Category Archives: writing bargains

One Final Chance to Win a Great Prize: Family History NaNoWriMo Contest – 26-29 November 2015

Posted on by

For the final week of NaNoWriMo 2015, here is one more chance to win a great prize thanks to GeneaBloggers and F+W Media.



Here is the contest announcement:

###


A NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER
During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), GeneaBloggers and The Accidental Genealogist and Family Tree University want genealogists and family historians to consider writing their own life stories. Have you struggled to write your family’s memoir? There’s help on the way . . .
Take a look at the Writing Your Family Memoir independent study course from Family Tree University, created by Sunny McClellan Morton.
Writing Your Family Memoir: Create a Captivating Record of Your Family’s Story: The story of your own or your family’s history is likely to be the most personal, emotionally satisfying and overwhelming writing project you’ll ever undertake. You’ve collected oral histories, personal memories, journal entries, photographs, letters and countless other documents. Now find out how to weave them together into a compelling story. In this course, you’ll work with a published writer to craft an outline for your book and start putting your family’s legacy down on paper.
Better yet, why not enter the Family History NaNoWriMo Contest this week and you could win a FREE download of Writing Your Family Memoir independent study course from Family Tree University valued at $99.99. We’ll select one (1) lucky winner!
You could win if you enter by 11:50 pm CST on Sunday 29 November 2015. Click here!
[To find out the name of the lucky winner from Week 2, click here].


Contest information ©2015, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.
Blog Post ©2015, copyright Lisa A. Alzo, All Rights reserved.
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Family History NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers – 19-22 November 2015

Posted on by

Announcing the Week 3 Family History NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers

Memoir writing is a topic I have covered in articles, blog posts, presentations, and courses. Most recently I wrote an article, “Telling Your Own Story: Crafting a Memoir in Six Steps,” for the Summer 2015 issue of Crossroads–the official quarterly publication of the Utah Genealogical Association (you will need to be a member to access the issue to read the article).  I also wrote a post for the Legacy Family Tree Blog in 2014 on “Five Fabulous Digital Tools to Power Your Life Story.”

If you have been thinking about writing a memoir, you will want to enter this week’s Family History NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers.


Again I am happy to be teaming up with my colleague, Thomas MacEntee at GeneaBloggers, and F+W Media for another Family History NaNoWriMo Contest. Below is the announcement for the Week 3 contest – for another great book–The Truth of Memoir.

A NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER
During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), GeneaBloggers and The Accidental Genealogist want genealogists and family historians to consider writing their own life stories. What will you leave behind for your descendants to understand you and how you lived? And how do you write about others in your life as part of your own memoir?

Subtitled “How to Write about Yourself and Others with Honesty, Emotion, and Integrity”, The Truth of Memoir by Kerry Cohen covers the topic of how to write about others in a memoir. “. . . Cohen’s personal experiences make her highly qualified to write on this topic, as she is the author of the bestselling memoir Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity.
Memoir is unique in its power to injure others and most memoirists have had to struggle with the repercussions of writing about people in their lives, often in unflattering ways. How were they able to triumph over fear? The Truth of Memoir contains insight, advice and recounts from thirty memoirists on the topic of writing about others, from family members and friends to ex-lovers and children. This book will give writers the courage to tackle these topics without doubt or fear.”
Better yet, why not enter the Family History NaNoWriMo Contest this week and you could win a FREE copy of The Truth of Memoir, valued at $17.99. We’ll select one (1) lucky winner!
You could win if you enter by 11:50 pm CST on Sunday 22 November 2015. Click here to enter!
Contest information ©2015, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.
[To find out the name of the lucky winner from Week 2, click here].
Blog post ©2015, copyright Lisa A. Alzo. All rights reserved.
[DISCLOSURE: ARTICLES ON THIS WEBSITE MAY USE AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURE POLICY UNDER ABOUT FOR MORE INFO].

http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Family History NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers – 12-15 November 2015

Posted on by

Announcing the Week 2 Family History NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers.

Again I am happy to be teaming up with my colleague, Thomas MacEntee at GeneaBloggers, and F+W Media for another Family History NaNoWriMo Contest. Below is the announcement for the Week 2 contest – for another great book!

###

A NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER
During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), GeneaBloggers and The Accidental Genealogist are helping to get genealogists and family historians to write their own life stories.
Get started with a copy of Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach, with Kristen Keckler, PhD, available at the Writer’s Digest Store. “This 10th anniversary edition of the popular classic offers friendly instruction and stimulating exercises with updated information on current memoir writing trends, ethics, Internet research, and marketing ideas. Learn techniques for recalling memories, access emotions, shape scenes from experience, develop characters, and more. This is your time to turn untold life stories into personal essays or even a published book.”
Better yet, why not enter the Family History NaNoWriMo Contest this week and you could win a FREE copy of Writing Life Stories, valued at $16.99. We’ll select one (1) lucky winner!
You could win if you enter by 11:50 pm CST on Sunday 15 November 2015. Click here to enter!
Contest information ©2015, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.
[To find out the name of the lucky winner from Week 1, click here].
Blog post ©2015, copyright Lisa A. Alzo. All rights reserved.
[DISCLOSURE: ARTICLES ON THIS WEBSITE MAY USE AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURE POLICY UNDER ABOUT FOR MORE INFO].
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Family History NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers – 5-8 November 2015

Posted on by

Last week I mentioned that I would be teaming up with my colleague, Thomas MacEntee at GeneaBloggers, and F+W Media for some some Family History Contests during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Below is the announcement for the Week 1 contest.
###
A NaNoWriMo Contest at GeneaBloggers!
CLICK HERE TO ENTER
Have you ever wanted to write your own life story, but did not know how to get started? Perhaps you worry that no one will find your life experiences interesting? The fact is, more and more people are taking the time to document their own lives so they can share the story with their children and grandchildren.
As genealogists, we seem to spend so much time gathering evidence on our ancestors and then documenting their lives, that we neglect our own. During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), why not focus on you and your story? Chances are that your family and friends will find it pretty amazing!
Get started with a copy of Writing Your Legacy by Richard Campbell and Dr. Cheryl Svensson, available at the Writer’s Digest Store. In this guide you’ll learn the “Guided Autobiography” process with step-by-step instructions on getting started.
Get started with a copy of Writing Your Legacy by Richard Campbell and Dr. Cheryl Svensson, available at the Writer’s Digest Store. In this guide you’ll learn the “Guided Autobiography” process with step-by-step instructions on getting started.
With Writing Your Legacy you’ll learn:
  • The difference between writing memoirs, autobiographies and life stories
  • Step-by-step instructions for starting and finishing your life story
  • Exercises to help you capture memories
  • The main themes of memoir writing and how to apply them to your life story
  • How to get your memoir published
Better yet, why not enter the Family History NanoWriMo Contest this week and you could win a FREE copy of Writing Your Legacy, valued at $16.99. We’ll select one (1) lucky winner!
You could win if you enter by 11:50 pm CST on Sunday 8 November 2015. Click here to enter!
Contest information ©2015, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.

Blog post ©2015, copyright Lisa A. Alzo. All rights reserved.
[DISCLOSURE: ARTICLES ON THIS WEBSITE MAY USE AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURE POLICY UNDER ABOUT FOR MORE INFO].
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

The Four Must-Have Items in My Writer’s Survival Kit

Posted on by

Here we are…it’s November! And I can’t wait to start writing. How about you?

Image credit: Pixabay


In order for me to keep my commitment to NaNoWriMo (and 50,000 words is definitely a commitment), I have identified four essential or must-have items for my personal writer’s survival kit.

1. MacBook Air. I like the portability of my MacBook Air. While I plan to do most of my writing in November in my home office, I may occasionally want a change of scenery and may choose to head to a library or coffee shop. 

2. Scrivener. If you are a writer and not using Scrivener, go download it now!  You can choose Scrivener for Windows or Scrivener for Mac (There’s a very liberal 30-day free trial, if you want to try it out before purchasing it). This project management tool by Literature and Latte had changed the way I write.  I especially like the corkboard feature for creating virtual index cards to outline/storyboard articles, blog posts, books, courses, and ancestor profiles. Honestly, I can’t write without it.

3. Moleskine notebook. While I do my writing in Scrivener, there are instances when I may not be online or have my computer with me when inspiration strikes (in the middle of the night, for example), and I often find it difficult to type on my phone’s virtual keyboard. During these times having my Moleskine notebook comes in handy. I like the classic Pocket Plain notebook, but there are larger sized Professional Style books. I can then snap photos of the handwritten pages with my smartphone and save them to my Evernote (premium) account to retrieve, read, and transcribe later on.

4. Coffee. I am an early bird and do my best writing in the early morning AFTER a large mug of coffee.  My personal favorite is Revv (for my Keurig). But I also stock up on Starbuck’s Via packets for those times when I want a quick caffeine fix or for when I travel.

I will definitely add other items to my kit as the month progresses, but for now I am armed with these essentials and am looking forward to starting my writing journey.

What items will you stock in your writer’s survival kit?



Copyright 2015, Lisa A. Alzo
All Righst Reserved

[DISCLOSURE: ARTICLES ON THIS WEBSITE MAY USE AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURE POLICY UNDER ABOUT FOR MORE INFO].




http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

A Team Effort: Family History Writing and Contests in November

Posted on by
Writing is typically a solitary activity. But there are times when teaming up with a colleague can be a fun and inspiring experience. That’s why during the month of November, I will be partnering with Thomas MacEntee over at GeneaBloggers as well as F+W Media to encourage family historians to start writing down their stories and make progress with preserving their legacy. 



In addition, each week in November, GeneaBloggers will host a contest giving away educational products to help you build your writing skills. Thanks to sponsor F+W Media, publisher of Family Tree Magazine and Writer’s Digest, we  will have some great prizes to give away! The prizes will consist of items such as books and courses to help jumpstart your creativity and provide inspiration to reach your writing goals.

For the 411 on the details head on over to GeneaBloggers to read the post, “Join Us in November for Family History Writing Month!“ by Thomas MacEntee. You can enter the contests by visiting the GeneaBloggers site.

So stay tuned!  November is going to be a fun month for family history!

Copyright, 2015, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved

http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Fiction, Nonfiction or Memoir…What Will You Write in November?

Posted on by
Do you have a family history project on the back burner? A novel inside your head you have always wanted to write? A half-written nonfiction manuscript stashed somewhere on your computer’s hard drive? November is the perfect time to tap into your creativity and finally get that first draft in place!

Image credit: Pixabay
If you are ready, here are three ways to stop dreaming and start writing.

1. Sign up for NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30. The very first NaNoWriMo took place in July 1999 (see http://nanowrimo.org/history). Yes, it is an ambitious goal, but could be the “kick in the pants” you need to overcome your fears and get serious about storytelling. If you are committed to cranking out 50,000 words by November 30, click here to create your official NaNoWriMo profile (it’s super easy, I promise. I signed up today).

2. Be a rebel. You may ask, “Do I have to write a novel?”  If a novel is not your thing, don’t despair. You can still participate in NaNoWriMo. See the “What Genres Can I Write In?” section on their website. There is even a special group called NaNo Rebels in the forums for those who works don’t qualify as lengthy fiction. While I have pondered the possibility of writing a novel someday, my own writing roots are planted firmly in the area of creative nonfiction, so for this year I plan to focus on a project for this genre.  I am looking forward to being a “NaNo Rebel.”  Perhaps you can join me?

3. At the very least—start a Blog. Not quite ready to commit to word counts, deadlines, or peer pressure?  Then aim for a smaller goal. Blogging is a great way to take those baby steps to complete a writing project of a bigger scope (sign up for a free account on sites such as Blogger,WordPress, or TypePad). Even if you just wrote 500-600 words once a week (one blog post), you would be making progress. Begin with a small time commitment such as 15 minutes per day (come on, we can all find 15 minutes!) and then work your way up to longer sessions. Schedule this time on your calendar, block out all other distractions (such as Facebook, or other time wasters, social media) and set an alarm or timer. Write until the alarm or timer sounds. You can even make your blog private if you are not ready to share your posts with the world. The goal is to write something—anything.  Remember: You can’t edit a blank page!

Speaking of blogging, during November I will be sharing writing tips and resources on this blog (articles, books, videos, etc.), as well as a number of my favorite writing tools (writing software, productivity apps, and more). If I see any discounts or deals on such products I will also share the information with you. I’ve even teamed up with my friend and colleague Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers—each week there will be a unique contest on the GeneaBloggers website, where you will be able to enter to win some great prizes (stay tuned or more information). 

In addition, after years of making the excuse that “I don’t have time for NaNoWriMo,” I have decided to take the plunge myself and make the commitment to write those 50,000 words. I am going to focus on a project that has been waiting in the wings for over 10 years, and it is time to finally finish this book. After so many stops and starts, I decided I just need to start with a clean slate. I will share with you here my adventures, progress, successes and frustrations. 

Onward to November!  Let’s start writing!

Copyright 2015, Lisa A. Alzo

All Rights Reserved
http://theaccidentalgenealogist.blogspot.com/atom.xml