I’m attending Open Camp this weekend.

While people who read The Juggling Writer regularly may wonder what a recap about a conference focusing on Web technology has to do with writing, so far every panel discussion I’ve listened to has offered things I can do and use as a writer to get what I write seen by more people.

The first panel of the morning I attended was Giovanni Galucci’s (@giovanni) Practically Illegal Blackhat SEO Techniques. Giovanni asked that what he discussed not be shared, so I’ll respect that. I will say that while he discussed many ways for bloggers and other people online to get higher Google rankings, beneath it all was still a sense of, “You gotta make great content!” [My words, not Giovanni's].

What I liked even more than the tips Giovanni shared was his manner of presentation. It’s clear that doing frequent videos online and presenting all the things he discusses allows him to speak to a big group and get his points across. I think I learned more just watching him present than I did from the information he shared. A good example: he put the presentation together this morning–and he presented this morning!

Now, this wasn’t out of not caring about the presentation and rushing at the last minute; Giovanni likes including timely things in his presentations, and there were slides and videos shared for things that just happened yesterday, and that are happening today.

As a writer of mostly fiction, what I do is planned out and reworked over and over [and over and over].

But when it comes to blogging and sharing with the people who read my blog and follow my Twitter feed, Giovanni’s presentation was a reminder that I still have the ability to offer fresh content about things that just happened, or about to happen.

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The next presentation was by Cali Lewis (@calilewis), host of GeekBeat.TV. Cali’s presentation, Success with Multimedia, was one of the sessions I was really looking forward to, since I’m planning to begin podcasting next month, and since I’ve wanted to do more with video.

Cali discussed the importance of determining if you want to shoot for worldwide success in online media, or if you want to focus on things more local. After getting people to think about their goals with online multimedia, she discussed some of the pros and cons of blogging, podcasting, and video blogs and streaming video.

Of blogs, Cali said that the written word can be flat to many people. Obviously, as a writer, I focus on words. The point Cali was making wasn’t that blogs are inherently boring; it’s that unless you’re producing original content people want to read or need, there are better ways of getting your content seen online.

With audio, Cali talked about how hearing people provides a sense of meaning. We can hear the inflection in a speaker’s voice; we can tell that what might come across as sarcastic in print is actually meant as humorous when we actually hear it [my words, not Cali's].

When it comes to video, we can have a much stronger influence over an audience. Video allows us an easier way to evoke emotion and create a connection.

Cali believes that video is a conversation–even going as far as mentioning that some people admit to talking back to her when they watch the videos she produces.

While Cali loves video, she admits that it’s important to first figure out what it is you’re hoping to accomplish online, and then decide if video is right for you.

YouTube vs. RSS

Going with the theme of deciding the best way to use video online, Cali discussed the benefits of YouTube and RSS feeds.

For YouTube, Cali used Lamarr Wilson’s WilsonTech1 You Tube channel as an example of a successful YouTube channel.

If you’re creating random videos (one-offs), YouTube can be a great place to share your videos.

If you’re creating ongoing content, an RSS feed on a blog, iTunes, etc. may be the way to go. (If you’re creating something ongoing, giving viewers the option to subscribe and have new videos delivered is a better guarantee they will receive content than having them remember to keep visiting a YouTube channel.)

Of course, most people using video successfully online use a combination of a YouTube channel and an RSS feed. Again, it’s all about deciding what’s best for your needs.

Streaming Video

Cali said streaming video online is where things are moving at this point. Having the ability to have a presentation or appearance live, supported by a chat room where you can receive instant viewer feedback, really creates the connection and conversation Cali mentioned in her presentation.

Using social media in conjunction with any multimedia you’re doing online is vital. Cali can schedule tweets to go off while she’s streaming live to remind viewers to come to her site and interact as things are happening. Using media in combination with social media creates an even better sense of community and awareness that you’re out there doing your thing.

As a writer, I can see the benefits of doing more with audio and video. For published novelists, streaming video of limited appearances allows people in rural areas you’re skipping to still take part in the fun. Cali’s presentation left me with a lot to think about–definitely worth the price of admission to Open Camp!

*          *          *

I also attended a couple other presentations this morning (Trey Ratcliff’s Clever Tricks for Your Blog and Scott Kublin’s Online Marketing Mindset), but they’ll have to wait until later. Right now, I need to get back to the sessions!

I’ll babble more this evening…

I hung out with my friend, Jeremy, yesterday. He’s getting ready to head to New York City next week for a month (he is the recipient of the Dozier Travel Grant). During lunch, we talked about how when you’re a writer or artist, people seem to love trying to give you ideas.

Or I should say, an idea, because many people seem to think one idea is plenty, and that if you as a writer or artist use their one little idea and make money, that they might be nice enough to give you maybe 10% – 20% of the guaranteed fortune that will follow; after all, it’s the least they can do since you did all the work!

I’m not being too facetious, here–I’ve received more than my share of offers like that.

I’m sure I’ll die with a pile of ideas that will never be finished. I think most writers and artists will.

One idea is never enough, and a pile of ideas doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t do anything with them.

This week, I sat down to come up with ideas for The Juggling Writer. My wife and I like to occasionally go out for lunch or coffee with a couple notebooks and work on blog ideas. When it comes to story ideas, I find that I’m never at a loss when sitting at my desk or driving. But when it comes to ideas for blogs or other planning, I seem to do some of my best thinking at the La Madeleine in Grapevine, Texas.

Monday, my wife and I went to La Madeleine and I came up with a pile of ideas for The Juggling Writer.

Now to sit down at my desk and get busy writing!

*          *          *

It seems that when I plan to attend a conference, I lose a job.

Shortly after registering for the Writers’ League of Austin Agents Conference last year, I was laid off from a job of 5 years just before Christmas.

In July, I found a new job. When I started planning to register for Open Camp, I got laid off.

The good thing about the writer’s conference in June? A job offer came the week after attending the conference. And it looks like there are some possibilities for some good news next week, after Open Camp.

I’m all for better things coming along after conferences, but I could do without being laid off before them.

*          *          *

One of the things I’m really looking forward to at Open Camp is attending some of the podcasting panels and chatting with podcasters.

I’ve been doing some recording, trying to figure out the best settings to get good sound quality for the podcasts I want to do.

I’m sure I’ll walk away from this weekend ready to jump right in!

*          *          *

It’s not going to be 109 degrees outside today. In fact, we’re not even expected to reach 90.

Not that 88 is fall-like weather by any stretch of the imagination (it usually cools down in north Texas sometime in November), but looking at the calendar and the clouds, I can at least pretend that soon the leaves will change color and my favorite season will come spilling down from the north.

Every year, I get even more excited than usual about writing in September. October makes me even more excited than September, and by the time November and December roll around, I’m always in the midst of some very inspired writing.

I don’t know if I can say I do my best writing in the fall, but there’s not a time of the year when I enjoy writing more!

When the calendar hits September 1st, it’s like a starter’s gun at the beginning of a race.

I can’t wait to shoot out of the blocks and get to some new writing this fall.

*          *          *

Hmmm…I thought I had more random thoughts this morning, but I’m ready to work on some other writing and run a few errands.

I hope you’re all having a great week of writing!

I have a confession: with few exceptions, I don’t discuss writing with many other writers.

When it comes to talking about writing, I prefer talking with artists.

Next to talking about writing with two friends in my writing group, I prefer talking about writing with my wife (an artist), and my friend Jeremy (an artist).

I’ve spent many evenings that turned into mornings talking about writing and art with Jeremy. While what we do is very different, we both strive for a certain sense of rawness to our work.

*          *           *

When I attended the Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference in June, I attended a panel with agents talking about how they like a sense of rawness in a manuscript. From there, they went on about how they can often tell what university writing program a writer attended, based on the way their works sounds.

The agents talked about how many MFA writing programs “workshop writing to death,” so it all sounds the same. While it may be technically sound, it lacks emotion; there’s no spark. In short, the rawness the agents like seeing in a manuscript is often stripped from the writing of many writers with an MFA.

*          *          *

In my late-night/early-morning talks with my friend, Jeremy, we often talk about reducing our work to a base level. For me, it means not being overly descriptive and sticking with basic words to tell a story. For Jeremy, it’s about reducing lines and finding basic form in all he sees as a cartoonist.

*          *          *

The photo of the goose above was taken at the writer’s conference I attended in June. This goose hung out near the windows where writers had their consultations with agents.

It’s funny how many people I heard talking about how relaxed the goose made them feel before going into a little room to talk for ten minutes with an agent of their choosing. For some people, the presence of this goose made pitching their books easier, like it was there to say, “Relax, it’ll be okay.”

*          *          *

While I love Jeremy’s published work and the paintings he creates for gallery shows, I feel very lucky to have the chance to thumb through his sketchbooks when I visit.

Jeremy delivers pizzas on the side, and he often stops and quickly sketches things on deliveries.

There is a rawness in Jeremy’s sketches that I’ve always loved. One night, while thumbing through the pages of a sketchbook I hadn’t seen, I came upon some sketches of ducks.

I loved the contour drawings, and Jeremy showed me how those drawings stick in his head so he can reduce all the lines to the style he strives for in his cartooning.

He showed me a piece of Bristol board near his drawing table with the cartoon version of the ducks. There was one drawing of a duck I loved so much, Jeremy cut it out and gave it to me.

Looking at this basic drawing of a duck, you don’t see the decades of studying anatomy, tens of thousands of sketches, and pain and toil Jeremy went through to get to the point where he can pick up a pen, dip it in ink, and draw something with seemingly no effort.

As a writer, I want my writing to not get in its own way; I want it to seem as effortless as Jeremy’s inked line. But there’s still a spark of rawness in the sketch of the duck.

As a writer, I want that raw edge exposed in the words I put down on paper.

As a writer, I will always strive to have the rawness of this duck!

I’ve wanted to podcast my first novel for a couple years.

My first novel, called Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors, is a humorous coming-of-age story about a family traveling cross country in a possessed station wagon. I have a reader lined up, and I finally purchased a recording setup (a Samson C03U USB condenser microphone and mount).

I’m not sure when I’ll start, but when I do, I’d like to release a chapter a week. It would be nice to start on the first day of fall, as a way to keep summer going (the story takes place during the summer of 1984).

While testing the microphone, my wife said, “You should do a Juggling Writer podcast, too!”

With my posting slump, lately, I’m not sure I’m ready to charge into a podcast with a schedule, but I’ve warmed up to the idea. The Hell Comes with Wood Paneled Doors podcast would come first, but I like the thought of doing a writing podcast.

I started The Juggling Writer, in large part, to force myself to constantly think about writing.

Doing a Juggling Writer podcast would be just another excuse to always have writing on my mind.

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting much, lately. I just haven’t had much to say that’s been worth writing about.

(I never want to write a blog entry just for the sake of writing an entry.)

I spent a lot of time preparing for a writing conference at the end of June. Since then, I’ve been focused on other things:

I planned to really step up the job hunt after the writing conference. While in Austin for the conference, it looked like I had a job lined up. Days after the conference, I received an offer for the job and started working the next week (overtime at that). I’m back to a daily commute and editing airplane stuff…

I’ve been focusing more on writing new things than blogging. I realize that blogging is writing, but it’s been a long time since I had the chance to knock some new ideas around. I’ve been roughing out ideas for other things. The novel I was working on took up so much time; it’s been nice thinking about something different. It’s been strange not having something big to work on every day, though.

I’m looking forward to getting to the next big thing.

It’s weird seeing 103,964 words printed and sitting on my desk. Even more weird: how quickly I received a request from an agent to read the whole thing. Here’s hoping…

But there’s a bigger reason I haven’t been working too much on The Juggling Writer: I’ve been having fun hanging out with my wife, my friends, and family.

For the first time in years, there have been blocks of days where I haven’t even sat down at my desk. (That may not sound like a big thing, but for me it is.)

It’s been nice not feeling like I had to sit down and write.

Of course, that feeling only lasts so long with me.

I feel that urge to sit down and write, again.

There’s only one way to see what happens next, and that’s ass in chair + writing!

“Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place.”
- Mark Twain

“Humor is an almost physiological response to fear.”
- Kurt Vonnegut

“You can’t deny laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me the most civilized music in the world”
- Stephen King

Even if you’re writing something serious this week, don’t forget the power of humor.

Saturday night, instead of writing, I plopped down on the couch and watched a couple movies with my wife.

I had plenty of writing-related things I needed to do; in fact, the plan for the evening was writing for me, and movies for my wife.

I knew she’d enjoy the movies even more with company, though — so instead of writing, I sat down and watched a period piece and a chick flick with my sweetie.

I love writing, but given the choice of being alone and successful in my writing, or surrounded by people I love and never seeing success, I’ll take the people I care about.

I’m lucky to have them in my life.

This week, whether you’re slammed at work, lost in writing, or bogged down with other tasks and responsibilities, step away and devote some time to the people you love.

You’re lucky they support you in all you do; it’s the least you can do to remind them how much you love them.

I apologize for being so quiet, lately — I’ve been preparing for the Writers’ League of Texas Agents Conference at the end of the month.

I’m sure I’ll post an entry or two before the conference, but I wanted to let everybody know why I haven’t been posting regularly.

I hope everybody’s writing is going well; I look forward to getting back to regular updates after the conference!

Many juggling writers spend their days at work wishing they were home writing.

Sometimes the opportunity to have time to write comes along in the form of a layoff.

I was laid off last December, and while landing my next job would be nice, it’s not something I’m stressing about (yet).

Some people spend their days following a layoff frantically searching for work. They wake up, start looking, and keep looking until it’s time to sleep.

Perhaps that method has worked for some, but the people I’ve known who have done it burned out fast, and became stressed.

There’s only so much job hunting a person can do each day before feeling like their search is in vain.

If you find yourself laid off and wanting time to write, here are some suggestions for juggling the job hunt, writing time, and finding time for yourself.

Save

Layoffs have become a fact of life for many. When working, if possible, set aside an emergency fund to cover the few months following a layoff.

Having the funds to help get through 2-3 months following a layoff lifts the stress of a scary situation, making it easier to focus on the job hunt and writing.

Schedule

It’s easy to meander following a layoff.

Especially if you’re a person whose job defined you on some level, it’s easy to sit in front of the computer meaning to look for work or writing, but not doing much more than wandering the Internet.

It’s important to have a schedule.

Here’s what my day looks like since being laid off:

• Wake up — Have breakfast while catching up on e-mail and blogs.
• Check LinkedIn and other places for new job postings. Make an effort to apply to a job a day (and track it on a spreadsheet).
• Write.
• Lunch.
• Get in touch with a friend or two (because I have more time to see the people I love being around, and yeah…I’m more likely to land a job from a recommendation by a friend than being another one of hundreds — or thousands — replying to an online job posting).
• Write.
• Workout (walking, running, or lifting something).
• Get out and do something or write.
• Dinner.
• More LinkedIn and other online networking.
• Get out and do something or write.
• Get a good night’s sleep.

I could spend the entire day stressing about not having a job, or I can make a schedule and put my time to good use.

After my fifth or sixth layoff, I choose to enjoy my time following the pink slip.

Chunks

I’ve had days dedicated solely to looking for my next job or to writing, but I try doing things in chunks.

Looking for a job once in the morning doesn’t cut it; while I’m writing or working out, somebody is posting what could be my next job.

While dedicating every waking moment to looking for my next job would depress me, I sweep through LinkedIn and get in touch with people a few times a day.

I take care of things in chunks, dedicating an hour or two to an activity without interruption.

Running errands, looking for work, and even writing here and there throughout the day can give you a sense of accomplishment if you’re the kind of person who liked scratching items off a to-do list at your previous job.

Automate the Hunt

I love the Indeed.com app for the iPhone. I’ve set up five different job searches, and throughout the day, I check the app for new jobs.

When a new job pops up, I e-mail the posting to myself so I can review the job and apply when I’m back at my computer.

Automating my search allows me to look for work anywhere (e.g. standing in line while running errands), leaving more time for writing and enjoying my time off.

Network

With work and life taking up most people’s time, it can be hard for many people to get together with friends. Unless your friends are overtime junkies and eat lunch at their desks everyday, that hour in the middle of the day is a good time to get together.

Get out and see people when you’re not working. It helps with your writing, your job hunt, and your sanity.

Writing is lonely work; add to that being separated from the social interactions that come with a job, and it’s easy to become reclusive.

Make it a point to meet a friend for lunch at least once a week.

Lunches with former coworkers become a reminder of how lucky you are to no longer be caught up in office politics. Catching up with busy friends is great for everybody involved. This time can also be a good time to spend an hour with a busy family member.

While you’re more likely to find a job through somebody you know than applying to an online want ad, don’t make the lunch all about your next job.

Use the time to talk about what you’re writing, and make sure you give your friend plenty of time to talk about what’s up with them.

Get Out

Some days, ignore writing and the job hunt entirely!

Go hiking, go to a museum…do something you enjoy that you normally don’t get to do on a weekday when you’re working.

Finding the next job and having time to write is important, but so is taking a breather.

Don’t feel guilty taking a few days each month all for yourself!

Volunteer

Volunteering can be a great way to put your writing skills to use and fill in that gap on your resume.

It can also lead to your next job.

Writing copy, assembling newsletters and flyers, and editing correspondence can all become portfolio pieces.

It’s a chance to show a whole new group of people how hard you work and what you can do.

Many people working for non profits started out as volunteers.

Even if your volunteering efforts don’t lead to your next job, you’ll have the satisfaction of helping an organization you believe in.

Make the Leap

If you have some savings and don’t need to find your next job right away, why not take a run at freelancing?

For a small investment, you can create promotional material and see if you have what it takes to be a full time commercial writer.

Use the time following a layoff to pitch articles and see if you can generate enough work to support yourself.

If you can survive several months following a layoff, why not use the time to write that novel you always talk about wanting to write?

If your goal is to one day support yourself writing, the time following a layoff is the perfect time to see if you have the discipline to write when handed all the time in the world.

*          *           *

Most of us don’t want to be laid off from our jobs, but it happens.

It happens frequently.

It’s never a bad idea to save and have a plan in case it happens to you–having that plan just might lead to you living your dream of writing full time.

I’m currently getting feedback about my novel-in-progress from some trusted readers.

I’ve mentioned trusted readers before. As notes have come back to me, I’ve thought about what makes a trusted reader. The best advice I’d give to somebody wanting to be a trusted reader:

Tell the writer what’s wrong — not what you would do.

I’m lucky because I have trusted readers who know my writing. They call me out when I’m being lazy, and they can tell when what I’m trying to get at can be made a little stronger.

They don’t tell me what they would do with my story.

By that, I mean they don’t say things like:

• I would have made the protagonist female instead of male…
• I would have had them drive a Camaro instead of a Charger…
• I would have set the story in Montana instead of Oregon…

Those things are a personal preference. A trusted reader should be able to take their preference out of their reading and let the story stand on its own, offering suggestions to make things better based on what the writer created.

*          *          *

Now, there are instances when I hope a trusted reader does tell me what they would do with something I’m writing.

One of my trusted readers is a screenwriter/novelist named Mark Hosack.

Mark has made me a better writer several times in my life. With a couple suggestions, he made my favorite story I’ve ever written much better (even if it meant scrapping my favorite scene). As a kid, I bet Mark made cool things out of blocks because he has an uncanny ability of looking at the pieces of a story and knowing how they can be shuffled around and what needs to be added for a stronger foundation.

Mark is widely read and a bright guy. While he doesn’t tell me what he’d do based on personal preference, he makes suggestions based on his knowledge of various genres and knowing what I’m getting at. So in that way, he’s able to put himself in my place and tell me not what he’d do, but what I need to do.

[A shameless plug for a movie Mark recently wrote: Give 'Em Hell Malone (affiliate link).]

*          *          *

Most of us have seen advice saying something along the lines of, “Don’t get feedback from your parents or spouses.”

By that, people mean, “Mom and Dad and your spouse love you, so of course they are going to say you are brilliant, even if you aren’t!”

One of the best bits of feedback I ever got from my wife went something along the lines of, “I don’t like the characters at all, but this is the best short story you’ve written to date.” (My mom has said similar things over the years.)

I think my wife’s feedback is the best example of what a trusted reader should do–she didn’t let her dislike of the subject matter affect her editing.

She was able to separate personal opinion from what was wrong and right.

*           *           *

I have another trusted reader named Mark, a friend who has been there almost since the day I decided to take writing seriously.

I’d be hard pressed to find a more widely read person no matter how far I traveled. His mind works in ways my mind doesn’t; if you cracked his head open, I’m convinced you would find a machine unlike any ever seen.

I don’t think any writer knows my writing and what I set out to do as well as this Mark.

When I’m writing something complicated, he is the audience I have in mind, the person I’m setting out to impress more than anybody else. When Mark critiques something I’ve written and gets to a place that I tried something new or gave it my all, I watch him closely.

Sometimes there’s a slight pause, a raising of the eyebrows with an intake of breath, and maybe even a slight grimace. He doesn’t need to tell me what to fix; simply knowing that look tells me I can usually make that section stronger.

And when he gets to one of those sections, pauses, and smiles a bit — I know I’ve impressed the guy I sometimes write for. (And I know I’ve done my job!)

*          *          *

Your goal as a trusted reader: be the reader writers sometimes write for!