Annie Anderson | Blog

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We’re finally experiencing some summer here in Seattle. Actually, we’ve had nice weather for about a week and a half . . . but, you never know how long it’s going to last so I didn’t want to shout HOORAY!! too soon. I think it’s safe to mention it now, though.

This past weekend was a bit too hot for me - in the 90’s. Thank goodness it doesn’t happen often or regularly in this neck of the woods. Today it’s a respectable 68 with a high of 73 expected. That’s about perfect for me.

Anyway, lots of things happening lately and lots more coming so I wanted to drop by and let you know what to expect over the next several weeks on this blog. For starters, I’ve got some posts on various writing topics coming up as well as some basics on such things as business plans, marketing ideas, and other strategies.

I also want to announce that I’ll be updating my real estate book soon and the 2nd edition should be ready on Amazon.com by September (I hope). It usually take about 3 weeks from the final publishing phase before it’s available through the distributor and thus listed on Amazon. I’ll let you know when as soon as possible.

There will also be some web-related stuff available that you’ll get access to through the book. I’ll tell you more about that as well, as publication gets closer.

So, if you’re a writer or into real estate investing or know someone who is, keep an eye out here for updates. I’ll also be including some new free ebooks and other stuff. Oh - and Friday is, of course, Independence Day here in the US and I’ll be making some desktop backgrounds and other graphics for the occasion. When they’re ready, I’ll post them here for you to download free.

I have more but don’t want to overwhelm you so I’ll keep it short for now. And besides - the kids are outside playing in the sprinkler and I’ve got to go help my husband finish building the new gates for our driveway. Should be fun!

In the arena,

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It’s been a while since I posted on this site. Lots of things happening. Some good, some not so good. But all of them have given me a broader perspective and that is a wonderful thing.

You know, I’m generally a pretty private person and even though I have given glimpses of insight into my life, I don’t really discuss myself or my family much publicly. But today, I do want to share something immensely personal that has been a major factor in my changing perspective of late.

And that is something that happened just a couple of days ago on Wednesday.

My 14 year old daughter had a tooth that suddenly became infected a few months ago and as a result, we were referred by our dental clinic to a specialist at the University of Washington Hospital. They have a huge waiting list but thankfully, they managed to get her in last week to begin treatment - a root canal - which they do in 3-4 visits to help lessen the trauma. Her appointment last week went well although she was quite sore for a few days following the treatment.

This week, however, she had a severe reaction shortly afterwards and luckily we were still at the UW Hospital when it occurred. Her blood pressure dropped to a dangerous level and she began convulsing.

The staff at the UW is wonderful. They went quickly and yet discreetly into action and managed to stabilize her very fast but it was all so overwhelming for her that she had a mild anxiety attack, which I’m sure contributed a lot to whole thing and probably actually began before the blood pressure issue.

Much to my relief, the doctors are certain it was a result of how much pain she was in at the time and not a medical condition or anything to worry about. Since she’s not the kind to complain a lot even when in considerable pain, it’s often hard to tell exactly how much she does hurt and it seems they underestimated her pain level. Once they administered some ibuprofen after they got her blood pressure back up, she was fine and we were able to walk out of the hospital and head home.

She’s fine now, albeit still a little embarrassed by what happened and still a little sore from the second phase of the procedure on Wednesday. She’s been resting the past few days and is trying to keep up on the ibuprofen and hopefully by her next appointment next week, she’ll be ready.

Now, thankfully I’m not one to get hysterical in these situations although I will tell you I was scared out of my mind. And even though it was MY daughter, I did keep a level head and managed to stay calm.

Until yesterday. When the magnitude of the whole thing suddenly became clear to me.

And that’s what’s caused a few aha moments for me, maybe brought me back to things that are most important in my life.

So, although I will continue writing (and with any luck, I’ll have some great assignments coming up) and all those things I normally do, I doubt I will be posting on the blog every day as I had been. At least for a couple months here while I sort out some stuff in order to head in the direction I really want to go with my writing and music endeavors.

I do plan to post as often as possible and who knows, maybe it will be every day. But right now, I’m just intent on taking things day by day and see where they lead me.

I hope you enjoy your Memorial Day weekend if you’re in the US and I’ll see you again soon!

Until next time,

What inspires you? Makes you want to write? And when you get that inspired writing urge, how do you satisfy it?

As much as I love computers and all the cool tools available, sometimes what inspires me to write most and what satisfies that familiar burn, is a good ol’ paper and pen!

Give me a notebook, a good writing pen, mug of hot coffee and shove me in a quiet room with a radio and I’m good. I could sit there for hours on end just writing and thinking. Making lists. Creating little jingles and rhymes. Coming up with titles and slogans and stuff. And whole books, even.

But I don’t get that time or freedom nearly often enough. Mostly, I seem to be all but chained to my desk and my laptop. Now, don’t get me wrong - I enjoy working on my Mac. It’s just that sometimes I long for those days when I could sit cross-legged on the bed, lost in a world that only existed on the page.

Actually, I think part of what I miss is the uninterrupted time! LOL. It seems that nowadays, even if I had the gumption to go sit on the bed with my pad and pen, someone would invariably interrupt me. Whether that be a kid or a cat or my husband. I would not be alone. Nor in solitude.

Nope. Not going to happen in this house anytime soon!

So, tell me . . . What inspires you to write? And how do you make it happen? If the world were a perfect place, what would be your special “writing zen?”

I think mine would be in a nice little cabin tucked close in, yet far away, somewhere along an ocean with a cozy nook and gorgeous view. I would sit there in a big, comfy chair with my notebooks and my pens and pencils and a radio playing all my favorites. No phones. No televisions. Maybe my trusty laptop, though. Just me and my writing.

Yeah. That would work.

I’ve been blogging for quite a few years now and have changed blogs, hosts, and platforms on several occasions. But it’s never really been about making money for me. I know there are many blogs out there with that exact aim and they are great blogs. I enjoy reading a variety of them and some have taught me some interesting things with regard to promotion and marketing. Likewise, I’ve also learned some of what NOT to do. Still, it isn’t about money, although I do share some affiliate links and things I support with you in the sidebar and other posts - I share only what I enjoy and believe in.

So, what does blogging mean to me and why do I do it?

Good question. Let me answer the second half first. I do it because I love writing. Plain and simple. No other reason. I love writing. I cannot imagine NOT writing. In fact, there’s a period of my life where I didn’t write at all and that is probably the darkest time of my life. I felt like I was living someone else’s life, like the real me was hiding somewhere. When I started writing again, I felt like a whole new person. Like I was doing what I came to this earth to do.

Now, to answer the first half of the question.

Blogging to me is a release. Things I don’t really say in the rest of my writing that for whatever reason want to come out. It also means sharing, teaching and learning. Some of my other passions. When I was a child, my first love was writing and my second was teaching. I still love it also. And that’s my aim - to share what I know and what I’ve learned with those who would like to listen.

Sometimes what I post here will be serious in nature - things about writing, real estate, marketing and such. Others will be more fun - like music or what is currently on my reading bookshelf. I hope most of it will hold some value for you. I know not everyone will always like what I post and I’m ok with that. Once in a while, I might get a few who unsubscribe and really, that’s ok too.

See, what I write here is as much for me as it is for you. And the bottom line is that I write for you too. Because maybe what I write will help with some aspect of your life or your business. Or maybe it’s that you just need a little breather one day. It could be just one small thing that for whatever reason is just what you need at that given moment.

I don’t believe in coincidence. However, I do believe everything happens for a reason. You landed here for a reason today or yesterday or last week or maybe last year. And I’m grateful you’re here. This blog is a journey for me just as my other writings and blogs are. It’s my sincere pleasure that you’re here whether for 1 minute or a day, a year or a lifetime.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

Til tomorrow,

I have a big problem - where to keep notes. As a writer, I have lots of notes about various things - scrawled on chunks of paper, the backs of envelopes, a stack of notebooks and more. Of course, then there’s the digital notes - in Scrivener, iCal, Google notebook and Backpack among others.

Having tried nearly every program, paper idea, and online note keeping system I’ve heard about from others and found in my own research, I’m still at a loss for a true companion to the way I work. See, my most often used idea catcher are Post-It Notes. This is because I can stick them where I can see them and be reminded quickly. Problem is, there’s only so much space on my desk for sticking them. They get lost, trashed, stepped on and otherwise mutilated too easily.

So far, my favorites are Scrivener and Backpack but sometimes getting to them when I need them is highly dysfunctional and they aren’t really so great about reminders and all that other stuff like grocery lists and the like. I want a simple, effective system that handles everything. Preferably a program that sits on my desktop.

Any ideas? All suggestions welcome! Please save me from drowning in Post-Its!

I read the BlogHerald pretty often and yesterday there was a post by Lorelle VanFossen that is totally in line with the topic for today - writing.

In her post, Lorelle says that blogs are public documents and if you put it out there, you simply open yourself up to everything - “compliments, criticism and condemnation.” She lists some truths about blogging that she says you need to know:

• It’s your blog. Blog what you want.
• Want traffic, blog for traffic, but don’t expect to turn them into readers.
• Want readers, blog for the readers. Readers return.
• Writing well pays off better than not.
• Blog consciously.
• Don’t surprise readers.
• Blog consistently.
• If you open the door to comments, be prepared for comments.
• Blog comments are content. You control them.
• Blog comments are content. Comments are mini-resumes that speak for their author.
• Expect insults.
• Expect nasty commenters.
• Expect spam and splogs.
• Expect inconsiderate and thoughtless commenters.
• Expect nasty, inconsiderate, and thoughtless fellow bloggers.
• Expect unexpected, random acts of kindness.
• Expect fans to feel like they are your friends.
• Expect a support group and network to form in and around your blog.
• As a blog reader, you are not judge and jury. You are the audience.
• As a blog writer and publisher, you are the entertainment. It’s your stage. Use it wisely and well..

And I completely agree. Blogging may be a different form of media - writing - but that doesn’t mean it’s “safe” or free of criticism. Blogging, in my opinion, is journalism. It might be personal journalism, but it’s journalism. And just like any journalist, you’re subject to that same scrutiny. If you don’t want that kind of publicity, don’t put yourself out there. But then, what’s the point of blogging?

You could, of course, close comments on your blog but then it kinda defeats the purpose of a blog - to communicate with your readers. To me, that’s entire point of blogging - to communicate in near real time with others. That doesn’t happen in many other media avenues. They’re pretty much one-sided. I think this is why blogging has such a huge appeal to a lot of people and businesses.

I especially like Lorelle’s assessment that “writing well pays off better than not.” I couldn’t agree more. Using proper grammar and spelling are important, not just because it looks more professional (even if that’s not your aim), but also because it’s so much easier to read something that is well written.

When we learn to read as youngsters, we learn to read words and sentences in proper structure so when we see something written wrong, our brains have to stop briefly to decipher it. Even if you’re a bad speller, you will find it a bit harder to read articles and what-not with spelling mistakes simply because your brain and eye have learned to read things in their proper structure.

Now, I know there is an email floating around out there that demonstrates you can read garbled words because your brain and eye will fill in the gaps based on the beginning and ending of words. I have no idea if that’s scientifically true or not but I do know that typical spelling and grammar mistakes don’t follow that pattern. So the bottom line is, write as well as you can, write clearly and check for errors before you publish your posts for your readers’ sakes. After all, that’s who you’re writing for, isn’t it?

You can read the rest of Lorelle’s post at http://www.blogherald.com/2008/03/17/blogs-are-public-documents-bloggers-and-commenters-beware/.

PS - I’ll post the links I meant to post yesterday here in a little while. Sorry about that!

You might remember last week I asked the question as to whether or not is was useful to set up some type of schedule for blogging. Some of you sent me comments via email confirming my thoughts - thank you, I appreciate that.

A couple days later, I saw a post on Caroline Middlebrook’s site about her plans to create one. So, I have decided that I will indeed create a framework for myself to work within. I think it will not only help me keep organized, but will ultimately make it much more valuable for you - the readers of this blog.

Beginning this week across all my blogs, I will be implementing a schedule. I’ve tentatively set a topic for each day of the week (not the same on each blog) and for this blog, it will be as follows:

Monday - Stuff from around the web. This will be news, ideas, thoughts, tips, and whatever else I’ve found on someone else’s blog or another site that I found useful and want to share.

Tuesday - Writing. I’ll talk about writing, publishing, digital books, print books and anything else to do with writing. I’ll share my experiences and thoughts about being a writer at times as well.

Wednesday - Reading List. Just a weekly list of books I’m currently reading. Feel free to comment! I’d love to hear your thoughts on books you’ve read too. I might also post reviews and such on Wednesday’s or maybe even just something fun or out of the ordinary to keep things lively.

Thursday - Projects. All the projects I have going - this will be details on updates, news, questions and such. (On that note, I’ve just updated the Overcome Writer’s Block ebook and uploaded the new file in a post just below. Go check it out.)

Friday - Design. As you may know, I’m not only a writer, but a graphic designer as well. Even though I’ve been in design since 1991, I decided to go back to school and update my degree so this will be not only about what is going on design wise, but also about school stuff.

Saturday/Sunday - Real Estate. And as you may also know, I have worked in Real Estate for about 10 or so years now. I’ll be posting about trends, thoughts, future outlook and all things RE related.

If there is something you’d like to see here, please let me know. This blog isn’t just for me . . . My aim is to make it a place you enjoy visiting, where you find useful content and develop a network of peers that helps us all grow.

That’s it for now. Get ready for tomorrow! And don’t forget to check out my other sites for a similar post of what will be happening there.

See ya soon!