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Learning and Blogging and Writing—Oh My!

Balancing rock piles

Fantasy: To become an author, we just need to have a great idea, write it down, and then agents, publishers, and readers will all magically appear. Reality: Nothing like that. Becoming an author isn’t simple.  Oh no.  We have what seems like a never-ending list of things to learn and […]

April 19, 2011

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Are You a Learning Addict?

Classroom

Old-fashioned school desks squeak, their occupants leaning for a better view.  Dust motes hang suspended in the sunbeams from the classroom windows, as though they stilled, waiting for the confession.  I stand before the group and gather my courage. “My name is Jami Gold and I am a learning addict.” […]

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April 14, 2011

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Should You Tweet Cheat?

Card hand with 5 Aces

Update below. No, I’m not talking about using Twitter to cheat in a relationship.  (Answer: No, if for no other reason than nothing is ever as secure as you think it is.)  I’m talking about whether you should cheat Twitter’s 140 character limit and use extended tweets. Ever since Twitter […]

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February 10, 2011

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How Do You Decide on Your Author Brand – Part Two

Girl with Shush Finger

Disclaimer: I love Maureen Johnson’s “I am not a brand” manifesto down to the last punctuation mark.  That’s not the approach to branding I’m talking about. An author’s brand isn’t about selling.  It’s about recognizing that what we say and how we act affects what others think of us.  It’s about then […]

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January 6, 2011

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How Do You Decide on Your Author Brand? – Part One

Venetian Mask

I’m being interviewed over at Rachel Firasek’s blog today.  Me!  I’m marking this day on the calendar for sure.  However, before sending you over there, I wanted to share with you some thoughts about this “branding” thing authors have to keep in mind now. Yesterday, Roni Loren (my friend from […]

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January 4, 2011

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Where to Find Free Kindle Books – Legally

Kindle

*gush alert*  I got a Kindle for Christmas and it’s, like, totally the most awesome-est thing ever.  *end gush alert before I gag*  And judging by the comments on Twitter, I wasn’t the only person to receive one. So now I’ve been doing my best to fill it without breaking […]

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December 30, 2010

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How to be a Twitter Ninja

Ninja Eyes

To prevent being overwhelmed by Twitter, one suggestion you’ll hear over and over is to use a program like TweetDeck to manage all those tweets by creating lists.  But did you know you can also use lists to become a Twitter Ninja? It’s true.  But before we get into the […]

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December 2, 2010

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An Introvert’s Guide to Twitter

Outcast

In the comments of my last post about how to make online friends, several people mentioned they had trouble jumping into conversations on Twitter, so I promised a follow-up post.  Believe me, I get it.  Many of my school years can be summed up by this picture—being left out.  Been […]

November 23, 2010

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How to Make Online Friends

Puppies

In my last post, I talked about the awesome and supportive writing community.  Based on the comments, a lot of people agree.  It’s great to have friends when you’re feeling up, down, or all alone.  But what if you’re not sure how to join that community? Thanks to Laurie London, […]

November 18, 2010

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Writers: One Big Happy Family

Paper Figures Holding Hands

First, let me say: No, I don’t mean this blog title sarcastically.  I really have made some great friends in the writing sphere.  Some of them are further along in the process than I am (agented, or even published), but I honestly wish only the best for them.  Even my […]

November 16, 2010

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