10 Ways to Help Yourself Write More

Hello, and happy Friday, y’all. Yay! It’s Friday. I hope everyone has amazing weekend plans, and I hope you all manage to stay warm somehow. If you’re trapped in the house because of the weather, perhaps you can put some of today’s tips into practice and see if they help you. I know these are the things that help me, but I’m also a bit weird…

Anywho, grab a blankie and some hot chocolate, and let’s get into the nitty gritty. Here are TEN tips to help your productivity (with annotations, of course).

1. Use the Damned Planner - I’m sure you all know this one and already have a beautiful, new, 2025 planner sitting on your desk that you haven’t touched. Knowing is separate from doing. Make it a habit to sit down every week on Sunday and fill it out for ONE week. Use stickers or anything else that makes you smile. What we’re after here is something you can look at so you know what to do next. Surprisingly, this helps your brain focus on what you’re doing, which is writing. Right?

2. Have a Start and Stop Time (and stick to it) - This is probably one of the most important things you can do as a writer for productivity and to write better and faster. Your brain will go into writing mode when it knows it’s time to perform. After a certain hour, do NOT go back to your manuscript. Leave that for one day out of your week.

3. Set Aside Time to Learn - You can do this on the weekend. Read freaking books on craft. Read blog posts (like this one). Take away the tips you want and discard the others, but learn as much as you can as often as you can. This will also help you focus when it’s time to write.

4. Treat Time Like It Matters - Your time should be protected. If you went to an actual office every day, no one would even think to ask you if you can do this or that during the day. You can’t unless they pay you to do it. Your time is money, too. Your home office is an office, too. YOU WORK, TOO! If little Timmy’s mom needs you to get him off the bus every day, she can pay you just like she’d pay a sitter.

5. Read and Write a Lot - Even if you’re just scribbling nonsense in a notebook, you’re writing. When you read, you’re learning how to write. Even those novels published by your peers will teach you something about plot, construct, and flow. You can’t write if you’re not a reader. You can’t write WELL if you’re not a reader.

6. Set Aside Time for Marketing - You don’t always have to be on when it comes to marketing. This goes back to #4. Your writing time is precious. Use tools that will help you market your books better. If you have yet to publish, start researching tools now. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) has come a long way. Yes, it will probably cost you money, but if you do the right research ahead of time, you’ll know where to put it for maximum impact. Set aside time to tend to it.

7. Become Your Own Worst Critic - If you write something and read it later only to think, this is trash, delete it and do better. If you think it’s trash, so will your readers. Just delete it. JUST. DELETE. IT.

8. Your Books Aren’t About You - You should be writing what you’re interested in, yes, but you’re not talking about yourself, so go crazy. People may look at you and think you’re unhinged (I mean, have you read the PPSK series?), but that’s the point of all this. Writing should be fun, and you shouldn’t be concerned with what Great Uncle Walter will think of you. Have fun, It’s not about you.

9. Don’t be Afraid to Publish - This goes hand in hand with: PLEASE READ YOUR REVIEWS. Readers will point out things you can do better as far as flow and pacing, even character development, so publish your dang work then read the reviews. Yes, they may be harsh, and yes, you may get discouraged, but take a step back and go again. Rome wasn’t built in a day, y’all.

10. Write Because You Love Writing. Period. - If you’re in it for the money, you may be disappointed. It’s not about the dollars. Don’t make it about the sales. It’s about your need to put words on a page. If you don’t have that drive, that story inside you itching to get out, then you need a different career. This one won’t spark joy.

Yes, I did quote Ms. Kondo. She has a point.

When you’re creating your weekly schedule, be sure and include at least an hour a day for writing. At least. Some days, you can do more, but if you’re consistently writing an hour a day, and you manage 1500 words every time, that’s 390,000 words a year. Read that again. At just 1500 words a day. Once you train your brain to write from X to Y, you’ll be able to do that consistently. I promise. Our writing group would run sprints, and I’d actually manage around 2k words in an hour, sometimes more. You can do it, but you must be consistent.

I hope this helps you start to pump out the words. Remember! A good editor is worth their weight in gold, too. Find one you love.

Well, that’s all for today, folks!

Until nest time, WRITE ON!

Jo

AI and Writing - A Series of Looks Inside: Part Four - Squibler

Hello, and happy Friday, everyone! Today, we'll continue our generative AI testing to see how the LLM Squibler performs with our basic input. We're being as vague as possible to see just how well these programs can fill in the blanks. So far, we've tested ChatGPT and Sudowrite. If you missed either of those, just click on the names, and you can check them out for yourself.

As a reminder: These posts aren't geared toward showing you how to write a book with AI. We're focused on finding a tool that may help you when you're stuck. If you can find your flow and rhythm, and learn basic writing errors you can easily avoid, you'll be able to write for yourself in less time than it would take to craft a proper prompt and then edit an AI manuscript.

I can already think of at least one reason a new writer may want to shy away from using these tools: You'll never have a chance to discover your unique voice. You like reading these articles? They're in my voice. If I had a program write them, they simply wouldn't sound the same. I wrote for about three years before I found my voice. Give it time.

If you happen to be a seasoned author, sprinkle yourself with a bit of sugar and cinnamon, and let's get going. We already know this post will be long, so let's not waste any more time up here. Ready? :)

Okay, so, I started by navigating to the Squibler home page and clicked the Get Started for Free button. Like Sudowrite, it asked me a couple of questions. Hey! What do you want to write today? Book. Then I was taken to a page that asked if I needed an outline or wanted to jump into a manuscript. Neither. I see, at the bottom of the page: Already have an outline or a draft? Continue here. YES.

I clicked it.

I was then taken to a page that asked me to upload a draft? That's not what I clicked on... 

Being the jokester I am, I put my outline for chapter 1 into a document and uploaded THAT.

I got this: 

Wait. What? I'm backbrowsing. What just happened? I'm not crazy.

Okay... Clicking the first option then. I get this: 

Whatever. I have no title. I'll just put something in. Book length? What? I don't freaking know yet! I'll make something up. A Tale of Two Monsters will be the title, and I'll drop in my outline. I chose 116 pages. Jeeze.

I then had to sign up for an account to read the "whole book." Okay. Done.

Then I hit a paywall.

So I backbrowsed because I'm not giving out my CC information. Period. Sorry, y'all, but if it ain't free to test, we ain't doin' it. That took me to a page with all my projects on it that was processing my "book." By the way, check out the cover it generated:

Cheeky, considering it doesn't even know the characters or context. It never asked. 

From my account page, I noticed a notification. I clicked it. It had been a while (I dropped in all the pics above on this post), and I was starting to wonder what the heck was going on. I see this:

Seven minutes already. Let's see how long this takes. I'm not even sure what it's processing. My first chapter was written (apologies for not copying it from there, y'all), so what gives?

*taps fingers on desk impatiently*

I'm not a person who likes to sit around and wait. We'll go back later to see if it ever finishes. It seems to be stuck on 34%. In the meantime, I click account settings and see this:

It appears there is a free plan, but it fully led me to believe I couldn't see the rest of what it wrote without a paid account. Don't like that. Not one bit.

It's now been 20 minutes and is still at 34%. Time is money, people!

Half an hour in, and there was no progress. I'll check back this afternoon, and if it's still stuck, I'll be deleting my account and issuing mad apologies to y'all for not copying the snippet it let me see. UGH. Disappointed panda.

I got a message that said, "manuscript generation failed," and everything was just gone. Oh well. I tried. Sorry, people.

Well, I guess that's all for today, folks!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Bluesky Social

Good morning, and happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we're talking about Bluesky, the Twitter replacement. This little app that could has over twenty-one million users as of now, probably due to the mass exodus of X (the app formerly known as Twitter). We'll dive into all the ways it's similar to the Twitter of old, and I'll show you a few things you might not have known about. Ready? Get cozy, grab a cup of coffee, and let's get going!

So, Bluesky. What is it? Where did it come from? How can you use it? What are the awesome features it has that you may not know about? How can you sign up? These are the questions we'll answer today. If you happen to have other questions, feel free to drop them in the comments, and I'll do my level best to find out for you.

What is Bluesky?

Well, it's a mobile and web app that's rather like the Twitter of old. You can post short, to-the-point sentences and use hashtags or media to enhance said post. You can create specific feeds, follow and block, and even send DMs.

Where the heck did Bluesky come from?

According to Britannica, it's actually been around a long time (since 2019), but it's only recently (2023) become available to the public. It's biggest growth happened last year when Twitter changed its name to X and the CEO changed the company's direction. X is being changed to an "everything" platform, while Bluesky will continue to be more like Twitter (but with differences). Add to that, Bluesky is open source, meaning you can tweak it. More on that later...

Is anyone else bored with these answers? I am. Let's get into the fun stuff.

Sign up by clicking here. It's super easy and only takes a few minutes. You can also download the app for iPhone or Android, so you can use it on your phone. Once you do that, you'll be able to navigate to settings:

As you can see, you have options to change quite a few things:

• Add another account
• Account
  
• Privacy and security
• Moderation
• Content and media
• Appearance
• Accessibility
• Languages

You also have the ever-needed Help and About sections.

• Add another account - This allows you to have another handle (username) with a different email address.
• Account - If you click this one, you can change your password, birthday, etc.
• Privacy and security - You can enable two-factor authentication (recommended), and prevent users of the app from seeing you when they're logged out. Because it's an open-source platform, other apps may still be able to see your profile. Just click it and do some reading/exploring.
• Moderation - This option is rather vast, so I suggest checking it out and getting into the nitty gritty, but on a basic level, you can hide nudity (artistic--other nudity isn't allowed), block, or select keywords to unsee.
• Content and media - Manage saved feeds (more in a minute), allow auto-play for other apps, and get down in the nuts and bolts of your follow feed. This app lets you create your own experience, so learning how to use all these things can only help you.
• Appearance - Choose your color mode, size of the text (yay!), theme (dark/light), and font here.
• Accessibility - Alt texts requirements. This is for folks who use a reading app for sites. It tells them what the image is as a descriptor.
• Languages - You can choose from a bajillion languages for your feed, the app, and your content.

When you click your profile from the menu on the left:

 You'll see these options:

That partially hidden one is Lists.

This is your stuff. Your posts, replies, media, etc. HOWEVER, this is where you can have some fun! If you click on Feeds, you'll see only posts from the feeds (#) you've chosen. If you'd like to add Feeds to this section, click Feeds in the menu on the left and make some choices. Just click the + icon at the left of the feed to add it to your list. Very cool, right?

Let's go a little deeper.

If I click on the Artists: Trending feed, this is the first post:

and if I click on that, I get this:

It tells you exactly how to join and participate in that feed. There's a TON more information on that page, so scroll down and read!

Now, let's go into how you start your own kind of community. If you click on Starter Pack, it allows you to either have one begun for you or for you to create one yourself. You name it, add stuff, and invite people.

Last, but certainly not least, you can make yourself Lists. This is a throwback from Twitter, and I had a ton of lists there so I could only see the people I wanted to see. To add someone to a list, first create a new list by clicking Lists on the menu on the left, then click the three dots on the person's profile page who you'd like to add, select add to Lists, and then choose which list you'd like them on.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

There are a ton of things you can do with Bluesky as a developer, but most people I know just want to see what they want to see, so this quicky walked you through that. You can add apps on the platform to do other things, and if you're into that, by all means... This is just what I could reasonably fit into a single blog post. :)

I hope this post helps you get the most out of your Bluesky experience and that you enjoyed the read! :D

Also, if you'd like to connect on Bluesky, I'm here.

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Look! I'm back again.

Hello, good people of the blogosphere! Welcome. I'm back, it's a Friday, and the weekend is looming. Today, I'm just gonna talk about whatever, and next week, I'm gonna work on a schedule for all the writerly advice. There are so many new things out there to get in on, and so much that's gone away, I really need to do a bit of a deep dive before I start talking out my azz.

As I said on Wednesday, I'm trying to get back in the habit of sitting down and writing, so showing up twice this week is my idea of a start. :)

Did any of you know I started a YouTube channel? I may or may not have posted about it here, but I don't "think" I did? I'll have to go look...

I did! Link: http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/2020/08/baking-cooking-and-recipe-submissions.html

Anyway, I plan to start making videos again once I get myself moved. All that should be happening in May-ish. I already have a video schedule I can follow, and on the plus side, y'all will get to see a lot more of my grandchildren! I did a video when my eldest granddaughter was still very young (we made turkey cupcakes), and I just know she'll be down to do some more. I have a lot to teach her. :)

My new kitchen is just as fabulous as the one I have now, with the addition of a butcher block countertop, so bread making should be a lot easier. Granite is kind of a PITA when it comes to bread and pasta because of the cooler temperature of the surface... Blah, blah, blah.

Would you believe the spammers have already started again in the comments section? That's so annoying. I need them to stop. OH! And on the topic of commenters...

That last post I wrote here forever ago saying I was giving up because someone was being an azz? I don't even remember the comment the troll made, so it's not bothering me any longer. Yay. Hopefully, they stay away.

I know I'm all over the place right now, but look, I haven't been here for a while, and I'm not really sure what my focus is today except being here. Period. I'm literally just writing.

Anyway, I'll see you all next week, and I promise I'll have direction! No more rambling.

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Uh... Wow. What's Going on With this Blog?

Long freaking time no see, eh? I'm thinking of doing a little revival here because I need the habit of writing to come back and sit with me again. After 2020, things got a bit crazy for me. If you read my post from that year, you'll know a lot happened, but the blows just kept coming.

• My second-eldest son died.
• My mother died.
• My hubby changed jobs.
• I changed jobs.
• My art exploded (if there's one positive thing about grief...).
• We decided to move this year (after renovations--Lort help us all).
• I got five new pets, and I've lost four of them--the one hitting the hardest was the first one I got. She was the goodest girly and was very special to me.
• I haven't been able to write novels.

All that being said (typed?), I'm trying my darndest to come back. I have my last author conference this coming April (Authors Rock Roanoke), and after that, we move. I'm hoping to get back to some semblance of a routine once the dust settles.

Also! If any of you read Recipe for Redemption by TJ Kelly, a collab with Tia, Kelly, and myself, you'll be excited to know we've officially finished book two and are moving on to the editing stage! Yay! I think our title for book 2 is: Recipe for Redemption 2: Izzy's Story. After we get this one published, we're going on to Frankie. ;) I just have two more recipes to add to book two: Gluten-free Corn Cookies and Corn Cakes. Hey, it's set in Iowa. No shade. It will, however, have a hushpuppy recipe in it that's TO. DIE. FOR. So freaking yum.

I'm hoping to have copies at Roanoke, so if you're into RfR and would like some free recipe cards (and maybe the second book?), tickets for the event are only $5, and you can get them at the link above.

I have to say, I'm so grateful for those two ladies. We've continued our tradition of a yearly trip together after 2020, and those have given me something to look forward to while helping me hold on to the small thread of sanity I have left.

Did I say sanity? Not even sure what that means any longer, but here we are!

Moving on...

I'm still editing and formatting, and one of my clients is releasing the last in a series soon, so I'll be back with details once that happens.

Hold out hope I can keep going with the blog. If I can, it'll mean new books are coming soon. I have a number of them mostly written, so it shouldn't be long before they're done. Book three in my Guerrilla Grannies series, and book two in the Angels and Vampires series. Again, both are nearly done, but when I had things start to go south, they really took me off my path. I also have a cult book I plan to release sometime this year. It's also about two chapters from conclusion but has no definitive cover yet, BUT the handbook has a loose cover, and I'll show it below. I had a difficult time finding the motivation to finish any of these things. Seeing as I'm here now, it's a positive thing. Cross your fingers!

I have to include some of the pretty things in this post for you all to look at, so here you go!

Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Baking, Cooking, and Recipe Submissions

Welcome back, everyone! I know the blog has been silent, but I've been busy learning... stuff. Since all this COVID-19 crap started, my brain has been in Dug and squirrel mode. I haven't been able to focus on anything much, so I turned to learning. That's always been my go-to fix. I believe I could've been a professional student. I love to learn. ALL THE THINGS!

Since the pandemic, I've gone through tons of bread flour. Practicing, reading, and filing information away for later use. Check out some of my bakes:

Now is later. I've launched a YouTube channel where I'll be sharing the following:

• Recipes of my own.
• Recipes submitted by folks.
• Bread recipes.
• Recipes I find on the web.
• Bonus videos when something interesting is going on (like a new food hitting the market)
  

As far as recipes I find on the web, they'll be stuff I want to try and/or want to see how long they really take from start to finish. Yes, all the bread in the image above is coming. I'm planning one video a week on Mondays.

I WILL take requests, too. If you have a recipe you've never been able to nail, shoot it my way, and I'll give it a go. Describe the issue you're having during the making. Maybe together, we can figure it out.

I also leave in my crazy bloopers. Ha!

If you'd like to join me over there, here's the link to my channel: 

And here's my most recent video:

Next week, I'm doing basic bread, so that should be entertaining.

I hope to see you all over there. Let's relax and do some cooking and baking!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, BAKE ON!

Jo

Overhaul and New Topics

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Well, I did what I said I was going to. You now will find new topics on the Writing, Contract, Formatting and Other Tips part of my blog. There are two new sections to explore:

Blogging Tips and Blog Tours
Marketing Tips

I felt each needed their own page.

I also updated all the other pages with the links to various articles I've written over the last 12 months. There are a ton on the Writing Tips page. Woohoo! Viva la 2016!

Check them out and tell me what you think!

Are you looking forward to exploring all the new stuff happening around here?

Because I'm off writing, that's all you get here today. Be sure and check in Monday when I have my second news post of the year. Exciting times!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo