Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats

eBook Treasures: Why haven't I seen these before?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Original manuscripts!!!

I love handwritten books, documents, letters, and journals. I always have. When researching my next ebook for Hyperink Publishing, Quicklet on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, I came across this website:

eBook Treasures

How is it I’ve never heard of this website before? I’ve been clicking around on thumbnail pictures and drooling ever since pulling the information off the site I need. One of these days, I’ll own an iPad (not sure when, but I’ll continue dreaming in the meantime) and I’ll own some (ALL?) of these treasures.

Have you seen this site yet?

10,000 Steps: A Photo Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:20:00 +0000

{2.34 miles}

I was keeping track of pictures of my pedometer on Facebook in an album entitled, 10,000 Steps: A Photo Journal. I did this for nearly a year (I believe I came two months short, if I remember correctly). Now, these images will appear on this blog.

The reason for posting pictures is to keep myself accountable, and so I can track my progress. I was achieving my goal daily, but I’ve managed to hit a downward spiral lately (as exemplified in this post’s picture). It’s difficult to be a writer, and be active – I’m working on fixing this, though. These pictures will help.

Do you use a pedometer daily?

Contest: Can YOU see what’s wrong with this link?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:33:00 +0000

Would you like to win this .pdf?

As many of you know, I’m looking for votes on this link:

http://www.wizehive.com/voting/view/valentines-day-contest/3016/429298/0

It’s a picture of my kitty, Miranda, with her baby.

There’s an error somewhere on here, though.

Can you see what’s wrong?

If you can find it (oh, and don’t forget to vote please!), comment on here. The first one to get it right will win a FREE .pfd of Frugalarity: Let’s Get Thrifty!

Social Network Experimenting

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 02:32:00 +0000

I’m experimenting with some different social networking things, and have decided to deactivate my Facebook.com account. No one panic – nothing bad has happened with anyone or anything. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to build a platform, and reach my audience. I don’t feel like I’m achieving that goal all that well using Facebook so much, so I’m exploring other avenues. My Twitter account is still active, and I’ll be sharing links and work-related updates on that timeline. You’ll also see a lot more blogging happening here.

I miss making art....

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

...and will make it again! I was looking at some old pics of art journals I've worked in, and I thought this page is fitting for the new adventures I'm taking myself on this year.

Want some FREE mobile coupons from Wendy's?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:47:00 +0000

CLICK HERE for mobile offiers!

You can also sign up for WendyMail and get a $1.00 coupon!

Two books currently in my TBR pile

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:37:00 +0000

I currently have these two books in my "to be reviewed" pile, and these reviews are coming next week! Stay tuned!

Something to Remember . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of Hope Wilbanks (found it on her Facebook timeline).

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

When life throws lemons, turnips, and rubber chickens at you . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:15:00 +0000

First, make lemonade (yum) – or, better yet, fill a glass hurricane candleholder and create a stunning centerpiece that is not only eye catching, but fragrant. ::winks::

Next, as my friend Julie Fletcher from ParentsGlobal.com would say, make wine from the turnips! (What?)

Last, flog your enemies with the rubber chickens. I mean, really, what else are these things really good for?

I’m pulling in the reigns, and taking control of the things I know I can do and do well with my career. I feel like I’ve been following the wrong leads, and not working in a way that allows me to reach my fullest potential. In other words: I’ve been doing things ALL wrong.

It’s easy to fall into the, “Jenn, try working here,” trap when it feels there’s no other options. Truth is, just because the title “writer” is there, that doesn’t mean all writing positions are going to be a good fit. I learned this last week, and am moving on from the situation by turning it into a positive by asking myself:

What am I good at doing?

I know now I’m not good at writing in AP style. I know how to do it, but my brain refused to go there. I have no idea why, but it is what it is . . . when I force myself, I’m producing low-quality content. Clearly, this is not what I’m good at doing.

I’ve been doing well with SEO work for a handful of clients, so I think I’m grasping that. There is always room for improvement, though, and I’ve got some ebooks in my Kindle Cloud Reader I’ve yet to read. I will, though, because I want to do better.

I could continue listing, but I don’t want to bore you. You’ve clicked on here for a reason, so it’s about time I give you something valuable . . . rather than my mindless chatter.

I’m in the midst of writing another Quicklet for Hyperink Publishing, and am turning in the first draft (through Google Docs – which I’m learning to love) tomorrow. I’ll let you know when it’s live on Amazon, et al. The research process for this ebook is so much fun, and I can’t wait to pick up another title when I’m finished this one.

Today, I’m also writing about coffee coupons and Leprechaun party costumes. ::smiles:: Life is interesting for this writer today!

How is YOUR weekend going?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

From Blog to Book – How to Turn Your Ideas Into Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:04:00 +0000

Worth checking out and bookmarking!

From Blog to Book – How to Turn Your Ideas Into Reality

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Should your blog offer special reports?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:51:00 +0000

I was talking to a colleague the other day about the importance of providing quality content to readers on a regular basis, to include resources they can pluck from blogs and take with them. There are so many ways to broach this topic, and the conversation was quite interesting.

I’m questioned consistently about how I got six of my books on to various Amazon bestseller lists, and I’ve considered writing a special report (or two) about this to offer my readers. I like the idea of offering them on Kindle, but I’ve considered putting them on to Nook and Smashwords also.

How does a special report differ from an ebook?

In my opinion, it’s still an ebook – it’s just shorter.
In some cases, they’re free or priced very low.
Many sites offer them free with a paid subscription or membership.

What does a special report contain?

Nuggets of digestible information and proven facts readers will find value in.
Information readers can quickly scan through bullet lists, and other segmented information.
Resources for further research and understanding.

I’m not limiting myself to just special reports about the whole Amazon bestseller list thing. I’m thinking about creating special report for all the applicable topics this blog carries. That way, everyone who comes here can find something useful. This is a working idea in progress, of course, and I’m not 100% sure when it will come to fruition.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments!

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Are those…raindrops?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:15:00 +0000

Maine weather is weird this year. A thunderstorm in January? STRANGE. I’ve lived all over the country – Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and (albeit briefly) California. (I just now noticed a lot of where I lived has “New” in the state name . . . coincidence? Odd.) So, returning to Maine after experiencing all of these different places put one expectation into mind: at least 5 months of winter.

I don’t mind the winter. What I do mind is it’s starting later in the year, and seeming to last longer. I have no idea if it actually is, and I’m sure I could figure out with some research. That’s the not the point of this blog post, though. The point is, I’ve never been a snow bunny and I doubt I ever will be . . . however, I prefer SNOW during winter months and not rain. It’s gray, it’s dismal, it’s . . . wait . . . it’s conducive of a perfect writing day!

That’s the point of this blog post!

I’m in the midst of working on another Quicklet for Hyperink Publishing (I love this company), and am taking a bit of an afternoon, “why the heck is it raining in January,” break. I’m also working on articles for three different clients, but they’re very small and very quick jobs. It’s a weekend filled with writing, and that’s a great thing in such a down economy. My feelers are out for new opportunities, though, and I’m eager to see what’s around the corner.

Are YOU having a rainy January, too?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenlea...

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Reminder! My publisher is offering my ebook FREE to Amazon Prime members! Check it out!!

Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenlea...: Reminder! My publisher is offering my ebook FREE to Amazon Prime members!! Check it out! Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenle...

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Hello insomnia, you rotten bast……..

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:41:00 +0000

I tried going to sleep early tonight because I have a big day (well, weekend) ahead of me. I’m heading back to that little cottage in Boothbay Harbor (the one I dub as my writer’s retreat) in the morning, and staying through until Monday. I have a number of big deadlines and lengthy assignments to complete this weekend, so my husband suggested I head out to the land of “no distractions” to finish everything off. I agreed with him because, when I’m here, my OCD is in full swing . . . there’s laundry to do, I can see dirt on the floor, the bed needs to be made, is that a spot on the mirror, why isn’t that counter shiny!!??

I’m my own worst enemy.

I really can’t help it – in the past, people would say to me, “I should be able to have a dirty dish or two in my sink if I want to!” I didn’t wash them because I judged the person for having dirty dishes. I washed them because I’m a freak and can’t stand seeing things undone. When I go to my mother’s, I do believe my head will explode if I leave her kitchen. It’s just how I roll . . . who’s down with OCD? Yeah, you KNOW me. I’m down with OCD . . .

Anyway, enough about that . . .

My mind is all a whirl with the different projects I have going on, so it’s not letting me rest. I attempted sleep at 10 p.m. and stared at the ceiling until midnight. Yep. Welcome to my life. I was tired all day – ALL DAY – and, when I finally decide to hit the sack. Zippo. Zilch. Nada. Ain’t happenin’, girl. Nice, huh? It is what it is, so I turned on David Blaine: What is Magic? on TLC. This dude freaks me out, so I’m sure my dreams will be worthy of analysis in the morning.

::twiddles thumbs::

I suppose I could dive into some of these projects. I’m up, so why not? Right? My concern is, because it’s so late I’ll write crap. Take this blog post, for example. Do you see anything of value here? Neither do I, yet I’m still writing. What is wrong with me? Stupid insomnia . . . ::sighs:: . . . There’s an interesting conversation going on over on Facebook about cookware. I’ll go see what’s what over there until I’m ready for bed again . . . ::heavy sigh:: mumblessomethingrudeaboutinsomnia

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Calling All Writers: Hyperink Publishing

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:04:00 +0000

My publisher just sent me this information:

Hyperink Publishing is consistently adding to their assignment board on a frequent basis. Two of their most recent types of writing assignments include “Crimes of the Century,” and “Conspiracy Theories.”

Would you like to join this writing team? (Note from me: Personally, I love working for them and highly recommend this opportunity.) If you’re interested in applying, use this link and fill out the application:

https://hyperink.wufoo.com/forms/hyperink-publishing-application/

This is a flat fee, plus lifetime royalty paid job. You will receive a $20 bonus upon the successful completion of your first assignment. I’m anticipating many writers jumping at this opportunity, so don’t wait too long before applying.

Good luck!

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Do you ever wonder why people follow you on Twitter?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:56:00 +0000

I wonder about this all the time.

Why are you following me on Twitter? This question pops into mind each time someone who has absolutely NOTHING in common with me or what I tweet about all of a sudden becomes one of my followers . . . did I tweet something they felt was valuable? Did they see a RT they found resourceful or funny?

::click.click.click::

Nope. They’re following me because they want to sell something to me, convince me to buy into their services, or help them build their business. I used to automatically follow people back. That was a HUGE mistake when I realized my timeline was filled with sales pitches, political rants (sorry, I don’t like following that), and promotional jargon.

::unfollow.unfollow.unfollow::

It soon became clear the majority of my followers aren’t REAL followers. I’d say about…I don’t know…20% of my followers are real people interested in the same things I’m interested in: writing, publishing, art, parenting, and things like that. While many are saying how much they love Twitter, this annoys me.

I notice these followings occurring when I’m most active on Twitter. I hadn’t touched it for months, aside from auto-feeding my FB “like” page into the timeline. I decided to try it out again for some social media networking and marketing. I missed “business talk” with other active workers, so I became a daily tweeter once again . . . then, the weird follows happened again.

I know I’m not the only one experiencing this, but I still feel compelled to blog it all out. It’s frustrating to weed through all the “not real” followers to see who is REAL and wants to follow me – so, I can see if I want to follow them back. Unfortunately, there have been some gems lost in the shuffle for a long time. I recently followed them back, and wish I could’ve been following their tweets longer because the information they provide daily is valuable to my career and me.

See what I mean? FRUSTRATING.

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Dreaming of cake and ice cream

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:54:00 +0000

I was watching Cup Cake Wars the other night, and I’m amazed at the creativity these culinary artists put into these mini-delicacies. That night, I dreamed my husband and I opened a cupcake shop where, rather than topped with frosting, the cupcakes were topped with soft-serve ice cream. Then, we had a buffet set up within the shop for patrons to cover their cake and ice cream with – bowls filled with assorted candies, squeeze bottles filled with assorted sauces, chilled containers of fruit and so on. Each cupcake was filled with frosting, so each bite was a “birthday plate” bite. You know what I mean – a little cake, a little frosting, a little ice cream, and a little garnish. YUM. We named the shop Birthday Bites.

I love dreams like this.

While this type of dream is not likely to come true, I certainly can integrate it nicely into a book. I have no idea how to bake cupcakes from scratch (I’m sure I could do some with a recipe, but I’m a cake out of a box girl), and I have no idea how to work a soft-serve ice cream machine. So, my characters would be pro’s – and, they’d also be expert Barista because some people like (gourmet, of course) coffee with their confections. I know I do! So, even though I’m not doing these things, with some research I can teach my characters how to do this.

And, voila! A book idea is born!

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Finding Your You: Making Book Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:13:00 +0000

Even when things seem imperfect or incorrect to others,
they still might be just right for YOU.

I have a counter in the right sidebar counting down the days until my next book is set to release, Finding Your You. I’m not finished the book yet, but I’m making progress. Scheduling time in has been an interesting challenge all pointing to one simple fact: I’m still trying to find MY me.

I know these phrases aren’t grammatically correct, but they best exemplify the point I’m trying to make:

The importance of finding your TRUE self.

It’s so easy to get caught up in who others think you should be. You should have a different job. You should dress differently. You should change your appearance. You shouldn’t speak the way you do. You shouldn’t go back to school. You should live somewhere else. You shouldn’t attempt to find your own path.

These are just SOME of the things we’re faced with regularly by others believing they have a better grasp on how we should be leading our lives. When we let go of this control, we lose our true self. Questioning ourselves over ever decision looms around every corner, and confidence is absent.

This book is important to me, and I’m hoping it’ll help YOU (or someone you know).

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

In 5th place for the photo contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:14:00 +0000

We made signs when we lost her.

She was SO tired when she was found/

She was pregnant when she was found!

She loved her baby so much!

She cuddled with it all the time.

This was the morning before
her baby passed away.

Thanks to everyone’s generous support, my photograph of Miranda with her baby is in 5th place for this photo contest! (Reminder, visitors to the site can cast votes once every 24 hours.) The competition is getting stiff, though! Even though I’m only handful of votes away from moving into 4th place, I’m way behind on votes for the remaining positions. So, this is where I’m asking for support from all of you.

My plan is to surprise my husband with a honeymoon – which is, in essence, this prize package. We were married July 18, 2009 and had planned to go away for a weekend within the coming weeks. However, he was smacked down with acute pancreatitis and ended up in the hospital within weeks of our wedding. His recovery, as well as the subsequent loss of income, squelched our plans for a honeymoon.

So, here I am trying to win one. If you’d like to vote, could you use this link:

Miranda and Baby

Thank you for your support! This means a lot to me!

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Kindle Fire: I have a plan

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:59:00 +0000

As some of you know, I’ve wanted a Kindle Fire ever since I heard it was entering into the marketplace. I watched all the various articles dispelling pro’s and con’s of this device, but the reigning truth remains clear . . . I want one of these e-readers! Many of my colleagues use them, and tout these devices as mini computers. That sounds like a nice slice of awesome if I ever heard one.

The price point is a bit out of range for my budget, though, so I’m putting my “Thrifty Jenn” hat on to achieve this purchasing goal. I use SwagBucks frequently throughout the day to access my dashboards and work orders. I figure, “If I have to search anyway, I may as well receive some incentive for doing so.” Here’s my plan:

I’m going to purchase my Kindle Fire using Amazon Gift Cards earned through SwagBucks.

Right now, I have $15 saved up and I earn $5.00 in gift cards about every 10 days or so (depending on how aggressive I am with the site). I’ve waited all this time for one, so what’s wrong with waiting a little longer? There’s nothing wrong with it at all!

I’m patient, and I know good things come to those who wait (love throwing in clichés whenever I can). That’s my plan! I was using my gift cards to help whittle down my grocery bill, but I like this idea as well. All work and no play makes for a very dull Jenn! So, what do YOU think of my plan?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Quit Acting Like You’re NOT a Writer!

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:02:00 +0000

(I would love to own a typewriter
like this one day.)

Okay. This is something I’ve been struggling with. I admit it . . . even though I’m in robot mode most of the time, and can embrace just about any writing challenge (note: JUST ABOUT) placed before me. Yet . . . I don’t refer to myself as a writer.

This is strange because, for those connected to me on a daily basis, it’s obvious I write ALL THE TIME. I’m not a perfect writer, and I’ve never claimed such. I like what I do, my clients are happy with my work, and my readers appear happy (can’t please them all) with my articles and books. When I’m not typing, I’m handwriting . . . and when I’m not doing either of those, I’m thinking about writing. It’s an important part of my identity much like my blue eyes and mousy brown hair . . .

I recently read a blog post by Karen Alaniz, and it’s worth sharing:

About Writing: Want to be a writer? Then act like it!

For the first several years of my career, I was confident in my work and in myself as a writer. I felt like I had some pretty decent skills because I had some magazine clips backing me, and then I landed a job as a small trade newspaper editor. It’s amazing how all that can spin out into the world of “nothing” when surrounded by negative comments and disbelief . . . “She’s not really working, all she does is play on the computer all day.”

Even though those comments have pretty much stopped (for the most part, they still trickle in from time to time), I’m still treading precariously around the words, “I’m a writer.” Why? Why is this? How could I let a few phrases by people who have no idea what they’re talking about effect me so profoundly? Clearly my work doesn’t matter to them, so their words shouldn’t matter to me. Right?

Easier said than done. I know I’m not alone in this because past conversations with colleagues revealed, “Jenn, you’re not alone.” While I’m sad other writers are experiencing this reality, being in good company is helpful. I’ve defied some odds in recent weeks with regard to my overall career goals, and that’s positive. Focusing on that, as well as many other positive career aspects is where I’m shifting. The shift must occur in order to prevent the wallows from swallowing me whole once again.

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Jenn Greenleaf, and I’m a writer.”

Now that that’s out of the way, it’s time to get back to work. I have deadlines looming, and I also have some things to catch up on that I missed over the weekend. Like I said, I’m not a perfect writer – we all make mistakes, and then we work our butts off to redeem ourselves and regain credibility. It’s par for the course, and a necessary evil in the writing and publishing industry. I haven’t met a writer yet who hasn’t experienced this reality and, for those who say they don’t, my hat goes off to you!

Do YOU recognize your talents and your values as a writer?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:46:00 +0000

Those who have known me a decade or longer can attest to the fact that I truly love letter writing. It wasn’t until recent years I tried bringing this love back into my life on a regular basis. Back “in the day” I used to write and mail letters on nearly a daily basis. I loved receiving letters, too, and cherished each on so much I kept them in a decorative box.

I’m making attempts to bring the lost art of letter writing back into my life once again. Aside from the “Letters to…” journal book series I’ve started, I’ve also made it my goal to send out one handwritten letter per month throughout the year. Hope Wilbanks is the first planned letter recipient for 2012, and I’m nearly finished her letter.

I don’t write a standard, traditional letter. I love doodling, decorating, arting-up, and adding all kinds of other embellishments to the pages. I try adding inspirational quotes whenever possible, and I’ve also been known to throw drawings or bits of collage on letters, as well.

This type of creativity helps add some excitement and interesting bits into my regular routine, and I really do love the experience. I’m likely going to discuss this goal regularly on here to keep me focused, on track, and accountable. If you haven’t written and sent out a handwritten letter in a long time, I recommend you do. Equally as important is writing unsent letters. More on that later . . .

When is the last time you wrote and mailed out a handwritten letter?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

So…I entered a photo contest

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:25:00 +0000

This is the photo I entered into the contest.

I decided to take another leap of faith, and decided to enter a picture of my kitty (Miranda) and her baby into a photo contest. Here are the details (plucked from their site):

This Valentine's Day celebrate Love through images of inspiration and you could win:
Two customized 1 hr. massage therapy sessions at Revelation Massage

Enter "The Land of Delicious" with chocolates from Ella's Chocolates

Enjoy a bottle of fine wine from The Vault

One night's stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch

Complimentary 4 course chocolate themed dinner for two In The Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch

Gourmet dinner and a nights stay for two at the historic Munroe Inn in Auburn.

My husband and I never had a honeymoon (we were married July 18, 2009 and, soon after, he was struck with Pancreatitis and was in the hospital), so I would love to surprise him with this prize package (if we win).

Here’s the link to the picture I entered into the contest: Miranda and Baby

Voters can click the “vote” button without worrying about any type of application requesting permission to track (as with the Shorty Awards), so no privacy is compromised. Visitors to the photo page can vote once per day, so I’d appreciate your daily clicks! I entered late compared to the majority of the others, so I’m not sure I can pull this off. I’m going to try, though.

Would you vote for my picture?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Breaking Out of Comfort Zones

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:40:00 +0000

When I was younger, my image of a writer went something like this:

A person sitting at their desk surrounded by papers, books, magazines, photo copies, and newspapers while clacking away at their typewriter. The frequency of the bell and carriage return let those in their presence know how quickly inspiration was feeding their ink filled papers. Most often, these people wrote in solitude and hardly a sole knew who they were aside from their byline on the cover of their books.

That sounded safe to me. I’m not a “look at me, look at me” type of person because, when I break out of my comfort zone into situations calling for such attention, it seems to end badly. I become obsessed with the promotional aspects of the game, and I lose focus on what I should be doing . . . clacking away. I know self-promotion is the bread and butter of a writer’s existence now, but that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with that reality.

I’ve been working on breaking out of comfort zones, and the results are mixed. I’m seeing an increase in book sales, and that’s a positive. However, when rallying for community support, it’s difficult. I’m not sure why. The competition is fierce and, for the most part, my community is my competition. I fail to remember that because I work to support other writers I’m connected to as frequently as time allows.

I’m not sure what the solution is. I’m not going to give up, though. I need to continue breaking out of comfort zones in order to really “get” to where I want to and need to be. I haven’t done a radio interview in two years, and I haven’t done a book signing since last year. That’s not good. I need to change these things . . . . however, I need to do it on my terms or the stress and anxiety will ruin each and every effort. I hope I’m making sense here!

I don’t mean to talk in circles!

How often do YOU break out of comfort zones?

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards

Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Shorty Awards...

noreply@blogger.com (Jenn Greenleaf) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:17:00 +0000

Reminder! I could still use your votes! I"m in 26th place, and facing som pretty stiff competition!! Thank you for your support!

Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Shorty Awards...: Reminder! I could still use your votes! Thank you for your support! Jenn Greenleaf: Wearer of Many Hats: Shorty Awards: 27th Place!! : As o...

Nominate Jenn Greenleaf for a social media award in the Shorty Awards