoryO, writers can enter ideas onto electronic index cards, rearrange and attach them to multiple sequences and timelines, then develop plot points, multiple story lines and characters along the way.

St. Patrick's Day Sale: 55% Off Hosting - Plus $8 Domains!
Starting next Monday, March 16th at 12am CST, HostGator will be running a St. Patrick's Day Sale, featuring 55% off all new hosting packages, plus $8 domains!
The St. Patrick's Day Sale will run for a full 72 hours and end on Wednesday, March 18th at 11:59pm CST.
Please note, they will be updating the homepage as part of the sale so look out for the huge reduction in price as soon as it starts on Monday.
A perfect time to start your own writer's website.

Discipline Weighs Only Ounces, While Regret Weighs Tons

Self discipline is the scourge amongst anyone who works from home because it's all too easy to be distracted by other things yo could be doing.

When you think about the times when you worked hard, went the extra mile, worked that extra hour and saw a project through to the end, it makes you feel good.

And when you think of what you gave up - during the internet, watching TV, taking a nap - you realise that the sacrifice was worth it.

And when you lack self-discipline and tasks don't get completed, not only does it kill your results, but it drains your energy and make you feel helpless and hopeless.

Regret weighs tons.

On the other hand, self-disciplin weighs only ounces and not only gives you results, but it gives you greater happiness, fulfilment and self-esteem.

I also feel so much happier and content when I've been working hard and achieving results.

And on lazy days, I feel bad AND achieve nothing.

So I know how I prefer things.

Try lightening your own load with a touch of self-discipline and see how much lighter you feel.

Doing just the smallest amount of something you've been putting off can really change your mood.

And it produces results.

What is one thing you can do right now?

Make a start on it and see how it feels.

---

A Simple Program that Meditates for You.

Claim your free audio.

Zen12 takes the hassle out of meditation. Each 12-minute session
brings the benefit of an hour’s advanced meditation.

The program uses special ‘brainwave’ sounds to meditate for you. That means you don’t have to actively try to quieten your mind, stop fidgeting, or focus only on the meditation. And you don’t have to reschedule your day. Each session lasts just 12 minutes, and you only need to meditate a few times a week to reap the rewards.

Immediate benefits:

• Dissolve stress, worry and anxiety
• Greater relaxation
• Increased focus levels
• Enhanced creativity
• Improvement in mood

Longer-term benefits:

• Increased brain power
• Dozens of proven health benefits
• Greater inner peace and serenity
• Higher stress threshold
• Emotional mastery

Download your free audio now.

From Idea to Results: The One Sure Way That Guarantees Success

It's great when you have an idea and a goal to aim towards.

Sadly, it's all too easy to dream of the results you'll get from implementing your idea, without it ever happening.

So what is it that stops you from going from idea to results?

It all comes down to one small thing.

Action.

Action is the middle-man that stands between you and your idea, and obtaining your results.

How many ideas have you had in your life that you've never acted on?

If you're like most of us, the answer is many.

So what's the solution?

How can you go fro idea to action to successful results?

The answer is simple.

Don't try and do all your actions at once.

Break it down into tasks.

For instance, you might have a great idea for a new website.

But if that's all you have you'll never get started.

Why?

Because building a website is a project, and no one can begin a project until they break it down into do-able tasks.

So instead of just thinking about building a website, write down all the tasks you need to do.

You might write down -

• Get a domain name and hosting
• Map out a flow chart of the site
• Outline page content
• Write content
• Add content to pages
• Upload website

You can see that the list of tasks is something you can accomplish, one thing at a time. But if you're still thinking "build a website" then you'll never get started.

So to progress from idea to successful result, you need action.

And in order to take action you need a list of tasks you can do to achieve your results.

Then use ACTION to complete the tasks.

Because Action is the sure way achieve your results, every time.