Pro Write Blog

New free mini-courses in members' area

Log in to Pro Write to check out our three free mini-courses.

Enjoy.

Beginner's mind: it's better to be a newbie

I've spent the past week feeling ignorant, as I get acquainted with my new Mac mini and try to figure out the interface.

Now I understand why people love Macs: because there are so many more options and capabilities. And everything works together! The Mac software I've tried, VoodooPad (bought it) OmniOutliner (will probably buy it) and ecto which I'm using to write this blog post (will definitely buy it), feel as if they've been designed by creative people, for creative people.

But having to learn, and feeling ignorant and incompetent while I do it, is a good thing. It's making me more enthusiastic and creative, and I'm looking at my writing in a new way. I hadn't realized how stale I was getting.

I've got no idea whether this enthusiasm is the creative-jolt of the Mac, or whether it's being forced to be a beginner once more. I suspect it's a combination of the two.

Whatever it is, it's fun!

New-look Digit-e

Birgitt has given our Digital-e site a big makeover.

  

Check out the bright, fresh new look – the site loads faster too.

 

There's a lot of information on the Articles page for you, if you want to turn your writing into a profitable small business.

Logging on to the Pro Write site

If you've encountered difficulties when you try to log on to the Pro Write membership site in the past hour or two; please be patient.

 

Technicians at the hosting site are working to correct the problem, and we should be operational again asap.

 

If you're not yet a member of Pro Write, join us. This month and next, we have free ebook writing manuals for members, and coming soon – video tutorials.

 

Enjoy. :-)

 

Watch for the new issue of YEW on 30 January

THIS MONTH'S TECHNIQUE in our free writing ezine Your EveryDay Write is "Finish what you start". We've got a week's worth of prompts and tips to help you to do exactly that.

  

Pro Write members: please look for the issue to be posted on the site, and issues are archived on Pro Write, so you can refer to them whenever you need some inspiration. :-)

 

For the free issue Yahoo subscribers, it's a one-time mailing only, without archives.

Lesson Two of the new "Blog Your Writing" Workshop

"Lesson Two: Blog-slog --- getting the blog habit" will be posted in a couple of days.

 

Here's an excerpt:

 

>>> 

The audience for your blog

If you're a new writer, don’t worry about the audience for your blog for the first six months. Treat blogging as a learning experience, and as pure fun. Your aim is simply to use your blog to help you to find your voice as a writer.

 

If you're a professional writer, you can start thinking about the audience for your blog right away. Who are you writing for?

>>> 

Created your first blog? Please post the URL

If you're taking the new "Blog Your Writing" workshop, please post your URL.

Post it on Pro Write's workshop forum, and in the Comments to this item as well. :-)

Easy money for writers: Write Shorties Workshop

Pro Write's "Write Shorties" workshop helps you to make use of all those precious moments of free time that occur when you're staring into space--- waiting for the kettle to boil, the printer to spit out a report, or the kids to finish their soccer practice.

You can spend these moments writing and making money. :-)

Yes, it's possible to make large sums of money tapping the keyboard for short periods of time, and you don’t need to be a talented wordsmith, you just need to be aware and well-organized. Many freelance writers make a career of writing short material for publications. They make as much money and more as writers in other fields.

Join this group of productive and well-paid writers: take Worshop #4: "Write and Sell Shorties --- mini essays and articles, product reviews and more".

 Please post your exercises and questions on the forum.

Work through the workshops at your own pace

Although there's a new writing workshop on Pro Write every month, you can work through the workshops at your own pace. And you can retake the workshops whenever you please.

If you check the forums, you'll see that each workshop has its own forum, on which you can post your exercises, or ask questions.

Check back to this new Pro Write blog for Pro Write writing tips, inspiration, motivation, and new exercises.