Several Ways To Get It Done

I’ve used a computer for many years. I’ve tried off and on to teach my wife some simple aspects of the computer such as using email. She carefully makes step-by-step notes. I don’t recall the steps I’ve taught her and often when she tries it again (after weeks of not trying it), I create unconsciously create some different parts of the process. It’s because on the computer, there are often many different ways to accomplish the same result. It’s similar in the writing life. If you are looking for one way to write a book proposal or a novel or a magazine article or a query or a children’s book, then you are looking the wrong direction. There isn’t one way. The creative process isn’t tied to a formula. There are certain expectations for each of these elements and professional requirements in terms of good storytelling, manuscript appearance, etc. But it’s as much craft as science. It is something you can learn—but you have to consciously work at improvement. If you want to know when this journal about The Writing Life, then I urge you to set up a yahoo account and add The Writing Life as one of your items of content to the page. (See this link to learn how it is done.) It’s one way to know when I’ve written something new. My plan is to continue writing each day—as often as possible. In the last few days because of travel my plan isn’t always working. Another way to receive this information is through my email list. Scroll down the page and look at the right hand side of it. I have an email list. If you add your name to the list, I will email you the new entry. It’s not fool proof. At the moment, I am pasting the new entry into an email and sending it out as a blind copy. These emails include the various links and it’s the only way I’ve discovered to accomplish this element. If someone has a better auto-responder means, please let me know. I’m celebrating the diversity and the different ways we can accomplish the same action—writing.