Welcome to the New Website/Blog: A Tutorial

As a quick recap, to create a new blog entry, all you need to do is go to the “dashboard” (which you’ll find on the right,  in the “access” box). From there, click on “Posts”, on the top left under the “dashboard” button, and click “add new.”

After you’ve written your post, you can add Categories and Post Tags to it. See on the right? “Post Tags” will allow you to add tags to your posts, to help group the items into categories. On the bottom of the blog page, there’s what’s called a Tag Cloud. The more times a word or words are tagged in a blog posting, the bigger the word becomes. You can click “Choose from the most used tags in Post Tags” on the right and choose as many as you like. From there, you can add new tags by typing in the “add new tag” box on the right.

Categories are broader, and are also used to group our posts. It’s not terribly convenient, if you ask me, but I still think we should use them.

*Important* – always make sure you hit the “preview” button, upper right, and make sure your post looks the way you want, before hitting “publish” to post the blog entry.

That’s it! Any questions, feel free to ask, either here with a comment, on Facebook, or via email.

Cheers,

Randy

Now, this section is for all of us. I envision an area where all of us WatLers can write whatever strikes our fancy. It can be a story… a poem… a musing… heck, if something seems “Facebook” worthy, something that happened to you or something you wish happened to you, you can write about it here.

I’ll start, with a bit of a George Carlin ripoff:

Earlier, I wrote the phrase, “new and improved.” Though its always bugged me,  I still used that tired marketing cliche. Think about it… It’s not possible for a product to be both new and improved. If it’s new, it’s never existed before, so it can’t be improved. Thus, if it’s been improved, it’s clearly not new.

So, what would be a better phrase to describe this renamed (and hopefully reimagined) blog? New… is right out. It’s not new. Okay, so “improved” is correct… but then again, it’s not improved, either. We slapped a more artistic name on it and pushed it out into the world, like a kid with his backpack being shoved onto the school bus for his first day of kindergarten.

Really, this is just a way to demonstrate what can be done with a blog. You can write nonsense, like me, or you can fill it with purpose. It’s about your thoughts… we’re writers here, after all. We must write… am I write…er, right?

So, please utilize our “neither new nor improved” blog site.

Have fun with it!

Randy

PS – Next blog posting, I’ll tell you how to post your own … er, posts. It’s not difficult, but I’ll “step-by-step” it for you.

With 24 authors spanning 94 pieces, this anthology is filled with some of our best writing.

From the book’s introduction:

Living in Michigan allows us the opportunity to embrace the seasons in all their splendor. This anthology, a showcase of 24 talented Mid-Michigan authors from Writing at the Ledges, combines the changing of the seasons with the changes we experience in life. Follow along from the renewal of spring, to summer’s promise of hope, through autumn’s vibrancy, and the inevitability of winter.
The poetry, essays, and short stories in this anthology weave their way through the stages of our lives, the seasons of the year…the Seasons of Life.

For more information about Seasons of Life, including retail locations and book signing events, please click here to check out the Seasons of Life page on our website.

WRITING AT THE LEDGES – WRITING CONTEST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Writing at the Ledges is hosting their first annual writing contest.  Michigan residents ages 13 and up may submit their piece for consideration to be in our 2010 anthology titled Seasons of Life.   The winner will receive a complimentary copy of the Seasons of Life anthology, with additional copies available at the author discount.  The winner will also be able to participate in a Seasons of Life book signing.

Guidelines

Eligibility:    Michigan residents only, ages 13 and up.

Entries:      Fiction, non-fiction or poetry.  1000 word limit, not including the title (pieces  over 1000 words will not be considered).  One submission per person allowed.

Topic:        Seasons of Life theme (Season of Year, Stage of Life, etc.).  No erotica, violence,  or profanity allowed.

Judging:    Writing at the Ledge’s anthology editing staff will determine, along with possible  feedback from their members, whether the pieces submitted are approved for this year’s anthology.  If none of the pieces are chosen to be of appropriate quality, or there are not enough entries to warrant the contest, then all entrants will be notified and there will be no winners for this year.  All decisions are final.

Deadline:   All entries must be emailed by June 1, 2010.

Email:        Entries must be submitted within the body of the email (no attachments accepted), double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt. and must be sent to:

WritingAtLedges@aol.com

Type Seasons of Life Anthology Contest and your name in the subject line. Please make sure to include your name, address and telephone number in the body of the email.

Entry Fee:    There is a $6.00 entry fee, payable through PayPal only.  If the contest should be canceled for any reason, all entry fees will be returned.

Media contacts
Rosalie Sanara Petrouske
(517) 316-6888 (cell)
Email: prosalie@comcast.net
Web site: www. writingattheledges.com

Writing at the Ledges Group Goals Survey  

1. I am not really interested in setting personal goals as a group.  I think it would be nice if, mid-way through the year or at the end of a year, we briefly went around and shared what we accomplished, informally.  Even if it’s just that you finally finished the first paragraph of a story you wrote or that you were published.  Just as an encouragement for each other.  

2. I know personally, it’s very important for me to have feedback on what I’ve written.  The input keeps me motivated and helps me to keep going when I feel stuck.  I think having a time frame would be helpful and possibly working in small groups.  Maybe if we tried to take care of some of the “business” aspects of the group to emails so we could jump right in to reading when we have the meetings.

 3.  I would prefer the writing prompts be posted on the website so each person can access as they find it beneficial.  Then comments could be done on the website also.  I don’t really feel I have the time to work on writing prompts because I’d rather focus on my personal interests of what I would like to see published.  Also, reading what we wrote as an “assignment” becomes another area that takes extra time from our other reading. (It’s nice to have available online so if you’re in a mode where you can’t think of anything to write about you can go find the prompt and have something to keep working on).

 

4.  I think it’s just going to take time.  I know for me, I’m just not used to going to it.  It’s very nice and it would be a great way to get feedback as we’re writing and waiting for the next meeting.  We just need to be patient and put it on our favorites, maybe.  

5. What else can we do to make the group sessions meaningful and helpful to you as a writer?  In the past, we have had guest speakers and a writer’s retreat.  List three ideas.

1. A writing day would be fun….just all meet (at a park in the summer) and write and share and have it very informal.  Stop after an hour and read to each other, or not…then back to writing. 

2. Have a focus day where we discuss what we’re working on, where we’d like to be published and what genres we’re interested in, and have someone who can answer some of our questions.

3. I mainly think keeping the business aspects to the online and/or email so we can get right to the reading, writing, and critiquing.                               

It is now posted in the Writing Prompt section!  Have at it!

Cheers,

Randy

My problem is, I have no experience with blogging, so I don’t know how to change things to make them more useful for us.

As a refresher, to post a blog entry, go to the Dashboard and click on the New Post button. It’s on the right side of the blue bar at the top of the Dashboard.

When you post, make sure to use the “Post Tags” and the “Categories” features. Both are located on the right side of the  “Add New Post” screen. Both of these features will (in theory) help other people to locate your blog entry.  I’m going to start putting my name as a tag in any blog posts I create. If we all do that, we’ll be able to locate peoples’ blog posts easier. Also, click on the link “choose from the most used tags in Post Tags” so you can see what other people have used. The more times we use the same tags, the easier it will be for others to find those posts.

Which brings me to the “Tag Cloud” feature. At the bottom of the Blog screen, you’ll see a box with a bunch of words, some bigger than others. Those are all the tags people have used. The bigger the word, the more often it has been used.

I’m not sure how to make the Categories feature more useful. We can add as many categories as we want. I don’t know if you have access to add a category. I know I do, as the Admin. If someone could check it, that would be helpful.

I think simply putting our names in the tag line will help tremendously. It is a start, at least.

Let me know if you have any thoughts on the subject!

Thanks,

Randy

One bright, sunny morning, three year old, Calie Mouse wandered into her older sister’s room.    Adria had told Calie many times not to go into her room.  Adria being five years older than Calie,  did not want her baby sister playing with her toys. However, something shiny had caught Calie’s eyes.  Many times curiosity got Calie into trouble with her older sister, and now she just had to take one little peek at the shiny object.  Quietly, she climbed up onto the little green chair. The chair had been placed between Adria’s bed and her dresser.  On top of the dresser lay the shiny object.   Calie stopped for a moment to listen.  She did not hear anyone coming.   Quickly and maybe a little bit too quickly, Calie jumped onto the dresser.  Her little paws grabbed onto the shiny object.  She wobbled  unsteadily.  Unable to stop herself, Calie and the shiny object fell to the floor with a thump.  Unhurt, Calie got up and looked at the floor in dismay.  The shiny object had broken into many tiny pieces.

Calie carefully picked up one of the pieces and looked at it.  What she saw surprised her.  It was another little pink mouse staring back at her.  Calie dropped the shiny piece and started to run from the room.  Then she became afraid.  “What if Adria comes into the room and finds the broken pieces all over her floor?”  Calie thought, “And what if the other little mouse tells on me?”  Calie wasn’t sure what to do.  Even though, she was scared of the other little mouse, Calie knew that she had to pick up the shattered pieces.  One by one, she began her task .  She was careful because some of the edges where sharp.  Calie didn’t want to cut her paws.  As quiet as Calie had tried to be, she wasn’t quiet enough. Adria was calling Calie’s name.

“Calie, I know you’re in my room,” said Adria.  “What have you been doing?”

Calie knew that she could not reply, “Nothing,” because that wouldn’t be the truth.  Momma and Daddy had always told her to tell the truth.

“I am sorry,” Calie said.  “I was curious about the shiny object that I saw in your room.  It made a sparkle on your floor.  I just had to see it, but when I climbed on your dresser, I fell.  The shiny object fell too.  I broke it, Adria, and I’m sorry.”  Calie  started to cry, but Adria did not feel sorry for her little sister.

“Did you know that there is another little pink mouse just like me in that shiny object?” asked Calie.

“There’s not another little mouse, you silly,” said Adria.  “This is my mirror, and you broke it.  Do you know what happens to little mice that break mirrors?”

“No,” said Calie.  “I don’t know.”

“They have seven years of bad luck,” said Adria with a snicker.  “That means that you are going to have bad luck starting today.  You’re going to have bad luck until you are ten years old.”

“Really,” said Calie.  “That’s awful.  What kind of things will happen to me?”

“I don’t know, but you will find out when it happens,” said Adria.

Calie left the room in tears and as she did, she stubbed her toe on the door.  “Ouch,” Calie said and cried even more.  She went to her room and climbed into her bed.  She did not want her mother to know what she had done.  She felt safe in her bed.  Maybe bad luck wouldn’t follow her here.

As Calie lay crying softly in her bed, someone knocked on her door. Older than Calie by three years her brother Lars whispered,  “Calie,” may I come in?”

“Yes, you may come in, but you might not want to be around me,” Calie said.  “I am bad luck.”

“I know,” said Lars.  “Adria told me what you did.  You are really in for it.  I would not want to be you.”

“Lars, I am afraid to leave my room,” said Calie.  “But Momma and Daddy will wonder where I am.  What can we tell them?”

“I don’t know, but you can’t stay in your bedroom forever,” said Lars.  “What are you going to do when we eat?  What about when we go to the store?  You will want to go with us.  Momma and Daddy will want you to go too.”

“You are right,” said Calie.  “And  Adria could have been kidding about the bad luck.”

Calie crawled out of bed and decided to go outside and play with Lars.  She and Lars were having fun until Calie slipped and skinned her knee.  When Calie got up off the ground, she ran for the house.  While she was running, she tripped.  This time she fell on her face and hit her nose.  “Bad luck,” Calie cried.  “Seven years of bad luck.  How can I make it?”

Momma had been watching through the kitchen window.  She had seen Calie fall.  She opened the door.  Momma stood there waiting for Calie with open arms.  Calie ran into them and hugged her mother tight.

“It’s bad luck,” Calie whimpered.  “Seven years of bad luck.”  By now, her crying had reached her  Daddy’s ears.

“What’s going on with our little Calie,” Daddy asked.

“That’s what I want to find out,” said Momma.

Momma walked into the house cradling Calie in her arms while Daddy followed.  They took Calie into the living room and sat her down on the couch.  Momma went to get a washcloth and some bandages. She cleaned Calie’s little wounds.  Then she put bandaids on Calie’s scrapes.  After Mamma was finished, she sat down beside Daddy and Calie.  Momma told Daddy what Calie had said about the bad luck.  Daddy looked concerned.

“Please tell us, Calie what this is all about,” said Momma.

“Yes,” said Daddy.  “We want to help you.”

“Okay,”  Calie sighed.  “I will tell you what I did.  I saw something shiny in Adria’s room.  I was curious about it, so I climbed onto her dresser.  I wasn’t very careful and I fell.  When I fell, the shiny object came with me.  I didn’t know what it was, and it broke into many little pieces.  Adria came in and found me.  She told me that I had broken her mirror.  She said I would have seven years of bad luck.”  After finishing the story Calie cried until big drops of tears began falling on her red dress.

“Now, now, Calie,” said Daddy.  “We will have to bring Adria downstairs and have a talk with her.  What she told you isn’t true.”

“But,” said Calie, still crying.  “When I was leaving Adria’s room, I stubbed my toe on her door.  Then when I went outside to play with Lars, I fell and skinned my knee.  Then I tripped and hurt my nose.  Isn’t that bad luck?”

“Those things might’ve happened to you any way, whether you broke the mirror or not,” said Momma. “Sometimes, bad things happen, but that doesn’t mean that you will have bad luck for seven years.  Adria was probably teasing you because you had been in her room.  You were wrong to be in her room, but she was also wrong to tell you what she did.”

Daddy called Adria down stairs. He also called Lars into the house.  Together the family had a long talk about loving and respecting one another.  Daddy talked about the importance of being honest and always trying to tell the truth.

“I’m sorry, Calie,” Adria said.  “I was just upset that you had gone into my room.  I shouldn’t have told you what I did.  I guess I wanted to scare you so that you wouldn’t come into my room again.”

“You sure did scare me,” said Calie.  “And I’m sorry too.  I promise not to go into your room unless you say I can.”

“Well, have we all learned something today,” asked Momma.

“I have,” said Calie.

“Me too,” said Lars.

“And I have learned the most,” said Adria.  “I am the oldest and I should be a better big sister to Lars and Calie.”

Momma and Daddy both laughed.  The children ran outside to play.  Momma smiled at Daddy.

“We have a very nice family, don’t we,” said Momma.

“We certainly do,” said Daddy.  He grabbed Momma’s hand and together they went outside to watch their children play.

Thanks,

Randy