Clean, Clean, Clean and Paying It Forward

I've been cleaning out the office, sending invoices, shredding, throwing old stuff away all morning, preparing for tomorrow's 1/1/1 stargate and new start to a new year (see Stellar Shaman or The Cosmic Path for more on the stargate).

So now I'm looking at my blog and wondering if cleaning it will help. The most common areas that need cleaning in a blog are the sidebars.

Obviously, most of the items on my right sidebar are for monetization sake, but does anyone ever look over there? I've got some great coupons that offer affiliate payments, the offer from Widget Bucks that gives me a referral fee (and you $25!), links, Technorati favorites panel, sign up for email and RSS feeds; but is there too much?

I recently took off the WidgetBucks items for sale because it seemed to make my page load very slowly. So I did clean that. And I think I'll get rid of the Auction Ads all the way down there at the bottom. Maybe it would be better to go to a 3-column that lets me separate linkies from monies.

I did sign up for Crazy Hip Blog Mamas and their link roll after seeing it on another site, and it does give you lots of reciprocal links and is easy to install. And for the New Year, I'm going with a pay it forward method.

Some of my Blogging Goals for increasing popularity and monetization include:

1 - Comment more on other blogs. I signed up for the group Commit to Comment on Blog 365, and I think it is a great idea.

2 - Visit those who visit me. Again, an idea from Commit to Comment, but also holding up your end of the bargain.

3 - Share the Link Love. Send me a note if you want to link up!

4 - Donate to sites I read regularly. I just sent a PayPal to What's Up On Planet Earth, and plan to donate to one of my regulars at least once a month.

5 - Take advantage of coupons/affiliate offers on other blogs. I did use a 10% off coupon on another blog during the holidays, knowing full well that the blog owner would get an affiliate fee. But it didn't cost me anything and in fact saved me 10%! From now on, when I purchase online, I'm going to try to find a coupon on one of my blog buddy's sites.

6 - Number 5 includes books! As a writer who hopes to publish a book one day (Soon), I'm going to purchase at least one book per month.

If you'd like to share your monetization strategy for the new year, leave a comment, or let me know if you'd like to guest post.

And don't forget to sign up for email or RSS feed : )

Thanks
Lisa

I Can't Believe How Old I Am : (

It isn't that I feel old. Well, I do sort of, in a weird way that I never expected, like how achy my body is when I get out of bed. Or especially if I sleep in a hotel or something, in a bed that my body isn't used to. It isn't even the gray hairs that I've covered since I was 27.

I can't believe that I have to say the number 41 when someone asks. Wow, that seems like a big enough number, but the other day my 5-year-old (Ok, I started late) asked me to count all the way to 41 with her. Ouch.

But just now, I had a few minutes to kill that I couldn't get really involved in anything because the baby (Yes, and starting late didn't stop me) is on a new sleep routine and wakes up screaming every minute or two, so I did something I've never done and just browsed the profiles of other Blogger bloggers who had something in common with me. I picked Battlestar Galactica because I'm in withdrawal waiting for the new season, and about half way through I realized that I'm older than almost everyone who chose to let his or her age be displayed. Really.

Now I have to finish my novel before I'm too old for the book tour.

Ten Top Fiction Markets for Moms

Hi there, yes, it is supposed to be Fiction Friday, but I'm tapped out. I have nothing in my brain that would be worth the space it would take up to write. Besides, I'm going to spend the next hour after this working on my novel.

Which brings up an interesting point. I recently visited a blog where some days were open reads and others were only for subscribers. I'm considering making my novel posts only for subscribers, or something similar. If you've tried this, I'd love to hear about it.

So for today, to stay on the fiction theme, I'm going to review some markets. It is one of my major goals for 2008 to see my fiction in print. I do love the online markets and am so thankful to Long Story Short and Lip Service for all that they do, but I want my fiction in print. Paid for in dollars print would even be better. Lately, I've been submitting to publications. I'm starting a running list here, please add to it in the comments, of best fiction (or creative non-fiction)markets for mom (or anyone) writers.

The ten top markets in no particular order:

1. Parents magazine, http://www.parents.com/. Tips from Writer's Market say to keep in mind that they are a national publication so stories with a broad appeal work best. Also, they are interested in compelling human-interest stories and cannot consider stories that have appeared in competing national publications. Writers guidelines are online.

2. Writer's Digest, http://www.writersdigest.com/. They are 70% freelance written, so there's a good chance! Also, their best sections to break in are InkWell (short pieces) and Markets. They are also looking for non-fiction "How-to" articles. Writers guidelines are online.

3. Family Circle Magazine, http://www.familycircle.com/. Even better, 80% freelance written. Break in with "Women who make a difference." They also accept short humor (750 words) pieces.

4. Glimmer Train, http://www.glimmertrain.com/. Submit through contest options, listed on website. Has categories for Short Fiction (up to 2000 words) and New Writers.

5. Brain, Child, http://www.brainchildmag.com/, the magazine for thinking mothers. 90% freelance written. They publish fiction that has a strong motherhood theme.

6. The Chattahoochee Review, http://www.chattahoochee-review.org/. While they publish a number o Southern writers, they do not consider themselves a regional magazine. They publish personal essays, creative nonfiction, fiction, and photos.

7. Chicken Soup for the Soul, http://www.chickensoup.com/. They have a Chicken Soup book for almost every possible genre. Books are 95% freelance written, submission is online, just do it. Send in that heartwarming story now.

8. The First Line, http://www.thefirstline.com/. Don't know what to write about? Check their website for the current opening line and submit a story in just about any genre. But you have to start with the first line provided. Pay is only $10, but sounds like a fun idea.

9. Modern Haiku, http://www.modernhaiku.org/. Because so many bloggers seem to love Haiku, here's your chance. Also accepts articles and book reviews relating to Haiku and Senryu.

10. Country Woman magazine, http://www.countrywomanmagazine.com/. Main character in the story must be a country woman, setting must be country, must be positive and upbeat. They include fiction in every issue and would include more if more were sent their way (HINT, HINT). Also accept poetry.

Thankful Thursday and Blog365

Whew! Can't believe it has been a whole week since I last posted. Christmas was a blur, with an almost-2-year-old and a very excited 5-year-old who saw Santa running through our yard! I guess this Thursday I'm mostly thankful that we pulled it all off, managed to see/talk with family and friends, and generally enjoyed the entire exhausting time.

I'd planned to look back at the year and remember all the many things that I have to be thankful for, but M. has strep throat, so it has been a little sleepless the past couple of nights.

So to inspire me to continue blogging into the future and get back on schedule, I've joined Blog365 - won't you join too? Ostensibly, we're going to blog every day (although the rules do allow you to count any post to any of your blogs, so RMB will get the bulk and Stellar Shaman, Simply Grant Writing, and LockBoxDeals will get intermittent posts). Luckily, 2008 is a leap year, so we do get a day off!

Here is my abbreviated list of thanks in 2007:
-general good health of my little family
-the tree that finally flowered beautiful white snowball flowers outside my office window
-learning
-enough to eat/place to sleep/clothes
-my shamanism community
-sharing
-no hurricanes (I do live in Miami)
-meeting new friends
-our vacation to the beach
-M.'s unabashed optimish
-S.'s hugs
-time to write

Feel free to add yours to the comments.