Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts

Monday, November 12, 2012

From the Heart!


There comes a time when you must forge ahead.

Write what must be written.

Speak your mind, tell the story and bare your soul.

Bringing darkness into the light and setting the truth free.

No rules, expectations or fear- just pure honesty from the heart.

Words with meaning that deeply matter to those who care.

-Jim Carver

 

November is a great time to begin writing since the lawn care days are over.

Thanksgiving weekend is the start of the next journey!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Artist Manifesto


Here’s an essential item for any aspiring artist, writer, procrastinator or just someone in need of an inspirational pick-me-up.

Photo credit: Ashley Goins.
 Jeff Goins the author of Wrecked, penned the Artist Manifesto.  Jeff’s words resonate brilliantly concerning our how to be a creative force of good for the world through art.

He commissioned Mandy Thompson to create the visual art to his manifesto. Mandy did a superb job and she offers various sizes of the print through Etsy. Mandy is a terrific artist in her own right. Her blog looks great and judging from her artwork for Jeff, Mandy has a very promising future doing what she loves to do.

Note: If you enter the word “Manifesto” in the coupon code during the purchase before Monday the opportunity exists to receive a 25% discount off the purchase.

I was fortunate to purchase a copy the beautiful artwork last evening and I wanted to share it with my readers. In case you didn’t take a look and read the first link I posted; you may read Jeff Goins- The Artist Manifesto below:

The Artist Manifesto~ by Jeff Goins

This is it. NO TURNING BACK. No excuses, no delays. Time to sit down and focus. To show up and create. To paint and play and craft. To DREAM and vision-cast.

To make all things new.

This is beauty in action. Life in full swing. THIS IS ART.

There are no ringside seats or sick days. Everyone must play. No second chances. You only get one shot. All you have is today.

THE TIME IS NOW. To inspire wonder and awe. To speak up in a world fast asleep at the wheel.

We’re counting on you. To be creative. To AWAKEN our souls with beauty. To use your heart and hands to bring meaning back into the universe.

Because without you we are all lost.

Life makes no sense without prophets and poets.

We need you to DO THE WORK and honor your call. To tap into the Muse and find your voice.

We cannot do this alone. We have lost the child-within. That part of us content to stare at clouds — at home with magic and mystery. We need your help to find her. So that we can dance and laugh and sing. So that we can BE WHOLE once again.

WILL YOU GUIDE US?

If you are a writer, I highly recommend Jeff’s blog and newsletter. He is one of the best bloggers for aspiring writers in the world! Mr. Goins is climbing the ladder of success and has had an impact on my life. It’s refreshing to see a young man who spends much of his time helping others accomplish their goals.

Jeff has given everyone permission to share his manifesto to anyone through a blog, Twitter, Facebook or any other form of social media. So feel free to share, distribute, or copy The Artist Manifesto.

Better yet, purchase a beautiful copy today!
 Keep it near you to remind yourself “why” you are an artist and “why”- what you do matters!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Turning a Blog into a Brand!



Photo courtesy of: Search Engine People Blog.
Attempting to blog daily can be a tough assignment. Building an audience isn’t something that happens overnight or in a few months. Consistency and good content is the key to developing followers. Anything beyond those qualities is truly a blessing!

We often find ourselves so busy attempting to write the “next” blog we often forget to put the effort into following others, commenting on their blogs or just asking a few questions. Forgetting those people who are on the same journey as us is a mistake. Taking the proper time to put forth the effort increases our network, friends and influences.

I find it tough to take the time and provide the moral support to others. It’s far easier for me to write a blog or come up with something new rather than comment. It bugs me, not having the time I need to give back to others. Particularly, since I joined Bloggers.com it has become impossible to follow everyone.

So I’ve created a plan.

·        Those who comment on my musings, get top priority. Whatever those loyal folks do, I will do my best to follow and return the praise.

·        I will slowly read, pick and choose other bloggers with similar interests within the blogging communities I post and comment on their writings.

·        Lastly, I will prioritize the blogsters of bloggers.com and follow the same method as above.

·        Those who return the interests will be on my “A” list, the others will simply be replaced by new people.

·        Those who stick are my tribe members and most cherished friends!  

I hate rules- but to you, me and the rest of my schedule it’s only fair. To not set your own ground rules would mean everyone gets lost in the “social media” arena and we accomplish little.

Between my job, moonlighting as a blogger, assisting in daily chores and following my emails, social media sites and the two or three hours of sleep during the weeknights; I am pretty much maxed out.

My lack of sleep has taken a toll after a couple of years of the crazy schedule.

I soon need to find the time write an eBook and a regular book. I must also consider the direction of my blog as a business. One of the things I’ve found out by blogging is it’s so easy to keep focusing on writing a blog, while forgetting the other aspects of becoming a ”brand.”

Having a clearer direction of sail is paramount to turning an adventure into a successful business strategy.

I want to thank those who follow my blog and comment. I sincerely appreciate your interest.

 My hope is these thoughts have given you some ideas about your own blogging adventures or perhaps shared some parallel ideas towards your own start-up or entrepreneurship!

A journey can lead a thousand different directions, but a clear path and roadmap always helps!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Blogspiracy?


Google or WordPress?


I have considered purchasing a Genesis Framework or Studio Press skin (theme) and converting my Google Blogger to WordPress. Having used WordPress (the free version- .com) a few times in the past, I noticed my blogs rate highly in all the major search engines. Google Blogger doesn’t seem to work well with Bing or Yahoo.

After seeing a few tutorials on the ease of creating the blog, my fear of the process has been reduced considerably. It’s the moving of my old blog history to WordPress that concerns me. A little more research into that part of the process is all I need.

Blogspiracy?


Tonight, I logged into my blog to find all of my Google statistics missing. Luckily, I signed up for Google Analytics and all of my blog stats are intact. Fearing I somehow was capable of creating a disaster, I checked the discussion board of Blogger to discover the reset of page views to zero happened this evening; so it has affected many users (or perhaps all users?).
Maybe it's time for a change in where my blog resides?
 

Michael Hyatt- Gets Noticed with his Platform

 

Michael Hyatt and his web designer are working on creating a premium theme for WordPress entitled: GetNoticed!. Michael is the former Chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. He currently is a consultant, speaker and author of the bestsellerPlatform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World (Thomas Nelson).

The premium theme Michael is creating is based on many of the suggestions from his Platform book. The project appears to be interesting given Michaels ability to maximize his audience. I don’t know the price yet, but I am sure it will be worth every penny.

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World has given me a better understanding of blogging and I discovered many nice little secrets to improving my blogging platform.


Purchasing a web theme through Genesis or Studio Press can cost as little as $59.95 (one-time fee) and a hosting service like Bluehost for $3.00-$6.00 per month(depending who you purchase through).

I’ve got a birthday coming up this week; it might be time to treat myself with a new blog site look, greater uptime, support (24/7) and improved SEO.

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Writer's Block- How to Breakthrough the Obstacles


The last couple of evenings, I’ve had a bit of writer's block. The inspiration to introduce an idea, story or adventure wasn’t within my mind. Lately, I’ve not been over-flowing with multiple thoughts and have been pulling recent blogs out of the thin air. But for two days my mind produced nothing. Frustration at its finest moment!

Why Me?


Perhaps it’s exhaustion from several years of burning the candle at both ends. Maybe I haven’t read enough motivating books recently. I certainly haven’t been able to surround myself with people who inspire success or think between the lines in the rust belt. Whatever the reason(s) it is a common occurrence among writers.

Last night, I decided to take the time and make the situation a positive experience.

How I Beat the Block


I took advantage of the situation by catching up on my responses to people who commented on my blogs, researched the subject of writer's block, stumbled across some thought provoking ideas and realized I have a great success story to share, right under my nose.

When a writer begins to suffer from writer’s block, the mindset slowly shifts from focusing on others to focusing on self. The soul searching experience locks you in a series of self-centered thoughts or emotions. My former tendencies often help provide insight for the psychological condition at hand. Recognizing the problem is the first step in changing the outcome.

So instead of having another unproductive frustrating evening, I broke through the chains to unleash new ideas and possibilities.

What I Discovered

Photo courtesy of: Sami Stoner.
 
The most meaningful take-away was to realize- I have the opportunity and duty to unveil the sweetest success story to ever grace our area. The young courageous lady I hope to interview is currently undergoing a tough schedule between school events and a television taping with ESPN. I hope to bring you her amazing story soon, as her time permits.
Sami Stoner and her guide dog, Chloe's latest inspiring story will be featured on ESPN on Tuesday, October 16th at 7 pm. (Eastern Standard Time). Please don't miss this incredible story of success!

Tips for Writer's Block


The next time you suffer from writer's block:

·        Use the time constructively.

·        Forget about your frustration.

·        View the time as a period of tying up loose-ends.

·        Immerse yourself in focusing on others.

I promise you, the little treasures you will encounter will not only bust through writer's block, you’ll be back at warp speed writing about something meaningful that matters!

I’d love to see your input and comments on this story.

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Planting the Seeds of Success in Your Life?


Late at night, I usually find myself blogging. It seems to be the quietest time to write. No noise or distractions; just a laptop, Microsoft Word and myself.

Some nights when I have no idea of my blog topic, I actually write my best blogs. I am amazed at the quality of some of those posts.  Other nights, I spend hours writing a blog and the views are dismal.  My writing doesn’t mean much without your following or input.

 I don’t stay up half the night to feed my ego or to appear in an online paper, forum or to become an overnight sensation.

 I write to inspire others and remind us of our capabilities. I write to give people hope, inspiration and ideas. I instruct others in how to be successful and live their dreams. I share my growth to give back to others. I write because I care about you!

I cannot think of a better way to do something meaning that matters!

I wasted too many years being a spectator in life. Following rules, other people’s agenda and spinning my wheels thinking it would someday payoff. The truth is it was a complete waste of valuable time. The blind leading the sheep down the same path daily, never arriving at a worthy destination.

Life is too short to be driven on a one-way, dead-end street. Success doesn’t follow that course. The fuel of success starts with courage and passion. The road to success is sometimes built upon failures, learning from our mistakes to create a smooth ride by way of perseverance.

My writings may take you down a different path. I occasionally call out an injustice or explain hidden criteria. That path won’t always be comfortable or easy. You may not agree with me or like me. 

My hope- is my message plants a seed.

When the time is right- even a small seed will grow!

Are you planting the seeds of success in your life?

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

BloggingTips and Secrets


I’ve spent a great deal of time in the last week attempting to increase my blog viewership. I’ve tinkered with everything from SEO (search engine optimization), keywords, metadata and coding. Life was much simpler just focusing on writing.

Content is King!


Some folks believe it is all about content. Content is king! Forget about algorithms, SEO and attempting to understand what makes the search engines the happiest.

What is SEO?


My Blogger blog site rates my own blogs high in a Google search, but I noticed once I log out of Google+ the ratings plummet. Google Blogger doesn't seem to play well with other search engines. I attempted to add metatags information inside my code to allow other search engines to find “keywords” and rate posts higher. Some experts believe the attempt is no longer valid in the SEO game. From my own experience, I believe they’re right.
The experiment didn’t seem to improve my ratings within Bing or Yahoo.

SEO is kind of mysterious function. The rules within the cycle of parameters sometimes change. It’s similar to the Federal Reserve (lots of secret information).

WordPress- A Bloggers Best Friend


I experimented with the free version of WordPress (WordPress.com) in my early blogging days. I found it easy to use and the search engine results are stellar! The only problem with the free version- it doesn’t allow affiliate marketing. So I switched to Google Blogger.
In the near future I will probably switch to the pay version of WordPress (WordPress.org) using the Thesis or Genesis Framework Themes. For hosting I will likely use Go Daddy or Bluehost.
Note: WordPress.org allows you to add affiliate marketing links and you own the content posted.
Why spend valuable time worrying about SEO, when the Thesis or Genesis framework can optimize my work and reach possible viewers?

Keep it Simple


This brings me back to focusing on clarity and writing. That’s what it’s all about. Without quality content, it doesn’t matter what or where the material is displayed if nobody is interested or I can’t earn your respect and keep your attention.

List of Blog Rules

·        Choose a catchy, popular or interesting topic.

·        Write a catchy headline.
 
·        Content is King!

·        Use sub headings (a plus with search engines and a great way to divide the story and keep it interesting).

·        Use  bullets or numbering to breakup blogs and allow easier readability.

·        Blogs should be limited between 500-600 words.

·        Blogs with fewer words are a better idea (Seth Godin is the king of pithy blogs), keep it short and easy to read.

·        Respond to comments and treat your followers with respect.

Stats Tracker


 I’ve done a fairly decent job of attracting new viewers (a third or more of all viewers are new) each month and my page views double each month. Overall, my visitors average over 8 minutes on my blogs per visit. Not bad at all.
Google Blogger features its own statistics tracker, but I really like the functionality of using Google Analytics (and it’s free).

Find your Niche and Build a Tribe!


My biggest concern is reaching out and finding my tribe of followers. Expecting everyone to read my blogs or like what I have to offer is unrealistic and a recipe for failure. One of the biggest secrets to online marketing and writing is to find your niche and build a following.

Give Credit where Credit is Due


So, I thank all of you for reading, following, and commenting on my writing. Without you- none of the inspiration would be possible to continue to do something meaningful that matters!
Thank you- from the bottom of my heart!

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com


Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and third party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

The Art of Self-Publishing


Ever Consider Writing and Self-Publishing?

Note: I am revisiting and updating my blog from July 2010 on self-publishing to offer some advice from one of my readers. Enjoy!
First, consider learning everything you can about the publishing business. There are many companies who will attempt to take advantage of your lack of knowledge concerning the book industry and publishing. These “sharks” will have you paying a large sum of money to print, store and sell your book. They will ask you to sign a contract, which will give them the rights to your book and this will prohibit you from earning money. In the end, the disappointment will likely lead you to never write another book again.

I began my quest to write the first book without any experience. I asked questions, scoured the internet for best solutions and became knowledgeable to self-publish my book. I started my own publishing company and will soon launch the book. I am using the POD (print on demand) method. My printer will print the quantity of books, I choose; based on my need.

Sometimes decisions regarding business details were based on my situation financially or my audience. Self-publishing has some limitations, but when you choose to self-publish a book; you remain the author and sole decision maker.
If it sounds easy and someone promises to provide a simple solution for several thousand dollars to publish a book for you- walk away!
For those of you wishing to self-publish, here are a few items to consider:

· Purchasing a domain name

· Searching for the lowest cost solution in creating an attractive webpage

· Blog topics for a blog

· Website content

· Joining social network sites

· Writing press releases

· Creating advertisement flyers

· Choosing an editor

· Graphics person

· Printer company

· Shipping method

· Postal rates

· Pricing

· Taxes

· eBook solutions

· eCommerce shopping carts

· Payment gateways

· Photo releases

· Scanning Photos

· Purchasing an ISBN and copyright registration

· Creating a PDF file specific to the printing company in Adobe Acrobat

Did I mention writing 10- 12 hours a day of writing during weekends?

3192488394_bf702ac952.jpg


(Photo created by: gilles chiroleu.)
Yes, writing a book can be a tedious task. But the educational aspect is priceless and the next book will be easier to publish, given your vast experience and knowledge! Don’t allow any company to take advantage of you.

 The 10 Best Secrets of Self-Publishing
  1. You don't need anyones permission to self-publish.
  2. You become a writer once you decide to write.
  3. Don't worry about mistakes, hire a good editor.
  4. Pre-plan the layout of the chapters in the book.
  5. Realize a book can be self-published cheaply as an ebook through online resources.
  6. Income from the ebook could help fund the hard copy book or vice-versa.
  7. Self-publishing and marketing are two separate aspects. Write first- worry about a website later.
  8. Take advantage of using books, community forums and YouTube for ideas and assistance.
  9. Perserverance is the biggest challenge in writing.
  10. Start today!
 Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver
Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”






Something Meaningful that Matters!

Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and 3rd party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Does it Matter?


So many days, I have questioned if I am making a difference. Is staying awake half the night seeking clarity, thought, and silence to produce art worth it? Is the money spent on books and searching information to improve viewership worth it?

Does it matter?

Photo used courtesy of: Leeks.
The lack of comments within my blogs, often make me wonder.

Today was an unusual day. I was made aware of my responsibilities towards my readers and friends. Tonight, I realized the impact on people’s lives I made through my experiences of creating a friendship with one of my former band mates and one of my blog readers.

We often don’t get the opportunity or time for people to understand our nature, personality or core values. Sadly, most people are so busy in their daily lives; we all become lost in the noise and shuffle. Daily schedules, families, chores, and work permits us little time for ourselves or to reflect on the most important things in our lives.
I can’t tell you how good it feels to receive positive feedback from people. To know people understand where your heart is and respect you is something I cherish.
 
I couldn’t be happier knowing that despite the fact I am writing late into the night for two years; I am making a difference in some people’s lives and all those little victories eventually leads to a larger scale of followers, known as a tribe.
 
People are reading my blogs. I am slowly growing my business. I’d much rather build slow. Slow I can handle. When we rush- we tend to look for results quickly. When the desired results aren’t fulfilled, we become discouraged or quit. For me, it’s more like crash and burn.
 
But today was different.

It was my wake-up call to responsibility, an opportunity to feel I am a part of something special, that I started, and someone cares.
It was my time to reflect on something meaningful- that does matter!
 
I want to thank both individuals for inspiring me.

Until We Meet Again,
 Jim Carver

Author: The Legacy of David A. Wells- The Lexington High School “Band of Gold”
Something Meaningful that Matters!

www.successthroughmusic.com

Disclaimer- Books and links on this website contain affiliate marketing sources between Jim Carver and 3rd party companies. I only recommend products, brands and businesses that I strongly support. Photos used on this site are used courtesy of the original authors and in no way endorse The Rust Belt Chronicles or my work. Thank you.