Just For Fun: Write a Mad Libs Poem!

I'm always writing down bits and pieces of lines--sometimes not even finishing lines. Such was the case yesterday, and I got the crazy idea to throw together quite a few fragments with blanks that I would come back to later (without seeing the fragments). Basically, I was going back to my elementary school Mad Libs days.

If you want to play, don't scroll to the bottom of the post yet.

Instead, make a list with the following:

• Plural Noun
• Singular Noun
• Present Tense Verb
• Singular Noun
• Singular Noun
• Present Tense Verb
• Present Tense Verb
• Plural Noun
• Plural Noun
• Present Tense Verb
• Singular Noun
• Complete this statement: "I hope ________________________."

That's it.

Go on, make a list without peeking.

*****

Girls Just Wanna Have Mad Libs: Ultimate Box Set

I know, I know. The greatest Mad Libs box set ever! But this is only the tip of the iceberg, because there are Mad Libs books for Star Wars, zombies, Christmas, and more!

*****

Here's the template I created yesterday. Insert your words in the order above. Feel free to title your piece whatever you wish and share in the comments below.

"Poem Title"

I've saturated the ______________
with tales of my _____________.
There's nothing left for me to ______________.
Every __________, every ____________--
they all ____________ to me!

______________ their inner ___________, their
naked ____________. When you __________
your ____________, I hope
__________________________________.

*****

This is how my poem came out:

MADMAN, by Robert Lee Brewer

I've saturated the hooligans
with tales of my television.
There's nothing left for me to swaddle.
Every cape, every pinball machine--
they all flock to me!

Balance their inner treasures, their
naked spectacles. When you fumigate
your elephant, I hope
the accountants kept excellent records.

*****

But wait! Here's how my 9-year-old stepson did:

Madman Jr., by Reese Trendle

I've saturated the zebu
with tales of my kidney.
There's nothing left for me to stab.
Every abolitionist, every light bulb--
they all eat to me!

Jump their inner rats, their
naked knives. When you hit
your gum, I hope
their heads are falling off.

*****

Fun stuff!

Anyway, it's not bad for the middle of the week. If you get stuck with your own poetry, maybe try cutting out words in an already written piece and inserting new nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.

If nothing else, it provides a new way to look at the same poem.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other inspiring Not Bob posts:

• The Importance of Word Play.
• Why I Give Back to Writers.
• Poetic Saturdays: Now This Is How We Roll.

*****

Create Your Writer Platform: The Key to Building an Audience, Selling More Books, and Finding Success as an Author
by Chuck Sambuchino

If you want a book that covers platform in all its variations, this is the title for you. Chuck Sambuchino is the author of humor titles such as How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and Red Dog Blue Dog, but he's also behind Guide to Literary Agents and Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript. In other words, he's been there, done that, and lived to tell about it. Chuck covers social media, blogs, newsletters, public speaking, and more. Click the link above to check it out today.

Creativity Trumps Following the Rules (Guest Post From Ernie J. Zelinski)

Here's a guest post from Ernie J. Zelinski, which actually originated as a comment to a previous post about the business of publishing. I don't usually re-purpose comments that way, but I wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to read his thoughts.

Ernie Zelinski, author of The Joy of Not Working and other titles

Fact is social media is not even necessary to promote a book, even though so-called social media experts will be in total denial about this.

I am very successful as a self-published author. I have been in this game since 1989 (a true pioneer and not like a lot of the impostors out there) and making decent money at it ever since my first book was self-published.

Print Sales Are Not Dead

My How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free will sell about 9,000 copies on Amazon in its print edition this year. In fact, this title will likely sell the most copies this year in its print edition since it was first self-published in 2004. It has already sold a total of 15,000 copies and should reach 17,000 copies by the end of the year. (This proves that people who say "print is dead" are either lying of just plain brain dead.)

Yet my three Kindle titles have only sold 12 copies this month. Why does my How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free sell so well? Because I don't rely on social media. As marketing guru John Reese (who was the first person ever to make $1-million dollars in one day marketing on the Internet) says, Social media is vastly overrated.

Creativity Trumps Platform

I notice that true best-selling authors like Brendon Burchard, whose The Charge has sold 80,000 copies in its print edition in the last 8 months, don't rely on social media. They have much better and more creative ways to sell books. So do I.

I am amazed at the lack of true creativity and ingenuity in this world. People use the word "creativity" because it sounds nice. They have no sense of the meaning of the word, however. They certainly don't show it in their actions.

Years ago I cut copies of one of my books in half and mailed either the top half or the bottom half of them to corporations with a creative letter that said if they wanted to purchase the book, they had to purchase a minimum of 10. This promotion led to revenues of over $15,000.

I can give several more examples of my own "unique" creative book-marketing tactics that I have used to have my books sell over 750,000 copies worldwide but I won't simply because consultants such as Brendon Burchard and Joe Polish charge up to $3,500 an hour for their consulting and coaching.

Here is a quotation about creativity that also applies to creativity in book marketing:

"What Is Your WOW Factor?
This applies to both the service
that you provide to the world
and the way you market it.
Make it edgy, make it snappy,
and make it punchy.
Even make it raunchy — but
make it different!
Real different!"
— from Life's Secret Handbook

Social Media vs. E-mail

In short, a great author platform does not require any social media at all. You don't heve to be on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to be more successful than 99.9 perent of authors regardless of what social media and book marketing experts tell you.

As John Reese said, "RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, BLAH BLAH BLAH. Yes, those methods can generate leads. Yes, those methods can generate some sales. But time and time again little old e-mail marketing kicks their butts — by a long shot"

*****

Ernie J. Zelinski is an international best-selling author, speaker, and prosperity life coach who helps adventurous souls live prosperous and free. Ernie is the author of the international bestsellers The Joy of Not Working (over 250,000 copies sold and published in 17 languages) and How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free (over 175,000 copies sold and published in 9 languages). Check out Ernie's two quotation websites Sensational Quotes for Smart People and the Retirement Quotes Cafe for more great quotations on a number of topics.

*****

If you have something important you'd like to share on the Not Bob blog, please don't hesitate to contact me by e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com with the subject line: Not Bob Guest Post. Please include an idea or two you have for a guest post, your credentials, and how you think it fits in with this blog. The more specific you can be the better.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other helpful Not Bob posts:

• Develop a Slogan to Help Your Author Platform.
• How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

*****

Create Your Writer Platform: The Key to Building an Audience, Selling More Books, and Finding Success as an Author
by Chuck Sambuchino

If you want a book that covers platform in all its variations, this is the title for you. Chuck Sambuchino is the author of humor titles such as How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and Red Dog Blue Dog, but he's also behind Guide to Literary Agents and Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript. In other words, he's been there, done that, and lived to tell about it. Chuck covers social media, blogs, newsletters, public speaking, and more. Click the link above to check it out today.

What Writers, Editors, and Publishers Should Worry About

This recent article on tablet readers got me thinking about the publishing/media industry and writers in general, especially what we should all be worried about when we're writing our manuscripts, making our print and digital products, and then trying to sell them. My first thoughts were kind of wide-ranging and complicated, but then, it occurred to me that this is really simple stuff: Deliver what your audience wants and needs.

A former F&W Publications VP by the name of David Lewis used to be huge into customer surveys and focus groups, and here's why: He was always wary of us trying to tell customers what they want, instead of the other way around. Even though, many of us were the target audience, he wanted to avoid having two or three decision makers speak for the entire group.

Of course, I know there are times when customers don't know they want something, or they can't imagine something ever existing. For instance, it wasn't long ago that I'd have scoffed at the idea of owning a phone that allowed me to take (and store) images and video while checking e-mail, surfing the Internet, playing video games, and whatever else my phone can do. That said, all content doesn't have to be a smartphone.

Audience Needs
Just because readers prefer to consume their novels, magazines, and how-to books on Kindles, Nooks, etc., it doesn't mean they want every other word to link to some subplot, back story, or e-commerce page.  Often times, readers just want to read.

This doesn't mean the bells and whistles are meaningless, but most people would rather own an ugly car that works over a beautiful car that doesn't start. If you can make something beautiful and interactive, that's great. Just don't compromise the functionality of what your audience really wants: in this case, excellent content.

Discoverability
Another issue brought up in this article was how products are discovered in the storefronts. Hearst President David Carey basically says that products have to land in the upper carousel of the storefront to sell well. I'm sure most sales on Amazon have to rank well too. So, does that mean all publishers and writers are held at the mercy of Apple, Amazon, and other booksellers?

Umm, it shouldn't. This merely underscores how important it is for publishers and writers to have a direct line to their audience. It underscores the importance of an author platform. Publishers and writers can't just call it a day after a book gets in the bookstores; they have to shine a spotlight on their creations.

While fulfilling an audience's needs should always be priority one, working on discoverability (and yes, I know it's not a real word) is priority one-A.

Connection
As I mentioned above, discoverability should be a close second priority for writers, editors, and publishers--if they want to sell books. But it's one thing to talk about promotion, and anyone can just start throwing up links like crazy after a book is published. That doesn't mean anyone is going to pay attention. No, what writers, editors, and publishers need is to create platforms and make meaningful connections with their target audience and the influencers of their target audience.

This means you connect with bloggers, program directors, and editors of magazines and websites related to your writing and that in turn connect with your target audience. These are the gatekeepers to your target audience (your potential readers and book buyers).

Combine
For writers, editors, and publishers to find the most success in the future, it is imperative that they work to combine these three elements. They need to figure out what their audience needs and then deliver it in a way that their target audience knows that it exists and that it is exactly what they want. If the content really is great, this is the recipe that creates bestselling products and earns writers, editors, and publishers adoring fans, which ultimately leads to more fun projects in the future.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other helpful Not Bob posts:

• How to Blog and Make Money Blogging.
• How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

*****

And if you want a way to make a super investment in your author platform, check out the latest offering from Writer's Digest: Author Platform Consultations. There are three different levels--from a basic package (that is anything but basic) to an 8-week program that involves 30-minute consultations each week. Click here to learn more.

Develop a Slogan to Help Your Author Platform

Over at Ad Age, Al Ries wrote a great piece on slogans in relation to political campaigns. Whether you voted for Obama or Romney, Ries shines the light on who had the better slogan--and why. (Click here to read the full article.)

The two main nuggets I got out of the article were:

1. A good slogan cuts both ways. That is, a good slogan builds up an identity (person, company, etc.) while also defining how you're different than the competition. Using Obama's "Forward" slogan as the example, it implies that Obama wants to move forward while his competition wants to go backward. Politics aside (and whether you agree or disagree), that's what the slogan communicates.
2. A good slogan communicates value. If you write cookbooks, your slogan should NOT be: Jane Doe, Cookbook Author. A more powerful slogan might be: Jane Doe, Helping the World Cook Better. Instead of Joe Smith, Thriller Author, try Joe Smith, Keeping Readers on the Edge of Their Seat.

Robert Lee Brewer, Helping Writers Succeed

 

Why Do Slogans Matter?

Writers have so much to worry about that I totally understand if they're wondering, "Why the heck should I care about slogans? Aren't those just for companies?"

Those are fair questions, but here's the thing: Once writers hang their shingles as freelance writers, that makes them businesses. Maybe just one employee. Maybe not super successful...just yet. But a business nonetheless. Still, why does a slogan matter?

For one, a slogan defines who writers are to their target audience--to literary agents, editors, book buyers, and ultimately readers. That's pretty important stuff.

Second, a slogan defines who writers are to themselves. It might seem like common sense, but most writers can't define themselves--especially in a way that explains their value--in fewer than 10 words. That's why developing a slogan is a super important exercise.

Incorporate Into Your Author Platform

Once you have a slogan that communicates value and cuts both ways, begin incorporating it into your platform building.

• Use it--or something very similar--as the tagline on your blog and/or website.
• Include it in the About Me sections of your social media profiles.
• Put it on your business cards.
• Include it in your e-mail signature.
• Work the slogan into any other messaging you can, whether an e-newsletter or print stationery.

Use it and use it some more. Remember: Consistency is key in brand building, and that's exactly what an author platform: It's building your brand as an author. Now, get to work on your slogan.
 
*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other helpful Not Bob posts:

• How to Blog and Make Money Blogging.
• How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

*****

And if you want a way to improve make a super investment in your author platform, check out the latest offering from Writer's Digest: Author Platform Consultations. There are three different levels--from a basic package (that is anything but basic) to an 8-week program that involves 30-minute consultations each week. Click here to learn more.

2012 November PAD Chapbook Challenge!

There are things I love and things I detest about November. One thing I detest is Daylight Savings Time. Blech! However, something I love (in addition to Thanksgiving) is the November PAD (Poem-A-Day) Chapbook Challenge that's run on my Poetic Asides blog.

Here's how it works: Each day of November, there is a new prompt posted. Each day, poets from around the world respond to that prompt with their poems. At the end of November, poets should have 30+ poems written which they can turn into a 10-20 chapbook manuscript to submit to me by early January.

The challenge is meant to be fun and productive. Anyway, I thought I'd link to the prompts here to make it easy for Not Bob readers to play along and get caught up (if they want to break a line or two).

Here are the November 2012 poetry prompts:

• Day 1: Matches Poem
• Day 2: Full Moon Poem
• Day 3: Scary Poem
• Day 4: Just Beneath (blank) Poem
• Day 5: Text Message Poem
• Day 6: Left or Right Poem (Two-for-Tuesday prompt)
• Day 7: Circular Poem
• Day 8: Talk Back to a Dead Poet Poem
• Day 9: When He's Gone Poem
• Day 10: Foreign Word Title Poem
• Day 11: Veteran Poem
• Day 12: New Technology Poem
• Day 13: Letter or Recipe Poem (Two-for-Tuesday prompt)
• Day 14: Stuck Poem
• Day 15: Tradeoff Poem
• Day 16: Last Line First Poem
• Day 17: How-to Poem
• Day 18: Glosa Poem
• Day 19: Wheel Poem
• Day 20: Gathering or Letting Poem (Two-for-Tuesday prompt)
• Day 21: Song Title Poem
• Day 22: Paradise Poem
• Day 23: Deep Poem
• Day 24: Truth About Blank Poem
• Day 25: Opposite Poem
• Day 26: Collection Poem
• Day 27: Hero or Villain Poem (Two-for-Tuesday prompt)
• Day 28: Workplace Adversity Poem
• Day 29: Birth Poem
• Day 30: Milk Poem

The prompts will fill in throughout the month. Click on the links above to view the full explanation of the prompt, read my own attempt at the prompt, and read plenty of examples by other poets.

No matter the challenge you're taking on in November (if you're taking one on), please have an excellent time doing so.

*****

By the way, if you're into challenges (and haven't done so yet), you might be interested in taking on my 30-day Platform Building Challenge. It's free, easy, and has been very helpful for scores of writers already. Click: How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.

*****

Also, I don't think I've mentioned it on here yet, but I was called out in the November issue of O, The Oprah Magazine for my Poetic Asides blog. In fact, a direct quote: "I have a poet crush on Robert Lee Brewer." Now that's something cool! Click here to check out the piece, which includes three other important poetry resources.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other helpful Not Bob posts:

• How to Blog and Make Money Blogging.
• Top Tweeters for Writers to Follow.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

*****

And if you want a way to improve make a super investment in your author platform, check out the latest offering from Writer's Digest: Author Platform Consultations. There are three different levels--from a basic package (that is anything but basic) to an 8-week program that involves 30-minute consultations each week. Click here to learn more.

3 Reasons Why SEO Matters: Improve Search Engine Rankings

This is why SEO matters: If you want to improve search engine rankings, there are two ways to make that happen, and both techniques have to work together. First, you have to write amazing content. Second, you have to employ sound keyword strategy.

I spent last weekend in Hollywood, California. It was a great trip for two reasons:

1. I was able to take a bunch of goofy tourist photos.
2. I was afforded the opportunity to help people understand the importance of SEO.

View from hotel room included the HOLLYWOOD sign.

3 Reasons Why SEO Matters

Here's the brick wall I usually hit when explaining the importance of SEO. Most writers are allergic to numbers and statistics. Some writers are completely against structure (these writers often fight against the idea of using outlines).

However, if they're going to get the most bang for their buck online, writers (and all professionals) need to optimize their websites for search engine. Here's why:

1. SEO leads to discover-ability. Most people who need to know the answer to something now go online to find the answers. Sites that aren't optimized for search engines will not display in the search results. If your site isn't on the first page of results, it's pretty much invisible. In fact, most sites that aren't in the first 3-5 spots on a search page will receive fewer than 5% of all clicks on a given search.
2. SEO leads to higher traffic. A common method for measuring success on blogs and websites is to look at traffic. That makes a lot of sense. One good method for increasing traffic is to post a lot of new content, but it takes a lot of effort for each new page or post. Any even better method is to post content that receives as much (or more) traffic on day 365 as the day it was first posted. This can be accomplished with great SEO.
3. SEO leads to improved content. Many writers point to content as the reason they object to learning SEO. They argue that targeting keywords leads to stilted language. Let me agree for a moment: Yes, it can. In such cases, keyword-loaded posts with stilted language do not perform well in search engine rankings. It takes a combination of great keywords and great content to consistently rank on page one.

Improve Search Engine Rankings

I'm only writing this post because I've seen the power of SEO first hand. I've spent the past two years experimenting with content on this blog, including increasing posts, linking to social media, and optimizing for search engines. Some experiments have worked; others have failed; and I try to share everything with my awesome readers.

As many long-time Not Bob readers know, I was posting nearly every day through the first five months of 2012. I'd driven traffic to my blog to new levels through many strategies mentioned in my 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic post. Then, life got in the way, and I was able to run a different type of experiment--a very passive experiment. I was able to see what my Not Bob traffic would be like without new content.

This is only my 2nd post since August 7 and 10th since May 31. In fact, I didn't even post in the month of September. Traffic on my blog actually increased during the months of June through September (October is still in progress) by 44.8% in 2012 over 2011. In the month of September (in which I didn't make a single post), my traffic increased 41.4%.

I'm not sharing these stats to make your eyes gloss over or to boast. I want to emphasize that the traffic to my blog in my absence was not due to new content. Instead, it was mostly through new readers finding me while searching for answers online. My combination of solid content and great keywords helped increase my traffic while I've been away.

Use SEO to Improve Your Platform

Whether you're a writer or business owner (and really, freelancer writers are business owners), search engine rankings are essential to your success online. Lucky for you, I've developed a 30-day challenge for improving your online platform. It's completely free and--from the testimonials I've received--completely effective in jump starting your process. 

Over the 30-day plan, I cover many tasks, including better SEO. I encourage you to start taking the challenge today (or this weekend) if you haven't yet.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other helpful Not Bob posts:

• How to Blog and Make Money Blogging.
• Top Tweeters for Writers to Follow.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

*****

And if you want a way to improve make a super investment in your author platform, check out the latest offering from Writer's Digest: Author Platform Consultations. There are three different levels--from a basic package (that is anything but basic) to an 8-week program that involves 30-minute consultations each week. Click here to learn more.

What I've Been Up To

If you only know me through this Not Bob blog, then you've probably been wondering what the heck happened to me. The truth is that I've been busy with all the other not-"Not Bob" stuff I have in my life. This blog has become so successful that I haven't had to worry too much about traffic slumping (even as I've focused on other projects).

That said, I haven't just been sitting around doing nothing the past few months. In fact, I'm hopping on a plane tomorrow morning to work the Writer's Digest Conference West event in Hollywood, California. I'll be speaking on a panel (Hardcore Author Marketing) on Saturday. If you can attend, please stop by and introduce yourself.

At an Ohio pumpkin farm with two of my boys.

Last month, I worked as a member of the staff for Writing Away Retreats, which is an amazing event for writers put on my Cicily Janus. Cicily assembles a wonderful staff (agents, editors, authors) and brings them together with what feels like a hand-selected group of attendees. If you ever have the opportunity to attend one of these events, I highly recommend it.

As a poet, I've had a few poems accepted recently by MiPOesias and The Pedestal Magazine. Since I have only made a few submissions all year, I consider this an incredible achievement. A lot of my poetic energy has been focused on putting together a full-length poetry manuscript, which I'm hoping to start submitting in November.

As a blogger, I've been busy too (though, yes, I know, not here):

• How to Get a Book Published
• Public Speaking Tips
• How to Conduct an Interview
• 7 Ways to Make Extra Money From Home
• How to Write a Blog
• Poetry Magazine Submissions
• Haibun Poems: Poetic Form
• Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 196

I've been working so much in WordPress recently that it feels weird to have such a clean admin experience with Blogger now. (It's kinda nice.)

If you're interested in blogging, check out this excerpt of a tutorial I recorded for Writer's Digest sharing my 50 Ways to Increase Your Blog Traffic. It's sort of like my 25 Ways to Increase Your Blog Traffic post--but it's twice as long and comes with the authoritative sound of my voice.

Hmmm... there are other things I've been doing, but this post is already so terribly long that I'd recommend keeping up with me in small chunks. For instance, you could follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer or find me on Facebook as Robert Lee Brewer. If you prefer, I'm also on Google+ as Robert Brewer.

I'm not going to make any promises about increasing my blog frequency here. It's on my to-do list, but the more important list is always my to-done list (as in this post is nearly to-done). If you want to stay on top of future posts that will help with writing, blogging, publishing, parenting, or whatever else I decide to address, then sign up for e-mail updates over on the right.

In the meantime, check out the following Not Bob posts from the archive:

• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.
• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

Get Published This Year!

2013 Writer's Market Deluxe

Make this the year you get published and get paid for your writing by picking up either the 2013 Writer's Market or Writer's Market Deluxe Edition and/or subscribing to WritersMarket.com. I just recently received my desk copies of the 2013 books, and they look great.

Click here to read my post on the WritersMarket.com blog about both books.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out previous Not Bob posts:

• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• The Newest Way to Make Money as a Writer.
• The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Writers.

The Importance of Word Play

I'm pleased to welcome Khara House to the house (I'm sure she hasn't heard that one before). She's covering one of my favorite subjects: playing with words! Khara is a poet, freelance writer, and educator. She just finished her first year teaching at the university level, teaching First-Year Composition and an Intermediate Poetry Workshop. Khara says, "I have been writing for as long as I can remember, though only recently have I started working to share it more seriously, and more widely. I am currently focusing a lot more on both my poetry and my blog, through which I hope to share many of the rich experiences I have been blessed with through writing." Find Khara online at www.kharahouse.com.

Khara House, poet, freelance writer, and educator

When I walk into my poetry class, I hold a small pile of poems in foreign languages. As class begins, I pass out the poems, tell my students to pick one, and begin translating it. For a moment, I am met with disbelieving glances that tell me my students are officially convinced I'm insane. But then, as I lower my head and begin my own translation, I hear a few murmurs, a collection of giggles and groans, and finally the movement of pens over paper.

Poetic Serendipity
Word play is, for me, one of the essential tools in a writer's toolbox. When I talk about word play in a workshop, I usually also talk about poetic "serendipity"—that is, letting words guide you rather than you trying to guide the words. Too often we, as poets and writers, try to force words—or characters, or scenes—into line when all along the words are just waiting for us to let them do what they do.

There is a story about Michelangelo that I think speaks to this process of letting creative juices flow as they will, when they will. A man came into Michelangelo's studio and found him staring at a block of marble (that, the story says, would eventually become his statue of David). When the man asked Michelangelo what he was doing, Michelangelo simply replied, "I'm working."

When I asked my students to do the translation exercise, I was asking them to become Michelangelo and simply wait on the words within them to form themselves: to stop worrying about what the poem should mean, and instead allow themselves to express themselves freely. An exercise like this, and word play in general, allows us to step outside of the world of sense and engage in a world of play. It practically forces us to accept that sometimes the best poems are the ones that are completely out of our control; they will only settle into what they are supposed to be when we stop trying to force them into being.

Sample translated poem (in Armenian)

Same Poem Different
As the activity ended, my students and I took turns reading our poems. After discussing the prompt's purpose, I revealed my "big secret": despite the fact that they worked with ten different languages, they had all been translating the same poem … and it was one I had written! What made it such a fun surprise was that when I read them the original, one student pointed out that even my translation was different than the original! This only further emphasized the point of the exercise: stepping out of the familiar, and letting the mind run wild.

I encourage you, whether you are a writer of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, to take some time and step out of your writing's way. Free write for an hour. Write a fake dialogue with a character; let yourself be surprised by what he or she has to say. Play with the words you are writing—you'll find they make excellent playmates!

*****

If you think you have a great guest post to share (on writing, parenting, or better living in general), click here to learn how to get the conversation started. I'm sure if you think it's important, I may too.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out previous Not Bob posts:

• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.
• How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.
• Where Should I Focus My Time? Tips for Social Media Use.

Where Should I Focus My Time? Tips for Social Media Use

As many of you Not Bob regulars know, I unplugged in July. It's something I just needed to do to finish up some projects, spend time with my family, and re-charge my blogging batteries. However, I took my time off very seriously and let my e-mail build and found the following problem hidden in there.

During the summer, I spent time with family.

Problem: Where Should I Focus My Time?

A reader of the Not Bob blog contacted me to let me know he's getting serious about his social media and blogging usage. He already had some social media accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn (with as many as 1,000 connections), but he didn't seem to be getting the traction he wanted. As a result, he was considering joining some other social media sites, including RedRoom, Twitter, and Pinterest. His basic question was, "Where should I focus my time?"

On the surface, this seems like a good question to ask. After all, if site A is more profitable than site B, then it would make sense to spend more time on site A and less (or none) on site B, right? This saves time and energy if you know which site works best.

That's the big IF usually: How do I know which site works best?

Problem: How Should I Focus My Time?

When the reader mentioned the more than 1,000 connections, he let slip that he only really knew about 10% of them. I think this is fairly common for people with large social networks: They know some, but not all of their online connections. So maybe the question shouldn't be where should I spend my time, but instead, how should I spend my time?

Maybe instead of thinking where to go next, think about how you should act once you are on a social network. Send messages to new friends explaining why you friended them, or ask why they friended you. Comment on status updates or tweets. Try to engage your connections and really pay attention to what they have to say.

Sometimes, I think we get so focused on the end result of our investments that we turn into social media robots shoveling information and sales pitches out to our "friends" and "followers," instead of doing the thing that's more important, and that's being human.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.
• How to Brand Yourself (and Take Over the World).
• The Newest Way to Make Money as a Writer: How to Make Digital Products That Sell.

Overcoming Clinical Depression (Life Changing Moments series)

Overcoming depression is no joke. Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the United States for people ages 15 to 44, and it's nearly twice as common in women as it is in men. I'd like to thank Sarah Negovetich for sharing her personal story related to overcoming an unexpected failure caused by clinical depression. Sarah is fairly new to the online writing community, but that didn’t stop her from creating a blog and expecting other people to read it (insert shameless blog plug here). When she isn’t ignoring her children to write, Sarah is a marketing consultant for a national non-profit children’s charity. Find her on Twitter @SarahNego. www.SarahNego.blogspot.com

Sarah Negovetich

My senior year in college started out exactly the way I expected. Deciding what classes I needed to graduate, getting measured for a cap and gown, and figuring out where to apply for law school. Everything about my life, from my spacious sorority house room to my wonderful boyfriend, was perfect. I like to think of myself then as the not-so-skinny brunette version of Elle Woods.

So no one was more surprised than me when I suddenly lost all interest in everything. I changed almost overnight from an outgoing social butterfly to a hermit style couch potato.

After several months of sitting around in my pajamas, staring at the unplugged television and eating Crunch 'n Munch from the box, my roommates staged an intervention. A forced visit to my family doctor resulted in a diagnosis of Clinical Depression.

Handling Depression
I started working with the school counselor and figuring out a medication dosage to get my brain chemicals back on track. By the end of the school year I was almost my old self. Unfortunately, months of tuning out the world meant I didn't have enough credits. I wouldn't be graduating with the rest of my class. I had failed and for the first time in my life that failure came with real consequences.

I moved back home, but constant remarks about my inability to graduate weren't helping. My family loves me, but they were convinced the depression was all in my head and I'd just gotten lazy. After a few months of hits to my frail ego, I moved in with my wonderful boyfriend (who is now my wonderful husband) and tried to figure out what I was going to do with my life.

Working a series of odd jobs including everything from Waffle House waitress (Do you want those covered and smothered?) to insurance telemarketing (Did you know we offer a multi-car discount?) provided me with ample life lessons. Most importantly I learned I needed to get my degree…now.

Making Up For Lost Time
It would take me a year and a half to make up for those lost months. And unlike the first time around, I now had to balance a full course load with a full-time job. Classes were crammed in before my shift in the mornings and stretched late into the night. It wasn’t uncommon to leave my house at 6 a.m. and not come home until 10 p.m. Weekends weren't any better since that was my only available time to power through homework and class projects.

Going back to school was one of the hardest things I've ever done. It forced me to face a failure that had become a defining part of my life. It pushed my time management skills and required a level of dedication I had never reached before.

Finishing my degree brought new meaning to the word 'challenge,' but other than my children it is the one thing I am most proud of accomplishing. After three semesters of sweat and tears (there may have been blood) I finally put on a black polyester robe and shook hands with the dean as she handed over my shiny new diploma.

Anything Is Possible
Now, when I’m faced with a difficult situation, I know I can get through it. A scene I can't get right, feedback that cuts me to the core, yet another round of edits. Hard stuff, but not as hard as going back to school.

There are times in life when I think "I can't do this," be it writing or learning how to knit (a skill I still can't master). But when those moments crop up I remind myself of that muggy day in May when I shook hands with the dean in front of my friends and family and changed a failure into success.

*****

If you think you have a great life changing moment to share (and you probably have several), click here to learn how to get the conversation started. I'm sure if you think it's important, I may too.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out previous posts from the Life Changing Moments Series:

• Is This Really What You Want: Or Unbecoming a Shark.
• You Look Like Your Mama Mated With a Rhino.
• Knowing What Is Best: The Value of Another's Perspective.

I Love You and Bye Bye (I Love You and Bye Bye)

Will (my 3-year-old son) has been very interested in talking on the phone recently. He'll often start running through a range of 3-year-old topics at lightspeed and then finish the conversation with, "I love you and bye bye," and then he'll repeat it for emphasis: "I love you and bye bye."

3-year-old Will in action

I'm not planning on leaving the blogosphere or anything like that, but I am going to take a break specifically on My Name Is Not Bob. As I've mentioned before, I have some secret and not-so-secret projects in the works, but I've also just had a lot of living to do this summer, including Cub Scouts Day Camp, vacations with my kids, and a poetry collection I've been assembling.

Today I've decided to quit trying to juggle everything at once. I'm going to put this ball down until some point in August--when I anticipate my schedule getting back to semi-normal. Since I haven't done a ton of blogging since the middle of May, I understand that not much will change here. However, it will give me peace of mind for the next month or so.

If you've submitted a guest post to me, don't worry. Those will go up, but they'll go up when I'm able to devote all my attention to promoting them via my social media accounts. I'd like to avoid doing a half-hearted stab at blogging here.

In the meantime, please check out my two "professional" blogs:

• WritersMarket.com blog.
• Poetic Asides blog.

As I mentioned above, I'll be back here in August (and stronger than ever), but for now, I love you and bye bye.

I love you and bye bye.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page. These will let you know when I've ramped things back up in August.

*****

Here are some Not Bob greatest hits:

• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.
• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.
• When I Learned to Actively Pursue Happiness.
• Surviving Childbirth: Putting Chaos Beneath Gratitude.

Advice for Writers: 036

This past week was sort of weird with Jane Friedman running out of advice (for now anyway--and good luck to Jane in all she's about to accomplish with VQR), but I've still been able to hunt down plenty of great stuff for writers.

• 25 Things You Should Know About Writing Fantasy, by Chuck Wendig. Another 25 things list from the king of 25 things lists.
• How We Choose the Best Publisher, by Rachelle Gardner. Rachelle shares how literary agents choose the best publisher for each project they represent.
• New Literary Agent Alert: Linda Glaz of Hartline Literary Agency, by Chuck Sambuchino. Chuck is always sharing new agent alerts, how I got my agent stories, and more. Best agent blog from a non-agent.
• Are You Writing Your Novel Too Fast?, by K.M. Weiland. I do it too; that is, I start a project wanting to get it finished as soon as humanly possible. But writing is often better when we take a moment to breathe (and consider).
• How to Maximize eBook Royalties and Minimize Hassles, by Ray Rhamey. Ray shares the best way to get the most out of your DIY eBook project and explains what works best for him.

Also, I'm starting to get more active on my recently launched WritersMarket.com blog. The top picks from this past week include how to write a query letter and a query letter sample list of awesomeness.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• How to Monetize a Blog: How to Blog and Make Money.
• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.

Advice for Writers: 035

Since my last Advice for Writers post (on May 21), I've been slammed with work (and other projects) and only have 4 posts to show for the past month of blogging. However, I've nearly reached the end of all that crazy and am ready to get back on track. As my first offering, check out some of the recent best advice for writers online:

• There Are Two Kinds of "Busy." Is Yours the Right Kind? by Joanne Tombrakos. One of the lines I love the most from this post: One of (technology's) big downsides is that it can create the illusion that we are so much more important than we really are. This is a nice post on trying to find balance in work and life (and realizing it's a moving target).
• The 10-Step Guide to Fixing the Writer Website Fails That Cost You Clients, by Carol Tice. From no website to no about page, Carol offers up 10 common fails for writer websites. If you plan to make a career out of writing, you need a website--and this list is a good guide for mistakes to avoid.
• Ode to the Editor, by Chuck Wendig. As an editor, I'm including this post as a way of reminding writers of the importance of editors. Like writers, we're human--and many of us want the same thing: great writing to share with an audience.
• Why Publishing Your First Novel Is Like Running for Student Body President, by Michelle Haimoff. To prove her point, Michelle includes 40 ways the two are similar.
• The Top 25 Ways to Blow a Book, by K.M. Weiland. Great post. Another list of no-no's. Maybe that's the theme of this week's advice.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• The Second Most Important Thing a Writer Can Do: 5 Ways to Experiment as a Writer.
• How to Monetize a Blog: How to Blog and Make Money.
• The Newest Way to Make Money as a Writer: How to Make Digital Products That Sell.

Poetry Hickory: My Experience in Hickory, North Carolina

For a few years, Tammy and I have been aware of the Poetry Hickory events happening in Hickory, North Carolina. Hosted by Scott Owens and attended by several poets we know on Facebook, Tammy and I have wanted to be involved for just as long. A little more than a year ago, we finally got the ball rolling when we met Scott in person at the Blue Ridge Writers Conference.

Hickory, North Carolina

From Duluth, Georgia, the drive up to Hickory, North Carolina, was pretty simple. We just jumped on I-85, sped through South Carolina, and took 321 up into the city, which is known for furniture and Lenoir-Rhyne University.

In front of Taste Full Beans.

Personally, I thought Hickory was a nice town with a cute downtown area. I totally recommend the Olde Hickory Tap Room, which serves up some great pub food that's tasty and modestly priced (especially for the big helpings they dish out).

One thing about Hickory though: They have a fairly confusing system for labeling streets. There's a 2nd Ave NW that is different than the 2nd Ave NE, which are both different than the 2nd St. NE and 2nd St. NW. And that doesn't even take into account roads like 2nd St. Pl. SW and 2nd St. Pl. SE.

Bottom line: Make sure you have plenty of navigational tools at your disposal and very reliable GPS.

Poetry Hickory

Tammy and I were the featured speakers. But before the actual poetry reading, I led a workshop on how to build an audience for your poetry. There were 14 or 15 attendees, and we workshopped in the kitchen area of Taste Full Beans, which makes a pretty mean (and fast) vanilla latte. Scott hosts Poetry Hickory at this coffee shop the 2nd Tuesday of every month and tries to set it up with a workshop followed by a reading.

From left to right, Jane Shlensky, Nancy Posey, Tammy, Robert.

The workshop went great. I shared a lot of writer platform advice, as well as personal and professional lessons I've learned through the years. And it was followed up with a Q&A that Scott ultimately had to cut short for the poetry reading.

As far as the poetry, Nancy Posey and Jane Shlensky got the ball rolling with some incredible poems and personal stories that were at times funny and at other times very touching. I nearly teared up when Jane started talking about her mother's poetry and the Alzheimer's that literally made her own writing (and name) foreign to her. Their set was followed by some accoustic guitar.

My Poetry Reading

After the guitar, I got up and read for around 20 minutes. Since I'm big on short poems, I felt like I was hitting the audience with one poem after the other, but I guess that's how I roll--so I'd better own it. For those very familiar with my poetry, my set list went something like this:

• Delivery (which is turning into my favorite opening poem)
• Solving the world's problems
• At the arboretum
• A small tear in the pillow
• Waking
• My Little Prince
• One Day We Looked for the Snow
• "The Undeniable Pressure of Existence," by Patricia Fargnoli from Duties of the Spirit
• anywhere we dare go
• the silence between us
• alone in the city
• you origami me

Yes, I drink Mountain Dew when I read.

Scott asked before the night got started which order Tammy and I would like to go in, and I gave my honest answer that I prefer to go before Tammy. As I told the audience last night, I always feel like following Tammy is like this scene in Great Balls of Fire in which Chuck Berry has to follow Jerry Lee Lewis after he's set his piano on fire on the stage. Later in the evening a woman shared that if Tammy's poetry is flaming piano that my poetry is like a burning harpsichord. I'm totally throwing that on a book cover someday!

Tammy's Poetry Reading

I'm biased, but I love to hear Tammy read. Her poems are always so engaging, human, and perfect. She's one of those poets who doesn't write all the time, but when she does write she works on it and through it over and over until the words are exactly as they should be (and, of course, she keeps at it after the poems are published as well). Honestly, I've learned more about revision from Tammy than I did in several poetry courses in college.

Tammy outside Taste Full Beans.

For those keeping score on Tammy, I didn't write down her playlist, but I do know she read "December 8, 1980," "I Like the Way You Pin My Arms Down," "Fishing in the Chattahoochee," "The Baptism of a Bicycle," "Sea Gypsies," "There Are No Instructions for This," "Over Soup," and "The Problem With Semantics."

Next Up

There's always the next event, and the next one for me (and Tammy) will be a retreat in September in Colorado. Cicily Janus puts together these amazing Writing Away Retreats that provide writers with ample writing time and very hands on feedback from editors, agents, and other writers. In fact, I'll be there as one of the editors. For more information, visit http://www.writingawayretreats.info/.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out previous experiences:

• Blue Ridge Writers Conference.
• Austin International Poetry Festival.
• Houston Poetry Fest "Out of Bounds" Reading.

Lose Control: Traveling Alone With a Lost Passport in a Foreign Country (Life Changing Moments Series)

Traveling alone with a lost passport in a foreign country, Bernadette Ignacio found herself in a situation out of her control. In fact, Bernadette found her best way out of her problem was to simply lose control and surrender herself to the world around her. Bernadette is a burgeoning freelance writer and blogger based in the sunny, sometimes sleepy beach community of Ventura County, CA. Being from a small So Cal bubble-town, her life passion lies in exploring the near and far nooks and crannies of the world, and sharing her experiences as a travel writer. Her current blog babies are Words of the One, a weekly wisdom site with posts every Wednesday, and Bee's Stoetry, where she shares short story snippets and poetry from her many international misadventures. Learn more about Bernadette's never ending story at bernadettelynnignacio.com.

Bernadette Ignacio, world traveler.

Lost Passport

I should have been kidnapped...

Alone in the ripped apart pile of my life, I cried until I felt sick. Catching my breath, I tried to keep chunks from flying all over the mess I scattered on the airport floor that cloudy day in Cuzco. Bravery of doing this by myself backfired. There was no one to call, nothing else I could do, so I just hung my head between my shaky knees and cried some more.

Along with my passport I lost my senses. After sobbing myself dizzy, I couldn't think of anything. And without a passport, I knew I couldn't do anything. I felt the strange tingle of on-looking eyes. Hovering above me, stood a silver-haired man looking puzzled, yet empathetic. Glaring through tears, his white shirt glowed against weathered, tan skin. A shiny badge swung from his neck that led my eyes to his.

"What's wrong," he asked in soft, slow, accented English.

I felt a burn rise in my throat, and began to word-vomit my pathetic predicament in pathetic Spanglish, wiping snot away with my sleeves. He paused, asked me to take a deep breath, and looked at me the way a dad looks at his daughter after showing him an owie.

"Don't worry," he said. "My name is Mr. Alexander. I'm going to help you."

This is the moment when the girl agrees, gets snatched, and is never seen again. But I sensed no sign of stranger danger in his kind, old eyes. A small, weak smile cracked through as I surrendered a simple, "Ok."

Traveling Alone

The months that led up to the day I met Mr. Alexander couldn't have been more carefully planned. It wasn't until 48 hours before my travel troubles literally hit the floor did it all spiral downhill.

In June of 2009, I set out on an epic backpacking adventure to South America. As a 20-something, solo female with a frame of 120 lb., I was a walking target for another horror story abroad in the headlines. So I planned my travel days ahead with attention to detail I thought would make Howard Hughes proud. Travel Visas, check! Flight schedule, check! Monstrous backpack full of first aid sh*t, check! And most importantly...PASSPORT, CHECK!

First stop to the mystic top, Machu Picchu, Peru. Next, Cordoba, Argentina for a volunteer opportunity with orphans. Then, Brazil, where I would reclaim a love lost. Yup, I was out to open my eyes, race to romance, and change the world. And because I had my plans set in stone for weeks, I couldn't be stopped.

Well, my high horse of confidence got shot down the moment I landed in Lima. It was 12:49 a.m. in the pitch black of Peruvian night, when I finally fetched my "Green Monster" off the conveyor belt after an agonizing line through customs. Surely I couldn't walk foreign streets with no clear direction, bearing that thing on my back, holding a map. I needed a cab. With the first step outside, I got startled from scolds of taxi hustlers. I hastily chose the driver with the most trusted looking car. Off to Cuzco I would go come morning.

Two weeks flew filled with mythic memories fueled by bottomless cups of Macha, or as I called it, crack water. I connected with countless global nomads, but every day, someone moved on. On June 18th, it was me. So I thought.

No More Options

Six days prior I got a tip from a fellow traveler to book cheap flights through a website called E-Dreams. The catch, she warned, was slow service from the budget booking company. With a week to spare, I assumed I was safe. But worry built up each day I woke to a ticketless inbox. On the night before expected departure, I screamed on the phone overseas, demanding they send my ticket. With frustration of accents and office hours in Europe coming to a close, dread set in. Finally, I got a confirmation number. Still stressed and unsatisfied, I "slept."

I scrambled around the morning market like a maniac; Snack, cash, last minute souvenirs--Fetch the Green Monster, check-out, grab a cab, and race to the airport. Throwing a wad of Pesos at the driver, I ran to the check-in counter two hours before take off. A startled woman confirmed my reservation, and asked for my passport. Reaching into my day pack, I tried to produce it. To my unthinkable horror, my hand found only empty space. A travel nightmare come true.

I tore through my Green Monster in a panic to find it: nothing. With her guts gravely strewn on the ground around me, I collapsed. "I'm supposed to be on that plane! I'm supposed to help the orphans! I'm supposed to NEVER lose my passport!" My head spun with possible places it could've been stolen, or mindlessly left during my mad rush around Cuzco. With time to work, I decided to retrace my frantic steps.

Blitzing back to my hostel, I checked reception. They told me they didn't have it, but what they did tell me was more unsettling. Apparently minutes ago, the man who found it came to see if I was there. Tucked in the pages was a receipt from my stay. They told him I left for the airport, and my airline. He claimed he would try to catch up. Desperate to meet, I dashed back to the airport. Again, I sprinted to check-in with hurried hopes.The same confused lady said a man came, parading my passport. But alas, I was not there for him to find. We were chasing each other's phantom footsteps. Him in search of a hefty finder's fee. Me, my lost key to the world. I waited.

20 minutes passed, then 40, then, gate five closed for flight 918 bound for Cordoba. My $360 dollar seat flew away cold and empty. There were no more solutions, no more options for me to "fix it." At the mercy of my mistake, instincts said I should suck it up. But I could barely breathe. That's when Mr. Alexander found me.

Lose Control

Helping me onto my feet, he revealed his position as manager of the airline. He explained I needed to go back to Lima where the U.S. Embassy could issue a replacement passport. I showed him copies of I.D., and to my astonishment, he proceeded to book me a discounted flight for Lima 300 miles away. He assured that I was to have no issues.

The next step was going to the police for a theft report needed to present at the embassy. He asked if it was OK that he personally escort me there so he could translate my snafu in Spanish. Noticing my apprehension about the "personal" part, he suggested I might be more comfortable in my own cab (which he insisted on paying for), we followed him to the station. It all just happened.

Afterward, he asked if I had somewhere safe to stay that night. I mentioned my hostel, he knew it, and with the same hand-held steps, he returned me to my haven. After hearing my story, they let me stay for free. You see it all the time, a traveler with atrocious troubles. You never think it could be you.

Mr. Alexander handed me his card with that same stern, yet sweet look. "If you have any more problem, you call me OK.”

I wrapped my wimpy arms around him. Smiling, he told me he didn't want me leaving Cuzco with cold memories in my heart, and kissed my hand goodbye. With tears welling up in my eyes again, his beaming white shirt blurred away behind the big wooden door. On June 19th, I flew away.

It is hard to surrender when we truly believe all we have to be is strong. However, sometimes it's about letting go of what you think should be happening, and accepting what is actually happening. Life gives you these moments when it seems everything ought to be perfectly orchestrated because you've prepared so much. Though when left with no choice but to be held in the hands of the universe, it's possible that we be taken care of in ways we couldn't even dream.

The truth is, our concept of control is an illusion, and there comes a pivotal point when we can understand and embrace that. It's a point when giving up seems like the last thing you should do, but really, it's the only thing you can do to save yourself.

*****

If you think you have a great life changing moment to share (and you probably have several), click here to learn how to get the conversation started. I'm sure if you think it's important, I may too.

*****

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out previous posts from the Life Changing Moments Series:

• Is This Really What You Want: Or Unbecoming a Shark.
• You Look Like Your Mama Mated With a Rhino.
• Knowing What Is Best: The Value of Another's Perspective.