Uprinting Giveaway: 250 Die Cut Business Cards

I've been given a chance to host an amazing giveaway from Uprinting.com! For 250 custom printed die cut business cards which will go to one winner.

Contest will run from September 30, 2010 to 11:59 PM EST October 7, 2010. I will announce the winner on October 8, 2010. This giveaway is open to residents of US ages 18 and over. 


You can use these business cards to advertise your blog or website.


The giveaway prize includes:

• 250 Die Cut Business Cards
• 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.75 x 3.5” (slim card)
• Die cutting options available: Rounded Corners, Leaf, Rounded One-Corner, Half-Circle Side, Circle
• Paper Type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss, Matte, or High Gloss; 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
• Color: 4Color Front, Blank Back; 4Color Front, Black Back; 4Color Both Sides

For a chance to win:

• Follow me on here (either through GFC or feedburner)
• Follow me on twitter (come back and let me know you're a follower)
• Tweet about the giveaway (post the link to your tweet)
• Blog about the contest and link back to this post
• Leave a comment on any other post
• Grab my button

Be sure to post a comment about your entry and include your email address. 

Disclosure: As a gift for hosting this giveaway, UPrinting.com will be sending me a blogger appreciation prize. 

Do you have good time management skills?

How often do you find yourself running out of time? Weekly, daily, hourly? For many, it seems that there's just never enough time in the day to get everything done.

Managing your time will help you to gain control. This workshop is designed to help you work more effectively. Do you find yourself working on this, that and the other and not getting anything really accomplished? With effective time management, it helps you manage what you will work on, when and where. This gives you a sense of feeling as if you have added some accomplishment to your day.

On October 4, 2010 we'll have an interactive workshop that will help you identify and manage your day more effectively. The results will point you to the specific tools you need to use to gain control of your time, and start working efficiently.

Please join the workshop. Here's the outline of what we'll cover:

Day One - Procrastination
Day Two - Why Wait for Perfection
Day Three - Let' combine our activities
Day Four - When you're away
Day Five - Keeping to your schedule
Day Six - Managing your time effectively
Day Seven - It's Okay to Say No
Day Eight - Making Use of Technology
Day Nine - Managing your Social Networking Time
Day Ten - Setting your Prime Time

We'll use Blog Frog to host the workshop. Click here to join the community.

Post the banner onto your blog. You can also tweet about it using #timemgmt

Strategies for Time Management Free Workshop - Week of 10/4/2010

This is a 10-day segment I decided to put on for next week. We are all responsible for managing our time. Whether it's with getting our children to school, our homes organized, business or school. Making arrangements for our daily activities to minimize interference and remain on a task can be essential for productivity.

I've found that there are some technologies that can assist you in managing your time more effectively. At the same time, there are many strategies that have been used for years that remain effective.

I'm guilty of just going with the flow of my day. No real plan in sight and feeling as if at the end of the day I've accomplished very little if anything at all. So I've worked to develop this program to help with time management strategies. We'll evaluate your time management skills and preparations and manage your time more effectively.

As a mother of seven this is definitely something I needed to help make my day a successful one.

Here's an outline of what we'll cover:

 Day One - Procrastination
 Day Two - Why Wait for Perfection
 Day Three - Let' combine our activities
 Day Four - When you're away
 Day Five - Keeping to your schedule
 Day Six - Managing your time effectively
 Day Seven - It's Okay to Say No
 Day Eight - Making Use of Technology
 Day Nine - Managing your Social Networking Time
 Day Ten - Setting your Prime Time

We'll use Blog Frog to host the workshop. Click here to join the community.

Post the banner onto your blog. You can also tweet about it using #timemgmt

Feel Good Fridays

This is a blog hop hosted by "The Girl Next Door Grows Up." I've had a crazy week as my husband's grandmother passed, and we're getting ready for the funeral on Monday. However, my kids have been very fortunate in that their grandparents got together to make sure all seven of them had something to wear to the funeral. Though they didn't have to do this, I love them for it anyway.

This week I've decided to host a five part strategy session on Time Management." Beginning on Monday I'll write about one successful strategies to help keep you on a task. I need to get back on track and have a more productive day. So if you want to join, please stop by and participate.

International Freelancers Day Online Conference

I saw a tweet come across my screen about this online conference and thought I'd look over the website. There are so many seminars, telephone conferences and emails claiming to all help out writers. Being my skeptical self, I wanted to see if this was something worth the time.

I'm interested in what I've learned on their website. This conference which is scheduled for September 24-25, 2010. They will have over 24 online speakers with live presentations. Though it's free you have to register to attend. During the event, there will be 10 to 15 presentations each day, all conducted by online video. Each is focused on a specific topic that will help build your freelance or solo business. The video for each presentation will begin exactly at the scheduled time. They will offer the videos online for free to view if you missed a presenter.


Some topics covered:

So You Want to Write a Book - An Introduction to Writing, Publishing and PromotingHow to Attract  - By Dan Poynter

Freelance CLIENTS with Your Blog (Not Other Freelancers)

How Facebook Can Supercharge Your Freelance Business
Create a killer network to build and boost your business

SEO Copywriting Made Simple for Freelance Writers

How to Determine if There's a Viable Market for Your Freelance Services

Facebook Marketing Success Secrets for Solo Professionals

Workday Nirvana: How to remain inspired and productive when you work alone

How to Build Your Brand As a Freelancer

The first one listed I highly recommend. It's being presented from Dan Poynter author of Writing Nonfiction, 5th Edition: Turning Thoughts into Books. I have several of his books, and I'm interested in what else he has to offer. 

If you haven't yet, please take the time to register for the conference. They have limited space available.

The WM Freelance Writers Connection

The WM Freelance Writers Connection

Best Buy to Sell Kindle In Stores, Enhance E-Reader Displays

I remember when the Kindle first came out. There was no way I was going to spend over $400 dollars on a book reader. I've always thought the prices were kind of high for them. This includes the one by Sony and others too. I actually used an old cell phone to read my books. You could get two uses out of them for the price of one. They get you by saying things like you can store over 5000 books on them. But, who does that anyway?

I'll admit that I've had over 300 on mine at one time. However, if at anytime its at capacity you could just download them to a computer. I don't need to walk around with a whole bookshelf in my pocket. Nevertheless, I do have needs to keep several books at a time. As a writer I like to keep my research materials with me at all times, and I have both hard copies and e-books. I also like to be able to refer to new stories.

However, now that there are so many platforms to read books on, I guess it was inevitable that the prices would drop on the Kindle, and they would also allow you to have th software on your computer and apps for the cell phones. For the price, I paid for my cell phone I'd expect nothing less. I love my Android and I love even more than it has the Kindle app., but I've got to be honest now that the prices have lowered to about $139 and they're available in stores I'm definitely going to have to get one. I love the highlight option and the ability to take notes. Because if ever I'm without pen and paper, I can store the information and write it later.

I use my e-books at places like the Dr for the kids or when my husband's driving. I still lug my laptop along everywhere I just don't have to pull it out as frequently. I can't wait to go to Best Buy and play around with the Kindle to see if it's worth the buy.

Best Buy to Sell Kindle In Stores, Enhance E-Reader Displays

Kindle: Amazon's Original Wireless Reading Device (1st generation)

Creativity tips for writing

As a writer I know that sometimes we're stuck in that rut about what to write next. Creativity is a big part of the writing process. I want to inflict a piece of me into everything I write, I also want to know that someone can relate to what they've read. I've read some books that I honestly didn't like and that was just downright boring. However, what happens to be is that once I start a book I want to finish. I want to go through and find out what it is about their book that I just didn't like. I also take notes on the book, it helps me to learn better what to stay away from when I write. It keeps me focused.

I read and write quite frequently. We learn as much from reading as we do writing. How can I write if I don't read? Well, I could but honestly it wouldn't be very good.

You have to find that spark or that special something about you and put it into your writing. Whether you're writing a blog, a book or anything that will find an audience creativity is the key. People read just about anything that catches their interest. You have to pull them in, and once they're there you have to keep them entertained or seeking that something that only you can tell.

Here are some tips:

1.     Smile through your writing, when you reread does it bring out any emotion?

2.     Ask a question. Depending on the type of writing, does it strike a debate?

3.     Spice it up. Make them curious about what's happening next.

4.     Good sentence structures, do your words flow together?

5.     Use humor at appropriate times.

6.     Start with a good first paragraph, every skilled writer will tell you that your first paragraph is the key to getting them to read more.