New Website Software Woes

I know I complained in my last post about my computer updating and causing me to not be able to use my website-building software anymore, but now I've subscribed to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes my beloved Dreamweaver. But now it's so advanced I don't know how to use it.

So I spent several hours on the weekend working my way through Adobe online tutorials and making copious notes about how to use this newly upgraded software, and that was after it took a few hours to download all of the 22  huge apps that come with the license I purchased.

But at least I was finally able to add an article to my site, and it's one that I wrote a few weeks ago but was unable to upload... until now.

 I Know The Secret To Writing Productivity
https://ruthiswriting.com/articles/2019/writing-productivity.html

But it still took me almost an hour to do it because the software is so new to me. I feel like a novice all over again.

These days most people like to use simple ways to create websites like using the online WordPress software. But I like to have more control over my sites so that I can change and update them whenever and however I want to.

I'm also in the process of starting a new website for writers and using my current RuthIsWriting site for something else. The plans are still only on paper at the moment but this is a space worth watching.  Make sure you follow this blog so that you'll know when the new one launches.

And I'm also currently working on my next book which is one of many I have planned to write.

The problem is that I have so many ideas yet not enough time to implement them all. But I'm trying to be better organised.

At the moment I feel hampered by the weather too because here in Queensland, Australia, it's almost summer (1st December) and it's really getting extremely hot now and we've also had quite a few thunderstorms but very little rain, so we are also in a drought (since July) and there is talk of water restrictions being introduced soon.

We also have quite a number of bushfires burning in our state (16 at last count) and there is a lot of smoke haze around. Last week we were on a watch-and-wait list to see if one of the fires was going to get too close and we'd all have to evacuate, but it didn't come to that.

But with computer updates, new software to learn to use, hot weather, bushfires, storms, etc, I feel like something is trying to stop me move forward with what I want to do.

But I won't be beaten and it only makes me want to work harder, which, because I love to write, isn't such a bad thing.

Especially when I have a growing list of so many writing ideas that I want to work on.


Goodbye Writer's Block:
How to Be a Creative Genius and Have an Abundance of Ideas
Plus the Inspiration and Motivation to Write
https://ruthiswriting.com/books/WB.html

New Operating System Woes

Recently, my MacBook Pro computer did a huge system update so that I am now running on Catalina instead of Mojave.

The problem with this is that it was such a big upgrade that not only did it take hours to do, but it also stopped me from using much of my software because it won't run on the new system.

Amongst other things, it's stopped me using Word for Mac and also Adobe Dreamweaver, which is killing me because I use Dreamweaver to create and update my websites.

And this software can't be bought anymore and instead I have to buy a monthly license to use it, which is going to run out quite expensive because I not only need the web designing software, but I also want quite a few other Adobe programs so that I can work with documents and be able to create book covers.

I have someone who designs the front covers, but I need to be able to create paperback covers that have a front, back, and spine, which is work that my husband does for me. He takes care of all the technical things like that and deals with the actual book publishing as well.

So I now find myself in the position of having articles waiting to go on my website but not being able to format and upload them.

And to make matters worse, I've also had to change my home internet because I was still running on ADSL instead of the NBN network, and the change has finally been forced because they are shutting down the ADSL soon. So this has been another annoying and time-consuming thing that I've had to deal with.

So far it's been several months of interruptions.

First of all, I came down with the flu three months ago and I coughed so hard I cracked/broke a rib which was extremely painful and I could hardly move for weeks. Then once that was over I got a head cold and now I've also had to change my internet, update my computer and lost use of much of my software in the process.

And now one of my hosting companies, Netregistry, has once again taken an unauthorized payment from my credit card, which is only one of the underhand things they've done to me recently, so now I'm moving my accounts to another company.

I'm so sick of dealing with one setback after another.

Sometimes it all feels like a personal attack.

But I'm getting through it now, thank goodness.

And I can't help but think that it's all happening at once because better things are on the way.

But if you have noticed the lack of updates and new articles on my writing website at https://ruthiswriting.com, it's all because of my lack of website software and Netregistry causing me more problems. And when I look online at the huge amounts of complaints against this company, it's no surprise that I'm having problems with them too.

However, all is not lost and soon, when I've made up my mind as to which software I'm going to subscribe to, I'll be back at full speed of writing and earning money.

The good news is that I'm currently writing my next book which will help you do more, achieve more and live the life you were meant to, instead of sitting back, letting things happen and wasting your time reacting to it all.

It's aimed at making you more confident, less needy and a thousand times more productive and happy.

Stay tuned...


Grab a Book, Start Writing, And Make More Money Than Ever Before
https://ruthiswriting.com/make-money.html

The Startling Discovery That Being a Writer is Not a Job

I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember although until the internet came along I had no clue how to go about it, so I just put it to the back of my mind and got on with my life.

Thankfully though, things eventually changed and I managed to make my dream come true by transitioning from being an employee to working from home as a writer, but the startling thing was that I had no idea the amazing difference it would make to my life.

You see, in my mind, being a writer was the same as having a job but instead of going to work every day, I’d go to my desk at home and work. So to me, it was just a different type of job, and one that had no traveling to work time.

But I was completely wrong.

What happened was that I discovered that it wasn’t just a different type of job, it was a whole new lifestyle. A whole new way of living.

I didn’t need to keep regular hours and even when I went on holiday I’d take my writing with me. That’s because it didn’t feel like work. Once I was working on a project, I’d take it with me wherever I went.

At first I couldn’t understand why I wanted to continue writing even when I didn’t have to, but eventually I realised that it wasn’t a job anymore. It was a way of life. And I know that sounds really corny, but it’s true.

The huge difference I found between having a job and being a writer, was the inspiration for my best selling book, Living The Laptop Lifestyle. But even in that book, I cannot explain how great my life is now.

And no one can understand how great it is until it happens.

Living this way and earning money online from my writing, is not a get rich quick scheme or anything like that. But rather, it’s a transition from working for a living to living at an easier, slower pace of life.

And this is why I’ll never “work” again.


https://ruthiswriting.com/books/LLS.html

Having Too Much Time To Write. Is That Even Possible?

I used to think that the more time I had, the more writing I’d do.

I used to be at work every day thinking, if only I was at home I’d be sat writing and earning so much money. But instead, I had to keep my job until I could earn enough money from my writing to quit.

And then the day came when I did quit and I thought, great, now I can write all day instead of going to work. But it didn’t turn out that way at all. I discovered that I had TOO MUCH time to write, and I didn’t even know that was possible.

What happened was I started wasting time because I no longer had a reason to rush. I had no boss, no deadlines, and so I cruised along doing other things instead of getting my writing done.

I cured this ‘problem’ by not giving myself too much time to write.

What I mean by this, is that if I sit down and find myself surfing online or checking emails or doing other things instead of writing, I get up and go and do something else more productive until I can be sure that I’ll write when I sit down.

I also use a list of tasks to get more done. I have notebooks where I write out what I have to do. But it’s not a list of projects, it’s a list of tasks. So say I need to write 5 blog posts. I won’t just put that on a list with ‘write 5 blog posts.’ I’ll actually outline 5 blog posts so that when I sit down to write, I just look at my list of 5 blog posts and write them. Working this way makes it so much easier and faster to write.

Sometimes I also use a timer to give me a bit of an adrenaline rush. I figured that journalists work against the clock to get their work published on time so why not let it work for me?

So I time myself for 25 to 30 minutes at a time and see how fast I can write. Surprisingly, working fast also helps my writing to flow better because I don’t have time to second guess myself.

So what it all boils down to is that the less time I have to write, the more writing I get done, which also leaves me plenty of time for other things when I’m not sat at my desk all day wasting time doing other things instead of writing.


https://ruthiswriting.com/books/15.html