Latest Writing News March 2016

AWARDS. R.L. Stine Wins Chicago Tribune YA Prize
R.L. Stine, author of the bestselling Goosebumps series, has won The Chicago Tribune’s 2016 Young Adult Literary Prize.
http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/r-l-stine-wins-chicago-tribune-ya-prize/117671

Father of a Scientology Leader Lands a Memoir Deal
Ron Miscavige has signed a memoir deal with St. Martin’s Press.
http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/father-of-a-scientology-leader-lands-a-memoir-deal/117653

Google's got it right: Instead of bribing bloggers, sort out your website
On Friday, Google explicitly stated what it expects from bloggers who receive free products
https://econsultancy.com/blog/67645-google-s-got-it-right-instead-of-bribing-bloggers-sort-out-your-website/

Books Inc. Named 2016 PW Bookstore of the Year; Solomon Rep
In a California sweep, 165-year-old Books Inc., the oldest bookstore in the West, will receive this year’s PW Bookstore of the Year award, while the Karel/Dutton Group's Lise Solomon has been named PW Sales Rep of the Year. The honors will be handed out at BookExpo America in May.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/69672-books-inc-named-2016-pw-bookstore-of-the-year-solomon-rep.html

JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter chair' goes up for auction
Expected to fetch $45,000, the simple wooden chair on which the author wrote the books has traded hands a few times in recent years. Who will buy it now?
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/mar/04/jk-rowling-harry-potter-chair-auction

President Trump episode 'warning to US', says Simpsons writer
Writer of Bart to the Future episode, aired almost exactly 16 years ago, says idea was consistent with vision of US ‘going insane’
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/mar/17/simpsons-president-trump-prediction-was-meant-as-warning-to-us

New Collection of Original Writing from J.K. Rowling Goes Live
The first installment in a collection of new original writing from Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling releases.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/69606-new-collection-of-original-writing-from-j-k-rowling-goes-live.html

In the Age of Typewriter Apps, This Historic NYC Typewriter Repair Shop is Running Strong
Like most other New York City businesses that have been handed down through generations, The Gramercy Typewriter Company has been keeping tradition alive year after year despite the continual threats of technology.
http://www.solidsmack.com/culture/67986historic-typewriter-repair-shop/

FreeWrite Distraction-Free Typewriter Is Now Available For Purchase
The good news is that if you have been waiting since 2014 to get your hands on the device, you won’t have to wait much longer because the company has officially put the typewriter up for sale. It will be sold under a different name as the FreeWrite, but essentially it is more or less what we have seen when it first launched.
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2016/02/freewrite-typewriter-available-for-purchase/

BBC UK seeking unsolicited comedy scripts for TV, film, radio, stage or online. Deadline 4th April 2016.
BBC Writersroom's regular window for unsolicited scripts is open between 10am on 14th March and 5pm on 4th April 2016 for Comedy scripts (TV, film, radio, stage or online).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunities/script-room

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Apple’s Appeal in E-Book Pricing Case
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to review an appeals court’s determination that Apple had conspired with book publishers to raise the prices of digital books.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/technology/apple-supreme-court-ebook-prices.html

How To Get Out of Your Own Way

Over the past couple of weeks I've been slightly neglectful of posting to this blog.

One of the reasons is that I've been busy working my way though the latest book I bought (and I buy and read many).

This one has really got my attention in a big way, even though it is more than a simple read.

The book is called "How to Get Out of Your Own Way: A Step-by-Step Guide for Identifying and Achieving Your Goals."

I bought it as a paperback book from Amazon.com because it seems that this is the only place I could find to buy it. I wanted it to find out why I never seem to get as many things done as I want to (especially with my writing) and why so often I don't finish projects that I start.

I was intrigued after I listened to the audio version of it which I borrowed from my local library.

Once I began listening to it, it didn't take me long (about an hour I think it was) to really want to own my own paperback copy of it so that I could work my way through it for myself.

This is what Amazon says about the book:

"Tired of losing... and suspecting YOU are your own worst enemy? This is what you've been looking for! This book is full of expert, pragmatic advice for unraveling and breaking through self-defeating behavior. It uses a combination of interactive questionnaires and exercises to help you turn around your career, your relationships, and even your very own personality. This book shows you 27 self-sabotaging characteristics, how your family background effects your career, how to escape negative patterns of the past, how to form positive personal and business relationships, the 9 rules for defining success, and the importance of "imagineering."

It's written by Daniel G. Amen, M.D. who is a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and brain-imaging expert.

The book is set out (in it's 295 pages) in a question and answer format. It has hundreds of questions that you have to answer and then it tells you what your score means before diving into what your "self-sabotaging" habits are and how to overcome them.

I am totally engrossed in this book at the moment (even though so far it's telling me that I have adult ADD and slight depression which really isn't what I wanted to know).

The good thing though, is that I'm now up to the part where I'm starting to learn the steps I need to take to make the changes in my life that I need in order to become more productive, both in my work and at home.

Every day there are so many things I want to do, but rarely do I achieve them all. The whole process just becomes one big round of frustrations for me.

But I'm hoping this book will change all that. In fact, so far, I have high hopes.

I'm actually already learning a lot about myself which, although isn't good, is fixable.

It turns out that I am the nutcase that I always suspected I was. But luckily, with this book, I have the means to change that.

So if you are having recurring problems in any area of your life, I highly recommend "How to Get Out of Your Own Way: A Step-by-Step Guide for Identifying and Achieving Your Goals."

It's a new book and so far has a 100% 5 star review rating on Amazon.

By the time I've finished working my way through it, I'll be an extremely prolific and incredibly high earning writer. Better than I've ever done before.

So here I go.

Join me if you dare (finding out the truth about ourselves isn't always pretty) and if you want to have success in all areas of your life.

It's fun. And life changing.

Click the book cover image below to find out more and to see the other amazing books by the same author.

Writing For Children & Young Adults

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How to Start Writing Every Day

Now I know that I’ve often talked about the need to write every day.

And it’s true. You really do need to sit down and write daily.

But what if you don’t know what to write?

Then sit down with a writing pad and pen and copy out, by hand, the kind of writing you want to do.

If you want to write fiction, find a great author and write out their work.

If you want to improve your copywriting, write out a sales page that inspires you.

If you want to write inspirational articles, find some that inspire you and copy them out.

There are three reasons to do this:

1. It will make sure you never miss a day of writing.
2. It will give you a great insight into how the great writers put their words together.
3. It will help you to start lots of ideas of your own.

So never say “I’ve got nothing to write.”

There is ALWAYS something that you can write.

Being a writer means you never stop learning.

You never stop practicing.

So get out some great writing and get to work.