What is the best?

So, I've been working on my whole deal-with-everything mode. As you can tell it's rusty and is still in the works. In order to make sure I keep my writing time, things get passed over like blogging. This led me to think about social media. I do take breaks from it for good reason (it can make you nuts and feel totally inadequate). But I started to think which platform people are on. It's not like I have a career to promote at the moment, but I do like to be on top of these things.

At one point, blogging was the hot ticket and I was (if you look at my archive) blogged everyday. After a while, I ran out of things to talk about and felt as though I was repeating myself. I didn't have anything exciting to discuss nor did I feel like I was an expert in anything to help with anything. So, for me, my posts made a decline. It was hard for me to keep up. I did enjoy the community though. It was supportive and it felt like I belonged to something. But a lot of folks were in the same boat as me, I think, where they needed the blogging time to write. Makes sense.

Then there's Facebook. I tend to use this for more personal things even though I discuss my writing woes and triumphs, but for me this is more for close friends and family. At the moment, I don't need an author page so I'm not familiar with the success of that.

Let's jump over to Twitter. Fast paced to which I can't keep up. I do post things but I never know why. I can't stay on it long because it takes up a lot of time, and really, do people even care what I have to say. I'm not witty. At least, I don't think I am. Other than chatting with friends and posting my writing status, I will promote other people's books and put up links to helpful posts. Again, I'm not sure how much of a difference it makes in sea of constant tweets.

Now onto Tumbr. Um. I do have an account, but all I seem to post on there are links and some book promos for others. In fact, it confuses me a little. Maybe I'm too old to get it. Not to mention the time it takes to go through all the posts.

Google + ? I have an account but never use it. I think I did it to check it out, but haven't used it since.

So there you have it. This is what I've been on and I'm not sure what is working and what isn't. I know there are other sites, but I really don't want another time sucker. In fact, I'm trying to focus on writing more than anything else, but it is nice to discuss things now and again. I guess I want to hear from you.

What are you on and why?

What works?

Should more time be put into one at different stages of you?

I'm not sure of my blogging schedule. I'm sort of leaving it up to how my week goes. Fridays are starting to become more hectic than before so I may be posting randomly for a while.

Have a great day!!

THE INQUISITOR'S MARK by Dianne Salerni

My good friend Dianne Salerni's new book, THE INQUISITOR'S MARK was released yesterday. I'm so excited for her! I'm really looking forward to reading it!! It's book 2 in THE EIGHTH DAY series.

Check it out!

Clearing out a holiday foggy mind

Happy New Year!! I'm writing a post. Yes, yes I am. Do I want to talk about goals? Nah. Everyone is talking about them. I want to talk about that cloudy head. You know what I mean. It's the holiday hangover and you don't know where to start. I did take a few weeks off from writing as I'm sure many people have. For me, it was mostly because of life things, but it was good in a sense that I could clear my head of the crazy schedule I tend to fall into. But now starts the whole getting-back-into-a-routine thing. Of course wrapping up in a blanket and laying on the couch with a bowl of chocolate sounds nice too, but there's work to be done. I do think it's important to have a routine and to stick to it. Vacations are great, but there's a life to get back to. Starting a routine or getting back into one can be slow and discouraging at times, but forging ahead and sometimes taking baby steps will help. Let's face it, you're not becoming a marathon runner overnight. If you are, I will bow down to you.

Yes, you will feel like your brain is foggy without a lighthouse in sight or that you may never get that groove back. But it does come. Trust me, it happens to me all the time. Keep in mind, the brain is a muscle and needs to be exercised. Of course, there is that rusty feeling. That's when you start to freak out and think you can never have an original or awesome thought again. I've been there. Actually, this past week. You may have heard me grumble. Wheels may squeal when you try and type. The words on the page might not make sense. It's like you're a small child learning how to write. It may also feel as though your story has blindfolded you and placed you in a dark room of nothing, leaving you grasping at air. It's okay. Your brain needs to be worked and molded back to where it was. Think about it. When you stop ice skating for years and then one day your child asks to go and you go out there and try--you wobble, but there is a familiar feeling. It may be distant, but after a few or more laps you get a groove back. You won't be joining Disney on Ice anytime soon, but if you started to go on a regular basis you would build that confidence and strength back. Again, Disney may not be in your future, but I think you get the idea.

Same goes for writing. If you take time off, coming back to it may make you feel like a fish out of water. Like you may never write again. You may read past manuscripts and wonder-- did I really write that? I can't do that. Oh, but you can. It may take time, but routine and challenging yourself will get you back into your groove and onto a new adventure.

I'm finally thinking like my old self again, well, almost, but I know it will come back. ;)

So, how was everyone's holiday?

Is your mind cloudy?

Have a great weekend!