BLACK FRIDAY 2020 BOOK DEAL: WRITING AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

 

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL

Writing at the Speed of Sound: Dictation Made Easy by Tony Thomas

Only 99 cents for Amazon Kindle!

https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Speed-Sound-Dictation-Made-ebook/dp/B08HLGYVQ9

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How to Make Money with Your Writing

by Tony Thomas

Many of those of us who love to write have a difficult time monetizing our efforts.  There seems to be no shortage of writers out there who are content to work for next to nothing.

Succeeding as a writer requires marketing skill, specialized knowledge, and the ability to "think outside the box".  And the more relevant knowledge and experience you have, the more money you can receive.

When I first decided to become a professional writer over 40 years ago, I hit the streets and found a local business that wanted to produce a marketing brochure.  While that was an ambitious project and I had zero experience, I hired a photographer/graphic designer, got quotes from a printer, and wrote the copy for the brochure with the assistance of the client.

Although I made very little money on the deal, I learned a lot about copywriting and print production.  I spent a lot of time with the dictionary, the thesaurus, and grammar books and honed my writing skills.  Shortly thereafter, I co-founded an advertising agency and did copy/creative for a variety of major clients.  I wrote magazine ads, radio commercials, marketing proposals, and copy for promotional pieces.

While working at the agency, I decided I wanted to write for print publications. I boldly walked into the office of a local newspaper with a sample of my work.  The editor was impressed and asked me about my areas of specialized knowledge.

That led to a long mutually beneficial relationship with that publication that lasted for decades.  With samples from that publication, I was able to get writing assignments from many other national and international publications.

My point is that small efforts can lead to substantial success with time and effort.  You just need to find your niche and your market.

The Writing Productivity Bundle - Book Review

by Tony Thomas

This is actually a set of three books penned by author, Monica Leonelle.  The books included are:

“Write Better, Faster”

“The 8 Minute Writing Habit”

“Dictate Your Book”

“Write Better, Faster” actually started off as a blog post that detailed Monica’s experience in trying hit her writing goals by using the “Pomodoro method”, dictation and meticulously  tracking her progress.  It is an easy read and a book worth revisiting from time to time.  The book ends with a very long appendix which is essentially a diary of her progress.  

“The 8 Minute Writing Habit” covers the five “author blocks that are keeping you from your writing” and provides nine strategies for success.  The last part of the book is the “8 x 8 challenge” that encompasses trying different techniques for 8 days that only take 8 minutes per day.

“Dictating Your Book” is about learning how to dictate to improve your productivity.  It primarily focuses on using “Dragon Naturally Speaking”.  

What I found refreshing about this set is that is written in a first-person, conversational tone.  She imparts a lot of wisdom that has been produced by her writing experiences.  I think it is a useful set for any writer.

Click link below to buy it on Amazon:  

https://amzn.to/3i4aX0g

Full disclosure:  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My Favorite Writing Tools

 

by Tony Thomas

One of my biggest writing obstacles is finding and using writing tools that I am both comfortable with and improve my workflow.  Here are some that I have found that help:

RedDragon Keyboard: I recently purchased a Red Dragon Kumara keyboard.  It has real switches that are pretty quiet and have excellent tactile response. Its back-lit keys also allow me to work easily when the lights are off.  I find that I can type very fast and accurately with this keyboard (after trying many others) so it is a keeper.

Evernote:  After taking a few years off, I renewed my Evernote subscription.  I tried to replace it with Google Keep but was not impressed with its overall dependability. I also missed having a dedicated Windows app with word count capability that would sync with all of my other devices while offering a web app.  I find the web clipper extension invaluable for organization and research.  And, as I often forget things and can become disorganized at times, Evernote functions as an extension of my brain.

Dragon Naturally Speaking:  I am regularly using dictation again.  While I often type when outlining or drafting, dictation definitely comes in handy when I am "in the flow".  As I can talk a lot faster than I can I can type, it definitely increases my productivity and word count without much effort. Dragon NaturallySpeaking is my favorite tool for dictation, although I also use Google dictation and Siri at times.

Scrivener: For writing books, I have not found a better solution than Scrivener.  While I often draft in other apps or programs, the content always ends up in Scrivener for final formatting and book production.  I also love its tools for tracking project stats and targets.

Google Docs:  When I work on my Chromebook or PC, I usually just use Google Docs.  It has all of the basic functions I need like built-in dictation, word count, formatting, plus grammar and spell checking.  What's not to like?

iPad: While I use the iPad primarily for content consumption, believe it or not, I really like typing on the iPad screen. I have been experimenting with a variety of text editors on the iPad and use them quite a bit to come up with ideas and for light drafting. I also like using various outlining and mind mapping apps on the iPad.  And having other tools like Evernote and Scrivener on the iPad is a huge plus.

What writing tools do you like to use?

Back to Writing Again

by Tony Thomas

After taking a few years off to concentrate on music production, I finally decided it is time to get back to writing.

I want to start writing more books and also start blogging again.  I hope to share some of the things that I find on my writing journey with you in the future.

I find myself using my iPad a lot more and also using my PC for dictation. In fact, I am in the process of writing a book on dictation and I hope to have it finished and released soon.

There are a lot of great tools out there to ease the writing process. I wish I would've had them when I started writing more than 40 years ago. Back then, I just used paper and pencil and an old manual typewriter. The progress from that using some of the early computers like the KayPro in the little NEC PC8201.

I'm fortunate to have written for numerous magazines and other publications such as Mix, Electronic Musician, Recording, AV Video, Roland Users Group, the Cleveland Scene, and others. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot of print work anymore and most of the paying stuff is on the web.  As a result, I have had to learn to adapt my skills to the marketplace. 

Still, it is an exciting time to be a writer!

What you writing these days? What tools are you using? Are you writing for yourself or for others? I would love to hear from you!

The Book That Changed How I Approach Writing

by Tony Thomas

On Writing Well. Those three words say it all.

William Zinsser's book on non-fiction writing is a true gem and is must-read for any writer. It certainly revolutionized the way that I approach writing.

Zinsser taught me that "less is more" and that I need to simplify. He taught me to write to an individual and not to an audience. He also taught me to think clearly.

One of my favorite quotes from On Writing Well:

“But the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every word that serves no function, every long word that could be a short word, every adverb that carries the same meaning that's already in the verb, every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what--these are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the strength of a sentence. And they usually occur in proportion to education and rank...” (1)

Word economy is the key to clear communication. When I read older works, I often labor to dissect a sentence to determine exactly what a writer meant to say.  This is unfortunate and a lot of us are similarly guilty of unnecessary embellishment. We use several paragraphs to convey information that can be summarized in one sentence. Sometimes this is due to arrogance.  Sometimes it is just plain laziness.

As Zinsser says, "Writing is hard work". I would add that editing is even harder work.

(1) On Writing Well, William Zinsser

You can buy a copy of On Writing Well here:

https://amzn.to/2nZKmHm

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why I Write

by Tony Thomas

Why do I write? I write because I love words. I write because I can sculpt my sentences into the messages that I want to convey. I write because writing is the ultimate form of communication.

I have been writing professionally for over 40 years. I've written articles, ad copy, radio commercials, collateral material, white papers, and books. I have loved every project and every moment that I have spent writing.

Sometimes words don't come easy. I have to stop, reflect, and think hard to coax them out. Eventually, they exit my mind and appear on the page. I am not a voluminous writer. I am stingy with my words. I believe in word economy. I mercilessly excise every superfluous sentence and word. Each word in the sentence has to work harder to perfectly render the correct shade of meaning.

I am a writer.  That is why I write.

The Changing Landscape

by Tony Thomas

I've noticed that writing is a lot different than it was in the 70s, 80s, and 90s when I was an active writer.

First of all, there aren't that many print magazines around anymore. The exceptions are large consumer mags and some specialized trade publications. Paper and printing costs have risen astronomically, and that has either bankrupted or constrained many players in the magazine business.

It seems like the British are still very active in magazine publishing judging from my trips to the local Barnes & Noble. Those buying their beautiful magazines probably get sticker shock every time they look at the prices. Some of them cost as much or more than a trade paperback.

Consolidation has also taken hold, and there are conglomerates with several similar publications under one roof. Many publications are entirely staff-written and, as a result, there is less work for freelancers. And most of the companies that were once involved in the magazine business have moved their content to the Internet, even if some of them maintain a print version.

The Internet has been a game changer in a lot of different ways. Some good, and some not so good. Content mills and writing brokers are pervasive. Some websites that allow you to bid on work, but it is a race to the bottom. Writing rates are going down, down, down. If you are a professional writer and want to get paid well, you have to market yourself to find clients that value quality writing.

On the plus side, anyone can start their own blog and write their own self-published book very quickly, easily and inexpensively. As a result, there are fewer barriers to entry for those who want to write. Technology has also improved greatly.

In the 70s, I wrote all of my articles on a manual typewriter. In the 80s, I moved to computers. And now, I can dictate my words into a microphone and they are automatically recognized by the programs that I use. That allows me to write faster, even if the final product requires a bit more editing.

The only thing that I struggle with is getting back into the frame of mind to write. That requires discipline and a lot of deep thinking. Right now, I am in the process of working to streamline my workflow and strengthen my writing muscles.