Friday, February 20, 2009

Friday Round-Up - #37

On The Master's Artist, Mary DeMuth talks about a different way to promote a novel. While brainstorming with a friend, they came up with this unusual idea.

All my Facebook buddies know I've been up to my neck in tax preparation. I haven't changed my "Susan is..." line for almost a week. Today, I came across a post by Tiffany Colter, over at Writing Career Coach, about taxes. She has a link to a pdf file, which I cannot access due to problems with my Adobe Reader. However, all of you can check out the tax tips for writers. Maybe someone will pass on the info to me. :)

A couple of decades ago, I worked with a guy, who added a new word to his vocabulary each week. He would then work it into almost every conversation. By the end of the week, the staff wanted to run from the office screaming. Tiffany Colter's post brought this story to mind. Are you stuck in a word rut?

Have a great weekend!

10 comments:

Donna M. Kohlstrom said...

Taxes...ugh!!!

I'm always searching for new words and phrases to describe actions, characters, etc. I keep a notebook and computer file with ideas. Also a list of new words that I have no idea what they mean or find a new use/definition for.

Your Coach for the Journey, Tiffany Colter said...

Susan,

Thanks so much for sharing my tips with your readers. The tax sheet was VERY helpful for me and that word rut....AAAAHHH.

I hope your readers will come over to Writing Career Coach but also check out my new common-sense money management website www.TheBalancedLife.com

And if you or your readers have a question email it to me and I'll be happy to answer it on one of my blogs.

Tiff

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Tiffany -

I'm finding all your blogs helpful. Thanks for the great information.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Donna -

I second the motion. Thankfully, I'm done for this year. For the first time in many years, I'm getting a refund.

At the moment, I have so many lists that adding another is unthinkable. Maybe someday I'll have the time and mental energy to start one. For now, I try to be mindful of "favorite words."

Blessings,
Susan :)

Sarah said...

I also loathe tax time. Luckily, we send ours off to be done by professionals. Hubby and I both stink at numbers.

Have a great weekend!

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Sarah -

It's wise to hire a pro when you're not a numbers person. I probably could squeak by, but who needs the stress?

Blessings,
Susan :)

Jessica Nelson said...

Eeek! Taxes.
But so glad to hear it will work out good for you this year. :-)
Huh, a word rut? LOL Probably am in one. I'll have to check out that link some time. Thanks Susan!

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Jess -

Yeah, a word rut. I brought a few pages from Chapter 1 of my book to my writers' group. This thing has been edited about a bazillion times. As we're going through it, I found a word used several times. Very embarrassing.

Blessings,
Susan :)

quietspirit said...

Susan:
In my writing group we get told about the cliches and the repetion of words. And, yes, we still have them in our writing.
I find it hard to not repeat a word.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Quiet Spirit -

Your comment made me think. How do we avoid those cliches and word ruts? Perhaps doing a search of our manuscript for words we use constantly would help us find them and change them.

Anyone else have ideas how we can ferret out those words that sneak into our manuscripts?

Blessings,
Susan :)