What about your word count?

What about your word count?

BLOG SESSION

April 10th, 2018

Welcome back Writers, Authors, Novelists, Memoirists, Poets, and all creative writers who are currently working on Writing Projects this month ~ For all new Followers and all Visitors, be sure to Bookmark this Blog by clicking on your bookmark or star symbol at the top of your pageview.  And be sure to sign up to "Follow by Email".  If you sign up over in the far right-hand column under my eyeball with your email address, be sure to also click the "Submit" button once you have entered your email address in full.  You will immediately receive each Blog Session as it is published.

Today's Session is about the word count of your novel and/or writing project for Camp NaNoWriMo this month.  For those of you who already have a word counter ~ great!  For those of you who are typing your Novel in Microsoft Word, you will find the word count by looking at the bottom of your document...

To View Your Word Count in Microsoft Word:

To see the word count in your document, look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window.  Word can insert the word count into your document and update that information as often as you want.

Microsoft Word counts the number of words in a document while you type.  Word also counts pages, paragraphs, lines, and characters.  (2010, 2007)

(2016, 2013) Word Online

See the word count as you type. . .

Anytime you want to know the total number of words in your document, look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window:

[As you can see from this example, this document is on page 3 of 6 and has a word count of 951 words.  You can see this information in the bottom status bar.]

Count the number of pages, characters, paragraphs, and lines:  To see the number of characters, lines, paragraphs, and other information, click the word count in the status bar to open the Word Count box.

To include non-body text in the word count, select the Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes check box at the bottom of the Word Count box.

Count the number of words in a part of a document:  To count the number of words in only part of your document, select the text you want to count, and then on the Review tab, click Word Count.

See the word count as you type

Anytime you want to know the total number of words in your Word document, look at the status bar at the bottom of the Word window.

If you don't see the word count in the status bar, right-click the status bar, then and click Word Count.

Should you have any word count tips, apps to suggest or questions, please leave your tips, suggestions, comments, thoughts, and/questions in our "Comments Section" at the end of this Blog Session.

OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

What is your current word count?

Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Creating your Book Cover

"Creating your Book Cover"

BLOG SESSION

April 9th, 2018

Good Evening Blog Readers, Writers, Authors, Followers & Visitors~  We're back for another great Session, and there are many Writers following along who are in the middle of writing their next great novel during the month of April 2018.  Many of our Readers are working on their Writing Project in Camp NaNoWriMo.  If you have already signed up to participate, then you are just beginning your first steps to a great Spring writing experience!

Our topic today is designing your own Book Cover.

Sample Book Cover Design

Most Writers have been warned against making their own book covers because the Book Cover is way too crucial an element to self-publishing success to take lightly.

If you are interested in self-publishing your Novel, then you definitely do not want to have an ugly book cover sabotaging your diligent efforts or your success.  Of course, you'd like your book to be a Bestseller!

If you have already started the process of designing your own Book Cover, then please leave us your comments here on the Blog on how you went about creating your book cover.  We'd love to hear other creative ideas.

For all of the Authors & Writers here who are working on their Novel this Spring, you may have already discovered the many reasons why you'd like to try your hand at creating your own Book Cover despite the nay-sayers.  You may inherently be an Artist as well as an Author.  Designing a book cover comes naturally to the Artist.  Especially for those who are graphic designers.

Sample Book Cover

(Template)

You should play with cover ideas so that you can get a good feel for how you'd like your cover to look.

Some of you may want to hire a Book Cover Designer to complete the design of your book cover, and that is fine too.  However, you may still want to create a draft of how you'd like your book cover to look and then give the draft sample to the Designer as a springboard idea from the author for the Designer to work from.

If you want more control over your Book Cover, then of course, you'd like to create it yourself.  Below is a sample book cover design template, and you may find many other templates that you can work from by researching "Book Cover Design"...

Book Cover Design

(Template)

You may be working on a short story, an educational guide, a self-help short, or a poetry book that you do not want to invest a great deal of money, time, or effort looking for a book cover designer.  In that case, you should definitely create your own book cover.

This also holds true for those Writers here who are working on a Series, and you don't want to pay full price for each book cover design.

You can use Photoshop, Microsoft Word, or Publisher.  You can use Templates!

Be sure to leave your thoughts, ideas, questions, suggestions and all comments in our "Comments Section" at the bottom of any of our Blog Sessions.

Have a great evening and happy novel writing ~ See you back here on the Blog tomorrow!

OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

What about your word count?

Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Introversion (personality) ~ The Writer's Comfort Levels ~ PART 20

Introversion (personality)

The Writer's Comfort Levels

PART 20

BLOG SESSION

February 17th, 2018

Welcome back Blog Readers, Writers, Authors, Novelists, Journalists, Poets, Diary Writers, Short Story Writers, Film Writers, and all Artists, Followers & Visitors...

You are in for a very introspective Blog Session today.  For everyone who believes that they are among the many people in the world who have an introverted personality or who know friends and/or family members who have introverted personalities, this will be an exceptionally good Session for you!

For all new Blog Session followers, please be sure to have your Journal ready when you come to the Sessions so that you will have your informative notes to look back on...

Journal Notes

Main Points relative to the Introverted Personality:

Introversion is one of the major personality traits identified in many theories of personality.  People who are introverted tend to be inward turning, or focused more on internal thoughts, feelings and moods rather than seeking out external stimulation.

What if YOU fit the description above?

The Introverted Personality

Suppose you feel that you have an introverted personality, and that people are always pointing out that you seem to be detached, unfriendly, non-communicative, moody, to-yourself more than normal, or worst case scenario ~ strange.

Try not to take it personally when people point out your personality trait.

Being an introvert isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  If it prevents you from doing what you really want to do, or hinders your working and personal life, then something should change.  However, introverts should be happy being so.  Everyone is not meant to be over-the-top bubbly and happy all the time, and it is okay if you are not an extrovert in the sense that people seem to think you need to be.

Get comfortable with who you are

and be comfortable with your

Personality Character Trait

We will come back with Part 20(b) as we discuss how to write about an Introverted personality in one of your stories.

We'll also go over top ten ways for Introverts to get through their day, which includes mostly a "How To " in getting out of negative situations and keeping positive about your character if you are an Introvert.  (From Author Nancy R. Fenn.)

For your notes, take a look at the following artwork, and decide which one is more YOU...

Extrovert vs. Introvert

Join us back here for more insight on the Introvert Personality trait.

OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

Introversion (personality)

The Writer's Comfort Levels

PART 20(b)

More insight on the Introvert Personality trait

Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Inspiration

BLOG SESSION

January 16th, 2018

Good Morning Writers, Authors, Journalists, Poets, Artists, Photographers, Short Story Writers, Designers, Animators, and all Creative friends who have joined us for our exciting Blog Sessions!

When it comes to writing, we all know that no matter what job you may have, what profession you are in, or what career path you may take ~ you will always have to write.

Writing is necessary

Writing is a necessary part of life.  Even when you may not feel like writing, you will have to fill out a form from time to time, write out your name from time to time, write a short note or letter from time to time, and possibly sign a document every now and then.

For those of us who seek to be Writers, Authors, Novelists, Journalists, Poets of Note, and those friends here with us today who happen to write for a living ~ there is something that we may need to reach for from time to time to keep our writings on track, and there is also a type of life we may seek to lead in order to hear what we need to hear, so that we may write what we need to write, and that is...

Leading a life of quiet inspiration is where you will find the jewels needed to write in your very own way, and in your very own style.  Becoming quiet is the first step toward  entering into the place of "inspiration".

As we close out today's Blog Session, take a moment to get your Diary or Journal out to write notes about the things that "inspire" you to write...

What Inspires you to write?

Make a note in your Diary

or

Write a Journal entry

OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

More on ....

Friends ~ until our next Blog Session ~

Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Drawing Ideas

Drawing Ideas

BLOG SESSION

January 13th, 2018

Good Afternoon Writers, Artists, Blog Readers, Followers & Visitors ~ Just so that we are all clear here today, there is a way for you to jump into the creative zone...

If you were here for our last Blog Session, then you are up-to-date on our thoughts about having a Creative Journal for 2018, and about gearing up to write out your 2018 creative projects.  You also now have an idea of how you can use Post-it Notes to add to your creative flow as you place entries into your Creative Journal.  If you happened to have missed the last Session, you can simply scroll down after the end of this Session to see the last Session.  You may also find all previous Blog Sessions in our "Blog Archive" over in the far right-hand column.

If you are a Writer, then it helps a great deal if you use your artistic talent in addition to your enate literary abilities.  We all have the ability to be creative ~ whether some of us admit that or not.   I'm sure you've heard people say, "I can't draw a lick."  Well, they are wrong.  If you can write, you can draw.  If you can see, you can learn.

Abstract Artists have an area of skill that many art lovers have an affinity for . . .

Abstract Landscape

Does the above drawing look difficult to draw to you?  Does the above drawing invoke feelings that take your mind to another place?

Here's the deal, abstract artworks have a great deal of power.  The reason this is so is because abstract artworks tend to make you "think" ~ they are thought-provoking.

Abstract artworks will ask of you, "What can I make of what I am viewing?" . . .

Abstract Artwork

By Artist Theresa Paden

For some reason, drawing, painting, and even doodling are very relaxing artistic forms that you can practice to enhance the creativity that resides in you.

The above artwork by Theresa Paden is very inspirational.  The colors immediately make you relax, and also bring "hope" into view.  At least, that is the case for me personally.  There is nothing sad nor disturbing about the artwork.

Colors and their arrangement have meaning and stir up the spirit that resides within the viewer.  Depending upon your disposition, you will "see" and "feel" whatever lies within you.  If you are hopeful, you will see "hope".  If you are bitter, you will find that there is nothing appealing in an artwork that would bring joy to another viewer who is joyful.

ART has a way of speaking to your heart, mind and soul.

You are encouraged today to simply grab your Journal, drawing pad, notebook, blank sheet of paper, or whatever you have handy to create an artwork in whatever form you so desire.  If you simply want to doodle, do that ~ then add color with colored pencils or crayons -- you're never too old to use crayons!

The instruction for today is to

OPEN your EYES

and

do a new thing!

See you back here for the next exciting Blog Session! 

Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved

Creative Journal ~ Writing out your 2018 Creative Projects

Creative Journal

Writing out your 2018

Creative Projects

BLOG SESSION

January 12th, 2018

Welcome back for another great Blog Session Writers and Creatives!  We are going to be covering the topic of Writing out your 2018 Creative Projects.

If you are new here to the Blog, we always take notes in our Journals, so now is the time to grab your Journal and ink pen for tonight's notes...

      Journal Notes

The best thing to do on page one of your Journal is to make a note that to-do-lists are wonderful, but visualizing your Creative Projects works even better.  What do I mean by that?  I mean "seeing" is "doing".

If you like making to-do-list, then try a variation of that activity by getting a pack of post-it notes in a variety of colors...

Post-it Notes

(Variety of Colors)

Once you pick up your post-it-notes in various colors, you may want to get various sizes as well...

Post-It Notes

(Various sizes)

Colorful post-it notes will attract your attention.  Here's what you will do with your post-it notes:

1)  Create drawings on your larger post-it notes;

2)  Add dates and times on your smaller post-it notes;

3)  For instance, if you plan on writing a Novel, then draw your Novel Cover on a larger post-it note, and then write the various choices for your title on the smaller post-it notes;

4)  Add your novel project dates on the smaller post-it notes as well ~ such as the date you intend to complete certain chapters, or the dates you intend to complete your editing, etc.;

5)  Use larger post-it notes to draw out how your characters look (if you are an artist);

6)  Use larger post-it notes to list out the character traits of each of your characters; and

7)  Draw various scenes from your Novel on your larger post-it notes.

Of course, you can always purchase an unlined Journal and draw inside of that versus on your post-it notes.  It is up to you how you would like to use your creativity in relation to whatever project you have in store for 2018.

If you are working on writing a Children's book, you may want to draw out the various scenes on your larger post-it notes . . .

Drawings for Post-it Note

For a Children's Book

(Drawing seen above and below by Artist Don Kenn)

The purpose for using post-it notes to place inside of your Journal is so that you may easily remove them, and replace them if you do edits of your ideas and thoughts.

This is a brief Blog Session just to give you a quick tip for using your creativity in 2018 to keep you on task with your writing and creative projects.  We'll be back with more tips in our next Blog Session!

OUR NEXT BLOG SESSION:

Drawing Ideas

Friends ~ See you in the next fascinating Blog Session!

Peace, Love & Light

By René Allen

©Copyright - René Allen - 2014-2018 - All Rights Reserved